Richard Morgan of The Chronicle of Higher Education said, "a feeder system is alive and well in America." However, The New York Times reported last month that many Manhattan parochial schools are looking to either consolidate or close.
What type of background did those education majors come from? Be it a public or parochial school, many Catholic institutions in New York, including MC, have made adjustments when targeting their ideal student body because of the changing system.
"Obviously recruiting Catholic high schools is a key enrollment plan," Kevin Cavanaugh, assistant vice president for college admissions at Iona College, said, "It's always a disappointment [when a school closes]."
Cavanaugh stated that roughly 30-40 percent of students at Iona have come from a parochial background, but he looks at the admissions process as somewhat of an evolution.
"As the landscape of high schools change, nothing stays the same for very long. We have to understand our
marketplace," he said optimistically. Taking a practical approach, Cavanaugh believed that targeting all types of enviroments would be most beneficial to Iona.
"They are some very great students that attend public schools, so it's important we reach out."
In response to his anxieties regarding the feeder system, Cavanaugh joked, "The kids still have to go to school."
Although Cavanaugh admitted that there have been changes, some do not wish to discuss these changes that have been occurring at a secondary school level.
Fran Davies, associate superintendent for communications and marketing for the Arch Diocese said, "The Arch Diocese of New York has oversight of early education, elementary schools and secondary schools only. [We] don't track college outcomes."
Unwilling to look at the system, Davies simply said inquiries about the consolidation and closures of schools are "inappropriate" for the office.
Those in admissions, however, cannot help but look at school closures.
Fordham University, MC's Bronx rival, has certainly adjusted to the feeder system and has made changes when targeting students that has more to do with location than environment.
"I oversee California and with the educational system post graduation, the state is not doing too well," Molly
Magill, associate director of admissions at Fordham said, "There's a huge increase in West Coast applications."
In order to appeal to students, Magill highlights Fordham's biggest attraction: New York City.
"It's an easy transition," Magill believes, "In areas where we're traveling [students] grew up around the city.
Some of our tour guides are seniors from California and are looking to stay in New York."
Fordham's applications have increased for the 19th year in a row, and Magill believes it is because of the school's "good mix."
"Catholic and Jesuit schools tend to visit [us] and strong public high schools," Magill said.
However, there is a lingering sense of Catholic tradition.
"Students who've attended Jesuit schools are very attracted [to Fordham]."
Perhaps the current situation of the market on the East Coast has made students on the West Coast more accessible.
Whether Fordham is recruiting in sunny San Fransisco or Iona is targeting more public schools, there has undoubtedly been some changes. So where does that leave MC?
"We still do well in traditional Catholic high schools and non-Catholic schools that fall into our feeder
category," William Bisset, vice president for enrollment at MC, said. Mc's main focal point is in a 60 mile radius, covering areas such as Long Island, Westchester County and Bergen County.
MC has has not only targeted parochial schools, but public schools as well because those students are more
conducive to a private college education.
"The cost of attending private high school forces a family in the Metropolitian area [to spend] a tremendous
amount," Bisset said, "Public high school options are available to a lot of families."
The recruitment process has become quite intense, as shown through MC's growing application pool which is currently "the largest we've seen in history" at 5,800 apps.
Bisset said that literally every day of the week during the application process there is some form of recruitment taking place for MC. Yes, that means weekends, too.
Thomas Dunn, a recruiter for MC, said "[We look] at more and more public schools, but we tend to go to all the parochial schools simply because of their likelihood towards continuing a Catholic education."
Regardless of the environment, Dunn said MC looks towards quality above all else, targeting any type of student who is interested.
Although there have been consolidations and closures, MC is looking to expand its market with Facebook, Twitter and YouTube pages. Students in any type of school have access to that information.
For the time being, those Ed majors on the steps are worried about lesson plans and their observation hours.
Several years from now, they will be wondering how the state of the feeder system will affect their students. But for now, they are students themselves.
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| MC has taken new tactics to recruiting students from all types of educational backgrounds |
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