For-profit higher education and community colleges (original) (raw)
Related papers
For‐Profit Colleges in the United States: Insights from Two Decades of Research
EdWorkingPapers.com, 2021
In this paper, I review the economics literature on for-profit college education in the United States, assessing what we know about institutional behavior and student outcomes after two decades of research. The many studies reviewed here reveal some consistent patterns. It is clear that for-profits compete with institutions in other sectors, yet they behave differently than their public and nonprofit counterparts. The literature is mixed on the responsiveness of the sector to labor market demands, but any responsiveness does not appear to translate to better student outcomes. The vast majority of studies on employment and earnings gains for students in for-profits find worse outcomes for for-profit students relative to similar students in other sectors. These disappointing results suggest that additional accountability measures may be warranted to protect students and taxpayers.
A comparison of for-profit and community colleges’ admissions practices
2013
College choice has been an area of inquiry in higher education research for decades. While this scholarship has evolved, it has yet to incorporate the fastest-growing sector of higher education: for-profit colleges and universities. The authors investigate the admissions and recruitment conditions that would lead students— particularly those from low-income backgrounds—to consider a for-profit college over a community college. Specifically, the paper considers information provided to prospective students by several for-profit and community colleges in an urban city. On the basis of this research, conclusions and future directions for college choice theory and organizational practice are developed.
Evaluating Student Outcomes at For-Profit Colleges. NBER Working Paper No. 18201
National Bureau of Economic Research, 2012
Using the Beginning Postsecondary Student Survey, we examine the effect on earnings of obtaining certificates/degrees from for-profit, not-for-profit, and public institutions. Students who enter certificate programs at any type of institution do not gain from earning a certificate. However, among those entering associates degree programs, there are large, statistically significant benefits from obtaining certificates/degrees from public and not-for-profit but not from for-profit institutions. These results are robust to addressing selection into the labor market from college, and into positive earnings from unemployment, using imputation methods and quantile regression along with a maximum likelihood sample selection model.
2011
institutions. The evidence provided here is intended to inform discussions of the rapid growth of the sector in recent years. Enrollments Between fall 2000 and fall 2009, full-time enrollment in degree-granting institutions in the for-profit sector increased from 366,000 to 1.5 million. In just nine years, the sector went from enrolling 4% of full-time students (and 3% of all students) to enrolling 11% of full-time students (and 9% of all students). Among students in this sector, 61% are enrolled in institutions that offer four-year degrees, 24% are in two-year institutions, and 15% attend less-than-two-year institutions. Undergraduates account for 86% of the total. Among students in the for-profit sector, 76% are enrolled full-time, compared to 62% of postsecondary students overall. 1
Pursuing a Doctorate is a life-defining journey that is a battle of attrition as much as it is support. While the sources of support from family and friends were numerous, there were several members of the Northeastern faculty that must be acknowledged. First, I would like to thank Dr. Joseph Mcnabb for really defining early in the program what a Scholar-Practitioner is and what it is not, Dr. Al McCready for introducing me to what the rigors of real doctoral program looks like, Dr. Bryan Patterson for showing much patience with me at the beginning of the dissertation process and Dr. Margaret Gorman for providing pivotal insight on the direction and structure of this study. I also want to thank Dr. Obioma Iwuanyanwu for being my third reader and supporting me throughout this journey, as well as the late Mr. Steven L. Holeman, JD for being a sounding board and keeping me motivated. Finally, my dissertation chair Dr. Harvey Shapiro, for stepping in and really making sure that I got over the finish line.