Chapter 8

For Profit vs. Not-for-Profit Schools (Chapter

For profit schools and not-for-profit schools differ in their goals, their finances, and the populations they tend to serve. Both types of schools, however, can have legitimate accreditation and offer state, federal, and institutional financial aid.

For profit schools exist to make a profit. Backed by investors, one of their main goals is to see steady financial growth. Few for profit schools have traditional campuses, or even own the space they use. Not all profits are put back into the school, its facilities, or into extracurricular groups. Although instructors may be qualified, they are not required to conduct research, publish their findings, or create their own lesson plans. For profit schools tend to be more flexible, catering to lower-income communities and first generation college students.

Not-for-profit schools are designed to re-invest their profits into the school, the campus and facilities, and into extracurricular groups like athletic teams and bands. These schools tend to hold regional accreditation, are more familiar to the public, and provide a more traditional college experience.

Attending a for profit college, especially for an online master’s degree, is not always a bad idea. Because they are more flexible, pursuing a postgraduate degree can be easier to achieve. That said, not all for profit colleges and universities have accreditation and depending on the field in which you want to work, you may need to attend a program that does.