NJ colleges want you back. How about a discount? (Opinion)

Ten New Jersey colleges are asking students that have left the state for their education to come home and save their economic day.

Calling themselves the "New Jersey Scholar Corps Program," the presidents of Montclair State University, New Jersey Institute of Technology, Rowan University, Kean University, New Jersey City University, Ramapo College, Stockton University, The College of New Jersey, Thomas Edison State University and William Paterson University said that following the coronavirus:

“Our state needs help from the 120,000 New Jersey residents who attend a college or university outside of our borders. New Jersey needs your energy, your intelligence, and your commitment.”

... and especially your money.

They're offering to accept credits earned with a grade of C or better and provide guaranteed housing, so long as it's available. What they should offer is a discount. Isn't that how business works? Don't they teach that in their economics classes?

Why would a student who is not even sure if he or she is going to be able to physically attend college want to transfer here? If the New Jersey colleges met their need, they wouldn't have gone out of state in the first place. Also, if the possibility exists that they can now stay here and learn from their out of state school online, why not do that?

“Think of the Peace Corps and AmeriCorps,” their statement read. “Think of those natural disasters and crises when young people turned out to fight for what’s right, to push us toward a hopeful future.”

... and hopefully deeper into the black bottom line.

How exactly is transferring to a New Jersey college "fighting for what's right?" If you want students to transfer, you've got to give them a better deal, maybe half price credits, eliminate those money-wasting electives, partial scholarships. That's business and that's what college is all about.

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