Who attends the for-profit colleges?

Who Goes to For-Profit Colleges?

June 27, 2011, 1:16 am

By Frank Donoghue

We know one particularly disturbing fact: For-profit colleges and universities educate 12% of the postsecondary population, but have huge attrition rates and account for account for half of the federal-loan defaults, measured in dollars. That ratio suggests that the for-profits are only interested in enrolling students—any students—but don’t particularly care if those students graduate, get well-paying jobs and are thus able to pay back their student loans.

More:http://chronicle.com/blogs/innovations/who-goes-to-for-profit-colleges/29725?sid=pm&utm_source=pm&utm_medium=en
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December 2010 statement from the Student Veterans of America:

Statement on For-Profit Schools

WASHINGTON – In light of recent developments regarding student veterans attending for-profit institutions on the GI Bill, SVA’s Director of Government and Public Affairs Michael Schwille issued the following statement:

“SVA’s mission is to support veterans in higher education. Our mandate is to ensure that student veterans, regardless of the school they choose to attend, are treated fairly, with respect, and that they have the resources they need to graduate. Student Veterans of America has more than 360 chapters around the country, including for-profit institutions, and we want to ensure that those who have served our nation are able to get the resources they deserve from their schools.

“As such, we are deeply disturbed by the United States Senate: Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee report, “Benefiting Whom? For Profit Education Companies and the Growth of Military Educational Benefits,” that some schools in the for-profit sector are attempting to take advantage of veterans in order to boost their revenues. As direct representatives of student veterans, we strongly condemn any practice by any institution that exploits veterans for the purpose of obtaining their benefits. Any institution that is receiving federal dollars for the education of veterans has a responsibility to be forthright, honest, and respectful in its dealings with veterans.

“We will continue to work with lawmakers, the VA, and the Department of Education to ensure that any practice that exploits veterans to gain access to their benefits ceases immediately. We want to remind Veterans everywhere that if they ever feel taken advantage of, mislead, or otherwise lack support at their school, whether it is for profit school or not, they can contact Student Veterans of America and we will advocate on their behalf.

“Additionally, SVA recognizes that online education is the best option for many veterans pursuing their degree. Many of our members have benefitted from online studies, and we support online education for veterans. At present, many of the opportunities to study online are offered by for profit colleges. As a result, many veterans choose to pursue their online education at for profit institutions. If this concerns regulators, educators, and the general public, SVA would like to encourage them to promote online education at non-profit institutions. Additionally, it is important that regulators be vigilant to prevent actions that might deny those hundreds of thousands of veterans who have chosen to pursue their studies online at for profit institutions from using the benefits they have earned.”
http://www.studentveterans.org/?p=1038
Media contact: media@studentveterans.org