Odd Question-Walden U.

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by duff, May 28, 2003.

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  1. duff

    duff New Member

    There are a number of opinions regarding the reputation of a school but I have a question regarding the longevity of a particular school…Walden University. There may not be an answer but I am hoping for some educated guesses.

    Some people fear for-profit schools for a number of reasons and I assume one of them would be if the school went bankrupt and closed. I know the accreditation agencies look at financials however, what are your thoughts on this really happening to a school like Walden.

    I thought a read a previous post about them losing money with Sylvan so it peaked my interest. For those that know anything about the history of Walden do they foresee something like this happening? And, if this did happen with any school, what happens to those who have already graduated from the school? Is the degree still valid? Will it be that much tougher to prove you went to a legitimate school?


    Duff
     
  2. sulla

    sulla New Member


    Walden U. has been around for over 30 years now, and doing well. Sylvan is trying to get rid of their K-12 services, which will be bought by Apollo.

    If your degree is fully RA by the time you graduate, it will always be RA and credible, even if the school closes or merges with another school.

    -S
     
  3. John Bear

    John Bear Senior Member

    As it happens, I spoke last week with Paula Singer, the CEO of Sylvan's higher education division. She seems very enthusiastic about the future growth of both their Walden division and their National Technological University division.

    There is always a possibility that any given school will go out of business. Proprietary schools are profit centers for their stockholders and investors, and if they are not performing, then that is always a possibility.

    But it seems an extremely unlikely one.

    Of course I would probably have said the same thing if asked in 1981 about LaSalle Extension University, then with over 100,000 students, and owned by a major publishing company (Macmillan). But then they lost their DETC accreditation, and were abruptly shut down.
     
  4. oxpecker

    oxpecker New Member

    Is NTU now for-profit?

    I think NTU is one of the most impressive (if the the most impressive) DL universities in the world (considering only schools that are predominantly or entirely DL).
     
  5. John Bear

    John Bear Senior Member

    From Sylvan.net. I think NTU may have been proprietary all along. However it is possible to buy a non-profit, in the Pearson or Apollo model, by buying the assets (courses, mailing lists, etc.), not the corporation.
    ----------------------------------------------

    Sylvan Ventures Completes Acquisition of National Technological University

    Sylvan Online Higher Education to Accelerate Improvements for Students, Faculty, University and Corporate Partners

    BALTIMORE--(BUSINESS WIRE)--Nov. 12, 2002-- Sylvan Ventures LLC, a subsidiary of Sylvan Learning
    Systems, Inc. (NASDAQ:SLVN) today announced it has completed its previously disclosed acquisition of National Technological University (NTU).

    The Higher Learning Commission of the North Central Association (NCA), which provides regional accreditation for NTU, extended that accreditation after reviewing the terms of Sylvan's acquisition of 100% of NTU from Stratys Learning Solutions, Inc. The NCA decision and Sylvan's acquisition were both effective November 4. The acquisition price was $14.5 million.
     

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