US: Low graduation rates at for-profit colleges

28 November 2010

A new report on graduation rates at for-profit colleges by a non-profit research and advocacy group charges that such colleges deliver "little more than crippling debt", citing federal data that suggests only 9% of the first-time, full-time bachelor degree students at the University of Phoenix, the nation's largest for-profit college, graduate within six years, writes Tamar Lewin for The New York Times.

The report, "Subprime Opportunity" by the Education Trust, found that in 2008, only 22% of first-time, full-time bachelor degree students at for-profit colleges overall graduate within six years, compared with 55% at public institutions and 65% at private non-profit colleges.

Among Phoenix's online students, only 5% graduated within six years, and at the campuses in Cleveland and Wichita, only 4% graduated within six years. "For-profits proudly claim to be models of access in higher education because they willingly open their doors to disadvantaged, underprepared students," said José L Cruz, a Vice-president for the trust. "But we must ask the question, 'Access to what?' "
Full report on The New York Times site

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