@simba9. Are you saying its okay if I stay?
Explain to your parents that you have learned far more about college since you started. And you realize that staying there is not in your best interest. Or, first apply elsewhere, get in and then discuss options with your parents. Contact your high school guidance counselor for help. Or see if a beloved uncle or relative can intervene with your parents-or some other counselor type person-clergy, etc.
You could also explain to your parents that the school is on probation and you don’t want to graduate from a college that may lose its accreditation.
although this is a concern “The Middle States Association should not be confused with the separate “Middle States Accrediting Board” (M.S.A.B.),[1] an unrecognized accreditation agency with a somewhat similar name, that some diploma mills or illegitimate, so-called educational institutions cite to legitimize and publicize their operations and attract potential students with their tuition funds.[citation needed]
Its headquarters are in Center City, Philadelphia.[2]”
Offerings appear limited, even in many science subjects (e.g. math and physics). Is what you want to study something that it does offer?
If I already lived in Harrisburg and liked the college, I might attend. Otherwise, no.
While it doesn’t come off as a rip-off diploma mill, it does seem to have problems. If it can’t get its financial problems resolved, its students may be in for a big hassle when it comes to transferring credits.
BTW - I pretty much never believe claims like, “92% of graduates find jobs.” That statistic is too easy to game.
Definitely not. The school is in trouble both on the accreditation front as well as financial front. That’s about as bad as it gets, next to completely shutting down.
Honestly, if it were me, I would wrap up what I was doing this semester and start looking for another school.
If only 12% of incoming students graduate, and 92% of them find jobs, then you might interpret that to say that (0.12)(0.92)=11% of your class will find jobs. Really, they are not finding many jobs for graduating students if most of the students don’t graduate from there.
Also what kind of jobs? There’s a big difference between burger flipper and management trainee at a Fortune 500.
It’s a “real” school (and not a for-profit), but it is less than 10 years old and probably underfunded (https://www.insidehighered.com/news/2006/11/15/harrisburg). College Navigator lists the first year retention rate at 55% and the overall graduation rate at 22% (these are government numbers and hard to fake). They don’t report transfers and I suspect that a lot of kids treat it as a CC. Hard to tell how serious the probation is – it’s not uncommon for this type of tiny, underfunded college to end up on probation based on resources. Having said all that – lack of resources is very important. Talk to your parents about the probation and low graduation rate and see if you can transfer to one of your state colleges. Perhaps you could convince them that there aren’t enough classes in your area of interest.
Excellent point. The website says that there are 400 undergraduates. Twelve percent of 400 is 48, and 92% of 48 is about 44. So 44 graduates of the school find jobs each year (give or take - this is a simplistic analysis). That’s not that many. The low graduation rate could be because people start there and transfer out, but with low student support and virtually no amenities, students could drop out too.
They are accredited by the correct commissioning board - but accreditation is a low bar. It only demonstrates that the university’s degrees meet minimum standards. I don’t think it’s a diploma mill per se, but it definitely sounds like a small, new, struggling university that is maybe engaging in some financial mismanagement (which would be how the university could have no endowment but also freeze tuition).
It’s not even that cheap. Undergraduate tuition is $24K at HUST. By comparison, annual tuition at Penn State Harrisburg would be around $14K per year for a PA resident. In-state tuition at Shippensburg or Bloomsburg University (or another PASSHE campus) would be around $11K per year. It would be way cheaper for you to attend a much better reputed public university in your state.
Tell your parents who found out the school is not accredited for what you wan to study and that they’re on probation overall. Therefore, you need to transfer to an accredited college and you were thinking of Penn State Harrisburg since it’s the closest to the university. Send in you HS transcripts and everything to Penn State Harrisburg ASAP so that you can start in the Spring.
If they want a “real” STEM college, then Pennsylvania College of technology is what they’re thinking of - small classes, stem-focused education, tuition there is 15K, they’re legit, and their retention/graduation rates are much better, as are their connections to businesses and their alumni network in Pennsylvania.
I would NOT attend your college considering its situation.
Attending a community college would be more legit - better resources, better contacts with businesses, no risk of the accreditation getting yanked.
In addition, it’s quite possible your parents have it confused with Penn State Harrisburg!
Finally, remember: cheapest is not always the best value. You want an education that will take you where you want to go. This college won’t. You’ll have paid little, but for something that has no value on the market place. Paying a little bit more to have a degree that will actually increase your odds of getting a job as well as your odds of getting better pay than with a high school diploma*.
- look at Payscale. this college wil NOT increase your earnings compared to just applying with a HS diploma.
@ucbalumnus . “Offerings appear limited, even in many science subjects (e.g. math and physics)”.
THAT’S ANOTHER REASON WHY I BELIEVE THE COLLEGE IS A SCAM. IT’S A STEM COLLEGE WITHOUT MATH MAJORS. THERE IS ALSO NO MAJOR IN ENGINEERING (THE E IN STEM). THEY CLAIM TO BE ONE OF THE LEADING STEM UNIVERSITIES IN THE COUNTRY.
@whenhen . “what kind of jobs?”. THE COLLEGE CLAIMS THAT STUDENTS FIND JOBS IN FIELDS THAT ARE IN DEMAND. (PHARMACY, FORENSICS, BIOLOGY, CHEMISTRY, BIOTECHNOLOGY, INFORMATION SYSTEMS, ENVIRONMENTAL SCIENCES, PROJECT MANAGEMENT, DATA SCIENCE, GEOSPATIAL TECHNOLOGY,).
@MYOS1634 . ARE YOU SAYING HARRISBURG UNIVERSITY IS NOT LEGIT?
@higheredrocks @juillet @simba9 . THE SCHOOL CLAIMS TO BE NON-PROFIT. THEY ARE PROBABLY DISHONEST. WHY WOULD A NON-PROFIT COLLEGE PARTNER WITH A FOR-PROFIT SCHOOL IN PHILADELPHIA? THE FOR-PROFIT SCHOOL SERVES AS THEIR 2ND CAMPUS. They are involved in a CORRUPTION SCANDAL dealing with the city’s former mayor (mayor Stephen Reed). Something is going on.
it’s not just failing financially, but the school feels like a BIG SCAM.
It sounds like you have your answer – even if it isn’t a for-profit university, your instincts are telling you that a degree from here will not serve you very well later on. I would go with your gut and start looking into transfer options.
Nonprofit status requires specific government filings and declarations of finances, so the school probably isn’t being dishonest - they really are a nonprofit. However, “nonprofit” doesn’t mean “good” or even “uninterested in money.” Many non-profit schools partner with for-profit companies. And if the university needs space, they probably lease some space at a discount from the for-profit.
In any event, none of this means the school is good.
Also, please turn your caps lock off.
Well, if only 12% actually go on to graduate, the school is not exactly a diploma mill.
A non-profit organization still needs to avoid making too much negative profit, since doing that will mean going out of business.
@merc81 . It’s probably isn’t a diploma mill, but it is a SCAM. A Diploma Mill is MUCH MORE successful than this school. At least a Diploma Mill can keep students. I’ll probably be MUCH happier at a Diploma Mill. Can you give me a list?
What is the point of that question? You have made your points, now you are losing cred. Time to make a plan. Next go around, do the research before signing up.
@BrownParent . yes, i learned my lesson. I will always do my research before attending a school.
Take steps To attend psu harrisburg or pa college of technology