Private vo-tech schools can offer students dubious value
What thought comes to mind when someone tells you they went to Harvard? How about the University of Oklahoma? Or Oklahoma State University? Or the University of Central Oklahoma? What about Vatterott College?
If the latter causes your mind to go blank or makes you feel like there is no comparison with the others, you’re probably not alone.
Whether it is Heritage College, Brown Mackie College, ITT Technical Institute or Wright Career College, people are familiar with the names of these private vo-tech schools. With ubiquitous commercials on daytime TV, they have robust marketing efforts and a moderate standing in the public consciousness. What these four have in common beyond name recognition, however, is that they have all closed their doors for good. Now, Vatterott College is showing signs of potential problems, and students are looking for answers.
The vo-tech appeal is real …
Many of these for-profit vo-tech schools — and nonprofit vo-techs, as is the case with some of them — started off as alternatives for prospective students who didn’t want to spend four to 12 years of their lives attending class for the possibility of an interview at a mid-level company that may or may not be interested in hiring them. Alternatively, vo-tech institutions carry appeal asPrivate vo-tech schools can offer students dubious value:
