Solex College
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| Motto | Learn Today. Earn Tomorrow. |
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| Type | Private, For-profit |
| Established | 1995 |
Academic staff | 60 |
| Students | 2000 |
| Location | Chicago, Illinois, United States |
| Campus | Solex Wheeling |
| Colors | Maroon Black |
| Website | |
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Solex College is a private for-profit two-year accredited institution located in Chicago, USA. With an annual enrollment of over 2,000 students (2013-2014), SOLEX is committed to training and educating individuals for careers in business, healthcare, manufacturing and information technology. SOLEX College is also one of the largest schools in the Chicago area to enroll international F-1 visa students for its intensive English as a Second Language programs.
Accreditation
SOLEX College is accredited by the nationally recognized Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools ACICS The A.A.S. in Physical Therapist Assistant Program at SOLEX College is accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education CAPTE
History
In 1995, SOLEX Computer Academy was launched as a private for-profit business and vocational school and was authorized to operate through the Illinois State Board of Education (ISBE). In 2001, SOLEX Computer Academy became SOLEX Academy with an expanded menu of instructional programs to better respond to the training needs of students. In 2001, SOLEX Academy was authorized under federal law to enroll nonimmigrant alien students. Currently, foreign students from more than 60 countries attend SOLEX College. SOLEX is an authorized ETS® TOEFL and TOEIC testing site.
During the next few years, the school actively expanded its list of offerings. In December 2007 SOLEX Academy was granted operational and degree granting authority by the Illinois Board of Higher Education (IBHE) to award an Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S) degree in Accounting, and the school was renamed SOLEX College.
In 2009 SOLEX College became accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS) to award occupational associate’s degrees and certificates. Later that year the school embarked on an initiative to actively respond to labor market needs and to increase medical program offerings. In July 2010 SOLEX College was approved to award the Associate of Applied Science degree in Physical Therapist Assistant.
Also in 2012, SOLEX College was granted a degree-granting authority by the Illinois Board of Higher Education to award an Associate of Applied Science (A.A.S.) degree in e-Business Management.
SOLEX’s popular A.A.S. in Physical Therapist Assistant Program became accredited by the Commission on Accreditation in Physical Therapy Education (CAPTE) in April 2014.[1] Also in 2014, SOLEX College introduced a new Industrial Maintenance Technician program that was developed in partnership with a local renowned industrial repair company.
Locations
SOLEX’s main administration building is located in Wheeling, IL
Campus Additions:
Chicago Downtown Campus Addition, Chicago, IL
Majors offered
Associate Degree Majors: Physical Therapist Assistant, E-Business Management, Accounting[2]
Vocational Certificate offerings: Industrial Maintenance Technician, Computerized Accounting and Bookkeeping, Information Technology, Medical Assistant,[3] Basic Nurse Assistant [4]
ESL training: Intensive English Program, Advanced English Studies
Admissions and Financial Aid
SOLEX College is approved by the United States Department of Education to award Title IV Student Financial Aid.[5] SOLEX College also supports the GI Bill, which allows eligible military personnel benefits including coverage of tuition, book fees, a housing stipend, and more.
International Students
SOLEX College is authorized under federal law to enroll non-immigrant alien students to its programs. International students represent over 60 countries.
OIG Audit
This final audit report, “SOLEX College’s Administration of Selected Aspects of the Title IV Programs,” presents the results of our audit. The objective of our audit was to determine whether SOLEX College disbursed funds authorized by Title IV of the Higher Education Act of 1965, as amended (Title IV), only to eligible students enrolled in Title IV-eligible programs. Our audit covered award years 2012–2013 and 2013–2014.1 We determined that SOLEX College did not disburse Title IV funds only to eligible students enrolled in Title IV-eligible programs. We found that SOLEX College’s two English as a Second Language (ESL) programs were not Title IV-eligible programs because SOLEX College did not admit only students who needed ESL instruction to use their already existing knowledge, training, or skills for gainful employment and did not document its determinations that the students needed the ESL instruction for such purposes. According to Federal requirements, an ESL program qualifies as an eligible Title IV program if, in addition to satisfying all other relevant Title IV program eligibility provisions, the school admits to the program only students who the school determines need the ESL instruction to use already existing knowledge, training, or skills for gainful employment, and the school documents its determinations. SOLEX College did not meet these program eligibility requirements for its Intensive English Program and Advanced English Studies program. For award years 2012–2013 and 2013–2014, SOLEX College disbursed $1,795,500 in Federal Pell Grant (Pell) funds to 413 of the students who were enrolled in one or both of these two ineligible ESL programs. We recommend that the Chief Operating Officer for Federal Student Aid (FSA) require SOLEX College to return to the U.S. Department of Education (Department) $1,795,500 in Pell funds disbursed to the 413 students who were enrolled in one or both of the two ineligible ESL programs for award years 2012–2013 and 2013–2014 and tell SOLEX College to cease disbursing Pell funds to any students enrolled in the Intensive English Program and Advanced English Studies program until it establishes Title IV program eligibility for the two ESL programs.