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Fortis College

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Fortis College
TypePrivate for-profit college
Established2008
Location
32 campuses
,
Online[1]
,
United States
Websitewww.fortis.edu

Fortis College (also Fortis Institute and Fortis College of Nursing in some locations) is a private for-profit college with multiple campuses throughout the United States. It was established in 2008 and is operated by Education Affiliates and owned by JLL Partners.[2]

Education Affiliates and JLL Partners

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Main article: Education Affiliates

Education Affiliates (EA) operates Fortis College and Fortis Institute, and is headquartered in Nottingham, Maryland. EA is an investment of JLL Partners[3] and was incorporated in 2004.[4] Its other schools include ASPE Training, All-State Career School, DriveCo CDL Learning Center, Saint Paul's School of Nursing, Georgia Driving Academy, and the Denver School of Nursing.[5][6][7]

History

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Growth (2008 to 2013)

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From 2008 to 2013, Fortis College and Fortis Institutes grew from one school in Phoenix, Arizona to more than 40 schools in 17 states.[2] Fortis purchased other for-profit schools including: Virginia Career Institute, Capps College, North Florida Institute, Medix School, AMTI, National Institute of Technology, RETS College, Gulf Coast College, Florida Career Institute, Technical Career Institute, Berdan Institute, Tri-State Business Institute, and MedVance Institute.[2]

Downsizing (2013 to present)

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Revenues:

  • 2012-13: $253,193,698
  • 2013-14: $235,792,358
  • 2014-15: $210,264,921
  • 2015-16: $196,007,578
  • 2016-17: $193,271,039

[8]

Enrollment losses and unprofitability have resulted in campus closures in Florida, Maryland, Ohio,[9] Pennsylvania.[10] and Texas. These loses have been ameliorated by the transfer of students from other for-profit colleges that have closed their doors.[11]

In 2015, Education Affiliates, the parent company of Fortis, "agreed to pay $13 million to the United States to resolve allegations that it violated the False Claims Act by submitting false claims to the Department of Education for federal student aid for students enrolled in its programs."[12] Part of the $13 million settlement provided for repayment of $1.9 million that resulted from Education Affiliates "awarding federal financial aid to students at its Fortis-Miami campus based on invalid high school credentials issued by a diploma mill."[13]

In 2016–17, 21 Fortis locations were unprofitable: Centerville, Cincinnati, Columbia, Cutler Bay, Cuyahoga Falls, Grand Prairie, Houston, Indianapolis, Norfolk, Phoenix, Richmond, Baltimore, Birmingham, Cookeville, Erie, Forty Fort, Lawrenceville, and Nashville. [14]

In 2020 and 2021 Fortis received more than $50 million in stimulus funds.

  • $32.6 million under the CARES Act[15]
  • $14.9 million under the second round of Coronavirus funds.[16]
  • $8.4 million (projected) under the American Rescue Plan.[17]

At least a dozen locations are under US Department of Education heightened cash monitoring for financial irresponsibility.[18]

Academics

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Fortis offers Associate of Art degrees and certificates.[19]

Accreditation

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Fortis Colleges and Fortis Institutes are institutionally accredited by the following institutional accreditors:[20]

Additionally, a number of Fortis Colleges and Institutes received institutional accreditation from the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS). ACICS lost recognition as an institutional accreditor from the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) in 2017 and from the US Department of Education in 2022.

In September 2018, the Orange Park, Florida campus voluntarily withdrew from ACICS.[21]

In April 2019, ACICS renewed Fortis' accreditation for its Norfolk, Virginia campus until September 30, 2019, but continued its compliance warning. According to ACICS, Fortis did not adequately maintain student records related to admissions and student progress.[22]

Faculty

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Faculty at Fortis are primarily adjunct professors. The percentage of instructors that are full time range from 10 percent to 40 percent, depending on the campus.[20] Fortis College in Mobile, Alabama has 3 full-time instructors and 34 part-time instructors. Fortis Institute in Wayne, New Jersey has 12 full-time instructors and 25 part-time instructors.

Students

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Fortis schools have racially and ethnically diverse student populations. The demographic breakdown of the Phoenix campus is 34 percent White, 34 percent Hispanic, 22 percent Black, 4 percent unknown, 2 percent American Indian/Alaska Native, 2 percent two or more races, 1 percent Native Hawaiian/Pacific Islander, and 1% Asian. The breakdown of the Cuyahoga Falls, Ohio campus are 56 percent White, 31 percent Black, 5 percent Asian, 4 percent unknown, 2percent two or more races, and 1 percent Hispanic.[23]

College costs and student outcomes

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According to the US Department of Education's College Scorecard, the average annual cost of attending Fortis College ranges from $16,958 to 30,687.[24]

  • Fortis students have a graduation rate ranging from 29 to 72 percent, depending on the campus.
  • Median salary after attending ranges from $24,100 to $33,200.
  • Student loan repayment rates range from 20 to 24 percent.[24]

Gainful employment

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According to the Chronicle of Higher Education, the following programs failed gainful employment standards. In failing programs, graduates have loan payments exceeding 12 percent of total earnings or 30 percent of discretionary income.[25]

  • Centerville, OH: legal assistant/paralegal, AA
  • Centerville, OH: criminal justice/safety studies, AA
  • Centerville, OH: medical insurance specialist/medical biller, AA
  • Centerville, OH: medical/clinical assistant, AA
  • Norfolk, VA: criminal justice/safety studies, AA
  • Norfolk, VA: health information/medical records technology/technician, AA
  • Norfolk, VA: medical/clinical assistant, AA
  • Erie, PA: computer graphics, AA
  • Erie, PA: cosmetology/cosmetologist, Undergraduate certificate
  • Erie, PA: barbering/barber, Undergraduate certificate
  • Erie, PA: legal assistant/paralegal, AA
  • Erie, PA: criminal justice/safety studies, AA
  • Erie, PA: health information/medical records technology/technician, AA
  • Erie, PA: medical/clinical assistant, AA
  • Erie, PA: massage therapy/therapeutic message, AA
  • Erie, PA: business administration and management, general, AA
  • Erie, PA: accounting technology/technician and bookkeeping, AA
  • Erie, PA: administrative assistant and secretarial science, general, AA

Locations

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Fortis College

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  • Dothan, AL (141 students)
  • Foley, AL (89 students)
  • Mobile, AL (301 students)
  • Montgomery, AL (264 students)
  • Phoenix, AZ (156 students)
  • Cutler Bay, FL (379 students)
  • Orange Park, FL (442 students)
  • Smyrna, GA (516 students)
  • Indianapolis, IN (408 students)
  • Baton Rouge, LA (387 students)
  • Landover, MD (603 students)
  • Centerville, OH (491 students)
  • Cincinnati, OH (562 students)
  • Columbus, OH (904 students)
  • Cuyahoga Falls, OH (561 students)
  • Columbia, SC (438 students)
  • Houston, TX (327 students)
  • Salt Lake City, UT (490 students)
  • Norfolk, VA (441 students)
  • Richmond, VA (455 students)

Fortis Institute

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  • Birmingham, AL (539 students)
  • Pensacola, FL (668 students)
  • Port St. Lucie, FL (481 students)
  • Towson, MD (510 students)
  • Lawrenceville, NJ (266 students)
  • Wayne, NJ (479 students)
  • Forty Fort, PA (172 students)
  • Scranton, PA (241 students)
  • Cookeville, TN (303 students)
  • Nashville, TN (479 students)
  • Houston, TX (300 students)

[20]

Closed locations

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  • Tampa, Florida (2013)
  • Jacksonville, Florida (2014)
  • Miami, Florida (2014)
  • Mulberry, Florida (2015)
  • Largo, Florida (2016)
  • Lauderdale Lakes, Florida (2016)
  • Palm Springs, Florida (2016)
  • Winter Park, Florida (2016)
  • Erie, Pennsylvania (2018)[26]
  • Ravenna, Ohio (2018)
  • Woodlawn, Maryland (2018)
  • Grand Prairie, Texas (2019) [27]

[28]

  • Baltimore, Maryland
  • Phoenix, Arizona (2019) [29]
  • Erie, Pennsylvania (2019)

Department of Education heightened cash monitoring

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The following Fortis schools are on US Department of Education heightened cash monitoring as of December 2018.[30] Financial responsibility numbers are at the lowest level, -1.[18]

  • Fortis College, Cuyahoga Falls, OH
  • Fortis Institute, Towson, MD
  • Fortis Institute, Wayne, NJ
  • Fortis College, Centerville, OH
  • Fortis College, Mobile, AL
  • Fortis Institute, Forty Fort, PA
  • Fortis Institute, Scranton, PA
  • Fortis College, Foley, AL
  • Fortis College, Orange Park, FL
  • Fortis College, Baton Rouge, LA

References

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  1. ^ "Fortis College Online". Archived from the original on 2010-10-06. Retrieved 2010-09-03.
  2. ^ a b c "Our Legacy". fortis.edu.
  3. ^ "Education Affiliates". jll-partners.
  4. ^ "Education Affiliates LLC Company Profile | Baltimore, MD | Competitors, Financials & Contacts - Dun & Bradstreet". hoovers.com.
  5. ^ "Our Schools | Education Affiliates". edaff.com.
  6. ^ "For-profit education company goes on buying spree for trade schools". bizjournals.com. October 24, 2005. Retrieved 2019-10-20.
  7. ^ "JLL Partners | New York | Current Investments". jll-partners. Archived from the original on 2016-08-27. Retrieved 2019-05-11.
  8. ^ "The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System". nces.ed.gov.
  9. ^ Reporter, Diane Smith. "Bio-Med expanding in Ravenna". Record-Courier. Archived from the original on 2019-03-06. Retrieved 2019-03-05.
  10. ^ Assignment, Weekend (2018-07-18). "Erie's Fortis Institute to close its doors". Yourerie.com. Archived from the original on 2019-05-08. Retrieved 2019-10-20.
  11. ^ Arvedlund, Bob Fernandez, Erin. "The largest Pa. for-profit school's closure left 1,510 students without diplomas. Now the AG wants answers. | Debt Valley". inquirer.com.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  12. ^ "For-Profit Education Company to Pay $13 Million to Resolve Several Cases Alleging Submission of False Claims for Federal Student Aid". justice.gov. June 24, 2015.
  13. ^ "Education Affiliates Agree to Pay $13 Million for Allegedly Violating the False Claims Act by Submitting False Claims for Federal Student Aid". The National Law Review.
  14. ^ "The Integrated Postsecondary Education Data System". nces.ed.gov.
  15. ^ Seltzer, Rick. "How Much Stimulus Will Your College Receive?". www.insidehighered.com. Inside Higher Education. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  16. ^ Seltzer, Rick. "How Much Will Your College Receive in Coronavirus Stimulus Funding, Part 2?". www.insidehighered.com. Inside Higher Education. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  17. ^ "AMERICAN RESCUE PLAN ACT OF 2021: SIMULATED DISTRIBUTION OF HIGHER EDUCATION EMERGENCY RELIEF FUNDS". www.acenet.edu. American Council on Education. Retrieved 4 August 2021.
  18. ^ a b Robert, Author (April 15, 2019). "Which Colleges Failed the Latest Financial Responsibility Test?". {{cite web}}: |first= has generic name (help)
  19. ^ "Programs". fortis.edu.
  20. ^ a b c "College Navigator - Search Results". nces.ed.gov.
  21. ^ "ACICS | Voluntary Withdrawal of Accreditation". Archived from the original on 2019-04-28. Retrieved 2019-05-06.
  22. ^ "info" (PDF). acics.org. Archived from the original (PDF) on 2019-05-06. Retrieved 2019-10-20.
  23. ^ "Search | College Scorecard". collegescorecard.ed.gov.
  24. ^ a b "Search | College Scorecard". collegescorecard.ed.gov.
  25. ^ Zamudio-Suaréz, Fernanda (January 9, 2017). "Here Are the Programs That Failed the Gainful-Employment Rule" – via The Chronicle of Higher Education.
  26. ^ Palattella, Ed. "Fortis in Erie cleared of claims, warned over others". GoErie.com. Archived from the original on 2019-03-06. Retrieved 2019-03-05.
  27. ^ "Data" (PDF). www2.ed.gov. Retrieved 2019-10-20.
  28. ^ "PEPS Closed School Monthly Reports". www2.ed.gov.
  29. ^ "Campuses". fortis.edu.
  30. ^ "Heightened Cash Monitoring". Federal Student Aid. October 18, 2021. Archived from the original on April 27, 2017. Retrieved March 5, 2019.
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