I enrolled at UoP online in Feb of this year to obtain a certificate in Human resources management. The certificate program consisted of 6 classes for 5 weeks, each worth 3 credit hours. Enrollment was easy I filled out a questionnaire online and the enrollment counselor called. I filled out the applicable paperwork and shortly thereafter I was admitted. I started my 1st online class on 2/28/07 and passed with an A.
Although the work was not extremely challenging it did give me the opportunity to research new concepts and learn a few things about employment law. During the enrollment process I asked about financial aid and was told that if I was eligible, financial aid would pay for the 1st class in its entirety, half of the 2nd class, the 3rd class in its entirety, half of the 4th class an so on until the program was completed.
About the 2nd week of my enrollment a financial aid advisor contacted me and stated that my financial aid packet was in the certification process and once it was completed the full amount of financial aid I received would be relayed to me. I waited about a week or so and called my advisor to check the status. I was then told that we need another form from you, fill it out and fax it back. I did and placed a follow up call a few days later and at that time was told by the advisor, oh wrong form fill this one out and fax it back.
To make a long story short, the financial aid advisor and myself went through this type of thing for several weeks. However this did not keep UoP from demanding $629.00 from me on 2 seperate occassions. I asked the advisor how the $629.00 was reached if my financial aid was not certified and there is no way to know a students out of pocket expense until financial aid is certified. I was told that I needed to make the payments to stay in the program and that once financial aid was certified if a refund was in order I would receive one.
Needless to say I paid and then continued until they asked me for another $629.00. I questioned this because I was told that I would only have to pay $629.00 every other class and I was only in the 2nd class. I was told by the advisor to just pay and again once the packet was certified if applicable I would receive a refund.
In an effort to speed up this whole sordid tale let me inform you that before all was said and done UoP was asking me for a payment of $930.00 (due 5/30/07) and I received a disbursement letter on 5/20 that indicated that $2300.00 would be disbursed to my account on 5/10 and again sometime in June. This left me with an out of pocket expense of close to $5000.00. That is an incredible sum of money for 18 credit hours and I refused to pay.
I demanded information about how financial aid is certified and til this date no one is willing or can give me a clear response. Please be advised that UoP/Apollo Group appear to be about the business of bilking its students out of money while only providing educational resources that are fair to middlin (as my grandma used to say).
My advice to potential applicants for admissions at UoP would be to find an accredited institution near your home and go there. UoP was a waste of my time and money and i Would never reccommend them to anyone who is serious about furthuring their education.
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