I started Westwood College Online, in October. I have multiple problems while I was in school.
For one, I chose to do it online because it was supposed to be easier and on my time, what a JOKE!
It was basically teaching myself, or the other students teaching each other. The instructor didn't participate in the mandatory discussions. When I was having a problem, or question, the instructors never replied, or if they did they didn't answer my question. I even posted a question on the discussion board just to see if another student could help me - that was a mistake - I got ripped up and down by the instructor, NOT to do that AGAIN! But when someone else did the same thing, he answered her question no problem. When the instructor replied to some of our discussion, it seemed like he just copied and pasted what he has said to a different student.
During mid-terms, I would stay up until 3:00am just to finish my project, because first of all, we wouldn't have very good instructions to go on, so you are basically teaching yourself. Also, for your test - you can have an open book. Does that make sense?
In May I was going to have to withdraw because I was going oversees for 2 weeks. I knew I was going months before and tried to contact my personal counselor, instructor, and financial person. Being put off for weeks, and nobody telling me what I can do - I was able to fill out a request for leave. I was going to need this because the day I was leaving oversees, was the day the classes started. Finally after the run around, I was able to talk to someone, who said his boss said she is denying the request because I have a choice to go on this trip, and do you REALLY have to go? And then went on about will there be a way to get online, and he has been in Malaysia and he KNOWS that there is internet connections everywhere in coffee shops. For one - there is NO internet connection in Malaysia - at least not where we were at. So, I was going to have to withdraw from school and then in August reapply, and have to redo all my orientation - but was promised that I wouldn't lose any of my credits, but would have to pay $100 again so sign up.
I decided I wasn't going to return to Westwood because I had a job opportunity and knew I wouldn't be able to do both work and school. I tried to contact my financial advisor to let them know I wouldn't be returning in August and if there was anything due that I didn't know about. Only then was I told that I had not just 1 loan, but 2 loan totaling $7500. When I first applied for school, I applied for a grant - which I got. Then I was told by the advisor that I needed to apply for a loan before I got approved for my grant - she said It doesn't matter what loan company you choose, just pick one (Which the loan companies where the ones that the school picked out for you.) I applied for a loan and it came back DENIED! So I thought that was the end of that - I got my grant. When buying books and software, you were able to put it on your school account, we also had to buy a toolkit - which cost $900, and came with a plastic toolkit, pencils, sharpener, drawing paper, a blank cd, ruler, markers, colored pencils, and a few other things. I was going for Graphic Design - I only used probably only 3 pages of paper, 1 pencil and the sharpener. What a waste of $900.
So, now that I am withdrawing from school, I find out that I have a loan that I never applied for in the amount of $7500, and owe Westwood $1800- because the prices went up on their tuition and price of books - which that said they sent a email stating this - which I never got. When trying to contact the loan company - Sallie Mae, this person I talked to could hardly speak any English and couldn't answer the simplest question. He said the interest would go up and I don't have to do anything until November when I will be receiving a bill for my $7500. I asked if that bill would be $7500, or will it be a higher price? It took me 5 different times asking him, being put on hold 3 times to finally get my answer, that it will be higher - but I just need to wait until I get the bill to do anything.
I also, have found out that Westwood is not an acredited school, and it just depends on the college if they would accept the credits you recieved from Westwood.
Westwood is a MAJOR rip-off and a waste.
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