Let's see, I decided to go back to college in 2004 and earn my degree. Even though finances are really, really tight, I figured I could get some financial aid and manage college somehow. I got online and did some researching on schools, and U of Phoenix popped up. I thought it would be pretty interesting to attend school online, so I thought I'd get some information about it. The counselor contacts me at home and makes the school sound so great, and as for my financial situation, I would get plenty of aid, he told me. I filled out all the paperwork for financial aid, and a week later, I'm enrolled in school. Things seemed really great at first, but as each class continued, the quality of instruction seemed to get worse. What was the point in having instructors in the first place? All the students did was read a bunch of text material and email discussion responses back and forth in the main chatroom. I had a hard time understanding a written assignment once, and when I asked the instructor, he just reworded the question and told me to figure it out on my own. The instructors really were of little help, I thought, and as time went on, I became really disappointed with the school. I would have dropped out, but I was afraid I'd have to pay all my loans back, and then I'd be up the creek. I pretty much live paycheck to paycheck as it is. Over the summer, my counselor didn't bother to schedule me for any courses for an entire month, and I didn't ask why because I had a lot going on at home and needed the month-long break. Then I received a letter in the mail from U of Phoenix saying I'd dropped out of classes, and thus, I needed to pay them something like two thousand dollars. I was livid because as far as I knew, I was still in school and hadn't dropped anything. I emailed the financial aid office and explained that I had not dropped my courses, and told them that I could not afford to pay anything. The counselor told me not to worry, that all my costs would be covered, and they will make sure I can attend and receive my degree. So I resume classes and right before Christmas this year, U of Phoenix sends me a bill for almost five thousand dollars, and they wanted their money immediately. I don't know why I had to pay anything, and they obviously won't work out a payment plan as they have sent the bill onto a collection agency, even though I sent the school a small amount. I'm really angry about the whole thing, and the school has removed me from the classroom because of the bill. I know soon the calls will start coming from the collection agency, and I have no idea where I'm supposed to get the money from. I'm trying to get out of debt, you know? Also, all the while I was attending U of Phoenix, the counselor kept sending me advertisements in my email, and they even tried to sign my younger brother up with the school. I think this school is a scam. They only want money, and they will find any way they can to get money from their students. I've filed a complaint with the Better Business, too.
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