For Profit Technical Colleges - Scam or ........

[asphaltgambler]

My experience and point of view of technical 'colleges' that are 'for profit'. You know the ones with 3 letters............that advertise on TV on mostly 'car shows'. Similar to a uriniary tract infection......

I know the automotive industry well, very well. Here's the 'take' that everyone has in the business be it independent or dealer shop on these 'schools'. Graduating students for the 'popular' 'colleges' are not experienced, have too high expectations and rarely, if ever, deliver even the basic goods as to what their 'degree' says they can.

On the flip side, every person that has 'graduated' from one of these joints, say the cost / benefit was not worth it. By worth it, they mean it all looks sexy and promising in the ads and by what the instructors say, but once looking for work, they generally start off in the industry no better than if they had just walked in off the street with a toolbox under their arm.

In short, the real inside view is everyone knows these schools do not adequately prepare the students, the courseware is too brief and by and large, they are no more qualified than the average young person with basic skills coming in. BTW, the average tuition is @$46K/ per year

So what do these young people get in return? Debt, basically and the belief that upon entering the workforce with their certificate in hand, guarantees them high-level employment.

Yesterday, while watching a 'car show' on TV, saw a thinly disguised commercial about 3 young people, 1 was female, that was embarking on this journey together via tour bus, (think MTV) going around the country visiting these high-profile restoration / performance shops, all the while getting so much smoke blown up their @sses you'd have thought even they would see it.

One segment has Magnus Walker in his joint with all his P-cars talking to them how great it it to be in the hobby, to know how to work on this stuff. Scene 2, 3, 4 - lather rinse and repeat. You think that Magnus got all that crap, status and notoriety by attending a for-profit technical school and wrenching for Jiffy-Lube?

The other part is there is virtually no real college level courses like English, math and other critical processes that most higher education offers.

[LWJ]

I believe these are very much a scam.

Also, the chef schools. Super expensive. Gets you a grinding minimum wage job.

These outfits prey on poorer folks.

[tdw28210]

Not sure about these schools, but I find it funny that a large chunk of colleges and universities are considered "not-for-profit".

[rockfan4]

Let's talk about federal Snap-On truck debt forgiveness.

Also declare 10mm sockets as critical infrastructure, and any man, woman or child in this country can be provided with as many as they need, when they need them.

[masraum]

I had a buddy who's grandmother paid for him to go to a place like that in FL. Unfortunately, I don't think it did him any good and cost his grandmother a fortune. And they'd told him that they'd work out the financing, but what I think that meant was loans or something.

[look 171]

Yeah, like UTI, FIDM, and many other tech colleges that promise to bring you the world with an impressive salary chart that only apply one of the grad out of few years that has all the connections. I know two young ladies that graduated from FIDM and one from Woodbury University out here. 50+ a year and all of them are working at a retail outfit at the mall selling clothing. Yep, so much for the dream they sold you.

[A930Rocket]

I think the cat is out of the bag on these scam universities and has been for years. That said, there’s a sucker born every minute.

[look 171]

Originally Posted by A930Rocket

I think the cat is out of the bag on these scam universities and has been for years. That said, there’s a sucker born every minute.

Most people don't have the stomach to sit through 4 or more years of college and hope to land a job that will pay a few bucks so they look for alternatives that promise shorter terms to a great job. Young people don't know any better and usually believe their authority figure even if some lie about job prospects. "you will finish in two years, go after 45-50 dollar an hour job. We will try and line up one for you as soon as you grad." Yeah right. There are so many here in socal. From Nursing to graphic design and the list keeps on going for all fields.

[OK-944]

I just don't get this. What about reporting requirements? Admin lying through their teeth?

When I put in my time as Dean of a small, private liberal arts college, I was required to detail (and be prepared to prove) to our accreditors exactly how (and what) our graduates were doing from the day they left school through several years out.

If a certain percentage of these students did not "succeed" before a certain interval of time, then we'd have hell to pay...and risk losing accreditation altogether if we didn't up our game.

But that was over ten years ago. Are things different now?

[jhynesrockmtn]

Scam. A lot of college is a scam to a certain extent. This is coming from a person with a masters. I somehow made it through my masters program as an older student with nothing but A's to show for my efforts. It was BS, they just liked the tuition checks.

My son joined ROTC in part because he wanted and needed the structure, he wanted school paid for and he wanted a job and possible career when he was done. Job done, and he owed nothing but some years in the service which he wanted anyway.

His last year of high school was spent mostly at the area technical college. Not the scammy kind. He did the first year of an auto tech program. If he would have stayed with that, he would also have had a good job after graduating without owing anyone a dime.

There are options out there but people want the easy path all too often.

[cabmandone]

IMO there is no such thing as a "non profit" college. The President of BGSU makes 500K. The President of THE Ohio State University makes 900K. Non profit?? Dayum! I need me some of that non profit.

I'm with Jerry on a lot of college being a scam. My son and daughter had to take classes that were completely unrelated to their majors. My son dropped out because he struggled with creative writing which hurt his GPA and meant he wouldn't "make the cut". I have no idea what creative writing has to do with nursing.

[URY914]

Problem is many of these people don't graduate with a worthless degree (certificate). They hang in there for a few years but they only get a mountain of debt out of it. Debt that just keeps growing and they never recover from it. The "student loan crisis" is not just 4 years college and universities.

[David Inc.]

Originally Posted by rockfan4

Let's talk about federal Snap-On truck debt forgiveness.

Also declare 10mm sockets as critical infrastructure, and any man, woman or child in this country can be provided with as many as they need, when they need them.

This should not be green, thank you.

[asphaltgambler]

Originally Posted by OK-944

I just don't get this. What about reporting requirements? Admin lying through their teeth?

When I put in my time as Dean of a small, private liberal arts college, I was required to detail (and be prepared to prove) to our accreditors exactly how (and what) our graduates were doing from the day they left school through several years out.

If a certain percentage of these students did not "succeed" before a certain interval of time, then we'd have hell to pay...and risk losing accreditation altogether if we didn't up our game.

But that was over ten years ago. Are things different now?

These places exist largely on the steady stream of student loan $$$$money rolling in from those fed programs. They only have to meet the criteria of the gob'mit to become accredited; minimum. You don't have a passing grade? WELL......... we'll just keep giving you the same test until you do!!

[billybek]

Almost every university, college or tech school has taken the L out of Learning.

[Arizona_928]

I had a high school friend do the motorcycle trade school. Needless to say he dropped out and has a bunch of student loan debt. I looked at his curriculum one day and it was 3 ring binders with fill in the blanks. Really not teaching you something you don't already know or can easily learn yourself.

Apprenticeships or community college for trade schools is where i tell my younger family members. Why go to university for 9 years to be an associate professor for 60k.

[mattdavis11]

I didn't know who Mangus Walker was, but I won't criticize him. Seems like he found a way to make easy money.

[cabmandone]

I do think that some of it comes down to the person. A close friend of mine graduated from ITT Tech in electronics and robotics. He has a great job today because he put the work in to get there. My nephew graduated from the same school same program and he's satisfied working where he's at even though he could be making more elsewhere.
If you're not familiar with ITT, here's some reading material.
https://studentaid.gov/announcements-events/itt