What Fortis College-Cutler Bay is like

Academic feel

Fortis College-Cutler Bay is a career-focused for-profit institution offering accelerated Associate of Art degrees and certificates in healthcare, nursing, dental, skilled trades, and related fields. The college emphasizes hands-on training and streamlined pathways to employment, allowing students to complete programs faster than traditional four-year institutions. Class sizes are kept small to enable personal attention between students and instructors, many of whom are working professionals in their fields. Faculty are predominantly adjunct, with full-time instructor percentages varying significantly by campus.

What you should consider

Students seeking direct entry into career fields in healthcare, nursing, dental, and skilled trades benefit from Fortis's focused, employment-oriented curriculum. The institution serves a racially and ethnically diverse student population and offers financial aid options for qualifying students. Students with work or family commitments may find the flexible and convenient class schedules accommodating. Those looking for career services support, including connections to local employers and job placement assistance, are supported throughout their enrollment and after graduation.

Weaknesses

• The Cutler Bay campus was listed among 21 unprofitable Fortis locations in 2016-17, raising questions about institutional stability and resource allocation.[1]
• Fortis College faces significant regulatory and financial compliance challenges, including a 2015 settlement of $13 million with the Department of Education for false claims related to federal student aid and awards of aid based on credentials from a diploma mill.[1]
• Student loan repayment rates at Fortis campuses are low, ranging from only 20 to 24 percent, indicating potential difficulties for graduates in managing education debt.[1]
• Graduation rates at Fortis vary widely by campus (29 to 72 percent), and median post-graduation salaries are modest, ranging from $24,100 to $33,200 annually.[1]
• Multiple Fortis programs across campuses have failed gainful employment standards, with graduates having loan payments exceeding 12 percent of total earnings or 30 percent of discretionary income in fields such as legal assistant, criminal justice, medical/clinical assistant, and health information technology.[1]