Sep 22, 2016 04:37 AM EDT By Chris Brandt, UniversityHerald Reporter

The closing down of one of the largest and longest-running for-profit technical school was a shock to many but the biggest casualties were the students, especially those who were looking forward to graduating this school year. Not a month before its closure, a lot of people are wondering what will happen next to the thousands of students who have been displaced.

When the Consumer Financial Protection Bureau sued ITT in 2014 for allegations for providing wrong information to students who avail of loans, their downfall was already imminent.

Everything is not bad news for ITT students as the Department of Education announced that it is joining hands with the National Association of Student Financial Aid Administrators (NASFAA) and Beyond 12 in providing students who have been affected by school closures an online package of supports.

The said resources are available on the Next Steps EDU website where students will have financial and academic counselors helping them on their journey to higher education. These counselors will provide guidance on how students can find the best path how to continue their education.

Beyond 12 provides the educational support by providing personalized virtual coaching while NASFAA helps students by giving them financial advice as well as access to financial resources.
Counselors who will work on this initiative are all professionals and had been pre-screened. They also received training to adapt to different student personalities while discussing education and financial options. They can be contacted via email, text messaging, or phone.

"We are proud of this initiative and pleased to share our experience to provide displaced students with the help they need to make informed decisions about their next educational steps," said Alexandra Bernadotte, CEO of Beyond 12.

Aside from this, Department of Education Ted Mitchell wrote in his blog that the government is also encouraging colleges to accept ITT students into their folds. He also wrote in detail other steps being taken to help the displaced students.

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