Postsecondary education in California includes public community colleges and universities, private nonprofit colleges and universities, and private proprietary and for-profit schools. While small in number compared with public and private nonprofit institutions, proprietary and for-profit schools and career colleges are growing and serving an increasing number of adult students. This report describes California's private for-profit postsecondary educational institutions. It presents an overview of the external quality review system--a complex system that includes a private non-governmental process (accreditation), a state oversight function, and a federal recognition process, all of which address quality and consumer protection. The following are appended: (1) Resource Persons; (2) Minority Enrollment at For-Profit Institutions; and (3) BPPVE Approved Institutions. (Contains 49 endnotes and 2 tables.).