For-profit college network that operated 1953–2016 across five states before closure.
Westwood College operated six schools offering associate and bachelor's degrees across business, design, justice, technology, healthcare, and automotive technology. The college ran on a term schedule with five start dates per year, allowing students to earn an associate degree in as little as 20 months or a bachelor's degree in three years. Westwood College Online offered 25 degree programs delivered entirely via internet with audio/visual technology. The institution was nationally accredited by ACICS and approved by state regulatory bodies in each location.
Westwood College faced significant legal and regulatory challenges. In 2009, it settled a federal lawsuit over misrepresentation of graduation statistics for $7 million without admitting wrongdoing. The Colorado Attorney General reached a $2 million settlement in 2012 following a two-year investigation, with an additional $2.5 million in student restitution. In 2011, the Veterans Administration disqualified three Westwood campuses from the GI Bill Program due to deceptive practices. Most significantly, in 2015, Westwood agreed to pay $15 million toward loans of criminal justice students following an Illinois Attorney General lawsuit over misleading job opportunity claims.
Prior to December 2015, Westwood maintained an open admissions policy. Students were eligible for Pell grants and federal student loans. A 2010 Government Accountability Office report named Westwood among 15 institutions that encouraged fraudulent practices, including encouraging applicants to overstate financial need and hide assets. The college offered a 30-day trial period with no financial obligations and an Employment Pledge to help eligible graduates who could not find employment.
On November 12, 2015, Westwood suspended all enrollment citing poor enrollment and new government regulations. The college officially closed all 15 campuses on March 8, 2016, after the January 2016 term concluded. Westwood acknowledged that in most cases its credits would not transfer to other colleges or universities.