I am a victim of AIUs fraudulent pricing.
When I first signed on with AIU to receive my Bachelor's degree, I thought it odd that I could not get anyone to tell me how much it would cost. The two people I talked with kept telling me the cost would depend on what previous schooling I had had and other mysterious factors.
After reviewing the classes I had already taken, they told me I could get a Bachelor's equivalency and take half the usual classes, for half the cost of the regular degree. I told them I couldn't afford it if it was much more than $15,000.
After reviewing my records and whatever else it was they had to review (again, I could never really get straight answers out of them), they told me the entire degree would cost $16,800 After getting assurances that yes, that was the ENTIRE degree, and no, there would be nothing else and yes, they would send me this information in writing (which they never actually did), I agreed to sign on.
My classes started two weeks after I talked to the advisors with financial aid all neatly taken care of for the cost of schooling and spaced out so they would receive payments every few months, with the last payment in February (I'd complete my degree in June).
January 5th, I received a note asking how I was going to finish paying for my classes. They informed me that if I did not pay them approximately $12,000 more, I could not complete my degree with them.
I got the run around from multiple people after this. They wouldn't call back. They would only let me talk to financial aid people and signed me up for the additional financial aid through Sallie Mae and Federal loans, without my consent. Then, when I finally got through and cancelled classes, since I could not afford to continue, they refused my last financial aid disbursement for the classes I had already attended and sent me a bill for an additional $3300, due on receipt of the "bill" or they send me to collections.
Needless to say, I suggest if you are thinking of going to AIU, DON'T!!! While the classes were great and I had a wonderful educational experience (I had a 4.0 when I was forced to quit), they are extremely dishonest.
0 comments