Complaints

• Initial Complaint

  05/16/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I had planned on doing the online rn bridge program with the college. Once I was enrolled and started the classes they told me I needed extra pre reqs. I was not told that prior to registering. I started 3 classes that were needed and I was having some issues with the classes and getting on the correct site to make a payment. They kept referring me to someone else and could not get things straight. I dropped the courses in time to not be charged full price for the classes. They told me I dropped a day after the deadline. I was also charged for a math class that I had not even started.i received a ******* grant that went to the school and they kept that and did not return it to where it was awarded from and they are still wanting to charge me ******* plus a ***** late fee because their mail did not get to me in time. They would not waive that fee. I ask for admin number and I have called twice and left a message for them with no return call. I think its wrong with how the bill is. Please help

  Business response

  06/24/2022

  Business Response /* (1000, 8, 2022/06/06) */ This student registered for four classes on *******. Three of the classes started on 1/12/22 and one of them started on*******. The college's refund policy states that courses must be dropped before classes begin to receive a 100% refund and before 20% of the class has passed in order to receive an 80% refund. The refund policy is published in our catalog, and the specific dates are on our website and mailed to every student when they register. This student dropped all her classes on ******* The last day for the 80% refund for one class was ******* and ****** for two of her classes. She did receive an 80% refund for the fourth class since it had just started on*******. The student's total bill when she registered was $*****. She received a Higher Education Emergency Relief Fund scholarship in the amount of $*****, which we are not required to return if a student withdraws. Here is a link to information on the HEERF funding: https://www.allegany.edu/consumer-info-disclosure/. This reduced her balance to $*****. She then received an 80% refund for one class which reduced her balance to $*****. She was then charged a late fee of $** making her current balance due of $*****. This student also had made a credit card payment online on 1/25/22 of $*** but then disputed this charge with the credit card company so we had to reverse this payment. The student is saying she wasn't aware of prerequisites but she would have been notified in Spring of 2020 when we initially received her transcripts that she didn't receive any transfer credits. She agreed in emails to be registered for the courses in Spring 2022, which were some of the prerequisites, and then changed her mind after the last day to get a refund. Our refund policy does have some exceptions as stated in our catalog: For the following reasons, tuition and fees (less non-refundable fees) are refundable beyond the refund deadline on a pro-rated basis (from 100% to 0%) according to the number of class dates remaining in the semester: 1. Medical reasons dated and certified by a physician; or 2. Job transfer dated and certified by the employer; or 3. Job schedule (shift) change, which causes a conflict with class schedule, dated and certified by the employer; or 4. Military transfer dated and certified by documentation (copy of orders) from the military unit. Here is a link to show an example of the tuition refund policy we have on our website. This one has dates for Summer and Fall but we had one with Spring dates during that semester. https://www.allegany.edu/business-office/documents/Tuition-Fee-Refund-SumFall-2022.pdf This student has not provided us any documentation that she qualifies for any of these exceptions. Consumer Response /* (3000, 10, 2022/06/06) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) I have emails where I discussed my classes and tried to get help with the classes with the payments etc. I was always referred to the web advisor. Which is no help you need a real person to talk to. The *** was disputed because the money was credited to the school not the actual place that requires payment plans. I dropped the classes the last day in order to receive the discount. No one ever mentioned that I would be charged full price if so I could have finished the courses and had the credits. I think they are very unprofessional and everyone always passes the conversation to someone else. Never anyone to want to truly help. The reasons they listed above I do have medical reasons that did reduce my hours and my job and that has been faxed to them as well. Business Response /* (4000, 15, 2022/06/16) */ We have emails from the student where she agreed to be registered for the Spring classes. It was after that she changed her mind when she realized it may take her longer than anticipated to get her degree. She did not drop the classes until after the refund date as described in our previous response. It is the students' responsibility to know when the drop dates are. We mail them to every student and they are also on our website. The medical information she provided did not show that she couldn't attend her online classes, it just documented that her hours at work were reduced which has nothing to do with her finishing her classes. I personally talked to the student and did give her a full refund for the class that had just started that day and removed the $** late fee. She seemed appreciative of the reduction and was making arrangements to pay the remaining balance. Consumer Response /* (4200, 17, 2022/06/17) */ (The consumer indicated he/she DID NOT accept the response from the business.) i talked with Laura and she did reduce the price for me but i would like to ask that if i pay ****** total if there could be a discount applied and i would not have to make payments. i will pay the ****** in total. yet i still disagree with how the payment is but i would just like to pay this and get it over with. i have some emergencies in my family and i would like to be able to take that money and pay towards medical bills for my grandson. if not i will make the arrangements to pay each month.

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