Bryant & Stratton
College, also known as BSC, is a private for-profit college with
campuses in New
York, Ohio, Virginia, and Wisconsin, as well as an online campus. Founded in 1854, the college
offers associate degree programs at all campuses and bachelor's degree programs at some campuses. The college is
approved by the New York State Board of Regents and regionally accredited by the Middle States Commission
on Higher Education.
HISTORY
John Collins Bryant, Henry Beadman Bryant,
and Henry Dwight Stratton were early graduates of Folsom Business College in
Cleveland, Ohio, which they later purchased from Ezekiel G. Folsom, who founded
his school in 1848. Folsom was a former student of Platt Rogers
Spencer who developed a standardized style of writing useful in business
transactions before the invention of the typewriter.
Platt Spencer played a role in the formation of
Bryant & Stratton College serving as a partner and teacher at the school which
originally focused on bookkeeping and standardized penmanship. Bryant &
Stratton College was organized in 1854 to provide practical workplace education
and was formerly known as Bryant
and Stratton Business Institute. A year later they developed programs
for women. The college became well known in the middle of the 19th century
under Platt's influence.
Academics
Faculty
Bryant & Stratton's online faculty consists of 30
full-time instructors and 407 part-time instructors, The Buffalo campus has 16
full-time instructors and 47 part-time instructors.
Programs
Bryant & Stratton College offers Associate's and
bachelor's degrees in healthcare, business, homeland security, legal studies,
design, early childhood education and technology (IT).
Graduation rate
According to the College Scorecard, Bryant & Stratton
online has a 20 percent graduation rate, a 19 percent student loan repayment
rate, and a typical total debt after graduation of $23,055. College
Navigator reports a 27 percent graduation rate and a 12 percent transfer-out
rate.
Campuses
Bryant & Stratton launched its online division in
1997.
The college provides selected degrees over the Internet.
According to College Navigator, approximately 40 percent of BSC's students are
participating as online students.
New York State campuses can be found in Albany,
Buffalo, Syracuse, and six other locations. Ohio has four campuses,
including Akron. Virginia has campuses in Hampton, Richmond, and Virginia
Beach. In Wisconsin, there are three campuses.
Finances
In 2008, a private equity firm Parthenon
Capital Partners bought a significant stake in the school. The firm was
bought out by the Bryant & Stratton Limited Partnership (family) in 2017.
On April 3, 2015, Bryant & Stratton College was
placed on a Department of Education list to have its finances more
closely scrutinized (a process called Heightened Cash Monitoring).
Colleges placed on this list generally have federal funding restricted due to
concerns of their financial responsibility.