Students at Michigan State University were generally pleased about her Wednesday night resignation over the Larry Nassar sex abuse scandal, though some who know her personally were disappointed. Wochit
DETROIT — Student applications to Penn State fell about 9% in the wake of the Jerry Sandusky child molestation scandal and a report by a former FBI director that claimed university administrators tried covering up some of the crimes.
Could Michigan State University be headed for a similar drop in applications as a result of the Larry Nassar sex abuse scandal and other revelations that are still unfolding?
Nassar, a former sports doctor for Michigan State University and USA Gymnastics was sentenced Wednesday to up to 175 years in prison. He pleaded guilty in November to seven counts of of first-degree criminal sexual conduct.
That answer won't be known for at least another year, after a new admissions cycle gets underway. Prospective students reached last week mostly said the news so far has not altered their plans.
One prospective student said he is rethinking plans to apply to Michigan State University amid his disappointment in how university officials are handling the situation, and a worry that some might have known more than they admitted about Nassar's predatory behavior.
Jan. 28: What's next for USA Gymnastics? A long, tough road at best
Jan. 27: Special prosecutor to probe 'systemic issues with sexual misconduct' at Michigan State
“I am definitely having some second thoughts right now," said James Radick, 29, who intended to transfer to the university from Lansing Community College in 2019. "I have some concerns over how much of this information was covered up, and the seemingly tone deaf responses that a lot of people in positions of power have had."
Yet for many other prospective Spartans, such as Chloe English, 16, a junior at Detroit's Cass Technical High School, the scandal has so far not affected their decision to apply.
She said Michigan State University is still her No. 1 choice for college.
"I feel like this scandal is a big deal, but it shouldn’t define the whole school," said English. "The school has a really good reputation. There are some great teachers and great students. That is just one person — it’s not everybody.”
A Michigan State spokesman did not return a message seeking comment for this story.
Penn State saw drop
Penn State saw a 9% decline in applications to all its campuses in the year after the November 2011 arrest of Sandusky, an assistant football coach, and the July 2012 release of a damning 262-page report by former FBI director Louis Freeh that implicated three former university administrators and the late football coach Joe Paterno in an alleged cover-up of a Sandusky child rape.
At the time, Penn State officials downplayed any potential connection between the Sandusky scandal and the drop in applications, attributing the decrease to a demographic decline in young people in Pennsylvania and less interest in college because of affordability concerns.
Jan. 26: Larry Nassar: 2014 police report sheds light on how he avoided criminal charges
Jan. 26: Report details pattern of misconduct inside Michigan State football, basketball
A university spokesperson told media outlets that focus groups of college-bound seniors said the Sandusky scandal had no bearing on their college choice.
But one year after that sudden drop, the number of student applications to Penn State hit a new record high. That surge suggests the bad publicity from the Sandusky scandal had an immediate, sizable, yet short-lived affect on applications.
The university also launched a morale-boosting marketing campaign after the scandal, called "Penn State Lives Here."
Penn State also didn't respond to requests for comment.
Penn State's former president and two other ex-administrators were sentenced last year to short prison terms for failing to report a child abuse allegation against Sandusky a decade before his eventual arrest.
Sandusky was found guilty of molesting 10 boys and is serving 30 to 60 years in prison.
Parents, kids less concerned
Wytrice Harris is the mother of Imani Harris, an 18-year-old senior at Detroit's Renaissance High School who is considering Michigan State as one of her top two college choices.
She and her daughter had an in-depth talk last week about whether Michigan State is safe to attend. For mom, the recent resignation of university President Lou Anna Simon showed the university is serious about addressing any underlying problems that the Nassar case brought to light.
Jan. 26: Michigan State's trustees board chooses acting president
Jan. 26: Michigan State athletic director Mark Hollis resigns in wake of Larry Nassar scandal
She said she also believes the new scrutiny on Michigan State from the scandal will help to ensure that university officials do the right thing in the future, should any similar situations arise.
“I told her that now is probably the safest time to go to MSU, because every eye is going to be on them," said Wytrice Harris.
Michigan State also is among the top college picks of Peter Filbrandt, 17, a junior at South Haven High School. He said he still plans to apply and thinks the Nassar scandal does not tarnish the university's reputation as a whole.
“I feel like it doesn’t really reflect MSU, it reflects Nassar," Filbrandt said. "He is just one guy. I feel if they (administrators) really know about it, they would have stopped it a long time ago.”
Jan. 25: Rachael Denhollander's courage led army of Larry Nassar accusers
Jan. 25: Larry Nassar fallout: Michigan State president's resignation comes with lifetime of perks
It will take time to know whether the scandal, which has become world news, could have an impact on international student applications. Parents of international students — many of whom pay full-freight tuition — probably have less emotional attachment to Michigan State University than native Michiganders and could be more sensitive to unflattering reports about the university.
International students composed roughly 14% of the university's total 50,344 enrollment in fall 2016. The majority of them hailed from China, according to the latest enrollment figures posted by the university's Office of International Students and Scholars.
Follow JC Reindl on Twitter: @JCReindl
Jan. 24: Michigan State President Lou Anna Simon: 'As tragedies are politicized, blame is inevitable'
Jan. 24: Larry Nassar sentenced to 40 to 175 years in prison in sexual assault cases
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