When I began looking at four-year colleges in 2004, there wasn't a heightened awareness of predatory institutions or clear guidance on how to scrutinize the way a school markets itself. From my understanding and trust in the system, an institution's accreditation equaled legitimacy, quality of education and the potential for long-term financial security.

Now, at 34, I know how lack of transparency and false claims of quality can derail people's education and cripple their financial futures. It happened to me, twice. I attended two poor-quality colleges in the Chicago area, both owned by Career Education Corp. Both are now defunct. Both left me saddled with debt.

When I chose to go to the International Academy of Design and Technology in Chicago, it touted an over 90 percent job placement rate, quarters instead of semesters that helped my transfer credits, a less expensive cost per credit hour, and accreditation that was necessary for a master's degree. Despite its strong claims, I quickly learned that it provided little value, so I left. The school ultimately shut down.

Eventually, I enrolled at Harrington College of Design. It was less expensive than its competitors and boasted a 95 percent job success rate after graduation. I also was impressed by the internship assistance program, a claim I later found was misleading.

However, Harrington had recently been purchased by CEC, the owner of my first failed institution. The school did not transparently disclose the sale to students nor communicate that it would adopt some of the deceptive practices within its admissions and financial aid departments. Since federal loans did not cover my tuition costs, the financial aid departments at both schools directed me on the amount and type of private loans to take. They talked about consolidation as though it was a guarantee; it wasn't. They advised me that I had to claim my parents' income, even though I was well into my 20s and had not lived with them since I was 17. To make matters worse, Harrington staff also discouraged students from working through school, which could have helped finance my tuition.

In 2007, I graduated from Harrington with over $90,000 in private debt and $30,000 in federal debt, and I struggled to find a full-time job. It was only years later, after my graduation, that I learned that I did not receive the maximum amount of federal loans or grants that I could have. The private loans I got have much higher interest rates than federal loans, and I can't pay them back through more flexible repayment plans, such as income-based repayment or Pay As You Earn.

As a result, my debt ballooned to more than $160,000. I enrolled in an income-based repayment program for my federal loans and signed up for a full payment plan for my private loans with a high interest rate. I now pay $1,100 per month, combined.

I thought that I took an educated approach to the selection of my school, and a huge factor in that decision was accreditation. But Harrington, which recently shut down, received an accreditation from the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools, which later would have its accreditation powers revoked by the U.S. Department of Education.

Students today need protection from predatory institutions like Career Education Corp. They need clear and publicly disclosed information about what they are getting into financially and what quality education they will receive. They certainly should not have to worry about being deceived in this process.

What's more, all colleges should be held to the same standard and accountability through one accreditation process. The Department of Education should have a checks and balances procedure to ensure that accreditation is being given per the strictest guidelines to ensure the best education and financial well-being for all students, in all income brackets, throughout the country.

Until this happens, my advice is to stay far away from any college that requires an exorbitant amount of private debt to attend. Consider community colleges and state schools until you are sure what you want to pursue. When you are ready to move on to a more specialized school, speak with former students and do some digging and find out where your tuition goes.

If the school has done something predatory, it won't take long to find someone like me who will be willing to share the embarrassing truth about their situation.