Growing up in the Northeast, I was taught The South was a desolate land inhabited by rednecks. Ron Paul, bless his cotton socks, was a lunatic, and The North was a pristine abolitionist land whose people freed the slaves.

Luckily, I grew up and no longer believe those fairy tales. Since visiting places like Texas, Florida, and Georgia, my mind has been blown wide open. But just seeing how many northern transplants live in the South is enough to reiterate that you should never believe what you hear.

Perhaps it's my reticular activating system doing its thing, but I’m seeing evidence of a resurging South all over the place. I’m thrilled for the people down there, as they’ve had a terrible wrap for a long time.

But there’s no place this is more true than in University Land.

Who Needs Harvard?

Thomas Sowell once said, “In every disaster throughout American history, there always seems to be a man from Harvard in the middle of it.” Of course, a Harvard grad wouldn’t mind telling you there’s a reason they’re “in charge.”

For my part, I’ve always joked that if my son Micah ever said, “Daddy, I want to be just like you and go to Villanova!” he’d get a closed fist to the face. I’d never do that, obviously, but I’d sure feel like a failure of a father.

You may already know that I’ve been away teaching in Frankfurt for the past few weeks. I taught a class for a European asset management company with new hires from the U.S., Canada, the UK, Germany, Austria, Hungary, and Hong Kong.

All the students graduated from top universities and were excellent in class. But what stood out to me was that no group stood out. For every bright Ivy League student, there was an equally intelligent kid from the University of Hong Kong or the University of Mannheim.

If you pushed me to choose one, I’d say a few continental Europeans were ahead on the actual financial theory. But all brought something to the table, such as good Excel or near-professional presentation skills.

This is only a sample size of one, but the difference between the Ivy League and Oxbridge schools and the rest of the world is shrinking… fast.

As The Wall Street Journal highlighted, there may be a few reasons for this.

The Silver Lining to the Tuition Crisis

College is a complete ripoff. Hell, I thought Villanova was a ripoff when it only charged $22,000 annually in the early 90s.

But college, especially up northeast, has become so idiotically expensive it isn’t worth it for everyone. I’d much rather send a kid of average intelligence to a trade school than a university. The economics prove this is an intelligent decision these days. Cheap tuition, no debt, and an immediate job put these young men and women ahead of the pack.

Other than a great network and, more importantly, government-backed student loans, I couldn’t understand how universities were getting away with the tuition hikes. It seems they haven’t.

The Wall Street Journal printed an article titled, “Sorry, Harvard. Everyone Wants to Go to College in the South Now.” (This title is clickbait, but so be it.) The comment section is hilarious. If you’ve got a WSJ subscription, read it for a good laugh and the outstanding rivalry between Northerners and Southerners.

Of course, Harvard doesn’t have anything to worry about. It’ll always hit its admittedly small numbers.

But what’s great is that Southern schools like Vanderbilt, Emory, Georgia Tech, Duke, and North Carolina are getting more attention from Northerners who might otherwise attend Ivy League schools. Schools like Alabama, Ole Miss, and Clemson are attracting those Northerners who wouldn’t be Ivy League-bound.

The Journal writes:

For out-of-state students, Southern schools are often a bargain, according to figures from roughly 100 of the nation’s top public research universities. Last school year, such Southern schools charged students from other states a median $29,000 in tuition and fees, the least of top public colleges in any region.

 And that’s just the beginning.

Free Speech and Politics

It seems some students aren’t into lockdowns and Israel-Palestine. From The Journal:

At many Northern schools, by contrast, television news showed campuses beset by protests last year. This juxtaposition is one reason the flow of Northerners heading South could continue in the coming years, say college counselors. 

Students who have moved to the South for college pay less attention to politics than students who have moved to the Northeast, said Colby College sociology professor Neil Gross, citing a survey he took this summer.

“Some students are saying, ‘I don’t want to be in a super political environment,’ and they are opting into an atmosphere where they can focus on things other than politics,” he said.

It’s smart to learn at that age rather than throw oneself into political protests.

But there are other factors, as well.

Warmer Weather and More Growth

Some prefer palm trees and shorts instead of wrapping up in parkas and puffy jackets. The warmer weather is definitely a draw for them.

But more than that, the influx of students is terraforming an already strong Southern economy.

It’s incredible to me that The South is already the largest U.S. region by GDP:

It looks like there will be many more Northern transplants in the years to come.

Wrap Up

Between the insane tuition in Northern schools, free speech and political crises, and cold weather, many students prefer heading south to staying in the North.

I can’t blame them. Give me the sun and sea with my books any day.

Have a great week ahead!