In September of I began a medical coding course at FastTrain, a computer school in Miami. So began a nightmare that continues to this day. I got a $7400 loan to pay for this course. The entire amount went directly to the school. Thus, FastTrain had no incentive to treat the students fairly as our money was safely in their pockets. We were treated with rudeness and disrespect. Even a FastTrain employee admitted that the school has a reputation for treating its students badly.
The deficiencies in the course itself are too numerous to mention in this report. However, when the students voiced concern and asked questions we were either lied to or ignored. Upon course completion we were unemployable. When we attempted to get resolution through the job placement coordinator, we were, in typical fashion, lied to or ignored. A certified letter sent to the school voicing our concerns was ignored.
Then we attempted to get resolution from the BBB, as FastTrain touts its membership in the BBB as proof of its quality. Though an individual at the BBB in E-mails acknowledged our complaints, and admitted that students from other FastTrain courses were also complaining, the BBB chose not to post this information on their website, instead stating FastTrains site was "being updated". The school took three long months to respond, and instead of adressing the main issues in the complaint chose to call us "liars" and implying we were too stupid to grasp the material. (Note: I was an A student). The BBB found this all satisfactory and decided the complaint was "resolved" and returned FastTrains status to its previous pristine but false condition (responds promptly, no outstanding complaints, etc).
FastTrain also touts its membership in the Florida Dept of Educations "Commission for Independent Education" as proof of its high ethical standards. The CIE does indeed license this school. When I spoke with a CIE investigator, Andrew Myers, in February, and complained about FastTrain, he stated "Oh FastTrain. They can do whatever they want. The program doesn't have to be any good, the staff doesn't have to be competent, they can lie if they want too, and the owner of the school Dawn Amour, can ignore complaints from the students if she feels like it". Not what I would call a ringing endorsement for FastTrains "high ethics". He then laughingly admitted that 30% of his work load is complaints against FastTrain, and the owners were coming up to Tallahassee that week to adress more complaints.
As months went by, I gathered detailed information about the defects in the course I took, and sent a letter to the Compliance Dept of the CIE. Apparently the letter went straight to Andrew Myers desk. Eventually he called me and said he "did not understand what I was complaining about". The school responded to this written complaint with utterly false information, stating that I never requested assistance from them and other lies. Though I can prove this to all be untrue, what is the point? The CIE considers the complaint resolved, and obviously will take the schools side regardless of proof or evidence by the students.
This ordeal has wreaked havoc on my health and sanity. Bottom line, I am screwed out of a whole lot of money. The institutions that are supposed to protect the consumer are in the pocket of the school, who I am sure has rewarded them handsomely for their allegance. I can only attempt to warn anyone who is thinking of getting involved with this school to think twice. To me, its a safer bet to just go to a casino and gamble with the money. The odds are probably better. If you want to take a course, stick to your local community colleges or schools that you absolutely know are reputable. Some of these tech schools are about getting your money, not providing you with an education. An if you get burned, good luck finding an advocate.
Patricia
Homestead, Florida
U.S.A.
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