The Career College Association says that a public-opinion poll it recently commissioned found that many Americans consider for-profit colleges and trade schools a good alternative to traditional colleges for many young people in today\'s economy. The association said the poll also found that, among the 1,146 respondents, for-profit career colleges \"have almost no distinct identity or profile,\" and that \"the boundaries\" between such institutions and other colleges \"are very blurred.\" The poll found that higher education in general got \"mixed reviews\" for its ability to prepare young people for the demands of the work world and adult life, according to the Hart Research analysis. Only 41 percent said the American higher-education system was \"doing a good job.\"