Double Standards
This month, the career college sector of higher education will again be the focus of
a slanted Senate hearing, this time with emphasis being placed on marketing and
recruitment practices. Our colleges are going to be scrutinized for the ways
they advertise and recruit students, even though we know that we are subjected
to far stricter rules and regulations than community colleges, and traditional
colleges and universities.
To highlight what has become a major double standard in higher education
recruitment, we've performed our own research to find advertisements in which
community colleges, four-year institutions or their related online programs
make statements that career colleges cannot. Below, you'll find links to banner
ads, web pages, and web content that:
- Uses promissory language
- Makes bold statements or use slogans that can't possibly
be proven - Addresses potential pay
- Uses statements about financial aid as an incentive for
enrollment
If you'd like to forward some examples, please send your information to Editor Kevin
Kuzma at kevink@careercollegecentral.com.
Traditional Universities
“… will assure you a high starting salary at graduation.”
“Arkansas State University is a first class academic
institution”"World class faculty"
Touts affordability.
“That’s where the Butler
experience will put you a step ahead.”"State-of-the art" in main content
"We are the largest, the most diverse, and one of the most affordable university systems in the country"
“With the state’s top-ranked business college, CSU is dedicated to serving communities across Colorado.”
“The undergraduate program combines state-of-the-art university resources …”
"Technology is integrated into the coursework so students are provided cutting-edge instructional techniques that make them attractive recruits for public and private industries."
Lists potential salaries for each major beneath Bachelor of communication and media studies.
"the most student-centered university in the nation"
“Graduates of our programs pursue doctoral degrees in top universities”
“This photo, taken in the Des Moines Airport, is one of the College’s current marketing tools. Pictured are two wind turbines in a corn field, wind turbines that in reality do not exist.”
"State-of-the-art facilities" and "a Hofstra graduate education will provide you with the foundation you need to reach your highest personal and professional aspirations."
“Whatever the dream, Hofstra University can help you get there. Located just 25 miles from New York City, Hofstra offers a world of opportunity that will help you reach your goals. Intern at one of the nation’s top companies. Learn from an outstanding faculty. Explore our extensive academic resources. Experience our state-of-the-art teaching facilities. Choose from 140 undergraduate programs. And meet other students with dreams as big as yours.”
"A degree means a rewarding career and a higher salary. ... To have more fulfilling work, gain a promotion, or to earn a higher salary you need a degree or a higher degree. The best thing you can do for your career advancement, job security, and for salary increases is to earn a degree or a higher degree. ... qualified people are often passed over for promotions and salary increases because they don’t have a degree. Success and earning power are a matter of degrees. ... You can make more money, get a promotion or a better job. For a better life, enroll online now."
"With a quality education, you can get higher pay ... Educational programs developed to get in the job market right away ... With student financial aid, you can afford to go to college ... Our reputation as a leader in education gives you an advantage in the job market"
"Modern and attractive facilities such as the state-of-the-art Derby Center for Science and Mathematics."
"New state-of-the-art business classrooms ..."
The “leading institution for contemplative education”
"Earn your Bachelors in Fine Arts in less than 36 months during the best hands-on film program in the world."
“Hosting theatre productions at the state of the art Tom Bevill Lyceum”
"Celebrating over 125 years of innovation, Philadelphia University is developing the model for professional university education in the 21st century."
"The Career Services Center is proud to announce that nearly 90% of graduates gain employment or acceptance into graduate school within months of graduation."
“Pioneered online learning”
"state-of-the-art hardware"
“Transform your life”
"The natural setting gives students a place to enjoy their surroundings while receiving a high quality education in a state-of-the-art facility."
“The University of Nebraska-Lincoln is a leader in academic excellence, offering world-class opportunities to extend your interests with 150 majors and 285 programs of study.” “You'd be hard-pressed to find a major university with a stronger sense of community, a more feverish school spirit, or deeper commitment to involvement than Nebraska, where you can choose from 400 student organizations.”
"You're hired, guaranteed!"
"World-class educational and research programs"
"UC Berkeley is truly a prototype of a contemporary university. One of the world's leading academic institutions, it attracts the best and brightest applicants, generates an ethnically and culturally diverse student population and provides one of the finest undergraduate learning experiences available."
"The University of Central Florida is one of the most dynamic universities in the country."
"Mizzou is an exceptional place, a university where you’ll find more majors, more talented and dedicated teachers and more top-notch facilities."
"The MBA that Pays"
"The most productive faculty members may be found at USI."
“The only forensics lab of its kind”
"Often considered to have the best constitutional law faculty in the United States, The University of Texas School of Law presents unparalleled opportunities for work on the whole range of issues that fall under constitutional law ..."
Located in one of the most dynamic cities in the U.S.
Advertises the university as a “best value”
"As a comprehensive, doctoral-degree-granting institution, The University of Tulsa provides undergraduate, graduate, and professional education of the highest quality in the arts, humanities, sciences, business, education, engineering, law, nursing, and applied health sciences."
"Vedanta University will be one of the biggest universities in the world. But our vision is even bigger."
"Make $38,000 more annually than you could without a degree."
“Western Michigan University will help you meet your goals.”
Community Colleges
“The best Technology labs in the South”
“All this with the lowest tuition rates in Maine!”
"Want to earn more than $30/hour without a 4-year degree? GCC's Radiation Therapist and Nuclear Medicine Technologist programs prepare students for high-paying, fast-growing careers."
“ …every student who graduates from high school in the ICC district will have two years of college that is tuition free.”
"Our graduates are consistently among the most academically successful of those students earning bachelor’s degrees." "The Leesburg Campus has constructed a state-of-the-art Center for Teaching and Learning …"
"Every bit of education you get after high school increases the chances you'll earn good pay. … The more education you get the more likely it is you will always have a job. … Today most good jobs require more than a high school diploma. … Education beyond high school gives you a lot of other benefits, including…experiencing success."
"Looking for the best place to start your college career? Then look no further than Lorain County Community College."
“Unparalleled” and “amazing value”
“Our affordable tuition, teaching-focused faculty, and state-of-the-art facilities make us the #1 Choice in higher education.”
“Begin a new job within two years”
“Teaching with cutting edge technology.”
Pay for TCC classes with a Federal Pell Grant.




