I've been interested in furthering my education for some time. I'd always seen the commercials on tv, like a lot of people, for ITT Tech and thought it sounded like a great school. I figured it would be better to get a specialized degree in my area of interest rather than go to a community college, since I thought that a specialized school would be... Well, specialized! And they would be better suited to teaching me what I'd need to know.
Just a bit of background about me, I did graduate from high school as an average, rather unexceptional student. Though my parents had promised they would set money aside for me for school, by the time I graduated high school, there just wasn't any money saved for me, so I decided I'd just work instead and if I ever decided to go to school, I could look into it when I felt I was ready.
I sent off for some information and got in touch with a guy named Vince, who was a recruiter for the Seattle ITT Tech and we had a nice chat. I explained that although I would have loved to attend the actual, physical school, I would be unable to as I lived too far away and didn't have access to regular, reliable transportation. So I told him that I would be interested in attending online classes instead. He told me that would be no problem and at the end of our chat, he told me that someone from financial aid would be getting in touch with me the next day. I explained to him that it wasn't the best time and could we do it on Friday, instead, and he said fine - and yet, sure enough, on Thursday, I get a call from someone from financial aid, all eager to fill out my forms!
I was a little miffed by this, but I was done with my work for the day, so I thought I might as well go ahead and get it taken care of, while I had the guy on the phone. He went through a questionnaire with me about my finances and so on and mentioned student loans and when I said that I didn't have any credit and probably wouldn't be able to *GET* a student loan, he said 'oh, don't worry, we can get you one!' and so we continued with the process of filing the FAFSA info and filling out my enrollment form at the site for the September quarter.
We concluded the call and that was about the time I got a sinking feeling. Right around the point where I received a couple of emails from him with attachments that I would need to fill out and send. I did a search and found the postings here and was very dismayed, to say the least. The very next day, I got in contact with Chase loans and had them cancel my student loan application.
Just today, I emailed the financial aid guy:
"I have been doing a great deal of research about ITT since I spoke with you last and I have not been pleased by what I found.in point of fact, I was left feeling very troubled. I have contacted Chase and had them
cancel my application for a student loan and I would like for you to cancel my enrollment for online courses at ITT. I will not be talked into reapplying for the loan, so don't bother calling - you will not be
speaking to me again on the phone. The next email that I expect from you is one notifying me of my enrollment being cancelled.
Thank you."
And then received this rather whiny email from him in response:
"So there isn't a reason why? I have no idea what information you are finding, but I feel that we should at least talk about this. Generally when you look on the web, you will find a lot of negative information
because the people who have been affected negatively usually speak the loudest. There are thousand of testimonials out there from students who
have been positively affected by ITT Tech as well. I know you can find those on the web too. I really have no idea what would have caused this change of stance from you, but would at least like to talk with you
about this. This message came on kind of strong and it's making me feel as if I did something. If that is the case, I have no idea what I would/could have done to put get you feeling this way. So if you wouldn't mind, please call me back or write back. Thank you."
His response came, though, after about three attempts to phone me - all of which I ignored.
I sent this response back:
"As I said in my previous email, I have done some research and was not at all happy with what I found. What I found, how I found it and my reasons for wanting this enrollment canceled are all my business.
I will not answer or receive any calls from you from this point on as my decision has been made. Cancel the enrollment application immediately and send confirmation via email that it has been done."
I haven't filled out or sent in the two application forms that were forwarded to me by this financial aid person, so I suppose my next question is - is there anything else I need to do? Or am I in the clear? Any further information would be much appreciated.
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