Unleashed: Luring Students with False Promises - Top American Profit-Driven Educational Institutions Accused of Deceitful Practices
In the realm of post-secondary education, the importance of accreditation and the legitimacy of institutions cannot be overstated. A recent surge in cases of fraudulent and deceptive practices by certain schools has highlighted the potential risks associated with unaccredited and for-profit institutions.
One such example is Trump University, which promised to share the secrets of Donald Trump's real estate success with students, but was found to be fraudulent, resulting in a $25 million settlement. Similarly, DeVry University's claims that their graduates were likely to find jobs more quickly and earn more money than other college and university graduates were found to be deceptive by the U.S. Federal Trade Commission (FTC).
Le Cordon Bleu, another for-profit school, was found to have engaged in unfair and deceptive practices, such as pressuring employees to enroll students. The Borrower Defense to Repayment program allowed full or partial forgiveness for graduates who could prove that Le Cordon Bleu misled them about job placement rates, accreditation, or other important aspects of their education.
The Art Institutes, which had campuses across the U.S., closed its last one in 2023 amid accusations of fraud. The U.S. Department of Education erased loans for 317,000 people who attended the Art Institutes during a period between January 1, 2004, and October 16, 2017, at a cost of nearly $160 billion.
The Famous Writers School, a for-profit organization, was found to have engaged in fraudulent and misleading practices, parting students from their tuition and returning little, if any, value for their investments.
These instances underscore the primary reasons to avoid nationally accredited and unaccredited post-secondary schools. The main concerns revolve around credential validity, legal risks, and professional recognition. Unaccredited institutions are not recognized by official national or regional accrediting bodies, meaning degrees from such schools are often considered invalid by employers, licensing boards, and academic institutions. This can severely limit job opportunities and professional advancement.
Using credentials from unaccredited or diploma mill institutions can lead to legal consequences, including fines or criminal charges, especially if such degrees are used fraudulently on resumes or in licensing applications. Many professional fields require licenses or certifications that only recognize degrees from accredited schools. Non-accredited training may also fail to meet legal and insurance requirements, exposing individuals and organizations to liability issues.
Employers routinely verify educational credentials, and relying on unaccredited degrees can jeopardize employment and damage professional credibility. Regarding national accreditation, it is generally considered less rigorous or prestigious compared to regional accreditation in the U.S., and some nationally accredited schools may still have quality or recognition issues.
The focus is often on avoiding unaccredited or diploma mill institutions, which outright lack recognized accreditation and oversight. As for for-profit schools accused of misconduct, several have faced allegations including misleading students, misrepresenting job placement rates, and engaging in unethical recruitment practices. Examples historically include ITT Technical Institute and Corinthian Colleges, both of which closed after federal investigations into fraud.
While these specific names were not in the immediate search results, the risks of misconduct are well documented in for-profit education sectors, which sometimes prioritize profit over educational quality or regulatory compliance. In summary, avoiding unaccredited and some nationally accredited post-secondary schools protects individuals from invalid credentials, legal risks, and professional barriers, while being cautious about for-profit schools is important due to their history of misconduct and regulatory scrutiny.
- The top 10 examples of questionable post-secondary education institutions include Trump University, DeVry University, Le Cordon Bleu, The Art Institutes, and The Famous Writers School, all of which have been accused of engaging in fraudulent and deceptive practices.
- In the realm of personal-finance, investing in education and self-development through these top 10 institutions could result in financial losses due to potential legal consequences and limited job opportunities.
- Technology and entertainment industries often demand degrees from accredited institutions for employment consideration, making education-and-self-development options from unaccredited and for-profit schools risky in terms of both financial and professional gain.
