I realize every trainer and student's experience is different, however, I'm currently in a WAR with ABC (apparently my own PRIVATE war, since they don't return phone calls), so I would like to tell you my horrific experience:
First off, I was told that there would be a 1-on-1 mentorship w/an Animal Behavior College trainer after we observe & assisted the trainer with classes. I later discovered that these classes were basic Petco-like classes that anyone could sign up for, for $100 (as opposed to paying $2745.00 to enroll through ABC like I did). The classes were run by a trainer who had her own separate business, and I got the feeling that she clearly had no intention of helping us progress.
The trainer was unapproachable, unfriendly, and I learned nothing that I couldn't learn in a Petco puppy-training class. It was a joke! From day one, the trainer wore us out by constantly complaining to the two of us ABC students about ABC - how she has never liked working as a contracted trainer for ABC, nor did she enjoy "taking on ABC students" (as much as she complained, I could not figure out for the life of me WHY she DID work with ABC if she disliked the company THAT much.).
After observing the first 6-week class (one hour a week for 6 weeks), it took a month and a half to be assigned to another 6-weeks of the EXACT same class. ABC claimed this 2nd 6-week-class would be different in that I would be participating and assisting, rather than simply observing. I couldn't believe that this next set of classes were identical as the last one (same trainer, same beginner class, same "sit, stay, down" material, same everything).
One evening, after class (concerned that I would only be observing the same Petco-style class again), I ask the trainer when we (I) would be assisting her. The trainer became frustrated & told me that ABC students are simply NOT READY to assist & that the only thing we could do to learn more (other than our OWN personal research) was to observe her amature classes (basically like any non-ABC student). Then she bluntly said there would NOT be a mentorship & she was tired of ABC sending her students who expected to assist in HER classes!!!
I then called my ABC Program Manager to discuss my concerns. I would NOT have signed up for this program, had I known I would simply be observing the same $100 Petco-style class. I knew it was getting close to my refund deadline, so I asked the Prog. Mgr. If what the trainer was saying was true. He Program Manager suggested this was a misunderstanding & that there WOULD be a mentorship.
Im assuming ABC must have contacted the trainer, b/c shortly following my discussion w/ABC, I was told that the trainer wanted me "out of her class"! Then I received an inappropriate, threatening call from the trainer, yelling on my voice mail about how angry she was that I talked to ABC about her class and that I better (... And I QUOTE...!) "fix it, or else...! Knowing how inappropriate it was for her to leave this message on my voice mail, I called ABC for support. The ABC person I spoke to cut me off, saying "I dont think our trainer would lie to us".insulted and infuriated by this (as if she was suggesting I WOULD lie), I could no longer contain my patience w / ABC, and I wanted to speak to someone at a higher level... Someone who would listen to my side of what happened.
I tried to contact ABC reps at higher levels, but noone at any other level would return my phone calls (and I called SEVERAL times, to several different ABC offices, only to be told "noone was available to talk about refunds" and that they would call me back... But they never called me back... EVER!) Instead of calling me back and listening to me, ABC simply sent me a letter w/a list of FABRICATED, FALSE reasons why I was terminated from their program. I truly believe the trainer was dishonest to save her position, but either way, at the very least, someone at ABC should have called me back to discuss/listen to my experience, if not just for the sake of professionalism.
I gained absolutely nothing but frustration from my ABC experience.
You can get the exact same "education" by attending a $100 Petco class 3 times in a row.
I asked for a 50% refund, which I felt was more than fair given the unique situation & the fact that noone called me back to listen to my side. ABC only refunded me $408.89 of the $2745.00 paid. They said this was all they were obligated to refund me, since I signed a refund policy upon enrolling. But they seemed to have forgotten that I also signed papers that stated I would have a much more elaborate training program w / a one-on-one mentorship, etc. Which was clearly FALSELY ADVERTISED.
I have filed a report to the Better Business Bureau, as well as the Bureau of Public and Private Vocational Education, and am waiting for their reply. I have also contacted the Vice President (several times) of ABC - but she has not called me back, and I have also contacted Steven Applebaum (ABC's president), and am also waiting for his reply.
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