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Rosslin of Puunene HI (06/16/07)
I enrolled in Com 505 class in early May. My enrollment counselor told me that admission fees were being waived for any students choosing to enroll in May 2007. My first class began on May 29, 2007 and I completed all course work for the first week. By the second week on June 6, 2007, I decided to withdraw from the university as I found the lacking in the quality education I was looking for. I immediately emailed my enrollment counselor as well as the financial advisor about my intent to withdraw ASAP. The response I received from was that she would be forwarding my email to Richard and that he would assist me with the process.
I received an email relating that I had indeed been dropped from their program on June 6, 2007 and that I would owe for the entire 6-week course ($2058.33). She also related that I should have already received invoices for that. I have received nothing from the UOP as of to date. In this total, I was charged the enrollment fee of $46.87, which I was told, would be waived for students signing up in the month of May 2007.
I have been unable to find anything in writing regarding the withdrawal process, instead I found many, dissatisfied consumers complaints. Unfortunately I withdrew from UOP (9 days into the program) before my Sallie Mae loan was awarded. I am already struggling financially as a single parent.
Shannon of Whitman MA (10/11/06)
I am in my senior year (only like 6 more classes to go until graduation). About a month ago (Sept 2006) I found out through a fellow student that a classmate was forced to take a semester off because UoP hit her with an unexpected bill and refused to allow her to move forward with her classes until she paid up. This was not the first time I had heard of a complaint like that, so I immediately emailed my financial advisor (Mary A) to be sure that my financial package was in order and no unexpected bills loomed in the shadows!
First of all, it takes FOREVER to get one of these people to call you back or respond to an email. I even complained in one of my end of class surveys because she never responded to any of my inquiries. She finally responded to this one and told me my FAFSA was all set through March of 2007 - but that I could fill it out and she'd hold it and submit it when more funding was needed. So I breathed a sigh of relief and went on with my next class.
Well, I was supposed to start another class yesterday, but when I went to sign in the icon was gone and a new start date for next Tuesday (10/17) appeared. I have recently applied to another University's Masters program with a start date of June 2007 because I was supposed to be graduating from UoP on 5/18/07... now my graduation date has been moved to June 4th! I was completely shocked - no one contacted me about any change in my schedule! So I called my academic advisor (Stefanie) and left a message about this new issue. She called me back today and said that my NEW financial advisor (yes, Mary has apparently moved into another position and no one even bothered to send out an email informing her students of the change in staff) stated that I owe the school $916.00!
She also told me that until I pay up I cannot move forward with my studies. How can this happen? She said it must be because I dropped a class - I did drop a science class within the first week and switched into another class. But before I dropped this class I called the school to ensure I would not be charged for the drop; otherwise I would have stuck it out. I was assured that I had more than enough credit in my financial statement to cover any fees for the drop so I moved on. Now several months later they're backpedaling! I am also planning to file a complaint with the Higher Learning Commission which accredits the school.
Nathaniel of Phoenix AZ (09/27/06)
The problem is i signed for on-line schooling through UPHX, and they proceeded to start me with no financial aid, neither giving me any indiciation of costs, hidden costs, and out of pocket expenses. I did the work, and the online is hard enough to communicate with, therefore failing classes. I got charged 1500 dollars in some sort of expense they never explained well enough or showed me. Told me not to work about financial aid, and started me without it and never came through indicating it was in place or not.
When confronted ran me around about Financial Aid, not telling me if I had it or not, making excuses about missing documents that were already completed. I feel i have been taken and extorted 1500 dollars because the financial aid was not in place for the schooling, and nothing was explained well enough or given in writing to indicate cost. Neither did they research I was ineligable for any loans of any sort third party, because of Bankruptcy and make provisions to assist or cancel the schooling based on finding.
Toni of Jacksonville FL (07/21/06)
Signed up for school, prepaid tuition, and was told materials and app. fees are waived unless the course is not completed. Beginning a week after courses started, I started getting letters and phone calls for both tuition and fees being past due, eventually getting letters threatening collections agency getting involved. Each time I got a letter or call, I contacted UOP, who would tell me it was an error on their part, and it would not happen again. Additionally, I complained about the education. Instructors continually grade wrong, or clearly ignore requests for help with assignments and give full credit anyway. Never got a response at all on those complaints. Now asking for a full refund of tuition, and want to be disassociated from the school. They refuse to do any of that.
Potential impact to my credit. Plus, I have been taking classes where I am getting credit for incomplete and not understood assignments. It's clear that there is no real education involved, and I dont wish to pay for classes that have amounted to nothing.
Nicole of Wilmington NC (04/27/06)
I contacted University of Phoenix because I was interested in online degree programs. I did everything I needed to enroll after the admissions counselor assured me that my financial aid and student loans would cover most of the tuition and fees. After the online course began, the counselor contacted me to say that I would need to pay $400 per month. I told him that I could not afford that and would have to drop the class. Months later I received a collection notice for books that were supposed to be free. The counselor never told me that I needed to return the books.
I refused to pay and tried to return the books by mail. University of Phoenix returned the books to me saying that they could not be returned. Every time I hear the University of Phoenix mentioned, I tell whoever is mentioning them about this. Regis University is the way to go. I ended up getting a 4-year degree, high quality education in 3 years at a much cheaper price. Regis University based out of Colorado is the best! I highly recommend it to anyone who is looking to pursue a degree online.
David of Des Moines IA (03/23/06)
I approached UoP and went thru the same mumbo jumbo that other have experienced with this school. I was told that my aplication fee would be waived if I purchased $30 to $40 worth of school supplies for underprivileged children. Upon bringing these items in they informed me that since I was not starting till the date I was, I was not eligible and needed to pay the application fee.
Well I paid the fee. They tried to take the school supplies also, and I told them that if they wanted the school supplies, they needed to waive my application fee, which they wouldn't so I kept the school supplies for my own children. I should have walked away, but wanted my BS, which I was actually getting from the school. I started with the same Gen300 that everyone takes and being a PC tech, I already new half of what they were trying to teach. The learning teams took up too much of my time, and what they were trying to teach, I had already taken in other schools, in which I had attended. Well, since they would not let me pass out of the class, I dropped out after the third week.
Upon dropping out, they sent my student loan back and now they are billing me for the class. I have spoke to the local FA department and they keep insisting that since I dropped out and have not attended 60% of the semester, I am not elegable for Finiancial Aid. Well since i applied for a student loan and was given the loan by an instution other than the UoP, It is to be used to pay for my education. They will not request for my loan to be rturned to pay the balance. I refuse to pay any balance to them, I had a student loan to pay for this and they would not use it. No one from the UoP will assist in this matter, as they refuse to even respond to my emails.
Joan of San Mateo CA (3/24/03):
Upon enrollment, my 'academic advisor' advised me into a program of study with a 'trust me' approach. I doubted it but I was assured that I can drop out if I did not agree. She assured me that we will meet and set up my program, but I should start the class, even though it was starting late. I also applied for financial aid that was already approved through another institution and just needed to be transfered to UOP.
Academics did not set up my program until 6 weeks after enrollment. I emailed and called from day one of my first 3 week class, that was really a one week class, and never received a response to my emails or voice mails. I contacted financial aid to find out they did nothing with my financial application because, they said, academics did not set up my program. They did nothing for me, ignored my calls and emails past the date to withdrawer, did not process my financial aid application, nor did they set up my internet student environment to enable me to participate properly in the classes. Then they charged my discover card against my instructions. They were given that discover card number 2 years prior when I took one class from them. It was given to them for an $80 processing fee. They continue to charge my card against my approval with still no contact with me.
I have spent nine weeks calling and emailing trying to correct the problem. I then decided to drop the program following a consistent pattern of inadequate courses, lack of advising, and failure to respond to my calls and emails by the university. They neglected to process my financial aid application and charged $2000 to my discover card against my instructions. They have not replied, defaulted on initial agreements, and charged a credit card not approved for their use.
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