Just in time for Back to School...

Are you thinking of applying to a private (non-publicly funded) college?   See below for my special print and save listing of what you should LOOK OUT for so you (and your wallet) don't get burned...

LOOK OUT! IF...

1. You found the school through a late night infomercial begging you to "CALL NOW!" - Real schools are not this desperate and do not have people answering their phones at 2 in the morning.   Actually, it's a good idea to avoid purchasing almost anything that you see advertised in an infomercial but esp. your education!

2. You went in for an interview with a representative of the school and now they won't stop calling you!   - Don't flatter yourself.   They may be oozing on the praise (such as "We REALLY need a student like you!") but a reputable college does not have to chase after it's students.    As with everything in the real world, if it's worth it, usually YOU will have to pursue it not the other way around.   

3. They promise that they will find you a job/career in their advertisements- Again, see my comment above about "the real world".    No one can "get you a job".  No one.   Do you see U of T or Ryerson promising people jobs?  No.   If an institution is providing a quality education they do not need to pull out gimmicks like this because the education itself should guarantee qualification for career advancement.    See this promise for what it is- an empty money-grabber.   

4. They don't ask you for a portfolio or they accept you before seeing one.   - This usually means that the only qualification is a pay cheque- NOT a good sign if it's an artsy or creative type school.

5. They advertise small class sizes but when you look around you see students sitting on the floor and spilling out in the hallways.  - A reputable "specialty" school only accepts a certain number of students in order to keep their reputation high.  

Not all private colleges are rip-offs of course, but considering their higher cost, it is a good idea to do some background work in order to educate yourself on their success rate and reputation.    I would suggest typing the school's name in Google and seeing what pops up (besides their website), checking out The Rip-off Report website and Better Business Bureau's website and making sure that the school's name is not on it, checking to see if the school is really run privately or is actually owned by a corporation and visiting the school on your own during school hours to see what the classrooms look like and perhaps even talking to some current students. 

Good luck!!!