How to Make the Adjustment into Freshman Year

BY ALEX HASLAM

Starting college is one of life’s biggest milestones, and even the most prepared incoming freshmen can feel nervous and overwhelmed. While everyone’s college experience is unique, there are a few tips everyone can follow to prepare for the transition and conquer freshman year.

 

1. Pack Only the Essentials

Moving into a dorm is likely the first time you’ll live on your own. While you may want to bring every single item from home, don’t pack more than you need, especially if you’re moving across state lines. Instead, focus on the school supplies and clothes you’ll use for everyday tasks and classes, along with a few sentimental items to remind you of home.

 

2. Keep a Budget

Tuition and room and board are just a few of the college fees you can expect each year. What you may not expect are book costs and extra money for weekends. Setting up a budget allows you to take control of your finances before the rush of college distracts you. You can start small by setting a monthly budget and using a spreadsheet to keep track of all expenses, helping you avoid spending more than your income allows.

 

3. Create a Routine

Too often, freshmen fall into the trap of sleeping in, skipping class, and delaying laundry day for as long as possible. While you may not have your parents watching your every step, avoid the temptation of laziness. Establish a daily routine, from sleep and wake times to study hours and gym schedules. It may sound boring at first, but sticking to a schedule will help you keep on top of your assignments, stay awake in class, and feel energized and healthy.

 

4. Sign Up for an Extracurricular

One of the best ways to make new friends is to find people with similar interests. For freshman year, commit to joining at least one extracurricular activity. If you’re athletic, this activity may be an intramural sports team, and if you like social outings, it may be a sorority or fraternity. Many colleges also offer a listing of on-campus clubs and organizations, from student government and the school newspaper to chess club and volunteer programs.

 

5. Eat Right

It’s important to be conscious of the choices you make with your food, because we all know it’s hard to resist the often all-you-can-eat options at college cafeterias. As tempting as it is to load up your plate with any option, aim to eat a healthy balance. Focusing on foods that help you have energy and feel good can make a huge difference in college. Eating nutritious and quality food can help you deal with stress and avoid depression while working through your classes.

 

6. Find a Study Zone

In college, weekends start earlier and earlier every year. It’s common for parties to start on a Thursday night, which can make for a loud environment if you still have classes the next day. Instead of studying in your dorm room, find a dedicated study zone. For many, this place is the library, but some colleges offer lounges with comfy chairs, computer rooms, coffee shops, and other quiet spaces for students to study. Find a space where you can get comfortable and stay focused on your school work.

 

7. Explore Your Options

Even if you’ve already established your major and have a five-year plan in place, try as many different classes as possible. You never know what new interests you may discover, and you may even pick up a hobby or two. Just because you’re a finance major doesn’t mean you shouldn’t try an art class, and English majors should dabble in science classes. College is your opportunity to explore every possible career or learning option and find out exactly what interests you.

Ultimately, college is about balance—having fun but making time to study, eating a salad for dinner but a donut for breakfast, and focusing on your major but remaining curious about others. Following these tips can help you feel more prepared to get a good start on your college career and enjoy a memorable and successful freshman year.

Alex Haslam graduated from the David Eccles School of Business at the University of Utah in 2017. Today she is a freelance writer who focuses on consumer technology, entertainment, and higher education.

 

Back Problems Common For College Students: Tips To Help

BY JANE HURST

 

It is the start of a new semester. You are running around gathering supplies and clothes to get ready to go back to college. One thing you are probably not thinking about is your back health. Surprisingly, back health should be on the top of your list. Over eighty percent of college students have back problems. The way you sit and what you carry will either help or harm your back. Here are seven tips to keep your back limber and strong.

 

1. Wear sensible shoes 

This is one of the most important steps when dealing with your spine. You might be looking at the latest styles in dress shoes and heels, but you should be looking at shoes that support your back. You will be walking around campus most of the day and you will need strong support for you spines. Good shoes are supportive and help keep the spine aligned. When you walk, your feet should remain steady and not roll to the side. This will help prevent injuries to your back. Save the heels for special occasions and be comfortable while you are walking around.

 

2. Yoga 

A good spine is a supple spine. Stretching your spine will keep it limber and flowing. Yoga will help to stretch and strengthen your spine. During school you will be sitting in class for an hour and a half. When your stand up after sitting in class, you should do some yoga stretches that will help your spine realign.

 

3. Ditch the Backpack 

Backpacks, when used incorrectly, can throw your spine out of whack. Never over pack a backpack and make sure you are wearing the backpack correctly. It should be worn on the back with the straps adjusted correctly, not over the shoulder. If possible, ditch the backpack all together and only carry what is necessary for your class.

 

4. Core Exercises 

“Your back is supported by strong diaphragm and abdominal muscles. These muscles comprise your core muscles. If your core is strong, your back is less likely to get hurt,” says an expert from Upstate Spine and Sport. Walking and swimming are good exercises for your back; however, you should include core strengthening exercises in your daily routine.

 

5. Move 

Since students can be confined to their desks for upwards of an hour and a half, it is important for you to move and stretch when you can. You should stretch and walk a bit between classes, even if your next class is in the same room. Movement will help your spine stay limber.

 

6. Get a Good Night’s Sleep 

Lying down at night helps your back realign after sitting, standing, and walking all day. Be sure you have access to a good mattress and pillow. Be sure the mattress and pillow align with the way you sleep. As tempting as it may be to sit up and pull an all-nighter, your spine will not thank them in the morning.

 

7. Sit and Stand up Straight 

One very important thing to keep in mind is your posture. When you are sitting and looking at your phones or slouched on the couch watching television, you are putting pressure on their spine. Having a strong core will help encourage good posture, but you have to be aware of how you are sitting and standing. If you slump, they will end up with a sore back.

 

Back problems can cause you to miss school and be in excruciating pain. If you have back pain that persists, it is important that you see a doctor as soon as possible. Be sure you are exercising and practicing good posture. Remember to stretch and walk around to loosen your backs. And, lose the backpack. Only carry what is necessary when you travel around campus. Follow these tips and you will have a pain free school year.

Byline:

Jane Hurst has been working in education for over 5 years as a teacher. She loves sharing her knowledge with students, is fascinated about edtech and loves reading, a lot. Follow Jane on Twitter.

 

Student Spending on Course Materials Plummets

 

Lindsay McKenzie, Inside Higher ED

A decade ago, students spent an average of $701 per year on required course materials. Now, according to the latest data from the National Association of College Stores, they are spending under $500.

The reason for the spending drop is the “increased use of free and lower-cost digital and rental materials,” according to Estella McCollum, vice president of research and consulting at NACS.

In its latest annual report on course material spending, published Wednesday, NACS said students were still more likely to buy course materials than not, but that the number of students using free course materials is increasing.

This year, 32 percent of students reported using free course materials, compared with 25 percent last year and 19 percent in 2016, according to the NACS data. Just under 60 percent said their professors had provided them with the free materials. About 17 percent of students admitted to perhaps illegally downloading course materials from torrent or peer-to-peer sharing sites, quite possibly in breach of copyright restrictions, though students were not asked to specify.

The report, which compiled responses from more than 34,000 students at 63 two- and four-year institutions in the U.S. and Canada, found that students are waiting longer to purchase course materials as they try to determine whether they will really need them.

The number of students buying, renting or borrowing course materials has stayed relatively flat for the last four years. This year, NACS said that 83 percent of students purchased course materials, 44 percent rented and 12 percent borrowed.

Though many students reported preferring print to digital course materials, most said that they would shop for whichever was cheapest.

NACS, perhaps unsurprisingly as an advocate of college bookstores, found that the bookstores are still the No. 1 destination for students looking to rent or buy course materials.

Phil Hill, co-founder of Mindwires Consulting and co-publisher of the e-Literate blog, said that NACS has demonstrated “the value and validity” of its survey over the years, despite its natural bias. Hill noted that the organization’s spending figures are in line with the U.S. Department of Education’s National Postsecondary Student Aid Study published in May.

Hill described the drop in student spending as a “surprise” but said that “more interesting” is the increase in students who don’t acquire course materials until after the first week of class.

“This is not good news for education, as we are realizing more and more how important it is to have materials from day one.”

In the report, two reasons were suggested for students not getting materials right away — price, and not thinking materials are necessary. “Both speak to market and instructional problems,” said Hill.

Mike Hale, vice president of education for North America at digital content provider VitalSource, said that textbook and course material costs are going down, but “more must be done to help ensure postsecondary education is accessible and affordable to all.”

He pointed to the success of digital course materials obtained through inclusive-access programs as a “common-sense opportunity to save an average of $295 per student per semester.”

Though students may appear to be spending less on course materials, that does not necessarily mean that the price of course materials is coming down, said Nicole Allen, director of open education at SPARC, an advocacy group that promotes the use of open educational resources.

Allen said there are many factors that could be affecting student spending. “Some are positive, like the expanded use of freely available open educational resources,” she said. “Others are negative, like the significant number of students who skip buying some of their materials due to cost.”

Referring to average costs for students can be deceiving, said Allen. “There are still many students facing extraordinarily high textbook bills, even if the average is lower.”

“As with all of these studies, it only tells one part of the story,” she said.

Read more by 

Lindsay McKenzie

 

Choosing A Major And Making The Most of College Resources

BY ANTON LUCANUS

Colleges and universities provide adults with the education and critical thinking skills necessary to succeed in a professional work environment. It’s a place of academic and personal growth for many students and a location to build connections with peers, professors, and industry professionals. It’s important to utilize the knowledge and connections gained as a tool for success after graduation. The decision to enter college isn’t easy. It takes years to complete, a large amount of financial investment, and the ability to academically compute, recall, and present information. Although these factors may be considered more as cons than pros, it’s important to understand the long term gains rather than short term pains.

When entering higher education, one of the first questions others ask is what major someone has selected. Picking a major is extremely difficult, especially if someone is traditionally entering college or university before they even reach their 20s. Asking a teenager to pick their life course is hard. It’s even harder when the pressure from the people surround someone continually ask for answers. College majors seem to be binary, yet there are so many things someone can do with their degree. As well, there is always the option to pursue postgraduate education.

A great way to begin the major selection process is to go undeclared for the first few semesters of college. By just taking general credit courses, it’s easy to test out varying subject areas and get a feel for what that field is like. Most college students aren’t exposed to many industries available to work in prior to schooling. This isn’t to say that one should just pick courses at random, instead choose a tailored course list that caters to the student’s future career interests. Taking general classes is a great way to understand the generalizations of many fields, become more well-rounded, and narrow the selection of major choices for a student.

Another way to learn more about a major is to talk with other students in those majors. Older students in the major can explain what jobs are available, what professors they liked and didn’t like, and how their overall experience was during college that selected area. Younger students can explain what it has been like in the beginning stages of the major, but generally juniors and seniors have much more insight and professional industry knowledge. As well, many graduate students are specializing as academic professionals and can explain their time working in the industry before attending graduate school. One of the most important groups of people to talk to are the professors in the major. Professors more than anyone have ample amounts of thorough academic and industry knowledge in their field. By setting up office hours with professors, they can give students a deep explanation of what would be offered to them and what would happen if they decided to pick that major.

Many colleges host academic conferences and talks where they bring in some of the best and most successful people in the industry to come speak to students about their ventures in their field. Some of these professionals come to present unique research that will alter the recent findings of their field and others come to inspire students and professors to stay dedicated in their chosen majors and areas of emphasis as it will prove to benefit the entire human population. These talks are generally free to students and can be extremely helpful when they are undecided and selecting a major.

A great way to meet students from all major areas is to join a student organization. Some colleges have student organizations that are specific to a certain major. Many students that join organizations get much more out of it by doing service projects. Some organizations take trips to gain exposure to certain things or fields, and others social clubs that are just for fun like club sports or the arts. Some student organizations, especially the STEM ones, offer students a place to do extra practice in their field. For example, a computer science club may offer special coding or server projects with VPS available to them. Whatever student organization an individual picks, it is just as important that they at least join one as this will allow them to gain friends, learn about other fields, and expose them professional teamwork.

It’s important to make friends and build professional relationships because in college students are often for the first time, away from their families. Their support system will help them handle stressful situations, learn and grow, and provide happiness. Humans are communal creatures and appreciate having others around. It’s natural to seek out a group of like and unlike minded individuals to create a diverse group of friends that will stick by a student’s side. Professors and advisors are also there to help students in college. Many campuses offer students who are struggling emotionally with counseling services. It’s crucial that students understand what is available to them while in college, especially since they are often the ones paying for it.

Byline – Anton Lucanus is the Director of Neliti. During his college years, he maintained a perfect GPA, was published in a top cancer journal, and received many of his country’s most prestigious undergraduate scholarships. Anton writes for The College Puzzle as a means to guide current students to achieve personal and academic goals.

Web Games Can Improve Learning Abilities-Part 2

BY AGNESS WALEWINDER

As mentioned in Part one, some web games have more of an impact on learning and brain development than others. However, not all web games come with taglines that let a player know if it’s educational or not. If someone cycles through what they believe to be educational web games, they will eventually come to learn the signs of a game that positively affects brain growth and learning skills.

Some of the learning abilities that the right web games can affect include:

 

• Enhance memory

Commonly, when a player begins a new game, there are new sets of instructions and how-to guides to remember throughout the game. As someone delves deeper into a game, there’s even more to stow away in a memory bank. Thus, web games, especially interactive RPGs,  can help stimulate both short-term and long-term memories.

 

• Improve concentration and and attentiveness

Excellent web games are designed to capture and engage a player’s concentration and attention for long periods of time. This can help in classrooms too when students feel themselves becoming bored by the curriculum. Improved concentration and attentiveness are tantamount to discipline; hence, students are capable of focusing their attention for longer, regardless of their learning environments.

 

• Enhance the ability to multitask.

Time management web games often require players to be observant of multiple tasks at once. Yes, it can be a focal point for frustration at first, but as players learn more about the game, multitasking becomes easier. This is a valuable skill that can translate to real life in all aspects—not just school.

 

• Build problem-solving 

Most web games require players to follow rules to survive and thrive in-game. Some games even have situations where a split-second decision could mean winning or losing the game. Focus has to be sharp, of course, but these split-second moments build problem-solving skills, as real-world dilemmas require the same amount of quickness and care.

 

• Improve organization and coordination

Hand-eye coordination is a big-time must-have for most web games, as is organization of the rules, instructions, missions, and objectives. Players have to organize and coordinate their moves to win, which often requires precision and strategy as well. Organization is good for classroom work, while coordination helps with homework, class projects, and juggling the curriculum from one class to another.

 

• Help brain function and neuron speed

Quick reflexes come from the brain telling someone’s body and mind to react quickly. Web games have moments of intensity, where players have to avoid obstacles, figure out puzzles, or focus their energies on saving characters and achieving missions. These require quick thinking that, over time, will expand brain function, making it easier for players to react in both game time and the real-world with enhanced neuron speeds.

 

Web Games Can Be More Than Learning Tools for Students

 Movies and television shows portray college as one big party, where students play drinking games and skip classes without a care in the world. However, that’s why movies are fiction and real-world college is, well, reality. The average college student is exhausted, overworked, and strapped for time. Which is where web games could come in as more than convenient, fun learning tools.

Web games are meant to be enjoyed as much as they are meant to be educational. They can be excellent stress relievers, as students can lose themselves in the fun of problem-solving missions, puzzles, and connected objectives—all from the convenience of a dorm room, apartment, or anywhere, really, with a handheld gadget. Sure, players are still learning from these games, but sometimes it’s nice to relax and forget that you’re learning.

Are Web Games Bad for Brain Development?

According to psychologists,  web games, like anything else, need to be enjoyed in moderation. Some web games are more educational and better for brain development than others. Violent web games often have a negative impact on the brain, as negative gameplay scenarios can cause stress that lessens any skills or learning abilities that would otherwise be helpful to students.

To get the most out of web game play, these same psychologists suggest limiting gameplay to an hour or two on a daily basis. Moderation is key to stimulating the brain just enough. Too much gameplay of anything can be overwhelming. These games should also fall in the educational  or strategic categories, as these categories have the most to offer students seeking to improve their learning abilities.

Learning abilities grow when neurogenesis is stimulated. Neurogenesis is the growth of brand-new neurons in the brain, which is essential to growing new knowledge and making important connections between old information and new information in one’s mind.

Web games encourage cognitive processes. Cognition is the series of intellectual activities in the brain. It affects focus, intelligence, perception, memory, and reason. Ergo, a good web game will stimulate one, or all, of these cognitive activities, causing major brain developments that only enhance a student’s performance during various classes.

So, in short, no—web games aren’t inherently bad for brain development. The right web games played in moderation can actually help improve upon the cognitive processes of someone’s intellectual activity.

 

————————————————————————————————————————————————————Byline:

Agness Walewinder is a game geek by passion extremely interested in exploring connections between web games and their role in students’ learning abilities. She also works at Poki – a playground for kids of all games. This playful platform features plenty of games such as Fast Typer or Tunnel Rush that can help with improving concentration and attentiveness, build problem-solving skills and enhance players’ memory.

 

Web Games Can Improve Students’ Learning Abilities: Part 1

BY AGNESS WALEWINDER

 

Web games have soared in popularity over the last decade, gaining traction as stress relievers and time wasters for people of all ages. However, in a 2013 Stanford study  of college panelists, students were observed bettering their educational tools and learning abilities through the regular play of web games. Most of these students never realized that they were learning or building their educational abilities; therefore, the realization that they were learning something never took the fun away from the web games.

There have been further studies, such as those documented in the Huffington Post in 2014,  that suggest children of all ages, especially toddlers, can learn from web games. Toddler web games tend to be more directly educational with focused themes on colors, numbers, alphabet letters, and other need-to-know elements.

College students are often overwhelmed with their studies, so downtime is cherished and commonly spent vegging out in front of the latest gadgets. That said, web games are popular throughout college campuses, especially action or strategy games that require concentration and patience. These kinds of games allow students to leave their real-world dilemmas behind, choosing instead to focus on the make-believe missions and objectives on the screen.

With the introduction of these insightful studies, hundreds of new web games are released on an annual basis on platforms like Poki. This game platform actually features a category of educational games, like the Geography Game, Fast Typer, and Tunnel Rush.

Tunnel Rush  is an indirectly educational web game that sends gamers hurtling through a colorful warp zone of moving obstacles. The longer a player survives, the faster the game gets, and the more challenging the obstacles become. It’s the sci-fi equivalent of dodgeball on the interwebs, which teaches players how to avoid dangers while concentrating on reaching a new, safer destination.
IMAGE 3: Tunnel Rush – a game that will make you think and get more strategic.
Additionally, the obstacles change with every gameplay, keeping players on their proverbial toes to keep minds keen and reactions sharp.

Student Classes Vs. Web Game Teachings: How Do These Skills Help in the Real World?

The whole point of going to school is to learn and grow as individuals who can then contribute in a well-rounded way to our communities and society. While some student classes are for fun, in the same way that some web games are for fun, there is always something to be learned in both, regardless of how subtle those educational elements are.

Examples:

Cooking and baking classes, especially in college, help students learn the basics of preparing something sustainable and delicious to either further their careers in the dining industry, provide for themselves and future families, or both. In high school, you can find cooking and baking classes in Home Economics, since nourishing oneself is essential to becoming an adult.

Coincidentally, there are cooking and baking games that teach both time management and the importance of preparation. Educational cooking games usually ask players to piece together a recipe, in which case organization skills are a must. Ergo, a player learns how to organize their ingredients, put together a recipe by following directions, and manage time to ensure a meal comes out perfectly. While all gamers could benefit from these sorts of web games, young players have the advantage of learning kitchen safety, such as using mitts to retrieve dishes from the oven. Most web games geared towards younger crowds encourage parental supervision and interaction.

Perhaps one of the best examples of the correlation between web games and student classes would be basic study skills. During important tests, such as the SAT in high school or mid-term exams throughout college, patience, concentration, determination, and focus are required. In one way or another, almost every web game one could play requires the aforementioned skills. Some are subtle in their mastery of these skills, while others offer a direct approach of mini games and specific objectives that require players to perfect these skills to progress through levels and complete a game.

Another example would be in interactions. Various web games can be played with multiple players from around the world. Just like class projects, these games ask players to cooperate to accomplish missions, thus honing interactive skills, like basic communication and strategic group thinking.

Byline:

Agness Walewinder is a game geek by passion extremely interested in exploring connections between web games and their role in students’ learning abilities. She also works at Poki- a playground for kids of all games. This playful platform features plenty of games such as Fast Typer or Tunnel Rush that can help with improving concentration and enhance players memory.

Modern College Issues: Fees, Fertility and New Technology

BY ANNABEL MONAGHAN

 

From student debt to having children to new technology uses, college students are faced with challenges unlike generations before. In 2018, the cost of college education for United States students is a top concern when choosing the right university. Furthermore, with fertility rates declining, it’s no wonder that college students aren’t even aware of fertility and what can seriously effect it. Even technology continues to surpass the knowledge that college students had in high school, demanding their time to learn the ins- and- outs of new calculators and connection methods.

18 year-old Seth Owen dreamed of attending college, calling it his “life goal”. He graduated high school with a 4.16 GPA and an acceptance from Georgetown University and began to watch his dreams come true. When he was given his financial aid package, however, he was saddened to see the results.

The financial aid package that graduated seniors are offered is based upon the income of the student’s parents. For Owen, that made his dreams nearly impossible. He was disowned by his family after he came out as gay. Georgetown was refusing to amend his financial aid package with the $20,000 he needed to attend as a freshman. But a teacher close to Owen created a GoFundMe page for him and the tuition has been covered for much more than the first year.

Students all over the United States face insecurities when attending college due to the high cost. There are a few loans that help college students afford university, but they must be paid back. Direct subsidized and direct unsubsidized loans are offered directly through the federal government. Direct PLUS loans are offered to the parents of undergrad students to help cover the cost of the student’s education. Perkins Loans are offered to both undergraduate and graduate students and is depending on school funding, which is why the schools are paid back for these loans post- grad. Private student loans are issued by banks, credit unions, or other financial institutions and are a bit trickier to understand. They are offered as fixed rate loans and variable interest rate loans. With a strong credit score, these loans may be better than federal loans, however.

According to a CNBC map, Utah has the lowest rate of student loan debt in the United States, with $19,975 on average per person. Northeast states have the highest rates of student loan debt. Almost 75% of college graduates in New Hampshire have outstanding student loans- and they carry an average of $36,367 each, which is the highest rate in the country. Pennsylvania, Connecticut, Delaware, Minnesota, and Massachusetts are the top six states with the highest average of student debt for undergrad students. On average, they will carry about $31,500 of student debt on average. On the other hand, New Mexico, California, Arizona, Nevada, and Florida have the lowest levels of student loan debt, with averages under $25,000 per person on average. Those are all below the average of $32,731 for the class of 2016.

The student debt crisis in America is thought of as a top leading cause for declining fertility rates. For university students, fewer than half were able to pinpoint when a woman’s fertility begins to decline. Fewer than one- in- five knew when a man’s fertility declines. A majority of the participants wanted to have children, but the women planned to postpone that until after they finished their education, advanced in their careers, had access to affordable and quality childcare, and were working positions that allowed them to have children. They also wanted to travel and enjoy other activities beforehand.

Dr. Eugénie Prior of the Victorian Assisted Reproductive Treatment Authority in Melbourne, who led the study, commented, “Our study shows university students overwhelmingly want to be parents, but most have an unrealistic expectation of what they will achieve prior to conception.”

38% of men and 45% of women correctly stated that between the ages of 35 and 39 years of age a woman would find her fertility declining, whereas only 18% of men and 17% of women knew that men’s fertility declines much later, and 45 and 49.

With new technology, it’s a shock that university students lacked the knowledge of reproduction and fertility. The growing generation have done VPN reviews and implemented VPNs to protect themselves from internet cybersecurity threats. They have learned how to utilize technology in the classroom at a young age. As they move on to university, they will continue to utilize and learn new technology. From newer and more advanced laptops to wireless Bluetooth keyboards, to anti-malware software and new connection ports for USB-C, HDMI, USB 3.0 and more new ways of transferring data, these students will be at the top of the technology game as freshman undergrad students.

Staying on top of all trends college is imperative as a college student is necessary to be organized, prepared, and happy as a student. The three tips above can and will motivate any new student to continue learning necessary life tips about the classroom… outside of the classroom.

Annabel Monaghan is a writer with a passion for education and edtech. She writes education and career articles for The College Puzzle with the aim of providing useful information for students and young professionals. If you have any questions, please feel free to email her at annabelmonaghanwriter@gmail.com. 

 

 

For Profit Colleges Poised To Grow Under Trump

By Richard Scott and Michael Kirst

Traditional public and nonprofit colleges are not constituted to rapidly adapt to changing regional economy contexts, whereas this is one of the major strengths of for-profit colleges. While for-profits enjoy important adaptive advantages, they have also exhibited limitations of their mode of operation, shortcomings that have prevented their rapid increase in market share in higher education. From the 1970s well into the 1990s, the numbers and enrollments of for-profit colleges rose steadily, but in the early decades of this century, these increases have been slowed and, in many cases, reversed. This sector of higher education exhibits high volatility up to the present. But a word of caution: Most studies refer almost exclusively to that subset of for-profits that, perhaps in addition to other types of programs, offer academic degrees. These are the programs that are captured by the official educational data systems. For-profits offering exclusively vocational training and certificates operate under the radar screen, and their investigation would require a different design and data-gathering strategy that will be pursued in the LA region.

Our interviews with San Francisco  Bay Area colleges confirm that for-profit institutions continue to be a key player in the field of higher education. Over time, they have offered a wider spectrum of two- and four-year programs (e.g., criminal justice, education, retail, and hospitality).  Following changing market demands, they alternate between an emphasis on employer-guided vocational training and academic degree programs. Colleges such as the University of Phoenix and DeVry offer more focused programs and provide a range of supports, such as “success coaches”, financial advisors, counselors, and staff to support on-line work and, more generally, student learning.

These distinctive advantages, however, are offset by the heavy emphasis placed by many of these systems on marketing. To succeed, colleges must attract and retain new students (customers). Too many for-profits have employed sales techniques which overstate successful outcomes, including time-to-graduation or employment prospects. Some have resorted to out-right fraud.  For example, California’s State Attorney General levied a $30 million fine against Heald College (with four campuses in the Bay Area), a branch of Corinthian Colleges, alleging the company boosted official placement rates by paying temporary employment agencies to hire students for brief stints after graduation (White 2015). Corinthian College closed operations in 2016, adversely affecting more than 16,000 students in California and other states.

For-profit colleges are structured in ways that depart markedly from public and nonprofit schools.  Rather than being fragmented and distributed, their decision structures are lean and centralized.  Rather than attempting to please multiple stakeholders, they serve a unified set of shareholders. Curricular decisions are centralized at the corporate level and their “delivery model” is similarly centralized. Curriculum is highly structured, offering clear pathways to completion with little to no opportunity for exploratory or elective courses. The centralized model affords more efficiency in the creation, approval and implementation of a new program.  A process taking up to two years in a public college may be accomplished in a matter of weeks or months in a for-profit system.

Faculty at for-profit institutions tend to be non-tenured and exercise little to no discretion over curricular offerings or mode of instruction.  Instructors receive training from college managers. A University of Phoenix informant reported that the college spent considerable effort and time in training and supporting new instructors. He stated that instructors underwent intensive training for about six months before teaching their first class and were continuously monitored and coached after the initial training period.  According to this individual, all faculty were assessed twice a year with student evaluations being a key component of this process. The college thus enjoys much more latitude to remove under-performing instructors, or to replace an instructor with experience in one area with a different one should program priorities change.

For profits have been quick to adopt on-line learning instruction.  Many have a strong technology platform and have expanded much more rapidly than public colleges in offering online and/or blended courses. A respondent from the University of Phoenix reported the popularity of “flex-net” courses, where students are able to work at their own pace online (usually taking one course for six weeks) but come to campus to interact with faculty during scheduled hours to interact and seek instructional support.

Most of for-profits have more flexibility to meet students’ needs, with courses offered in the evening, on weekends, as well as online. For-profit colleges can also adapt to change more easily than community or other public colleges because they own little to no property, foregoing the sunk costs of maintaining a campus with dedicated classrooms, dorms, student unions, or other amenities.  Only a few, such as DeVry, operate (limited) student dorms.  Many lease instructional space in shopping malls or in downtown commercial office buildings.

Yet another important advantage offered by for-profits is their willingness to offer applicants a generous reading of their previous academic accomplishments.  While many public systems are strict in terms of how much academic credit entering students will be offered for their previous efforts in other schools, most for-profits not only grant credit for earlier courses taken, but also credit for “life experiences” (e.g., employment and volunteer service) that count toward the pursuit of a degree.

In spite of these substantial advantages, for-profits have had a difficult time gaining traction. A decade of rapid growth around the turn of this century has been followed, after 2010, with sharp decreases in enrollments and, in some cases as described, failure of the company with severe implications for stranded students.  However, the Trump Administration has taken several policy and regulatory actions designed to enhance for-profit growth. Several large for-profits have merged, and are poised to recover enrollment lost in the last few years.

Most Community College Transfer Students Never Get Degrees

College Degrees

Report: Most Transfer Students Leave College Without 2-Year Degree
A new report from the National Student Clearinghouse Research Center found that only 60,000 students out of more than one million who started their educations at two-year institutions transferred to another college after receiving a certificate or associate’s degree. (Inside Higher Ed, Aug. 8)

2 Very Positive Trends In College Preparation

One of the best ways to prepare for college is to take a course in high school that is similar to a college course. It is hard for many high school students to imagine the challenge and pace of a college course.

The New York Times highlighted two positive trends that help preparation. More than 635,000 students under 18 took community college classes in 2018,an increase of 122% from 2001. Participation in Advanced Placement classes rose from 1.3 million in 2006 to 2.7 million last year. Progress in American education is often overwhelmed by negative stories.