8 votes

Are liberal arts colleges doomed? The cautionary tale of Hampshire College and the broken business model of American higher education

Posted by spit-evil-olive-tips
Tags: education.higher, liberal arts, usa, colleges, hampshire college, business, author.eliza gray, long read, paywall.hard
https://www.washingtonpost.com/magazine/2019/10/21/downfall-hampshire-college-broken-business-model-american-higher-education/

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Published
Oct 21 2019
Word count
4733 words

6 comments

  1. [5]
    RapidEyeMovement
    Link
    Low end Liberal Arts Colleges are on deaths door. By low-end I mean Universities with small endowments and resources. Which often cause a downward spiral that is hard to stop without outside...

    Low end Liberal Arts Colleges are on deaths door. By low-end I mean Universities with small endowments and resources. Which often cause a downward spiral that is hard to stop without outside assistance.

    High-end Liberal Arts colleges are doing amazing, and have a very vibrant future and I would push anyone to consider them before a larger State University because of class size, personal attention, and general overall education diversity.

    3 votes
    1. [4]
      JakeTheDog
      Link Parent
      What's the difference between a high-end Liberal Arts college and a State University?

      What's the difference between a high-end Liberal Arts college and a State University?

      3 votes
      1. [3]
        RapidEyeMovement
        Link Parent
        Besides class size, personal attention? Closer knit alumni network, possibly? (Depends on the school obviously) Also a lot of them push students to graduate in four years. Found this also, which...

        Besides class size, personal attention? Closer knit alumni network, possibly? (Depends on the school obviously) Also a lot of them push students to graduate in four years.

        Found this also, which is interesting.
        https://www.collegeraptor.com/college-rankings/details/EndowmentPerStudent

        1. [2]
          JakeTheDog
          Link Parent
          No I mean is there a formal distinction between the two? Like one gives degrees and the other diploma; liberal arts doesn't do research (?) etc. Or is college and university synonymous? I'm a...

          No I mean is there a formal distinction between the two? Like one gives degrees and the other diploma; liberal arts doesn't do research (?) etc. Or is college and university synonymous? I'm a non-American.

          2 votes
          1. stu2b50
            Link Parent
            In US lexicon, College = University Liberal art colleges are typically smaller, with a focus on the liberal arts (though not necessary, i.e see Harvey Mudd). Faculty typically focus on teaching...

            In US lexicon, College = University

            Liberal art colleges are typically smaller, with a focus on the liberal arts (though not necessary, i.e see Harvey Mudd). Faculty typically focus on teaching rather than research at most public universities

            1 vote
  2. Leonidas
    Link
    I wonder if Hampshire College's uniqueness as a college where students have self-directed learning influences these factors. I would assume most liberal arts colleges don't have that level of...

    I wonder if Hampshire College's uniqueness as a college where students have self-directed learning influences these factors. I would assume most liberal arts colleges don't have that level of non-traditional structure.