As kids grab their backpacks and notebooks and head back to school, it is only natural that many adults start thinking about their own education. And there are dozens of choices available. But many of the best-advertised programs have been accused of scamming students, charging outsized fees, and offering little useful training. Just recently, the federal government barred for-profit education behemoth ITT Tech from using federal financial aid to enroll students.

So how can an ambitious student pick a solid program and make a savvy financial decision? Educate yourself about your education:

■ Follow the money. Many have argued that for-profit institutions — ITT Tech, Capella University, and the University of Phoenix, among the biggest — are inherently more concerned with earnings than education, while nonprofit schools — community colleges or Southern New Hampshire University, for example — are more mission-driven. These patterns are not universal, but make sure you know what kind of school you are signing up for.

■ Do your research. Find out the school’s graduation rates and average costs and avoid institutions where a substantial portion of students fail to complete their programs. The Chronicle of Higher Education’s College Completion website offers an excellent database of this information, including a breakdown of graduation rates by race and comparisons with state and national averages.

■ Give yourself credit. It is essential to know whether other schools will accept transfer credits from the program you are contemplating. If you end up finishing your education at a different institution, you don’t want to be stuck with a bunch of expensive, useless credits. Furthermore, when other schools won’t recognize credits from a given program, it raises a giant red flag about the quality of the courses.

■ Set yourself free. If your goal is to learn new skills rather than to earn an accredited degree, consider the burgeoning world of MOOCs: massive open online courses. These free online classes offer students access to curriculum and instructors from some of the world’s most prestigious universities, including Harvard, MIT, and the University of Edinburgh. EdX and Coursera are two of the most popular, offering courses including basic computer coding, business analytics, video game design, and astrophysics.

Have a consumer question or complaint? Reach Sarah Shemkus at seshemkus@gmail.com.