Blame it on the economy or a desire to get ahead. But more Americans, nearly three million in fact, attended an accredited private for-profit career college from 2007 to 2008, according to the Washington D.C.-based Career College Association.
For-profit career colleges focus on competency-based education, emphasize hands-on experience and offer real-world skills in order to prepare students for immediate entry into the workforce. And while this approach to education has dissenters as well as supporters, there are very specific suggestions that anyone wishing to attend a career college should keep in mind.
Good and Bad About the For-Profit Career Colleges
Naturally, one of the biggest attractions of career colleges is the potential for graduates to focus solely on the specific skills they need to enter the workforce and forego core curriculum courses like history and science. This concentrated approach can mean a shorter time to graduation and generally a lower overall financial investment.
This possibility of a lower financial commitment is attractive to students who may be unemployed and financially strapped due to the current economic turmoil, especially given how difficult it can be to get a loan these days. Plus smaller loans and a quicker graduation, means a chance to get out from under their school debt faster.
However, detractors often cite that a major problem with for-profit career colleges is that they are publicly traded companies, and therefore, admission standards are sometimes lower because investors are all about enrollment growth and profit. In addition, government investigations and lawsuits have cited problems with unqualified teachers, non-existent externships, false promises regarding credit transferability and inflated job placement figures. An October 3, 2010 Los Angeles Times article, "Scrutinize for-profit colleges before enrolling," confirms some of the difficulties that students have had.
Although the booming for-profit college industry blames the problems on a few rogue operators, a Government Accountability Office report released in August 2010 presented a different scenario. (Los Angeles Times, 8/10)
Steps to Prevent Losing With a For-Profit Career College
As with any institute of higher learning, adults who choose to attend a for-profit career college just need to be sure to do some investigating before signing on the dotted line. Here are six tips that can reduce the likelihood of future regrets:
- Ask the school recruiter about graduation and placement rates.
- Contact the state education department to find what agency regulates for-profit career colleges and talk to them.
- Find out what organization accredits the institution and investigate their credentials.
- Adults planning to pursue further education at a traditional university after graduation should talk to that college to make sure they accept the credits earned.
- Talk to potential employers to determine if they accept the degree or certificate the career college awards.
- Adults pursuing a career which requires a certifying exam to practice in the field should check with the certifying agency to ensure they allow graduates of the program to sit for the exam.
It’s important for students to be aware of what they are getting into before they take the plunge into attending a for-profit career college. That means looking at the facts and asking a lot of questions. And for further information, check out the college navigator at the U.S. Department of Education. It can provide graduation rates, accreditation, financial aid and more.
Deborah S. Hildebrand - Deborah S. Hildebrand is a freelance writer & HR consultant with 20+ years in human resources & a Bachelor's degree in Business.
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