Feature Photo By: Alexis Oliver- Whenever available, students like Mariah Lee, 12, come to the College and Career Center to focus on their future. Students can research colleges or careers online, attend college visits with representatives from those schools, or meet with their counselors and ask them questions about the college process. The coordinator for the College and Career Center is Mrs. Gessesse, who’s also a counselor.
Applying for college can be a stressful process. Even though I am a junior, the pressure of applying for scholarships, getting recommendation letters, and passing the SAT — all before graduating — is already overwhelming. It’s ridiculous how many decisions students have to make before their senior year, but for those considering going to a for-profit college, there are better options out there that can give you more bang for your buck.
The University of Phoenix, ITT Technical Institute, and DeVry University are some of the most popular for-profit schools in the country. Thirty-four for-profit colleges are here in Colorado. For-profit schools are known for offering a higher education to students as opposed to standard university, online, and community colleges. Not to mention, some for-profit colleges guarantee job entries after a student finishes a program. However, for-profit colleges require a lot more money to enroll in since they are not directly funded by state or local taxes; they get most of their funds from expensive student loans.
“Historically, [for-profit schools] prey [on] students [who are] unfamiliar with lower-than-average graduation rates,” said Mr. Hirsch, RHS counselor. “(sic) No transparent with data make it difficult for student to find information, and, if students were to find this information, [they’d be] less likely to enroll.”
Even though for-profit colleges have received more negative criticism than praise in recent years, supporters firmly believe that this type of college can provide worthy benefits for students. For instance, international students can apply for and receive financial aid because traditional schools cannot support them. Also, students can take courses specifically designed for their programs, versus taking irrelevant subjects that other colleges require for graduation. But these same benefits come at a hefty price; when looking at the expensive costs, sales, and low graduation rates of for-profit schools, a student must consider if this type of school can truly benefit them.
RHS College and Career counselor Mrs. Gessesse stated, “It’s about the institute, and not the student. The students’ success doesn’t come first– the dollar amount is what is focused on.”
In a 2012 report from Harkin Report and the NY Times, both publications said students attending for-profit schools take out more loans than community and university students combined.
Just this year, DeVry University had to shut down a few campuses, and two months ago, ITT Technical Institute had to close down all of their campuses. During the summer, Education Management announced all 25 Brown Mackie College campuses were being shut down.
Applying for college can be frustrating, but making sure it doesn’t put you in debt, or not benefit your future, should not be. Doing careful research either on your own, with a parent, or counselor can help make finding the right college easier.
For information on the pros and cons of choosing a for-profit college, please visit: http://iquantifi.com/understanding-the-pros-and-cons-of-for-profit-colleges-2/
Want to speak to someone about your future?
Email Mrs. Gessesse at [email protected] or Mr. Hirsch at [email protected].
