Money Suckers

Enrollment at for-profit colleges has almost tripled over the last 10 years, making them the fastest growing sector in higher education. They received over $26 billion dollars in federal student aid last year and wouldn't exist in such numbers, or at all, without it.

The schools serve disproportionate numbers of immigrants, low-income and first generation colleges students. Members of Congress and the White House are worried about the high levels of debt these students take on and the quality of degrees they get, and are proposing tighter regulation of the industry. Liz Willen, associate editor of the non-partisan and non-profit Hechinger Report explains what you can learn at a for-profit college, why students choose it even when it’s sometimes 17-times more expensive than a community college.

A hint... Sucking up that $26 billion has a lot to do with it.

Audio Embed: BBC, PRI & WBUR's Here & Now 8/3/10, Host: Robin Young.

Illustrations: BrainTrack.com (top) & CollegeSurfing.com (above)