Nyssa,
As the economy begins to right size itself it will be interesting to see how the Federal Government will cope with the inflation and rising interest rates. Hopefully, they will recognize the burden and keep the interest rares low.
Cindy Bryant
I am not a financial aid employee, however, this is the one area I would ensure our students are well educated in before they would make a decision in enrolling. There is a lot of information students must understand and become educated prior to enrolling regarding their tuition investment and the impact they could face if they are not responsible. This is very important because they must be prepared to face the challenges of debt if any and or be prepared to handle this financial responsibility upon graduation. Helping them understand how interest rates work, and how making payments on time is vital to their success at the end may help the student feel more prepared and ready to make the commitment.
If I had to choose one disclosure I would make sure the prospective student fully underdtands the academic requirements and how strenuous the courses can be. We have had students drop because it was so much harder academically than they expected it to be.
While I see the direct value in other responses, to me the time and commitment necessary to be successful in the program is very high on my list because coming to school entails so many changes to schedules, attitude, punctuality, perseverance and finances.
So, while employment rates, completion rates, certifications etc. are all extremely important, giving prospective students a reality check before commitment is key.
Jason,
Students are not afraid of hard work but you have an excellent point...they need to have expectations clearly defined.
Cindy Bryant
If I had one disclosure to present and emphasize to the student, it would be the requirements for graduation.
The number one problem at my institution is not placement, but attendance and maintaining the Satisfactory Academic Progress. Students have to understand how intense the program is, the time commitment that they will have to dedicate to to it throughout the program, from homework, quizzes, term assignments, etc. Most importantly, in my opinion, they have to understand the attendance/tardiness and early departure policy.
I work at a private institution where the majority of the students are international. Their student visas are dependent on being in their seat 80% of the time. For the domestic students on Title IV, their attendance is even higher. There are severe consequences for students not meeting their end of the enrollment contract.
There were a few mentions about how sometimes students are looking for the easy way out. While it's not my personal motto in life, it's more common than I care to admit. I do not like to see a student terminated for grades or attendance. Students have to take responsibility for their decision, as an administrator and educator, it is our responsibility that student be properly informed.
I would have to disclose that although our school is tuition free, the time requirement could be just as much of a burden. Our students are in class for 8 hours a day M-F for 2 years. The fulltime education can make secular employment difficult and also since the course is tuition free we do not have financial aid available to help with living expenses.
Joshua,
You mentioned that your school is tuition free, how is this possible? Prey tell more.
Cindy Bryant
I would place the most emphasis on the expectations of employment. By making the demands and rewards of the profession clear to a prospective student, a link can be established that supports all of the behaviors that make the student successful. Professionalism, timeliness, perseverence, mutual respect and reliability lead to success for students and professionals.
Ten years is a long time to wait!
Tim,
Many agree with you that the disclosure regarding employment is the most important to the students to understand especially since their goal is to develop a new career.
Cindy Bryant
For me it would be accurate employment rates; after all, the reason why students are attending college is to obtain employment in the field of their choice.
I like to disclose that some of the management programs can be challenging as well as the certification test. I believe that knowing going in can help the student with expectations. This really goes for all programs, and I think that being truthful about the course work and course load will be equally beneficial.
Travis ,
Your'e right Travis, it is really in the best interest of students to clearly communicate expectations in the beginning - expectations from the school, the program and employers, as well as expectations that the student has of the program, school and workplace. It is both an opportunity and challenge to balance all of those expectations.
Jay Hollowell
All of my previous teaching experience has been in the university setting. If I had to choose one item to disclose to students, it would be the difficulty level of their program of study. So many students seem to feel entitled to a grade of B or higher simply because they have paid their tuition. They seem startled by the homework load and the other expectations which I set forth in my syllabus. I have had students who are shocked to discover that they actually have to read poetry and short stories in a literature class! They turn in mediocre work, yet expect excellent grades. Perhaps this is a personal gripe on my part, but it is something that I have noticed increasingly over the last sixteen years.
I think completion rate is very telling. It demonstrates, for the most part, that students have a pretty good understanding of the requirements of the program and what it takes to successfully navigate through it. Placement (or Employment) rate, on the other hand, might not tell the whole story. There are several factors that can influence a student's ability to be placed.
I would choose the background disclosure. It is critical that prospective students understand why certain programs may not be an option for them if they have a blemished background. This disclosure goes hand-in-hand with programmatic accrediting standards. This will allow students to decide if another program may be more suitable for them based on their personal situation.
Employment is not guaranteed, because we have no power outside of our school to get the student a job. We cannot make them marketable to employers, we can only give them the education they need to apply for those jobs.
Employment rates because that can give them a good sense of possibilities
I know the question calls for one, but in the spirit of being fully transparent I believe ALL should be disclosed.