Four schools.
Unlimited possibilities.We believe doing is the best path to learning. Which is why each of our schools emphasizes hands-on experiences within a well-rounded, multi-disciplinary curriculum.
The message (excerpted from Mount Ida College’s website) above may sound ironic after you learn more about this school’s sudden closure announcement.
Mount Ida College (MIC), a 118-year-old small liberal arts school located in Newton, Massachusetts, announced that the school will be closed after this spring term. The school will be purchased by the University of Massachusetts (UM). MIC’s old students with satisfactory academic performance will be automatically accepted to the Dartmouth campus of the UM, which is 60 miles south of MIC and takes more than one hour of driving to get to.
What Will Happen to MIC’s Students
MIC’s students and their parents are very angry at the school’s closure. Let’s take a look at the impacts the closure can do to its students.
* New students who plan to enroll at MIC this fall as freshmen have to start to look for new schools now. However, they may not find their future schools in time because by now most schools’ application deadlines have passed.
* Many students of the MIC with good academic standing cannot attend UM because UM does not offer the same majors. They will be forced to change their majors at UM or go somewhere else.
* Some MIC’s students who want to transfer to other schools than UM may have to face issues like transfer credit awarded. They may not get all the credits they have taken at MIC awarded toward their degrees at their new schools.
* Some local MIC students who meet UM’s admission criteria may not want to commute at least 2 hours a day to attend UM.
What UM Do with MIC’s Campus
According to Fox News:
UMass will take over the 74-acre Mount Ida campus in Newton and use it for “career preparation programs,” in science and technology fields that are in high demand in the greater Boston area, the university said.
For MIC students Who Want to Attend UM
MIC students who are residents of Massachusetts and wish to transfer to UMass-Dartmouth will be offered the in-state tuition rate of no more than $13,500 per year. Compare with the annual $35,720 tuition at Mount Ida, this transfer is quite a good deal financially. UM also agrees the MIC transfer students would also be guaranteed access housing and they have the opportunity to become roommates with former classmates.
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