Postsecondary Education

The postsecondary education market has grown in recent years with for-profit institutions such as the Apollo Group, Career Education and Education Management, among others, emerging as big players. With a huge chunk of adults going back to college, working professionals opting for online skill enhancement and an all-round increase in the need for higher education, these institutions have been faced with an unprecedented demand. In addition, there is a favorable regulatory climate and an influx of capital. The future of this segment is bright and will be propelled by two factors - growth in higher education globally and increased government funding.

The Need for Growth
With the developing Asian countries serving as the outsourcing points of the manufacturing and service industries, there is an urgent need to get American students ready for global competition. On its part, the government is making a concerted effort to upgrade the standard of education in the country. The education budget for 2007 included the 'No Child Left Behind' Act, in a bid to make the country knowledge-intensive. A total of 380 million dollars was sanctioned for funding science and mathematics programs. Though the public education system is getting a facelift, most Americans still prefer private, for-profit institutions.

Is Postsecondary Education Important?
Postsecondary education is costly but worth the time and money spent on it. A college degree in any course of study, whether arts or technical, empowers you with skills that are in demand in today's varied industries. Several national surveys have proved that with a postsecondary education, you can earn more than 60 percent of what you can after a high school degree. With the advancement in information technology, the options of new and highly skilled jobs are on the rise. A college degree ensures that you are ready for it. Also visit Postsecondary Education Sector Sees Exponential Growth in Trade Schools for additional information regarding vocational and technical college markets.

Why is the Demand for Postsecondary Education Growing?
Demand for postsecondary education is growing for a number of reasons, which are related in some way:

• The increased standard of living around the world has created a growing middle class, which realizes that education is their means to success in life.
• Asia and Latin America has a huge youth population, which means an increased number of people seeking education simultaneously.
• The service sector is growing and so is the need for skilled human capital with advanced education and training.
• The advent of technology has made online education an option for non-traditional students such as adult learners, working professionals, and even home-based people with family commitments.
• Under-funded public institutions are unable to meet the growing demand and hence for-profit organizations are becoming the suppliers of postsecondary education.

Different Types of Postsecondary Education
Postsecondary education includes the undergraduate and graduate level. At the undergraduate level, you can work towards two types of degrees - an Associate Degree and a Bachelor's Degree. After graduating from secondary school, you go for an undergrad degree. You can also study for a certificate or diploma at this level; this can be done along with your degree studies or instead of it.

Postsecondary education at the graduate level is done after you have finished your graduation and is similar to postgraduate studies or advanced studies (as it is known in some other systems of education). Two degrees - the Master's Degree and the Doctoral Degree - are awarded at this level.

Postsecondary education is also conducted online. Distance education is very popular with working professionals, adult students, and with learners who due to other commitments cannot join a regular college. From a professional course to a graduate degree, distance education can take any form of postsecondary education. An increasing number of established universities and colleges are providing distance education that has a similar curriculum as their regular campus courses.

Publicly Traded For-profit Companies
For-profit education is one of the areas that private equity funds are investing in, when the rest of the economy is facing trying times. Publicly traded postsecondary education companies such as Career Education Corporation and Apollo Group Inc. have shown a consistent rise their stock prices and this has prompted fund managers to increasingly invest in for-profit colleges.

Renowned colleges have realized that private equity funds are incredibly good investment options and have started investing in them. Major universities such as Brown University, Dartmouth College, the Johns Hopkins University, and Washington University have invested in various for-profit college companies; Harvard University too has shown an interest in such ventures.

Some of the big players in this sector are APOL (Apollo Group), CECO (Career Education Corp), COCO (Corinthian College), STRA (Strayer Education), and SLVN (Sylvan Learning). They target the adult learner and have an online presence in addition to being available on college campuses.

To know more, check out the following sites:

CCI.edu
StrayerEducation.com

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