Guest blogger, Chris Birk, a principal at SuretyBonds.com, is a former newspaper and magazine writer and college professor. His work has appeared in more than two dozen newspapers and magazines, including the Chicago Sun-Times, the St. Louis Post-Dispatch and Insurance Journal.

Students preparing for a post-secondary education or career have a lengthy checklist to pore over before making a decision. Amid the excitement, students and parents can easily forget to take a long look at the background and financial standing of a potential school. And that can wind up costing them thousands in lost tuition dollars.

In the last few months, several private vocational and technical schools have closed suddenly, taking millions in pre-paid tuition costs with them. Most states have minimal safeguards in place, but the reality is that many consumers will struggle to recover their money.

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