Stratford Career Institute Bombs Entirely On DETC Attempt

From the DETC website:

Effective July 11, 2013, the DETC Accrediting Commission denied accredited to Stratford Career Institute, Mount Royal, Quebec, Canada, for the following reasons:

The DETC Accrediting Commission concluded that Stratford Career Institute failed to demonstrate its full compliance with specified elements of DETC standards: for demonstrating that educational program objectives are current and relevant and that program objectives are appropriate and attainable via the distance education method; lacked evidence that instructional materials reflect current knowledge for all programs and that all programs are regularly reviewed and revised; failed to demonstrate that its examination procedures effectively measure the student’s ability to master and apply the skills or knowledge stated as outcomes for the program; failed to demonstrate that qualified subject matter experts and/or instructors/faculty are involved in writing and revising instructional materials; failed to document student achievement and lacked a fully developed outcomes assessment plan, and failed to have an acceptable tuition refund policy.

YIKES!

 

That stings. IIRC, DETC's practice in the past has been to say nothing and have the school withdraw quietly. This ain't that.

 

Not SCI, please say it ain't so.

 

If there ever was a school that deserved to "bomb entirely" from any accreditation process, it's SCI. I've written here before about their methods. Simply put - you don't have to learn anything. If you can read, you will succeed. I took three courses from them.

(1) I took a C++ course from them. They included a freeware DOS-based compiler (Borland) that was at least twelve years out-of-date at the time. It was possible to get high marks in that course without ever firing up a computer. There were only a couple of pages on object-oriented programming. I got my diploma, then used the internet etc. to actually learn how stuff was done in the real world.

(2) I took an Internet Specialist course. It did not contain a single line on writing HTML or any web-language at all. I think I got 99% overall -- Oh yeah, I'm some Internet Specialist! :smile: Fortunately, I'd already learned some HTML, first by saving web-pages and picking them apart and later at a "real" school.

(3) I took a gardening and landscaping course. I took it seriously and got myself a lot of outside material. I already had the hands-on skills. The textbook was good - a Readers Digest publication. I bought the same book as a small gift for my son --it cost $10 at my local bookstore. The course gave me something to do for a few afternoons -and I got 100% - but it was not serious study. Not one bit - I've done that before at "real" schools - so I know the difference.

I'm sure all the DETC's harsh words are warranted. Above all, I decry Stratford's completely unaccredited "High School Diplomas" which it sells in both Canada and the US. They are worthless. For this alone, I'd like to see the school closed down!

Johann

 

I think Stratford grads (including me) should get T-shirts. "NO CAR, NO JOB, NO SKILLS - BUT I'VE GOT A DIPLOMA! :smile: "

Johann

 

Ironically, on a related note

Stratford Career Institute Updates Distance Learning Computer Programming Course

 

Yes. I knew. Bit late to help me. My C++ experience with them was around 2004. :smile: Sounds about like what they should have had then.
I think starting with C is good. Stratford didn't do it back in 2004. I learned plain C by reverse-osmosis after my Stratford course.

And if someone wants to learn C++, a cheaper and better way is to get the "For Dummies" book. Mine came with the DEV "Bloodshed" compiler, one of the best freeware programming tools I've seen. The book is around $40 here, probably $30 in the US.

One ominous line in that page, Kizmet:

All of Stratford’s courses, including their popular high school diploma program, are completed through guided, independent study

Those High School "diplomas" should be prohibited by law. They aren't accepted in the US or Canada.

Johann

 

Whoops- correction. My "Dummies Book" came (years ago) with the DJGPP compiler -- good, but not for Windows XP onwards. Bloodshed works with later O/S. I must have got that somewhere else. I believe the book now comes with GNU gcc compiler. More good freeware! :smile:

Johann