From what I see with search volume as well as what I hear from the industry the first quarter of 2009 will be stellar!  Strong volume of leads should translate into strong enrollments for most of the major players.  January started the year with a very strong month above most expectations, February also followed suit.  March too is looking to be a strong month.  Will the second quarter hold this momentum?

Keywords	Approx Search Volume: February	Approx Avg Search Volume
online degree	1220000	1000000
online degrees	368000	368000
university of phoenix online	40500	40500
devry	368000	301000
online colleges	201000	165000
online universities	74000	60500
online college degree	90500	60500
devry online	8100	12100
online college	673000	550000
online university	673000	450000
strayer	201000	135000
itt	673000	450000
online degree courses	1600	5400
online master degree	74000	33100
online bachelor degree	74000	40500
online bachelors degree	22200	18100
online degree programs	90500	90500
online masters degree	74000	49500
online master’s degree	8100	6600
university of phoenix	1000000	823000
phoenix online college	6600	3600
online engineering degree	27100	18100
online university courses	27100	18100
accredited online college	22200	18100
online college education	18100	12100
online psychology degree	49500	18100
online college programs	12100	8100
accredited online university	12100	8100
online nursing degree	33100	27100
online college degrees	22200	22200
online education degree	74000	49500
online doctorate degree	8100	5400
online business degree	40500	27100
online mba degree	14800	12100
online university degree	49500	40500
online university degrees	22200	18100
associate degree online	27100	18100
online graduate degree	33100	14800
online undergraduate degree	4400	2900
accredited online degree	60500	40500
online degree program	74000	40500
online college course	40500	22200
online college courses	49500	40500
online college classes	27100	22200
online teaching degree	14800	9900
online degree course	6600	3600
study online university	260	720
online college degree programs	8100	4400
online university course	9900	5400
online university programs	1300	9900
online college program	12100	5400
online college credit	590	3600
online university classes	12100	9900
online accounting degree	18100	14800
phoenix online university	49500	49500
online degree schools	5400	5400
online university education	9900	9900
online accredited degrees	22200	22200
online degree colleges	6600	4400
online degree universities	4400	3600
online university program	12100	9900
online university mba	14800	9900
axia college online	3600	3600
devry degree	3600	2900
devry college	6600	5400
devry university	110000	90500
capella	368000	246000
international online college	320	260
international online degree	2900	1900
online degree edu	1300	1600
online degree phoenix	4400	2900
online college accounting	2400	1300
get a degree online	720	4400
online college psychology	5400	1600
devry online university	3600	5400
online college engineering	1300	590
online college certificate	1300	880
online degree classes	2400	2400
phd online degree	6600	5400
online social work degree	8100	5400
best online degree	6600	3600
best online degrees	1900	1600
business online college	1900	2900
online university accounting	880	720
devry degrees	880	590
online education degrees	18100	14800
online bachelor degrees	8100	5400
online bachelors degrees	2900	2900
online certificate degree	2400	1900
online counseling degree	14800	6600
online college masters	1600	1300
online criminal justice degree	18100	9900
online degree study	3600	3600
online masters degrees	14800	14800
teaching online college	4400	2400
online university learning	4400	2400
phd online university	1900	1600
teaching online university	2900	1600
online science degree	33100	18100
accredited online colleges	27100	22200
accredited online universities	9900	12100
online university graduate	5400	3600
online college study	1900	1600
online graduate degrees	9900	6600
online undergraduate degrees	1900	1600
online bachelor degree programs	4400	2900
online management degree	22200	12100
online computer science degree	2900	3600
online doctoral degree	4400	3600
online college graduate	1300	720
mba online college	2900	1300
online university business	2400	1900
online university psychology	3600	1600
online college diploma	1900	1000
accredited online degree programs	8100	8100
undergraduate online college	210	320
online degree technology	8100	5400
online bachelor’s degree	3600	2900
western online college	720	480
ms online degree	1600	1300
masters online university	8100	5400
online degree completion	3600	2900
online university degree programs	4400	4400
online university certificate	2400	2400
online college universities	880	880
online university doctorate	880	480
online university nursing	4400	5400
devry education	880	880
devry accounting	36	260
online college learning	5400	2900
earn your degree online	8100	27100
online university engineering	1600	1000
online nursing college	14800	8100

Source: google keyword tool

EDU Compensation Rules as I understand them:

 

Adjustments to employee compensation

A school may make up to two adjustments (upward or downward) to a covered employee’s annual salary or

fixed hourly wage rate within any 12-month period without the adjustment being considered an incentive

payment, provided that no adjustment is based solely on the number of students recruited, admitted, enrolled,

or awarded financial aid. One cost-of-living increase that is paid to all or substantially all of the school’s full-time

employees will not be considered an adjustment under this safe harbor.

This is where some schools tend to walk a fine line…or step over it!

 

Enrollments in programs not eligible for FSA program assistance

Compensation to admissions based upon their recruitment of students who enroll only in programs that are not

eligible for Title IV funds is not covered by the incentive compensation prohibition.

 

Contracts with employers

As long as there is no direct contact by the school’s representative with prospective students, and as long as

the employer is paying at least 50% of the training costs, incentive payments to admissions recruiters who arrange for

contracts with employers are not covered by the incentive payment prohibition, provided that the incentive

payments are not based on the number of employees who enroll, or the amount of revenue generated by those

employees.

 

Pre-enrollment activities

Individuals whose responsibilities are limited to pre-enrollment activities that are clerical in nature are outside

the scope of the incentive payment restrictions. Individuals may not receive incentive compensation based on

their success in soliciting students for interviews.

 

Managerial and supervisory employees

The incentive payment prohibition applies only to individuals who perform activities related to recruitment,

admissions, enrollment, or the financial aid awarding process and their immediate supervisors.

 

Profit-sharing or bonus payments

Profit-sharing and bonus payments to all or substantially all of a school’s full-time employees are not incentive

payments based on success in securing enrollments or awarding financial aid.

 

Compensation based upon program completion

Compensation that is based upon students successfully completing their educational programs, or one

academic year of their educational programs, whichever is shorter, does not violate the incentive compensation

prohibition.

 

Token gifts

The maximum cost of a token, noncash gift that may be provided to an alumnus or student who refers a student

is $100, provided that the gifts are not in the form of cash and no more than one gift is provided annually to an

individual.

This is an area schools can & should use more, many have had great success with referral programs using this one-time gift benefit!

 

Profit distributions

Any owner, whether an employee or not, is entitled to a share of the organization’s profits to the extent they

represent a proportionate share of the profits based upon the employee’s ownership interest.

 

Internet-based activities

A school is permitted to award incentive compensation for Internet-based recruitment and admission activities

that provide information about the school to prospective students, refer prospective students to the school, or

permit prospective students to apply for admission online.  Thanks god for this since Internet leads represent the majority of leads for most schools.

 

Payments to third parties for non-recruitment activities

Payments to third parties for other types of services, including tuition-sharing arrangements, marketing, and

advertising are not covered by the incentive compensation prohibition.  This is an area for growth, partnering with schools on a success basis!

 

Payments to third parties for recruitment activities

The incentive compensation prohibition applies to individuals who work both for the school and to entities

outside the school, and that the rules that apply to schools apply equally to outside entities.

Another bashing report from Citron on APOL.  There are some interesting court documents via PDF’s here.  For those who have never been in a for-profit school it may seem a little shocking.  While you may be shocked, you should understand a few things:

1. Not everything is illegal, a big grey area exists
2. When the rules can be somewhat vague (allthough the intent is clear), there are ways to walk the line and sometimes a fear that if you don’t others will, and thus you may fall behind 
3. Not all schools act the same way or do the same things, many are far more conservative some are worse…
4. Many times individuals stray from established policies due to either greed or pressure
5. It’s usually easy to find a way paint a negative picture, the question is did they(or) do they cross the line?

Link to the Article: http://www.citronresearch.com/index.php/2009/03/04/citron-exposes-apollos-big-dirty-secret-all-new-docs/