Out-of-state colleges entice Californians

By Stephen Ceasar

Their pitches were simple and tailored to the audience.

Come to my college, the out-of-state recruiters recently told high school students in Lakewood, and you will be taught in small classes and you'll graduate in four years. We'll even throw in a few thousand dollars just for being from California. And at one school, you won't even be far from an In-N-Out Burger.

Their attempt at wooing California high schoolers was a not-so-subtle move in a state whose public universities have been hit with severe budget cuts — $1.6 billion in 10 years — leading to tuition hikes, enrollment caps and fewer courses.

Meanwhile, nearby out-of-state colleges have reaped the benefits.

Neighboring states have seen an influx of California students enrolling in their universities, and colleges have significantly bolstered their recruiting efforts in the state. By enrolling Californians, not only do these schools receive non-resident tuition, they increase the diversity of their campuses as well....

The recruiter from Maryville University, a private school in St. Louis, touted the $5,000 scholarship automatically granted to Californians. The University of Arizona recruiter mentioned that Los Angeles is only an hour's flight away, and the recruiter from Southern Methodist University in Dallas mentioned the In-N-Out Burger a mile from campus, which drew "oohs" from the students....