The real cost of for-profit colleges

are you getting what you're paying for?

https://www.usnews.com/education/best-colleges/paying-for-college/articles/the-real-cost-of-for-profit-colleges

 

I got what I paid for at Ashworth. I spent less than 10k to earn my associate and bachelor's degrees and incurred no student debt. It helped me to get government and private sector jobs and helped me to matriculate to two master's degree programs at non-profit universities from which I earned degrees.

 

You're certainly right when you say that each school needs to be assessed based on it's own merits but if the article can be saved from a fate of total uselessness perhaps it provides the reader with some criteria for consideration in making that determination for themselves and any given school.

 

You are a good example of what some of us have been saying all along and an inspiration to others. You got what you needed, how you wanted it and when you needed it and it worked for you. And now that Penn Foster has acquired Ashworth those that had any reservations before can be assured it's under strong management now. And you're not an anomaly. There are others on this board that have done the same. Two come to mind right away: Friendorfoe, a grad of Ashworth that went on to get his masters in business from a nonprofit and anngriffin777 that got her bachelors from a for profit and was accepted into a masters program at a nonprofit after presenting her case to admissions that she had done proper undergrad preparation. They've both moved on but you can do a quick search of both on degreeinfo's search engine and research as far as you like. The naysayers will always huff and puff about how this is just anecdotal. But in the real world, no matter where you got your credentials from, you still have to sell yourself everyday with what got you to the table. And I would hope, when you run the business of your life, it is for profit.

 

That's assuming most readers are independent thinkers. Considering how widely the myths are held about these schools, I'd say that assumption may only be well-intentioned.

 

I'm not sure what you mean specifically when you use the term "myths" but you're right when you say that I recognize that our membership is smarter than average and capable of independent thought. Caveat emptor always applies.

 

The widespread myths that all for-profit schools are bad, and getting a credential from one relegates you to a life of frequent unemployment and low-paying jobs if you can get one at all.

 

I think that some for-profits have been criticized for using some predatory tactics re recruiting, etc. but I don't think that applies to all for-profits and I don't think it makes those schools any more mill-ish than any other school. It has also been pointed out that there are a lot of people attending those schools and a lot of people with those diplomas on their walls who seem pretty happy. I think that the people who earn the degrees are probably pleased overall. It would be nice if their degree completion rates could be better but that's true of most universities.