The Masters Trap

[sanantone]

What makes a graduate program predatory?
The Master's Trap - by Anne Helen Petersen - Culture Study (substack.com)

The simple answer to the question "What makes a graduate program predatory?" is one who charges more than the student can expect to recoup as a result of finishing the program.  Most of the regulars on this board know more about college admissions, college costs, delivery methods, transfer credits than most university professors.  Most of us are working professionals.  What we know is not generally known by anyone. What we don't know we know how to find out.  We have heard all the stories, all the scams and scandals, degree mills, splitting hairs on transfer credits and accreditation issues.  We have heard all the warnings and in some cases we've been burned ourselves.  Learned the hard way.  I don't like to blame the victim.  Maybe they should have known better but we say this from a position of knowing better ourselves.  It's easy to say that they should know what we know but they don't.  And their ignorance is not justification for the predatory practices of these universities.  They are, in fact, predatory practices there is no question about it.  The article focused on Columbia but we know there are far more egregious examples.  I do not believe that the sheep exist to be sheared.  Or that they should be able to outrun the wolf.  They should have done their homework but their mistake comes from trusting an institution that is supposed to be trustworthy.  There is no good data that can be found on real post-grad earnings so how are people supposed to know?  We know because we've heard all the stories.  It's good to know these things and we can help others to know them too.  I'm not sure what we might do to eliminate predatory practices.  Maybe discourage people from enrolling and hope the programs wither on the vine.  Maybe write a letter to an accreditor?  Or an article in an online journal?  Or maybe participate in an online discussion board.

That's an interesting point you made. A lot of people on these forums know more than college professors when it comes to the job market. At many traditional schools, these programs are being created by current and former college professors. They, too, should do their research before telling students that earning a certain degree is a good idea. I've had to educate professors on the utility of a criminal justice degree either because they haven't worked in the field in decades, or they've never worked in the field. They weren't intentionally giving students misinformation; they genuinely did not know. That doesn't make them predatory since predation is intentional, but it does make them irresponsible.