Dive Brief:

• Massachusetts' public universities and community colleges are seeing increased funding and higher graduation rates.
• Enrollment is up not only at the flagship University of Massachusetts Amherst, but also at other state campuses and local community colleges.
• The rising cost of private schools and the public system’s big push for state-of-the art facilities and honors programs are drawing more students.

Dive Insight:

A new $192 million, seven-building complex at the University of Massachusetts Amherst for its honors college is an example of the kind of new facilities state schools are using to compete with private colleges. If public universities are becoming more competitive, Massachusetts will have to make sure its community colleges are prepared for an influx of students who might once have started at a four-year school.