In their first annual academic report, the University of Phoenix (UPX) asserts that its students, as a group, make significant progress in basic content areas between freshman and senior year.

“University of Phoenix students often enter their studies with lower scores in the general education areas as compared to [students at] more exclusive institutions but perform at levels comparable to seniors at other institutions by the time they graduate,” the report states. Additionally, it asserts that despite low academic skills among students entering the program and increased risk factors for completion, completion rates for the university are comparable to those reported nationally.

The report is the latest among efforts by for-profit colleges to prove their viability as low-cost, high-quality educational alternatives to traditional postsecondary institutions, while those in traditional education sectors question the mission and educational outcomes of these commercial institutions. The report also coincided with a conference last week on for-profit institutions, which have grown exponentially in recent years.

Since 1976, for-profit enrollment has grown at an annual rate of about 11 percent, increasing by nearly 23, according the Department of Education. The for-profit market share of higher education has gone from 0.4 percent to nearly 6 percent in that time frame.

This growth suggests traditional institutions are failing to meet the needs of certain demographics, for-profit industry leaders say.

“We are not trying to be increasingly selective in identifying students who will be successful, putting our stamp on them and giving them a socialization into the professional and managerial class,” said Mark Pelesh, executive vice president for legislative and regulatory affairs at Corinthian Colleges Inc. (CCI), one of the largest postsecondary education companies in North America.