How to Tell If a For Profit School Is Legit
How to Tell If a For Profit School Is Legit
For-profit schools, online education, and career colleges don't always have the best reputations. Many provide vital training for a large sector of the US population; others have taken advantage of students and taxpayers. Proposed regulations are designed make it more difficult for unscrupulous organizations to scam potential students, but will they do any good? Where there are regulations there are loopholes, and where there are loopholes, there are those looking to exploit them. In addition, these regulations would not take effect until 2012-2013. So how do you discern between legitimate online education and a diploma mill?
New Regulations Surrounding Online Education
Amidst reports of aggressive admission practices that saddle students with large debts, and degrees only useful for low income careers, the Obama Administration has proposed new regulations affecting the financial aid eligibility of for-profit schools and online education. Eligibility would be contingent on debt-to-income ratios and loan default rates. With no changes, The Department of Education estimates that only 5 percent of current programs would become ineligible for financial aid and 55 percent would be required to issue warnings regarding high debt-to-income ratios. The good news is many of programs are dispensing practical knowledge; the bad news is that most programs don't lead as far as you might think. Expensive programs for low-income careers would likely be dropped from online education.
Diploma Mills
If it sounds too good to be true, it is. No "probably" about it. Any online program with integrity is going to require a lot of rigorous work on your part. Even accelerated or intensive degree programs in online education can take two years to complete, with no summer breaks. Beware of programs that offer degrees in just a few weeks, promise a degree with no exams, or aren't accredited by U.S. agencies.
How to Find a For-Profit School
You're going back to school for a reason, with a goal in mind. You should know that the degree is worth your investment. Planning for school requires studying like any class you take. Consider these factors in your search for quality online education:
Accreditation: Regional, federal, and program accreditation is key to determining that a for-profit school is on the up and up. Verifying the accreditation agency's status is a good measure too. If a school isn't on the Department of Education's list, it shouldn't be on yours.
Admissions: Admission advisors are selling you something. Like any salesperson, they want to close the deal ASAP. Ask lots of questions. This is your chance to get all the information about various schools that you can.
Costs: The average costs of online education are around $14,000/year. Ask yourself if you are paying too much or too little for the value of your education. Compare programs and choose the one that best suits your budget.
Faculty: Reputable for-profit schools employ faculty with the same credentials as those at not-for-profit colleges. Look for faculty with degrees from accredited schools, workplace credentials, and experience teaching online classes.
Industry: Ask around in the industry you are interested in pursuing. Find out if prospective employers have a positive or negative opinion of the schools you are considering.
Online schools have change the landscape of higher education in recent years, and for-profit colleges have been a big part of this recent trend. Do your research to avoid a diploma mill scam, and enroll in a for-profit college with confidence you are receiving a quality education.
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