Fail State
Shebanow, A. (Director). (2018). Fail State [Film]. Gravitas Ventures.
Key Points: Fail State gave an eye-opening look at the history of for-profit colleges. The documentary exposed how often these for-profit colleges targeted lower-income students and veterans with GI Bill money. Admissions officers were taught how to build trust with the students, basically lie about financial aid and just get them to sign on the bottom line. Questions asked by students were often blown off as they were often told not to worry about it, or in the case of the veteran told lies about how he would have GI Bill money left over. For many students who didn't finish their education at a the for-profit school they started with, the students then found the credits were worthless and unable to transfer to local public colleges. If by chance a student did finish their degree they often found little support for career opportunities and at times found their degree to be held in lesser regard (such as the example of the criminal justice majors graduating and not finding themselves hirable at local police departments). Both examples of students racked up loads of debt with nothing to show for it.
I tried to do a little research into for-profit institutions when I was looking at schools for my graduate degree. I found it difficult to understand the difference between a non-profit and for-profit. I didn't even realize until this documentary that I was looking into some for-profit institutions. For profits put a lot of money into marketing and so they're good at hiding the truth about the quality of education a student will receive and if that education will be worth anything in the end. For profits often tout their accreditation, though are not real clear about being able to transfer credits if needed. And as I found out in the documentary, the accrediting bodies often rely on self-reporting my the institution. As usual, politics are involved which have made it more difficult to regulate the institutions. I was struck how both parties had a hand in the game. The shady politicians and money side of for-profit while praying on students who are most at need made me nauseous.
It is easy to lump all for-profits together. It makes me want to do more research on if they are all bad or if there are any redeeming qualities. Dr. Latz asked, "Remember, it’s a documentary—created to tug at you. Might there be anything redeeming about these institutions? We gotta at least ask the question." In thinking about this question, it does seem that for-profits—though in a dysfunctional way—make space for lower income students who may not have had the opportunity to be accepted at other state or private schools. Yet, while writing that, aren't most community colleges open access? Is it the ease of doing classes online or close to their home where a community college wasn't present that led these students to choose a for-profit college? Can non-profit institutions learn from for-profits in ways in building trust and relationships with students in order to show them the benefits of their colleges. However, with more pure motives and in a non-shady-practice type of way?
Dr. Latz also asked, "We have to think critically about this, though. In what ways do public institutions and non-profit private institutions also engage in some of these practices? Or adjacent practices." I feel like while the overall non-profit institutions do a decent job at listing the net price of college, I feel like they talk you in by saying, "don't be alarmed by the price. It's just the sticker price." And then they go on to say grants, scholarship and financial aid will cover it. I was shocked to find out that even student loans won't cover the entire education and that you then have to go find private loans. I never heard about that side coming from the colleges my son looked into. It leaves a lot of people scrambling when they realize even federal loans won't cover everything.
The Guardian (2018) summed this film up perfectly in it's subhead, "The new documentary Fail State, executive produced by Dan Rather, tells the 50-year tale of profit-driven colleges scamming society’s most vulnerable."
Nevins, J. (2018, November 9). 'Phenomenally saddening': inside the sordid world of America's for-profit colleges. The Guardian. https://www.theguardian.com/film/2018/nov/09/fail-state-documentary-for-profit-colleges?fbclid=IwAR2AjP5XtVzk-EjI3LraG4Cf085ytHv8vADbYfBBzVBXz8I-Ygj0ixIz3iU
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