Profit Education for Black American Students

Abstract

This study examined the insertion of black American students, especially those of low socioeconomic status, in for-profit schools. The study used two theoretical categories, credentialism and cultural capital, in order to analyze the factors that influence the enrollment of students in the for-profit sector of higher education. The sample consisted of 20 students from 10 educational institutions in southern California, USA. Four main themes were captured: convenience, lack of cultural capital, credentialism and student satisfaction with the institution. The results of this study showed that most of these students were dissatisfied with their experiences in for-profit schools. Among the reasons for dissatisfaction were issues related to the lack of effective training to enable students to enter the job market, lack of confidence in the practice of their profession, the high cost of tuition that leads to large debts after graduation and feelings of loss of time and money. The study's recommendations include: (a) the need to enable students to have more knowledge about for-profit schools and different educational paths; and (b) the need for insertion and inspection of the state in schools for profit, in order to offer excellence in teaching.