For Profit Schools

[DawnM]

Would you even consider one?

 

Editing this thread because  this was answered a year ago and my son is already in a 4 year college now and we are good.  We did not go the route of "for profit"  

 

Thanks!

Edited March 12, 2018 by DawnM

[JanetC]

For profit schools are almost never worth the cost. Tread extremely carefully.

 

Also, film animation is a very small niche - have him try to find some people in the field for advice on education, intern experience, etc.

[bettyandbob]

Depends. Ds was briefly interested in Full Sail. I thought it was worth considering. He later moved in another direction.

 

I probably would not consider some of the more standard for profits you hear about. However with some kids you don't rule anything out. You have to consider stuff that isn't an issue for typical students.

[Crimson Wife]

There are a HANDFUL of for-profits on this list of colleges where Pixar recruits from, but if the particular college he is considering isn't on the list, I wouldn't bother.

 

ETA: if you click on the "partner schools" you will see the list where DreamWorks Animation recruits from.

Edited April 13, 2017 by Crimson Wife

[Bootsie]

I can't think of a situation in which I would consider a for-profit school.  Questions I would ask would be:

 

1)  Are these "credits" transferrable anywhere else.  Would they be considered toward a degree at a 4-year university if he ever chooses to go that route?

2)  What is the job placement record?

3)  How many students actually complete the program?

4)  What is the financial viability of the program?

[DawnM]

There are a HANDFUL of for-profits on this list of colleges where Pixar recruits from, but if the particular college he is considering isn't on the list, I wouldn't bother.

 

ETA: if you click on the "partner schools" you will see the list where DreamWorks Animation recruits from.

 

 

Thanks.  That is helpful.  The state school he is looking at is on the list and one of the for profit schools is on the list.  

[DawnM]

I can't think of a situation in which I would consider a for-profit school.  Questions I would ask would be:

 

1)  Are these "credits" transferrable anywhere else.  Would they be considered toward a degree at a 4-year university if he ever chooses to go that route?

2)  What is the job placement record?

3)  How many students actually complete the program?

4)  What is the financial viability of the program?

 

 

This would be for a 4 year degree.  He will be going in with a 2 year degree from a CC.

 

What do you mean by financial viability?  

[Crimson Wife]

 

What do you mean by financial viability?  

 

A lot of students enrolled in Heald and other Corinthian-owned schools wound up having to choose between keeping their credits & student loans or having both wiped out during Corinthian's bankruptcy. The government rules are such that if they had their loans forgiven, they couldn't use their earned credits towards a degree anywhere else. You don't want your DS to be in that kind of position.

 

[Bootsie]

This would be for a 4 year degree.  He will be going in with a 2 year degree from a CC.

 

What do you mean by financial viability?  

What degree is the institution offering?  Are they accredited by any organization? 

 

By financial viability, I mean what is the financial health of the institution?  Do they have the financial strength to remain in business for any length of time?  Just like I don't want to buy a car from a automaker that I am afraid will not be around to honor its warranty, I would not want to start a 60 credit program from an institution that will fold 30 credit hours into the program (or shortly after I finished and was looking for a job.)

[DawnM]

A lot of students enrolled in Heald and other Corinthian-owned schools wound up having to choose between keeping their credits & student loans or having both wiped out during Corinthian's bankruptcy. The government rules are such that if they had their loans forgiven, they couldn't use their earned credits towards a degree anywhere else. You don't want your DS to be in that kind of position.

 

 

Thanks.  

[DawnM]

What degree is the institution offering?  Are they accredited by any organization? 

 

By financial viability, I mean what is the financial health of the institution?  Do they have the financial strength to remain in business for any length of time?  Just like I don't want to buy a car from a automaker that I am afraid will not be around to honor its warranty, I would not want to start a 60 credit program from an institution that will fold 30 credit hours into the program (or shortly after I finished and was looking for a job.)

 

 

Gotcha.  

 

This school has been around for 90 years, so that wouldn't be to much of a concern.  

[JulieA97]

I used to work at a trade school that was also a for profit. Generally I don't recommend for profit colleges but this one was different. It fit a small niche and has been around for over 50 years. The current owners have owned it for at least 30 and they all have years and years of experience in the field. Tuition is reasonable and has not gone up in the last 5 years. They have an internship requirement before graduation and that leads to full time employment after graduation many times. They are upfront and honest on job prospects in the field and potential salary.

 

Quite honestly, they are more honest and upfront on things than the community college where I worked. The community college has a program in the same field but graduates of that program do not have the field experience or induatry contacts that the for profit school grads have.

 

So not all for profits are the same. I think there are questions you need to ask and you need to do your research.

Edited April 14, 2017 by JulieA97

[MarkT]

I can't think of a situation in which I would consider a for-profit school.  Questions I would ask would be:

 

1)  Are these "credits" transferrable anywhere else.  Would they be considered toward a degree at a 4-year university if he ever chooses to go that route?

2)  What is the job placement record?

3)  How many students actually complete the program?

4)  What is the financial viability of the program?

Two year "tech degree" courses hardly ever transfer to 4 year schools. This is expected.

[DawnM]

Answered.

 

PS:  The tour of Dreamworks was AWESOME!

Edited March 12, 2018 by DawnM

[Bootsie]

1.  What percentage of students continue after one semester?  After one year?

2.  What percentage of students who begin actually finish?  How long does it take the average student to finish?

3.  Are there any internships?  What percent of students get internships?

4.  What is there placement record?  What companies?  

5.  What percent of their operating fees are covered by current tuition?  

6.  What percent of students go on for further study?

7.  What are the qualifications of their faculty?

8.  What percentage of their students receive financial aid?  What is their student loan default rate?

 

[DawnM]

1.  What percentage of students continue after one semester?  After one year?

2.  What percentage of students who begin actually finish?  How long does it take the average student to finish?

3.  Are there any internships?  What percent of students get internships?

4.  What is there placement record?  What companies?  

5.  What percent of their operating fees are covered by current tuition?  

6.  What percent of students go on for further study?

7.  What are the qualifications of their faculty?

8.  What percentage of their students receive financial aid?  What is their student loan default rate?

 

 

Ah, yes, thanks.  I definitely want to ask about internships.  

 

Do you think they would know the default rate for loans?

 

Is there financial aid for a for-profit school?  I didn't think there was.

[Bootsie]

Ah, yes, thanks.  I definitely want to ask about internships.  

 

Do you think they would know the default rate for loans?

 

Is there financial aid for a for-profit school?  I didn't think there was.

Students can receive loans which would be considered financial aid.  The school should know its default rate.  For some information regarding the debt at for-profit schools see

 

https://consumerist.com/2015/09/11/for-profit-colleges-lead-the-way-on-loan-defaults-report/

 

https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2015/09/11/study-finds-profit-colleges-drove-spike-student-loan-defaults

[MarkT]

old article but I just read it

How ITT Tech Screwed Students and Made Millions:

https://gizmodo.com/how-itt-tech-screwed-students-and-made-millions-1786654315

 

[Lanny]

If your DS can make  contact with Hiring Managers, in companies that hire people who do what he would like to do, I would ask them, point blank, "Have you hired people from school xyz?" and " Would you hire people from school XYZ"?  If the answers to those questions are no, I'd look at other schools.  Ask, "where do the people you hire go to school?  If your DS cannot get through to a Hiring Manager, I would ask those questions of the HR department. Hopefully they will either encourage him or discourage him about the schools he is looking at. Good luck to him!

[DawnM]

Ok, this was written a full year ago.  My son is now in a college that is NOT a for-profit.  

 

I no longer need an answer.

 

[Lanny]

Ok, this was written a full year ago.  My son is now in a college that is NOT a for-profit.  

 

I no longer need an answer.

 

Zombie thread.....  

[MarkT]

Zombie thread.....  

sorry I should have a started a new thread

 

 

[MarkT]

Ok, this was written a full year ago.  My son is now in a college that is NOT a for-profit.  

 

I no longer need an answer.

sorry I should have a started a new thread

[MerryAtHope]

sorry I should have a started a new thread

 

I hope you do--I knew some of the info in that article but some of it was new too and I found it an interesting read.

[MarkT]

I hope you do--I knew some of the info in that article but some of it was new too and I found it an interesting read.

I'll leave it here since DawnM modified the OP so now this thread is mostly discussion of For Profit Schools.

 

this quote:

"

ITT charged an estimated $77,000 for a bachelor’s degree and $45,000 for an associates degree, according to a Deutsche Bank analyst. ITT’s own internal documents show bachelor’s degrees were sold for as much as $90,000. The Senate investigation reported ITT had “the most expensive programs of any for-profit college, forcing many students to borrow the maximum available Federal aid and to take on additional private debt.”

ITT charged about $77,000 for a bachelor’s degree and $45,000 for an associates degree. In 2015, bachelor’s degrees were sold for as much as $90,000.

"

 

This is a very high price for an associate's degree (remember this is just Tuition and fees - maybe books) - the student did not live on campus.

 

[DawnM]

ITT Tech is just ONE for profit school.

 

Some of them still deliver a decent education if they have what you are looking for.

 

Some schools where I have had friends attend who HAVE gotten decent jobs from:

 

Strayer

Capella

U. of Phoenix

National Univ.

Devry

 

I am sure there are more, but those are the ones I am familiar with.

 

There are any number of reasons people go this route instead of a B&M or other online program.  For example, Devry gets you out faster because they don't require as many Gen Eds.  A friend of ours got his BA there WAY back, like 1982 I believe.  He majored in Film and has been gainfully employed at a news station since 1982.  

 

One of our counselors at the school I am working in now went to Capella for her MA.  Yes, it was expensive.  But he has a school counseling job now. National Univ. is in CA and several teachers there have gone through that program for their teaching credentials (after their BA) and are working in a teaching job.

 

So, just because ONE school is garbage, you really can't say they all are......you need to look at each one for what it is and figure it out for yourself if you can actually get what you need there. 

 

We decided it wasnt' the best route for my son.  Others have done that route and succeeded.  It just depends.

Edited March 13, 2018 by DawnM