Ashford University

Ashford University is a private, for-profit university located in Clinton, Iowa. It is the largest educational holding of Bridgepoint Education (NYSE: BPI). Although the university is regionally accredited by The Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, their accreditation status has come under scrutiny after a rejected attempt to become accredited by the Western Association of Schools and Colleges and demands from HLC for additional information.

The university offers Associate's, Bachelor's, and Master's degrees in more than 50 degree programs on campus and online. The majority of the student population is enrolled in online courses but the campus has experienced growth in recent years.

As for-profit colleges have come under increasing scrutiny, a U.S. Senate report in 2011 listed Ashford's parent company, Bridgepoint, as having one of the highest withdrawal rates of any publicly traded school in the industry. Ashford has also been faulted for its recruiting and finance practices in a U.S. Department of Education audit. Bridgepoint Education responded in March 2011 with a report asserting that the information used in the Senate hearing was either inaccurate or incomplete.