Enrollments Plunge at Many For-Profit Colleges

According to Capella's annual report, they had 11,619 doctoral students at the end of 2011, down 3.6 % from the 12,058 that they had at the end of 2010. As noted previously, UoP's doctoral enrollments are also down by about the same percentage. Capella actually has more doctoral students, though UoP is much larger overall.

So doctoral enrollments are down at both schools, but not by very much, only about 3 or 4 %. The economic downturn doesn't seem to be discouraging people from pursuing doctorates.

 

We actually do have a couple of our adjunct faculty in the program. Alas, they are not attending for free. :-(

 

RATS! So close yet so far...

 

The recession continues for UoP. Enrollments fell for the eighth consecutive quarter.
UoP's fiscal year starts in September, so 3Q 2012 = March to May 2012.

476,500 3Q 2010
470,800 4Q 2010
438,100 1Q 2011
405,300 2Q 2011
398,400 3Q 2011
380,800 4Q 2011
373,100 1Q 2012
355,800 2Q 2012
346,300 3Q 2012

 

Beginning of the end for UoP?

 

I don't expect the number to drop to zero. It will presumably stabilize at some point, and then start rising again.

But I'm curious to see when that will happen. My guess is that it will keep dropping for at least one more quarter (Apollo's 4Q 2012, which covers the summer months). Maybe it will bottom out then, and pick up in the fall (Apollo's 1Q 2013, starting in September).

 

This is very interesting.

 

I wouldn't say APUS is doing anything different than UOP or any of the other for-profit schools. The only reason APUS continues to do well is because the all the senior military members push AMU. Everyone in the military is taught a degree is a degree no matter where it comes from and TA covers books and classes for a miltary member.

 

Well, they're charging much much less (than Phoenix, and many, probably most other for-profits).

 

A few other factors are in play:

APUS also is significantly cheaper than UOP.

For undergraduate students:

UOP online is $570 per credit hour plus $95 per course in online books/materials. That's $1805 per course.

APUS is $250 per credit hour, with books included. That's $750 per course.


For master's level students:

UOP online is $715 per credit hour, plus a $115 per course materials fee. That's $2260 per course.

APUS is $325 per credit hour, but you must buy the books separately. That's $975 per course, plus books.

When you compare the two and consider UOP's reputation, UOP is obscenely expensive.

 

Still falling at UoP

Time for another UoP quarterly update. Enrollments fell for the ninth consecutive quarter.
UoP 's fiscal year starts in September, so 4Q 2012 = June to August 2012.

476,500 3Q 2010
470,800 4Q 2010
438,100 1Q 2011
405,300 2Q 2011
398,400 3Q 2011
380,800 4Q 2011
373,100 1Q 2012
355,800 2Q 2012
346,300 3Q 2012
328,400 4Q 2012

UoP's enrollment has fallen by more than 30% since the peak in 2010. They have lost nearly 150,000 students since then.

The numbers should stabilize at some point, but apparently not yet.