Transparency in US higher education job placement data

In October 2010 several media outlets covered the story of a third-year Boston College law student, who, unable to find employment and burdened by ‘an enormous amount of debt’, wrote a letter to the school's dean, asking for a refund of his tuition in exchange for forfeiting his degree. ² Like many others, he had decided to borrow thousands of dollars to pay for a law degree, which at Boston College can cost as much as US$180,000 for three years (including housing), persuaded by the ‘empty promises of a fulfilling and remunerative career’. ³ On its website the university advertised a 97.6 per cent job placement rate for 2009. ⁴ United States 34%

of people see the education system as corrupt or highly corrupt.

Source: Transparency International's ‘Global Corruption Barometer 2013’.