So, I decided to go back to school, as I had paid an old student loan off at tax time. I was interested in a medical career, and wanted the option of going on after graduation for a bachelor's degree. After speaking with a rep, I decided on Surg Tech. She explained that they were a nationally accredited college and therefore thier credits would transfer nationwide. What I know now that I didn't know then, is the difference between NATIONALLY accredited and REGIONALLY accredited. In short, national accredidation sounds better, but isn't. It's bull.
Anyway, I left my recruiters office and went to financial aid. There my f.a. advisor, Jason, helped me screw myself dry. I had gone to school in the mid 90's and had loans, one that I had just paid off I had thought was my last, but I did ask him should I owe on loans, would it show up when he applied for me? He assured me I was eligible, and that if I owed, we would know before I started classes the next week. So, I went to school. I did the work, I spent the time, I got an A.
The day before finals for the first class, Jason called me to inform me that there had been a small balance left on my Perkins loan and that through the years it had tripled due to interest, and my loans would'nt go throgh until I satisfied the loan, but if I could get it paid by the end of the term, all would be well. I told him I wanted to drop for the time being and get it taken care of, but Jason assured me that if I wasn't able to get it paid in time, Brown Mackie Akron would allow me to walk away only owing for books, but would not recieve the credits. I conceded.
Tax time, i got my w-2's and went to HnR Block for a rapid refund, taking the hit so I could get the money faster. Then I called the Dept of Ed, who referred me to the attorney general, who referred me to Akron U, who referred me back to th AG, who referred me to a debt collection attorney, who referred me back to A.U., who referred me back to the AG. WOW! Anyway, I got the total finally and sent them the money order. It was supposed to post the last day of the term, just in time! It didn't. $2.50 in interst had accumulated from the time I mailed it untill the time it was recieved, so it was NOT paid in full. But they said the University could forgive it, if they wanted to. Short story, they did'nt want to.
So, I called Jason and told him the bad news. This time, he told me he did'nt know whether the powers that be would forgive ANYTHING, and it depended on if I continued at Brown Mackie how much I would owe. By now, I had seen what they were offering, I had learned the difference between regional accredidation (good) and national accredidation (bad). I had also found bad review after bad review online. I realized I had made a BIG mistake trusting them at thier word. But, i was my fault for that. But in the end, I have no intention of accepting an education from an institution that decieved me for thier own benefit. I am raising 2 children on an income below the poverty level, and wind up doubling my debt for B.M.'s benefit. $4500 for 3 classes, for credits that count nowhere else? Really?
Don't jump into an education, do your research, and go to a REAL school. What Brown Mackie wanted to do was rob me of my options, and forcing me through threat of debt to continue at thier sub-par, over-priced school. Do yourself a favor, and just keep laughing at thier lame commercials, don't screw up and call them, even if you don't go they will call you like you owe them anyway.