Only One
If you had to choose one disclosure to present to a prospective student which one would it be? Why?
programmatic accreditation, if without it student can not obtain license or certification.
I agree that disclosing NCLEX pass rates is most important. This does not assure that said student will pass this exam but it is a good indicator of the programs success rate in meeting this objective. It also indicates that the program will adequately prepare students for meeting the demands of their new career when they finally do become employed.
I would choose employment rates. That's a students end result...is to find a career.
I think the employment rates are most valuable for a prospective student to know. I feel that students are willing to put in the hard work and sacrifices if they truly believe they have a chance for a better future.
Brian - one idea (if this is the biggest concern at your school) is to focus on student support and retention rates of students with trouble in the program. Some students interested in a program at your school might be leery of the academic commitments and prerequisites - your disclosure could include a focus on retention services or list some of the specific services offered by the school so that potential students know that they are in a program they expect to be in, without surprises.
Probably mentioned a few times: graduation rates. Knowing that for-profit colleges face pressures from operating with a profit as well as pressures from serving students, the graduation rate can demonstrate (1) the school serves the student with a quality program, (2) the student has something that can lead to a meaningful job and career after the hard work and sacrifices made during the program of study, and (3) a high standard of operational excellence that attracts students and helps secure profits. As long as the right disclosures accompany graduation rates, this is the best disclosure to present to a potential student.
I would disclose the truth about the workload and the expectations and present it in a way that would ensure that there would be no doubt as to the nature of the reality of it once they are entrenched in it. This will reduce complaints.
Completion rates. Completion rates demonstrates the work of the institution to ensure that students achieve their academic goals.
My institution is going through that process. One of its programs fell from 80% to 65%. We are in the process of reviewing the factors that affected the percent of pass rate (curriculum, teaching methods, changes in the exam, faculty, etc.)
employment rate is the most telling.
I would disclose the weekly scheduled days to the students. Many of our students are returning non-traditional applicants. I hear it so many times how they need to notify their employer of their school schedules. If they have this disclosure then they would know in advance to prepare for the worst and make adjustments in their everyday lives.
If I was only able to provide one disclosure it would be occupations relevant to specific programs. Here is why. In the grand scheme of things a prospective student originally inquires about programs because they are looking for an outcome oriented result. They invest time and money into schooling with hopes of a new career. Working backwards, I would want to make sure that the career they are looking to enter is exactly what they envisioned while originally looking to obtain information. The last thing anyone wants including school and prospect is for an individual to enter a program and realize part way through that this is NOT what they expected the program to be.
Attendance policy, because it is the most often affected by students. The attendance policy let's the student know that should they quit they will owe.
I know the question calls for one, but in the spirit of being fully transparent I believe ALL should be disclosed.
Employment rates because that can give them a good sense of possibilities
Employment is not guaranteed, because we have no power outside of our school to get the student a job. We cannot make them marketable to employers, we can only give them the education they need to apply for those jobs.
I would choose the background disclosure. It is critical that prospective students understand why certain programs may not be an option for them if they have a blemished background. This disclosure goes hand-in-hand with programmatic accrediting standards. This will allow students to decide if another program may be more suitable for them based on their personal situation.
I think completion rate is very telling. It demonstrates, for the most part, that students have a pretty good understanding of the requirements of the program and what it takes to successfully navigate through it. Placement (or Employment) rate, on the other hand, might not tell the whole story. There are several factors that can influence a student's ability to be placed.
All of my previous teaching experience has been in the university setting. If I had to choose one item to disclose to students, it would be the difficulty level of their program of study. So many students seem to feel entitled to a grade of B or higher simply because they have paid their tuition. They seem startled by the homework load and the other expectations which I set forth in my syllabus. I have had students who are shocked to discover that they actually have to read poetry and short stories in a literature class! They turn in mediocre work, yet expect excellent grades. Perhaps this is a personal gripe on my part, but it is something that I have noticed increasingly over the last sixteen years.
