• Skip to primary navigation
  • Skip to main content
  • Skip to primary sidebar
  • Advertising
  • Write for Us
  • Job Board
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
    • Consulting
    • Advertising
  • Shop
    • Books
    • Shirts

The Educators Room logo

  • Start Here
    • Impact Statements: Teacher Expertise
    • Newsletter
  • Browse Topics
    • Content Strategies
      • Literacy
      • Mathematics
      • Social Studies
      • Educational Technology
      • ELL & ESOL
      • Fine Arts
      • Special Education
      • Popular Topics
        • Teacher Self-Care
        • Instructional Coach Files
        • Common Core
        • The Traveling Teacher
        • The Unemployed Teacher
        • The New Teacher Chronicles
        • Book Review
        • Grade Levels
          • Elementary (K-5)
          • Middle (6-8)
          • Adult
          • New Teacher Bootcamp
          • Hot Button Topics
            • Menu Item
              • Principals' Corner
              • Charter Schools
              • Confessions of a Teacher
              • Interviews
              • The State of Education
              • Stellar Educator of the Week
            • Menu
              • How to Fix Education
              • Featured
              • Ask a Teacher
              • Teacher Branding
              • Current Events
  • Podcasts
  • Courses
    • Practicing Self-Care to Avoid Teacher Burnout- An 8 Week Course
    • Becoming An Educational Consultant
    • Teacher Branding 101:Teachers are The Experts
    • The Learning Academy
    • Books
    • Shirts
  • Education in Atlanta
  • Teacher Self-Care
  • The Coach's Academy
menu icon
go to homepage
subscribe
search icon
Homepage link
  • Advertising
  • Write for Us
  • Job Board
  • Privacy Policy
  • Contact
    • Consulting
    • Advertising
  • Shop
    • Books
    • Shirts
×

May 20, 2018 Adult Learning

The Dangers of For-Profit Education

  • About the Author
  • Latest Posts

About Haylee Massaro

Haylee Massaro has been an education professional in the field of English Language Arts for 7 years, and she has gained experience teaching in both brick-and-mortar schools and online. She currently works as an educator both for secondary and for higher education. She holds a B.A. in English Literature from the University of Pittsburgh as well as an M.S.Ed. from Duquesne University.
  • The Burnout Phenomenon: Getting Comfortable with "No" - June 29, 2018
  • Teachers: Partners in Suicide Prevention - June 9, 2018
  • The Dangers of For-Profit Education - May 20, 2018
  • Support Student Voices: March for Our Lives - March 25, 2018
  • Teacher Preparedness and Prohibitive Costs - March 23, 2018
  • Writing in Action: When Students Step Up - March 4, 2018
  • Is the "Life-Long" Teacher Becoming Extinct? - February 11, 2018
  • Understanding the Proposed Education Budget for 2018 - January 21, 2018
  • Staying Engaged and Motivated Around the Holidays - November 29, 2017
  • Teachers who Practice Self-Care: Selfish or Sustainable? - November 19, 2017

Betsy DeVos, the current education secretary, has made headlines again regarding investigations of fraudulent for-profit colleges. On May 13 2018, The New York Times reported that investigations on several for-profit colleges had "ground to a halt".

Many of the team members appointed by DeVos were former employees at those entities being investigated, most notably, Julian Schmoke. Mr. Schmoke was a former dean at DeVry University, which was under investigation for fraudulent ads which were misleading students. In 2016, DeVry agreed to a $100 million settlement with the Federal Trade Commission who alleged that the school had ultimately harmed students with its deceptive advertisements.

Recently, the Education Department team set out to investigate for-profit fraud at DeVry, Bridgepoint Education, Career Education Corporation, and others, has been re-focused, effectively terminating a further investigation into these entities. While Education Department spokesperson, Elizabeth Hill stated that the team's new additions have not influenced the team's work or focus, the termination of specific investigations into for-profit fraud would suggest otherwise.

The Dangers of For-Profit Education

Educators across the country have become especially concerned with the future of public education. This concern has grown since DeVos' appointment as the Secretary of Education, partly because of her ardent support of for-profit education and partly due to her advocacy for funneling further funds out of public education.

Many for-profit colleges seem to be good on the surface. But, there are a lot of underlying problems and dangers for prospective and current students. Recruiters work hard for these schools to convince students that they are the "right" choice. They often target low-income and minority students falsely promising them a degree for less time and money. The New Yorker reported that 96% of for-profit students take out loans to pay for college, which is nearly 40% higher than those who take out student loans at community and non-profit colleges.

For-profit college and university recruiters are required to "make a sell". And, oftentimes, that sell comes at the expense of the student, both literally and figuratively.  When students who cannot afford it buy in, it causes student loan debt to pile up. Furthermore, when it comes to degrees that students never finish, it means that those debts have piled up and will never pay off.

Acceptance rates are high,  which might seem like a positive, especially for someone who is struggling for college acceptance. This may indicate, though, that the school is less interested in quality education and more interested in the bottom line.

The Worth of a For-Profit Degree

Not to mention certain colleges like DeVry, though accredited, do not hold much weight on a resume. For instance, U.S. News reported in 2016 that while employer views might be starting to shift, when it comes to making a decision between two qualified applicants, they will be more likely to hire the person with a degree from a traditional and recognized university.

In 2016, Inside HigherEd also reported that the majority of for-profit college students see a decline in earnings "five or six years after attendance". However, those who finished master's programs eventually did start to see an increase in earnings. The reality is that for-profit colleges are more costly than community colleges. And, more of their graduates end up unemployed or underemployed.

Are For-Profit Colleges a Scam?

There is no short answer to this question. For some, yes, but others have seen a return from their for-profit degrees. There are schools that do well and are better respected. But, at the same time, there are a large number of for-profit schools that have high drop-out rates, high rates of loan default and very low rates of success when it comes to employment.

Ultimately, if you are considering a for-profit college or university, it is best to do your research. Check to make sure that job placement numbers are accurate and not inflated. Look for concerning press or scandals surrounding the college. And, be sure to evaluate cost, plus the overall return once you complete your degree.

 

Print Friendly, PDF & Email

Related posts:

Educate Yourself and Vote The STEM Revolution in Higher Education Default ThumbnailThe Museum Trip - The Other Side Affirmative Action at the Crossroads: Which Direction will the Supreme Court Go?
« The Royal Wedding: Why Should We Care? One American Teacher’s Perspective
Save the Turtles: A Lesson in Teacher Excitement! »

Reader Interactions

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

This site uses Akismet to reduce spam. Learn how your comment data is processed.

Primary Sidebar

The Educator's Room was launched in 2012 to amplify the voice of educators. To date, we have over 45+ writers from around the world and boast over twelve million page views. Through articles, events, and social media we will advocate for honest dialogue with teachers about how to improve public education. This mission is especially important when reporting on education in our community; therefore, we commit our readers to integrity, accuracy, and independence in education reporting. To join our mailing list, click here.

What we do

At The Educator's Room, we focus on amplifying and honoring the voice of educators as experts in education. To date, we have over 40 staff writers/teachers from around the world.

Popular Posts

  • My Union Showed Up for Me, and I'll Never Forget It
  • Your Students Deserve a Diverse Classroom Library. Here's How to Set It Up.
  • You Don't Have to Watch the Tyre Nichols Video, But Be Ready to Talk About It
  • "Let's Make This Happen": Following Student Interests to Interest-Based Mentorships

Featured On

Buy Our Books/Courses

How to Leave Your Job in Education

Practicing Self-Care to Avoid Teacher Burnout

Using Your Teacher Expertise to Become an Educational Consultant

Check out our books on teaching and learning!

The Learning Academy

Footer

↑ back to top

About

  • Privacy Policy
  • Disclaimer
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Accessibility Policy

Newsletter

  • Sign Up! for emails and updates

Contact

  • Contact
  • Services
  • Media Kit
  • FAQ

 

Copyright © 2021 The Educator's Room.