At 47 and working in retail for years I decided I needed a real career so I looked into nursing. Because I worked full time I looked online and when I entered "nursing programs", The "University of Phoenix website kept coming up and there was a photo of a nurse in her neat, pressed uniform right on the front page of the website. Soooo, I inquired. I was specific about what my intentions were. I am 48 and need to achieve a position as an LVN within 2 years and after securing a position I would then continue my education to acquire my RN certification. The "enrollment counselor" or as I now call him, cold caller "Josiah" assured me I could obtain my LVN status in 18 months and earn a decent living while continuing my education. He assisted me with my loan applications and, like magic; I was enrolled in a nursing program. Well, not having been in school in 20 years I knew I would have to get generals out of the way. About a year goes by and I begin to wonder, surely I must be through my generals by now, solo, I called my "academic counselor" to get the FYI on my status about when I would be starting my lab classes. Well... This is where I dropped the phone, when she told me that they do not have nursing classes, not any kind of nursing classes, or anything to do with medical careers. So of course I asked her, "then what am I enrolled in?' She told, Health and Human Services Administration. I told her, I did not enroll in that program, it was nursing, I do not want to be an HR and I do not ever want to be in management, why would someone put me in this hole of a career. I've seen Human Resource positions in retail; it is a thankless stressful never ending hell that I would not wish on anyone.
I was already more than half through so I finished it, but while I was still working toward what is now a beautiful, worthless diploma, the credits that I received are non-transferrable to other colleges so I will have to start all over from scratch. I am now 49 with a worthless certificate and $14,000 in debt. I am so discouraged over this I am having a hard time picking up my boot straps and starting over in academia. I am so embarrassed for being betrayed and used, and cheated.
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