Are For-Profit ‘Career College’ Credits Worth Much? Maybe Not
March 16th, 2011. By LucyC
Adults seeking to re-educate themselves through for-profit educational facilities may need to educate themselves about their school of choice first—before parting with any cash. Recently, there have been numerous lawsuits against career colleges, many over allegations that this high-turnover—bums in seats—market sector has a tendency to over promise and under-deliver.
Reports indicate that the for-profit education sector represents about 12 percent of higher education, and it’s growing because there’s money to be made.
For people who are looking for a new career and either don’t have several years or tens of thousands of dollars to invest in a university degree, a short program at a vocational college seems like a reasonable, sometimes preferred alternative. Many promise a fast track to success—who doesn’t want that? But if it sounds too good to be true…
Recently, a report in STLToday.com, in St. Louis, MO, revealed the plight of one unfortunate student who got caught out by the spin. Jean Lilley, of Staunton, enrolled in an 18-month medical assistant program at Sanford Brown’s Collinsville campus. She thought it would help her in reaching her goal of becoming a registered nurse. Reasonable, right? Well, Lilley apparently went almost two semesters before finding out that her credits wouldn’t transfer. So she dropped out and started at Lewis and Clark Community College. Those two semesters cost her $9,000, which she obtained through loans and financial aid, making it very difficult to obtain financing for courses at Lewis and Clark. “I not only wasted my time and money, but I’ve missed out on opportunities I could have had,” Lilley told STLToday.com. “I could already have been a nurse. Instead, I’m waiting tables and trying to work my way through college.”
Lilley is part of a class action filed on behalf of students who enrolled in the program. The suit alleges that prospective students were given misleading placement data, suggesting they would have an easier time finding jobs, and promised that their credits would transfer to other schools. While the case is not going well for Sanford Brown, according to reports, they are appealing the class certification, claiming the allegations are without merit.
FYI—Sanford Brown, which is part of Career Education Corp, and Hoffman Estates, was named as a defendant a similar class action filed in San Francisco against California Culinary Institute. The students had claimed the school misrepresented its reputation and the employment prospects students would face upon graduation. Starting to sound familiar? That suit was apparently settled for $40 million last year.
And, a lawsuit was filed recently against the Western Culinary Institute—now called Le Cordon Bleu College of Culinary Arts—and also part of Hoffman Estates and Career Education Corp, alleging violation of Oregon’s unlawful trade practices act and unjust enrichment. The Western Culinary Institute class action has been certified by a judge. The lawsuit was filed in Multnomah County Circuit Court in Portland on behalf of nearly 3,000 current and former students alleging the institute misled students with sales pitches and did not properly prepare them for the workforce.
The suit claims Western Culinary Institute failed to warn students that upon their graduation, their tuition would exceed their ability to pay off their federal loans. The suit claims the school misrepresented its job placement rate and failed to disclose that students would not obtain material benefit from the course of study
Jennifer Adams, the named plaintiff in the lawsuit, alleges that the majority of graduates from the school wind up working in low-wage, prep and line-cook jobs, earning less than $22,500 a year. Tuition at the Institute, according to The Oregonian (December 7, 2009) is $18,000 to $41,000 for either 30-week or 60-week culinary and hospitality programs. The class action lawsuit covers students who have attended the Western Culinary Institute since March, 2006.
Most recently, students from Beckfield College in Florence, a Northern Kentucky career college, have filed a suit claiming that they incurred thousands of dollars of debt to gain worthless credits. This is reportedly the second lawsuit filed against Beckfield in four months.
The suit claims that Beckfield violated the Kentucky Consumer Protection Act. One student, Ashley Stuck, took nursing for two years at Beckfield before discovering her credits were worthless. The lawsuit says representatives of Beckfield told students their credits could transfer to places like the University of Cincinnati and Northern Kentucky University (NKU). But the suit says the reality when it comes to transferring is that Beckfield credits are useless.”NKU says no we don’t take their credits at all. It was just a huge slap in the face.” Ashley Stuck almost completed her nursing program at Beckfield…but says NKU would only accept credits if she finished everything at Beckfield and then passed a test. “They kept promising they will transfer somewhere and it was just not the case,” she told WKRC Cincinnati.
Reportedly, other Beckfield program credits, including the paralegal studies course, do not transfer either. Beckfield is currently facing two lawsuits.
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Credit's are never "worthless" as long as you complete the Degree Program and Graduate. Most all Career Colleges are just that – Institutes that award Degrees in areas of high Demand Employment. These schools are designed to provide a Degree not credits that transfer to other schools. Most Career Colleges have Job placement services as well. IF you do not complete your "Degree" Program then do not expect to get a job and do not expect your credits to transfer – that's not what they were designed to do. DUH!
I graduated from Beckfield College in 2013. I just recently enrolled at the University of Cincinnati and none of my credits transferred. I was told my credits will transfer to this particular university. I have $20,000+ in debt and an “Associate’s Degree” worth absolutely nothing. I’m feeling pretty depressed about it because I wasted 2 years of my life and have nothing to show for “earning a 3.89 GPA”.
You are sadly mistaken, Sanford Brown is a fraudulant company taking advantage of people in need of help,& an education. I too after a divorce , was fraudulently promised that if iI never got a job in the fieldCOTA I would never have to pay back the loans I owe more than 30,000 & counting.None of my credits transferred to a credible school. & I got a’s & went through whole program.
I did some research and found that NKU does have an articulation agreement with Beckfield College. They will accept credits from Beckfield's Associates Degree in Nursing into their Bachelor's Program – IF THE STUDENT COMPLETE'S THE DEGREE PROGRAM AT BECKFIELD AND PASSES THEIR RN LICENSURE EXAM.You need to dig a little deeper before you report less than honest facts L&S BLOG – shame on you!
Hey Patty, Thanks for calling us on the carpet, but you see, the issue is broader than what you indicate. Transferring credits between institutions of higher learning is something done, as you know, quite often. But see, usually, you can also transfer midstream assuming your credits are coming from an accredited school–or a school whose credits are accepted by the new school you plan on attending. Now, in this instance, while it's lovely that one can transfer credits from Beckfield upon receiving their associate's degree from Beckfield, the question here was in trying to transfer prior to receiving that piece of paper with the curlycue artwork around the border. See, many schools allow you to transfer midstream–for a multitude of reasons: change of major, greater commitment to field of choice, relocation, death in family, financial considerations–whatever. And, while I'm not intimately involved in the Beckfield lawsuit, the student here apparently alleges there was sufficient cause for her to believe she was being sold a bill of goods that were not going to be worth much if she hung around to receive her degree. See, admissions departments have a way of rolling out the red carpet on those college "go sees"–the pre-admission campus tours and all. And they make everything sound so wonderful–you know, "our students love campus life", "our graduates have a placement rate of xx% within 3 months of graduating!", etc etc; Now, for many schools, these tidbits are, thankfully, true–or at least there's data that can be sliced and diced to support the statements. But perhaps not always. And what's wrong with someone who feels she's had an a-ha moment–realizing that the school she's in may not deliver her goals, her dreams–and wanting to transfer midstream? So basically, from your comment, the plaintiff here needs to keep pissing away money that she feels has limited return, in order to get her associate's degree–AND pass her RN license exam–so she can have the honor of applying to NKU (or any other 4-year program) to realize her goal of a higher education leading to a job in her field? Believe me, I get that not all credits may transfer and some costs may need to be eaten when an individual transfers schools–but it seems to me there's more than meets the eye in terms of what's been promised here and what's happening in reality.
Beckfield College has had an RN to BSN Program in place for over a year now – why go anywhere else? I am quite sure that ALL Nursing Students are told upfront that Nursing credits typically do not transfer from school to school regardless of "accrediting body". While General Education classes can have similar content, Nursing classes from school to school are as incompatible as the day is long. every Nursing School's individual curiculum is approved by the State Board of Nursing on it's individual merit.. Maybe the bigger picture here is not the expectation that a student finish what they start at a college (although that would be a fair assumption), maybe legislation and DOE mandates that force ALL Colleges to formulate credit transfer policies that allow such "school hoppers" or "can't cut it at your school types" to "transfer" elsewhere.
You aren’t Patty Stuckow are you? Registrar AT BECKFIELD?
Here’s another perspective. Most of the unsuccessful, broken down and unemployed perspective college students that look at the for profit schools are doing so for a reason. Their lives are in need of direction, career skills and employment. Many of these “in need” perspective students do not see themselves attaining any level of success in a traditional, impersonal, large college Campus with thousands of students. The so called Community Colleges are becoming as large and impersonal as the traditional Campuses and these “education deserving” individuals lack the confidence and focus to succeed in those environments. I am sure there are unscrupulous Admissions Reps at many schools, just as there are dishonest bankers, shady sales people, incompetent doctors, morally bankrupt preachers and questionably motivated people in all lines of work. I have found that a majority of those in my line of work are in the business of opening a door that these “education deserving” individuals have neevr seen or believed that they could walk through. And it is their choice to walk through it. The issue of personal responsibility when it comes to using a credit card, buying a home, purchasing a car or funding one’s education is paramount. The credit transfer issue and the “i say” “they say” debaucle would be nonexistant if everyone would read what they sign. Contracts for the purchase of goods and services exist so that both parties are clear on the terms. Enrollment agreements for college need to be read thoroughly and as in most aspects of today’s litigation crazy society “if it’s in writing, it’s a legally binding truth”.
I have a AA degree in Applied Science and Health, and I also have a degree for massage therapy. I went to Sanford Brown College in St. Charles Missouri, and believe me, it was costly. What my problem is when I moved from Missouri to Florida because of my ex-husband’s job transfer, I found out that none of my credits would transfer to any other colleges. I looked for Sanford Brown College in Florida with the hopes that they can help me to further my career, or help me find a job. I found Sanford Brown College in Tampa and was so excited, but when I went to that Sanford Brown College, they told me that they are not affiliated with Sanford Brown. They said they are Sanford Brown Institute, so a completely different College. I found the nearest Sanford Brown College is 300 miles away from where I live in Florida. Needles to say, I spent all this money and time, paid for 5 yrs on student loans, and now I have limited options. I called my old campus and let them know about my situation, and they told me the same information that I already found out.
My 1999 F-350 Ford van blew a spark plug out of the head.
A real nightmare. Fortunately it did not catch fire and I was near my home. My wife was with me.
If Ford had just used 3/4 inch reach plugs like all the other manufacturers this would not have happened.
I sold my Van and told the buyer what was needed and the whole story.
I sold it for $500. It was a beautiful van too.
I bought a CHEVY van, and now I do not have to worry ANYMORE about the spark plugs!
It uses REGULAR SPARK PLUGS. Thank God.
I will never buy another FORD.
I also warn other people.
I attended Sanford Brown in St. Charles, MO long enough to complete one session of classes before learning my credits would not transfer. I was busting my butt to earn a 4.0 for nothing. I left the school after learning this information from the community college. Several years later I looked into culinary school and thought I asked all the right questions. I was assured my credits would transfer to other schools, I would have a great job after completing the courses. I completed the course and was one of the last students to find a place to do my externship. Most of the students in my class can’t find a job worth more than they were making before attending this school. This was a waste of my time and a whole lot of money down the drain.