(2004-04-26) College Wealthy Vs Ecollege

David Leonhardt on the increasingly wealthy tier of students getting a good College Education. Over all, at the 42 most selective state universities, including the flagship campuses in California, Colorado, Illinois, Michigan and New York, 40 percent of this year's freshmen come from families making more than $100,000, up from about 32 percent in 1999, according to the Higher Education Research Institute. Nationwide, fewer than 20 percent of families make that much money... As the income of college graduates has risen much faster than that of less educated workers, getting into the right college has become an obsession in many upper-income High School-s. Maybe the universities need smarter filtering systems.

Meanwhile virtual universities are getting more popular, esp for specialized/Professional "training" (e.g. for Law School or MBA).

One of the confusions with looking at this space is staying consistent between whether you're focusing on just the "top-tier" super exclusive/expensive schools or a broader tier. And whether you're dealing with young vs "adult" students, whether they're seeking a big change in career direction vs promotion with the same company (who may be paying their tuition), etc.