Dec. 6 (UPI) -- Dozens of college campuses suddenly closed without notice this week after parent company Education Corporation of America lost its accreditation and funding.
The closings affect 75 campuses across the country, including Brightwood College, Brightwood Career Institute, Ecotech Institute, Golf Academy of America and Virginia College. The ECA announced that "operations would be discontinued in December of 2018."
Information about transferring, getting a transcript and other general questions will be posted to the site around Dec. 17.
The college serves at least 20,000 students, making it one of the largest for-profit colleges in the country.
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Enrollment has been declining for years, forcing the troubled chain to close one-third of its campuses and pursue a financial overhaul in the courts. But creditors wouldn't relent as ECA fell behind on payments.
On Tuesday, the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools suspended the college's accreditation, meaning it can no longer operate.
"After many years of training students for new careers, it is with a heavy heart that today we announce that Education Corporation of America is closing all its career colleges effective with the completion of the current module or term for most students," Diane Worthington, a spokeswoman for the company, said in a written statement.
The closing shocked students at the Corpus Christi branch of Brightwood College.
Alexis Gurrola, a student in the dental program, told the Caller-Times newspaper she had straight As and was at the top her of class.
"They don't really have many answers for us," Gurrola said. "We can take our final (test) and get credit for this last course."
