The Kept-Up Academic Librarian

Are For-Profit IHEs Nimble Critters Or Agile Predators

Students attending for-profit colleges wind up with much higher student-loan debts, are less likely to be employed after graduation and generally earn less than similar students at public or private nonprofit schools. The study, conducted by a group of Harvard researchers, examines a bevy of federal data tracking student graduation rates, federal loan repayment rates and student success in securing jobs. The researchers ask one central question: Are for-profit colleges "nimble critters" responding to higher demand for college degrees, or "agile predators" that target low-income students with the intent of reaping profits through federal student aid dollars? Read more at:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/01/03/for-profit-colleges-unemployment-debt_n_1182164.html

For-Profits' Lobbying Pays Off With Diluted Regulations

 Last year, the Obama administration vowed to stop for-profit colleges from luring students with false promises. In an opening volley that shook the $30 billion industry, officials proposed new restrictions to cut off the huge flow of federal aid to unfit programs. But after a ferocious response that administration officials called one of the most intense they had seen, the Education Departmentproduced a much-weakened final plan that almost certainly will have far less impact as it goes into effect next year. Read more at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/10/us/politics/for-profit-college-rules-scaled-back-after-lobbying.html?_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

Nearly Half Of GI Benefits For Higher Education Go To For-Profits

It might be widely assumed that the federal dollars flowing out of Washington to educate Virginia veterans under the Post-9/11 GI Bill are mostly going to traditional public or private nonprofit colleges and universities.That assumption would be wrong. Nearly half of the $321 million in GI Bill benefits paid out on behalf of Virginia veterans last year went to for-profit schools. The trend is raising alarms with some in Washington. Read more at:
http://hamptonroads.com/2011/10/forprofit-colleges-grab-big-share-gi-bill-money-0

For-Profits Move Ahead With Online Learning Technology

The future of online education at these prestigious schools won't involve abandoning the traditional classroom. But students will spend less time in the classroom, in favor of learning through personalized tutorials such as those produced by Carnegie Learning. The leading universities and colleges have seen the potential in this kind of this mix of online and face-to-face learning, and they are investing in it via internal development rather than external acquisition. The real disruptive threat is to the hundreds of institutions that emulate the elite few at the top. Read more at:
http://www.theatlantic.com/business/archive/2011/09/why-you-should-root-for-college-to-go-online/244834/

Despite Flaws We Still Need For-Profit Higher Education

The shadow of scandal has, in turn, done a lot to color the way the larger society thinks about the industry. The for-profit college industry makes its money by recruiting students — overwhelmingly poor and working-class students — who must draw from the federal till to pay tuition. In many cases, as much as 90 percent of the revenue of a for-profit college company comes from the federal government. There is nothing inherently wrong with the idea of for-profit education. The for-profits have flaws, but so do nonprofits, with their bloated infrastructure, sky-high tuition, out-of-control athletic programs and resistance to change. In a country where education matters so much, we need them both. Read more at:
http://www.nytimes.com/2011/09/18/magazine/why-we-need-for-profit-colleges.html?pagewanted=1&_r=1&partner=rss&emc=rss

For-Profit Higher Ed Institutions Create Industry Standards For Responsible Conduct

A coalition of for-profit colleges today released a set of industry standards for “responsible conduct,” a response to heightened scrutiny from federal regulators. The U.S. Education Department has tightened regulatory control of for-profit colleges over the past year, out of concern that some institutions lured students with false promises and heavy-handed recruiting tactics and then loaded them up with debt. The standards come from a newly formed Foundation for Educational Success.
Read more at: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/college-inc/post/for-profit-colleges-release-responsible-conduct-standards/2011/09/13/gIQARAFOQK_blog.html?wprss=college-inc

Hire One Of Our Graduates And We'll Pay You

If you're looking to hire a nurse, solar panel installer or pastry chef, the University of Antelope Valley has a deal for you. The for-profit school, based in a former motel in Lancaster, will pay employers up to $2,000 for each graduate they hire. But there are lots of conditions, including that the offer is good only this month and the graduate must be hired in the field in which he or she studied. In other words, if you hire one of their massage therapygraduates to be a store clerk, you don't get the money. Read more at:
http://www.latimes.com/business/la-fi-job-bounty-20110907,0,6053340.story

Community College Lets Kaplan Know It's Not Interested In Being Partners

Kaplan University’s local campus plans to market itself to Hagerstown Community College graduates, but HCC wants no part of it. Kaplan is offering tuition discounts to HCC graduates. Kaplan will have a new initiative aimed at community college graduates, who would get a tuition break if they pursue a bachelor's degree at Kaplan. HCC President Guy Altieri wrote back that HCC isn't interested in a partnership. Read more at:
http://articles.herald-mail.com/2011-08-28/news/29939855_1_hcc-graduates-hcc-students-kaplan-university

For-Profits' Decline May Soon Reverse

For-profit universities may soon see an end to their yearlong slide in new enrollments, an industry analyst said Thursday, citing his conversations with Internet marketing executives. As schools adjust to the new government rules, enrollment will likely pick up. But he cautioned that the government may cut funds for Pell Grants because of its recent debt deal, which could hurt schools' revenues. Read more at:
http://www.businessweek.com/ap/financialnews/D9PB9QG00.htm

Enrollment Declines Heavily At For-Profits As Recruiting Undergoes Change

For-profit colleges are facing a tough test: getting new students to enroll. New-student enrollments have plunged—in some cases by more than 45%—in recent months, reflecting two factors: Companies have pulled back on aggressive recruiting practices amid criticism over their high student-loan default rates. And many would-be students are questioning the potential pay-off for degrees that can cost considerably more than what's available at local community colleges. Enrollment at for-profit colleges soared during the recession, amid heavy advertising that appealed to suddenly jobless people needing new skills. But while the advertising continues, a number of for-profit schools including Corinthian, Apollo Group Inc. and others have tamped down aggressive recruiting.  Read more at:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB10001424053111904279004576524660236401644.html