Why I Hate For-Profit Colleges

I have been reading about the pending shutdown of Corinthian Schools (Everest) from multiple sources. I subscribe to both the Journal and the Times, and let me tell you, they have different editorial voices.

I have to tell you, I am suspicious of for-profit schools. And I will tell you why. I have five years of teaching experience. I taught for two years as an undergraduate instructor in the chemistry department of WVU; I taught for two years as a graduate instructor at Kansas State; I then taught for a year at Saint Rita of Casica High School in Chicago.

I was then unemployed for two years when the economy hit the fan in 2008. I ended up getting into a program where I received a certificate in medical coding and billing from DeVry. The people in charge of the 30 or so people that were in the DeVry program nominated me for outstanding student in the larger program (we were one of six or so groups in the larger program). I got straight A’s for 30 credit hours at DeVry.

I then looked for a job in the profession that I was allegedly qualified for. I even took and passed a certification test for medical coding and billing.

I could not find a job in my field.

So I went and talked to the people at DeVry in charge of the program. You know what they told me I should do? With my experience, I should teach Medical Billing and coding. Basically they admitted that there were so few open jobs other than being part of the reproduction process of creating more people who were nominally qualified for the job but who couldn’t find work.

I am incredibly thankful I was able to move away from that as a potential career path.