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Post by FU73 on Nov 19, 2022 8:41:46 GMT -5
From the New York Times: How Fairfield University Ended Up With Few Low-Income StudentsFairfield has the lowest percentage of Pell Grant recipients of any college in the United States. But was it a choice?By Ron Lieber Ron has visited over 35 colleges and universities in the last five years to report on what families pay for college. Last night, the first official basketball game at Fairfield University’s brand-new, 85,000-square-foot Leo D. Mahoney Arena took place. The building, which cost $51 million, takes pride of place in the center of campus. Across Loyola Drive, in the suite of admission and financial aid offices in the Aloysius P. Kelley Center, the school has hit a different kind of milestone: The class of first-year students that entered in 2020 had the lowest percentage of Pell Grant recipients of any college in the United States — 7.5 percent — according to the most recent federal data. The federal government makes Pell Grants available to students from families with the lowest incomes in the country. So the figure has become a proxy for a higher education institution’s commitment to pulling students up from the lowest rungs of the social-class ladder. Is the Pell Grant the best metric to judge this commitment? Fairfield, a Jesuit institution whose mission includes fostering “ethical and religious values and a sense of social responsibility,” believes the measurement is “not particularly useful” or “modern.” The school refused to let administrators have an on-the-record conversation with me about it, but I did communicate by email with one vice president..... www.nytimes.com/2022/11/19/your-money/fairfield-university-financial-aid-pell-grant.html
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Post by stagthomas on Nov 19, 2022 20:03:50 GMT -5
I wish the university responded to this semi-hit piece. But I did like the part where Nemec said we are now the seventh most selective Catholic institution in the country. We should promote that fact more. Kinda surprised with that selectivity we aren’t higher up on the US News college rankings.
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Post by paulie74 on Nov 19, 2022 20:35:44 GMT -5
I wish the university responded to this semi-hit piece. But I did like the part where Nemec said we are now the seventh most selective Catholic institution in the country. We should promote that fact more. Kinda surprised with that selectivity we aren’t higher up on the US News college rankings. The facts are the facts. Did the reporter say anything that wasn't true? Part of the college rankings is the diversity you experience as part of your education. If we were more diverse, guaranteed we would be ranked higher. But, we are building dorms when many private schools can't meet enrollment. As the article said it's a business and survival is the #1 priority. Lets face it, diversity is not part of the FU mission. Even though it is promoted as "The Modern Catholic Jesuit University". To me that says I want one type of kid -- suburban white Catholic with money. But again, it is all about how can you build the biggest revenue base and what works to survive. From a demographic standpoint, FU is an extension of your suburban high school. Just walk through The Quad any day of the week. And that's ok if it's who you want to be, but is a major void in your college experience and development in my opinion. I also believe it is not a coincidence we field LAX and not Football. It is the demographic being targeted. So, just accept the facts. As a business, it is very successful and just has a gap in experiencing the diverse world in which we live.
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Post by ctghostman on Nov 19, 2022 21:13:42 GMT -5
We also recruit heavily Catholic schools which generally aren’t free. Kids needing Pell grants generally attended public schools.
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Post by paulie74 on Nov 19, 2022 21:28:13 GMT -5
We also recruit heavily Catholic schools which generally aren’t free. Kids needing Pell grants generally attended public schools. Exactly, this is the FU demographic. Our targeting is very successful. So you cannot expect to be a diverse student population. They are marketing the university to reach that specific audience.
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Post by claver07 on Nov 19, 2022 21:50:08 GMT -5
No one cares what the lying scum at some has-been paper that no one reads anymore has to say. Take the most qualified students based purely on merit and not income, diversity or any other social engineering nonsense.
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Post by paulie74 on Nov 20, 2022 7:03:59 GMT -5
No one cares what the lying scum at some has-been paper that no one reads anymore has to say. Take the most qualified students based purely on merit and not income, diversity or any other social engineering nonsense. Poor does not equal Dumb. Exposure to qualified low income students will enhance the educational experience for everyone. Label it social engineering? I'd call it an opportunity for QUALIFIED kids who just don't have the money to pay for it. I'm not supporting lower standards. Just do a better job mining for those qualified low income kids. Let's expose FU students to a more global view and not provide another 4 years of high school. Fairfield Bellarmine will be an opportunity to help identify qualified low income kids who can move on and complete their four year FU degree. I think there is a middle ground that can benefit everyone. Isn't that what the "Modern Catholic Jesuit University" should support?
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Post by FU73 on Nov 20, 2022 8:29:48 GMT -5
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Post by ctghostman on Nov 20, 2022 8:57:28 GMT -5
Quick math: assume equal class size 9.8 x 4 = 39.2 Average for school is 9.8 39.2 - 7.5 = 31.7. Remove freshman 32.7 / 3 = 10.56. Upper class average
10.56 still gets us on the list.
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Post by stag76 on Nov 21, 2022 8:00:11 GMT -5
I wish the university responded to this semi-hit piece. But I did like the part where Nemec said we are now the seventh most selective Catholic institution in the country. We should promote that fact more. Kinda surprised with that selectivity we aren’t higher up on the US News college rankings. What are the six Catholic colleges currently more selective than us? I’m guessing Georgetown, BC, and Notre Dame are 3 of them. There are so many other possibilities for the other 3 and there’s always the possibility that I’m wrong about 1 or more of the three I mentioned as likely locks.
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Post by terpstag on Nov 21, 2022 8:13:23 GMT -5
I bet Holy Cross and Villanova.
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Post by stag76 on Nov 21, 2022 8:20:18 GMT -5
And there’s also Fordham, St. Joe’s, Providence, Xavier, Loyola MD, Creighton, Gonzaga.
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Post by paulie74 on Nov 21, 2022 9:50:17 GMT -5
I've got FU at #6 Among Catholic Colleges note above.
Acceptance Rates (US News)
Georgetown - 12%
ND - 15%
BC - 19%
Villanova - 25%
Holy Cross - 43%
FU - 56%
Providence - 58%
Fordham - 58%
Gonzaga - 76%
Creighton - 78%
St Joes - 83%
Loyola MD - 84%
Xavier - 84%
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Post by stag79 on Nov 21, 2022 16:09:34 GMT -5
No one cares what the lying scum at some has-been paper that no one reads anymore has to say. Take the most qualified students based purely on merit and not income, diversity or any other social engineering nonsense. Poor does not equal Dumb. Exposure to qualified low income students will enhance the educational experience for everyone. Label it social engineering? I'd call it an opportunity for QUALIFIED kids who just don't have the money to pay for it. I'm not supporting lower standards. Just do a better job mining for those qualified low income kids. Let's expose FU students to a more global view and not provide another 4 years of high school. Fairfield Bellarmine will be an opportunity to help identify qualified low income kids who can move on and complete their four year FU degree. I think there is a middle ground that can benefit everyone. Isn't that what the "Modern Catholic Jesuit University" should support? Well said. I wish the school had responded because the Bridgeport initiative should help bring in more and better prepared lower income students and broaden diversity. The column made only one mention of that program. I don’t understand not responding on the record. And yes, it’s hardly social engineering to have a student body more reflective of the wider world. BTW. NYTimes paid circulation is about 10m. Story was below the fold in the B section of the print edition Saturday, usually the least read paper of the week. Story was on bottom of the digital edition Saturday morning.
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Post by Stagophile on Nov 28, 2022 22:22:26 GMT -5
Agreed. Who is in charge of public/media relations? Nemec should have been available and upfront in admitting to the low number and then expressing frustration despite many efforts to attract the best students from all segments of society. He could have discussed the Bridgeport Catholic HS full scholarships, the millions raised at the annual dinner for multi-cultural programs, and the new Bellarmine College. There are some good things happening that Nemec should have been front and center expressing to this NYT writer. No comment is a terrible response! They lost all control of the narrative or any possibility of damage control.
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