S01.E16: For-Profit Schools

[Athena]

John Oliver discusses what happened during the hiatus, student loans, for-profit schools, and the Russian space geckos.

 

He's back! 

[trow125]

Well, thank goodness for this (from LWT's Twitter feed):

Last Week Tonight ‏@LastWeekTonight 
In response to overwhelming public concern:
Sunday's show WILL include a tribute to the Russian space sex geckos. #GoodbyeGeckos

[Wax Lion]

I'm so glad he discussed how for-profit colleges are scamming the GI Bill. I've heard about this before but I haven't seen TV cover it until now. Not even when Mitt Romney talked up a for-profit college with a terrible record while campaigning in Florida, which would have made the topic timely.

[The Solution]

John Oliver does an awesome job of, one by one, exposing all of the douchebags in our society.

[ganesh]

If you're thinking about going to a for profit university, go to a community college instead. Please. You'll get a far better education. 

[Athena]

I have not watched a lot of "60 Minutes" but even I noticed they do that prompting interview style. It's a bit annoying actually.

 

The musical tribute was funny and over the top. I hope they can put more use to that gecko astronaunt costume in the future. Aww.

[peeayebee]

All that stuff about student loans and for-profit colleges was interesting, informative, and maddening. 

 

I was all WTF when the woman said that they went to a Scientology museum for psychiatry. I felt certain the college itself was run by Scientologists, but when I looked into it, that doesn't seem to be the case. 

 

The segments on the 60 Minutes soundbite prompting was great. I haven't watched in years, but I've been very aware of interviewers, even other than those on 60 Minutes using this technique, and I can't stand it.

 

Oh, and that recording by LBJ was amazing. I'm glad that John said twice it was real, because I kept doubting it was real.

[arachne]

I just noticed an ad for Broadview University on this page, in the middle of all these comments. Irony? or only the ignorance of online automation?

[Hanahope]

There can be some instances where a for-profit school can be the right choice, but what they are doing to the vast majority of students is incredible.  I'm glad that Oliver made it one of his issues.  Now he needs to address the other student loan debt problem with "non-profit" colleges/universities (and I put "non-profit" in quotes because while technically 'not for profit' in terms of stock holders and such, these colleges/universities are paying their administrators/sports coaches a damn good amount of "profit" which drives up the cost of education)

 

LOL'd at the 60 Minutes sound-bite prompts.   Of course, if the interviewees want to avoid that soundbite, then don't repeat what the interviewer is saying.  Have a little awareness.

[Fremde Frau]

What a great segment on student debt. His takedown of Corinthian Colleges, Inc., was brutal, and his wife being an Iraq War veteran really gave that bit on the G.I. Bill a razor edge, too. Has anyone checked to see if APSCU is still breathing today? Superb job.

 

Now he needs to address the other student loan debt problem with "non-profit" colleges/universities (and I put "non-profit" in quotes because while technically 'not for profit' in terms of stock holders and such, these colleges/universities are paying their administrators/sports coaches a damn good amount of "profit" which drives up the cost of education)

Yes, please. I'm deeply embedded in this so-called "non-profit" system, and it's a nightmare.

 

I have no words for LBJ.

[dusang]

I love the ability of John and his writers to take the legal threats from his targets and turn it even further against them, such as the Corinthian College letter, which he destroyed while following it to the letter.

[redbudrose]

The best part of the episode was his Community shout out and the six seasons and movie reference.

[Wax Lion]

 

I love the ability of John and his writers to take the legal threats from his targets and turn it even further against them, such as the Corinthian College letter, which he destroyed while following it to the letter.

 

That part reminded me of Rachel Maddow. She has a very similar way of responding to that kind of attempt at intimidation, except John was more profane and aggressively sarcastic, while Rachel is calm and mild-mannered when she presents a letter like that with the full context. I started fantasizing what a John Oliver/Rachel Maddow news hour would be like (Maddow's national debut was as the serious news person on a radio show opposite Lizz Winstead, so she's got experience working with a Daily Show-related comedian).

 

 

I was all WTF when the woman said that they went to a Scientology museum for psychiatry. I felt certain the college itself was run by Scientologists, but when I looked into it, that doesn't seem to be the case.

 

One thing about adding profit into the mix is that it adds corruptibility. It probably doesn't matter what religion the college administrators are, they probably thought the Scientology museum was a good idea because the church offered nice financial terms for the trip.

 

I'm a little surprised we haven't seen a Red State cut the school budgets and have a variety of groups offer to donate textbooks that minimize slavery in history or "teach the controversy" with evolution. Heck, I think there is a program where public colleges can get funding for teaching Atlas Shrugged (with a professor approved by the program). It's much simpler than taking over school boards and have the media notice your guidelines adds crazy shit.

[peeayebee]

 they probably thought the Scientology museum was a good idea because the church offered nice financial terms for the trip.

Ah. I didn't think about it from that angle.

[iMonrey]

See, I thought the nursing students went to the Scientology museum because they were studying mental disorders.

[dusang]

I thought she must have misspoken because WHAT?!?!?

[peeayebee]

Scientology doesn't believe in psychiatry and teaches that it does harm, not good. Take a look at the museum's website. Some of the topics are Psychiatry Behind the Holocaust, Mind Control, and Criminal Psychiatrists. For a nursing class to go here is like a biology student going to the Creationist museum to learn about evolution.

[dusang]

Scientology doesn't believe in psychiatry and teaches that it does harm, not good. Take a look at the museum's website. Some of the topics are Psychiatry Behind the Holocaust, Mind Control, and Criminal Psychiatrists. For a nursing class to go here is like a biology student going to the Creationist museum to learn about evolution.

 

I know, hence my WHAT?!?!? :)

Edited September 9, 2014 by dusang

[charlieboo]

That part reminded me of Rachel Maddow.

 

Funny you say that because Rachel aired the LBJ tapes last year. It was still every bit as funny to hear it again with John.

[Grammaeryn]

Did anyone else get the vibe that John suddenly got sad in the middle of the space sex gecko song? (BTW that is my favorite typed sentence ever).

[dusang]

I don't know about that. I do have a new respect for Great Big World for keeping a straight face for that.

[mtlchick]

 

I do have a new respect for Great Big World for keeping a straight face for that.

Well mostly a straight face.  There were a few moments where he was pretty close in cracking up.  Considering he's singing a eulogy to those fuck lizards, I don't blame him.  Nor can I stop watching this part. 

[b2H]

I bet this isn't coincidental, but it looks like someone has been listening:

 

http://www.cnbc.com/2015/07/29/ftc-investigating-online-college-univ-of-phoenix.html

[OneWhoLurks]

White House officials are pressing lawmakers to take up legislation introduced by Sen. Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) to reinstate a rule that banned for-profit colleges from getting more than 85 percent of their operating revenue from any federal student loans and grants.

 

[...]

 

Getting Republicans on board with tougher for-profit college regulation will be difficult. GOP lawmakers and some Democrats have long supported the industry’s efforts to sidestep stringent rules, including one that limits how much debt students can amass in career-training programs.

 

Still, the White House is taking some actions that do not require congressional approval, including redesigning the G.I. Bill Comparison Tool, which for the first time will provide graduation and retention rates. The administration also has struck an agreement between Veterans Affairs and the Federal Trade Commission to team up to go after schools that engage in deceptive advertising, sales or enrollment practices.

 

 

https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/grade-point/wp/2015/11/11/white-house-urges-congress-to-protect-u-s-troops-from-aggressive-for-profit-colleges/?postshare=8461447254481469

[b2H]

Here we go!!!!!  Let's hope the dominoes continue to fall....

http://www.wilx.com/content/news/-ITT-Tech-banned-from-taking-new-students-with-federal-aid-391380401.html?utm_medium=social&utm_source=facebook_WILX_News_10