<p>It’s been a while since I’ve posted, daughter graduated last year. Re: students flocking to publics and leaving privates high and dry. That depends on the “level” of the private college. Swarthmore and peers will have nothing to worry about from this behavior. </p>
<p>However, 2nd tier and certainly 3rd tier privates may face problems. </p>
<p>That being said publics aren’t the relative bargain they once were in many locations. It’s not that the cost of delivering a college education has increased so much as it is cost shifting from state general fund revenues to “local” sources (read: tuition and fees). As the proportion of the state budget that goes to a given system declines, the costs imposed to other sources of revenue must increase. </p>
<p>I note from the Chronicle of Higher Education that Williams has ended its “no loans” aid policy as a result of endowment issues. </p>
<p>The decline in value of endowments has hit many public universities as well.</p>
<p>Everyone (corporations - schools - are “people” now according to SCOTUS 
) is experiencing difficulty.</p>
<p>Applicants need to be very thorough in researching what the total four year cost of a given school is going to be.</p>