Giving Students a Voice: A Phenomenological Study of the Student Experience at For-Profit Colleges A dissertation submitted by Sherry A. Phelan to Benedictine University in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree of Doctor of Education in Higher Education and Organizational Change This dissertation has been accepted for the faculty of Benedictine University ____________________________ Witt Salley, Ed.D. _________ __________ Dissertation Committee Director Date ____________________________ Jamal Scott, Ph.D._________ ___________ Dissertation Committee Chair Date
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Giving Students a Voice: A Phenomenological Study of the Student Experience at For-Profit Colleges
A dissertation submitted
bySherry A. Phelan
toBenedictine University
in partial fulfillmentof the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Educationin
Higher Education and Organizational Change
This dissertation has been accepted for the facultyof Benedictine University
____________________________ Witt Salley, Ed.D. _________ __________Dissertation Committee Director Date
____________________________ Jamal Scott, Ph.D._________ ___________Dissertation Committee Chair Date
____________________________ Andree Swanson, Ed.D._____ ___________Dissertation Committee Reader Date
____________________________ Sunil Chand, Ph.D. _________ __________Program Director, Faculty Date
____________________________ Eileen Kolich, Ph.D. _________ __________ Faculty Date
____________________________ Ethel Ragland, Ed.D., M.N.,R.N. __________ Dean, College of Education and Health Services Date
Giving Students a Voice: A Phenomenological Study of the Student Experience at For-Profit Colleges
A dissertation submitted
bySherry A. Phelan
toBenedictine University
in partial fulfillmentof the requirements for the degree of
Doctor of Educationin
Higher Education and Organizational Change
Acknowledgments
The completion of this research would not have been possible without the encouragement
and support of many people who were instrumental in enabling me to progress as both a
person and a scholar.
I would like to start by thanking God for blessing me with perseverance,
persistence, and strength. Thanks to the many saints who interceded on my behalf as I
worked on this project. Thanks be to God.
A heartfelt thank you to my dissertation chair, Dr. Jamal Scott, who graciously
picked up the ball halfway through and supported me to the completion of this study.
Many thanks to my dissertation director, Dr. Witt Salley, for not only encouraging and
motivating me from day one, but helping me to be a better scholarly writer. Thanks, too,
to Dr. Andree Swanson for her helpful guidance and encouragement over many long
months. A very special thank you to my work supervisor, Dr. Dale Moore, whose
positive support and daily encouragement were very much appreciated. Finally, a special
thank you to Dr. Sunil Chand and Dr. Eileen Kolich at Benedictine University.
Many thanks to the students, faculty, and staff of for-profit institutions who were
willing to participate in this study and share their stories.
Last, but most importantly, I am grateful for the love and support of my family
and friends. It has been a long process, but I could not have done this without you.
Much love to you all.
iii
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Abstract………………………………………………..……………….................... vi
With a wide variety of educational institutions in the higher education market,
why do students choose for-profit colleges? Kinser (2006a) speculated that students who
enroll in for-profit institutions area interested in earning a credential quickly, and that the
shorter certificates and associate’s degrees better meet their needs. Adelman (2000)
suggested that in the current technology- and information-driven economy, short-term
attendance and non-degree credentials are perceived as more beneficial to students now
than in the past. A report by Kelly (2001) proposed that students attend for-profit
institutions because they were dissatisfied with traditional colleges and universities, for-
profit colleges had better student services, and the programs offered more directly applied
to their career goals. The guiding factors in the choice of a for-profit college are ease of
receiving support services, access to accelerated programs, and the fulfillment of personal
and academic needs (Howard-Vital, 2006). For many students, choosing a for-profit
college enables them to obtain the skills that can be immediately put into practice in the
labor market upon graduation (Deming et al., 2013).
In their Public Agenda research study, Hagelskamp, Schleifer, and DiStaci (2014)
found that most for-profit undergraduate students hadn’t considered more than one
34
college before they decided where to enroll, and were generally unaware of the difference
between a for-profit and public college. What attracted the attention of potential students
was the active recruiting and advertising from billboards, television commercials, and
other advertisements (Hagelskamp et al., 2014). A study by Chung (2012) found that
most students self-selected into for-profit colleges. Chung (2012) also found that
students choosing a for-profit education possessed lower non-cognitive skills and were
influenced by lower parental involvement in their schooling and lower family income and
resources. Kantrowitz (2009) surveyed for-profit college students and found that most
chose their institution based on location, job prospects after graduation, and perceived
quality of major. Lower ratings were given to athletics and extracurricular activities
(Kantrowitz, 2009).
The reasons why potential students choose for-profit colleges has not been
addressed extensively in the literature, particularly from a qualitative perspective. Most
of the studies in the literature address college choice as it applies to students attending
traditional colleges and universities. Chapman (1986) and Cabrera and LaNasa (2000)
suggested that college choice was dependent upon academic quality, cost, student life,
future career options, ability to finance an education, and campus life. Manski and Wise
(1983) noted that students weigh the economic and social benefits of attending college
and compare them with competing alternatives, and St. John and Starkey (1995)
concluded that low-income students were sensitive to financial considerations when
deciding on a college at which to enroll. Nontraditional students, in any higher education
sector, prefer colleges that are safe, located close to home, have flexible classes and
hours, and are affordable (Bers & Smith, 1987; Tumblin, 2002).
35
In her quantitative study, Chung (2012) found that the choice of a for-profit
college was heavily influenced by a student’s socioeconomic background, school
location, gender, and family resources, and Arcand (2015) noted that most for-profits
offer flexible schedules, comprehensive student services, and short degree completion
times to move students to jobs more quickly. Iloh and Tierney (2013) focused on the
propensity of low-income students of color to choose for-profit colleges despite the
potential for accumulating student loan debt and an uncertain career path. Oseguera,
Kimball, and Hwang (2011) suggested that for-profit students are more inclined to value
education to find a job, and Holland (2013) posited that for-profit students generally use a
haphazard approach to college selection; with little exposure to college campuses, and
minimal preferences derived from a search process, for-profit students were significantly
influenced by marketing and recruiting efforts of a college.
Deming et al. (2013) provided several reasons students choose for-profit colleges:
1) for-profit institutions generally specialize in short programs that are narrowly focused
and prepare students for specific occupations and job placement. These programs are
closely aligned with the industry and are easily adjusted to meet the changing needs of
employers; 2) students often choose for-profit institutions because of overcrowding at
community colleges or the inability of community colleges to meet their needs; 3)
advertising and recruitment efforts at for-profit institutions influence potential students,
and 4) for-profit colleges take a career-focused approach and offer a wide range of
occupational training.
Bailey, Badway, and Gumport (2001) described several reasons why students
would choose for-profit colleges over public institutions:
36
1. Marketing: For-profit institutions projected a professional and technologically
sophisticated image to potential students.
2. Services offered: Students were provided a streamlined and efficient process for
enrollment; admissions, financial aid, registration, and advising services were
integrated; everything was packaged, and students worked with a representative to
complete forms, schedule classes, and complete registration. Career counseling and
job placement services provided students with extensive support.
3. Flexibility and scheduling: There were generally frequent entry and exit options that
would allow students to blend study with work and family responsibilities. Classes
were scheduled throughout the day and in the evenings, and faculty were available
during evenings and weekends.
4. Accelerated programs: Programs were generally accelerated and shorter than public
colleges and universities, and allowed students to complete their education and enter
the workforce more quickly.
5. Transfer of credits: Students could usually transfer credits from other institutions,
although students might have difficulty with transferring credits from a for-profit to a
traditional college or university.
The choice of a for-profit college ultimately depends on the priorities of the adults
who are interested in enrolling at these institutions. Adults interested in for-profit schools
tended to be looking for accelerated programs that would enable them to graduate quickly
and enter the workforce, availability of online classes, convenient location, and
recommendation of the school from alumni (Hagelskamp et al., 2014). These priorities
contrast with students choosing public colleges and universities. Hagelskamp et al.
37
(2014) found that students choosing to attend a public colleges were interested in
instructors who cared and were interested in teaching, affordable tuition, a specific
program of study, and the reputation of the school.
The hands-on services offered by for-profit institutions were a desirable feature
among prospective adult students, and played a significant role in the choice of college.
In particular, Hagelskamp et al. (2014) noted, students were drawn to schools which
offered help from career counselors, tutors, and financial aid advisors. This data parallels
what is known about nontraditional students (Pelletier, 2010): Those seeking a career
change would be looking for a school that could help them find a job in a chosen field,
and many students who have been out of school for some time would desire readily
available tutors and hands-on assistance with financial aid applications. Additionally,
students would likely choose a for-profit college over a public institution because there
would be more opportunities for externships and work experiences (Hagelskamp et al.,
2014).
Student Experience and Satisfaction
For-profit institutions appeal to nontraditional students, those seeking a change in
careers, older students who are employed while in school or taking care of family
members. Some institutions offer child care to deter students from withdrawing and to
minimize the attrition rate which would impact accreditation. Generous transfer credits
are given and many low-income nontraditional students who depend on financial aid get
the help they need in filling out the forms (Deming et al., 2012). Students receive
guidance and direction the moment they walk in the door. For-profit colleges take a more
active role in in guiding students through the process of enrollment and completion, and
38
they more aggressively assisted with job search when compared with community colleges
(Deming et al., 2013). As a whole, the for-profit sector does a better job, when compared
with its community college neighbors, of accommodating the busy schedules of its
students by offering flexible times such as nights and weekends. Most for-profit colleges
have robust distance learning programs as well.
Substantial resources are devoted to sales and marketing to recruit students, and
advertising is a big budget item for most for-profit colleges. Physical locations are
usually leased to reduce large amounts of overhead. Admissions and financial aid offices
are highly visible, large, and comfortable, and administration and student services
personnel are friendly and welcoming (Howard-Vital, 2006). The core curricula is
highly-structured to provide identical programs at each campus location and offered at
convenient times to ensure timely completion of a program (Deming et al., 2012).
Faculty have an acute awareness that there is a need to proactively retain students and
they will often go to extreme measures to contact students who do not attend class
(Howard-Vital, 2006).
Howard-Vital (2006) noted that most for-profit institutions seem business-like to
students, rather than collegiate. Advertising shows well-dressed professionals and the
visual promotes a college designed for working adults who need just-in-time career
education (Howard-Vital, 2006). Corporate buildings give students the impression of
reaching a goal to enter into, and advance, in the white-collar world (Howard-Vital,
2006). Students are often encouraged to dress professionally to promote a professional
atmosphere in the classroom and on campus.
39
Kinser (2005) characterized student affairs at for-profit colleges as 1) a core
institutional function directed toward serving and supporting students as customers; 2)
dedicated to helping students enroll, stay enrolled, and graduate; 3) designed with the
nontraditional student in mind, with an awareness of the personal and academic issues
these students face; 4) oriented toward creating an out-of-class environment that is
conducive to learning; and 5) convenient for students – services and support is easily
accessed.
A strong relationship exists between student satisfaction and the intent to persist;
effectiveness of institutional services and students’ experience are strong predictors of
student satisfaction (Edens, 2012). Diel-Amen and Rosenbaum (2003) interviewed
students at for-profit colleges in the Midwest and found that students generally have a
better experience with student services than those at community colleges and are able to
complete their degree in a timely manner. Howard-Vital (2006) interviewed students at
for-profit colleges during accreditation reviews and found that most students’ satisfaction
with for-profit institutions comes from how they perceive they are treated, how they
believe they would be treated at other institutions, and how flexible they perceive the
institution to be in helping to meet their educational and career goals. Howard-Vital
found that students preferred for-profit colleges, and were more satisfied with them,
because they felt the institution cared about them as a person, didn’t make them take
classes they didn’t need, everything was taken care of by the institution, and there wasn’t
a lot of extracurricular requirements (2006). Smith (2015) quoted Mark Brenner of the
University of Phoenix about the importance of student experience:
40
We want the student experience to be the most important thing…it’s in the
students best interest to make sure they’re here and they’re a good fit. We’re
helping them graduate from college and this will improve their outcomes. (para.
38)
Research by Hagelskamp et al. (2014) found that 91% of students felt that a for-
profit institution gave them effective guidance to stay on track in their programs, 87%
believed they had instructors who cared about their students and knew how to teach, and
85% indicated satisfaction with small class sizes. Conversely, for-profit institutions
received lower marks from students for providing them with valuable externships and
work experience, and giving them exceptional assistance in finding good jobs in their
fields (Hagelskamp et al., 2014). Despite the cost of a for-profit education, Bailey et al.,
(2001) found that students were generally satisfied with the quality of their instructors,
advisors, and tutors, as well as the structure and efficiency of their programs.
For-profit colleges commonly have academic or career-specific student groups to
enhance the campus life experience, and to drive retention. Some of these institutions
have traditional student life activities, such as student clubs, athletics, and residential
facilities (Bailey et al., 2003; Kelly, 2001; Kinser, 2005b). Yet the focus of student
services at most for-profit colleges is to provide academic and career support for students,
rather than to engage them in social activities.
The financial burden of their education and the estimated value of their
credentials in the workforce is a concern among students at for-profit colleges (e.g.,
Deming et al, 2012, 2013; Kinser, 2005a). For-profit colleges promote their degree
programs as a means to prepare students to enter the job market and earn the salaries they
41
want, yet at many of these colleges the graduation rate is low, credits do not generally
transfer, and students do not usually make as much money as students who graduate from
traditional colleges (Schade, 2014). Hagelskamp et al. (2014) discovered in their study
that almost sixty-five percent of the for-profit students considered their institutions
expensive, seventy percent took out loans to pay for college, and about fifty percent
worried about taking on too much debt. Similarly, there were concerns about the value of
their degree in the labor market. About eighty percent of current students were optimistic
that completing their degree would improve their chances of finding a job and earning
good incomes (Hagelskamp et al., 2014). The responses from alumni of for-profit
colleges were more telling of the reality of a for-profit credential; about thirty-seven
percent felt that their degree was worth it, and thirty-two percent believed it was not
(Hagelskamp et al., 2014). A more discouraging fact was that, for students graduating
before 2012, seventy percent did not believe their degree was worthwhile (Hagelskamp et
al. (2014). Hagelskamp et al. (2014) found that many of the for-profit graduates blamed
their schools for not preparing them adequately for the job market, and that these schools
did a poor job of teaching them knowledge and skills that are needed in the workplace.
As private institutions, for-profit colleges do not have a high level of public
transparency, and the information that can be obtained about the student experience is
limited. Likewise, there is a dearth of information in the literature on students’
experiences once enrolled in for-profit colleges. Kinser (2006a) noted that small-scale
surveys of students in for-profit education is minimal, and qualitative studies that report
for-profit students’ perspectives are rare. Hagelskamp et al. (2014) suggested that more
research was needed to better understand for-profit students’ experiences at their
42
institutions. Given the limited research on this topic, the experiences and expectations of
students in for-profit colleges are not well understood (Kinser, 2006a).
Customer Service as Student Service
Although the information about the student experience in for-profit institutions is
limited, the customer service aspect of this sector has been addressed in the literature
(Arcand, 2015; Bailey et al., 2003; Bennett et al., 2010; Howard-Vital, 2006; Kelly,
2001). For-profit colleges are businesses focused on recruiting consumers who can
receive financial aid; these institutions are motivated by profit, not educational outcomes
(Dundon, 2015; Schade, 2014). Deming et al. (2012) noted that as a business, for-profit
colleges emphasize the special client base (students) and replicate successful programs
using web technology and the standardization of curriculum.
Kinser (2006b) noted that students are identified as customers at for-profit
institutions, and all institutional personnel are responsible for ensuring each student
receives a high level of service, such as advising and counseling. Faculty members are
not only instructors, but assist in identifying and addressing work and family conflicts,
time management, and financial aid issues (Kinser, 2006b). Administrators at for-profit
college usually have an open-door policy and encourage prompt responses to student
inquiries. College policies are aligned to promote retention and foster interactions
between staff, faculty, and students. The facilities at for-profit colleges are generally
well-maintained and are often compared to an office environment, rather than what might
be considered an academic setting at a traditional college or university.
Matriculation at for-profit colleges. For-profit colleges are tuition-driven
institutions, and enrolled students represent a revenue source. Therefore, a primary focus
43
of student services as for-profit colleges is matriculation and helping students remain
enrolled to graduation. Kinser (2006b) noted that student withdrawals are considered
institutional failures, and graduates are not considered successful until they are employed.
As enrollment is considered the main revenue-generating function at for-profit colleges,
staff in admissions departments often have weekly quotas to meet. In the researcher’s
experience, underperforming admissions staff would be terminated or reassigned to
another position at the institution. In a study on student affairs functions at for-profit
colleges, Kinser (2006b) observed that staff in most admissions departments developed a
formal plan of study for students enrolling in a program; this plan was a written contract
between the student and the institution. The career focus of the for-profit sector begins
early in the student life cycle as well, with most institutions providing students with
information about career potential for degrees and certificates, and communicating
placement rates for previous graduates.
Addressing the needs of a diverse student population. For-profit colleges
enroll a diverse population of students, including large numbers of nontraditional
students, and have a strong awareness and understanding of their student body. This
knowledge translates into aligning programs and services to the specific needs of these
students to increase recruitment efforts and improve retention. For example, for-profit
colleges will employ strategies such as developing curriculum around adult learning
theories, addressing financial aid issues for low-income students during the application
process, and providing both positive role models for students of color and culturally
sensitive campus environments (Kinser, 2006b). Students attending for-profit colleges do
not receive the same opportunities for social activities as do students at non-profit
44
institutions; most for-profit colleges provide activities that support the career
development of the student, rather than activities for social interaction and personal
growth and enrichment.
Convenience and accessibility of services. Most for-profit colleges will have a
centralized location for all services – student support services, faculty offices, and career
services – which are often offered not only during regular business hours, but in the
evenings and on weekends as well. Online services such as application for enrollment,
advising, registration, and financial aid are prevalent at for-profit colleges. Some
colleges have staff available 24 hours a day to assist students on the website, to answer
email inquiries, and to participate on live chat (Kinser, 2006b). For-profit colleges ensure
that students have access to information and services via phone calls, email messages,
social media, and face-to-face contact with staff members. Faculty at some institutions
are trained to avoid referring students to the financial aid or registrar’s office, but to assist
the students themselves (Kinser, 2006b). Students with attendance issues will frequently
receive a phone call from a staff or faculty member, who will offer assistance as needed.
Summary
For-profit institutions have a long history in U.S. higher education, serving as a
source of training to improve employability in the labor market. In the past decade,
enrollments in the for-profit sector have grown significantly in comparison to public
institutions. However, regulations and increased scrutiny of the sector and its practices
have dampened growth in the past couple of years. According to Smith (2015), for-profit
student enrollment was down 4.9 percent compared to a year ago, reflecting a possible
change in focus for for-profit colleges in the future. Nevertheless, the demand for for-
45
profit colleges in the higher education market exists, particularly among students who
wish to pursue career-based training. The literature indicated that for-profit colleges
enroll a diverse population who are underrepresented: minority, female, nontraditional,
and low-income students. These students are generally seeking a fast-track pathway to a
high-paying career and don’t necessarily desire, or fit into, the traditional college and
university model. For-profit colleges are generally more expensive to attend than public
institutions and students enrolling in these schools rely on federal grants and loans to pay
for their education. However, in doing so, they assume a large debt load that frequently
results in default on student loans. Despite obvious drawbacks to enrolling at a for-profit
college, students still choose to attend these institutions and will persist to complete a
certificate or degree. What is not well-researched in the literature is the motivation to
enroll in these colleges, and the lived experience of the students as they persist in a
program of study and graduate. This qualitative study explored the motivation to attend a
for-profit school, and the experiences of for-profit students to develop a better
understanding of the factors that drive persistence.
46
Chapter 3: Methodology
Introduction
The literature review presented in Chapter 2 detailed the characteristics of for-
profit education, the students who attend these institutions, and the factors that might
impact the student experience when attending these institutions. The purpose of this
qualitative phenomenological study is to examine the lived experience of students who
are attending, or who have been attended, for-profit institutions, and to provide rich
descriptions of these experiences as a basis for understanding why they chose these
institutions and persisted in their program. This chapter outlines the methodology and
design of the research.
Qualitative study. This study was designed to be qualitative research. Hesse-
Biber and Leavy (2011) described qualitative research as a means to explore the social
meaning people attribute to circumstances, situations, and experiences. Creswell (2008)
suggested that qualitative research is best suited for research problems in which the
variables are not known and need to be explored. Qualitative researchers often use
interviews, focus groups, and visual and audiovisual analysis to study a central
phenomenon, concept, idea, or process (Hesse-Biber & Leavy, 2011).
The focus of this research was to investigate an under-researched aspect and
develop substantial descriptions (Hesse-Biber & Leavy, 2011) of the reality of the student
experience at for-profit colleges. This involved gathering data directly from the student
47
population through interviews to gain a deeper understanding of a phenomenon. In
addition to recording students’ descriptions of experience during interviews, the
researcher recorded notes on her perception of the participant narratives. The
descriptions derived from interview transcripts, notes of observations, and related
documentation from the institution were treated to ongoing analysis during the study.
This approach provided the researcher with a degree of flexibility to change a line of
inquiry and move in a new direction as needed; the technique provided the researcher
with a deeper understanding of the phenomenon being studied (Hesse-Biber & Leavy,
2011). Information was gathered from study participants via questions on an interview
protocol (Creswell, 2008). From the answers provided by study participants, there were
themes, or invariant elements, that emerged and resulted in a rich description of the
phenomenon.
Phenomenology. Phenomenology is rooted deep in the works of philosophers
such as Kant, Hegel, and Mach, and was formally introduced by Edmund Husserl at the
beginning of the twentieth century (Moran, 2000; Guignon, 2006). Husserl became
known as the founder, or pioneer, of phenomenology (Moran, 2000; Moustakas, 1994)
with a desire to convert philosophy into a strict science (Guignon, 2006). Husserl
believed the key to separating science from philosophy was to direct attention toward
meanings that connect our experience of objects (Guignon, 2006). Phenomenological
principles assert that scientific investigation is valid when the information gained comes
about through rich description that allows for understanding of the meanings, or essences,
of experience (Moustakas, 1994).
48
In phenomenological studies, the researcher determines the underlying structures
of an experience by interpreting the given descriptions of a situation in which the
experience occurs (Moustakas, 1994). The researcher has a personal interest in whatever
she is seeking to know, yet she refrains from making suppositions. Instead, the
researcher focuses on a specific topic freshly and naively, constructs a question or
problem to guide the study, and derives findings that will provide the basis for further
reflection and research (Moustakas, 1994). Moustakas (1994) noted that in
phenomenology, a relationship exists between the external perception of natural objects
and internal perceptions, memories, and judgements. Phenomenology seeks to explore
meaning through experiences and is committed to descriptions of experiences to derive
meaning; it is not an exercise in providing explanations or analyses about a phenomenon.
(Moustakas, 1994).
The researcher chose the phenomenological design for this study to derive
meaning from the lived experiences of students who attend, or have attended, for-profit
colleges. Many options exist in the higher education market, but little is known, from a
qualitative perspective, about the reasons why students choose to enroll in a for-profit
school, or their experiences during enrollment that influence their decision to persist in a
program of study or withdraw. A qualitative approach was chosen because access to a
large enough population of for-profit students to draw a reliable sample for a quantitative
study would be difficult, and is often cited in the literature as a reason for the dearth of
studies on this student population. However, a small sample size of ten to twelve
students is achievable and lends itself to a qualitative study. Much can be learned from
the themes that emerge from student reflections about their experience at for-profit
49
colleges. The descriptions can provide useful information that can inform student affairs
professionals and higher education administrators at both for-profit and public
institutions.
Research Design
Researchers using a phenomenological design rely primarily on in-depth
interviews to collect data. Interviewing was used to examine the reasons why students
attend for-profit colleges and their experiences while enrolled at an institution.
Moustakas (1994) outlined the methods and procedures for conducting a
phenomenological study (p. 103):
1. Discovering a topic or questions involving social meanings and significance.
2. Conducting a comprehensive review of the research literature.
3. Constructing a set of criteria to locate participants.
4. Providing participants with instructions on the nature and purpose of the study,
obtaining informed consent, ensuring confidentiality, and describing the
responsibilities of the researcher and the participants.
5. Developing a set of questions or topics to guide the interview process.
6. Conducting and recording a person-to-person interview that focuses on the topic and
questions. A follow-up interview may also be needed.
7. Organizing and analyzing the data to facilitate the development of descriptions, and
the synthesis of meanings.
Phenomenological methodology is used to examine the meaning of the lived
experiences of several individuals about a concept or the phenomenon and exploring the
structures of consciousness in human experiences (Creswell, 2008). In this context
50
phenomenological methodology works to help discover the perceptions of motivation and
experience that exist among students at for-profit institutions.
Participants and Sampling Technique
Creswell (2008) suggested that a sample size of ten or fewer participants is
appropriate for qualitative research, and in-depth interviews of less than two hours are
effective in collecting usable study data. The primary participants for the current study
included eleven currently enrolled students and alumni of a diverse set of for-profit
institutions throughout the United States. This group included first generation students,
transfer students, and students without a high school diploma or general equivalency
degree (GED). The instrument used in the study was developed by the researcher.
Qualitative research methods include in-depth interviewing of small samples that
are selected purposefully (Patton, 2002). The purposeful sampling allowed for the
selection of information-rich cases that provided the opportunity to learn as much as
possible about the participants’ motivation to choose a for-profit college and their
experience during their time at the institution. The intent was to include a diverse range
of student participants in the interviewing process, representing individuals of both
genders and varied ages and ethnic backgrounds.
Purposeful and snowball sampling methods (Creswell, 2008) were used for this
study. The intent of purposive sampling is to identify participants that have the
experiences necessary to address the research questions (Hesse-Biber & Leavy, 2011),
and select information-rich cases that will provide insight about a particular phenomenon
(Patton, 2002). Purposeful sampling enabled the researcher to access the targeted
population (for-profit students) quickly. In snowball sampling (Creswell 2008; Polit &
51
Beck, 2006), participants receive a request to identify others to become members of the
sample. Participants were recruited using email, social media, and personal networking.
The researcher identified eleven potential study participants through (1) email contact
with students at for-profit institutions, (2) social media, such as Facebook, and (3) via
LinkedIn. By responding to the request, potential study participants demonstrated their
willingness to participate. To avoid undue influence or potential coercion of participants
for this study, recruitment efforts did not include for-profit students known to the
researcher, or students who were enrolled in a course the researcher was teaching.
Each student participant was asked to schedule an interview of forty minutes to
one hour. In-person interviews were the preferred method in order to develop rapport
with study participants and increase communication; however, due to the distance
between the researcher and participants, in-person interviews were not possible.
Therefore, telephone interviews and the Skype web-conferencing tool were utilized for
this study. Prior to an interview, an informed consent form was reviewed by each study
participant, and confidentiality of student data was discussed. The consent form was
developed according to the requirements of the Benedictine University Institutional
Review Board. An intake form to collect basic demographic data and information about
program and school involvement was completed by each student prior to an interview.
To maintain confidentiality, each participant was assigned a pseudonym and this
pseudonym was associated with the intake form data and narratives from the interview.
To ensure the integrity of the research data, participant information and narratives from
interviews were stored on an electronic storage device. This device was kept in a locked
cabinet, and the electronic files were accessed by the researcher only.
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Data Collection
The primary method of phenomenological research is the long interview
(Moustakas, 1994). For this study, data collection was accomplished through semi-
structured interviews using a general interview guide in which the researcher formulated
questions about the motivation to attend a for-profit college and the participants’
experience as a student at a for-profit school. The phenomenological interview is an
interactive and informal process that utilizes open-ended comments and questions
(Moustakas, 1994). The presentation of these questions are flexible and can be adapted
in each individual interview (Patton, 2002). Semi-structured, one-on-one, in-depth
interviews prove to be the most successful in soliciting thoughts and feelings from
participants (Hesse-Biber & Leavy, 2011). Interviews took place via telephone
conference call or Skype web-conferencing and were recorded with an electronic device.
The researcher took written notes to track developing and recurring themes, and to
determine new questions to ask or reframe for more clarification. At the end of the
interview, the researcher documented personal impressions of the interview in her notes.
Transcriptions were reviewed as quickly as possible to consider emerging categories and
themes, areas that needed clarification, or questions that needed to be reframed.
Information from documents or electronic sources are often used in qualitative
research to supplement data from interviewing (Bogdan & Biklan, 1998). Print
documents from for-profit institutions, at which study participants attended, were not
readily available for viewing. Accordingly, the researcher relied on electronic sources of
information from institutional websites to gather additional data for this study. The data
from the college websites was used to corroborate the themes, or invariant elements, that
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arose from the interviews with study participants. These information sources were also
used to determine if advertising and other materials provided to students influence the
motivation to attend a particular for-profit college. To further validate the participant
data, and to triangulate the data, narratives from two faculty members and an admissions
staff member employed at for-profit colleges were included as a means to corroborate the
data. These individuals presented themselves as volunteers to participate in the study and
were provided information about the purpose and scope of the study. Informed consent
forms were obtained prior to the interviews.
Data Analysis
All interview transcriptions, notes and documentation were organized so they
could be easily located and accessed. All data was stored on a portable electronic storage
device. Narratives from participant interviews were individually transcribed and coded
by the researcher. Each participant was assigned a pseudonym which was used to
identify statements.
The researcher used the modified Stevick-Colaizzi-Keen method to analyze
phenomenological data as described in Moustakas (1994) and recommended by Creswell
(2007) for phenomenological research:
1. Using the transcripts, each participant statement was analyzed with respect to the
description of the experience.
2. All relevant statements were recorded.
3. Each non-repetitive, non-overlapping statement was listed; these are the meaning units
of the experience.
4. Meaning units were clustered into themes.
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5. The meaning units and themes were synthesized into a description of the experience;
including examples.
6. A composite description of the meanings was constructed, integrating all individual
description into a universal description of experience representing the group as a whole.
Following these steps, the researcher reviewed the transcripts to consider each
participant’s statements with respect to the description of the experience. Relevant
statements were recorded in a Microsoft Excel spreadsheet, and non-repetitive, non-
overlapping statements were listed. These statements were meaning units of the
experience and were organized into themes, or invariant elements, on the spreadsheet.
These themes were synthesized into a description of the experience using examples from
the participant narratives. A composite description of the meanings was constructed,
integrating all individual descriptions into a universal description of the experiences.
Memos and notes from the interviews supported the analysis of the data, as did
the information obtained from institutional websites. The researcher evaluated the data
for consistency and credibility and to determine if the data supported the understandings
of the themes that emerged from the participant descriptions. The researcher then
compared the findings to prior research and checked for alternative explanations and new
interpretations to identify potential themes that would augment the literature review for
this study, or as a starting point for future research.
Credibility and Dependability
Validation of research findings in qualitative research focuses on ensuring the
data provided by the participants are accurate and credible (Creswell & Plano Clark,
2011). The qualitative research perspective relies on the participants’ views for
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credibility as the only justifiable evaluator of the results. Credibility refers to the degree a
researcher’s analyses find participant agreement. Member check is the most critical
credibility technique (Lincoln, 1999; Merriam, 1998) in which the researcher allows the
participants to review the researcher’s final interpretation of the experience. Data from
this study came from telephone and Skype interviews using open-ended questions from
an interview protocol. In member check, each participant was given exclusive access to
their interview transcripts and invited to read them thoroughly for clarity and accuracy,
and to provide additional insight and information. Dependability is the degree to which
results are consistent with data and emphasizes the importance of the researcher to
account for the ever-evolving context within which the research takes place. The focus of
the research is not to generate replicability, rather it was to describe the phenomena
through those who experience it. Member checks enhanced the level of dependability of
this qualitative study.
Use of triangulation can improve credibility in qualitative studies; interviews,
observation, focus groups, researcher notes and memos, and documentation, in concert,
compensates for the individual limitations of a single method (Shenton, 2004).
Triangulation was used to validate participant data and to obtain rich data to deepen
understanding of the phenomenon. According to Creswell (2008), triangulation is used to
corroborate evidence from individuals, types of data, or methods of data collection to
support a theme. Drawing from multiple sources of information served to validate the
study and ensures that the data are accurate and credible. This study focused on
incorporating three sets of data for analysis: 1) semi-structured interviews with students,
2) analysis of the marketing materials on for-profit websites, and 3) interviews with
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faculty and staff. Interviews explored the lived experiences of for-profit students, their
rationale for choosing a for-profit college, and motivation to persist in a program of
study. Analysis of the for-profit college websites helped the researcher to determine if
marketing materials have an influence on college choice, and were used to corroborate
experiences communicated by participants within the study sample. Finally, interviews
with faculty and staff members provided valuable data on the student experience from
another perspective. The quality and credibility of the data was high because of the
ability to crosscheck consistency of information from all sources.
Ethical principles
Researchers are guided by ethical principles when working with human
participants of a study. It is important to have clearly established agreements with
participants, a recognition of confidentiality and informed consent, and procedures for
ensuring full disclosure of the nature, purpose, and requirements of the research project
(Moustakas, 1994). For this qualitative study, the processes were open-ended, flexible to
be shifted if necessary, with alternatives permitted in response to participants’ ideas and
suggestions (Moustakas, 1994). Participants were free to withdraw at any time.
Information about the nature and purpose of the study was provided to participants prior
to the study. There was minimal risk in terms of health and well-being of the participants
as they took part in this study.
Interviews were conversational and open-ended, with misconceptions and
misinterpretations clarified as they occurred. Research participants had the opportunity
to review, and confirm or alter, the research data to correspond to his or her perception of
the experience. Information that is considered private, possibly damaging, was removed
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or disguised to protect the identity of the participant. Confidentiality was maintained and
all data was stored on the researcher’s electronic storage device. These data will be
destroyed after the completion of this study.
Limitations
The subjective nature of qualitative research can result in difficulty in establishing
reliability and validity of the data obtained. The sample size for a study of this type was
very small and represented a fraction the for-profit student population and experience.
Furthermore, participants may not be able, or willing, to fully express their experiences at
for-profit colleges. Researcher bias and sampling method could affect the reliability and
generalizability of this research. To reduce this risk, Patton (2002) suggested that the
researcher engage in mental cleansing process to remove predispositions and biases as
much as possible. Prior to the start of this study and during the data collection,
analyzing, and reporting, the researcher continually reviewed biases and perceptions that
might affect the validity of the study. Although not a factor in this study, in-person
interviews, as a data collection method, might increase the risk of participant bias and
prevent the disclosure of personal information. To improve the validity of this
phenomenological study, the researcher utilized a series of measures as suggested by
Moustakas (1994):
1. Sampling was purposefully drawn and logical.
2. The researcher completely suspended her beliefs during data collection, and made a
concentrated effort to avoid interference with the interpretation of data.
3. During data analysis, themes were allowed to emerge from the data naturally.
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4. The researcher allowed the “essence”, or meaning, of the phenomena reveal itself; and
used the insight into the meaning of the phenomenon to construct a unique description.
In addition to sample size and technique, and the possibility of researcher bias and
presumptions, a third limitation was related to the study design itself. Most of the
participant interviews were done via telephone or Skype, and the recordings could have
resulted in misunderstanding or misinterpretation of meaning. Although participants
were provided instructions prior to the interview and an interview guide was utilized,
there may have been uncertainty about the information as well. Lastly, despite the
knowledge and assurances of confidentiality of the information participants would
provide for this research, there were a few potential study participants who declined to be
interviewed because they were either (a) in the process of entering into a lawsuit with a
for-profit college, (b) n default on a student loan from a for-profit school, or (c) did not
want to disclose negative information that would identify the college or be linked back to
the participant. Similar factors may have prevented study participants from fully
disclosing their experiences at for-profit institutions.
Summary
This study took a qualitative phenomenological approach to exploring the lived
experiences of students attending for-profit colleges and uncovering the motivation and
rationale for choosing a proprietary institution. The sample population included 11
current students and alumni from a diverse set of for-profit institutions. Purposeful and
snowball sampling techniques were utilized to recruit participants via email, social
media, and networking. Data was collected using semi-structured interviews from an
interview protocol with pre-determined questions, observations of company websites, and
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interviews with an admissions staff member and faculty from for-profit institutions. Data
analysis was achieved using the Stevick-Colaizzi-Keen method described by Moustakas
(1994). Credibility and dependability were assured through member check (Lincoln,
1999) and triangulation (Creswell, 2008). Ethical considerations were addressed through
ensuring confidentiality, communicating informed consent, and enacting procedures for
ensuring full disclosure of the nature, purpose, and requirements of the research.
Participants were assigned a pseudonym, and only the researcher had access to the
student data. Data from interviews and other related information was stored on an
external storage device and kept secured in a locked file.
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Chapter 4: Results and Analysis
Overview
The purpose of this qualitative, phenomenological study was to understand the
lived experiences of students attending for-profit higher education institutions and the
motivation for choosing a for-profit school. The data collected from this study will
contribute to the existing scholarly literature on student experience and college choice,
and can inform higher education administrators and student affairs personnel within for-
profit and public institutions in developing an understanding of how to provide improved
support and services to enable students to persist and complete a program of study.
This study used purposeful sampling to recruit undergraduate students who are
attending, or have attended, a for-profit institution; students were contacted via email,
phone, and through social media, such as Facebook and LinkedIn. A total of 26 students
were contacted to participate in the study. Eighteen students responded to the invitation
and expressed an interest in the study; three students were graduate-level and were not
selected, one student declined to participate, and three could not be contacted by email or
phone. The sample was composed of eleven participants (42% of the population), of
which one student was male and ten of the students were female. The mean age within
the population was approximately 37 years. All participants (100%) attended a for-profit
college as an undergraduate student and took a full-time course load. Seventy-three
percent of the sample identified as Caucasian/White and 27% identified as Black/African
American. A diverse number of for-profit institutions were represented in this study
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including University of Phoenix, ITT Technical College, The Art Institutes, Corinthian
College, Vatterott College, Midwest Technical Institute, Walden University, and Argosy
University. Within the study sample, 64% of the participants reported pursuing or
obtaining an associate degree and 36% were pursuing or obtaining a bachelor degree. All
study participants were classified as independent students for financial aid purposes, and
ten of the eleven participants indicated that they received some form of financial aid.
One participant relied on work and family contributions to pay college-related tuition and
fees.
Eight of the participants were interviewed by telephone, and three participants
provided information via a Google web form due to scheduling conflicts. Information
from the Google web form was imported into a Microsoft Excel document and interviews
were transcribed in a Microsoft Word document. Pertinent statements from the telephone
and Skype interview transcriptions were selected and placed in the Microsoft Excel
spreadsheet to determine major themes and enable the construction of pertinent
descriptions of the phenomena.
For the purpose of triangulation, two additional data sources were included in the
results in conjunction with student experience data: 1) experience of for-profit staff and
faculty, and 2) information from the websites of for-profit colleges. By virtue of their
positions, staff and faculty at for-profit colleges have a unique perspective on the student
experience. To develop a deeper understanding of the student experience, input from
student affairs personnel and faculty members employed at for-profit institutions was
obtained through informal phone interviews or in-person. Of the three individuals who
responded, two were faculty members and one was an admissions staff member. The
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third source of triangulation data was derived from analysis of several websites of for-
profit colleges the participants attended. Enrollment at for-profit colleges is dependent
on marketing and recruitment efforts, and most of these institutions are using the
company website as a primary means of marketing programs and services in an effort to
appeal to a niche population of nontraditional, minority, and female students.
Results
The Moustakas (1994) modified Stevick–Colaizzi– Keen method of analysis of
phenomenological data was used to process the collected data. Each participant
statement was considered with respect to its significance in describing the experience.
All relevant statements were recorded and key phrases were grouped as related to the
experience. Invariant elements, or meaning units of experience, were clustered into
themes. The process of horizontalization revealed several themes making up the
collective description of the participants’ lived experience as a student at a for-profit
college. The invariant meaning units and themes were synthesized into a description of
the textures of the experience and verbatim examples from participants were included.
Through imaginative variation, the researcher examined the data in a variety of
perspectives to consider all possible meanings to construct a description of the structures
of the individual experiences.
As themes were integrated with the research questions, five were identified as
being significant to this study. The main five themes that constructed descriptions of the
lived experience of student experience at for-profit colleges will be discussed and
included: (a) student-customer service, (b) interaction with staff, faculty, and peers, (c)
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cost of attending, (d) perceived value of the education received, and (e) rationale for
choosing to attend a for-profit institution.
Student-customer service. One of the main themes that emerged in the data
from conversations with participants, and aligned with the research questions, was the
feeling that there was a high level of support, or customer service, at the campus
throughout the students’ lifecycles. Students who experience significant support during
enrollment tend to have greater satisfaction and will likely persist in a program (Bailey et
al., 2003: Bennett et al., 2010; Howard-Vital, 2006; Kelly, 2001; Kinser, 2006b). The
majority of participants indicated that they felt supported in their educational endeavors,
and most of the students expressed satisfaction in the overall institutional environment
and culture; from the initial campus visit, to the onboarding process, and as they
progressed through their academic program to completion. The researcher asked the
participants to describe their experience with regard to the initial visit to campus and the
onboarding process, five responses indicated a positive experience. Charlotte stated:
Here I was, a fifty-year-old woman going back to school. I mean, I had never been to college and wasn’t sure what to expect. When I walked in it really didn’t look like a college. Kind of had the impression of a doctor’s office. But the receptionist was really nice and, oh my goodness, the people who talked to me and gave me a tour were the greatest. They told me I could start college right away, and even helped me fill out all the paperwork. I even got a drink cup and tee shirt before I left. Can’t beat that, right?
Kris expressed similar feelings in her experience:
I thought the staff was friendly and the application part wasn’t too bad. The financial aid people walked me through filling out the forms online, which was good because I needed money to pay rent and get a new cell phone. Since I wanted to maybe be a physical trainer, they showed me the equipment room, but I didn’t actually get to see the teachers or a class.
Savannah indicated: “My friend went to that college and liked the people who worked
there. Thought I’d give it a try and everyone was cool”, and Kelsey mentioned:
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Um…I had just been fired from my job at Target and I had to find a way to support my family. Gosh, I didn’t know what I was going to do next. I have three kids all under 13 and I’m a single mom. So when I came in, I felt like they listened and understood me and were interested in helping me get a career and a good paying job.
A couple of the participants discussed “welcome” or orientation activities before the first
day of class. Janie noted that
we sat in an orientation class in the morning and got to meet all the staff and teachers, who were really nice and helpful. I mostly remember watching a video about paying back our student loans and listening to several speakers. I liked having help with getting into college – it was totally new to me.
Of a similar experience at another college, Sydney mentioned:
Yeah, there was a barbeque and meet and greet with other new students and everyone at the college. It was kind of cool, I guess. My advisor was really nice…she was always there when I had a question and the people in the office seemed to care about me and the job I wanted to get into.
The researcher sought to understand more deeply the participants’ experiences as they
began their academic programs and continued to completion. Most of the participants
experienced a continued level of support from staff members, and yet others felt there
were deficiencies with student support services at their respective institutions. Charlotte
related:
I had the darnedest time paying my bill. They always bent over backwards to find ways to help me out. The person who helped me with my application kept calling to check on me to see how I was doing when I was gone after my dog died. She kept calling and telling me I needed to come back. I like that they cared enough about me to call. Oh, and when I had trouble with math I got tutoring.
Laura noted that “people would smile and say hello whenever you saw them in the
hallway – even the director of the college”, and Kris mentioned that the financial aid staff
were helpful when there were issues: “My financial aid situation was a mess, but they
were always there to help. I’m not sure how they got it all worked out, but I got my
money”. Joe discussed his experience with student services:
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I was not aware of the private student loans they gave me. They added them in where there was shortfall, putting it in as part of the [financial] aid. Only after I researched, I found out what they did. And they called constantly or emailed daily each quarter to let you know you have aid forms to fill out. They seemed to be more concerned with collecting their money and less on the actual education. Between the lie with the private loans they financed on their own, and the lack of real world education, I would never have enrolled.
One participant related that the student services department at the college had a food
bank. Kelsey stated:
There was a food bank. I mean, I had no job at the time and with three small kids at home, I could go in to the food bank after classes were over to get a small bag of food to take home. Um, one time I even got some gas money so I could come in to classes. That was nice.
Three students discussed their experiences with the career services department at
for-profit colleges, particularly when seeking a job while in school or for post-graduation
job placement. Laura liked the individualized assistance: “The person in the career
[services] office helped me write my resume and practice for interviews, and that really
helped me”, and Kelsey noted, “First off, and this is really cool, but the college actually
had a clothes closet with stuff to borrow for interviews. Some of it was stuff my aunt
would wear, but I didn’t have any nice interview clothes”. Louise’s lived experience
with the career services staff at her institution was similar:
I’m a 55-year-old grandmother raising five grandkids because my daughter is in prison. Uh…so it’s hard…we barely scrape by most days. So, I thought I would try to find a part-time job. The lady in the job office [career services] called around and found a couple of possibilities for me. If I don’t get work soon…I don’t know what’s going to happen.
There were three participants who communicated displeasure with their experience with
student support services at their for-profit institutions. Maggie said:
I have absolutely no help in finding a job. So they tell me nothing is available at this time. I totally need to work, and I might have to drop out if I can't get a job…see they told me they would help me get a job while I was in school, you know?
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Laney described a similar experience
When I came in, no one told me that I would not be able to get a job in medical assisting because of my felony conviction. No one said anything about that. They made it seem like I would get a good paying job. Um…so after graduation I applied to a couple of clinics. Then I find out they don’t hire people with convictions, at least not where we live. Uh…so I go back in and talk to [Career Services representative] and he tells me it will be hard for me to get a job. What? I would not have gone to college if I knew I’d never get a job in the medical field. No one told me…I feel so lied to.
Joe reflected on his overall experience with support services at a for-profit college: “The
issue was there was no assistance. I was supposed to have help with job placement. I did
not get that, and since it was online it seemed like there were no services or assistance”.
One participant did not complete a program of study and eventually withdrew
from college. Sydney recalled her experience:
Well, I had every intention of getting my degree, but life happens…you know? I just got out of high school and was out on my own for the first time. I think I had been in for a few classes and got involved with a guy…it was a bad situation. It got so bad, I moved out and slept in my car at the school parking lot. So yeah…I could of made better choices at the time. Anyway, I started to fail classes and just dropped out. The guy at the college kept calling to see if I would come back…like every day. Said time was running out or something. And they kept calling about my account…like I can really pay, right? Um, it’s still not a good time for me. I might go back someday though.
Most participants expressed an excitement about attending college for the first
time, or after a period of years, and that the student support staff offered encouragement
and guidance in achieving educational goals even after enrollment. Charlotte recalled:
Sometimes I would get an email or text from one of the folks in the office telling me to have a good day and to check in if I needed anything. That was a personal touch that I wouldn’t have expected not having been in college before.
Kelsey noted:
One of the advisors would stop me in the hallway and talked to me about how things were going. One day I mentioned I needed a ride home and she helped me find a student who lived close to where I lived, and I got a lift.
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Laura attended a small for-profit college and described events the college would have
during her time there.
Most of the activities for students were meetings or guest speakers talking about a career or how to get a job. There would be pizza parties were we would hear the dean talk about having good attendance. Oh, and there were awards for attendance or getting good grades. These things weren’t really what I expected to do at college.
Joe mentioned that, as an online student, he received emails about college events, but
noted:
How are online students, a thousand miles away, supposed to attend these things? Seriously? And they had these online web things on finding jobs or whatever that always happened when I was at work. So much for working around my schedule like they told me – sometimes I couldn’t even get the help desk on the phone when I needed help.
Sydney remembered: “Around Thanksgiving, they brought in an entire turkey dinner for
all the students. There was a drawing for five turkeys to take home and I got of them”,
and when asked about what she remembered about college events, Kris stated: “I liked
graduation the most. It was huge. Everyone [college staff] was really nice and helpful.
My family was all there…it was really special”.
Composite description. The composite description is based on the experiences of
study participants in their interactions with student affairs staff members and higher
education administrators at for-profit colleges. The participant narratives suggest a
positive experience in their interactions with student affairs personnel, which contributed
to an overall sense of satisfaction with the college. Research by Edens (2012) suggested
that satisfaction is directly related to student persistence. The helpful and caring staff
offered encouragement and support to study participants and the personalized assistance
ensured a smooth transition through the enrollment process. The hands-on assistance and
a high level of empathy of student affairs staff were mentioned in several participant
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narratives. Intrusive advising on the part of most organizational staff was apparent.
These frequent interactions with student affairs staff and continuous communication were
perceived by study participants as a positive experience influencing the decision to
remain in college. Only a couple of study participants reported a negative experience
with frequent phone calls, a home visit, or collections. There was an expectation by some
participants that the career services department at a college would provide employment
opportunities either during the student’s enrollment or after graduation. The inability to
find work as expected had an impact on the level of satisfaction with the college
experience.
Experience of an admissions staff member. Sue was employed by a for-profit
college in the Midwest as a lead in the admissions department. In her position, at least at
this particular college, she was responsible for recruiting, initial contact with students,
advising students of degree options, helping them navigate through the enrollment and
onboarding processes, and following up with students at various points to ensure forward
progress in their program. She recalled the role of the admissions staff in student-
customer service:
We were trained from the very beginning to think of students as customers and to do what it took to get them in the door and seated in classes. I mean, that’s why we were there. There were enrollment quotas, and the campus director posted a leaderboard so we could keep track of everyone’s progress. It was high stress at times. The fall terms were usually full, but spring and summer required a lot of cold calling and direct mailings. We didn’t have a large population as it was. So, any potential student walking in the door was gold. I remember a former campus director sending recruiters out to visit nursing homes and homeless shelters to seek out possible students, and one recruiter tried to get access to the local jail to see if we could offer online classes. And, we took them all…it didn’t matter where they came from. Sure, we catered to the student…no doubt. I hate to say it, but it’s sort of like a car dealership – you’re the most important person in the building when you walk in, and every need will be taken care of. It was a lot like that with our students.
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Sue’s experience as an admissions staff member at a for-profit college demonstrated the
important role of the customer service function during matriculation. After a student was
enrolled in a program, the responsibilities of the student services staff would then change:
Once students were in and enrolled, each of us was assigned a set of students to remain in contact with. We would check in with our students at various points, usually about midway through a program and nearer to the end. The college was small enough that we were able to have several events during the year for students, like pizza parties and such. It was really all about retention at that point…keeping up with students and keeping them in class until they graduated. Considering that most of our students were poor and many were single parents without jobs, it was a chore to keep them in class especially after the loan disbursements, when a lot of them disappeared. A lot of phone work on our part, I can tell you, but retention was a serious concern with our campus director. We were never really able to save them all…there were a lot of drops.
The lived experience of an admissions staff member provided a lens through which the
student-customer services function at a for-profit college could be viewed. The student-
centric admissions staff members were responsible for ensuring that students received
exceptional support and assistance during matriculation and after. This was supported by
the experiences revealed by the study participants; admissions staff were generally the
first point of contact for the study participants, and were identified as being friendly,
caring, and interested in the students’ academic needs and goals. The experience with
admissions staff, and other student-customer services staff as well, played a significant
role in a participant’s decision to enroll in a program of study. The continued points of
contact during a student’s academic program strongly influenced the likelihood that the
student would persist in a program of study, when taken in context with other variables,
such as interactions with faculty and peers and availability of financial aid.
Review of institutional websites. The analysis of student-customer service
functions at several for-profit college websites corroborated the lived experiences of the
study participants and the admissions staff member. University of Phoenix (UOP) is one
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of the nation’s largest for-profit institutions. The student-customer service functions
were described on the company’s website (University of Phoenix, 2016):
Providing help from start to finish; students are never alone, and support,
resources and guidance are available throughout a student’s lifecycle.
University of Phoenix students have their own “Graduation Team” which includes
an enrollment representative, a finance representative and an academic
representative to help students stay on track from enrollment to graduation.
After graduation, students have access to “Phoenix Career Services” which assists
with resume writing and interview skills, and provides access to jobs for
University graduates.
Additionally, student support services are available at all hours and students have access
to courses, tuition payment options, bookstore, and other services via an online portal.
Midwest Technical Institute (MTI) is a small, for-profit college based in the
Midwest. On its “Student Services” webpage, MTI described their student-customer
services as “geared toward helping each student with their individual needs” during
students’ “transition into and out of school” (Midwest Technical Institute, n.d.). The
webpage described several ways in which the student-customer services staff would
assist students: Transportation and housing assistance, job assistance, childcare location
assistance, student activities, resume building, tutoring, and verification of enrollment
and employment. Information about the availability of support was not clearly evident on
the website.
Walden University (WU) is a large, private for-profit institution based in
Minnesota. According to the information on the company website, Walden University is
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a student-focused institution dedicated to providing an educational experience for
working professional. To appeal to nontraditional students, WU described how it
supports the unique needs of adult learners through quality programs, actionable learning,
exceptional student support, creating global connections, and fostering lifelong learning
(Walden University, n.d.). In addition to 24/7 student services, students are assigned an
enrollment advisor who is the students’ primary contact with the college. Students also
have access to team of financial aid and academic advisors who assist them throughout
their program.
The description of these services substantiates the stories of the lived experiences
of many of the study participants at their respective for-profit institutions. For-profit
institutions typically rely on exceptional customer service as a means to retain students
from entry to graduation and it is evident from the websites that most have a student-
centric emphasis from a customer service perspective. Keeping students enrolled and
having them persist to completion may be viewed from a couple of perspectives. First,
the high level of student-customer service might be attributed to the mission of for-profit
institutions to ensure a continued revenue stream and a healthy bottom-line. Enrollments
equate to revenue. Secondly, continued regulatory oversight of the for-profit sector, with
regard to improving time to completion rates, likely plays a role in the student-centered
approach which serves the purpose of attempting to keep students in school to complete a
program of study.
This section addressed the research question for this study: What are the
students’ perspectives of the role of customer (student) service functions at the
institution? The data from the participants suggested that the overall experience with the
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student support functions at their institutions was positive. The interaction of student
services personnel throughout the student lifecycle made an impact on most of the study
participants and aided their progress to the completion of a program of study. The data
obtained from the admissions staff member and the information found on the college
websites supported the customer service approach to student services as it related to the
availability of support hours, positive interactions with student service staff, and
marketing strategies to appeal to niche student populations.
Interaction with teachers and peers. The second theme that emerged from the
data was the participants’ interactions with teachers and peers, and overall academic
experience, during their enrollment at a for-profit college. The framework for this study
focuses, in part, on the interaction of students with faculty, staff, and peers as they
progress through the completion of a program of study. The aim of the researcher was to
explore the student academic experience in the classroom to provide descriptions of its
impact on persistence and the achievement of academic goals. Interactions with
instructors, and in some cases, peers, played a significant role in participant engagement
and persistence. Charlotte noted that instructors “were there to answer questions”, and
Savannah related
they all had an impact on me. Some of my classmates became friends outside of school and were there to listen when things weren’t going well. And, the teachers - I loved most of my teachers. They were understanding and seemed to know a lot about what they were teaching.
Maggie echoed a similar sentiment about her instructors:
I thought the teachers were awesome. They would ask about my family and how I was doing. It seemed like they really cared about me. I did learn a lot too because most of our teachers also had jobs in the same area.
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Sydney reflected on the small class size and individualized assistance from her teacher at
a for-profit college:
What I really liked about the college was that the class size was small, and I enjoyed some of the classes because we did cool activities. When I needed help with something, the teacher was there…and was willing to help if I needed extra time on homework assignments. One time I missed an assignment because I was in the hospital and the teacher gave me a passing grade.
Several of the participants were enrolled in online classes at a for-profit institution
believed instructor communication impacted their ability to achieve outcomes. Joe
reported that communication with the instructor was essential in an online class:
When I had a problem logging in to class or sending an email about an assignment, I would usually hear back within a day or so. Not always, though, for some teachers. That made it hard to get things turned in on time. But for the most part I didn’t have many issues with getting help from my teachers.
Laura shared her experience and the importance of the teacher in her progress:
She emails me once a week to see how I’m doing and asks if I need any help. I took a class at the community college one time and it seemed like I didn’t hear from my teacher at all. It shows they care about you and want you to be in class.
A couple of participants commented about the knowledge and skills of the instructors.
Kelsey noted: “Most of my teachers know their stuff and work in the field, so I feel like
they know what is needed for me to get a job” and Savannah mentioned:
When I was taking medical assisting classes, the teachers were either nurses or maybe medical assistants. We would do things, like, take blood pressure and all, and I learned a lot that way. Sometimes they didn’t really teach. I don’t know if that makes any sense. We would come in and a teacher would say: “today we are going to learn about doing a strep test”, but we didn’t get any, like, well, lecture or anything. I learned how to do blood pressure or whatever, but didn’t really learn anything about it…
Joe shared his experience in computer information systems classes:
I’m telling you…the classes were so far behind what was happening in real life. It was a complete waste of my time…the courses were outdated and the software was old. Some of the software didn’t work on my PC. It was awful. But I had
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already spent a lot of time and money in the program and wanted to finish so I stayed in.
When the researcher asked Joe about his experience with the teachers, he commented:
Some of them were okay, and I think a lot of them had to teach with what the college gave them. Some were there only for the paycheck…they didn’t seem interested in teaching. One teacher in a networking class spent time designing apps for his side business…I don’t think he cared one way or the other if we even showed up.
Louise commented on her struggle with e-books and classroom technology, but noted
that her instructors were helpful in giving her assistance:
You know, well, I am used to reading books…you know paper books, and the school has e-books for just about every class. I just can’t get used to that…it is hard to read and find my place. I also remember getting a laptop one time – every student got one – and I had to learn how to use it without any help from anyone. Found out later they charged my account for it, and we didn’t even really use it in class. Well, just call me technology-challenged. I guess if I had to give this a positive spin, the instructors are nice and are willing to go above and beyond in helping me. There were a couple of them stay after to help or I could call on the weekend for help.
One participant related a retention strategy of one of her instructors; Laney recalled a
time in which an instructor came to her house after a she had been absent for a week:
One morning I heard a knock on the door of the apartment I was staying in with my boyfriend. It was my biology teacher from the college. She told me she was there to see why I hadn’t been answering her emails and phone calls…and asked me when I was planning to come back to class. Then she told me I needed to come to class soon. She was nice about it and all. It was strange that she came to my house.
Interactions with instructors and peers outside of the classroom were as equally important
to several of the participants, and engaged them not only academically, but socially, as
well. Charlotte mentioned that she connected with instructors and peers on social media,
which resulted in a higher level of engagement:
A couple of my teachers accepted friend requests on Facebook and I think that helped me get to know them better. A lot of us at school friended each other. I actually thought that was one of the best things about connecting with my
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classmates. We even had a teacher create a Facebook group for a class, which…um…was a good way to keep up with things going on and to ask questions about the class.
Most of the participants were considered nontraditional students with obligations outside
of school that prevented them from attending college events and activities after hours, but
as Savannah noted:
There were things going on during the school day so that we could attend before or after classes if we wanted to. I liked the Back to Campus picnic where some of my friends and I would hang out. I remember a dance off where some of the teachers were out dancing in front of everyone. It was different to see them doing crazy things instead of teaching…we don’t think of them as human sometimes.
Laney provided a different perspective of her experience with interactions with teachers
and peers:
Even though I lived close to the college, I took a lot of online classes…so I didn’t really get involved with anything. Never heard much about what was going on at the college from my teacher, either, you know? No emails from the college or announcements in the class. Other than the discussions, I didn’t talk much with the other students. I was just mostly there to get the classes over with.
Composite description. The composite description is based on the experiences of
study participants in their interactions with faculty members and peers during their time
at for-profit institutions. The interactions with faculty members strongly influenced both
retention and persistence. The majority of study participants recalled that the interactions
with faculty were critical to their achievement and success at college. Through the lens
of study participants, faculty members at for-profit institutions were considered more
than just a teacher in the classroom; they were mentors offering guidance and support,
advisors for courses and careers, active listeners who took a personal interest, and co-
participants in college life. Interactions took place both in class and out of class, which
enabled students to make a connection with the faculty member and develop rapport with
them. These interactions were significant to a participant’s tendency to remain in school
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and persist to completion. Whether the high level of interaction by for-profit faculty
members was a natural occurrence, or a result of customer service training often required
in the for-profit business model (Kinser, 2006b), could not be determined from the
descriptions provided by the study participants. This phenomenon would require further
study. What is known, however, is that study participants placed significant value on
their interactions with faculty, and believed this to be, in some cases, the sole factor in
their achievement and success.
Experience of for-profit faculty members. Instructors at for-profit colleges often
have a unique perspective of the student experience due to the amount of time spent with
students both in and out of the classroom. John was an adjunct at a large for-profit
university, and Teresa taught at a smaller for-profit technical school. Both faculty
members related similar experiences with students during their employment at a for-
profit institution. John related his experience:
I am accountant by trade, but really wanted to teach at the college level. So when I had the opportunity to apply for a teaching job at [for-profit college] I jumped at the chance. I guess I wanted to make a difference in the lives of others, mostly. Anyway, the training took place over a couple of days at the local campus. I had never stepped into a classroom before, and really didn’t know what I was doing at first. Luckily the lessons were already made up for us. The students were great, but really unprepared for college work. Some couldn’t read or write, so I’d send those to tutors. I didn’t have the time or knowledge to help them out much. There was a lot of hand-holding going on too…I mean, teachers had to walk students through the lessons to make sure they would pass. I learned a lot about being flexible. Retention was a buzzword. We would be required to attend training on how to retain students, how to advise them, and help them with issues they were having. We were expected to go above and beyond teaching at times. You know…other duties as assigned. The best thing was being a positive part of a student’s life. Sometimes the only positive part. They carried a lot of baggage sometimes, and a lot of them weren’t what you’d expect to see at college…but, it was satisfying to me to make a connection and help them get closer to a degree.
Teresa commented on her experience with for-profit students:
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I really loved working with students. They were the reason I enjoyed working at the college, and I think I worked harder to build relationships with them. We were a small college with just a few students and at our location so many of them were poor and had families at home to support. They were absent a lot and the director was on us a lot about staying in contact with them to make sure they were in class. I can’t begin to count the phone calls and emails I would send out each week to convince students to come to class. I remember we always tried to make our classes exciting and a good place to learn…I would bring in food too. We had hungry students. Some of the other teachers and I would have a pancake breakfast or bring in sandwiches for the students. We set up a food pantry on campus to help our needier students, and occasionally I’d privately give a couple of dollars to students needing gas money. Over the years, I had students bring their children to class because they couldn’t afford to pay for childcare. It was sad to see some of them deal with drug issues or issues at home. I felt a connection with the students and wanted to help them make it through and get a good job.
Review of institutional websites. For-profit colleges showcase faculty on the
company websites, and promote the idea the faculty members are not only qualified, but
are there to support students as they progress on their degree pathway. The University of
Phoenix website, for example, communicated that the company’s diverse faculty are
working professionals with expertise in their field, bring knowledge and experience to the
classroom, and have the ability to turn theory into skills that can be used in the
workforce. Opportunities for peer interactions, through collaboration in courses and
online communication, were also noted (University of Phoenix, n.d.). Walden
University’s website reported similar information: Faculty members are leaders in their
field who bring experience to the classroom, and are focused on student success (Walden
University, n.d.). The Art Institutes website described faculty as not just teachers, but as
mentors who will do anything to prepare students for leadership roles, and peers share the
same goals, commitment, and love of ideas (The Art Institutes, n.d.). Each of the
websites provided information on ways in which students could get involved with college
life and activities with peers.
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This section addressed the research question for this study: What is the students’
experience at a for-profit college? The data from the participants indicated that, for the
majority of them, interactions with instructors and peers were instrumental in their
persistence at a for-profit institution. These interactions were varied based on the
experience of the participants; participation in college events and activities, activities in
the classroom, connecting on social media, and communication from the institution;
however, most of the participants experienced inclusivity which made them feel that were
an important part of the college culture. The participants’ feelings of inclusivity were
due, very significantly, to interactions with the instructors at the institution who were
responsible not only for ensuring student progress, but to impact retention through
building rapport and developing strong connections with students. The institutional
websites of several for-profit colleges noted the qualification and credentials of faculty
and their role in student academic success, and interactions with other students through
involvement in class and college life were emphasized. The strongest evidence to
support the study participants’ stories about interactions with faculty came from the
conversation with two faculty members who brought to life the challenging, yet
satisfying, experiences of working with for-profit students.
Cost of Attending. The third theme that arose from the data was the cost of
attending a for-profit institution, and the significant amount of debt participants incurred.
With the exception of one participant, who paid for college through employment and
assistance of parents, each participant relied on federal student aid, federal loans, or
private student loans, to pay for college expenses. Kris remembered not being aware of
the costs she would be incurring when she enrolled in a for-profit school:
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I really don’t recall them saying anything about how much it was going to cost me. The lady in the admissions office was nice and I just kept filling out papers, but no one told me…uh…exactly what I was going to be charged. Not sure if they forgot or anything…I honestly don’t remember hearing numbers.
Of her experience at a for-profit college, Laney recalled:
Yeah, I knew what it was costing me. I could see how much I was taking out on student loans. What I didn’t realize at the time is that I was taking out the school’s private loans. I felt like I wasn’t given any other options. Anyway, I left school for a while and the calls started. Collection calls, you know? Someone was calling me to either pay, or come back. So I went back because I didn’t have a job and couldn’t pay the monthly payment. For two years of college I have nothing to show to show for it, but no job and $60,000 in student loans. I’d say it was not worth it.
Kelsey was the only participant who received assistance from her parents for tuition and
fees and noted that “there were never any problems. I thought the college did a good job
of letting me know what everything was going to cost”. Louise commented that “it
seems like we have a lot of fees, but doesn’t every college charge a lot? I’m just thankful
I can get loans to pay for school”, and Laura related:
I liked the college and everything, but my main goal was to get in and get a degree as quick as possible…so I didn’t really pay attention at first about how much it was costing me. So, yeah, I’m stuck with a lot to pay back. If I had to do it over again, I’d probably pay more attention.
Joe reported his experience with financing his education at a for-profit college:
Seriously…it cost me a ton of money to go there. I ended up spending four years at ITT and have over $100,000 in student loans…and, I’m not paying on my loans right now. I can’t. At this point I'll never be able to afford to go get my bachelor's degree if I wanted to.
Charlotte mentioned:
I decided to go back to school to get a better paying job, but I never realized it would be so expensive. I liked the college and all, but the tuition was expensive…and all the fees – the technology fee, finance fee, activity fee, laptop fee – you name it. Plus, the book costs were outrageous. I couldn’t pay all this on my own in order to get a degree.
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Two of the participants indicated that they could not have attended college without
student financial aid or loans. Louise noted: “It’s been a difficult year because I’m
raising my grandkids now…I need loan money to get by” and Laney related her
experience:
I was basically homeless when I went to college… lived in my car for an entire semester. There were times I pulled into the college’s parking lot and slept in my car there…there was absolutely no way I could pay for school on my own. I used student loans to live on and to be honest, that was part of the reason I stayed in. My grades were never great and I kept retaking classes. I didn’t care how much it was costing me.
The high cost of attending a for-profit college, and the resulting student loan debt, are
something Sydney has lived with on a daily basis:
I know I’m not the only one with this problem. I dropped out, so I’m lucky. My student loans aren’t as high as some people’s. But I live with that hanging over my head. The college calls me all the time and I’ve told them I can’t pay. They turned me over [to a collection agency]. Look, I don’t earn much at all from my job. We’re living paycheck to paycheck. Sometimes I think it was all about getting my money.
Composite description. The overall experience with college cost and student loan
debt as recalled by study participants indicated that, although they may or may not have
been aware of the cost of attending a for-profit college, at least initially, cost was
secondary to obtaining an academic credential and securing gainful employment to
provide a better life for themselves and their families. All but one participant received
federal financial aid, and the majority of these students took out student loans to pay for
college. Many of the participants in this study believed they received inadequate
information about student loans from their respective institutions. For alumni, the
amount of debt incurred from their college education is beyond their current capacity to
repay, and most were not employed in their degree field and were earning lower than
expected wages. In a couple of cases, alumni were surprised to learn that student loans
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were provided by a third-party lender after federal financial aid was exhausted. Study
participants reported that the amount of student loan debt was deeply concerning to them
and a significant source of stress in their daily lives.
Experience of an admissions staff member. As an admissions representative,
Sue was responsible for guiding students through the enrollment process, which included
providing information about tuition, fees, and other charges. She commented:
When I met with students to enroll them, I gave them all the information I thought they would need. We covered the plan for their program and the classes they would be taking, the costs for tuition and any lab or supplemental fees, and how to apply for financial aid. I personally tried to be above the board with the information I gave them, although I can’t speak for others on the admissions team. It was tough sometimes to meet our quota limit when some students backed out at the last minute.
When asked if she felt students were pressured to enroll, Sue responded: “In some cases,
yes. I would call a prospect a few times, then drop it if they wouldn’t respond. Other
team members were more aggressive.”
Review of institutional websites. The for-profit websites accessed for the purpose
of determining if the total cost of attendance is communicated to potential students, all of
the colleges - Walden University, University of Phoenix, Midwest Technical Institute,
and The Art Institutes – provided detailed information on tuition and fees. Midwest
Technical Institute, University of Phoenix, and The Art Institutes websites had a tuition
and fee calculator that would generate the approximate cost for a specified program of
study. Walden University provided tuition and fee charts for each program. Each
company website included a consumer disclosure page that provided additional
information about the school, charges, and other legal information.
This section addressed the research question for this study: What is the students’
experience at a for-profit college? The theme emerged as a response to the researcher’s
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inquiry about the least desirable qualities of a for-profit college. All but one of the
participants communicated a negative experience related to the cost of attendance, and
resulting student loan debt. Nine of the eleven participants were unaware of the costs
they would incur when enrolling at a for-profit institution, and most did not have
adequate understanding of how their college expenses would be financed. Over half of
the study participants indicated that they were not employed in their field of study and
were working in low-paying positions, such as food service, in which the income from
these jobs prevented them from making regular payments on student loan debt. One
participant noted she was in default on her student loans, and that the meager wages she
was earning were being garnished. Several participants commented that they would have
sought other less-expensive options, such as a community college, had they been fully
aware of the cost. Although the majority of study participants reported not knowing the
costs associated with attending college upfront, the websites of several colleges (all of
which at least one participant attended) did include either a cost calculator or a chart
indicating the total cost of tuition and fees. Furthermore, an interview with an admissions
representative indicated that she would communicate the cost of attending college to
enrollees during the admissions process; although she was aware this may not have
always been the case with other admissions personnel.
Value of a For-Profit Education. Closely related to the cost of attendance was
the fourth theme that emerged from the data: value of a for-profit education. Most of the
participants were satisfied with their academic experience and interactions with faculty
and staff at for-profit colleges, yet there was some uncertainty among some of the
participants as to whether the degree would benefit them in the workforce. Three of the
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five undergraduate participants reported that they believed a degree would be worth the
time and money. Janie mentioned:
I’ve always wanted to work in the medical field and I feel like this degree will help me get there. Um…I am a little worried about all my student loans…it’s a lot. But, the people here tell me that we have a lot of good paying jobs in the medical assisting field right now. So, I’m sure it’ll be okay…I hope it will be okay.
When the researcher asked Kelsey about whether she felt her education at a for-profit
college was worthwhile, she noted that
I’m going to get a business degree quicker than at the community college. That’s really one of the reasons why I came here. They said I wouldn’t have to take a bunch of extra classes that don’t go toward my degree…so, yeah, I’m going to get out and get a good paying job faster than I would anywhere else.
Louise had similar feelings about her education and its value:
I really think it doesn’t matter where you get your degree…it’s just a piece of paper that says you went to college…and I’m pretty confident I’ll get a job after graduation in a few months. Sure, I’ll have loans to pay back, but I’m already looking and have a couple of leads.
Sydney withdrew from a for-profit college before finishing her program, but remarked: “I
guess the real benefit was the way the people at the college made you feel special. Even
when I dropped, they called to ask me to come back.
Participants who graduated from a for-profit college, however, were more
skeptical that their degree would help them in finding a job, or ensuring higher rate of
pay at their place of employment. This skepticism was largely based on their experience
in securing employment in their chosen career field after graduation. Joe remarked:
My bachelor’s degree in Information Technology is worthless…the program was totally bogus. I’ve tried to get jobs at local computer places, Apple, IBM…you name it. I’ve been to a couple of interviews, but I’ve found out that what they taught us was worthless. Outdated, not current…whatever…that’s what I was told at one. Even my certifications are not helping. It’s got to be ITT and their no-good degree. You want me to sum it up for you? I would have tried to get into a real college if I had known all this upfront. And the sad thing is…I’ll be paying for this worthless education for a very long time.
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Charlotte’s experience during her enrollment at a for-profit college was generally
positive; however, after graduating she had difficulty in finding work in her field:
Well…I wish I could tell you that I’m working as a medical assistant, which is what I got my degree in. I did my externship at a chiropractic office and I thought maybe I’d end up there…but, no. After all the promises of helping me find a job in medical assisting, I’m still at my same job…a waitress at Steak ‘n Shake. Well, I do sometimes call the career office at the college to see if they have job postings, but so far no luck.
When the researcher asked Charlotte if she believed the degree program had been a
worthwhile investment for her money, Charlotte continued:
I still have high hopes that I will get a break and find a job where I can use my degree. I liked the people at the college, especially the teachers, and it seemed to me that we were learning the latest medical assisting things. I don’t know if the degree is any good. I haven’t had one single call for an interview and I graduated last year. It’s a little depressing. I’m a fifty-year-old waitress with a college degree…and student loan payments that I’m not sure I’ll be able to keep up with. You know…I liked going to that college, but sometimes I feel like they failed me…I really do.
Laney related: “I did graduate finally, but…um…the degree hasn’t done me much good.
Still don’t have a job”. Savannah was placed in a position in her degree specialty after
graduation, but indicated that her academic experience at the for-profit college may not
have adequately prepared her for the workplace:
I actually got a job after I graduated. It was at the place where I did my externship…the career service lady set it up for me. After I got started, they kept saying I needed more training…but it was stuff I supposedly should have learned at school. So basically I had to relearn a lot.
When the researcher asked Savannah if she believed the degree program had been a
worthwhile investment for her money, Savannah continued:
Hmm…well, not really. They told me I would be making a good salary at my job, like $50,000-60,000 every year, but I’m barely making $20,000. So yeah, that is a big difference. I didn’t really research it much though. Anyway…you kind of set expectations to be making good money, then after graduation you realize it wasn’t what you thought it was going to be.
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Kris, a graduate of a national for-profit college, attested to the value of her education by
noting that “it was a great experience for me. The business classes were timely, and I did
find work as retail floor manager. It worked out well for me and I have no complaints.”
Composite experience. The composite description of the perceived value of a
for-profit education was based on the experiences of study participants and showed a
division between currently enrolled students and alumni of for-profit colleges.
Participants who were current students believed that, although they were undertaking a
substantial amount of educational debt, program and instructor quality, attentiveness of
staff, and the expectation of easily converting an academic credential to gainful
employment in the workplace were indicative of the value of a for-profit education.
Alumni of for-profit schools reported a different markedly different reality. All of
the alumni revealed that they were either not employed, or were working in positions not
related to their degree specialty. Over half of these alumni indicated that they were
earning wages at or below poverty level, while having to pay back an exorbitant amount
of student loan debt. The alumni recalled having knowledgeable instructors and working
with attentive staff, but there were mixed feelings about program quality and career
services functions due to the inability to secure a position related to a degree.
Experience of admissions staff and faculty member. The role of for-profit
admissions representatives is to promote a program of study and discuss the future
benefits of obtaining a degree. Little thought is given to the actual career outcomes for
students after graduation. Sue reported:
Our job was to get students enrolled and in the system. In most cases, students were sitting in our offices with concrete plans to get a degree. They knew where they wanted to be at the end. For those that didn’t, we spent time discussing potential salaries based on Bureau of Labor Statistics data, and explaining the
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benefits of attending college and how the knowledge and skills they received at school would make for a great career. We believed that would happen. Whether or not it did wasn’t the point. The career services folks were responsible for taking students to the next step after graduation.
As a faculty member at a for-profit college, Teresa did have an awareness that the value
of a for-profit education might not turn out to be what students had initially expected:
I keep up with a lot of my students after they graduate. Some of them will email me to check in every once-and-a-while, or we keep up with each other on Facebook. A lot of them are having problems getting work. I try to help students make connections with employers we work with. The job market where we are is not the greatest and competition for jobs is high. I imagine graduates from the community college and university are probably being selected over our graduates. It’s too bad…I feel we have great programs that get students ready to work. I just don’t think it’s happening for a lot of them.
Review of institutional websites. The career services webpages of University of
Phoenix, Midwest Technical Institute, and Walden University provided useful resources
for students on career-related topics, such as career exploration, resume writing, building
networks, and job search strategies. However, information about the ability of a
graduating student to find suitable employment in a chosen career field, or employment
data to indicate the number or percentage of graduates finding career-related positions,
were not clearly evident on the websites of the for-profit colleges consulted for this study.
Therefore, it was difficult to determine if the experiences of the study participants, over
half of whom did not find employment in an area related to their degree, reflected the
majority of a larger population of for-profit students in general.
This section addressed the research question for this study: What is the student
experience at a for-profit college? The theme emerged as a response to the researcher’s
inquiry about the perceived value of a for-profit college education. The majority of
participants who were current students believed that their future degree will have value,
and were hopeful that they will transition to a well-paid job in the workforce after
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graduation. This was in stark contrast to the participants who had already graduated; in
almost each instance, the participant indicated that they either had difficulty in finding
work in their degree field, or were not earning the expected rate of pay communicated to
them by the college. Despite reporting a mostly positive experience while enrolled, the
perceived value of a for-profit education, as a whole, was not good. The post-graduation
experience of the majority of alumni in this study indicated that the expectations fostered
by their for-profit institution, for a lucrative and satisfying career in their field of study,
were not realized. Several participants reported working in a position not associated with
their degree, and earning a salary that was well below what was discussed during
enrollment at their respective institutions. Two of the participants reported earning
wages that were at, or below, the national poverty level, yet were paying back student
loans in excess of $50,000. Additionally, one participant alluded to the possibility of
seeking legal remedy for fraud; stating that the program the college advertised was not
what the participant experienced while enrolled, the cost of attendance was excessive,
and the participant did not receive assistance with locating work as promised by the
institution. The experiences related by the admissions staff member and one of the
faculty with regard to the ability of students to find work in their field of study after
graduation largely supported both the literature and experiences related by the study
participants. The institutional websites promoted the benefits of a college education, and
provided career-related resources, but post-graduation job data was not clearly evident.
Motivation and Choice. With an abundance of traditional colleges and
universities in the postsecondary market, why do students choose to attend for-profit
institutions? “My parents thought the college would be good place to start because it was
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close to home”, Sydney stated, adding “I was able to save money…or so I thought…by
living at home for a couple of years.” Laura chose a for-profit college because of the
program and its length: “They had graphic design classes that caught my eye and it
[program] was shorter than at the university…plus they had night classes and I could fit
those in around work.” Savannah noted a similar experience: “I wanted to become an
MA [Medical Assistant] and it would only take 18 months. I also liked how the people at
the college were so friendly.” Joe mentioned that he selected a for-profit institution
because
It was online and I wasn’t interested in going to class or sitting in a classroom with a hundred other people. I didn’t have great grades in high school and had a rough time getting accepted into the university anyway. It was my only real option for getting a degree.
When asked why she chose a for-profit college, Charlotte remarked:
Well, to be perfectly honest, I actually thought I was going to a regular college. I had no idea what a for-profit college was until I saw news stories on [the college]. It makes sense now. But, anyway…I picked the college because I liked the atmosphere there and it seemed I could fit in as an older student.
Louise related a similar experience:
I had no idea what kind of college I was going to…you know? I picked this college because I wanted to get the degree and I liked that we could work on the job [externship] while in school to learn more and get experience.
Laney explained her motivation for attending a for-profit college: “They told me I could
get both a degree and a job, so I signed up”, and when asked what motivated her to attend
a for-profit college, Kelsey replied: “I wanted to get a degree so I could get a good job
and support my family.” Kris remembered:
I had gone to the community college for a year, and liked it, but it seemed like I was taking a lot of classes I really didn’t need…like creative writing and literature. So I went to [for-profit college] to check out their courses. I liked that I could just take classes that interested me and all went toward my degree. So I
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switched and graduated not too long ago. It seemed like a good choice to me because I finished up sooner.
Lastly, Janie noted: “I kind of knew it [the college] was different from the university, but
that really didn’t matter to me. The staff told me the degree is the same, no matter where
I go. A degree is a degree, right?”
Composite description. Most of the participants were not aware that the colleges
in which they were enrolling were considered “for-profit”; to many, a for-profit
institution was the same as a community college or university, but did not have some of
the same barriers to entry, such as placement tests or prerequisite requirements. The
motivating factors in the selection of a for-profit college were varied:
Convenience (proximity, availability of services, flexible scheduling)
Type of program
Length of program
Friendly and attentive staff
Online degree options
Externship, or on-the-job experience
Lack of general education requirements
Quality of faculty
Among the study participants the main guiding factor for choosing a for-profit college
was to support a family and provide a better life for them, or to be a positive role model
for children.
Experience of an admissions staff member. By virtue of the position, admissions
personnel have access to information on student motivation and rationale for choosing a
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for-profit college. In her work with enrolling students, and getting to know them, Sue
noted there were many reasons why students chose for-profit education:
Some students were not able to enroll at a community college or university. Either their grades were not good or they were not able to score high enough on placement tests. So they came to us. Most of our students were older and did not have a job, or maybe had an underpaying job, and wanted to get a fresh start in a new career. We had a lot of single parents and female students who needed the additional income a degree would bring - in order to support a family. I had students tell me they enrolled because they wanted something with a career focus, or that our programs were short and would get them into a job quickly. A few came in the door because we were the closer than other colleges, or they saw an ad on TV. But I think if I had to nail down a couple of the main reasons students enrolled, it would be that they wanted to do it for their families or themselves and to earn a better living. It’s really as simple as that.
Review of institutional websites. Information on the factors influencing a
student’s decision to attend a particular for-profit institution generally cannot be found on
the company website; however, marketing and promotional strategies are significant in
creating a desire to request additional information about the college, or to actually enroll
in a program of study. Three websites of for-profit colleges - University of Phoenix,
Walden University, and Midwest Technical Institute – all used similar marketing
strategies. The landing pages on the Walden University and MTI websites featured
women or minorities, and the University of Phoenix website featured a popular African
American football player from the National Football League. The purpose of these
images was to appeal to specific populations of students. Information about the career-
focused programs at each institution, the benefits of attending, and testimonials from
former students, were communicated to potential enrollees through various forms of
interactive multimedia. Access to forms to request information, or to enroll, were readily
available.
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Insights provided by the participants on the choice of a for-profit college helped
to clarify their motivation to attend. Participants reported not knowing what a for-profit
college was, and data indicated that participants were generally unaware that the college
they were attending was a for-profit institution. The motivation to attend a for-profit
college was largely based on several factors; proximity and convenience, recruitment
efforts of the college, availability of a program of study, length of program, interaction
with staff and faculty, online course options, and appeal to the nontraditional student.
Recruitment efforts, location and close proximity, and length of program emerged as the
main factors driving the motivation to enroll at a for-profit college; participants indicated
that convenience and the ability to obtain a degree quickly played a significant role in
their college choice. These motivating factors influencing the choice to attend a for-
profit college were affirmed by information derived from the experience of an admissions
representative. It was evident, upon review the websites of several for-profit college
websites, that the career-focused training and degree programs were targeted at specific
student populations. The high level of customer service provided, and interactions with
staff and faculty, also made a positive impression on most of the participants in this
study, both pre- and post-enrollment, and was a compelling factor in both choice and
motivation to attend.
Evaluation of Findings
A strong relationship exists between student satisfaction and the intent to persist;
effectiveness of institutional services and students’ experience are strong predictors of
student satisfaction (Edens, 2012; Smith, 2015). This study uncovered five main themes
derived from lived experiences shared by eleven undergraduate students who attend, or
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have attended, for-profit colleges: High level of customer service, positive interaction
with teachers and peers, cost of attending a for-profit college, perceived value of a for-
profit education, and motivation and choice. Awareness of the influence of these factors
on student retention and persistence requires knowledge of students’ lived experiences as
they progress to the completion of a degree. Data from all eleven participants constituted
the five themes making up the composite description of the students’ lived experience at
for-profit colleges. These themes correlated with several existing studies on for-profit
education.
Customer service as student service. Student support services at for-profit
colleges have been compared to customer service functions in the business environment
(Bailey, Badway, & Gumport, 2012; Deming et al., 2012; Dundon, 2015; Hagelskamp et
suggested that for-profit colleges target vulnerable populations such as low-income,
female, and minority students. The majority of study participants would fall into one of
those categories. Kirkham (2011) argued that minority and low-income students are
strategically targeted by marketing campaigns and recruitment efforts of for-profit
schools; advertisements on television and in print often feature female, black, or Hispanic
students, and will often include a testimonial or image of a minority or female student
achieving a degree or employment. This was observed on the company webpages
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PRE-ENROLLMENT
Interaction with institutional marketing materials and electronic resources
Interaction with recruiters and student affairs staff
For-profit business model: Marketing and recruiting
Institutional website, print materials, and efforts of recruiters focus on quality career-
based programs, knowledgeable faculty, friendly and caring staff, convenience and
flexibility.
ENTRY
Friendly, personalized attention from student affairs staff
Hands-on approach during enrollment and onboarding
Communication in various formatsInstitutional integration
For-profit business model: Sales and presentation; customer serviceIdentification of, and rationalization for,
personal and professional needs and wants of students by student affairs staff; to sell
products and services.
ACADEMICS
Intrusive advisingMultiple points of contact by faculty and
staff to increase engagementSocial integration activities
Academic integrationInstitutional integration
Increased social, career, and academic support
For-profit business model: Customer service and career development
Expanded customer service role for faculty; career focused curriculum and activities;
continued institutional integration activities to increase engagement.
COMPLETION
Extensive interactions with career services staff
Continued interactions with facultyCommunication with completers and alumni
Individualized career assistance and job placement
For-profit business model:Closing the sale and follow-up
Graduation indicates the closing of a successful sale; expanded customer service
role for career services staff; successful placement and gainful employment benefits
the school and enhances future marketing and recruitment efforts.
Interaction
Figure 1. A model of persistence that incorporates the persistence models of Tinto (1975, 1993), Rovai (2003); faculty, institution, and student interaction models of Astin (1983) and Pascarella and Terenzini (1976, 1979); for-profit student affairs principles described by Kinser (2006b); and research on the for-profit business model that aligns customer service with the mission of student services work (Bailey et al., 2003; Deming et al., 2013; Kelly, 2001).
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consulted for this study. However, Morial (2011) asserted that for-profit institutions give
minority, low-income, and nontraditional students an opportunity they would not have
otherwise. The narratives of the study participants indicated that marketing efforts via
websites and print materials were helpful, but it was the interaction with recruiters that
resulted in an eventual enrollment at a for-profit institution. The marketing and recruiting
strategies of the for-profit business model can be derived from the participant
descriptions and the experience of the admissions staff member, who was also a recruiter.
The information found on institutional websites, advertising and print materials, and the
efforts of college recruiters, were focused on the quality of the career-based programs,
knowledgeable faculty, friendly and caring staff, and the convenience and flexibility of a
for-profit education.
Entry. Upon entry at a for-profit college, student affairs staff and in some cases,
administrators, begin intensive interactions with students who are identified as customers
and who receive support from all organizational constituents (Kelly, 2001; Kinser,
2006b). As a student moves through the enrollment and onboarding process, they are
treated to a high level of customer service from friendly and caring staff members. This
was evident from the narratives of the study participants and the experience of the
admissions staff member. Personalized attention, hands-on assistance, and frequent
communication from various staff members were all noted as having a positive influence
on the student experience and overall initial satisfaction with the college. It was noted in
several studies (in particular, Dundon, 2015, Schade, 2014) that for-profit colleges place
a heavy emphasis on enrolling large numbers of student-customers, and the admissions
staff member likened the enrollment process at a for-profit college to the sales
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department at a car dealership. Therefore, an inference could be made that the mission of
the student affairs function aligns with a for-profit business module that focuses on sales
of a product (academic program) to the customer (student) with a high degree of
customer service from staff members.
Academics. Once students complete the enrollment process, they enter the
academic stage of the student lifecycle. During this time, interaction with student affairs
staff continues; however, the interaction with faculty, advisors, and the institution take
precedence as a driver of retention. The descriptions provided by the study participants
indicated that interaction with faculty members had a considerable influence on
satisfaction with the college experience and achievement in a program of study. The
majority of participants also noted that opportunities to participate in college events and
out of class activities, even if for career-related purposes (Kinser, 2006b), were important
to their academic success. Advisors were readily available for support, and faculty
members provided assistance that went beyond instruction. Tinto (1975, 1993) suggested
that social and academic integration was essential in student retention, and research by
Astin (1983) and Pascarella and Terenzini (1976, 1979) indicated that student interaction
with faculty and the institution would increase the likelihood that students would be
satisfied and engaged with the college experience. In his research, Edens (2012)
suggested that engagement was directly related to persistence. The for-profit business
model follows with the idea of interaction by providing a heightened level of customer
service from faculty, staff, and administration, and hosting multiple opportunities for
students to participate in celebrations, career-related activities, out of class experiences,
and college events, to enable both social and institutional integration.
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Completion. As students near graduation, and then afterwards, the career
services function of student affairs becomes more prominent. During this stage, students
have extensive interaction with the career services personnel to receive career-based
assistance, training, and support to enable alumni to locate gainful employment.
Although students still have some interaction with faculty, it is less pronounced, and most
interaction and communication comes from the career services office. Study participants
who are alumni of for-profit institutions reported that the career support function was the
least effective customer service at an institution; the level of support was not satisfactory
because most could not find work related to their academic credential. Additionally,
some of these alumni believed an institution were ignoring them because they were
finished with their program. This supports research by Hagelskamp et al. (2014) which
indicated similar findings among alumni of for-profit colleges. In the for-profit business
model, completion might be associated with closing a successful sale. There may be
points of contact with alumni, in some cases, to foster the payment of student loan debt
and prevent default on loans. In reality, a for-profit college no longer benefits from
staying in contact with alumni because the revenue from federal aid has ceased.
The model of persistence as it relates to interaction with the institution and its
constituents is presented as a synthesis of prior research on persistence and interaction,
and a merging of the composite descriptions of the lived experiences of students at for-
profit colleges. The model presents a pathway by which student affairs personnel and
higher education administrators at colleges and universities, and for-profit institutions in
particular, can increase retention and persistence by fostering interactions between
students, the institution, faculty, and staff. More research is needed, from either a
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qualitative or quantitative perspective, to determine the impact of these interactions at
for-profit institutions.
Limitations
There were several limitations that could affect the findings of this study. The
first limitation was the researcher’s personal experiences and presumptions. The
researcher was previously a higher education administrator at a for-profit institution and
has experience working and interacting with students in the sector. Presuppositions and
prejudgments were excluded using the transcendental phenomenology approach (epoché)
as described in Moustakas (1994), and the risk was addressed using a personal log to
identify potential issues as the study progressed. Additionally, the researcher did not
review and identify themes from existing literature while coding and transcribing
participant narratives on experiences at for-profit colleges or the motivation to select
these institutions.
The sample size was another limitation for this study. The researcher contacted
three local for-profit institutions, and two national companies, for permission to obtain
student input for this study, but with no result. The sample size consisted of eleven
participants, ten of whom were female and one of whom was male. Creswell (2008)
suggested that the sample size for qualitative, phenomenological research range from
three to ten participants. A larger sample size would have yielded additional data that
would have provided a richer, more comprehensive understanding of the phenomena.
Further, the inclusion of the experiences from additional male participants might have
provided meaningful data related to yet undiscovered themes or invariants. Lastly, the
study sample included only nontraditional students as defined by NCES (2015) and
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Pelletier (2010). The experiences and perspectives of traditional students would have
been an additional data source in forming the composite experience of for-profit college
students.
A third limitation of the study was related to study design issues. Most of the
participant interviews were conducted by telephone or Skype. The digital recordings
could have resulted in misunderstanding or misinterpretation of meaning, which may be a
limitation. Although participants were provided instructions prior to the interview and an
interview guide was utilized, there may have been uncertainty about the information as
well. Assurance of the accuracy of participant statements was in place; however, during
coding and transcribing, several parts of the narratives contained personally identifiable
information about several participants. To protect the anonymity of the study
participants, pseudonyms were assigned and any personal information that would have
identified a specific participant was removed during transcription.
Despite the possible limitations, the results fulfill the purpose of this study. The
resulting themes, or invariant elements, provided a better understanding of the lived
experiences of students attending for-profit colleges; the reasons they persist and the
rationale for attending these institutions. The study adds to current literature on the for-
profit sector by providing a phenomenological approach which has not been used
extensively in existing literature. The significance of this study is that the information
may be used by student affairs staff, higher education administrators, scholars, and other
institutional constituents at for-profit and public colleges to develop an understanding
about the motivation to choose a for-profit institution and the factors that influence
retention and persistence, and to better inform the student affairs practice.
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Recommendations Based on the Findings
In addition to supporting the purpose of this study, the findings identified themes
that are essential to the work of student affairs personnel and administrators in higher
education. The results of the study and the recommendations described below have
applications to student affairs, teaching, and higher education administration work, and
would be beneficial to staff members, faculty, and administrators, particularly those
working with students at for-profit institutions. Recommendations of the study are based
on the descriptions of for-profit college students and their lived experiences while
attending a for-profit institution, as well as descriptions of students’ motivation to choose
a for-profit college. Retention and persistence of college students has received much
scholarly focus, and the motivation and rationale for choosing a for-profit college has
been addressed in the literature (e.g., Chung 2012; Iloh & Tierney, 2014). Prior to this
study, there were few studies existing in the literature that endeavored to develop an
understanding of the student experience at for-profit colleges from a qualitative,
phenomenological perspective.
The data derived from this study has practical applications for institutional staff
members who provide support and services for students during their time with the
institution. Personnel who work in admissions or enrollment are usually the initial point
of contact for new students enrolling at for-profit institutions, and in conjunction with
financial aid counselors, are critical resources in helping students navigate the enrollment
and financial aid processes. Knowledge of the lived experiences of for-profit college
students, and their challenges and needs, can greatly inform the work of those involved
with matriculation. Making connections with students as early as possible in their
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academic career helps to build rapport, fosters engagement, and enhances satisfaction
with the educational experience. Student advisors can utilize the lived experiences of for-
profit students, and their motivation for enrolling in a program, to develop an academic
plan that will not only help students be successful, but create interest and engagement in
the institution itself – factors that increase retention and persistence. Positive interactions
between students and advisors, in which advisors actively listen, answer questions,
address concerns, and demonstrate a caring attitude, will result in an increased level of
trust and influence achievement and retention. Students who have a satisfactory
experience with student-customer support services are more likely to communicate the
positive aspects of the institution. From a business perspective, satisfied student-
customers will speak positively about the quality of the services, and are more likely to
be retained as a customer and communicate to others about the institution (Schneider,
White, & Paul, 1998). The for-profit model emphasizes product development,
community relations, and customer satisfaction (Tierney, 2011).
The interaction with faculty members was a significant influence on the study
participants, therefore this study is also relevant to those teaching in postsecondary
education. Academic engagement is increased with instructor availability, and faculty
members can be a valuable resource in assisting students in identifying and using
resources to support student success; in fact, the instructional experience is a critical
element influencing student retention. The results of this study indicated that for-profit
college students rely on faculty, staff, and the institution for guidance and assistance.
The narratives from the study participants support these studies; support services
personnel, faculty, and institutional programs were mentioned as instrumental in enabling
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participant achievement and success. As a student transitions from enrollment to an
academic program, faculty members become key players in retention and persistence
efforts. Not only are faculty responsible for instruction and advising, but act as
counselors and mentors as well. The interactions with faculty and access to academic
support networks are important in retaining students (Astin, 1984; Pascarella &
Terenzini, 2005; Tinto, 1994). Higher education institutions that provide opportunities
for in-class and out-of-class interactions between students and faculty will benefit from
increased retention and persistence.
Recommendations for Future Research
Phenomenological research that examines the lived experiences of the participants
is of value, therefore it is recommended that additional qualitative studies be undertaken
with larger sample sizes. Although Creswell (2011) recommended a sample size of ten
participants for qualitative studies, a deeper understanding of the phenomena could be
derived from the richer data obtained from a larger sample. The results of this study were
derived from a largely female perspective; consequently, there is a necessity for a study
that equalizes the input about the for-profit experience based on gender. This might
provide additional themes or invariant elements yet to be discovered. Further research
could include phenomenological studies that specifically focus on the influence of for-
profit faculty, staff, administration, or the institution on student retention and persistence.
Additionally, the role of faculty members at for-profit institutions, from a
phenomenological perspective, is relatively absent in the literature. The rationale and
motivation to attend a for-profit institution is addressed mainly from a quantitative
perspective, and additional studies from qualitative perspective would add to the existing
137
research in the literature. Researchers could utilize an alternative data design to generate
different themes and invariant elements.
Conclusions
The findings from this study support the overall purpose, which was to develop an
understanding of the student experience at for-profit institutions, and the motivation for
choosing to attend these schools. The study participants identified five themes or
invariant elements that made up the composite description of the students’ lived
experiences while attending a for-profit college. Conclusions were drawn and found to
be in alignment with prior and current literature on student interaction with staff, faculty,
administration, and the institution, as well as research on for-profit college choice.
There were three potential limitations of this study, including: 1) researcher
personal experiences and presumptions; 2) small sample size of eleven participants, of
which all but one was female, resulting in a lack of a male perspective; and 3) study
design issue in which most of the interviews were conducted by telephone or Skype and
could have contributed to misunderstanding and misinterpretation. Recommendations
are provided for application to student-customer services functions at for-profit
institutions, and to inform the work of student affairs personnel, administration, and
faculty members at for-profit schools. In addition, there are scholarly applications for
students enrolled in higher education programs and those who are interested in issues
within the for-profit sector. Future qualitative research is needed to focus on specific
areas of for-profit education, including the role faculty, staff, administration, and the
institution, as it relates to retention and persistence. Different themes or invariant
138
elements might be derived from an alternative data design in which interviews are
conducted in various formats, such as face-to-face.
This phenomenological study of the lived experiences of students attending for-
profit institutions and their motivation to enroll and persistence in a program of study, has
filled a gap in the literature by providing a deeper understanding of the phenomena
through rich data based on student narratives. Much quantitative work has been done on
the for-profit sector with regard to the economic and financial impacts on students;
however, limited qualitative research exists on the experience of students who choose to
attend for-profit institutions. The narratives of study participants give for-profit students
a voice in the literature, and identified themes which may have practical applications for
student affairs personnel, faculty members, and administrators at for-profit, public, and
private colleges and universities.
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Astin, A.W. (1977). What matters most in college: Four critical years. San Francisco:
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Behrman, J. R., Kletzer, L. G., McPherson, M. S., & Schapiro, M. O. (1992). The college
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APPENDIX A
Student Interview Guide
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Background Information
Please tell me something of your background – about your family and where you grew
up.
Where did you go to high school?
How would you describe yourself as a high school student?
Did you graduate?
Did you go to college immediately following high school? If not, what were the reasons?
College Choice
Note: Probing questions used at the end of an answer to clarify and provide more detail.
What schools did you apply to when you decided to go to college? Why?
Could you please tell me about your decision to enroll in this college?
What program are you in? When did you start college here?
How far from school do you live?
Did you know this is a “for-profit” college?
Does that mean anything to you?
For-Profit College Experience and Satisfaction
Note: Probing questions may be used at the end of a participant’s answer to elicit
clarification and additional detail.
What are the best things about this college?
What things about this college would you change if you could?
Do you/did you ever feel pressured with enrolling, or in applying for financial aid?
Are you happy with the services offered at the college? Explain.
Are you happy with the education you received from the college? Explain.
157
Do you/did you know how much it costs (tuition) to attend the college?
Do you/ did you take out student loans to pay for your education?
Do you/ did you worry about being able to afford your loan payments?
Did the college help you to get, or advance, in a job?
Has your college experience met your expectations? Explain.
Is there anything else you want to tell me about your experience with this college?
Overall, are you satisfied with your experience at this college? Why/why not?
Would you enroll at this college again, or recommend it to others?
APPENDIX B
Faculty / Staff Interview Guide
158
1. Please relate your perspective on the role of student (customer) service at your college. (Staff)
2. Tell me about your interaction with students as a teacher (or staff member) at your college.
3. Please relate your experience providing information about the cost of attendance or student aid. (Staff)
4. What is your perspective of the value of a for-profit education?5. In your work with students, what motivates them to enroll and attend your
institution?
APPENDIX C
Informed Consent Form
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Type of Research: You are invited to be part of the study, Giving Students a Voice: A Phenomenological Study of Student Experience at For-Profit Colleges, conducted by Sherry A. Phelan, a doctoral candidate in the Higher Education and Organizational Change (HEOC) program at Benedictine University.
Purpose: The purpose of this study is to explore the reasons why students choose for-profit colleges, and to describe the personal experiences of these students during their enrollment. I seek to address the following research questions: 1) What motivates students to attend a for-profit institution? 2) What are the students’ experiences in for-profit education once enrolled? 3) What are the students’ perspectives of the role of customer (student) service functions at the institution?
Procedures: Your participation in this study is strictly voluntary and you can withdraw from it at any time with no penalty to you. You will be asked to respond to a series of questions about your experiences at a for-profit college. These questions will include topics of college choice, your experience during your enrollment at the school, and your overall satisfaction with the school. Follow-up interviews may be requested depending on the research needs and purposes. The interview will be audio- or video-recorded (pending your consent) and transcribed. The transcription of the interview will be presented to you for verification of accuracy.
Risks: The study does not have any known or potential risks. You are invited to participate in an individual interview, which will last approximately two hours by telephone, web conference (such as Skype), web-based questionnaire, or at a location convenient to both you and the researcher.
Benefits: It is expected that results of this study will uncover new understandings of the experiences of students attending for-profit colleges, and the reasons they chose these colleges. Given that there are few qualitative studies in the for-profit college setting, this will add to understanding of student choice and satisfaction.
Data Collection and Storage: All files pertaining to your interview will be stored electronically on a password-protected computer on a secure server. For confidentiality purposes, the interview transcripts and all files pertaining to your participation in this study will be stored for one year and destroyed afterwards if no longer needed. Your actual name will be known only to the principal researcher (me). The interview will be given a secure code and a pseudonym will be assigned to your name to keep all the information fully confidential. Excerpts from the interview may be included in the final dissertation report or other later publications. However, under no circumstances will your name or identifying characteristics appear in these writings. If, at a subsequent date, biographical data were relevant to a publication, a separate release form would be sent to you.
Contact Information: This study is being conducted in part to fulfill requirements for my Ed.D. degree in HEOC at the graduate school of Benedictine University in Lisle, IL. This study has been approved by the Institutional Review Board of Benedictine
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University. The Chair of the IRB is Dr. Alandra Weller-Clarke, who can be contacted at [email protected] or by phone at 603-829-6295. If you have questions regarding this study, please feel free to contact me at [email protected] or 417-763-0344. You can also contact my dissertation advisor Dr. Jamal Scott at [email protected]. Consent Statement: I have read and understand the study described above. I am 18 years of age or older and freely consent to participate. I understand that I am free to withdraw from the study at any time. A copy of this consent form will be provided to me.
Please acknowledge with your signatures below your consent to participate in this study and to record your interview.
Note: These questions will be provided via an electronic survey tool, such as Survey Monkey or Google Forms, prior to the in-depth interview.
1. Gender a. Femaleb. Male
2. Agea. 18 and underb. 19 to 24c. 25 to 34d. 35 to 44e. 45 and over
3. Ethnicity/Racea. Alaskan Nativeb. American Indianc. Asiand. Black/African Americane. Hispanic or Latinof. Caucasian/Whiteg. Multi-racialh. Other
4. Current course loada. Full-timeb. Part-timec. Graduate
5. Class level (years at this school)a. 1 or lessb. 2c. 3d. 4 or more
6. Current educational goala. Diploma/certificateb. Associate’s degreec. Bachelor’s degreed. I have received my degree (what degree did you receive?________________)e. Other
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7. Employmenta. Full-time b. Part-time c. Not employed
8. (If graduate) Are you working in a career field you received your degree in?a. Yesb. No
9. Current residence:a. Rent home or apartmentb. Parent’s homec. Own housed. Other
10. Do you plan to transfer to another institution? (Or, if a graduate: Are you pursing another degree?)
a. Yesb. No
10. My primary source for paying my tuition and fees is/wasa. Scholarshipsb. Financial aidc. Family contributionsd. Self-supporte. Other
APPENDIX E
Invitation Letter / Email Text
Dear ___,
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My name is Sherry Phelan. I am a doctoral candidate in the College of Education Department at the Benedictine University. I am conducting a research study as part of the requirements of my Ed.D. degree, and I would like to invite you to participate.
I am studying the experience of students who are, or have, attended a for-profit college. If you decide to participate, you will be asked about your experiences while attending college. In particular, you will be asked questions about the reasons you attended this college, what you experienced when you were enrolled there, and your feelings about the education you received.
If you are local, we can meet face-to-face at a convenient location for a meeting lasting about two hours. We can also do a phone interview or web conference using Skype, and either of these would last about two hours. If these options are not convenient for you, you will be able to complete an online questionnaire.
Face-to-face, phone, and web conference interviews will be recorded or video-taped so that I can accurately record and reflect on what is discussed. The recordings will only be reviewed by me and I will transcribe and analyze them. They will then be destroyed at the conclusion of the study. You do not have to answer any questions that you do not wish to. Although you probably won’t benefit directly from participating in this study, your experience will be used to improve student services at other colleges and universities.
Participation is confidential. Your actual name will be known only to me. The interview will be given a secure code, and a pseudonym will be assigned to your name to keep all the information fully confidential. Study information will be kept on a secured, password-protected computer drive. The results of the study may be published or presented at professional meetings, but your identity will not be revealed.
If you are chosen to participate in this study, you will receive a $20 Amazon e-gift card for your time and full participation in the interview.
Taking part in the study is your decision. You do not have to participate in this study if you do not want to. You may also withdraw from the study at any time or decide not to answer any question you are not comfortable answering.
We will be happy to answer any questions you have about the study. You may contact me at [email protected] or 417-763-0344, or my study advisor, Dr. Jamal Scott, at [email protected] if you have study related questions or problems.
If you have any questions about your rights as a research participant, you may contact the Institutional Research Board at Benedictine University at [email protected] or 630-829-6295.
Thank you for your consideration. If you are interested in participating in this study, please reply to this email for further instructions.
Best regards,
Sherry A. Phelan2088 W. Richwood Rd.Ozark, Missouri [email protected]