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BAD EDUCATION

 

By Jeffrey C. Billman

For Michael Satz, Florida Metropolitan University seemed like a good choice. Already working as a paralegal, Satz could get his bachelor's degree and enroll at Nova Southeastern Law School. FMU, a subsidiary of California-based Corinthian Colleges Inc., offered flexible scheduling, small class sizes, online courses and help securing student loans.

In June 2003, he toured FMU's Fort Lauderdale campus, one of 10 in the state. According to a lawsuit he later filed in Broward County, Satz asked FMU's representatives about the school's accreditation, and whether the credits he earned there would count toward law school at Nova. "Of course you can do this," Satz says he was told. "You'll have no problem going to law school."

Satz, according to his lawsuit, was a model student. He maintained a 4.0 GPA and earned a spot on the president's list. By March 2004, he'd completed 80 credit hours at FMU, all through online courses. Then he contacted Nova about transferring his credits, and hit a major snag.

"I found out that school would not take a single credit," he says. He checked around, and it got worse. "All of the schools in the South Florida region, not a single one would take a single credit."

To Satz that meant that nine months at FMU – which had cost him $20,000 in student loans – were worthless.

FMU is, as prospective students are told, "nationally accredited" by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools, or ACICS. ACICS accredits about 600 schools across the country, primarily vocational or career schools, from ITT Technical Institutes to the Golf Academy of Hawaii.

But Nova, along with 786 other public and private colleges and universities in the southeast – including 74 in Florida – doesn't recognize ACICS. The standard for those schools is accreditation by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools, or SACS, one of six regional accrediting bodies associated with the Commission on Colleges, the country's foremost accreditation agency. "Certain colleges have national accreditation," Satz says. "It doesn't mean anything. If it's not SACS-accredited, it ain't going anywhere. It's not accepted. FMU does not disclose that."

Corinthian says that it's up to the receiving institution to decide which credits can transfer and which can't, a reality students acknowledge when filing their FMU applications. SACS representatives say their schools don't have a blanket rule against accepting ACICS credits – each school has its own rules.

Satz, who works in the Fort Lauderdale law office of attorney Peter N. Price, filed a class-action lawsuit on March 9, 2004, alleging that FMU misleads students about their ability to transfer credits. His lawsuit largely copies allegations made in a Tampa lawsuit filed a few weeks earlier in 2004 by attorney Dan Clark. Later, Clark filed another, nearly identical lawsuit on behalf of more than 80 FMU students in the Tampa area.

All three lawsuits assert that FMU recruiters and officials tell students there's no real difference between regional and national accreditation, and that credits from FMU will transfer to the state university or community college of their choice. In some cases, the lawsuits allege, students were told that national accreditation was better. Other times, FMU officials told students that the school was seeking SACS accreditation, and would have it by the time they graduated.

Corinthian, in statements to its stockholders, describes the lawsuits as "without merit." Nonetheless, Satz's lawsuit – now in binding arbitration – has attracted at least 150 co-plaintiffs, and he says 350 more have contacted Price's law firm about joining. The Tampa lawsuits have more than 80 students, a number that could potentially expand into the hundreds or thousands. Since many of the students spent $25,000 or more at FMU, a potential verdict could reach into millions of dollars.

And that's just the beginning for Corinthian.

CREDIT MESS

Corinthian is the nation's second largest operator of for-profit universities. In fiscal year 2004, the company had revenues of more than $804 million, up from $517 million the year before. It has grown rapidly since its founding in 1995 with 12 schools. By 2003, Corinthian had 69 schools; today it has 93 schools in 22 states, and 35 more in seven Canadian provinces. It teaches more than 70,000 students.

Corinthian's executives are well-paid, according to documents disclosed to shareholders. Chairman and CEO David Moore made $575,000 in 2004. The prior year he earned $450,000 and a $657,000 bonus. Two other executives make more than $300,000, though the company cut bonuses for its top three moneymakers in 2004. Corinthian employs about 10,000 people in the United States and Canada.

In October 1995, Florida Metropolitan University Inc., a wholly-owned subsidiary of Corinthian, bought out Tampa College, which had four campuses across the state, including two in Orlando. Founded in 1890, Tampa College was the oldest business school in the state. What is now FMU's north Orlando campus, which you can see from I-4 near Lee Road, was established in Orlando in 1953 as Jones College, Orlando, and became Orlando College in 1981.

In early 2000, all FMU-owned campuses took on the FMU name. Today, there are 10 FMU campuses, and 11,000 students.

FMU caters to a different clientele than traditional "brick and mortar" colleges; specializing in night and online courses, it is for students who couldn't otherwise attend school due to work or family commitments.

FMU's focus, according to Corinthian spokesperson Anna Marie Dunlap, is getting its students jobs. "Our graduates, 80 percent of them, are placed in jobs, historically," Dunlap says. "The typical student for FMU and the entire Corinthian system – it's very career-focused."

Just about anyone can get in. There is an entrance exam, but according to the lawsuits and a former FMU professor who spoke to Orlando Weekly on the condition his name not be published, it is by no means difficult.

"I really feel like they need to change who they 'recruit' as students," the professor says. "I think the major issue is that some students took the program seriously and others were total flakes."

According to the lawsuits, FMU admissions representatives go out of their way to secure federal loans for students, sometimes bending the rules in the process. The school charges $250 per credit hour. According to Satz's lawsuit, FMU requires 196 credits for a bachelor's degree, as opposed to the 120 credits required at most other schools. FMU officials say that figure is misleading because they are on quarters, not semesters, and the state of Florida requires 180 quarter class hours for a bachelor's degree. Still, a degree from FMU can cost as much as $50,000.

FMU applied for SACS accreditation in 2002, but withdrew its application in early 2003. The reason, Dunlap says, is that SACS insisted that the FMU schools not expand or add additional programs for two years while SACS processed its application, something FMU declined to do.

Accreditation is vital to a school's integrity. Schools sanctioned by the Commission of Colleges have to prove they have the resources and faculty to provide their students with a well-rounded education.

FMU is accredited by ACICS, a national accrediting agency recognized by the U.S. Department of Education. Interestingly, FMU alumni can't teach at FMU, since the school requires its teachers to have attended regionally accredited schools. Dunlap notes that ACICS is actually stricter than SACS, in the sense that along with typical education requirements, ACICS forces FMU to meet job-placement and completion criteria to remain accredited.

Do SACS-accredited schools not recognize FMU credits because they deem the institution inferior? Not necessarily, says SACS spokeswoman Ann Chard. "I don't think you can make a blanket statement," she says. "Institutions, as far as we're concerned, are responsible for setting their own transfer policies. They're free to set whatever transfer policies they wish to set. … [It] varies widely from institution to institution."

Chard points to Section 3.4.4 of SACS' Principles of Accreditation guidelines, which instructs SACS schools to develop a transfer policy "that is consistent with its mission and ensures that course work and learning outcomes are at the collegiate level and comparable to the institution's own degree programs."

ACICS accreditation entitles FMU students to receive federal loans and grants. In fact, according to a federal class-action lawsuit filed in California on behalf of Corinthian shareholders last year, 82 percent of the company's income came from federal student loans in 2003.

That suit alleges that Corinthian falsifies financial aid applications, encourages students to lie on federal financial aid forms, and alters grades and attendance records to keep failing students enrolled and receiving their federal funds.

A PERFECT STORM

Corinthian had a rough 2004, with bad publicity hitting its stock price hard. By August, the company's stock – publicly traded on NASDAQ as CoCo – had dropped to $9.99 a share, down from $36.19 a few months earlier. It has now settled around $15.83, where it closed on April 8.

In its annual report to its stockholders on June 30, 2004, Corinthian first blamed itself for not having the infrastructure in place to handle rapid growth. That, "coupled with widely publicized news, media stories regarding regulatory issues facing the education industry, mischaracterizations of the particular issues facing Corinthian, and unwarranted legal attacks related to our schools in Florida," caused them to "[face] a 'perfect storm' of bad news that has taken its toll on Corinthian's stock price and the value we have worked so hard to build for our stockholders."

That storm started with Clark's lawsuit in March, and Satz's lawsuit a few weeks later: Both allege widespread fraud.

"FMU/Corinthian's deceptive trade practices are massive and systemic," Satz's lawsuit says. "It includes the changing of failing student's (sic) grades to keep the students in school, merely for the continuation of government and private financial aid issued to the students. The deceptive trade practices are continuing and ongoing. Teachers are trained and admonished that no student is to fail any course, and the grades are changed by staff to ensure no one fails. If a teacher tries to enforce proper learning, they are disciplined and potentially terminated."

Later filings in the Satz case include an affidavit from Orlando Restrepo, a former senior registrar of Florida Metropolitan University Inc., saying he was pressured to change grades to keep failing students in school.

Dunlap told another publication that Restrepo was a student at the time, and the only grades he changed were his own. He was fired. The former professor Orlando Weekly spoke with says he felt no pressure to change grades.

Corinthian paints Satz as an opportunist, saying he essentially ripped off Clark's lawsuit. "He saw an opportunity to jump in here and get a piece of the pie," she says. "He's an expert on conning people."

In June, the U.S. Department of Education launched an investigation into Corinthian-owned Bryman College's alleged financial-aid fraud. The California school allegedly helped students to manipulate student-loan forms by claiming extra dependents to get the maximum amount of available student loans. While the review was ongoing, Bryman was prohibited from receiving financial aid payments in advance, as most schools do, and instead had to ask to be reimbursed. The DOE ended its probe in December without proof of wrongdoing.

In another bit of bad news for the company, the Securities and Exchange Commission informed Corinthian in September that it was being investigated. "[T]he inquiry concerns Corinthian's projections, financial performance and communications with securities analysts and investors during the fiscal year ended June 30, 2004, including interim periods, and for the quarter ending September 30, 2004, as well as the U.S. Department of Education program review at the San Jose, California campus of Bryman College," the company revealed in a Sept. 20 statement.

By January 2005, the SEC called off its investigation without any findings of wrongdoing, according to an article from the Dow Jones News Service. But Corinthian and other for-profit schools still face an inquiry by California's attorney general.

On Oct. 13, Corinthian filed suit against Stephen Backhus and Sean Taylor, two former FMU admissions representatives, for "actions" that "threaten to completely destroy the school's efforts and reputation, which the school obtained through its considerable efforts and substantial expenditure of money," according to an article in OC Weekly newspaper. Backhus and Taylor obtained FMU's student e-mail database and sent out an anonymous letter blasting the school's trade practices, the same practices that led to the lawsuits and investigations. The two were fired.

But the biggest threat to CCI comes from its own stockholders. In July, after CCI's stock price slipped on word of the Department of Education review, a handful of stockholders sued Corinthian for fraud. By February 2005, those lawsuits were consolidated into one big class action lawsuit in federal court in California, headed by the powerhouse Milberg Weiss Bershad & Schulman law firm. That suit contains some truly remarkable – and if proven, potentially damning – allegations.

It charges that "defendants engaged in a deliberate course of conduct where student records and data were systematically manipulated, inflated, and falsified in order to represent to the investing public that enrollment and attendance at Corinthian schools were continually growing along with the company's revenues and earnings. By doing so, defendants artificially inflated the price of Corinthian common stock."

Corinthian schools allegedly falsified financial aid forms, and encouraged students to do the same, in order to get more money from the government, the lawsuit charges. The suit alleges that schools changed grades and attendance figures to keep students eligible for those federal funds, and "[manipulated] job placement data to inflate placement rates in order to satisfy federal and state regulations."

What happened at Bryman was widespread at Corinthian schools, the lawsuit says. "Scores of interviews with 50 former employees at 25 different campuses and 13 different schools reveal common practices and undue pressure (including threat of termination) from senior management to continually increase enrollment and retention at any cost, and to discourage employees from voicing their concerns or objections to unethical and fraudulent practices."

The lawsuit names not only Corinthian, but current and former executives as well.

Dunlap says plaintiffs often name executives because executives have liability insurance, and thus are ripe for a settlement. She says the lawsuit is without merit.

Four years ago, Corinthian's stock fell when the company announced it had bad debt expense. Then, it was only worth $250 million, and no one sued. Now, Dunlap argues, the fact that its revenues are nearing the $1 billion mark makes it a more prominent target.

In November, Corinthian CEO Moore – a co-founder – abruptly quit, as did chief financial officer Dennis Beal. Moore later became chairman of Corinthian's board.

NO GUARANTEES

Corinthian has repeatedly pled its innocence and vowed to "vigorously defend" itself and the current and former executives named personally in the Milberg Weiss lawsuit.

In response to the FMU lawsuits, Corinthian argues that when students enroll, they sign a disclaimer stating FMU can't guarantee credits obtained there would transfer elsewhere: "Information concerning other schools that may accept credits toward their programs can be obtained by contacting the office of the campus president," the disclaimer read. "It should not be assumed that any courses or programs described in the university catalog can be transferred to another institution. Any decision on the comparability, appropriateness and applicability of credits and whether they should be accepted is the decision of the receiving institution.'"

In an e-mail, Dunlap elaborates on FMU's credit-transferring policy: "When students request it, we do help them in the credit transfer process, by providing documentation of what was covered in the course syllabus, and the qualifications of the instructor. We have many examples of students who have successfully transferred their credits. In addition, approximately two-thirds of our courses at FMU use the Florida state standard course numbering system, which the legislature put in place to facilitate credit transfers between the institutions that participate in that system. Although it is difficult to transfer credits in general, we do have many examples of students who have done so."

FMU also made students sign documents waiving their right to sue over any potential conflicts, instead referring the matter to binding arbitration.

Hence, the Satz case is headed toward an arbitrator. But its March 31 motion to add plaintiffs to the lawsuit was rejected, Dunlap says.

In Tampa, Clark is taking a different route with his two lawsuits. He's fighting the arbitration clause by arguing that FMU's actions were "unconscionable" and should be kept in the court system. An as-yet-unscheduled evidentiary hearing is upcoming.

Meanwhile, Corinthian's bad press continues. According to the Orange County Register, in February, 24 students of Corinthian's National Institute of Technology in Long Beach sued, claiming the school misrepresented the students' eligibility to take the Certified Medical Assistant exam.

Dunlap says Corinthian is getting a bad rap. Ultimately, as she points out, both the SEC and the Department of Education investigations turned out favorably. "For anything historically not-for-profit, when a for-profit enterprise enters into it, there's always some resistance to it," she says. "These arguments come up again and again from the nonprofit side. … The problems are not all with the for-profit industry."

When employees screw up, like at Bryman College, they get fired, Dunlap says. "Our goals are to play by the rules and have zero tolerance for employees who don't."

While the legal battles rage on, classes continue at FMU's 10 statewide campuses. As Dunlap notes, a good percentage of FMU students aren't looking for a traditional college education. Instead, they want to get in, get out and get back to the work force. Others, who want to use their classes at FMU as a stepping stone toward another institution may be disappointed, and possibly end up in court.

"If you pay $25,000 for a degree, you expect that it's going to have some value," Satz says.

Comments on this story:

Report this comment On 8/21/2006 9:34:16 PM, Anonymous said:

I agree with the story told by Michael Statz. I too am a student at FMU (Florida Metropolitan University),  Clearwater Campus.  I am seeking damages in a court of law because I was completely mislead during the admission interview process.  So, I too, like Michael have wasted more than $30,000 on a Degree that is worth nothing.    I am going to make it my person plight to see that no other student ever gets misinformed about FMU. I will be contacting the following agencies:  1).  Attorney General's Office,  2). The Federal Bureau of Investigation, 3). The Better Business Bureau, 4).  The TV Media's -  Consumer Reporter, and last 5). The U.S. Department of Education. The college needs to refund me my $30,000 plus in tuition, plus damages suffered mentally for not being able to transfer my college credits to other schools.  In addition, I am seeking compensation for the inability to be gainfully employed because my Master's in Business Administration (MBA) is not worth the paper it is written on.  I am livid because this should not have happened to me.   I

Report this comment On 11/29/2006 12:46:38 PM, Anonymous said:

I have a problem with FMU . I started taking online courses was told my financial Aid was approved then in the middle of the semester recieved a letter stating I wasn't approved. Then they dropped me from the classes and told me I had to pay them $2700. This is BS and so is the University

Report this comment On 11/29/2006 12:46:49 PM, Anonymous said:

I have a problem with FMU . I started taking online courses was told my financial Aid was approved then in the middle of the semester recieved a letter stating I wasn't approved. Then they dropped me from the classes and told me I had to pay them $2700. This is BS and so is the University

Report this comment On 11/29/2006 12:46:50 PM, Anonymous said:

I have a problem with FMU . I started taking online courses was told my financial Aid was approved then in the middle of the semester recieved a letter stating I wasn't approved. Then they dropped me from the classes and told me I had to pay them $2700. This is BS and so is the University

Report this comment On 12/12/2006 2:30:26 PM, Anonymous said:

Satz lost his case in January of 06'. Should be noted, he had to pay FMU for attorney fees.

Report this comment On 12/12/2006 2:31:50 PM, Anonymous said:

One more thing... He went on to get his paralegal degree from Kaplan University Online... A nationally accredited university. The same as FMU.

Report this comment On 12/21/2006 4:46:06 PM, Anonymous said:

My child is currently attending FMU on-line.She is in her 2nd term. I read all of the above and I am extremely concerned. What should I do?

Report this comment On 1/19/2007 7:30:01 PM, Anonymous said:

You should have your daughter research other schools and pull her out now.  you might loose some money but it is better then having a useless expensive degree in the end.  Her financial aide can tranfer to another school, does she have Sallie Mae?  that can go anywhere.  have her go to a community college, get her AA and then she is automatically accepted into a state college.  i am in my last semester ther and i learned all this and i am contacting a lawyer.   i have to start all over again.  just a suggestion, but she will regret it when she has to pay them back and can't get a job with that degree.  they are a franchise of corinthian colleges, do some research u will see.  i hope this helped

Report this comment On 1/31/2007 7:25:21 PM, Anonymous said:

Florida Metropolitan University is not SACS accredited (higher standards). FMU is an inferior "university" which charges student (on average) four time the cost per credit hour as any SACS accredited community college or university. Corinthian has repeatedly "vigorously defend[ed]" itself when faced with legal action from former students, but has not attempted to become raise its standards to become SACS accredited since its initial failure. Former students and potential employers know FMU is a substandard FOR-PROFIT educational institution, which has repeatedly taken advantage of the less fortunate to line its own fat pockets with tax payer money.

Report this comment On 3/12/2007 4:24:03 AM, Anonymous said:

Stop your daughter now! Trust me I have been there.It is cheaper to get a regionally accredited degree.  

Report this comment On 5/4/2007 11:02:41 PM, Anonymous said:

I would just like to clarify that FMU has it's problems and so does the rest of Corinthian Schools. I worked for one of thier schools in the Chicagoland area, and I can tell you that I was under the impression that student was first, and we don't pressure students into anything. Well after I got back from training, but boss turned into a nightmare and became a slave driver. All he cared about was the number and not the best interest of the student. He was unethical and so is the rest of the company for allowing our Director of Admissions to harrass their employees to the point that health becomes an issue. The HR department failed to protect quite a few employees, and we no longer could stomach it. I have currently contacted the EEOC about the harrassment, and I feel that anyone that is reading this and looking to attend a for profit school should check www.chea.org for the accreditation records of a school that you may be interested in. This website will give you all the information you need on any college or university across the United States. I also wanted to add that Kaplan is not a nationally accredited school; it is regionally. They are accredited by NCA, North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Kaplan is also owned by the Washington Post and they have a very selective process when it comes to becoming a student there.

Report this comment On 6/26/2007 2:24:57 AM, Shirosaki said:

I just started at FMU and its kind of weird. It seems a lot of the students are not smart. One student wrote 100,000,000 on the board and couldn't tell people what that number is. The teacher had to tell her. Also the test to make sure you are able to attend the school and grasp everything seemed like Middle School level. I mean the hardest math was dividing fractions. No algebra. No really hard grammar or reading comprehension. We got this test in Strategies of Success. It was the midterm. Alls you had to do was write the letter next to each definition to the each word and match them up. I didn't know this till I took the test but the teacher allowed you to take the sample midterm in and use it on the midterm. The sample was exactly the same as the regular midterm except for the words and definitions were in different places. Someone took the test and failed it (maybe they put same answers in same places on sample midterm, not sure) and the teacher went over to them and gave them back the test and let them do it over. It seems kind of suspect because if you're that dumb you shouldn't be in college. You're just getting money sucked out of you. I'm very concerned cause I'm in the Computer Information Science degree and if I get the bachelor's there want to be able to get a good job. I remember them showing us that average associates degrees makes 30,000ish a year and bachelor's make around 50,000. Is any of this true? Have people gotten good jobs after they got their degrees?

Report this comment On 6/26/2007 2:43:14 AM, Shirosaki said:

I forgot to also mention the Computer Information Science degree is heavy in Computer Programming so thats the job I would have.

Report this comment On 7/1/2007 9:56:01 PM, fight for your rights said:

I was employed as Director of Admissions at the Orange Park Campus.  I was terminated because of discrimination.  I filed a complaint with the EEOC and after a year and a half investigation, was awarded a Right to Sue letter.  I would encourage anyone who was wronged by this billion dollar company to FIGHT FOR THEIR LEGAL RIGHTS!!!!

Report this comment On 7/3/2007 7:31:04 PM, Shirosaki said:

Would you say their Curriculum is set up to get people A's and not prepare them for the field they will be entering into when they get their degree? I'm very concerned about putting money into School here if my Computer Science degree isn't going to prepare me for a real job or I won't be able to get a job because their degrees don't mean anything to employers.

Report this comment On 8/4/2007 11:30:21 PM, formerfmustudent said:

All that I can say folks is RUN!  I too was one of those along with the rest of our campus after much anger and complaints that "FMU was seeking SACS accreditation."  This wasn't long into my first term there.  We were promised that over and over throughout my four years.  I was stuck and could not transfer out.  What made things worse was that I knew for a fact the school would use one piece of Microsoft Software for several computers instead purchasing the appropriate licenses. I finished my four year degree in Computer Information Science but no one would touch me.  So, I got revenge.  I went into Education just thinking the state would turn down my request because of the school.  They didn't and I was alllowed to be a teaching certificate but I can't go any further to obtain my Master's.  Suffice it to say, I am not making the $ that I would if I was at a SACs school. Financial aid in the school is a joke.  Students who made more $ then I at the time received higher pell grants and cash back while I took on more loans.  I hope some lawyer is able to break the corporate barrier and get this into court.  I believe this will make Corinthian wake up and realize the games with individual's lives is over with!   I know I can't hire a lawyer because I have to much in student loans. All this said, I was also a "Honorary Speaker" at one of the commencement ceremonies.  So I guess that sums up what this so-called university is all about. Even their own Honorary Speaker/Valedictorian (2002) is upset over this company's practices.  I hope their stock keeps falling!        

Report this comment On 8/5/2007 8:06:50 PM, Orlandis said:

I currently work in the online division at FMU. Let me tell you, this company and school is terrible. There is ZERO academic integrity, and the administration is nothing short of caring. The director(s) are terrible; they overwork us, underpay us, and frankly define the word unethical. For example:   We were just told this past week that if a student is to have a cash balance (where they have to make payments), that we should have them continue making payments no matter what, even if their circumstances should change. This means that we are not to tell the student that even if they don’t have to make cash payments, we are not to tell them that. I work in Financial Aid, which is all I will say about identifying myself. They target students with low incomes, and set them up for failure, promising those things that they cannot deliver, such as income to pay bills, computer loans, and exaggerations that any financial aid professional cannot possibly imagine. Students routinely do not complete their financial aid paperwork. The insane thing is, most colleges immediately boot students at the add/drop period, to prevent them from incurring a balance if they do not complete their paperwork. Here, we still ENROLL students for a “start” after the add/drop period, and no, those students do NOT get an opportunity to drop without incurring a balance.   I cannot speak to the complexity of the curriculum, but as for the difficulty of the classes, (I mean absolutely no disrespect to anyone at all in these classes), but I would give my 13 year old cousin a fair shot at a 4.0 in the programs.   This company is great at one thing, making money. The running theme around our admissions team is to sum it up... "I could care less, as long as they sit for 30 days". Basically, this means that the school's representatives don't care how you do, as long as you stay enrolled for 30 days, and nothing more. You ask why I am there if I don't like it. No one else is hiring me right now, and I have a family to feed. Nothing more. The second a better job comes, I'm gone. Stay the heck away; go to a school that is better, such as a community college. Best of luck to you. Well written article.

Report this comment On 8/7/2007 4:13:43 PM, formerfmustudent said:

Then I feel it is your duty to report them even anonymous to the Federal Student Aide.  They are breaking the law and in doing so, you are too.  I know it is a no win situation; however, something must be done! You are confirming my suspicions that they played with the books while I was there and it should cease.

Report this comment On 9/27/2007 1:13:43 PM, A Kane said:

I go to Everest Institute in Gahanna(Columbus), Ohio. I have only been there for about 2 weeks and I have heard a lot of bad things since I have been attending. There classes are set up in Mods. Mod A(introduction to "whatever course you are taking"), Mod B....Mod C....Mod D...and so forth until the last Mod is working at a job site. They place new students in whatever Mod they see fit. They say you don't need to know Mod A to do Mod B or C..and so forth. They could also start you out on Mod C or D, doesn't matter. But what I am seeing so far is that you DO need to start from the beginning, especially if you don't have any background experience in the career you are training in. I have also found out that many instructors have quit. Like I said I have only been there for a couple of weeks, but some of the people I have talked to has been there 2 to 4 months and some has said that they haven't had the same instructor more than twice. We recently had a test and some of it was over things that wasn't even covered by any instructor, and like I said I am taking the same test that other people are taking that has been there for 2 to 4 months. So far I am not impressed in their ability to teach, lead or even care about the students learning. Looks like they are using government money to lure people in so they can make the big $$$$$'s and to hell with teaching.

Report this comment On 10/10/2007 1:37:34 PM, fmugrad2007 said:

I just graduated from FMU. Although I wish that FMU would seek SACS accrediation, I have no real intention of pursuing a degree beyond a Master's. I have had no difficulty seeking employment because I am already employed and my company has recognized my degree. There are many schools throughout the country that will accept your degree from a Nationally-accredited university. I think the accreditation issue is the least of the problems with FMU. Anyway, I do not believe FMU is the best thing next to sliced pie, but I choose FMU because it got the job done for me - although I hoped in the last five years that it would get better. I hope for their sake it does. i I think many of the examples you all have given, are typical of any for-profit business. You can't please everyone. As for the unethical parts, well that happens even in regionally-accredited schools, come on now. Thinking back, my admissions "sales person" never told me that FMU wasn't SACS accredited, she simply said they were accredited. It was my first time I was enrolling in college, so I would never have put two and two together. All I knew is that they had a program that sounded great to get my Bachelor's degree. HOWEVER, I will say that I do recall very vividly that I signed paperwork about the transferability of credits, blah, blah, blah... and I also knew that I was attending a "Career College" and not a traditional College. I knew this part very clearly, because I was working 50-60 hours a week full-time at different times of the day, that it would have been impossible to take classes at a traditional university. This is knew, but I honestly didn't know about the national vs. regional accreditation issues until they started surfacing. So, being curious as I am, I did some research. First off, I will admit that the admissions criteria was anything but in-depth -- But the degree is not worthless in my eyes. I worked my tail off in the past five years to get my bachelor's degree and the material was very challenging even though there was practically zero personal support from the school itself, the instructors did their best for a very easy paycheck. Some cared more than others of course, just like any school. I checked out a few universities to see what my chances of transfer would be if I pursued an MBA and whether or not they would accept my nationally-accredited undergraduate degree from FMU. I am happy to report to all of you, that I had absolutely NO trouble with getting transferability to any of the state and other private universities that I inquired with. University of Texas Penn State University of Wisconsin Capella University The list goes on... Had I known then what I do now about how stingy SACS schools are, I probably wouldn't have enrolled in FMU. I do not regret getting it, however, I do wish they seek SACS accreditation ASAP. Two years is nothing! They might increase their enrollments/keep students if they are SACS accredited.

Report this comment On 10/17/2007 12:35:43 AM, STUDENTFORTRUTH said:

Students  of  CORINTHIAN COLLEGES INC.!!! Do you want the truth?? THIS INCLUDES ALL CORINTHIAN COLLEGE STUDENTS: ASHMEAD, EVEREST COLLEGE, EVEREST INSTITUTE, FLORIDA METROPLITAN UNIVERSITY, NATIONAL SCHOOL OF TECHNOLOGY, EVEREST WYOTECH, LAS VEGAS COLLEGE, WYOTECH, CDI COLLEGE, AND FMU ONLINE VISIT HTTP://WWW.EVERESTSTUDENTS.COM

Report this comment On 1/26/2008 12:56:26 PM, Mangie said:

I went to FMU south Orlando campus, I got my AS in Business I would like to get more information about the lawsuit, are we going to be able to get some money back? To be honest with you I feel I didn't learn anything there. I wanted to continue my education at  UCF or a similar university but they won't transfer my credits. Has anybody here had any luck?

Report this comment On 3/9/2008 9:34:39 PM, pixie237 said:

I too was a victim of FMU. The only difference was that I went to the Brandon Campus in Tampa, Florida. But it's all the same b/s. I was so psyched because I made a New Year's Resolution to get into school, not knowing that it was the worst mistake of my life. At least going with that school was. I had just moved to Florida from Connecticut and had no idea of the advantage they were going to take of me. The bad part is, I never got a copy of anything I signed, they mislead me completely, I couldn't get any financial aid because I'm considered under my parents income even though I live thousands of miles away, and they don't pay for anything of mine, so I had to take out signature loans. I wanted to get my RN, so I started with there STAA program, then I'd figure I'd go back for another 2  yrs. since they were putting in a nursing program the following yr. Anyways, I started hearing rumors, or so I thought they were that the school was no good and that there were class action lawsuits agaist it, not to mention that they were not SACS accreditted. As a result of all the talk, I started to talk to people I knew and decided to quit. I didn't even go for a full year and I owe about $20,000. The whole program would've cost $40,000 just for my STAA. I thought it was awefully pricy because I knew people who got their RN's for less, but I thought because it was Florida and because of all the tutors, etc. that they had, that those were the reasons for the price. Well I was wrong and now I owe all this money for nothing. So much for school. I just want to thank to school for ruining my life and making it so that I can never afford to go to school again or have the courage to overcome the fear of getting screwed over again by a college. I only wish I knew how to become a part of one of the class action lawsuits against if so that I can fight this school also for all the hassle it has caused me. Also, believe me,....I will make sure no one ever goes near FMU or Everest in a million years if  I have anything to do with it.

Report this comment On 4/30/2008 9:29:54 PM, Mickey291 said:

I went to United Electronics Institute in Tampa Florida back in 1989. Shortly after the name changed to Tampa College then FMU and now it is changing to Everest College. Four name changes in less than 20 years, makes you wonder... I withdrew in January of 1990 due to a high risk pregnancy and being put on complete bedrest. I went to school less than 3 months and they are still hounding me for the money (all of it, mind you). See, they never officially withdrew me and kept all of the money. I have on several occasions tried to get help to straighten this out but always run into dead ends. The department of education has had me fill out numerous forms but it always goes back to "Sorry you owe all of it".  Of course they couldn't provide any transcripts or grades, etc... just the original papers I signed almost 19 years ago. They admit I withdrew, the dates have just changed. My husband went to the same class, withdrew the same day and still they have him as withdrawing in June1990 and me March 1990. I think it is wrong that this debt is following me around and no matter what I do I can't seem to get anywhere. Out of all of this I do however, have a great son who is fixing to turn 18 next month. Had I not followed my doctors orders, I would not have him. This place may have changed their names 4 times but they were and still are crooks from what I have seen..

Report this comment On 5/1/2008 1:18:07 AM, Lamar said:

I hate to be a dick (disclosure: no I don't), but who wants to hire a lawyer that doesn't even check to see whether credits will transfer?  I sometimes masquerade as a competent lawyer, and I can tell you that it is an extremely detail oriented profession.  Think about it with respect to Satz's case.  Let's say somebody came to me and asked whether certain credits would transfer.  I have a few options.  One is that I could ask them whether the admissions officer said the credits would transfer.  Another is that I could call a law school and ask if they will accept those credits.  Given the relative ease of finding out this information, which lawyer would you choose?  The one who said, "if they said it, it must be true" or the one who made the phone call and found out the actual truth?Honestly, I can't say whether Satz will be a good lawyer or not.  Why didn't the firm of Peter N. Price help him out?  Why didn't Satz check up on bogus law schools?  Why did he leave this all to faith in what some admissions guy said?I'm not a pure "buyer beware" kind of guy, but how does one get to the point where he is considering graduate school and not realize that some people/institutions are full of shit?  I knew exactly what the standing of my law school was before I visited the campus.  WTF?

Report this comment On 7/10/2008 11:02:57 AM, Anonymous said:

This might seem odd, but after reading all of these negative comments, I have to say that I experienced none of the above. The only problem I have had is the large turn over of staff in their Financial Aid Depatment. I am a student at the Pompano Beach Campus, and have had very positive experiences with the school. I will be graduating in January 2009 with my Bachelor's Degree, and have had several regionally accreditted Universities express interest. I spoke to several of these schools and was told that they do accept degrees from Everest. I am working with two schools right now SACS accreditted, and I have had no problems. My employer had no problem accepting the Associates degree that I recieved from Everest formally FMU.This is my experience. Yes, there are areas that can be improved upon, but I am quite sure that all schools have their own problems, there is no such thing as a perfect school!  

Report this comment On 7/26/2008 8:54:12 AM, Anonymous said:

After reading all of the blogs I am concerned but at the same time most of what is stated is about transfering to universities, which I am not looking to do so if anyone has any input concerning my situation, your thoughts and expierences would be most appreciated. I was thinking of actually entering the medical assisting program within the next few weeks there. I lost my job around the holidays 07 and have not been able to find one since, the Tampa, Florida job market is in terrible shape - and thought I would do a career change and enter the medical field.  After being out of work for so long I cannot afford to waste anymore time or money - I need to get in get a degree of some sort and get a job. I am not a young 20 something either, I am a mother of 3 , a wife, and well into my 40's.

Report this comment On 8/16/2008 1:03:05 AM, Anonymous said:

DONT DO IT!! I'M A FORMER ADMISSIONS REPRESENTATIVE AND THIS COMPANY IS CORRUPT. NOT ALL ADMISSIONS REPRESENTATIVES LIE, I TOLD ALL OF MY STUDENTS THE TRUTH. I TOO WENT TO A POST SECONDARY SCHOOL AND FELT LIKE IT GOT ME NO WHERE. THIS COMPANY IS ALL ABOUT MONEY, THEY ARE UNETHICAL, THEY ALLOW THEIR LEADERS TO TREAT PEOPLE BAD AND THE SAD PART IS CORPORATE KNOWS ABOUT THIS AND COULD CARE LESS. CORINTHIAN IS THE WORST BUT ,ALL FOR PROFIT SCHOOLS ARE PRETTY MUCH RAN THE SAME.I QUIT BECAUSE I COULD NO LONGER BE A PART OF THE SCANDAL. THIS IS SAD THAT FOR PROFIT SCHOOLS ARE LEGALLY ALLOWED TO SCREW PEOPLE OVER LIKE THIS.GO TO A COMMUNITY COLLEGE INSTEAD, IT WILL COST LESS AND YOU WILL BE ABLE TO TRANSFER YOUR CREDITS.

Report this comment On 8/28/2008 9:11:16 PM, Anonymous said:

I agree. As a former admissions rep, I have almost been inclined to call all of my old students and tell them to get out! My experience with the company was nothing but horrible. I was mistreated, underpaid, taken advantage of, and for what.... nothing. The could care less about their employees and students. I would strongly encourage students and employees to question EVERYTHING!!!

Report this comment On 10/27/2008 12:08:51 AM, Anonymous said:

how does anyone feel about starting a website about this problem. I am a student there now, and I am inching in on withdrawing. I regret giving them my money and time. I know we must do things right according to the law, but Im tired of their BS. It starts at CCI headquarters, they are the one's who could careless. I have had great teacher who love their classes and taught with excellence, but everest as a whole is a disgrace. Lets keep this thread alive, there are many students like us, who have been scammed.

Report this comment On 10/28/2008 12:00:23 PM, Anonymous said:

I went to FMU and I am $28,000 in debt and I stopped going when I found out it was a BS school. Now I owe student loans and have nothing to show. Anyone know of any lawsuits so I can get my money back?? They lied about everything!!!

Report this comment On 11/5/2008 1:07:59 PM, Anonymous said:

I have had a horrible experience with Everest College. I am currently working with the corporate office to rectify the situation. If I am not happy with the outcome and they want to continue to charge me for a "quality" education that I did not receive then I plan on taking it a step further. I would like to talk to other students who will not put up with them taking our money and not providing what they should have. Please email me at horrible_schools@yahoo.com

Report this comment On 11/18/2008 5:38:11 PM, Anonymous said:

I am currently a student at Everest and iF I shared my experience you would be horrified.From the structure standpoint it is no worse then most online schools and most of the teachers are good however this school is fruadulent in mostly everything they do.I have hundreds of documents in which they lied,and made false statements. They will do whatever is neccessary to get money from you.There financial aid department is ridiculous and perform several acts of fraud including applying for loans without your authorization,falsifying amounts owed. I have read over 100 articles of students who have been scammed by the school.The times has come For Everest to fall.We must stand together and create a class action suit against them.We cant fight them directly without help and large numbers of people coming forward to put and end to them. They simply make too much money and have many players paid off(Sallie Mae). I have documented emails going back two years on this University. The teachers and alot of the classes were good dont get me wrong but when i started to see loans popping up that i didnt apply for the red signal went on.Too have loans close to 30k for a school like this is simply illegal.How can the goverment allow this to continue. WE NEED TO COME TOGETHER AND TAKE THEM DOWN BY FIRST GOING AFTER THIER LICENSE AND NATIONAL ACCREDITATION.There is strength in numbers and i warned them this day would come. LETS MEET AT horrible_schools@yahoo.com.

Report this comment On 11/23/2008 2:28:56 PM, Anonymous said:

I too, used to be a student at this crappy school. After hearing all the rumors and reading all this BS about the accreditation I finished the term I was currently in, then immediately dropped out. I started going February 2007, then dropped out October 2007. The things they misled me about the most were accreditation and financial aid. I had to pay back approximately $4,800 after I thought I had resolved my loans. I was a student there for approximately eight months. I only took eight classes, and HCC only accepted four of them. When did ripping people off become a business? I don't understand why people think they are running a legal institution. This school is not going to get another penny from me.

Report this comment On 11/24/2008 1:27:25 PM, Anonymous said:

I too was taken by this crooked school. After putting in 2 years and maintaining a 4.0 I wasn't able to get a job with my "degree". I have nothing to show for my time and money except the debt I still owe. Why can't we do something about it? They still lure in more unknowing people with their daily ads on TV.

Report this comment On 12/1/2008 7:27:30 PM, Anonymous said:

WE NEED TO TAKE ACTION! I have the same problem. We need to find a way to go public about this. We can file copmlaints with the Dept of Education. I have already. You can send your complaint to Brady . He is handling my case. We need to get to the newspapers and the media.

Report this comment On 12/1/2008 7:28:18 PM, Anonymous said:

Brady Brady.Lyon@fldoe.org

Report this comment On 12/1/2008 7:36:33 PM, Anonymous said:

They have charged me with $58,000.00 for an AS degree. They never provided any documentation for their tuition, my Financial Aid payments. They have messed up my financial aid and withdrew me from the school. Nor that I have graduated, the person putting my packet together confirmed I had a zero balance. Once they got my diploma back from printing I all of a sudden have a balance of $3300.00. Everest University has admitted that they never utilized my Financial Aid that I applied for. They are demanding that I pay them cash. They are offering me settlement, and it has been 1 month since graduation and they automatically send me collection letters. Everest University also says that they are not going to utilize my financial aid because my account is closed and the rep refuses to open it. If anyone find my information useful please contact me at JennaL1619@hotmail.com. I want to sue, give them a bad name, get there license suspended or revoked.

Report this comment On 12/1/2008 7:42:47 PM, Anonymous said:

Here is an attorney that has filed a class action lawsuit. there is a link on his page to fill out a form if you have attended this school. http://www.clarkmartino.com/current-cases.html

Report this comment On 12/1/2008 7:44:37 PM, Anonymous said:

here is another link https://www.lawyersandsettlements.com/submit_form.html?label=metrou&forward=711

Report this comment On 12/2/2008 6:10:23 PM, Anonymous said:

This is from the ACICS that accredits FMU nks Everest Universty I am not sure if I have already responded to your request for information on filing a complaint with an ACICS accredited institution, so if this is a repeat then please disregard. INTRODUCTION The procedures established for reviewing and resolving complaints are in place to ensure integrity in the grievance process. Complaints will be accepted by the Council from individuals or groups, including students, staff, faculty, members of the general public, governmental agencies, and other institutions or organizations. The Council reviews complaints and acknowledges its responsibility to provide both the complainant and the institution with a reasonable and impartial review. FILING A COMPLAINT Whenever possible, the Council expects complainants and institutions to demonstrate genuine effort in resolving disputes directly using the institution’s internal grievance procedures. All institutions are required to have a formal grievance procedure for this purpose, which must be published in the institution’s catalog and/or student handbook. Complaints will be evaluated, in part, based on whether the complainant has demonstrated an effort to use the appropriate procedures. The Council does not require a complaint to be in a specific format. To assist the Council staff in evaluating and processing complaints, however, complainants are urged to observe the following guidelines: 1. The complaint should be written and legible; 2. It should include as much detail as possible; 3. It should include appropriate supporting documentation, if available; and 4. It should include the complainant’s name and contact information. Anonymous complaints may be investigated, at the Council staff’s discretion, if the allegations are serious in nature. COMPLAINT PROCEDURES When evaluating complaints, the Council staff will review statements and documentation submitted by the complainant and will decide whether the complaint warrants further investigation. To make this determination, staff will consider the full circumstances of the information received, including (but not limited to) the following: 1. Whether the complaint relates to an institution currently accredited by ACICS, or which has formally applied for ACICS accreditation; 2. Whether the allegations constitute a possible violation of the Accreditation Criteria or state/federal law; 3. Whether the institution’s published policies provide insight into the issue and/or possible ways to resolve it; and 4. Whether the complainant has made a genuine effort to resolve the problem through the institution’s established grievance procedure. Depending on the outcome of the review, Council staff may decide that ACICS is not in a position to provide assistance in the matter or that the complainant must provide more information before a decision can be made. The complainant will be notified of the determination in writing. If the Council staff decides that the complaint requires further investigation, a copy of the written complaint will usually be sent to the institution, and the institution will receive written direction to respond to the allegations. The complainant will be notified of any determination in writing. If the complaint has been submitted anonymously, or if the complainant asks not to be identified, Council staff may send either an edited version of the complaint or a summary of the complainant’s allegations. ACICS recognizes that anonymous complaints can be difficult for institutions to address but expects institutions to make a genuine effort to do so. When considering the institution’s response, Council staff will consider the amount of information made available in the initial complaint. When the institution’s response is received, the Council staff will review it to ensure that the institution has responded to all elements of the allegation(s) made in the complaint. It is expected that the institution will respond in a timely manner and with appropriate documentation. The Council staff may also review the institution’s published policies and procedures and will evaluate the institution’s compliance with the Accreditation Criteria. The historical record of complaints against an institution may be considered when reviewing allegations against an institution. COUNCIL ACTION The staff, acting at the direction of the Council, may then direct any of the following actions: 1. Close the complaint and indicate that no determination has been made that the institution has violated the Accreditation Criteria; 2. Postpone a final action on the complaint if more information is necessary to make a determination; 3. Postpone a final action on the complaint if there is sufficient evidence that the institution is making progress to rectify the situation; and 4. Notify the institution that, on the basis of the information available, the Council has determined that the institution is failing to meet the accreditation standards. Appropriate action will be taken by the Council to ensure that the institution is in compliance. Written notice of the above actions will be sent to the institution and the complainant. TIME FRAMES Institutions will be allowed a reasonable timeframe, usually 21 days, to respond to a complaint. If the institution’s response has not arrived by the assigned response date, a second notice may be sent and a late fee may be imposed. Should the Council staff require additional information to render a decision, the institution and/or complainant will be asked to do so within a reasonable timeframe. Turnaround time is generally around 60 days but can vary based on the thoroughness of the institution’s response, the amount of follow-up work required and other circumstances. If you would like to direct your complaint to me, then feel free to do so. Best, RMH Robert M. Hendrickson Accreditation Coordinator Accrediting Council of Independent Colleges and Schools 750 First Street NE, Suite 980 Washington, DC 20002-4223 TEL: (202) 336-6842 FAX: (202) 842-2593 rhendrickson@acics.org

Report this comment On 12/23/2008 3:08:46 PM, Anonymous said:

I too went to the Gahanna Ohio site and am finding that after making a 4.0 though all my classes that i am having a problem with what they call externship the place s that they send you too lie on you and get you fired from their site only to find out that the school wants you to find your own extership and if you can't find one in 14 days you are dropped from the program also on my loan summary i found that i was charged for gas and room and board which was never furnished then i found out i had to pay for MMR and T.B shot before i could even go out on extership and when i graduate if i don't get dropped first i have to pay for my cap and gown and i am still not a certified biller or coder that i have to pay 300.00 out of my own pocket for the test and earlier today i found out that though the BBB that Everest Institute has been revoked from them i have paid out 16,000 in loans for nothing is there a lawsuit that can be filed for this and i am sure there are alot of others that have complaints in ohio as well

Report this comment On 12/31/2008 12:27:21 AM, Anonymous said:

I too worked for Everest University Online and all I can say is that it was a scam. I worked there for about two years and they decide to get rid of me out of nowhere. I guess things are meant to happen. The student does not come first . It's even in their mission statment. " for the shareholders". The students are denied a quality education and the finance department is so bad that it leaves a student in complete debt. The president, Ric Kimbell, was very condescending to employees, as well as the HR director Rick Tribble who was even worse. Then you got two other VP A-holes KeithBuckalter and Victor To who dont know their head from their ass. My goal is to make sure this school becomes dismanteled and that no student is ever hurt by their shady scams. I will be creating a website that will be for the people who have experienced some kind of emotional trauma due to horrible companies such as CCI. I will keep everybody posted.

Report this comment On 1/6/2009 5:59:13 AM, Anonymous said:

I myself recently started everest university on 11/24/08 out of florida and to tell you the truth im not even finished with my first term and i am confused as hell. for 1 the school cost 404.00 per credit hour so for 8 credit hours your paying $3232.00 for 3 mos and they consider that part time $4848.00 for 12 credit hours if your fulltime that is alot and the bad part is that i jus found that out today, they enrolled me in full time and my financial aid and grant money doesnt even cover my classes for my 2nd and 3rd term...? im roughly about 600.00 out of pocket cost if i keep it the way it is i dont get it not only that i dont know what classes i have to take until i guess my classes start. i didnt think going to college would be like this and everytime i call they say call your academic advisor but you know what you cant even get him to pick up the phone, do you know i was enrolled in school before my financial kicked in?? i had gotten a letter from sallie mae tellin me that my signature was needed and that through me for a loop cause im like but im in school already. This school has been the worst experience so far and i wanna back out but i dont know what will happen to me if i do. can somebody help me im being taken advantage of....sincerely first time college student

Report this comment On 1/6/2009 9:06:39 PM, Anonymous said:

attended FMU from spring quarter 2003 to spring 2005. I spent 49,000 in the course of two years and received my BS is computer information science. During my two-year stint at FMU they changed the curriculum forcing me to take extra classes while making some of my other classes that I had already taken electives (useless towards me graduating) and they raised the tuition. When I graduated I could not find place that will hire me with the degree and I still owe the 49000 in student loans. The degree is not worth the paper it is written on. Most school will make sure that their students have at least an internship before graduating. FMU did not make sure that I had an internship nor did they try to find me some possible companies that will give a student an internship. At most colleges when the students approach graduation, they have a list of internship possibilities and hold forums to encourage the student to take and internship before graduating. The college career center usually tries to find the students job and they meet with companies who may want to hire their students. At FMU they look in the new paper and tell you what places may be hiring (something that I could do myself), I had one of the career center people tell me to “ just look for a job on career builders or google for a job”.

Report this comment On 1/6/2009 9:14:00 PM, Anonymous said:

I also attended their job fair and they were offering the students jobs as secretary or UPS truck driver/loader, sometimes these jobs were part time and non of them required a college degree.

Report this comment On 1/29/2009 2:01:13 PM, Anonymous said:

What s

Report this comment On 3/8/2009 2:26:24 PM, Anonymous said:

My name is Wes and I went to Florida Metropolitan University from the Fall of 1999 thru the Fall of 2002. I received my MBA in October 2002. Unfortunately, like everyone elso, I experienced an undesirable bad taste of education and false promises from the staff at the Clearwater and Tampa (Hillsborough Ave) Campuses. The folks in Admissions were not well trained because they didn't know what SACS stood for but later found out and advised me that they the school was Nationally Accredited. I asked did that mean the same as Southern Association of Colleges and Schools and they advised "Yes". I should have known better but when I spoke to a Sales Representative/Recruiter, he stated that they were SACS accredited as well as Nationally Accredited. He spoke with confidence and assuarance, just as a saleman should sound and because of that, I was totally sold...... and deceived. I owe FMU over $30,000 in student loans and I can't even use the degree because no one accepts it. They were working hard to get the Pinellas Police Academy to accept their students who earned a Bull Shit (BS) degree in Criminal Justice. To my recollection, they finally achieved that goal after many years of struggling. During my tenure at the Tampa campus on Hillsborough Ave, the staff told us everyday (because we as students kept asking) they they were working diligently to get SACS accredidation all the way up to my graduation. Needless to say, it never happened and all the false hope they gave us in order to stay at the school so we could continue to pay their paychecks, was for nothing. That's what I got out of 3 years of attending that university....NOTHING!! Oh, I stand to e corrected, I got a $30,000 student loan in which I have to pay every month and now the school's name is no longer the same. When I came back from Iraq in 2004, I went back to the school to pick up my degree, I asked if the school had become SACS accredited and the new Admissions crew looked at me as if I had hit a sore spot (very painful). One of the ladies was kind enough to explain to me what was going on and that a lawsuit had been filed against the school. I said Halleluya!! It's now 2009 and it seems as though no one has won a case against them but I'm definitely with joining a class action lawsuit so we can be strengthened in numbers and through God, victory will be ours. I will lose the degree and my time in order to get my money back so I can attend a college that has integrity and is SACS accredited. Had I known they were going to give up on the accredidation, I would have quit the school when one my good friends quit. He laughs at me till this day for not quitting and completeing what he call a Bull Shit Masters Degree in Business. The instructors were great but the higher ups were full of crap and I hope President Obama help us do something about it. I can be reached at boneman_1@yahoo.com

Report this comment On 3/8/2009 2:56:57 PM, Anonymous said:

There is an old saying with respect to an advanced degree in the business world along the lines of "it doesn't matter where you got it, as long as you have it"...The important part is that it is recognized by the US Dept of Education as a school that qualifies for financial aid (it's not a diploma mill). So all is not lost. You knew that it wasn't it a UF, FSU, UM, UCF, or USF when you decided to go there, so stop bitching - everyone has things they wish they could change. Factories (those that are left anyway) are loaded with people who are married (many not married) with children & have houses, but don't have any higher education (some high school dropouts) and are "locked in"....it sounds like you have are in a much better position than a lot of these people. If you are going to have a toxic attitude that other people can sense - NO ONE will want to hire you or do business with you. Shut up and be thankful for what you have, and figure out a way (given your accomplishments) to be someone that an employer will want to hire (to pay you $$$ to do work they need to have done)...figure out a way to produce a product or service that someone will want to buy (without humiliating yourself or breaking laws). We are all competing for the same jobs; he/she that can do the best job at the lowest cost wins.

Report this comment On 3/16/2009 3:01:05 PM, Anonymous said:

Anyone have resources on legal contacts for former students who have been swindled in WA state?

Report this comment On 3/20/2009 9:10:06 PM, Anonymous said:

Does anyone know how to go about getting a class action lawsuit against FMU???? I have heard of people doing it but do not know there out comes. I have yet to pay on my student loans nor do I intend to. I do not want to sue for money i just believe that they should have to pay Sallie Mae back and not the people they ripped off and lied to. Oh and to the person above obviously you did not attend FMU or else you would not be saying what you are saying. So to you I say Shut-up. I went to FMU for a Pharmacy Technician degree they lied to me and said that i had to have one in order to be a Pharm. Tech. in Florida and any tech can tell you it is bullshit. Yeah I should have looked into it more but I was only 18 at the time and thought I could trust the school. Who would have thought a school could lie to you. Now you don't even need a GED or high school diploma to go there. Actually come to think of it they never even asked to look at my transcripts like any normal college would do. Thank you. My email is share77bear@yahoo.com for any interestes in getting a class action lawsuit started.

Report this comment On 4/7/2009 10:52:33 PM, Anonymous said:

I attend UCF and guess what, I've been a victim of "bad advising" there and some professors care and others don't. I have 3 classes left until I finish and one of them isn't offered over the summer so I can't graduate. The class was offered once this semester at like 1:45 on Tues and Thur - like working people can do that! And it's offered once in the fall. There's a reason it's nicknamed U Can't Finish for UCF because you can't - not on time anyway. And BTW I'm getting my degree in Interdisciplinary Studies and every internship interview I've been tells me my degree is too broad! So I have a useless degree too and 20K in school loans so I know how all of you feel. Just know that it's not just this school that has issues. I'm so sick of dealing with UCF they keep you running around from department to department because they don't know their stuff either. Very frustrating!

Report this comment On 4/8/2009 9:51:13 AM, Anonymous said:

To 4/7/2009 10:52:33 PM: I see state universities as big government bureaucracies...and bureaucrats and professors both want the same things; a promotion (including more money) & more job security (more power). I think professors that aren't good teachers simply don't have to be based on the compensation & incentive system they're operating in or are in retirement mode (ie. tenured & jaded & ready to get the hell out of it altogether). As for the specificity of your undergraduate degree, welcome to the real world. You aren't special just for having an undergraduate degree, and it won't lead to instant job offers. You need years of specialized experience that an employer will want to pay you money for, and good work references. Get into grad school asap, or if you are tired of school right now, work with someone who will value the degree that you do have --- I recommend going through officer training school and being an officer in the military for a while, then get out of the military and go to grad school for something that an employer will want to pay you good money for (like engineering, law, medicine, etc.). Get angry, get motivated, stop thinking the system has to go out of its way for you because those in the system are actually only looking out for themselves. You are now a new competitor, competing against the rest of us who have our degrees, specialized experience and references, who want to make more money, have positions of increasing levels of power & do less work just like everyone else. ...PROUD NIMBY...

Report this comment On 4/24/2009 2:02:52 AM, Anonymous said:

Having a problem with Everest University where they didn't even apply for fin aid but said they did. They even sent a letter stating that they got approval for XXX Amount of money. I withdrew to do some traveling and get a letter stating that I owe them 2100.00... That's a bunch of BS since their fin aid people are just plain dumb.

Report this comment On 5/2/2009 2:13:21 PM, Anonymous said:

Thank you for this site--I am an EVEREST UNIVERSITY VICTIM (yes and an enrolled student at present--taking intro into paralegal/legal.The instructor verbaly assulted me three times in less than 30 minutes in front of classmates even tho I am an online student,over 40,white and female--I have had NOTHING but trouble from and with this so called shool from day one march 27,09.YES VICTIMS AND STUDENTS ARISE AND FILE CLASS ACTION LAWSUIT.i have MORE than enough evidence against this 'college' and altho hve only been in contact with them since march 09 have been trreated VERY RUDLY,When I 'complain' oh she's not like that,she didn't mean it (once or twice I could 'buy it' but on a regular basis?? Who do we contact?I will contact department of education,fasa,sallie mae,and all other pertinent people just tell me who I'll do the rest and I even have witnesses who after reading this site will gladly join in the law suit. Thanks

Report this comment On 5/21/2009 2:21:21 AM, Anonymous said:

There are plenty of schools that are regionally accredited that will take your credits. I received my Associates at FMU (North Orlando) and have moved on to two other universities since then that are regionally accredited. Do your research, it does take some work but there are plenty who take them with no problems whatsoever. I think you all knew what kind of school you were getting into before enrolling!!!

Report this comment On 8/11/2009 12:36:13 PM, Anonymous said:

I'm fascinated that this corruption is still happening. But I can take my hat off to Jones/Philips/Orlando College/FMU/Everest/Corinthian for selling a bag of goods to generation after generation of gullible students. Back in the early 90's I was working in Training and Education at AT&T. We were responsible for tuition assistance administration for employees enrolled in college. At the time, AT&T's tuition assistance program (TAP) WOULD pay for Orlando College (as it was then known). But AT&T ran into a problem. Employees would frequently need to transfer around the country with the job--Orlando to New Jersey or Illinois were common. Anyone who was enrolled at Orlando College would pack along their OC transcript and try to find a new school to continue with at their new location. Problem was that no schools would accept their credits--even other schools accredited by ACICS. It varied, but in general AT&T decided that they were losing too much money on this type of school. So around 1991 they declared that the TAP would only pay for schools that are regionally accredited--ensuring that employees would not lose their credits if they transferred to another area of the country. AT&T grandfathered anyone who was one or two semesters away from graduating, but no one else could start Orlando College, and everyone else had to stop going there. Orlando College of course pitched a royal fit--they were calling us daily begging us to reconsider--"We've APPLIED for SACS accreditation!"--but it was a corporate decision and we had no control over it. The next thing that happened really exposed OC for the *ssholes they are: they walked into classes, interrupted the teachers, and picked our employees out and said they had to leave. Once they knew the gravy train was rolling out of town (at least with AT&T), they had no interest in working with any of our folks to continue in another way. They just embarrassed them in front of everyone in their classes and told them to leave. So that's why I'm surprised to read this article and comments and see that nearly 20 years later nothing has really changed. Here's a tell-tale sign of a bad school: if they advertise heavily on daytime or late night TV--during Springer, courtroom shows, infomercials, etc.--they're probably not a good choice. They spend heavily on this type of advertising to reach desperate people who have limited choices. The best recommendation I can make is to pursue a program at a community college like Valencia. If a student is having trouble meeting the entry or testing requirements to start such a program, then I would strongly recommend going to one of the local vo-techs and pursue one of their programs or at least get some remedial classes so that entry to community college is possible. The training you will get is top-notch, and the credits will transfer--even years later--if you decide to pursue a higher degree. The cost is much more reasonable as well. Don't waste your money on schools like Everest. For every negative comment you read here, there are hundreds (maybe thousands) more people out there who have been treated the same way.

Report this comment On 9/10/2009 11:26:54 PM, Anonymous said:

GOT COMPALINTS- Contact the Florida Attorney General (http://myfloridalegal.com/pages.nsf/Main/60FD9BD8FA71A5B185256CD1005EE5C5), ACICS (http://www.acics.org/contact/content.aspx?id=1438), US Dept of Education and Corinthian COllege Chief Academic Officer Richard B Simpson (6 Hutton Centre Drive Suite 400 Santa Ana, CA 92707)

Report this comment On 9/16/2009 1:37:22 PM, Anonymous said:

I attented National Institute of Technology which later became Everest in Houston, Tx. They are "trained" to lie and once the check is cashed they could care less how you make it. The career services department is a joke, you can go on line at home and look for a job. They guarantee a great salary when you start in the Medical Billing and Coding program and job placement because they have "connections" that exclusively hire Everest Students. BS -- before I finished I went to Houston Community College to inquire about a two year program to basically enhance what I have already obtained. The admissions rep stated to me that the credits are worthless and they do not even recognize the school at any level to be legit. How about that? I had wasted 6 months, a student loan and a government grant. I am in the process of taking whatever legal action that I can. I haven't recieved my diploma yet, other classmates are at home and have been since they finished and everytime they call the school they get the run around. When I get through exposing them for what they are, they can go elsewhere and play the game.

Report this comment On 9/30/2009 4:42:25 PM, Anonymous said:

Something has to be done..Isn't this robbing people of their money as well as their time?

Report this comment On 10/4/2009 3:50:43 AM, Anonymous said:

They got me too! I out right asked if my degree would transfer to Stetson Law School and/or USF..I was told absolutely. I asked how much my loan payment would be when I finished. I didn't want any surprises. I was told $50/mo...try more like $500/mo. I got my BS there...Which of course we all know what that stands for. I graduated in 1997 and I have NEVER been able to use the degree...anywhere! It is beyond me how Satz lost his suit....we all can't be lying! I would love to see them shut down completely and have my money refunded with interest!

Report this comment On 10/4/2009 4:41:28 AM, Anonymous said:

Buyer beware. Do your research first on what credits will transfer. How? By researching and asking the schools you intend on going to.

Report this comment On 10/29/2009 10:16:25 AM, Anonymous said:

They got me also!!!On all the levels stated by everyone! Now im paying back a high loan and not working in the field in which i attended the school for in the first place. Is there a class action suit going on right now? If so, how can i get in on it? If not, then I need to start one because this is ridiculous!

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