<p>I understand that the Department of Education under Obama has done some tightening of regulations, but it is nowhere near the drastic action needed, especially when they consume 25% of Pell grants. Why Congress hasn’t enacted legislation that would destroy the darn beast puzzles me. I guess that founder John Sperling’s campaign donations might be making some impact. Maybe the muckraking isn’t vivid enough. </p>
<p>The nation’s proper schools with online classes could then absorb part of its former customer base, though they probably don’t have advertising that is as aggressive; perhaps there should be a national advocacy/advertising organisation that would advocate on behalf of all its member colleges. The nation’s schools need the income anyway, but they would actually impart some real standards to the field.</p>
<p>The number of defaulted student loans linked to for-profit schools is also scary. Students enroll to get the loan, never follow through on the courses, keep the cash, and never pay it back.</p>
<p>Isn’t it more like: students enroll after slick sales and marketing by the school, get Pell grants and student loans, pay the money to the school for tuition, drop out finding that the school is not going to help them upgrade their skills, and get stuck with debt while the school keeps the grant and loan proceeds?</p>
<p>Perhaps what many do not notice is that cutbacks in public funding of universities and community colleges and financial aid for such is being replaced to some extent by public funding of financial aid going to the for-profit universities.</p>
<p>UPhoenix has success stories. My boss was one … 48 years old with wife and family, needing a college degree to keep his job as a Manager. That said, the drop-out rate and default percentages are appalling.</p>
<p>This thread, I hesitate to say it, has a political subtext, but so do so many topics relating to educational policy. I’ll leave it at the fact that the two candidates and parties have very different ideas about the value of for profit colleges.</p>
<p>^latichever - With all due respect, I think your comment is off-topic. There’s an enormous difference between for-profit institutions that train electronic technicians, auto mechanics, cosmetologists, medical transcriptionists, etc … and online Universities like UPhoenix that compete with Yale, Harvard and MIT (on the basis of undergraduate degrees offered).</p>
<p>UPhoenix doesn’t compete with Yale, Harvard and MIT. Nobody cross-shops those schools.</p>
<p>What UPhoenix does compete with are the good-quality, but unprestigious, local public universities. Systems like the CSUs or the PASSHE schools. At those schools, you get a better, or at the very least, just as good, education for a hell of a lot less money than Phoenix or other for-profits.</p>
<p>U Phoenix does fill a need with their scheduling, etc that the public schools in my area don’t, and I have a couple of employees that attend classes there. I remember several CA schools having convenient weekend colleges, but the offerings are slim here for public education alternatives in upper-level classes.</p>
<p>I would also submit that you get a better vocational education at your garden variety community college, and for significantly less money and long term indebtedness, than at a proprietary trade school. One problem is that there is a lack of adequate government support for community colleges, which leaves an opening for private schools operating on the profit motive. For example, the demand for LPNs is not met by the number of places available at either public or nonprofit community colleges.</p>
<p>Our local community college district has very low tuition, and I’ve been told that is has the lowest OOS tuition in the nation. It makes me ill to hear of kids attending U of Phoenix right out of HS to get the “basics” out of the way. They could do that at cc (which also has weekend, night and online options) for a *tiny fraction *of the cost.</p>
<p>I know when I am screening resumes if I see U of Phoenix (or others like it) on one that resume immediately gets discarded. Too many qualified applicants from accredited schools to consider these resumes. Having a “degree” from there is a huge red flag. </p>
<p>I know many many other mgrs that do the same thing. I wish students would not waste their money. Go to a legit CC.</p>
<p>^ Yes Iron Maiden, I’ve seen that too. But for individuals already employed, a UPhoenix degree can be the difference between getting a promotion … or not. Their abilities are already known to their employers, but lack of a degree makes them ineligible for promotion.</p>
<p>As a rule, I’m very suspicious and skeptical of for-profits - but I do think U of Phoenix may be one of the better ones. A friend of mine who lives in rural Nebraska wanted to go back to school. There were community colleges nearby, but none offered him the flexibility of UoP: this is a guy who works two jobs and has a 3-year old son he’s devoted to and wanted to spend time with as well. I saw some of his UoP assignments, papers and professors’ comments, and overall I was impressed. My friend’s idea is to get his general requirements over with at UoP and then move to Wyoming where colleges are nearly free for instate residents. He checked with UofWyoming and found out they do accept credits from Pheonix. It seems like for someone with little time but with a focus and a fair amount of dedication Uof Phoenix may be an OK option.</p>
<p>Depends on the company/senior management. I know of some companies which won’t count UPhoenix or similar type school degrees for such internal promotional purposes. Not all of them are necessarily elite companies, either. </p>
<p>Just that the UPhoenix et al degrees are viewed by such companies/management quite skeptically because the admissions/graduation requirements are perceived as being so lax that the degree isn’t viewed as “value-added” education on top of a high school diploma. In short, it is perceived as the higher-ed equivalent of a GED.</p>
<p>I have an acquaintance that has degrees from U Of Phoenix. Her employer paid for it, the scheduling was convenient as the full time working mother of two young girls. She is now a manager at the company. </p>
<p>Myself, I went through the local state university that had excellent online classes for a technical degree. </p>
<p>I could see where a degree from a U of Phoenix type place would not be valued as much as from an accredited not for profit traditional school, but it seems for some management type advancements the company just wants you to have the degree to advance you if they know you are a good employee,</p>
<p>About a month ago there was a TV program about for profit U’s. The show was emphasizing the predatory approach regarding student loans. Many of these U’s legally take advantage of every government loan and aid - though the way they approach this has sent many into financial riun They interviewed several past/present students who said their head was spinning from the documents they were presented with and signed during a very aggressive sales pitch in their initial info meeting with school. They felt taken advantage of and preyed upon because there is no way they will ever come out from under the debt they signed up for. Some on show said that they prey on low income kids or Single moms wanting to better their career options because there is more $$ avail for this group and the school uses this to say things like "if you take out this big loan we offer you at 12% then we can get you big dollars in FA. </p>
<p>It sounded legal, but in many cases not very moral. </p>
<p>Sorry for the rambling sentences. I should try to post when riding in a car.</p>
<p>I have no problem with for-profit schools. I however have a problem with unethical for-profit schools with little quality control that plaster their ads all over Pandora.</p>