I have read the rip off report posts regarding AIU online from both students and employees good and bad. I enrolled to AIU from another college. They would not accept my proof that I was no longer enrolled in the other college and needed a "withdrawal letter" that they sent me to have the previous college fill out and return.
The previous college said they were under no obligation to fill out such a form (this college was) and that AIU should not need this form from them in order to enroll me. AIU let me attend classes anyway but said that if I could not resolve the issue with the previous college I would be withdrawn. Seemed fair enough to me.
Said that my student loan company could provide the proof of withdrawal needed and I received that information, immediately turning it in to AIU in order to not be withdrawn. This information was unacceptable to AIU - strange... If anyone can prove my withdrawn status it would be the company I placed my student loans with since that was the reason AIU wanted the proof in the first place.
Needless to say I was withdrawn the first week from AIU because they did not accept the only proof I could provide. At this point I feel the need to quote the contract I signed - "That students withdrawing within 7 days of the start of class will be 100% reimbursed of their tuition". I heard nothing from AIU for the following 5 months.
I called to try to re-enroll because I hadn't quite learned my lesson apparently. It was only when I tried to re-enroll that I found out that I had a $2600 bill that I needed to pay from the first time I was enrolled.
They stated they had sent me several emails yet not one came from them. They said maybe it was my filter set on my email but it wasn't until later it dawned on me - I was able to receive emails from all of the "advisors" and such that had been emailing me yet the financial emails couldn't come through? I think not. That was a lie and if it didn't come through it would have notified them that it didn't.
I tried fighting the charges and was given the run around for 4 months until I reported them to the BBB. It was only then that I received the response that I had attended more than 7 days according to their records. They provided me with dates. Big mistake.
I learned from to keep copies of every single post in every single discussion and every email I was ever sent. According to their records my last post was 10/23/05 which would have been my 8th day in class. I was withdrawn from my classes and didn't have access to them any longer on 10/20/05. Therefore I was within my 7 days and they falsified the dates in order to charge me tuition for classes I did not get anything out of.
On top of that the advisor that withdrew me at the time stated that since I was within my 7 days I would not be charged anything and it couldn't be helped because it was not within my power to correct the unfortunate situation. I recorded that conversation yet the school refuses to see my proof that I was within my 7 days.
I find it funny that if I have solid proof that I am more than willing to hand over to them in order to clear my false debt, that they would not want to see it and help me clear up the situation. Now I find out that they are in trouble for doing these same kinds of things to other students and are in danger of losing their accredidation.
Does anyone have any advice on how I should further handle this situation? I do not have the money to afford a lawyer and I am not real sure a lawyer is appropriate to deal with this situation. Every time I have asked to speak to a supervisor I have not been given the opportunity to do so - I get hung up on, repeatedly.
Chandra
Cottage Grove, Oregon
U.S.A.
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