For-Profit Schools Growing in Several Ways

Each day this week public university presidents are sharing their insights as guest bloggers in this space. Private colleges and universities play a critical role in communities across the state. But what about for-profit or proprietary institutions?

There are more than 200 operating in Indiana (I had no idea until reading colleague Candace Gwaltney’s story in the current BizVoice). You’ve heard some of the names: University of Phoenix, ITT Technical Institute. Harrison College and more. Others carry a far lower profile.

What needs do they meet? How do they do it? Are they competitors of the traditional higher ed providers (we tried to answer that, but most who were asked declined to tackle that one)? A national expert from Penn State University provides some interesting analysis.

And we provide a sidebar story on what separates Franklin College from Franklin University. Again, check it out here, and come back later today for comments from Ivy Tech Community College President Tom Snyder.