Article on Albion College

[The Sultan]

This hits on a lot of the issues facing private colleges lately.  Despite its recent financial issues, Marquette is in MUCH better shape for a number of reasons.

https://www.freep.com/in-depth/news/education/2021/02/11/michigan-liberal-arts-college-tuition-discount/6310395002/

[Galway Eagle]

Do we have articles on similar schools to MU? Are other national urban Catholic or even private schools facing issues? Seems like every article is some small town tiny school

[The Sultan]

Do we have articles on similar schools to MU? Are other national urban Catholic or even private schools facing issues? Seems like every article is some small town tiny school

It's pretty rare for large, urban private universities to close.  In fact, off the top of my head I can't think of one.  Mostly because they are going to be more attractive for students. 

[Billy Hoyle]

Grew up nearby. Albion as a town is not in good shape. Their school system shut down a few years ago and kids were sent to another school. It is not a nice town (played there yearly). In the MIAA conference, to which they belong, there's Calvin and Hope (who attract students nationally due to their being members of the Christian and Dutch Reformed Church) and Kalamazoo, which is the top academic school in MI and located in an urban center. The rest are very small schools in rural small towns. There really is no true attraction to those schools. The sell for Albion when I was in HS is they had the highest med school placement rate for pre-med students. Small class sizes and financial aid only go so far to attract students to schools that are so expensive.

For MU, we have a national name, can draw nationally, and appeal to kids who want a Catholic school, and we have strong programs to attract students, especially the PT, pre-Dental, and PA programs. Being in a city we provide access to professional development opportunities. My wife got her first job due to internships downtown. We may have to cut but we're going to be fine. Small, rural and not highly rated schools like Albion, Ripon, Olivet, Alma, St. Joseph's (IN), Valpo, etc., do not have that, and justifying the expense to attend those schools is increasingly difficult.

[tower912]

Kalamazoo College has the added benefit of having a large state school next door and therefore having all of the college town benefits while still being small and exclusive.    Alma, Albion, Olivet all in similar situations.

[muwarrior69]

Grew up nearby. Albion as a town is not in good shape. Their school system shut down a few years ago and kids were sent to another school. It is not a nice town (played there yearly). In the MIAA conference, to which they belong, there's Calvin and Hope (who attract students nationally due to their being members of the Christian and Dutch Reformed Church) and Kalamazoo, which is the top academic school in MI and located in an urban center. The rest are very small schools in rural small towns. There really is no true attraction to those schools. The sell for Albion when I was in HS is they had the highest med school placement rate for pre-med students. Small class sizes and financial aid only go so far to attract students to schools that are so expensive.

For MU, we have a national name, can draw nationally, and appeal to kids who want a Catholic school, and we have strong programs to attract students, especially the PT, pre-Dental, and PA programs. Being in a city we provide access to professional development opportunities. My wife got her first job due to internships downtown. We may have to cut but we're going to be fine. Small, rural and not highly rated schools like Albion, Ripon, Olivet, Alma, St. Joseph's (IN), Valpo, etc., do not have that, and justifying the expense to attend those schools is increasingly difficult.

Kalamazoo College is a private institution that was founded in 1833. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 1,286, its setting is city, and the campus size is 60 acres. It utilizes a quarter-based academic calendar. Kalamazoo College's ranking in the 2021 edition of Best Colleges is National Liberal Arts Colleges, #67. Its tuition and fees are $52,380.

Hillsdale College is a private institution that was founded in 1844. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 1,468, its setting is rural, and the campus size is 400 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Hillsdale College's ranking in the 2021 edition of Best Colleges is National Liberal Arts Colleges, #54. Its tuition and fees are $29,482.

Both colleges are in Michigan and I am sure both are fine schools.

[Billy Hoyle]

Kalamazoo College has the added benefit of having a large state school next door and therefore having all of the college town benefits while still being small and exclusive.    Alma, Albion, Olivet all in similar situations.

solid breweries nearby too. Students go to WMU to party on the weekends.

We're going to see a lot of small school struggling. One school in Oregon, Willamette, started recruiting California hard then CA leaders opened up more spots at UC schools that pipeline was cut off. Now their future is in doubt.  All over the US, there are small schools in rural areas that are in danger of going the way of Milton College.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

Hillsdale College is a private institution that was founded in 1844. It has a total undergraduate enrollment of 1,468, its setting is rural, and the campus size is 400 acres. It utilizes a semester-based academic calendar. Hillsdale College's ranking in the 2021 edition of Best Colleges is National Liberal Arts Colleges, #54. Its tuition and fees are $29,482.

Hillsdale also has the distinction of being one of I believe only 4 colleges in the country that don't accept any federal or state funding, making them a truly private school.

[Herman Cain]

This hits on a lot of the issues facing private colleges lately.  Despite its recent financial issues, Marquette is in MUCH better shape for a number of reasons.

https://www.freep.com/in-depth/news/education/2021/02/11/michigan-liberal-arts-college-tuition-discount/6310395002/

Alma and Albion were always noted for their high percentages of pre med students admitted to medical schools, as Mr Hoyle points out . In addition they had  high law school and graduate business school admissions rates. This was a pretty good niche for these schools for a long time. Unfortunately neither had the cache of Kalamazoo College and thus the struggle when times got tough.

Unfortunately these institutions did not have high endowments . It was somewhat sad to read the article and see the path Albion went down to attract students . Selling a product for less than cost never works and you can't make it up on volume.

[Billy Hoyle]

Hillsdale also has the distinction of being one of I believe only 4 colleges in the country that don't accept any federal or state funding, making them a truly private school.

and ridiculously conservative, catering to Evangelicals and the MAGA crowd. They get a lot of funding from right-wing groups and individuals (e.g., Heritage and the DeVos family).  That niche will help them survive.

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2018/07/does-hillsdale-colleges-approach-to-fundraising-jeopardize-its-mission/566204/
https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/05/12/hillsdale-college-trump-pence-218362/

[The Sultan]

Alma and Albion were always noted for their high percentages of pre med students admitted to medical schools, as Mr Hoyle points out . In addition they had  high law school and graduate business school admissions rates. This was a pretty good niche for these schools for a long time. Unfortunately neither had the cache of Kalamazoo College and thus the struggle when times got tough.

Unfortunately these institutions did not have high endowments . It was somewhat sad to read the article and see the path Albion went down to attract students . Selling a product for less than cost never works and you can't make it up on volume.

Albion's endowment isn't that small. $175 million for a school that size isn't terrible.

[ChuckyChip]

Hillsdale also has the distinction of being one of I believe only 4 colleges in the country that don't accept any federal or state funding, making them a truly private school.

Hillsdale also has the distinction of having produced Chester Marcol.

[TAMU, Knower of Ball]

and ridiculously conservative, catering to Evangelicals and the MAGA crowd. They get a lot of funding from right-wing groups and individuals (e.g., Heritage and the DeVos family).  That niche will help them survive.

https://www.theatlantic.com/ideas/archive/2018/07/does-hillsdale-colleges-approach-to-fundraising-jeopardize-its-mission/566204/
https://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2018/05/12/hillsdale-college-trump-pence-218362/

I worked at Grand Valley State for a while. I'm very familiar with Hillsdale's niche. I decided not to get into the politics aspect

[Galway Eagle]

solid breweries nearby too. Students go to WMU to party on the weekends.

Bell's is ok but after two hearted and Oberon there's not much to brag about imo.  Are there many other breweries there my app shows like 4 others in the whole city.

[Herman Cain]

Albion's endowment isn't that small. $175 million for a school that size isn't terrible.

It is a respectable size endowment . However not big enough to subsidize a large number of tuitions .

[4everwarriors]

Purhapps dey got a bb koach wee kould poach, hey?

[The Sultan]

It is a respectable size endowment . However not big enough to subsidize a large number of tuitions .

Agree with you there.

[tower912]

https://www.freep.com/in-depth/news/education/2021/02/13/albion-michigan-college-downtown/3905778001/

Part II.   The relationship between small town and small college.   

[NorthernDancerColt]

Grew up nearby. Albion as a town is not in good shape.

The sell for Albion when I was in HS is they had the highest med school placement rate for pre-med students. Small class sizes and financial aid only go so far to attract students to schools that are so expensive.

It looks like they read Scoop at Albion! Way to go, Billy. As of a few hours ago, Albion relearned where their bread is buttered and just launched a joint program with Western Michigan University guaranteeing a spot in the WMU Med School for all qualified Albion pre-med students. So, essentially, a HS student can lock-in 8 years of her education if she prefers to work professionally in the medical field. This joint program makes sense for both institutions and is some very creative thinking for a financially struggling school.

[NorthernDancerColt]

Clearly this joint program with WMU has been in the works for some time, but just wanted to give Billy and Herman some credit for being spot-on with some of the key issues and demographics. Thanks to Sultan for the OP as well, all articles have been a fascinating read on the challenges (even before Covid) facing small-town colleges.

[Billy Hoyle]

Clearly this joint program with WMU has been in the works for some time, but just wanted to give Billy and Herman some credit for being spot-on with some of the key issues and demographics. Thanks to Sultan for the OP as well, all articles have been a fascinating read on the challenges (even before Covid) facing small-town colleges.

My old track coach who I am still friends with is an alumni relations guy for Albion. He's shared many of the challenges they're facing.

I didn't even know WMU had a medical school.

This is a start but not nearly enough to insure long term stability.

[tower912]

WMU's  medical school is new