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Tell Congress to Rein in For-Profit Colleges
  1. Signatures
    2,927 out of 5,000
    Petitioning
    1. The U.S. Senate (+ 1 other)
      Petitioning
      close
      • The U.S. Senate
      • The U.S. House of Representatives
  2. Created By
    Brittany Shoot
    Boston, MA
About this Petition Petition Letter Petition Updates

For-profit colleges have become ubiquitous thanks to cable TV advertisements for DeVry University and the University of Phoenix. But many of these for-profit institutions simply do not offer what they promise.

A recent study from the College Board found that tuition at for-profit schools averaged $14,174 in 2009, while the average for two-year state schools was $2,544. Often, young people take out loans to pay for private education, accruing massive debt. They also rely on federal funds such a Pell grants to pay for their tuition, effectively giving taxpayer money to private corporations not necessarily invested in the future of education. These kinds of discrepancies in the private sector demand federal oversight to curb for-profit institutions' abilities to prey on the poor.

The Obama administration's new proposal to curb federal funding given to for-profit colleges would require schools to "disclose graduation and job-placement rates to prospective students," and would help define what can truly be considered "gainful employment" for recent grads. It would also cut federal funding altogether if graduates will be forced to spend more than eight percent of their starting salary on debt repayment. It would put an end to the smoke and mirrors used to lure young people into expensive degree programs.

Predatory recruiting and exorbitant tuition payments at for-profit institutions must be stopped. Tell Congress to support President Obama's proposal to rein in for-profit colleges!

Photo credit: ralph and jenny

Why People Are Signing
Recent Signatures

Support Obama's Proposal to Rein in For-Profit Colleges

Greetings,

For-profit colleges have a bad rap, but with good reason. The tuition fees are exponentially higher than those at public universities, and that burden falls squarely on students' shoulders after they graduate. Many struggle to pay back their loans and do not find lucrative employment to supplement the dues they owe. The College Board recently found that more than half of bachelor's-degree recipients in 2007 at for-profit schools fell into a 'high debt' range of at least $30,000 in loans. This is no doubt due to the fact that tuition at for-profit schools averaged $14,174 in 2009, while the average for two-year state schools was $2,544.

Many students that attend for-profit schools use federal funding such as Pell grants to help pay for their education, which funnels taxpayer dollars directly into private corporations that do not necessarily operate in the interest of the general public. These practices demand comprehensive federal oversight.

President Obama has pledged to reform the system that preys on the poorest students and help all young people receive not just an education, but an education they can be proud of — and one they can afford. He has proposed cutting funding for for-profit colleges if graduates will be forced to spend more than eight percent of their starting salary on debt repayment. This is an important part of education reform, and it must be taken seriously.

Predatory recruiting and exorbitant tuition payments at for-profit institutions must be stopped. I urge you to support President Obama's proposal to rein in for-profit colleges.

[Your name]

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