The Foreign Service Journal, June 2010

64 F O R E I G N S E R V I C E J O U R N A L / J U N E 2 0 1 0 S CHOOLS S UPPLEMENT stitute of Technology and Carne- gie Mellon University. But it is the private, for-profit insti- tutions that have been the most enthusiastic leaders in the world of online education. The big brand names in the field include the Univer- sity of Phoenix, Strayer University and Capella University. “My advice is to go with a nonprof- it first, with a well-known name if you can, something like the University of Maryland University College or Penn State,” says Frank Mayadas, an advis- er at the Alfred P. Sloan Foundation and founding president of the Sloan Consortium (a nonprofit organization specializing in online education re- search). “In education, academic reputa- tion built over time matters,” he says. This is particularly true when it comes to higher degrees, such as master’s degrees or doctorates. That is not to say that for-profit institutions are not a viable alternative, Mayadas adds. For many, they may be the best choice because they offer such a wide range of undergraduate programs. Most for-profit institutions are public companies and they answer to stockholders, so they have an incen- tive to keep growing and expand their programs. Those who screen professional development grant applications at the Family Liaison Office note that for- profits are among the most common choices for Foreign Service family members — especially the University of Phoenix and American Military University (which is also very popular with Marines posted to embassies; see p. 70). It is important to be aware of the criticisms of for-profit institutions, however. One Foreign Service spouse who teaches for a for-profit institution (and therefore does not wish to be quoted by name) points out that such schools may focus more on student satisfaction than on the quali- ty of what the students are learning: “Instructors are even specifically en- couraged to lower their expectations and inflate their grades. These insti- tutions hire and fire based entirely on student feedback.” While that Private, for-profit institutions have been the most enthusiastic leaders in the world of online education.