In Hard Times, Lured Into Trade School and Debt

[GauntletsTheFighter]

Title: In Hard Times, Lured Into Trade School and Debt
Date: 03/15/2010
Author: Peter S. Goodman

"They tell people, 'If you don't have a college degree, you won't be able to get a job,' " said Amanda Wallace, who worked in the financial aid and admissions offices at the Knoxville, Tenn., branch of ITT Technical Institute, a chain of schools that charge roughly $40,000 for two–year associate degrees in computers and electronics. "They tell them, 'You'll be making beaucoup dollars afterward, and you'll get all your financial aid covered.' "

Ms. Wallace left her job at ITT in 2008 after five years because she was uncomfortable with what she considered deceptive recruiting, which she said masked the likelihood that graduates would earn too little to repay their loans.

As a financial aid officer, Ms. Wallace was supposed to counsel students. But candid talk about job prospects and debt obligations risked the wrath of management, she said.

"If you said anything that went against what the recruiter said, they would threaten to fire you," Ms. Wallace said. "The representatives would have already conned them into doing it, and you had to just keep your mouth shut."

Source: http://finance.yahoo.com/college-educat ... l-and-debt

[sevenalive]

This would go in the articles section, which everyone has access to. Ill move it there. Good find.

[SheepToTheFleecing]

Title: In Hard Times, Lured Into Trade School and Debt
Date: March 13, 2010
Author: Peter S. Goodman

New York Times baby! I just excerpted the part specifically about ITT Tech. According to the article, the DOE is proposing to do something. I just realized I don't really know what the DOE does. Whatever they do, once they do it I am going to call it a "dog and pony show." Because that is what I do.

“They tell people, ‘If you don’t have a college degree, you won’t be able to get a job,’ ” said Amanda Wallace, who worked in the financial aid and admissions offices at the Knoxville, Tenn., branch of ITT Technical Institute, a chain of schools that charge roughly $40,000 for two-year associate degrees in computers and electronics. “They tell them, ‘You’ll be making beaucoup dollars afterward, and you’ll get all your financial aid covered.’ ”

Ms. Wallace left her job at ITT in 2008 after five years because she was uncomfortable with what she considered deceptive recruiting, which she said masked the likelihood that graduates would earn too little to repay their loans.

As a financial aid officer, Ms. Wallace was supposed to counsel students. But candid talk about job prospects and debt obligations risked the wrath of management, she said.

“If you said anything that went against what the recruiter said, they would threaten to fire you,” Ms. Wallace said. “The representatives would have already conned them into doing it, and you had to just keep your mouth shut.”

A spokeswoman for the school’s owner, ITT Educational Services, Lauren Littlefield, said the company had no comment.

Source: http://www.nytimes.com/2010/03/14/busin ... yrvMEzo5EQ

[aka name]

DOE = Dept. of Education

I'm glad this is in the NYT, but most people who read that paper are already smart enough to avoid scam operations.

[atjjk]

I am new to this page, I have passed on this site to all my friends currently experiencing Hell on Earth at ITT Woburn MA. When about 40 of us without cars enrolled to the Woburn ITT this year we were assured by our recruiter that they would supply cab vouchers to and from the public train station(that is the ONLY reason we decided on enrolling,other than we thought we'd have a future). I didnt have to use the vouchers I took 2 trains and a bus to get to the school. (This is how much I really wanted a career, I am a working single mother and I can't afford a car) Anyways, the school announced last week that they were ending there lease and moving to Wilmington MA which is an hour longer and Unaccessable by bus from the new station(it's a 2.8 mile walk) and that they will NOT be helping us get there( they said it cost them too much) I know this school sucks!! I want justice and I'm lost of what to even do first. Alot of us are screwed and I'm trying to save the others who aren't aware yet of the lies thier recruiters told them. we've started a petition and I didn't go to school today because I was afraid of facing the assistant dean who I put on the spot in front off everyone yesterday. His response was that I should look into carpooling or walk if I wanted it bad enough. He told us the new school would have a dress code and that we were to look "professional" that's when I lost it and said "everything about the way this school is run is UNproffessional" his face got red and told me to come to his office, which I never did.The lies are all starting to come out now thanks to reading these posts. Any Advice on where I should go from here??

[aka name]

Any Advice on where I should go from here??

Quit the "school" (if it's worth it for you to quit) and/or contact your local media for help. One of the tv stations in my area has a program that helps people who are being screwed over by businesses and other entities and maybe the media in MA do the same for you. Keep in mind that real colleges also make promises that are not kept, especially in transportation; I worked with a guy who's daughter was promised shuttle bus rides to and from the city for part time employment, but the school failed to provide it for some reason.

[SheepToTheFleecing]

I'm glad this is in the NYT, but most people who read that paper are already smart enough to avoid scam operations.

True. But perhaps this will reach somebody who can actually help to further the lessening of human suffering caused by these fake schools. Of course NYT readers may not be potential victims, but this article may change "the view" from their ivory towers.

Also.
The NYT article is used as a source for the Wikipedia article on ITT Tech. Before the Wikipedia article was edited anybody who wasn't directly involved with ITT Tech couldn't know how much the school actually charged. They knew it was a piece of shit, but they didn't know that it was an abhorrently expensive piece of shit. (When one reporter asked them how much tuition was they simply refused to answer.)

[aka name]

Title: For-Profit Schools Leading Students into Debt
Date: March 15, 2010 - 12:34pm
Author: Anne Landman

[G]raduates often end up seeing more bills than paychecks as they struggle to pay back massive student loans -- often at double-digit interest rates --after landing low-income jobs. A two-year associates degree at ITT Technical Institute, for example, costs around $40,000.

Source: http://www.prwatch.org/node/8943