I am a student of a very well known online school. I am currently enrolled and will graduate in December. I will not have to start paying on my student loans until June of 2010.
I enrolled two years ago at this school for my Associates Degree. When I spoke with a recruiter they said that my Associates Degree would cost me roughly $35,000.00 (Which is Alot). I asked who I could get my student loans through, and they said in order to make everything a smooth process I needed to use Sallie Mae. I asked about an alternate option with better rates, and they said that if I decided to go with another lender, that I may not get enrolled in time because they would have to go through a “manual” process, and told me to apply with Sallie Mae. So, I did.
The following quarter they told me that I needed to secure more student loans to cover lab fees and tuition. (By the way, everytime that I was told to get these loans I was assured it was “all I would need” to complete the Associates Degree program)
In May of 2008 I was told by the Financial Aid department that I needed to secure more student loans in order to continue my classes. I asked why, and they said it was because they raised tuition. They said that I needed to get $12,000.00 + more in student loans. I was locked out of my classes, and so I got the student loans and was able to continue.
In December of 2008 they started sending me correspondence and calling me stating that I owed $2,000.00 + , and to secure more student loans to cover the balance and the next quarter. Obviously I was extrememly upset at this point, and I called the Financial Aid Department. I talked to 4 individuals, and two told me that I owed more than the $2,000 + and two who told me I owed less. When I sent them correspondence to inform them that I was collecting all of my records to pursue legal action a Financial Advisor called me and said that she audited my account and found that they owed me money from past quarters that was never refunded me and that I did not owe a balance.
If I would have been refunded or aware of that surplus I would not have “needed” to get such a high amount of student loans – and as a result pay additional interest.
At this point I had $45,000.00 in Student Loans and I still had almost a year left of schooling. They told me that I would need to get an additional 15-20K in Student Loans to finish the program. So I would be paying $65,000.00 for an Associates Degree! I wrote a letter requesting to be downgraded to the one year certificate program for financial reasons, and they granted my request. I was told that I would save alot of money and graduate alot sooner. In the Associates Degree program I was set to graduate in December of 2009. Come to find out, in the one year certificate program – they told me I would still graduate in December of 2009. I was only a few credits away from the requirements for the one year certificate when I downgraded programs, and when I called to find out why my graduation date had not changed, they said that several of the credit that I recieved in the Associates program did not apply to the Certificate program and that I needed to get more credits (btw they charge somewhere around $400.00 per Credit Hour). They said that if I wanted to graduate sooner to take more classes at a time, but that I would need to secure more student loans.
Like I said, I am currently enrolled, and my student loans dont start payments until June 2010. I am a great student with a high gpa and have worked very hard. It is almost too much to handle however when I think about how I have more than $50K in student loans – for a one year certificate program. I can’t even get an entry level position in my field because the minimum requirement is an associates degree.
I feel like I was really scammed by the school – particularly the recruiters and the financial aid department. I could also go on an on about the actual quality of education, but I think I have made this post long enough.
I wish that I would not have been so naive, yet I had 0 experience with Colleges. I attempted to go to a school in state, but my major was not being offered in an online course. I had to go to school online because I was working full time and my family depended on my income.
I know that I am probably screwed, but I really want to try and take action now while I am still enrolled if there is anything at all that I can do. Thanks for any thoughts, and sorry its so long. BTW I live in Oregon. The school is physically based in PA, but it operates nationwide.
It sounds like AIU. UGH! I have never seen a school with more financial raping and backwards ethics as these guys!
Honestly, what my DH ended up having to do was find another school which accepted most of his credits from AIU and transfer to finish his BA.
Hopefully, you’ve kept very good financial records b/c one minute they’ll tell you they owe you, the next minute they’re sending you to collections after you cancel with them.
In the future, for yourself or anyone else, I’d recommend getting all of your financial obligations itemized in a statement ahead of time from the school before enrolling or paying them a dime. If they won’t commit to X dollars for Y classes to get Z degree, plus B cost for Books/Lab Fees then I will not go to school there, period.
Good Luck!
You need to talk with a lawyer.