If your program isn’t in the College Scorecard, be mindful of data that comes directly from a school around things like job placement — especially if the numbers sound too good to be true. “There are numerous stories of schools that shade their statistics,” says Robert Shireman, director of higher education excellence and senior fellow at progressive, independent think tank The Century Foundation. Be extra vigilant if you’re returning to school to add skills due to the economic effects of the coronavirus. Shireman worries that for-profit schools will exploit the pandemic, becoming more aggressive with their marketing and lending.
“We see virus and unemployment, and they see dollar signs,” he says.
Ryan Lane is a staff writer at NerdWallet, a personal finance website.
The article ‘Shadow’ Lenders Can Leave College Students in the Dark originally appeared on NerdWallet.
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