Notwithstanding all the negatives mentioned above, a counter-argument is that for-profit colleges serve communities that tend to be under-served by traditional non-profit institutions, by reaching out with more branches and on-line services. I have very little experience with them except for short training classes payed for by my employer. For that purpose, they may do a reasonably good job. For a 4 year liberal arts or pre-professional college experience, I don’t know why many students would choose a for-profit college if they have access to affordable non-profit alternatives with better reputations.