When for-profit colleges deceive students

For-profit colleges provide degree-earning opportunities to many who might not otherwise be able to pursue higher education. But as countless lawsuits suggest, some of these institutions engage in deceptive and illegal practices. Recently, the FTC put 70 for-profit schools on notice that they could incur costly sanctions for making false career and salary claims about their graduates. To avoid these schools, be wary of any that are unaccredited, request high enrollment fees, use high-pressure sales tactics or encourage you to lie on financial aid forms. If you think you’ve been victimized, visit studentaid.gov/borrower-defense.