Most of these colleges that are closing or merging are small private liberal arts schools, many have a religious affiliation. The main problem is not cost per

Most of these colleges that are closing or merging are small private liberal arts schools, many have a religious affiliation. The main problem is not cost per say (as the article points out some of these schools are only $12,000/year), it's that many of these schools have not updated their curricula for decades. The degrees from these institutions offers little in the way of preparation for a 21st century career that could justify even their modest cost. There are plenty of small schools in the Northeast that are thriving, schools that have changed with the times that offer competitive programs in technology, science, medicine, business, politics, law etc.