While we all know about prestigious institutions like Columbia, Harvard or Yale, where students bask in the glow of academic excellence and endless opportunities, not every college can offer such luxuries. The worst Schools in USA are out there and they can make a summer job flipping burgers look like the more promising career path. In fact, some schools struggle to keep the lights on, let alone propel you to success. Sure, you can get by in life without an Ivy League diploma—plenty of people do—but let’s not pretend every college offers a reasonable alternative.
These lesser-known institutions, with their generous acceptance rates and bargain-bin diplomas, seem more interested in cashing your tuition check than in providing you with an education that’s actually useful. Want to spend four years of your life learning how to barely scrape by? Well, there are plenty of colleges happy to charge you thousands of dollars for that privilege. After all, who needs world-class professors and a network of influential alumni when you can graduate with a piece of paper as valuable as the receipt from your fast-food gig?
For these schools, the only lesson you might walk away with is a deep sense of regret—and a mountain of student debt to keep you company. While Harvard grads are off running the world, these graduates may find themselves reminiscing about the days of flipping burgers, wondering if they should’ve stayed in the fast food industry instead.
Here’s a rundown of all the schools that we believe have earned the dubious distinction of being among the worst academic institutions in the United States.
Johnson State College: Getting In is Easy, But Graduating is a Magic Trick
Johnson State College (Johnson, Vermont) , originally established in 1828, may have boasted a proud history, but its 2018 merger with nearby Lyndon State to form Northern Vermont University (NVU) feels less like an ambitious evolution and more like a scramble to stay afloat. The transformation seems to reflect the challenges smaller institutions face today, trying to remain relevant and financially viable.
Johnson State College’s numbers tell a less-than-flattering story. With an acceptance rate of 95%, it’s clear the college is eager to fill seats, but the real concern lies in its shockingly low 37% graduation rate-1-. This stark contrast raises serious doubts about the institution’s ability to retain students and guide them to successful degree completion.
Adding insult to injury, the tuition fees hover around $15,000 per year—an amount that might be justified for an institution with better outcomes. But with such a high percentage of students failing to graduate, one has to wonder: Is Johnson State College providing the support and resources necessary for student success, or are students simply slipping through the cracks?
The high cost of education, combined with a dismal graduation rate, paints a troubling picture for any potential applicants. For those considering Johnson State College, it might be wise to weigh the risks before diving into a hefty financial commitment that doesn’t necessarily guarantee a promising academic future.
Fountainhead College of Technology: Art of Debt and Low Pay (Closed)
Fountainhead College of Technology (Knoxville, Tennessee) was a private school, founded way back in 1847, somehow managed to stay afloat for over 171 years—until, of course, it couldn’t. On 2018, it finally shut its doors after valiantly struggling to stay in business.
Before its grand exit, the school had perfected the art of charging outrageously high tuition fees while ensuring that its graduates would be saddled with crippling debt. And the cherry on top? The median salary for alumni was laughably low, making it almost impossible for them to pay off the very debts the school had expertly piled on. Truly, a masterclass in how to stay relevant while failing every step of the way.
Mt. Sierra College: Graduating is Low (Closed)
Mt. Sierra College (Monrovia, California), made a grand exit in June of 2019, giving its students a generous one-day notice that they’d be out of luck. This timely announcement followed years of mismanagement, starting in 2013 when over 350 students wisely bailed after the school’s accreditation went into crisis mode, landing it on a warning list.
But instead of getting better, things went spectacularly downhill from there. The university eventually ran out of money—no surprise there—and the remaining students were kindly transferred to DeVry University, which, of course, was in just as great shape.
To cap it all off, the graduation rate was an impressive 6%, proving that the school’s idea of “higher education” was really just a masterclass in how to waste time and money.