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Happy birthday Abigail Elizabeth Mikus!

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Away From The Game: King’s College and Wilkes University hockey

<p>You&#8217;re about to get schooled.</p><p>If you&#8217;re a high-schooler thinking about your next step in the educational process or someone who&#8217;s been working for a while and wants to go back to school, make sure you do your research first before enrolling in a program.</p><p>Some for-profit higher education and trade facilities have been in the news in recent years for various reasons:</p><p>&#8226; 130 ITT Technical Institute facilities across the country abruptly closed their doors last September, leaving tens of thousands of students in limbo and its 8,000 employees without jobs.</p><p>Schools officials cited new regulations from the U.S. Department of Education, making it more difficult for students to secure loans, as a reason for the closure. The department said in a statement that the regulations followed news from ITT Tech&#8217;s accreditor, Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools, that the school was not in compliance.</p><p>&#8226; DeVry University settled with the Federal Trade Commission to pay $100 million to students ($49.4 million in cash and $50.6 million in debt forgiveness) in a false advertising practices case in January. The FTC argued the school exaggerated claims of graduates&#8217; employment rates and salaries.</p><p>In a separate suit filed by New York state, DeVry was ordered to pay $2.25 million to residents affected and $500,000 in penalties and fees in accordance with a similar claim of false advertising.</p><p>Education is expensive, and the debt you take on from student loans can affect you for a long time. It&#8217;s important to know you&#8217;re getting a quality education from a institution that puts students first.</p><p>Here are some things to consider when choosing a program:</p><p>&#8226; Make sure the program you choose is accredited with a nationally-recognized agency. The U.S. Department of Education has a website with a list of accredited colleges and universities at this address: <a href="https://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/" target="_blank">ope.ed.gov</a>. Accreditation is important because it holds programs to standards that ensure it prepares students for advanced education or professional employment.</p><p>&#8226; Compare your costs. A <a href="https://www.help.senate.gov/imo/media/for_profit_report/Contents.pdf" target="_blank">2012 study</a> by the U.S. government showed that earning a degree at for-profit institutions could cost up to four times as much as the same program at a public or community college.</p><p>&#8226; Take the time to meet people at the school. Don&#8217;t be wooed by commercials making promises of lofty careers and high salaries after graduation. Meet the admissions counselors and instructors to see if there is a support system in place for you to succeed &#8212; not just for you to put money in their pockets. To further protect yourself, ask for these details in writing.</p><p>Here is a helpful online checklist to use when considering a higher education program: <a href="http://bit.ly/2mtspyc" target="_blank">bit.ly/2mtspyc</a>.</p><p>Happy hunting!</p><p><ins>For other business stories, <a href="https://www.timesleader.com/category/business" target="_blank">click here</a>.</ins></p><style>
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<div class="metaInfo"><bylineMeta><p>Consumer Watchdog</p><p>Sarah Hite Hando</p></bylineMeta></div><div class="metaInfo"><shirttailMeta><p>Sarah Hite Hando is the Times Leader business editor. Reach her at 570-704-3945 or shando@www.timesleader.com.</p></shirttailMeta></div>

Consumer Watchdog: Do your homework when choosing a degree program