The Worst Colleges in America Ranked by State
The best educational options the world has to offer can be found in the United States of America. Our institutions of higher learning really stand out on the global stage, despite the fact that we have some of the top schools for students of all ages. People travel from all over the world to attend American universities and obtain degrees there.
However, there are excellent colleges, good colleges, and then there are the schools on this list spread all over the nation. The absolute worst colleges in every state in the US are included in this list. If you’re thinking about going to one of these colleges, you might want to research your alternative options.
The Worst Colleges in America Ranked by State
Alabama – Alabama State University
Alabama State University is the worst college in Alabama, and it’s not even close.
Alabama State University is a college that offers a wide range of degrees from liberal arts to business and education. But if you’re looking for a good education, this isn’t the place to go. In fact, according to Niche, Alabama State University is ranked as one of the worst colleges in America—and not just in Alabama.
On top of that, Niche also ranked Alabama State University as the second-most dangerous school in America due to its high crime rate and poor security measures (like having no cameras on campus). So if you want to go here, you’ll have to deal with being robbed or worse while attending classes.
Alabama State University has been criticized for its high tuition costs and lack of financial aid. It is also said that the campus is unsafe due to crime (including sexual assault), as well as poor maintenance of buildings and facilities. Additionally, the school has been accused of racism against black students, who make up over 99% of the student body.
The main reason for this low graduation rate is that many students do not feel supported by their professors or advisors—and indeed do not feel safe on campus due to frequent instances of crime and violence. Many students also report feeling unsafe because they are often harassed by members of their own community while walking around town near campus after dark.
The University of Alaska Anchorage is the worst college in Alaska, and one of the worst in the country.
The school is located in a city that has been hit hard by the recession, with a high unemployment rate, which means that students are forced to leave after they graduate. The university itself doesn’t have much going on either. The student body is very small (just over 5,000), and UAA doesn’t offer any graduate programs or doctoral degrees—just bachelor’s and master’s degrees. There are also only three majors available: business administration, marketing management, and physical education teaching.
UAA does have some nice facilities for students though: several gymnasiums for sports teams and a large library with plenty of study areas. But these aren’t enough to make up for other problems at this institution.
The school also offers very few majors and has a graduation rate of just 23 percent, which means that almost three quarters of students don’t make it to graduation day.
UAA also has a reputation for being unsafe for both students and staff—the school ranks second among all schools on the list with seven reported assaults per 1,000 people each year. This is particularly troubling when you consider that UAA is a university with over 6,000 students enrolled each year (and around 15 percent of those students are international).
Arizona – Western International University
Western International University is a for-profit university that offers bachelor’s and master’s degrees. The school has an open admissions policy and does not require SAT or ACT scores for admission. Western International University was founded in 1997, and it has campuses in Phoenix, Mesa and Tucson.
The Western International University campus in Arizona is not accredited by any agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, and its degrees cannot be used for entry into graduate programs at other schools or for professional licenses or certifications.
Western International University students have complained about the quality of their education at this school, citing issues such as poor facilities, limited course offerings and a lack of classroom support staff. Students also criticized the administration at Western International University for failing to provide adequate tutoring services or academic advising when needed by faculty members or students alike.
Western International University was founded in 1968, and it has an undergraduate enrollment of just over 1,500 students. The school offers degrees in business administration, applied science, computer information systems, management, and nursing. The school’s mission statement is “to provide a quality education within a Christian environment.”
Western International University has an acceptance rate of 50%, which is higher than the national average for four-year colleges and universities. The school does not require SAT or ACT scores for admission to some programs.
Arkansas – Philander Smith College
Philander Smith College, a private liberal arts school in Little Rock, Arkansas, is the worst college in the state. It was founded in 1877 and has an undergraduate enrollment of around 1,900 students.
The school’s website lists its mission as to “provide an education that empowers students to be critical thinkers and engaged citizens.” The school has a student-to-faculty ratio of 13:1, and it currently offers 10 bachelor’s degrees, 10 master’s degrees, and one doctoral degree.
Philander Smith College’s most popular majors include business administration (17%), psychology (13%), criminal justice (11%), biology / life sciences (10%), and sociology (9%).
In order to be considered for admission at Philander Smith College, applicants must submit high school transcripts and SAT or ACT scores as well as their application fee.
The school does not offer financial aid to international students but does provide scholarships for domestic students who meet certain criteria including GPA requirement for scholarship consideration.
In addition to offering a pretty standard assortment of majors, Philander Smith has some unique offerings: a bachelor’s degree in Political Science and Public Administration, as well as programs in Business Administration and Human Services. If you’re interested in becoming a Registered Nurse or pursuing your dream of becoming an actor on Broadway, this could also be a great option for you.
Unfortunately, Philander Smith’s graduation rate is only 35%, which means it’s likely that many students don’t finish their degrees there. This low rate is due mostly to the fact that students can’t afford to pay tuition—which starts at $33,300 per year—and are forced to transfer to cheaper schools near their homes instead.
California – California College San Diego
The California College San Diego is a for-profit institution of higher learning with an annual tuition of nearly $26,000. The college’s tuition is the highest in the state, and it’s one of the most expensive in the country. Students who want to attend this school can expect to spend more than $70,000 on their education over four years if they live in California and pay out-of-state tuition.
Students at this school are required to take classes on campus, which could make some students feel isolated from their peers. The college has several programs available online, but they are only offered at night. Some students may prefer a campus experience over an online one, but others may not want to spend all day working on assignments alone in their homes or offices.
California College San Diego offers majors including business administration and management, criminal justice administration, psychology and human services. There are also several specialized programs available within these fields such as criminal justice law enforcement administration (CJLEA), digital marketing management (DMMG) and international business management (IBM).
California College San Diego is located in San Diego and was founded in 1971. It offers bachelor’s degrees in fields like biology, psychology and social sciences; however, it does not offer any graduate programs. The school has fewer than 5,000 students enrolled at any given time; this makes it one of the smaller colleges on our list of worst colleges in America by state.
The biggest problem with California College San Diego is its low graduation rate—only 22% of freshmen complete their degree within six years of entering college there. This is significantly lower than most other schools ranked among the worst colleges in America by state.
Connecticut – Mitchell College
Mitchell College is one of the worst colleges in America. It’s located in Connecticut, and has a total undergraduate enrollment of 1,566. The school offers degrees in various fields including: Business Administration and Management, Engineering Science, and Psychology.
There are many reasons why Mitchell College should be avoided by students. The college has an acceptance rate of 80%, which is very low for a college of its size. This suggests that the school has very low standards for acceptance. Additionally, it has an academic reputation score of only 6 out of 10 on our scale, which is far below average. Finally, it’s important to note that Mitchell College currently has a student-to-faculty ratio of 18 to 1, which means that there are not enough professors at this school to provide students with adequate help.
To sum up: Mitchell College is one of the worst colleges in America because it has low standards for acceptance and an unacceptably high student-to-faculty ratio.
Students who attended this college had some pretty harsh things to say about their experience. They complained about the lack of meaningful interaction between professors and students, and that many professors were simply not very knowledgeable about the subject matter they taught.
The campus itself was also criticized by current students for being outdated and uninviting. The dorms are described as “dirty” with “poorly maintained facilities” which makes it difficult for students to feel comfortable living there. The dining hall is also said to have low quality food that lacks variety.
Conclusion
The worst colleges in America are a mixed bag ranging from for-profit schools to community colleges. However, the two common denominators shared by most of these schools is underwhelming graduation rates and poor student loan default rates. Based on these statistics alone, it might be smart to think twice about attending one of the following colleges.