Enrollment at for-profit schools has skyrocketed to 1.8 million students, a significant increase in students from a decade ago, according to the U.S. Department of Education.
However, an investigation by the U.S. Government Accountability Office has found some schools mislead students about both the cost and quality of education they will receive.
When applying to a for-profit school, the BBB recommends looking for the following red flags:
Recruiter uses high-pressure sales tactics. If a sales rep subjects you to high pressure sales tactics, walk away. A reputable school takes time to answer questions, allows you to talk to a financial aid adviser and doesn’t push you into hasty decisions.
Recruiter exaggerates potential income or guarantees a job. Beware of any school that guarantees you will get a job after completing its program and/or make a certain income. Confirm this with a third party.
Prices are inflated when compared to other options. A recent GAO investigation alleged price gouging at some for-profit schools. One school charged $14,000 for a massage therapy certificate while a similar program at a community college cost $520.
School isn’t accredited. Accreditation is important, but not always easy to confirm. Ask the school’s representative about national and regional accreditation and then confirm with the accrediting organization. Check with the U.S. Department of Education at http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/ to learn which post-secondary schools are accredited.
Degree or program seems too easy to obtain. Diploma mills pose as online schools and often promise a cheap and easy degree based on an online test or life experience. Unfortunately, such diplomas aren’t worth the paper they’re printed on and aren’t recognized by the military, employers or other colleges.
School doesn’t disclose information as required. Some for-profit schools the GAO investigated "failed to provide clear information about the college's program duration, costs or graduation rate despite federal regulations requiring them to do so." Don’t be afraid to ask plenty of questions when talking to recruiters and if you get the runaround instead of clear, concise answers, it’s a bad sign.
Recruiter encourages you to lie on financial aid forms. The GAO report also found that some recruiters encourage students to lie on their financial aid applications in order to get more money from the government to pay for tuition. If you get caught lying on financial aid forms, not only will you have to pay the government back the money you borrowed, you could be fined and sent to prison.
Start With Trust. For more consumer tips and information, visit www.wynco.bbb.org or call 970-484-1348 or 800-564-0371.
About the BBB
The Better Business Bureau, founded in 1912, is a champion for ethics and trust in the marketplace. Only businesses that meet the high BBB standards are invited to become BBB Accredited Businesses. Today, 123 BBBs across the United States and Canada rate more than 4 million local and national businesses and charities with scores ranging from A+ to F. Only a BBB Accredited Business may elect to participate in BBBOnLine, one of the most trusted and recognized Internet seal programs in the world.
The BBB serving northern Colorado and Wyoming topped 1.1 million instances of service to consumers and businesses in the last 12 months. These services include reliability reports on local companies and charities, access to companies that can be trusted by industry, help with dispute resolution, and trustworthy information on consumer and business topics.
Luanne Kadlub, BBB media relations manager, 970-488-2044 lkadlub@wynco.bbb.org