Monday, October 12, 2015

Farewell to America’s Small Colleges - Alia Wong, the Atlantic

Unfortunately, Sweet Briar’s future—along with that of similar higher-education institutions across the country—doesn’t look too sweet. According to a recent report by Moody’s Investor Service, the United States could see as many as 15 colleges shuttered annually by 2017 (while many less-unlucky colleges are expected to merge.) That’s triple the closure rate typical over the last decade, which saw an average of five colleges close annually. “Sweet Briar probably will not be the last to flirt with closure,” reported Fortune magazine last month, noting that Moody’s had ranked three dozen colleges’ bonds as either junk, on the cusp of junk status, or “low investment grade.” Overall, these trends help illustrate how U.S. higher education is evolving. They’re also a testament to young Americans’ ever-changing postsecondary preferences and priorities. http://www.theatlantic.com/education/archive/2015/10/demise-of-small-private-colleges/408592/