Press & Other Reaction

Goldie Blumenstyk, The Chronicle of Higher Education

“Aside from the prominence it gives the flamboyant Mr. [Michael] Clifford, the 52-minute Frontline report, 'College Inc.,' largely eschews sensationalism and rightly focuses on the costs of attending those colleges, compared with public alternatives, the disproportionately heavy debt load many of their students end up with, and the aggressive recruiting tactics some of the companies employ.”

Mary McNamara, Los Angeles Times

“Let’s hear it for ‘Frontline,’ which continues to take on topics for no earthly reason save they’re important. … [Martin] Smith faces down an unwieldy topic and creates a vivid portrait of a startling new kind of American education. One that has grown up along our highways, in our urban centers and on the Internet with weed-like speed and tenacity, and seemingly while no one was looking.”

Quick Takes, Inside Higher Ed

“For close readers of Inside Higher Ed, the documentary won’t bring much new to the table. … The storyline is more balanced than many major-media examinations of for-profit colleges, but it’s still a less-than-favorable depiction of the sector.”

Michelle Archer, USA Today

“Correspondent Martin Smith adeptly probes the booming for-profit higher-education industry. … [He] covers many angles in this provocative and fascinating Frontline, interviewing school executives, who say they are providing a convenient degree path for non-traditional students, and industry watchdogs, who wonder if the schools are churning out debt-saddled, unqualified graduates who are unable to land jobs.”