Durbin Warns Illinois Education Professionals To Sound The Alarm On For-Profit Colleges

Press Release

"Although it is important for students to pursue postsecondary education, not all postsecondary institutions offer the same quality of education, job prospects, or potential to pay down student debt. For-profit colleges frequently offer promises of well-paying jobs in a field of study, but in reality, they exploit students through poor-quality education and high prices.

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For-profit colleges also charge higher tuition than public universities--all the while producing higher debt loads and poorer job outcomes for students. According to the Federal Reserve, students who attend for-profit institutions take on more student debt and are more likely to default on their student loans than those attending similarly selective public schools. As of January 2023, more than 779,785 borrowers had applied for discharge of their federal student loans from the Department of Education (Department) as a result of being defrauded by their schools--the vast majority of applications coming from those who attended for-profits. Unlike for-profit colleges, community colleges offer affordable, quality programs with credits that will almost always transfer to other schools.

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You have dedicated your career to ensuring that Illinois students can access excellent educational opportunities. I appreciate your support in warning students about the risks of for-profit colleges--institutions that undermine your work. Your advice can make the difference between a successful future and a lifetime saddled with student debt."

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