Corinthian Colleges. An affirmative answer would provide Ms. Andrews with a clear financial motive to make inaccurate and damaging allegations against our organization.

As we have discussed, it is possible that Ms. Andrews could already have filed qui tam litigation against Everest and there would be no public record of it. Under federal law, qui tam cases are filed under seal and remain secret while federal law enforcement officials review the allegations and determine whether the government will intervene in the case. This process can take months or years. And as we have also discussed, any person who successfully brings qui tam litigation receives a substantial share of any monetary damages that are awarded.

If Ms. Andrews has brought or is contemplating bringing qui tam litigation against our organization – just as she did her previous employer, Westwood College – this would raise significant doubts about her credibility. At a minimum, the pattern of behavior Ms. Andrews has exhibited is deeply troubling. Ms. Andrews had previously worked for at least two career colleges before joining Everest Largo in 2011 (before Westwood, she was also employed at another Everest campus in Houston). If Ms. Andrews had previously encountered practices that she found inappropriate, as she alleged in her litigation against Westwood, why did she continue to seek employment in career education?

If WFTS decides to air any allegations Ms. Andrews has made against Everest, we believe it is imperative that you make your viewers aware of the facts we cite above. It is impossible for your viewers to make informed judgments about Ms. Andrews’ truthfulness and reliability unless they are aware of this information. And it is impossible for Corinthian Colleges to defend its professional reputation against potentially false allegations unless your readers have a complete picture of the source of these allegations.

Along with the allegations made by Ms. Andrews, you asked about complaints filed by former Everest students with the office of the Florida Attorney General. You note correctly that there have been 127 such complaints since 2011. While we are disappointed if even one of our students is less than satisfied, these complaints represent a miniscule portion of our total population.

Since January 1, 2011, our Everest campuses in Florida have had an average monthly enrollment of about 8,000. Our Everest online division is also based in Florida; if these students are included, the monthly average is about 30,000. By comparison, the number of complaints filed with Attorney General’s office has averaged fewer than four per month. Including only our Florida Everest campuses, this is a ratio of less than one complaint for every 2,000 students. Finally, and perhaps most important, to our knowledge NONE of these complaints led to any action by the Attorney General’s office.

Aside from these issues, however, it’s important to note that there is clear, independent evidence that our schools offer our students a quality education and professional skills that lead to employment in their fields of study:

  • According to the latest Department of Education statistics, Corinthian’s companywide graduation rate is 61 percent; by comparison, the average graduation rate for community colleges nationwide is less than 20 percent.
  • In 2013, more than two out three Corinthian graduates – 69 percent – obtained jobs in their fields of study. Community colleges generally do not track job placement rates. Major national businesses such as CVS/pharmacy, Bridgestone Tire and Pep Boys hire dozens of Corinthian graduates annually because they find them to be well prepared for the workplace.
  • Finally, we survey our students twice a year, and we consistently find that about 40 percent of them have attended community college before enrolling with us. Many of them come to our schools because they have not flourished in traditional academic settings and they find that our practical, workplace-oriented approach to instruction works well for them.

We have small classes, flexible schedules, hands-on training and extensive individual support. A variety of independent experts – including scholars from the University of Southern California’s Rossier School of Education, Northwestern University and the American Institutes of Research – have concluded that the instructional methods used in career schools like ours offer valuable lessons for traditional higher education.

We at Corinthian appreciate the opportunity you have given us to address these important issues while your reporting process is under way. If you have additional questions, we would be glad to answer them. Please let us know how we may be of additional help.

Sincerely,

Kent Jenkins Jr.

Vice President, Public Affairs Communications.

Corinthian Colleges Inc.

401 9th Street

Suite 620

Washington, DC 20616

202.682.9494 (o)

202.255.7142 (cell)