Hello fellow Kaplan victims! First, please allow me to provide a brief background about myself to make my overall report complete. I earned a BS in Social Work from a great University in 1984 and had a very successful and rewarding career for twenty years.in my fourties I became very ill and had to stop working, being declared disabled. I lost everything that was important to me. When you are mentally ill, people RUN! Even your family runs. It was ironic, at first, that I had spent so many years working with the mentally ill (Both in Hospitals and Correctional Facilities) and now I am one! Anyway, after basically living in a bed for 6 years paralyzed with severe depression I began to get a little better. I then MADE A HUGE MISTAKE AND DID NOT HANG UP THE PHONE WHEN KAPLAN CONTACTED ME.
My short, 2 class stay at Kaplan on line has resulted in an absolute 9 month (So far) explosion of: misinformation; poor job performance of Academic Counselor, with complimentary duplicity; violation of Federal Disability Laws, the arrogance (Beyond my believe, as a former State Assistant and Acting Prison Warden-we would be reported to The Attorney Generals Office) of ignoring a formal, written Grievance submitted to my assigned Ombudsman in January and an oldie but goodie (according to the other reports) being charged 6,000 for two classes, which Kaplan REFUSES TO TAKE OFF. There are many peripheral complaints to the financial and ethical issues of a smaller, yet serious nature. I have seen many complaints on other reports.
My Father, Stepfather, Uncle and Stepsister were/are all attorneys. If my Father or Stepfather was still living Kaplan University would have been flattened by the lawsuit filed and won by either of them. Both were brilliant, prestigious trial lawyers. I think my case and many others I have read are attorneys dreams, especially young attorneys, in areas where they are a dime a dozen. Perhaps, even Law Schools could help, as case studies for Students in 3rd year of Law School?
What about the Department of Education, what are they doing about the incredible arrogance of this University, that continues to cheat and violate the not only the monetary rights, BUT CIVIL RIGHTS of students. Has anyone looked at any commonality among the victims? I know I am disabled, is anyone else out there? Kaplan knew this from the very beginning. Are there more women than men being taken advantage of? More minorities? As a person very active in protecting civil rights, I know I can jump to this possibility too soon sometimes, but, it is never wrong to ask the question. Perhaps, to Kaplan we are all a minority, College Students, more younger than older, most with little money. Hence, they feel they can get away with anything and not be held liable. This is SO untrue. ALL it takes is NOISE...
If I went into detail about my case it would take hours to write. One thing I have found helpful, in regard to money issues, is to bypass Kaplan and deal with the Lenders. Today, in fact, Discover contacted Kaplan on my behalf. Of course it is also good to keep going up the chain of command, but, with Kaplan, I think you should just start at the Department Head Level. (Or, whatever their term is for the same position). If anyone has any good ideas, or has had some success, PLEASE LET THE REST OF US KNOW. Also, I agree with one of the contributors from Florida about a Class Action Suit, I am totally in. I think there are contingency firms that should jump on this??? Has anyone heard of any firms expressing interest? I think Kaplan treats College Students as a minority, as most of us have no money, And, no money usually means no power. I think the lesson here is we are as powerful as we want to be and the more bad press Kaplan gets the more pressure for change.
I was so relieved to find this forum and all of you with common issues. Though sad to see so many suffering, I am glad to know I am not alone and there exists potential for change. I suggest we also begin writing to the editors of the big papers.By the way, did you all know the Washington Post owns Kaplan (Unless something has recently changed)??? Don't you think that provides us with some interesting pressure points??? Should we organize times by states to send letters to the Editors of the big papers??? Any ideas...
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