Change of ownership of Daniel Webster College: good or bad?

Slugger

Well-Known Member
I have heard differing answers, but I want to know what you guys think. Is DWC going to get better because of ITT Tech or worse?
 
Re: Change of ownership of Daniel Webster College: good or b

Better, I didn't attend there, but I didn't attend there due to the faculty and the students I talked to. It wasn't the greatest in 2002 and I haven't heard a lot of great since then. How about current students, what do you think?
 
Re: Change of ownership of Daniel Webster College: good or b

ProudPilot, do you know how DWC's ATC program compares to UND's? I saw the radar lab and the 360 and 225 degree sims when I was at UND last week but I haven't seen DWC's.
 
Re: Change of ownership of Daniel Webster College: good or b

No idea... I know UND is great, but I have no clue on DWC.
 
Re: Change of ownership of Daniel Webster College: good or b

I've looked around on many different sites that talk about for-profit colleges, and most of the people say that the prospect of making money may take away from the educational value. Some also said that employers look down upon people with a degree from a for-profit school. I just don't want a degree that could possibly be considered "resume poison."

Most alumni have a negative outlook on the college in this group: http://www.facebook.com/group.php?gid=201107810200
One person thinks DWC will be turned into a "degree mill."
 
Re: Change of ownership of Daniel Webster College: good or b

I'm attending the CTI program starting this fall.

I haven't seen the UND sims but I thought the DWC ones were pretty good. They have one large really dark room that has 4 or 5 enroute and tracon stations, with weather, radar, flight info, all the good stuff at each. The other half of the room is the same but is where the instructors change the situations.

In another room there is a full tower sim. I think its 3? large projector images, so it feels like your looking out half the tower. Again, full weather, traffic info, radar, nicely equipped.

I have no other sims to compare it to but it impressed. me.


edit... keep in mind DWC is a small village compared to major universities. Were talking less then 1000 undergrads. The ATC staff was very friendly though, most of them were prior controllers or had some sort of experience at the nearby Boston Center Facility.
 
Re: Change of ownership of Daniel Webster College: good or b

I'm attending the CTI program starting this fall.

I haven't seen the UND sims but I thought the DWC ones were pretty good. They have one large really dark room that has 4 or 5 enroute and tracon stations, with weather, radar, flight info, all the good stuff at each. The other half of the room is the same but is where the instructors change the situations.

In another room there is a full tower sim. I think its 3? large projector images, so it feels like your looking out half the tower. Again, full weather, traffic info, radar, nicely equipped.

I have no other sims to compare it to but it impressed. me.


edit... keep in mind DWC is a small village compared to major universities. Were talking less then 1000 undergrads. The ATC staff was very friendly though, most of them were prior controllers or had some sort of experience at the nearby Boston Center Facility.
I don't doubt the quality of the program since I saw it was ranked 4th in the country, but I just don't want to go to a college where my degree is worth nothing. Most of the alumni seem to be pretty upset.
 
Re: Change of ownership of Daniel Webster College: good or b

A lot of people freaked out and jumped to conclusions when the takeover was announced, fearing their degrees would change to "ITT Tech". But an inkling of research shows that the DW name will stay, and it is the parent company ITT Educational Services that took over. Whether that's good or bad time will tell, but from what I understand they saved DW from a huge financial hole which would have most certainly resulted in bad.
 
Re: Change of ownership of Daniel Webster College: good or b

A lot of people freaked out and jumped to conclusions when the takeover was announced, fearing their degrees would change to "ITT Tech". But an inkling of research shows that the DW name will stay, and it is the parent company ITT Educational Services that took over. Whether that's good or bad time will tell, but from what I understand they saved DW from a huge financial hole which would have most certainly resulted in bad.

Correct.

Another thing... your flight training or ATC training (which they specialize in) will give you everything you need regardless of what the name on your diploma says. You still know how to fly the plane, and or you still know how to vector traffic.

Majority of STAFF that I have talked to said they expect money to come to the aviation department because of this. In addition to new money that the KASH airport (1 minute walk from campus) just got for renovations I think the future is bright.
 
Re: Change of ownership of Daniel Webster College: good or b

Correct.

Another thing... your flight training or ATC training (which they specialize in) will give you everything you need regardless of what the name on your diploma says. You still know how to fly the plane, and or you still know how to vector traffic.

Majority of STAFF that I have talked to said they expect money to come to the aviation department because of this. In addition to new money that the KASH airport (1 minute walk from campus) just got for renovations I think the future is bright.
If the college and ITT Educational services both say they will still be separate (DWC will still be run by the same people, basically), why are people fearing that their degrees will hold less value?
 
Re: Change of ownership of Daniel Webster College: good or b

why are people fearing that their degrees will hold less value?

Because people are jumping to ridiculous conclusions. I'd be ticked too if I invested 6 figures or so into a degree that had the "ITT Tech" label (I really don't know much about ITT Tech but judging by some of the commercials I can see how people get the idea that they are not in the top tier of colleges), but that isn't the case anyway, and I think the problem that some people are having is figuring out the difference between ITT Tech and the parent company ITT Educational Services. DWC is not ITT Tech. And like I said, we will have to see whether or not the changes will be positive here.
 
Re: Change of ownership of Daniel Webster College: good or b

I just graduated from DWC this past year.

The fact is that there was no choice regarding the sale. DWC was in extremely bad shape financially and it was either sell or close down in the near future. Of course, the president of DWC made out very nicely for himself and I believe he now has a very nice position on the ITT board but that's a whole other story.

It could go either way but if they invest in the program (and I don't think they have a choice as the only respect DWC gets is due to its aviation programs) it is definitely a good thing. I've seen the program go downhill in enrollment the past 4 years and in order to compete with ERAU and UND they're going to need a new fleet (even though the current one is still nice). Kind of irrelevant to this conversation, but their main selling point is flying in New England weather. However, it's close to useless when you don't have any de-icing capabilities. Instead of flying in Florida clouds, you just don't fly.

The ATC program should be safe no matter what as it's much less expensive, very well connected, and has a good record. Any ATC facility in the north east probably has at least a couple DWC grads (and there are usually a couple CFIs taking classes to switch to ATC) and that is a good thing when it comes to getting jobs.

One thing you can expect is for ITT to grow the campus and expand other programs. It's kind of annoying as you get more students who just leave after one year (they accept EVERYBODY) but financially it'll allow the aviation program to stay alive.

Probably no new information here but that's my take on it anyways.

Oh and as long as they don't publicize the fact that it's owned by ITT Tech I'm okay with the diploma. The second DWC=ITT Tech though... not going to be happy
 
Re: Change of ownership of Daniel Webster College: good or b

Just an update about DWC over the last few days.

Twenty-three faculty members were laid off at the end of July and the expectation (source at http://www.nashuatelegraph.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20090805/NEWSBLOG/908059954) is that up to 60 will be laid off.

The president, Robert Myers, who was positively viewed until the sale, has also either resigned or been laid off. Prior to the lay off, it was promised that there would be no lay offs and the though I can't say for sure, it is being said that he was laid off as well (this part is pure speculation from people currently at the school).

I have not heard anything about the "furloughed" flight instructors who would be scheduled to come back this fall if things went according to plan.
 
Re: Change of ownership of Daniel Webster College: good or b

Interesting times at dee-dub hah. From what I understand the flight operations side suffered only minor losses (only 1 in fact I know of), and about 6 CFIs will be recalled for the fall. If I was an incoming freshman I really wouldn't be all that worried. The president 'leaving' is an interesting turn of events, however.
 
Re: Change of ownership of Daniel Webster College: good or b

Yea very interesting times. Just heard that most (if not all) the "furloughed" CFIs were finally told it was a permanant lay off. Most of those laid off are the most experienced too.

I wouldn't be worried as a freshman either. It will just be a completely different place than even last yaer.
 
Back
Top