Communications of the ACM
When Colleges Offer Coding Boot Camp, Students Can Get a Raw Deal
Regional U.S. accrediting agencies responsible for overseeing two- and four-year institutions do not monitor boot camps.
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Dominican University of California established a partnership in 2018 with Make School, a for-profit educational institution, where college students would get a hands-on learning experience in the tech field. Make School was already offering a short-term tech boot camp.
When Make School suddenly closed in 2021, Dominican leaders were left to figure out how to help 167 students continue their education. The majority left the program without any credentials.
Make School's downfall should sound alarm bells. In partnerships like this, colleges typically put their name on a program, while the boot camp companies recruit students, develop curricula, and teach classes. But boot camp programs are unregulated.
After starting in 2012 and pivoting from gaming to education in 2014, Make School operated for years as an unlicensed educational institution. A Student Borrower Protection Center report says that Make School made what appear to be "misrepresentations" about the employability of its graduates, as well as about the price and nature of its program. The report says that Dominican is liable for misrepresentations made by Make School.
From Wired
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