The Maryland Know Before You Enroll campaign is a project of Economic Action Maryland. Learn more about our work to help consumers in Maryland by visiting our website.
Learn a trade – don't get played.
Are you interested in going back to college or entering a career training program? That's great! But there are lots of schools out there that might want to take advantage of you. Thanks for visiting our site to learn more and get prepared so you can know before you enroll!
I wouldn't go back to that school. I wouldn't send anybody. They basically set you up for failure and debt with no way out of it.
— Nicole A., a former for-profit school student
What's a for-profit school?
Great question. A for-profit school is an educational institution that is owned by share holders. Long story short, their goal is to make money, not to educate.
Learn more about for-profit schools »
How can I avoid a scam school?
Predatory for-profit schools make it their business to trick students into attending high-cost programs that don't lead to well-paying jobs. That's why we've created tip sheets to help you detect if a school you're considering is not working in your best interest.
Which schools are safe to attend?
There are a lot of schools out there – more than we can vet or even know about! But we've created a list of career training programs that are free or low-cost and can help you get trained without putting you into lots of student debt.
Our list of the good guys »
Learn from former for-profit school students
Hear the stories of students who have gone to for-profit schools and their advice for you if you're considering a change in career or a training program of any kind.
Did you attend a for-profit school? Tell us about it! We are collecting stories from students. YOUR voice can help our campaign reach more students and assist them in avoiding predatory schools. Click below to...