jerseyshorejohnny
Well-known member
I have been told by St.John's students that Harrington rarely mixes with students and avoids student activities.
While other Catholic colleges and Universities have raised their academic image over the past 25 years St. john's academic image has at best remained stagnet. Harrington has seemingly set low goals for academic recognition and has sometimes failed to meet even his low goals.
Harrington has embarrassed himself and St. John's University.
In fairness, arguably 2 of the biggest factors that act as a drag in our U.S. News ranking are: Retention (now a tad under 80%) and 6 yr. graduation rate.
Since a very healthy percent of students are Pell Grant eligible, a fair number find they don't have the money to continue their St. John's education at some point after they matriculate at the university.
The exception I take in your hypothesis is that approximately 40% of current SJU students are Pell eligible. This has also contributed mightily to the decline in Catholic students. I take little issue with Pell grants, but I think that better universities who have Pell recipients among their students have better qualified students than we do.
When 40% of your student body come from poorer areas in NYC, the campus is going to be radically changed, and it has. I guarantee you that FH understands that the school can turn a profit on these kids who recieve about $7000 per year in grants.
Hello Beast!
I stand by my # that about 40% of Queens campus students, commmuter and resident combined, are Pell eligible.
The biggest difference, IMO, between St. John's in 2012 and St. John's in 1972 are the names of our perceived competition.
40 years ago it was Fordham, Nova and BC.
For the most part, all of these aforementioned institutions were "local / commuter" schools at the time with similar student bodies particularly as it pertained to religion and the socio-economic backgrounds of their students.
There wasn't a dramatic perception difference between those schools (and many others) and St. John's.
Arguably, the type of kid (define that as you will) who went to St. John's 4 decades ago NOW goes to a SUNY like Stony Brook, primarily because of the cost and/or the relative lack of a "sufficient" amount of grants or scholarships.
At some point, your guess is as good as mine, the tuiton bubble will burst, but until it does many of those who are "above average" academically will not take a serious look at us or any private school. It just is not practical for them and their families.
In addition, we are not a big "legacy" school.
That is to say, many of our alumni (who have the financial means to do so) send their kids to BC, Nova , Fordham or other colleges instead of our alma mater for a variety of reasons.
Futhermore, in 1972, it wasn't as fashionable or as common (on a relative basis), for kids to go away to school.
At that timei, when the earth was cooling, kids didn't think they had to wear a "Scarlet A" if they stayed home when attending college.
Today if a kid doesn't go away to school they think Western civilization is going to end and yet many are amazed when it doesn't!!!
Personally, I think we should discourage anyone who cannot financially attend the university from starting in the first place. Yes, I know, I'm tilting at windmills.
That said,what's the point of having someone start when we know from the proverbial data that they aren't good bets to graduate due to overwhelming financial challenges.
It simply doesn't reflect well on the school, IMO.
I think everyone would be much better off if these kids were encouraged to go to a community college and transfer into St. John's for their junior year and graduate.
Yes, you may risk having that person finish up at a SUNY or CUNY (instead of St. John's) but that is the right thing to do.
No reason to saddle someone with a financial burden and no degree. I mean what's the point ?
Even for those who graduate, are we creating a pool of "indentured servants" ?
Rhetorically, should someone from a SEVERELY FINANCIALLY CHALLENGED household be encouraged to saddle themselves with outsized student loan debt for a liberal arts degree at a private university?
This obviously then circles back to the acute need for us as alumni to contribute to annual appeals and capital campaigns.
The most pressing issue that college students face today is figuring out a way to pay for their education and the more grants and scholarships we can offer the better it is for everyone.
If this was to come to fruition our retention and 6 yr. grad rates would improve markedly IMO and so would our U.S. News ranking.
Finnally, and as a suggestion, for those who would like to see St. John's earn a higher U.S. News ranking perhaps you might like to get involved and personally and pro-actively recruit high school students in your area who you think would be great additions to the St. John's student population.
http://www.stjohns.edu/admission/undergraduate/alumni