Should I Attend a For-Profit College?

Many for-profit colleges are sprouting up. And needless to say, with the recent bankruptcy of ITT, the for-profits are under fire. A growing number of students are upset, and they have every right to be – they’re holding diplomas from schools that no longer exist.

Unfortunately, the traditional college is no better. SJWs have taken over the system for half a century. They intimidate conservatives, stifle democracy, and destroy critical thinking.  Indeed, going to a traditional college is now an Orwellian experience.

So what to do? All things considered, I recommend going to a traditional college – it’s the lesser of two evils. If you’re not sure what defines a for-profit school, then let me tell you what to look for…

1.) The College Should Have Entry Requirements

GPA, SAT scores…these are all critical. Does the enrollment counselor ask you about them? If not, then it’s a red flag. Now you might be thinking, “Yeah Styles, but I don’t have either of those in good standing. I screwed around in high school, so my record is shot.” My answer to that is simple – go to a community college, take some courses for two years, and improve your scores. It’s up to you to improve your game, not them.

Why does a college not have entry requirements? Well, the answer is simple: money. The more students they enroll, the more money they get. But this greed comes at a cost. They allow people in their hallways that lack professionalism. People that are loud, rude and semi-literate. This is a college – not a trailer park. If you spend enough time around these “students,” you realize why good bars want a cover charge – they’re protecting the valued customer.

They both attend the same for-profit school.

Entry-level requirements are the safety net for a college; they ensure that a diploma is worth something in ten years. The requirements can be relatively simple as well. For example, requiring a 2.0 GPA can protect the college from thousands of problematic students.

2.) The College Should Have a Limited Number of Campuses

The college should have one principal campus (a few satellite campuses in nearby locations are ok). However, too many locations is a red flag. It indicates that the school is more concerned with “growing their brand” than educating their students.

Remember, this is a college – not Mcdonalds. Don’t be impressed when you hear that a college has 10 locations here, 15 locations there…that’s irrelevant. The important thing is the strength of a primary campus. When a college has multiple locations, it’s usually controlled by a board of investors. And these investors care about profit first, education second.

I’m normally a capitalist. I believe in the power of private ownership over state control. However, there are certain areas where privatization comes at a cost, and education is one of them. The greed of these for-profits has left thousands of students with egg on their face. If a stronger advisory board was controlling these matters, then the issue would not have occurred.

3.) The College Should Not Be Calling to Check in on You

For-profit schools like to call their students. They do this for a variety of reasons: to see why they were absent, to notify them about low grades, etc. Students will find this a bit strange at first. However, they quickly dismiss the thought and replace it with, “That was considerate of them.”

Of course, the reason they are calling students is simple; if the student drops out, it means less money for the school. It’s about cash, not concern. Many students stay on board for around eight classes, become overwhelmed, and then drop out. So the continual calls keep the student engaged beyond the point where they would normally give up. By the time students realize the mistake, they’re in the hole for a sizable debt (usually around $10,000).

I’m really concerned about your health…and your monthly payments.

You’re the only person that should care about your academic success. Anybody else, outside of your immediate family, should not be concerned. So if the college you’re attending is checking in with you, then you know it’s a scam. It’s time to right the ship before it’s too late.  I suggest that you ask the enrollment counselor this question if you are touring the campus: “Does your school call the students to check in with them?” The enrollment counselor will answer yes, because he/she believes it to be a good answer. They’ll tip their hand, and you will know that you’re being duped.

Conclusion

Students today need to be very careful. The wrong college choice can lead to a loss of thousands of dollars; moreover, they can actually choose a college that won’t exist in five years.

When choosing between a for-profit school and a traditional college, I recommend the lesser of two evils: the traditional college. I wish we had another choice in America, but at the moment it’s slim pickings.