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Questions to Ask Before you Choose a Private College

January 12, 2015 in Education, Uncategorized

Within the last decade, South Africa has seen a boom in small and medium sized private colleges. As the country adjusts to the growing need for skilled workers in all sectors of manual labour, medicine, engineering and industry in particular, private colleges are offering high school leavers the opportunity to learn valuable skills for their futures – without going through a university.

Unfortunately, while these colleges may be a perfect fit for many South African students, they are regulated a little differently from universities and consequently can be a little more risky when it comes to investing in your future. As you do your research for possible qualifications, remember to ask…

Is your chosen college properly accredited?

Don’t go by how professional the website looks, or things like student testimonials. Make sure that your qualification is accredited by the NQF and at what level, and be sure to ask in detail what other accreditation the college has. Look closely because some accrediting bodies are nothing more than thinly veiled sister-companies of that college.

 

Is your qualification actually going to be useful?

As a private and for-profit enterprise, your college will naturally be inclined to tell you that their programme is of high quality and will lead to a lucrative position down the line. But many young South Africans are discovering that this is not always the case. The best way to get an objective opinion is to find people in your field of work who have the same diploma – speak to them about their experience with the college. If you can’t find anyone who seems to be gainfully employed using your chosen qualification, it’s a red flag that it may not be as valuable as it seems.

 

Exactly what will your qualification allow you to do?

While a qualification may be accredited and prestigious enough, it’s still a good idea to see where and how it can be used. Try to understand if a different degree or diploma is favoured in the marketplace or if your qualification still requires to do extra testing or exams, or even needs you to register with an external body before you can work. If you can, chat to prospective employers about their perceptions of the diploma to get an idea of how it will affect your employability in the market.

 

How much will it cost?

Private colleges are very often quite expensive, Look around to see if an equivalent qualification is available elsewhere, even at bigger universities. You don’t want to regret taking the time to complete an expensive certificate that has more or less the same value as a cheaper diploma from another institution.

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