Price Mistake??? Albert Einstein Now Free

[yuneeq]

High caliber students will understand that tuition is not cheap because of poor quality, it's cheap because of the generous endowment.

What is more likely to happen is (1) that the elimination of tuition will attract many more applicants, and (2) the school will accept the brightest and the best, which will enhance the school's reputation, raising it's excellence. It will also (3) likely attract more bright students (especially local students) to Medicine (e.g. away from Finance and Law) who might be capable/interested in medicine but otherwise discouraged because of the crushing economic burden of the many years of Medical education. (3) It may encourage more similar gifts to other Medical schools.

Came here to say 1 and 2. I will add that attracting top students should lead to attracting top faculty as well.

I don’t see how free tuition and acceptance based on merit is different than a “merit based scholarship” or how the endowment precludes them for encouraging (or even forcing) enrollment in essential specialty fields.

[Just A Jew]

I hear the optimistic arguments. They make sense, and hopefully it plays out like that. Unfortunately, I have less faith.

[David61]

People who are primarily focused on maximizing income go into law or finance (investments) or entrepreneurship, not medicine.

Moreover, forcing people into specialties (or medical research for that matter) can be counter productive, if that's not where their passion-or-interests are.

[Dan]

People who are primarily focused on maximizing income go into law or finance (investments) or entrepreneurship, not medicine.

Moreover, forcing people into specialties (or medical research for that matter) can be counter productive, if that's not where their passion-or-interests are.

If they're passionate about cardiology, I doubt they're going into pediatrics because of free medical school tuition.

[David61]

I hear the optimistic arguments. They make sense, and hopefully it plays out like that. Unfortunately, I have less faith.

Anyone can make a forecast, but a useful one is based on economic principles (of supply and demand), and knowledge/experience/history (of how things like this tend to play out in the real world).

[avromie7]

People who are primarily focused on maximizing income go into law or finance (investments) or entrepreneurship, not medicine.

It isn't anyways thr way and it certainly doesn't need to be that way. Drs can easily make more than lawyers.

If they're passionate about cardiology, I doubt they're going into pediatrics because of free medical school tuition.

Most students don't know what they're passionate about until they get a few years into medical school.

[Dan]

Most students don't know what they're passionate about until they get a few years into medical school.

Can always take out loans if you want to specialize.

[Just A Jew]

Anyone can make a forecast, but a useful one is based on economic principles (of supply and demand), and knowledge/experience/history (of how things like this tend to play out in the real world).

Sure. My opinion is based on the monetization of education and the current state of secondary education in this country, added to my views on our society in general and the state of mind of our youth in particular. Also playing a factor is how we treat "free" things in this country. If I'm a gambling man, I'm putting my money on this not going the way it was altruistically intended, because we don't live in a utopia and we tend to screw up things which were meant for the greater good. Like I said, I'm a little jaded.

Prop bet, 10-to-1 odds those scholarships take merit into little account and prioritize socially peceived degree of victimhood.

[David61]

Drs can easily make more than lawyers.

True. But not more than lawyers who are capable of being doctors   

[Just A Jew]

Another factor to take into consideration is how this endowment factors in skyrocketing costs of education compared to the average rate of inflation. Cost of teacher's salaries, technology, and student amenities all track at a much higher rate.

[gozalim]

Prop bet, 10-to-1 odds those scholarships take merit into little account and prioritize socially peceived degree of victimhood.

article makes it sound like that's part of the intent (mentions of the bronx location)

[gozalim]

Who wouldn't be for that?

https://www.chabad.org/therebbe/letters/default_cdo/aid/1277/jewish/Wise-Charitable-Giving.htm

[yelped]

https://www.chabad.org/therebbe/letters/default_cdo/aid/1277/jewish/Wise-Charitable-Giving.htm

"On the negative side, we see to our deep sorrow and dismay how a large and growing segment of our Jewish youth is utterly confused and alienated to such an extent that it is being written off in some quarters as a lost cause, G‑d forbid. Such a view is, of course, quite at variance with the Torah view, unequivocally expressed by our Sages of the Mishnah: "All Jews have a share in the World to Come, as it is written, but all your people are righteous. . . the work of My Hands." In other words, the eternal destiny of each and every Jew is assured by G‑d Himself, regardless of the present state in which the individual may be.

Fortunately, just as Divine Providence is in evidence in every thing, it is evidenced also in the fact that the negative side of the situation is compensated by the positive side of it. It is, that never before has there been a greater, more eager and honest desire on the part of our young generation to search for the truth, a desire matched by a determination and readiness to accept challenge and re-order the daily life accordingly — so long as they are convinced that they have found the truth."

The positivity of the Rebbe and his always being galvanized and ready for action is something to be admired