I am a recent graduate of Kaplan University and I have had nothing but problems with the financial aid department. Like many others, I have had loans cancelled and grants sent back to the Feds. I fought with these people tooth and nail for two years. While I'm glad that I was not alone, I am sorry that so many had to suffer as I did.
Unlike some others, I fought back directly with the financial aid department. I have had numerous battles with Bridget McGuire and Ruben Garcia. I simply did not allow them to get away with whatever they were doing. I stood my ground and I believe Kaplan ate some money as a result. I have kept most of these emails and I will gladly use them in a class action suit if need be. I am also willing to help anyone else who has had the same problems.
I alao question the partnership between Kaplan and Citibank. Why do students have to be forced to work with one bank? I personally do not like Citibank; I would not choose to use them. However, if I wanted my federal loans, I had no choice in the matter. I have to wonder how many kickbacks are happening here.
There were two periods of time when I had no advisor. The first advisor I had was outstanding, but she left. Then the second one I was assigned was as valuable as tits on a bull. I was not told of a class that I would need to sit for the CPA exam. I never took the class as a result. Now I have a degree that local employers are pretty much laughing at, I am not eligible for most federal and state accounting jobs, and I am over $30,000 in debt. That amount is for only two years as I already had an AAS degree when I started at Kaplan. So another person's claim of the cost exceeding $50 K for four years is not far off.
I do feel the majority of my classes were valuable but the lack of intelligent advisors, the horrid treatment I received from the financial aid office, and now the uselessness of the degree have me pretty irate. I've worked very hard for the past two years, and in many ways I am no better off than I was before.
I do feel online educations can be valuable. However, before attending a school such as Kaplan I suggest looking at your local state university system. Many of these schools have online programs and I personally have a lot more confidence in my local system.
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