POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION: STUDENT OUTCOMES AND UNDERCOVER ONLINE EXPERIENCES

POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION: STUDENT OUTCOMES AND UNDERCOVER ONLINE EXPERIENCES

CONTENTS

PREFACE

Chapter 1 POSTSECONDARY EDUCATION: STUDENT OUTCOMES VARY AT FOR-PROFIT, NONPROFIT, AND PUBLIC SCHOOLS

ABBREVIATIONS

LIMITED RESEARCH SUGGESTS THAT FOR-PROFIT SCHOOL STUDENTS GENERALLY HAVE DIFFERENT OUTCOMES THAN NONPROFIT OR PUBLIC SCHOOL STUDENTS

Graduation Rates

Employment Outcomes

Student Loan Debt

Default Rates

FOR-PROFIT SCHOOL GRADUATES GENERALLY HAD LOWER PASS RATES THAN GRADUATES FROM OTHER SCHOOLS ON LICENSING EXAMS WE REVIEWED

Exam Results

Limitations

AGENCY COM

APPENDIX I. SCOPE AND METHODOLOGY

LITERATURE REVIEW

LICENSING EXAM PASS RATE ANALYSIS

Data Sources for Pass Rates on Licensing Exams Included in Our Analyses

Data Analysis

Limitations of the Analysis

APPENDIX II. LIST OF STUDIES AND ONGOING RESEARCH INCLUDED IN OUR LITERATURE REVIEW

APPENDIX III. DETAILED ANALYSIS OF LICENSING EXAM PASS RATES

APPENDIX IV. BRIEFING SLIDES

Overview

Introduction

Research Objectives

Scope and Methodology: Objective 1

Scope and Methodology: Objective 2

Summary of Findings

Background: School Sectors

Background: Program Types

Background: Enrollment

Background: Publicly-Traded Schools

Background: Student Characteristics

Background: Funding

Finding 1. Student Outcomes— Overview

Finding 1. Graduation Rates— Certificate Programs

Finding 1. Graduation Rates—Associate’s Degrees

Finding 1. Graduation Rates—Bachelor’s Degrees

Finding 1. Post-educational Outcomes— Employment

Finding 1. Post-educational Outcomes— Debt

Finding 1. Post-educational Outcomes— Default Rates

Finding 2. Licensing Exams— Overview

Finding 2: Licensing Exams

End Notes

Chapter 2 FOR-PROFIT SCHOOLS: EXPERIENCES OF UNDERCOVER STUDENTS ENROLLED IN ONLINE CLASSES AT SELECTED COLLEGES

WHY GAO DID THIS STUDY

WHAT GAO FOUND

ABBREVIATIONS

BACKGROUND

RESULTS OF UNDERCOVER TESTING

Enrollment

Cost and Financial Aid

Course Structure

Substandard Performance

Withdrawal

Exit Counseling

APPENDIX I. OBJECTIVES, SCOPE, AND METHODOLOGY

End Notes

INDEX