Looking to dodge massive loan bills for degrees that amount to little more than a pricey receipt? The 10 outrageous u list is your cheat sheet for steering clear of for‑profit institutions that have left countless students with empty wallets and broken dreams. In the United States, your safest bet is a regionally accredited post‑secondary school – stay far away from the glitter of national accreditation or, worse, any school that can’t claim accreditation at all.

Why 10 Outrageous U Schools Matter

These ten schools illustrate just how far the for‑profit model can go off the rails, from high‑pressure recruitment tactics to outright fraud. Many of the victims have since secured federal loan forgiveness, but the damage done to their finances and confidence is a cautionary tale worth sharing.

10 The Brown Mackie College

In a November 16, 2015 press release, the U.S. Department of Justice highlighted its role in a $95.5 million settlement against Education Management Corporation (EMC). The deal resolved four separate False Claims Act accusations filed in federal courts in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, and Nashville, Tennessee. One allegation described recruiters working in a “high‑pressure boiler room” who were compensated solely based on the number of students they enrolled.

Brown Mackie College, one of many EMC‑owned campuses, offered bachelor’s, associate, and certificate programs across a broad spectrum. Its original campus earned approval from the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools – an agency that later lost its authority after the BMC controversy – and it was licensed by the Kansas Board of Regents to confer associate degrees. Yet, despite its nationwide presence, the school suffered steep enrollment declines, leading to the shuttering of numerous campuses.

9 International Academy of Design and Technology

Amanda Luciano’s story puts a human face on the devastation wrought by the International Academy of Design and Technology. She borrowed $51,000, repaid $40,000, and still found herself owing $81,000. How could that happen?

Following the advice of a school recruiter, Luciano took a loan from a private lender instead of a federal program, as reported by Meredith Kolodner. Her $500‑a‑month payments barely covered interest, and because the loan’s rate was variable, it fluctuated over the years, causing her balance to balloon. She now realizes the school was part of a predatory scheme.

In a settlement covering 150 for‑profit colleges, a federal judge ruled that students were entitled to automatic cancellation of their government‑backed loans due to institutional misconduct. Since Luciano’s loan was privately financed, the settlement didn’t apply, leaving her to shoulder a debt she describes as one she’ll “never be rid of.”

8 ITT Technical Institute

At its height, ITT Technical Institute operated 138 campuses across 39 states. By December 2015, ITT Educational Services had spent roughly $12.9 million in settlements, legal fees, and administrative costs. A local Milwaukee TV station, TMJ4, discovered a student who, when answering a forensic‑computer assignment, earned full credit for simply listing pros and cons.

The instructor praised the work, noting, “Excellent job. You were able to generate the required number of points and counterpoints for each issue.” The student’s actual response was a noodle recipe: “Ingredients: 1 ½ cups of all‑purpose flour, one pinch salt, two eggs beaten.” TMJ4 reporter Aaron Diamant confirmed the quirky submission, saying, “Yup, a noodle recipe.”

ITT Technical Institute also faced a massive $6 billion settlement that forced the cancellation of loans for 200,000 students after the U.S. Supreme Court refused to block the debt‑relief measure, citing “substantial misconduct.”

7 Brightwood College

Brightwood College, formerly known as Kaplan College and run by Education Corporation of America, provided programs in health, criminal justice, and trades. The U.S. Government Accountability Office uncovered that all 15 schools tested, including Brightwood, made “deceptive or otherwise questionable statements” to undercover GAO applicants. Admissions staff were even caught on tape making misleading claims.

As a result, Brightwood College students’ loans were wiped out alongside those of other defrauded students from similar for‑profit institutions.

6 Corinthian Colleges, Inc.

At its peak, Corinthian Colleges, Inc. operated more than 100 campuses throughout the United States and Canada, offering courses in health care, business, criminal justice, transportation technology, construction trades, and information technology.

Investigations in both Canada and the U.S. led Ontario to suspend Everest College’s operating license and close the corporation’s 14 Canadian campuses. The company eventually declared bankruptcy after shuttering its U.S. locations.

A Washington Post report noted that “allegations that Corinthian lied about the success of its programs and trapped students in predatory loans ultimately led to a series of government lawsuits and loss of its access to federal funding.” The U.S. Department of Education canceled $5.8 billion in federal student loans for 560,000 students who attended schools affiliated with Corinthian Colleges.

5 Le Cordon Bleu

The Las Vegas Review‑Journal highlighted that Career Education Corporation’s Le Cordon Bleu faced a five‑year investigation revealing that the corporation pressured employees to enroll students and engaged in unfair, deceptive practices – claims the company denied. Le Cordon Bleu closed its doors in 2016. Depending on when students attended, they could have qualified for debt forgiveness.

Relief was available through six distinct programs, provided applicants met the specific criteria. The Borrower Defense to Repayment program, for instance, allowed full or partial forgiveness for graduates who could demonstrate that Le Cordon Bleu misled them about job placement rates, accreditation, or other crucial aspects of their education.

4 DeVry University

The U.S. Federal Trade Commission found that DeVry University’s claims—that its graduates were more likely to secure jobs quickly and earn higher salaries than peers from other institutions—were deceptive. Consequently, the FTC mailed payments to harmed DeVry students. The first checks were dispatched in July 2017, and the total amount eventually reached an astounding $49 million. Some recipients never cashed their initial payments, prompting the FTC to send an additional 5,942 checks.

These checks represented each student’s share of the settlement between the FTC and DeVry University. While the settlement provided direct relief, it did not preclude recipients from pursuing additional remedies under federal or state law.

3 The Art Institutes

The Art Institutes, once a nationwide network of campuses, closed its final location in 2023 after being accused of fraud. The U.S. Department of Education reported that the schools lured students with “pervasive lies.” President Joe Biden stated that the institution “falsified data, knowingly misled students, and cheated borrowers into taking on mountains of debt without promising career prospects.”

The Department of Education subsequently erased loans for 317,000 students who attended the school between January 1, 2004, and October 16, 2017, at a cost of nearly $160 billion, which included $28.7 billion in loans already canceled.

This massive payback likely stemmed in part from a $95.5 million settlement between the Art Institutes and the Department of Justice in 2015, with the remainder funded by other settlements and loan‑cancellation programs targeting for‑profit schools.

2 The Famous Writers School

Fraudulent and misleading practices among for‑profit schools are not a new phenomenon. Investigative journalist Jessica Mitford’s scathing 1970 exposé of The Famous Writers School revealed that the organization siphoned tuition from enrollees while delivering little to no educational value.

Abigail Deutsch recounted Mitford’s interview technique—starting with innocuous questions that gradually turned more probing, coaxing subjects into self‑incriminating statements. The school claimed to offer “access to renowned authors,” yet publisher Bennett Cerf admitted he was too busy to review the aptitude tests prospective students submitted.

Poet Phyllis McGinley confessed she was merely a figurehead who never saw any applications or lessons. Mitford ultimately uncovered that teachers were sending students “cleverly camouflaged form letters,” underscoring the sheer emptiness of the program.

1 Trump University

David Whitman observed that the scandal surrounding The Famous Writers School bore striking similarities to the “trials of Trump University.” Donald Trump promised to share the secrets of his real‑estate success with those who enrolled in his venture.

Enrollment involved two steps: first, signing up for a $1,500 three‑day seminar after attending a free three‑hour introductory session; second, during the three‑day seminar, agreeing to a $35,000 mentorship program. While over 80,000 people attended the free seminar, only 6,698 proceeded to the paid events.

Attendees were told they would join a “family” with a hotline for advice and access to lenders willing to advance “investment money” for house‑flipping. Some were assured they could recoup their investment within two months. Although most surveys were positive, a few participants complained that Trump failed to provide ongoing mentorship after the seminar and that the cost was excessive. The New York Attorney General alleged Trump earned $5 million from the venture.

Ultimately, Trump agreed to settle the fraud cases in New York and California for $25 million—$21 million to reimburse parties in two California class‑action suits, $3 million for others not covered by those suits, and $1 million as a penalty for violating New York education law by operating an unlicensed university. While Trump denied wrongdoing, his organization claimed the settlement was “part of moving forward” as he prepared to assume the presidency.

Welcome to our whirlwind tour of the top 10 schools of philosophy that have left indelible marks on human civilization. From mind‑bending solipsism to the daring freedom of existentialism, we’ll unpack each doctrine, showcase its hallmark thinkers, and sprinkle in vivid images to keep the journey lively.

10 Solipsism

Nothing exists;
Even if something exists, nothing can be known about it;
Even if something could be known about it, knowledge about it can’t be communicated to others.

– Gorgias (485‑375 BC)

Solipsism argues that the only certainty we have is the existence of our own mind; everything beyond that—objects, other people, the external world—remains unknowable. Proponents stress a deeply subjective reality, suggesting that what feels true to one may not hold for another. The notion first surfaced with the pre‑Socratic Gorgias and later received treatment from Plato, Descartes, and others.

Often linked with nihilism and materialism, solipsism raises unsettling questions about the limits of knowledge and communication.

9 Determinism

Everything is determined, the beginning as well as the end, by forces over which we have no control. It is determined for the insect as well as the star. Human beings, vegetables, or cosmic dust, we all dance to a mysterious tune, intoned in the distance by an invisible piper.

– Albert Einstein (1879‑1955)

Determinism maintains that every occurrence—including thoughts, choices, and actions—stems from an unbroken chain of prior events. While many determinists assert a single inevitable future, they typically do not deny human agency outright. Variants range from theological determinism, where a deity scripts destiny, to environmental determinism, which credits geography and climate with shaping cultures.

8 Utilitarianism

It is better to be a human being dissatisfied, than a pig satisfied; better to be Socrates dissatisfied than a fool satisfied.

– John Stuart Mill (1806‑1873)

Utilitarianism judges the moral worth of any act by its contribution to overall utility—essentially, the greatest happiness for the greatest number. As a brand of consequentialism, it declares that outcomes trump intentions. Jeremy Bentham first coined the principle, but John Stuart Mill’s 1863 work cemented its place in ethical theory.

7 Epicureanism

Do not spoil what you have by desiring what you have not; remember that what you now have was once among the things you only hoped for.

– Epicurus (341‑270 BC)

Epicureanism, rooted in the teachings of Epicurus, aligns closely with hedonism but refines pleasure as the absence of pain and fear rather than mere indulgence. The school rejects superstition and divine interference, championing a life of knowledge, friendship, and virtue—augmented, of course, by good food, companionship, and occasional romance.

6 Positivism

The deepest sin against the human mind is to believe things without evidence.

– Thomas H. Huxley (1825‑1895)

Positivism asserts that authentic knowledge arises solely from scientific inquiry, verified through rigorous empirical methods. Tightly linked with empiricism and rationalism, the doctrine was first articulated by Auguste Comte in the mid‑19th century and remains a cornerstone for modern scientists and technocrats.

5 Absurdism

You will never be happy if you continue to search for what happiness consists of. You will never live if you are looking for the meaning of life.

– Albert Camus (1913‑1960)

Absurdism posits that humanity’s quest for meaning inevitably clashes with a universe that offers none, rendering the pursuit absurd. While the cosmos may hold some meaning, the philosophy argues that chasing it isn’t essential. Distinct from nihilism, it occupies a middle ground between existentialist freedom and nihilist void, often described as the ‘agnostic’ stage.

Søren Kierkegaard explored absurdist themes in the 19th century, but Albert Camus popularized the view through works like *The Stranger* and *The Myth of Sisyphus*.

4 Objectivism

Man has been called a rational being, but rationality is a matter of choice – and the alternative his nature offers him is: rational being or suicidal animal. Man has to be man – by choice; he has to hold his life as a value — by choice; he has to learn to sustain it – by choice; he has to discover the values it requires and practice his virtues – by choice.

– Ayn Rand (1905‑1982)

Objectivism, forged by Ayn Rand, weaves together positions on metaphysics, epistemology, ethics, politics, and aesthetics. It upholds a mind‑independent reality reachable through sensory perception and rational measurement, advocating that life’s purpose is the pursuit of one’s own happiness—rational self‑interest. Politically, it champions individual rights, laissez‑faire capitalism, and libertarianism.

3 Secular Humanism

There is not sufficient love and goodness in the world to permit us to give some of it away to imaginary beings.

– Friedrich Nietzsche (1844‑1900)

Secular Humanism embraces an atheistic worldview that prizes reason, ethics, and justice as guiding principles. Rejecting any supernatural creator, it holds that meaning emerges from human experience alone. The philosophy denies absolute truth or morality, insisting that each person crafts their own ethical framework. Notable advocates include Nietzsche, Bertrand Russell, and Richard Dawkins.

2 Nihilism

Man hands on misery to man.
It deepens like a coastal shelf.
Get out as early as you can,
And don’t have any kids yourself.

– Philip Larkin (1922‑1985)

Nihilism posits that life lacks any objective meaning, purpose, value, or truth. Its adherents reject the notion of a higher creator and argue that secular ethics cannot be grounded in universal absolutes, rendering existence essentially pointless. The movement has inspired artistic currents such as Dadaism, Futurism, and Surrealism.

1 Existentialism

Be that self which one truly is.

– Søren Kierkegaard (1813‑1855)

Existentialism contends that individuals forge the meaning and essence of their own lives. As Walter Kaufmann put it, the movement rejects belonging to any school of thought, dismisses the adequacy of any fixed belief system, and criticizes traditional philosophy as detached from lived experience. Whether rooted in faith, as with Kierkegaard, or in atheism, as with Nietzsche, existentialists champion personal choice and authentic existence.

Welcome to our roundup of the 10 most haunted high schools on the planet. From remote islands to bustling cities, these institutions have earned a reputation for restless spirits, unexplained phenomena, and stories that keep students and staff up at night.

10 Most Haunted High Schools

10 Turakina Māori Girls’ College, New Zealand

In 2015, two boarders at Turakina Māori Girls’ College fled the campus, insisting a cloaked figure in a black cape and hat had threatened them. The school’s administration initially dismissed the claim as a fabrication, prompting angry parents to intervene. Some families accused the board of denying the presence of the kehua, a local term for a ghost, especially after a reverend suggested the apparition might be genuine.

Decades later, former student Kelly Sliepen, now 38, recounted her own eerie experience: while in the hostel, a cup slid across a table on its own and crashed to the floor. A minister was called to bless the building, yet shortly thereafter Kelly saw an apparition on the main staircase, confirming the lingering supernatural presence.

The college ultimately shut its doors in 2016 when financial woes drove enrollment down from 152 students to a mere 47, ending its turbulent chapter.

9 Hibbing High School, Minnesota

Hibbing High isn’t your run‑of‑the‑mill school; its marble staircases, brass railings, and art‑deco walls give it a near‑medieval grandeur. The auditorium, modeled after the Capitol Theatre, dazzles visitors, and even future legend Bob Dylan performed there as a teen during a talent show.

However, the true draw for ghost hunters is a solitary seat in the auditorium. The first stage manager, Bill, served from 1927 until the late 1960s, when a chandelier tragically fell on his head, ending his life.

Rumors quickly spread that Bill never truly left his favorite spot, seat J‑47. In the early 1990s, long‑time stage manager Chuck Perry photographed the auditorium after a woman reported a sudden chill near that row. One Polaroid captured a translucent gentleman in formal attire and a top hat occupying seat J‑47, as if still watching the performances.

Since then, whispers of Bill’s lingering presence have kept the seat infamous among students and staff alike.

8 Downlands Sacred Heart College, Queensland, Australia

During wartime, this Toowoomba secondary school doubled as military quarters, spawning a slew of ghostly legends. Among them: a fiery man screaming across campus, a priest forever wandering the on‑site chapel, and a woman’s apparition haunting the administration building.

In 2015, a local paranormal team released a historic class photograph that appeared to contain a ghostly figure among a group of boys. The blurry silhouette in the top‑right corner wore the same uniform as the students, and the image now hangs on a school wall as alleged proof of supernatural activity.

7 Old Maui High School, Hawaii

Constructed in 1913 amid missionary and sugar‑cane plantation expansion, Maui High moved to a new site in 1972, leaving the original building to decay. The crumbling shell now serves as a backdrop for several unsettling tales.

Hawaiian belief holds that the dead return to places they loved in life. At Old Maui, former students and teachers are said to still roam the grounds, occasionally interacting with the living. Explorers of the ruins have reported being choked by unseen hands.

Visitors also claim to hear the anguished sobbing of a girl from a former bathroom, adding another layer to the school’s haunting reputation.

6 Rizal High School, Philippines

The Philippines is famed for its spectral folklore, and Rizal High added its own legend in 2015 when two students captured a ghost in a bathroom selfie. After reviewing the photo, they noticed a dark‑haired girl in black clothing crouching beside a trash can in the background.

The figure’s eerie stare sparked a viral frenzy, with many noting the resemblance to Samara from The Ring. The students swore the image was authentic, and subsequent reports of ghostly sightings multiplied across the campus.

In response, the school administration contemplated a blessing ceremony to cleanse the building of any lingering spirits.

5 Old Portland High School, Michigan

Opened in 1881, the Portland, Ionia County school became the center of a tragic legend: in 1918, a 14‑year‑old student was crushed beneath collapsing gym bleachers. The negligent janitor vanished, and the grieving father allegedly murdered the janitor, burned his remains, and set fire to the school. Rebuilt in 1920, the building retained the hauntings of both the girl and the janitor.

Converted into the Old School Manor housing complex from 1992 to 2008, tenants reported strange phenomena: personal items disappearing only to reappear stacked elsewhere, phantom school bells ringing, and encounters with the girl’s ghost, who reportedly slapped occupants on the back.

One resident recounted a terrifying episode where the janitor’s spirit terrorized her two‑year‑old daughter, ultimately forcing the family to vacate the premises.

4 Nightmute High School, Alaska

Even without a confirmed haunting, Nightmute’s name alone feels eerie. The most famous story involves a solitary girl spirit haunting the school’s bathrooms, flushing toilets and flickering lights. In the gym, basketballs have been known to launch themselves toward the hoop as if propelled by an unseen force.

Legend says the girl was a loner in life, often shunned by peers, and after her death she roamed the corridors seeking companionship. Rumors also speak of a burial discovered beneath room 106, the very location where her apparition frequently appears.

3 Hwa Chong Institution, Singapore

Singapore boasts at least 20 haunted schools, and Hwa Chong Institution ranks among the most notorious. Nestled among towering trees, night‑time visitors are warned never to shine flashlights toward the branches, lest the spirits of WWII victims—those murdered and hung by Japanese forces—manifest.

The campus statues are also said to be alive after dark. Approaching the statue of Tan Kah Kee from behind allegedly makes it turn and ask for the time, while the eyes of the Lee Kong Chian statue glow and were subsequently covered.

Some locals claim the school’s playing field was originally shaped like a tombstone, a design choice that may have seeded the lingering hauntings.

2 Jeppe High School for Boys, South Africa

Located in Kensington, Johannesburg, Jeppe High School for Boys shares its history with the city’s gold‑rush era. Built to educate miners’ children, its main building and war memorial earned national monument status in 1986.

The school is haunted by a sorrowful female spirit who roams the corridors, frightening boarders. One tale says she took her own life after her husband perished in World War I; another version claims she was a mother whose son died on the sports field from a javelin accident, prompting her to leap from a nearby hill, become decapitated, and wander the halls clutching her head while wailing for her child.

1 Las Vegas High School, Nevada

Las Vegas dazzles with neon lights, glitz, and ghostly lore. The city’s first official high school, founded in 1931 as Las Vegas Academy of the Arts, later became the Las Vegas High School. Its most infamous resident is former teacher Mr. Petri, who perished in a mysterious fire and is said to haunt the theater.

Even after the school transformed into an arts academy, reports persist: a man in a white tuxedo occupies a specific theater seat, sudden temperature drops chill visitors, and an overwhelming sadness overtakes those who step inside.

Teacher John Morris, initially skeptical, recounted a bizarre incident during a production of The Spoon River Project. While setting up a fog‑filled fake cemetery, the play’s director claimed a naked Mexican boy appeared beside her, pleading for clothing before vanishing.

Morris dismissed the story, yet later that night, after ensuring doors were locked, his three‑year‑old daughter was playing on a mock grave mound. She insisted she didn’t want to leave because a friend—an invisible boy—was still there. When she finally spoke up, she said, “It’s that little boy over there; he doesn’t have any clothes on.”