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No, what some for-profit colleges are doing is despicable and amounts to defrauding the federal government. These behaviors include heavy-handed marketing to po
by necubi 16y ago
No, what some for-profit colleges are doing is despicable and amounts to defrauding the federal government. These behaviors include heavy-handed marketing to potential students who are unlikely to see a benefit from the education and who are unlikely to be able to pay back their loans. For more on this, see the excellent PBS documentary College, Inc and/or the various federal lawsuits that have been filed in the past year.
It's entirely possible that low-end non profit colleges participate in similar bad behavior. But that in no way excuses it for the for-profit colleges.
- yummyfajitas 16y agoI was responding to this: "For profit colleges are selling garbage degrees to poor people in urban areas." As you say, non-profits engage in similar bad behavior. So why single out for-profits specifically? Why not just say "colleges are selling garbage degrees..."? I wasn't trying to excuse anything. I just think prepending the word "for profit" in front of any criticism of low end colleges ignores half the problem and plays into a media narrative created by various vested interests (non-profits trying to eliminate the competition).
- entangld 16y agoI pointed out for profit colleges because that's who I see advertising the most heavily (ever watch day time TV). Ads during Maury Povich show, multiple judge shows, etc... Those ads aren't for state schools. How many non-profit schools do you see advertising? I'm a capitalist, but some of the practices of these schools are not defensible. High cost, high dropout rate, low placement.
- yummyfajitas 16y agoI don't watch TV. But I do see plenty of ads for CUNY (public, non-profit) and other non-profits on the subway. Ramapo college and Montclair State both advertise on the radio in NJ. Devry might be big enough to have commercials, but that doesn't make them the only game in town for worthless degrees.
- entangld 16y agoI could argue subway ads are blanket ads that target huge numbers of diverse people in NY. While daytime television ads during low-brow tv shows target a certain socioeconomic area of society (specifically low income, poorly educated and with few options available).