For-profit colleges operate under the so-called “90/10 Rule,” which states that a school can’t receive more than 90% of its revenue from the federal government. However, there’s a loophole that does not count certain military-related education funds — like the GI Bill — against that 90%, meaning these schools can go over that 90% threshold without violating the 90/10 Rule. And according to a new report, hundreds of for-profit schools are indeed getting nearly every dollar of their funding from taxpayers. [More]
90/10 Rule
DeVry University Must Stop Claiming That 90% Of Grads Get Jobs
By 10.14.16
Many for-profit college chains recruited students through ads touting exceedingly high job-placement rates, but as we’ve seen from the recent collapses of chains like Corinthian Colleges Inc. and ITT Tech, those placement statistics can be artificially inflated. This week, for-profit educator DeVry Education Group agreed to be more honest and transparent about the job-placement claims in its ads and recruitment materials. [More]
DeVry Education Group Will Limit How Much Federal Aid Its Schools Accept
By 9.20.16
The so-called 90/10 rule says that for-profit colleges can’t derive more than 90% of their revenue from federal financial aid. In the wake of the collapse of ITT Tech, which had to shutter after the government clamped down on its access to federal funds, the DeVry chain of for-profit schools says it will cap the amount of federal aid it receives at levels below what the rules require. [More]
Servicemembers At Failing For-Profit Schools Not Protected By Veterans Affairs
By 8.18.15
When a for-profit college closes its doors, students are often left with hefty student loan tabs and little recourse. Some of those borrowers may be eligible for a discharge of their debts through the Dept. of Education, but others – like the thousands of veterans who used their GI Bill benefits to finance their education – are simply out of luck, often losing their chance to obtain a degree, thanks in part to failures within the Department of Veterans Affairs. [More]
Regulations Help To Rein In Runaway For-Profit Colleges, But Schools Still Find Loopholes
By 8.15.14
If a company routinely charges more for its products than the competition and its product is often inferior to the more affordable option, that business won’t remain open for long. But thanks to deep-pocketed backers and a government that has handed over hundreds of billions of dollars in federal student aid without asking too many questions, the for-profit college industry continues to rake in the bucks while frequently leaving its students with subpar educations and faint employment hopes. Some federal regulators have attempted to make the industry more accountable, but these schools continue to take advantage of loopholes while legislators and consumer advocates scramble to make reform. [More]
