| FOR STUDENTS:
American Student Assistance (ASA)
100 Cambridge Street Suite 1600, Boston, MA 02114. (800)
999-9080 amsa.com.
ASA is the oldest and largest Federal Family Education Loan
Program (FFELP) guaranty agencies in the United States. ASA
offers federal Stafford student loans, Parent Loans for Undergraduate
Students (PLUS) and assists students in successfully completing
a program of education financing and repayment so students
can pursue their academic dreams. You can also call for information
on how to discharge federal student loans.
Assistance
There are state and local government and non-profit agencies
available for assistance including the Mass
Department of Transitional Assistance, the Mass
Rehabilitation Commission, and Veterans Services under
State Agencies on the Mass Government
website. Students are more successful at proprietary schools
when they speak, read, and write English well, and if they
have a high school diploma or GED. Free English for Speakers
of Other Languages (ESOL) and GED preparation programs are
available throughout the state. Please call the Massachusetts
Adult Literacy hotline at (800) 447-8844 to find an ESOL
program near you.
Division of Career Services (DCS) and Division of Unemployment
Assistance (DUA)
19 Staniford Street 2nd floor, Boston, MA 02114. (617) 626-6560
detma.org
The site offers information on unemployment services,
career planning, training, job search assistance, workshops,
locating Massachusetts One-Stop
Career Centers near you and more. Some Career Centers
provide training - PC, word processing, for example. The One-Stop
Career Center provides services for both job seekers and employers.
Veterans, recipients of Transitional Assistance to Families
with Dependent Children (TAFDC) and others have access to
programs specifically designed to assist them with training
and help other needs.
Financial Aid
If a school is Title IV-approved, you may be able to get state
or federal
financial aid. The Student Guide to Federal Financial Aid
Programs is an overview of current federal financial aid
programs. More information is available at: financial
aid student guide.
"How Do I Choose a Proprietary School?"
A consumer bulletin on selecting a school and other tips.
A private occupational school, or proprietary school, is a
privately owned and operated post-secondary school that teaches
vocational or occupational skills. Proprietary schools offer
courses in everything from computers to massage therapy and
from wood working to medical assisting. Programs are hands-on
and flexible, offering both day and evening classes that range
from several months to several years. Good programs use modern,
state-of-the-art equipment, employ qualified instructors who
have related work experience, and provide job placement assistance.
If you think that you want to attend classes at a proprietary
school you may want to read this article: How
to choose a school by the Mass. Department of Education.
Massachusetts Department of Education (DOE)
Proprietary Schools Division, 350 Main Street 3rd Floor, Malden,
MA 02148. (781) 338-6048 doe.mass.edu/ops.
The DOE site provides information for prospective, current,
or former proprietary school students as well as other useful
links.
Occupational Outlook Handbook 2002/2003 is the premier
Government publication on career guidance and provides essential
information concerning changes in the world of work and the
qualifications that will be necessary for tomorrow's workers
from the U.S. Department of Labor. stats.bls.gov/oco
Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE) of the U.S. Department
of Education
has a program entitled "Think College" which is
dDesigned for every potential college student, from those
returning to vocational and technical schools later in life
to middle schoolers. This website offers tips and encouragement
on everything from student loans, links to schools and sites,
to how to apply. Go to: ed.gov/thinkcollege
Office of State Auditor - Private Occupational Schools
Division state.ma.us/sao/schools.htm
Proprietary schools submit financial statements and other
required documentation to the Office of the State Auditor
annually.
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20202-0498. 1-800-USA-Learn,
1-800-872-5327 ed.gov/index.jsp
U.S. Department of Labor - Employment & Training Administration
(ETA) with Links to the Workforce Investment Act (WIA),
Grants, Conferences and Hot news issues. doleta.gov
FOR
SCHOOLS: Accrediting Bureau of Health Education Schools (ABHES)
803 W. Broad St. Suite 730, Falls Church, VA 22046. (703)
533-2082 abhes.org
Accrediting
Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology (ACCSCT)
2101 Wilson Boulevard, Suite 302, Arlington, Virginia 22201.
(703) 247-4212 accsct.org
Accrediting
Council for Continuing Education and Training (ACCET)
1722 N Street NW, Washington, DC 20036. (202) 995-1113 accet.org
Accrediting
Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS)
750 First Street NE, Suite 980, Washington, DC 20002-4241.
(202) 336-6780 acics.org
American
Association of Cosmetology Schools (AACS)
15825 N 71st Street Suite 100, Scottsdale, AZ 85254. (800)
831-1086 beautyschools.com
American
Public Health Association (APHA)
800 I Street N.W., Washington, DC 20001-3710. (202) 777-APHA
apha.org
American
Student Assistance (ASA)
330 Stuart Street, Boston, MA 02116-5292. (800) 999-9080
amsa.com ASA provides premium
guaranty, origination, disbursement and default prevention
services to students, parents, schools and lenders.
Board of Higher Education
One Ashburton Place, Room 1401, Boston, MA 02108-1696. (617)
994-6950 mass.edu
Career
College Association (CCA)
10 G Street NE, Suite 750, Washington, DC 20002-4213. (202)
336-6700 career.org
Massachusetts
Department of Education
Proprietary Schools Dept., 350 Main Street 3rd Floor, Malden,
MA 02148. (781) 338-6048 doe.mass.edu/ops
The Department regulates Massachusetts business, trade and
correspondence schools. Their web site provides regulations,
procedures and forms for proprietary schools as well as offering
information and useful links for both schools and students.
Massachusetts
Department of Employment and Training (DET)
19 Staniford Street 2nd floor, Boston, MA 02114. (617) 626-6560
detma.org Schools can list
job openings, file and pay DET obligations and withholding
taxes and more. Schools that accept students from the DET
are subject to their rules and regualtions.
Massachusetts Department of Public Health (DPH)
250 Washington Street, Boston, MA 02108-4619. (617) 624-6000
state.ma.us/dph/dphhome.htm
Some schools may also be subject to the rules and regualtions
of the DPH.
National
Accrediting Commission of Cosmetology Arts and Sciences (NACCAS)
901 North Stuart Street #900, Arlington, Virginia 22203. (703)
527-7600 naccas.org
National
Center for Construction Education and Research (NCCER)
PO Box 141104, Gainesville, FL 32614. (352) 334-0911 nccer.org
National
Health Career Association
134 Evergreen Place, 9th Floor, East Orange, NJ 07018. 800-499-9092
nha2000.com
New England Board of Higher Education
45 Temple Place, Boston, Massachusetts 02111. (617) 357-9620
nebhe.org
Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS)
The Student and Exchange Visitor Information System (SEVIS)
is a web-based system for maintaining information on international
students and exchange visitors in the United States. ·
To register international students with SEVIS go to: www.ice.gov/sevis.
SEVIS is administered by the Student and Exchange Visitor
Program (SEVP), a division of U.S. Immigration and Customs
Enforcement (ICE), part of the Department of Homeland Security
(DHS). The mission of SEVIS is to balance Homeland Security
with facilitating foreign student and exchange visitor participation
in America's outstanding academic and cultural exchange programs.
SEVIS has three major methods of communication - the SEVIS
broadcast, their Website (www.ice.gov/sevis),
and E-mail: sevis.source@dhs.gov.
SEVIS' dedicated e-mail address allows you to ask questions
and receive answers. Should you have any questions or require
any further assistance, please do not hesitate to contact
the SEVP main line at Tel. (202) 305-2346.
U.S. Department of Education
400 Maryland Avenue SW, Washington, DC 20202-0498. 1-800-USA-Learn,
1-800-872-5327 ed.gov/index.jsp
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