ITT Tech or ECPI??

I am looking into going back to school and getting my Bachelors degree, and currently looking at ITT Tech and ECPI. These seem to be the best choices for me since I am looking for a classroom experience rather than online, and these seem to be the best available with what I am wanting to drive. I have searched online and found lots of horror stories about the cost, credits not transferring, and lousy staff, but I have also found a lot of positive stories.

My concern is, I want to get the most knowledge that I can use for real world applications and an education that will compliment the certifications I am seeking. Any experiences about the learning process would be most helpful. I understand that I could possibly find something cheaper, but there is nothing here that really fits into my life at the moment. Thanks ahead for any input.

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Comments

SteveLord

Avoid ITT Tech like the plague.

afcyung

This is what you should base your decision on imo

Nationally accredited= Avoid
Regionally accredited= Attend

Regionally is the type of accreditation that your state uni receives. ITT tech seems like a rip off to me.

This is right off their FAQ.

Decisions concerning the acceptance of ITT Technical Institute credits by any institution other than an ITT Technical Institute are made at the sole discretion of the receiving institution. ITT Technical Institute makes no representation whatsoever concerning the transferability of any ITT Technical Institute credits to any institution other than an ITT Technical Institute. It is unlikely that any credits earned at an ITT Technical Institute will be transferable to or accepted by any institution other than an ITT Technical Institute.

Students considering continuing their education at, or transferring to, any institution other than ITT Technical Institute must not assume that credits earned at ITT Technical Institute will be accepted by the receiving institution. An institution's accreditation does not guarantee that credits earned at that institution will be accepted for transfer by the other institution. Students must contact the registrar of the receiving institution to determine what ITT Technical Institute credits, if any, that institution will accept.

Why sink your money into a school, if you want to call it that, where the curiculum isnt up to par to xfer to a state uni or other school should you choose to xfer?

Cisco Inferno

If you wish to do a brick and mortar experience in the charlotte, NC area AND pay what ITT or ECPI is asking, I would suggest you go to Queens University of Charlotte. It is a respected regional ranked school (#18 South). Check out their Computer Information Systems degree. It will benefit you much better in the future than a for-profit school.

Also, you can start out at any community college in NC, do gen eds and then transfer in.
Gen Ed requirements for Queens University of Charlotte
Gen Eds for Adult Learners, queens.edu

North Carolina Comprehensive Articulation Agreement
Students who graduate from an accredited community college in North Carolina with an Associate in Arts or an Associate in Science (not an applied science) degree may transfer to Queens University of Charlotte with junior status, all foundation requirements satisfied, and 64-65 semester hours.

no seamless a.a.s degree transfer though, but youll most likely get most credits and have an associates already.

I suggest either a A.A or A.S degree (meaning lib arts) OR, try an A.A.S in IT degree (various specializations too) at Central Piedmont CC in Charlotte, and try to get as much transferred in. You can also leave with an MCSA or CCNA as well.

jwashington1981

I'm a recent ECPI graduate and I can say it is one of the best decisions I've ever made. I was able to start and complete ECPI in less than 2.5 years due to their accelerated program and now I'm getting ready to start a brand new job as a Network Control Technician. Had I not chosen ECPI and went to another school, I'd probably still be in school right now but I can say that I'm done and I'm already working in my field. The hands on experience you receive from ECPI is priceless.

I can't say the same for everyone as each person will have his or own personal experience. All I can say is that my experience has been quite the positive one.

Oh yeah, ECPI is also accredited by the same accreditation board that many of your major universities in the Southeast are accredited by. Some that fall under this list are Tulane University, Emory University, Duke University, and more.

Turgon

bproctor wrote: »

I am looking into going back to school and getting my Bachelors degree, and currently looking at ITT Tech and ECPI. These seem to be the best choices for me since I am looking for a classroom experience rather than online, and these seem to be the best available with what I am wanting to drive. I have search online and found lots of horror stories about the cost, credits not transferring, and lousy staff, but I have also found a lot of positive stories also.

My concern is that I want to get the most knowledge that I can use for real world applications and an education that will compliment the certifications I am seeking. Any experiences about the learning process would be most helpful. I understand that I could possibly find something cheaper, but there is nothing here that really fits into my life at the moment. Thanks ahead for any input.

You need to take online searches with a pinch of salt. You must always remember that what is out there is an opinion often based on a grievance and sometimes a misunderstanding and not always accurate or even true. But there is a tendancy for some people to take them as currency. Generally when people have issues with someone or something they are more inclined to whine online about than people who are satisfied.

By way of an example there isn't service provider I know that doesn't have plenty of 'you suck' testimonials out there.

At the same time you have to make a call based on what is played back to you. For what it's worth I have seen horror stories about ITT Tech. They will gladly take your money and no doubt dispatch someone to the thread soon to take up the cause.

WafflesAndRootbeer

I am familiar with ECPI. I attended the campus here in Northern VA not too long ago. It was horrible and I regret doing it but I just didn't know any better at the time because the way they made themselves look and sound like a real institution and they did have a good reputation many years ago. The campus had a revolving door for their administrative employees and teachers, instructors who weren't certified to teach their subjects (You don't want Cisco stuff being taught by a guy who has no real background in networking and runs an under-the-table PC repair business using student labor or be taught programming by a senile Iranian guy who has never been employed as a programmer but who allegedly has a computer science degree from a university in Iran and can't speak coherently if his life depended on it), Instructors who are hired from temp agencies to teach classes but have no teaching background at all, tuition prices that were outrageous though they will swear up and down that it's cheaper than the local colleges and you get better benefits (They hit me up for 13K for 2 semesters in their networking program), classes that were filled with around 40 or more students who couldn't get into a community college if their life depended on it, technology that is incredibly outdated (I could spend a whole thread telling you how outdated their "Cisco Academy Lab" was and how their classroom PCs were all ancient Pentium 3/4 desktops with CRT monitors), they wouldn't let me even talk to the teachers or see any classes before I joined but said I could easily leave without any penalty (which was far from the truth as it cost me nearly two-grand to terminate the enrollment), they refused to accept any of my valid credits from classes taken at the local community college and the four-year university for the stuff that was on their curriculum or allow me to test-out of their classes like they state in the policies (accepting credits or testing out means they lose money), and their admissions people are hired and paid with the title of sales person. To add insult to injury, they even pimp you out to a local tech employer for money as part of their "program". The first teacher I had there, who was promoted to run the educational side of things when I left, told the entire class in the first week that he hated the school, the programs were a joke, and that we'd all probably end up leaving. As soon as he got promoted to Director, he did a complete 180 and acted like he never said it even though I had it on tape. I left that place and blew through classes at the local community college and at GMU, getting a degree in less than a year. Cost? A fraction of what it cost me to attend ECPI.

Turgon

WafflesAndRootbeer wrote: »

I am familiar with ECPI. I attended the campus here in Northern VA not too long ago. It was horrible and I regret doing it but I just didn't know any better at the time because the way they made themselves look and sound like a real institution and they did have a good reputation many years ago. The campus had a revolving door for their administrative employees and teachers, instructors who weren't certified to teach their subjects (You don't want Cisco stuff being taught by a guy who has no real background in networking and runs an under-the-table PC repair business using student labor or be taught programming by a senile Iranian guy who has never been employed as a programmer but who allegedly has a computer science degree from a university in Iran and can't speak coherently if his life depended on it), Instructors who are hired from temp agencies to teach classes but have no teaching background at all, tuition prices that were outrageous though they will swear up and down that it's cheaper than the local colleges and you get better benefits (They hit me up for 13K for 2 semesters in their networking program), classes that were filled with around 40 or more students who couldn't get into a community college if their life depended on it, technology that is incredibly outdated (I could spend a whole thread telling you how outdated their "Cisco Academy Lab" was and how their classroom PCs were all ancient Pentium 3/4 desktops with CRT monitors), they wouldn't let me even talk to the teachers or see any classes before I joined but said I could easily leave without any penalty (which was far from the truth as it cost me nearly two-grand to terminate the enrollment), they refused to accept any of my valid credits from classes taken at the local community college and the four-year university for the stuff that was on their curriculum or allow me to test-out of their classes like they state in the policies (accepting credits or testing out means they lose money), and their admissions people are hired and paid with the title of sales person. To add insult to injury, they even pimp you out to a local tech employer for money as part of their "program". The first teacher I had there, who was promoted to run the educational side of things when I left, told the entire class in the first week that he hated the school, the programs were a joke, and that we'd all probably end up leaving. As soon as he got promoted to Director, he did a complete 180 and acted like he never said it even though I had it on tape. I left that place and blew through classes at the local community college and at GMU, getting a degree in less than a year. Cost? A fraction of what it cost me to attend ECPI.

Education, like war, is a racket. Buyer beware.

WafflesAndRootbeer

Turgon wrote: »

Education, like war, is a racket. Buyer beware.

Well, when the head of the IT education program -who allegedly has an IT degree and goes around telling people that he's Microsoft certified- tells you emphatically and without reservation that Microsoft Office is an operating system (when he is teaching a class about Microsoft Office) and not a collection of office productivity programs, you know the writing is on the wall.

VAHokie56

I also went to ECPI in Richmond VA, I never finished the degree but I too became disgusted with he school and its lack of competent staff and teachers (and the $$$$). However I cant knock it entirely, if I had never of attended I would of never sat threw the 3 Cisco classes they offer (taught by an awesome teacher) and I would most likely still be in help desk with no idea of what direction I wanted to take in IT. I think you can pay less money and get the same type of courses at you local Community college try looking into that. Also I hear WGU is the Bees Knee's . Hope this was helpful

Armymanis

Go to your local community college and look at their programs for technical support and networking. Take a couple of classes. Most of the time the teachers are really good and they have labs which let you gain hands on experience. Community colleges also are highly accredited by the U.S.

50% of the time you can get your two year degree and have those credits + some transfer credits transfer to getting you a bachelors degree at your local university.

I am really pleased with the education I have received from a community college. I still percede myself as a beginner in the IT world, but community college has given the stepping stone I needed to make connections with people, and provide me with a hands on learning environment to get the experience and education!

Turgon

WafflesAndRootbeer wrote: »

Well, when the head of the IT education program -who allegedly has an IT degree and goes around telling people that he's Microsoft certified- tells you emphatically and without reservation that Microsoft Office is an operating system (when he is teaching a class about Microsoft Office) and not a collection of office productivity programs, you know the writing is on the wall.

That man is an idiot. If he was a doctor he would be struck off.

hiddenknight821

Can anyone tell me why jwashington1981's experience contradicts WafflesAndRootbeer's opinion?

NOC-Ninja

afcyung wrote: »

This is what you should base your decision on imo

Nationally accredited= Avoid
Regionally accredited= Attend

Regionally is the type of accreditation that your state uni receives. ITT tech seems like a rip off to me.

This is right off their FAQ.

Decisions concerning the acceptance of ITT Technical Institute credits by any institution other than an ITT Technical Institute are made at the sole discretion of the receiving institution. ITT Technical Institute makes no representation whatsoever concerning the transferability of any ITT Technical Institute credits to any institution other than an ITT Technical Institute. It is unlikely that any credits earned at an ITT Technical Institute will be transferable to or accepted by any institution other than an ITT Technical Institute.

Students considering continuing their education at, or transferring to, any institution other than ITT Technical Institute must not assume that credits earned at ITT Technical Institute will be accepted by the receiving institution. An institution's accreditation does not guarantee that credits earned at that institution will be accepted for transfer by the other institution. Students must contact the registrar of the receiving institution to determine what ITT Technical Institute credits, if any, that institution will accept.

Why sink your money into a school, if you want to call it that, where the curiculum isnt up to par to xfer to a state uni or other school should you choose to xfer?

A Bachelors in ITT-TECH is acceptable in SNHU, Bellevue, and Capella. This are to get in their Masters degree.

veritas_libertas

hiddenknight821 wrote: »

Can anyone tell me why jwashington1981's experience contradicts WafflesAndRootbeer's opinion?

Because the quality of professors/instructors differs by location would be my guess. I know the guy that teaches IT Security at the ECPI in Greenville, SC. He teaches IT Security and has a background in forensics. I'm sure he is a good instructor, but from what I have heard ECPI does not have a good reputation overall.

Zartanasaurus

bproctor wrote: »

My concern is that I want to get the most knowledge that I can use for real world applications and an education that will compliment the certifications I am seeking. Any experiences about the learning process would be most helpful. I understand that I could possibly find something cheaper, but there is nothing here that really fits into my life at the moment. Thanks ahead for any input.

Tuition in NC is ridiculously cheap for in-state residents. I don't know specifically what kind of specialization you're looking for, but here's one option.

UNC Charlotte
BS in Computer Science or Software and Information Systems
$140/credit

Looks like ITT Tech is in the $500/ch range, and their credits are non-transferrable. I know which one I'd pick.

Zartanasaurus

Zartanasaurus wrote: »

Tuition in NC is ridiculously cheap for in-state residents. I don't know specifically what kind of specialization you're looking for, but here's one option.

UNC Charlotte
BS in Computer Science or Software and Information Systems
$140/credit

Looks like ITT Tech is in the $500/ch range, and their credits are non-transferrable. I know which one I'd pick.

Wow. Just skimmed through ITT Tech's brochure and their BSIT degree is 180ch. $90,000? No thanks.

steve13ad

Not knowing your background, I'd start at the CPCC (the local Community College). See how things go, your Security+ would probably get you some classroom credit.

ECU has a very good BS & MS programs, that does offer transfer from CC.

veritas_libertas

Zartanasaurus wrote: »

Wow. Just skimmed through ITT Tech's brochure and their BSIT degree is 180ch. $90,000? No thanks.

That is insane!

WafflesAndRootbeer

hiddenknight821 wrote: »

Can anyone tell me why jwashington1981's experience contradicts WafflesAndRootbeer's opinion?

Every campus is different and has different ways of doing things. The VA Beach ECPI is their flagship campus with a lot of resources behind it so they get whatever they want and they can retain better people because of the presence of defense-related IT contractors in the area who will teach on the side and they make tons of money off of the GI Bill students. Even then, you will still find many complaints if you know where to look. One of the problems that was ongoing with the campus I attended was that the VA beach campus was getting all the equipment that was ordered to bring the Northern VA campus up to date from the stuff they carried over from their Dulles days. The ECPI campus in Northern VA used to be up in the tech corridor where they had access to IT companies who advised them on how to do things and things were a lot better there back in the day because the industry was behind it and they had resources allocated to them. After the economy went south, the campus relocated to the back-end of Manassas, taking up residence in a building where an old tech startup had been so that they could have enough space to start a nursing program which is one of ECPIs cash-cows these days and the IT program had to be rebuilt from the ground up. With the rise of the local community college and the GMU tech education program along with the private education boom in this area (Strayer, DeVry, Phoenix, ITT Tech, etc.), they really couldn't keep up and things fell behind.

WafflesAndRootbeer

veritas_libertas wrote: »

Because the quality of professors/instructors differs by location would be my guess. I know the guy that teaches IT Security at the ECPI in Greenville, SC. He teaches IT Security and has a background in forensics. I'm sure he is a good instructor, but from what I have heard ECPI does not have a good reputation overall.

From what I've seen, many of their "qualified" instructors are the ones that teach their online classes, which is something many older and experienced tech folks will do for money. The ones I've encountered in their classrooms, even the professionals who teach the evening classes, were not impressive in the slightest. I could always talk circles around them when it came to explaining things to other students and rarely could they ever give remotely accurate or correct answers to any of the test questions I threw at them for my own amusement.

Cisco Inferno

steve13ad wrote: »

Not knowing your background, I'd start at the CPCC (the local Community College). See how things go, your Security+ would probably get you some classroom credit.

ECU has a very good BS & MS programs, that does offer transfer from CC.

ECU also has good distance learning(online) courseses. i know they do for MS programs, not too sure about BS.

WafflesAndRootbeer

Turgon wrote: »

That man is an idiot. If he was a doctor he would be struck off.

He was just some sleazy guy that falsified his credentials. I knew this because I recognized him from a local car dealership, had him checked out, and what I found didn't match up with what ECPI had put in their literature regarding the qualifications of their instructors and administrators. They had him listed, in the ECPI catalog, as having an IT degree from some school out in West Virginia and he claimed to have worked for Chrysler doing IT before he came to ECPI. When I brought it up, they said they would look into it and now the guy claims on his online LinkedIn profile that he has a PhD in Business Administration from Wilmington College. Guess what? They don't have any graduate programs in BA (A Master Degree in Education is the only graduate program there) and the school is in Ohio, which he would not have been able to attend at the same time he was living here, working every day at ECPI. He's still there, running the Business program which includes the IT program.

NetworkingStudent

afcyung wrote: »

This is what you should base your decision on imo

Nationally accredited= Avoid
Regionally accredited= Attend

Regionally is the type of accreditation that your state uni receives. ITT tech seems like a rip off to me.

This is right off their FAQ.

Decisions concerning the acceptance of ITT Technical Institute credits by any institution other than an ITT Technical Institute are made at the sole discretion of the receiving institution. ITT Technical Institute makes no representation whatsoever concerning the transferability of any ITT Technical Institute credits to any institution other than an ITT Technical Institute. It is unlikely that any credits earned at an ITT Technical Institute will be transferable to or accepted by any institution other than an ITT Technical Institute.

Students considering continuing their education at, or transferring to, any institution other than ITT Technical Institute must not assume that credits earned at ITT Technical Institute will be accepted by the receiving institution. An institution's accreditation does not guarantee that credits earned at that institution will be accepted for transfer by the other institution. Students must contact the registrar of the receiving institution to determine what ITT Technical Institute credits, if any, that institution will accept.

Why sink your money into a school, if you want to call it that, where the curiculum isnt up to par to xfer to a state uni or other school should you choose to xfer?

+1

I went to a non regional accreted ( for profit/career college) school and I can tell that from my personal experience, they’re often mocked by regional accredited schools. If I could do it over again I would have went to a community or technical college. Then I would to Metro State, I could have saved a ton of money and got the same or better education.

I can give you some quick facts that I learned the hard way from going to a non regional for profit school accredited school:
1. You will be lucky if ten or more of your credits transfer to a regional accredited school.
2. You will pay twice or three times the amount for the same education that you can get a regional accredited community college technical college.
3. Typically, they don’t have transfer agreements with other schools…This means if you want to get a bachelor or master degree, then you’re forced to go back to that school, or start your degree all over at a regional accredited school.
4. Most career or for profit schools will hide their accreditation deep in documents. They don’t want you to know that most the credits won’t transfer to other schools.

Just to add-If you want to get a 4 year or masters degree you should plan ahead and look at what colleges have transfer agreements with each other.

lla1977

I'm a VA Beach ECPI success story but my situation was a bit different since I already had a AS CompSci from a community college and most of my credits transferred in. I was already working in the field getting experience also. I was unlike the average student.

I have about 40grand in student loans altogether from different schools but I finished my degree and make well over twice that 2 years after graduating.

If you chose ECPI my advice is to not rely on them for career direction, job placement etc. I hold numerous certs on top of my degree, CCNP and CISSP included and I got them thru self study. In my case the only thing i needed from ECPI was the piece of paper. Any school is only as good as what you make it. Now that I work in IT managment I know I have personally hired at least 3 network engineering or technician candidates with ECPI backgrounds.

I hated the in seat classes and I recommend the online track to anyone who has that option. Just know that the work you put in outside of classwork is just as important to your secular success as the work you do in class.

Let me know if you have anymore questions.

PS: ECPI contacted me for a commercial but I turned it down since then would pay a dime or knock down some of these student loans... LOL

bproctor

Wow, Thanks for all the info everyone!!

A little bit about my background if that helps:
I am currently in the National Guard and have the following benefits at my disposal. $4,500 a year in Federal Tuition Assistance, $5,396 a year from North Carolina TAP (first come first serve), approx. 6 months left on my chapter 30 MGIB, and 12 months of chapter 1607 GI bill.
I have 88 credit hours of school total; 25 from DeVry, and 63 from the American College of Technology where I received an Associates of Applied Science in Information Systems and Network Administration.
Since I used the Federal Tuition Assistance to pay for my first associates they will not pay for another. I have to be in a bachelors program in order to maximize my benefits. and I do not want to do online classes again, because I am looking for the hands on portion this time.

I just talked to ITT Tech's financial aid people yesterday day and here's what I ended up with:
Not a single one of my 88 credits from other schools can be accepted for the program I want. If I was to switch programs and start at an associates level rather than a bachelors level then they may be able to accept a few of them. (which I am not bothered by this, it was expected) What I didn't expect was the price tag, really caught me off guard. I was expecting between $45,000 and $60,000, nope, estimated total program cost is $89,040. Not to mention this doesn't include the tuition hike from $493 a credit hour to $518. Now, I am not mad at them or trying to belittle them in anyway, because everyone I have dealt with up there is super awesome. But, however I have no knowledge of anything other than the admissions dept. I do have to say this, if your charging people that much and least buy some decent chairs for students to use while in class. Every room I saw had the blue plastic chairs and after 4 to 5 hours, can you say sore butt?

Ok, now I want to talk a little about my first experience with ECPI. I went in and spent 5 hours going through the admissions process and all the placement testing. I learned that I don't remember anything about algebra. Anyways, their estimated cost is $54,200, we'll find out more when I talk to their financial aid department. Overall it was a good experience, just wasn't so sure about the accuracy of the placement test. I guess I will find out next week when I go to the community college and take their test. I am assuming they will be similar since it was a ACT Compass test. Or so the computer screen told me. LOL

I know this has been a long post, and I hope I caught all my grammar and spelling errors to make it an easier read. Thanks again for any additional advice, and all the past advice.

bproctor

lla1977 wrote: »

I'm a VA Beach ECPI success story but my situation was a bit different since I already had a AS CompSci from a community college and most of my credits transferred in. I was already working in the field getting experience also. I was unlike the average student.

I have about 40grand in student loans altogether from different schools but I finished my degree and make well over twice that 2 years after graduating.

If you chose ECPI my advice is to not rely on them for career direction, job placement etc. I hold numerous certs on top of my degree, CCNP and CISSP included and I got them thru self study. In my case the only thing i needed from ECPI was the piece of paper. Any school is only as good as what you make it. Now that I work in IT managment I know I have personally hired at least 3 network engineering or technician candidates with ECPI backgrounds.

I hated the in seat classes and I recommend the online track to anyone who has that option. Just know that the work you put in outside of classwork is just as important to your secular success as the work you do in class.

Let me know if you have anymore questions.

PS: ECPI contacted me for a commercial but I turned it down since then would pay a dime or knock down some of these student loans... LOL

I don't blame you, I wouldn't give free advertising either.

NetworkingStudent

bproctor wrote: »

Wow, Thanks for all the info everyone!!

A little bit about my background if that helps:
I am currently in the National Guard and have the following benefits at my disposal. $4,500 a year in Federal Tuition Assistance, $5,396 a year from North Carolina TAP (first come first serve), approx. 6 months left on my chapter 30 MGIB, and 12 months of chapter 1607 GI bill.
I have 88 credit hours of school total; 25 from DeVry, and 63 from the American College of Technology where I received an Associates of Applied Science in Information Systems and Network Administration.
Since I used the Federal Tuition Assistance to pay for my first associates they will not pay for another. I have to be in a bachelors program in order to maximize my benefits. and I do not want to do online classes again, because I am looking for the hands on portion this time.

I just talked to ITT Tech's financial aid people yesterday day and here's what I ended up with:
Not a single one of my 88 credits from other schools can be accepted for the program I want. If I was to switch programs and start at an associates level rather than a bachelors level then they may be able to accept a few of them. (which I am not bothered by this, it was expected) What I didn't expect was the price tag, really caught me off guard. I was expecting between $45,000 and $60,000, nope, estimated total program cost is $89,040. Not to mention this doesn't include the tuition hike from $493 a credit hour to $518. Now, I am not mad at them or trying to belittle them in anyway, because everyone I have dealt with up there is super awesome. But, however I have no knowledge of anything other than the admissions dept. I do have to say this, if your charging people that much and least buy some decent chairs for students to use while in class. Every room I saw had the blue plastic chairs and after 4 to 5 hours, can you say sore butt?

Ok, now I want to talk a little about my first experience with ECPI. I went in and spent 5 hours going through the admissions process and all the placement testing. I learned that I don't remember anything about algebra. Anyways, their estimated cost is $54,200, we'll find out more when I talk to their financial aid department. Overall it was a good experience, just wasn't so sure about the accuracy of the placement test. I guess I will find out next week when I go to the community college and take their test. I am assuming they will be similar since it was a ACT Compass test. Or so the computer screen told me. LOL

I know this has been a long post, and I hope I caught all my grammar and spelling errors to make it an easier read. Thanks again for any additional advice, and all the past advice.

I found some good links that discuss what you should do before your enroll in a for profit school.

Beware Of For-Profit Schools - Keith Balmer: The Dark Prince of Satire

For-Profit Colleges: Study Up Before You Enroll

Before you enroll

In the meantime, there are ways students can protect themselves:

• Check accreditation. Ask if specific programs are accredited and by whom. For job-specific training, ask if there are other licensing or registration requirements beyond the earned degree and if the program prepares students to take any required exams upon graduation.

Then verify the information. In Texas, prospective students can check with the Texas Higher Education Coordinating Board to determine whether a school is accredited and in good standing. If it isn't, says Tom Kelley, a spokesperson with the Texas Attorney General's office, Austin, "then prospective students should steer clear and not waste their money." The office has successfully sued unaccredited nursing programs.
Brown can't get a job because she's not registered; she can't get registered because she can't get a job.

• Search for complaints. Most attorney general offices have consumer complaint divisions that log grievances against educational institutions. If not, state education departments should point you in the right direction. A Web search often will turn up news about lawsuits, scams, or accreditation issues. Be sure to find out the name of the school's parent company and search for it, too.

• Check graduation, placement, and retention rates. The National Center for Education Statistics, Washington, D.C., is a good place to start.

• Research earning potential. Lehr notes that there are no laws regulating how for-profit schools calculate students' projected earnings, thus creating the opportunity to inflate wages, eliminate low-wage placements from averages, or otherwise manipulate data. Public schools' assertions, however, are heavily regulated and monitored.
Students can find actual wage data from the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. The division of the Labor Department breaks down information by specific career and location, so, for example, dental assistant students in Miami can determine how much they can expect to earn at various points in their careers.

• Talk to potential employers. Ask employers if they are familiar with a program, whether they would hire its graduates, and if they ever have. If employers don't like a particular program, ask whether there are other local schools or training that are better.

• Compare community colleges. Community colleges and public, nonprofit technical schools often offer programs similar to those of private proprietary schools for a fraction of the cost.

How Legitimate Are For Profit Schools? - News Story - KXLY Spokane

Quote “But with 250 for-profit colleges in Washington some are concerned. Tuition, for example, is on average 5 times higher at for-profit schools than at public schools offering similar training. Additionally, if students later want to transfer or get additional education, traditional schools simply won't accept their credits.”

I hope this helps!

Zartanasaurus

A $90K student loan will require $1k/month for 120 months under the standard repayment plan.

I think you are overrating the "hands-on" aspect. At the very least you are severely over pricing it. What kind of gear could you buy yourself for $1k a month to get hands-on with?

I would also be willing to bet, if you shopped around long enough, you could find a good online program that had student labs for you to remote into. So free lab + free education + transferrable credits if you want to get a Master's degree some day or if you decide ITT isn't for you after 2 semesters. Your experience with trying to transfer credits from non-RA schools should already be telling you something. You could be a college junior or senior right now if the credits you had were transferrable and one year away from a Bachelor's instead of four years. Actually it looks like DeVry has RA, so at least some of their credits could be transferable if you decided to go to UNC-Charlotte as an example.

bproctor

1K a month is something I definately cant do. So you are right ITT is not for me. Even with all my benefits I am still looking at 50 to 60K to pay back if I went that path.

I have an excellent job, even though the pay could always be better, but starting out at almost 50K for an entry level associates I am happy and plan to stay for a long time. The reason I am really into the hands on is because I learn and retain information much better that way.

I am still looking into the local community college to just go for another associates that will transfer more easily so that maybe I can get into one of the state schools. But, I had already almost ruled out ITT before I talked to the financial aid people just for the fact of how hard it would be to get into a masters program. Does anyone know how ECPI would transfer into a masters? I know all credit transfers depend on the school, but has anyone had any luck transferring or been shot down because they went to ECPI?

afcyung

CLEPs and DANTES are your friends. If you are in the guard its possible to go the education center on your installation and sign up for some tests. They should be free for you. Easy way to knock out some classes. 15 credits for my degree came from cleps.