Theoretical Framework
Introduction
Higher education institutions such as universities and colleges contribute significantly to the development of young people into responsible and successful individuals. In many countries, governments invest huge amounts of their national budget in education. This is because higher education is a sure way of preparing the nation’s youth to be future innovators, leaders, and the whole nation’s labor force. There are tertiary education institutions that are for profit organizations. These institutions offer education services, but also look to make profits from the services they offer. These colleges have well developed systems where they look to retain the best students to secure employment contracts for the most competent and bright individuals. These colleges’ main aim is to be a reputable institution that produces successful individuals into the labor market. These colleges play a major role in the education sector and the labor market. This is a theoretical framework that seeks to establish a basis with which to study the situation of higher education in USA. The focus will be majorly on the issues of success and student retention ant for profit institutions. The study will also involve focus on the role played by for profit academic institutions in promoting excellence and integrity in higher education.
Higher education
Higher education is highly emphasized in the 21st century, especially with the technological progress taking place. One would have to learn so many things such as using modern technology, laws and regulations, how to conduct personal business and even how to relate with other people. Currently, about 80 percent of the people between the age 17 and 24 have gone through an institution of higher education in USA. However, the retention rate of these people varies for various reasons such as expulsion, lack of fees and personal reasons. Some of the important topics in higher education include the success of the institution and the students it admits, student retention and the role of for profit colleges.
Almost about 70 percent of young high school graduates enroll in tertiary education institutions annually. The colleges and universities in the United States must find ways of encouraging and retraining their student populations to realize high degree completion rates. There are more students accessing college education currently than it was the case ten years ago. This is because of the reduction in the gap of various ethnic groups and races. There is also need to improve college persistence because of the changing global economic and social dynamics. The global competition has changed greatly since the past decades. Currently, the competition levels have moved up- and are still moving – the economic ladder. For individuals to be considered for productive jobs, they must have college education and specialized skills. This situation has led to the universities and colleges to consider considering solving the factors that affect student persistence. The need to increase student retention and persistence is important in ensuring that there are many people joining universities and completing their courses.
Causes of students dropping out of colleges
Students, especially in for profit colleges, join but do not complete their courses because of several reasons. Students do not complete their studies because of several four main reasons. Students can drop out because they lack fees for their studies. This is a common reason for most poor students because they do not afford. Students face financial problems all over the country. This is the reason the government has taken the initiative to cut down graduation fees and generally reduced tuition fees. This will hopefully increase student retention in colleges.
Another reason why students drop out of school is that they are expelled due to disciplinary issues. Students may at times take part in undesirable activities or break rules. This may lead to expulsions, which reduces the retention rate of students. Furthermore, students who lack persistence end up quitting because they cannot cope with the expected levels of discipline. Generally, student retention at for profit colleges trails that of not for profit organizations. This is because for profit colleges charge high school fees and operate on strict guidelines. This forces some of the students to drop out because they cannot keep up with the strict rules.
Success
It is debatable whether students at for profit colleges perform better than those at not for profit. Both types of institutions offer quality education to students. However, it is the degree of emphasis on education by for profit colleges that distinguishes between these two kinds of tertiary organizations. For profit colleges are institutions offering education services with the objective of making profits. Therefore, these institutions place a lot of importance on how students perform or behave. For profit colleges retain students who perform well and have discipline.
One disadvantage of for profit organization is that they are discriminatory n nature. Since students have to pay for education, these institutions set high fees for students hence; locking out the poor students. Furthermore, thee institutions do not focus on education. Their main objective is profits. This may tempt thee organization to tilt their objectives to be profit oriented rather than the delivery of quality education for students. However, for profit organizations have been very successful in producing well molded individuals into the labor market. This is because the management of these institutions wants their colleges to be recognized as centers of excellence. Therefore, they emphasize on admitting dedicated individuals whom they know are serious with their education.
Therefore, for profit colleges play an important role in the education sector. They are institutions that are dedicated to delivering quality education in exchange for profits. However, the main disadvantage is that these institutions are discriminatory in nature. They may also be too profit minded that they veer off their main objective of delivering quality education. A close comparison between for profit and not for profit colleges reveals a very small difference in success levels. However, for profit colleges are slightly more successful than not for profit colleges.
Role of for profit colleges
For profit colleges form a significant fraction of the total number of tertiary institutions. Their role is to promote excellence and mold young people into technically, mentally and morally upright people who will shape the future of the country. Their role is to instill discipline and knowledge in these people. These colleges are an alternative to those students who do not prefer public colleges.
Another role of the for profit colleges is to help improve the quality of tertiary education by offering competition to not for profit institutions. These institutions were introduced so as to provide diversified ways of acquiring education. These colleges also help in reducing congestion in public schools. If only not for profit colleges existed, there would be a lot of congestion hence; lowering the quality of education. With for profit colleges, students an now enjoy adequate resources in the institutions they learn.
Conclusion
Therefore, for profit colleges are a valuable asset of education where students come and learn to improve their future and that of the country. These institutions help in raising the quality of education and implementing government policies on education such as student retention. Student retention and success are some of the major concerns in the current world. This is because students and everyone else must have completed their college education to get jobs or survive anywhere. For profit colleges provide slightly more quality education than not for profit organizations. They also produce more successful students but have lower retention rates. The demerit of these colleges is that they are too expensive for the poor students and at times they focus more on profit than education.
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