My fiance signed up for Keiser College. They said that they walked him through the entire admissions, registration, financial aid, etc processes. When it came closer for school to start, we found that he could only get loans totaling the tuition. He was actually turned down for 2 different general student loans normally used to cover living expenses (we still haven't been able to find out why). We weren't sure if we could afford it, but tried to make a go of it. We found that he simply couldn't work full time and go to school full time. After he finished his first class (I think this was one month into his first semester) he tried to withdraw. They told him that there is no withdrawal and that he would be charged for an entire semester. My finance called his lender, who said they would be happy to reverse everything (likely he'd still have to pay the origination fees) but Keiser won't give them the money back. I'd never heard of a school doing this so he's tried talking to everyone up to the Provost. Keiser had no interest in making sure he could afford to go to school. They worked with him until he'd garnered enough loans to cover their expenses, then they handed him some websites and walked away. Can they do this? Hold his loans hostage and charge the $14, 000 after only one class? I haven't been able to find anything on their site with any numbers-even on tuition estimates or withdrawal policies!
The complaint has been investigated and resolved to the customer’s satisfaction.
I worked for a short while at the Ft.Myers Keiser "University" campus. All I have to say to anyone considering working for them or being a student of theirs - Don't! It's a HUGE scam. The Admissions Counselors are nothing more than salesmen. The second you call or send an email inquiry, your name & phone number automatically are entered into their system and they put you on their telemarketing list. They will continue to call you until either you sign up for classes or specifically request that they put you on their "Do Not Call List." I can tell you from experience that they will accept anyone who comes in their doors and signs that dotted line - in fact, while I worked there, they were signing people who could barely read or speak English! I was told that no matter how many times you fail a test, they will let you re-take it over & over until you pass. I have a friend who also worked as a teacher (she too resigned, but she was from the Melbourne-area campus) and she quit because she was told "Pass every student or else." so she quit! I myself quit because I was being harassed by two of my co-workers. When I tried to talk about the harassment, I was told "That's just how they are. Try not to upset them & when they are upset, just try not to let it get to you." It amazes me that this school has not been shut down. It treats its employees like dirt and allows them to harass each other without any discipline. It's an unsafe environment & it's nothing more than a money-making scam!
I am a current student of Keisers Medical Assistant degree, and I can understand a few points some of you made. Most colleges cannot deny students admission because of their ethnic background. As long as they pass the entrance exam, they are admitted, english or no english. i admit financial aid is hard to navigate. My husband goes to a different university, his tuition is higher than mine, but he gets at least $1000 refund from his loans every semester. I asked my FA advisor about this and she stated that the refunds he's getting now will have to be paid back. So I am glad that I am only getting aid and loans in the amount of my tuition and books. less debt when I graduate. They did try to get me with the $50/ month deal. I agreed the first semester. But made no payments as I could not afford it. When redoing my FA package I had a run around with the advisor and told her I would not sign off on anything until I had no out of pocket payments. I also made sure all communications were through email so that i have some sort of documentation. My new package covered all costs incurred plus will require no monthly payments. The point is you have to be pro-active, don't just assume everything is legite. As far as the classes, my professors have been great. I have NEVER recieved answers before quizzes or exams. I DID fail one class. And my workload is more than my husbands who is going to a more well-known university. If I could I would go to a local community college, but right now online classes are essential. The point is your education is up to you. You will get out of your class what you put into it. If during a no book online exam you use your book because a teacher is not there to watch you, that is your loss. It's not the college ensuring that you pass classes.
i cant agree more. I just graduated from this horrible school and they have screwed me over. I cant take my RT registry for 3 months because of their screw up. And all they say is oh well just keep on studying. Do not go to this school. The teachers nor the administration care about the students. They just want to get you in and get you out. RUN RUN RUN from this school
I also have just been screwed by Keiser. I was starting my third semester when I was told that my financial aid was not going to cover my tuition. The previous semester I had a stipend of 1, 888.00. I continue to ask them how this possible and I continue to get the run around. They just told me they are a private college and I have been attending since 02/2010! They lure you in and make sure they get their money and the Hell with you. The financial aid lady treats you like [censor] of the Earth, they make you wait until the end of a four month semester to get your aid and then it still isn't right! You have to request any credit on your account within 14 days or they keep it and their is a 200$ student fee, which they don't take out of your aid, you must pay out of your pocket every semester and there is a 400$ educational fee. When I asked what all the extra fees were for my question was unanswered! This school is a scam and I am also interested in a class action suit!
WOW! I am so glad I found this site and all the comments that certainly fit like a shoe in my situation too. This higher learning institution, if you can call it that, is nothing but a waste of money, and a SCAMMMMM! I wish I knew all this back when I started last year. I've spent 30K so far in just over a year and feel I don't know [censor] about [censor] with the RT program I am in. I've been jerked around so many times and don't care if in the end it will cost me more to transfer else where. This school does not have your best interest at all, they play games and think that you are stupid enough to sign the dotted line. Well, whatta ya know? There's a recent article published where Keiser is being investigated for fraud, www.bradentonherald.com posted on Dec. 01, 2010. Check it out, it is very interesting that all of this comes out to light hah! This school should think twice before trying to take advantage of those students who are young and clueless about their crooked tactics.
Good luck to all of you,
And RUN! Don't set foot at this school, just stick to your community colleges, it takes a little longer I know, but at least you can obtain your degree for a fraction of Keiser's per semester cost of $8, 000.00
Have a degree from a reputable institution, I certainly wouldn't want Keiser on my wall of honor now.
I go to Keiser university and have never had a problem with them and I graduate in April, 2011.I have had to work very hard to pass all my courses.I do not understand why people are having issues.What alot of people don't understand why it cost so much is even if it is online, it is still out of state which cost more for the every quarter hour or however they charge.If it had been instate it wouldn't have cost so much.I am sorry for everybody having these promblems.I have always been treated with respectOn the student portal homepage it also tells you when your last day of withdraw is, like the class I just finished started at the first of the month, we had until the 28th to withdraw.I think everybody just did not understand what they were getting into and maybe do not know how college and financial aid work.My friend also graduated from there and never had any promblems.
I went to Kieser in 1999 I was taking the network administration courses after the first class I knew I was screwed the teacher teaching basic computing knew absolutely nothing about computers I knew more than her and I had only been playing with them for a month or so. I stayed for a full month on the 9 month course. after the first month they expected us to take a network essentials test and charged us $100 to go online to take the test. I passed the test with no help from the school only by spending time reading the course books over and over again. I went home to look up my stats on the test online and found out the test fee was only $50 dollars. I went to the deans office the next day to ask why we were doubled charged to take the test. I was forcibly removed from campus five minutes later and told I was expelled from the school and not to return. To this day they never canceled my loans and collected the full $14, 000 in tuition. I receive threatening letters from the government on a defaulted loan and have told them for more than ten years now I was expelled for asking questions, they said it wasn't their problem and I owe money. What a scam I went through and owe $14, 000 for something I was supposed to learn and was not able to do to dishonest staff.
I was enrolled in the Medical Assisting program. A single mother trying to go back to school. I was contacted by "Mary Jane" and was told not to worry about filling out scholarship forms or anything and that they would take care of it all. I explained I DID NOT WANT LOANS. Thats what I got. No grants just loans. I also had to pay them overe 200 a month. I was taking the online courses and loved it. Very fast paced and didnt have to deal with other students. After a while I lost my place and moved in with a friend who only had dial up, I was unemployed and had to drop the classes. Now only do I now owe Keiser 500 for some reason i have 10, 000 in loans that is collecting intrest. I dont understand how I had to pay them, pay for books and pay tuition to acheive nothing but debt. Im actually contacting a lawer on this whole matter.
People, you all signed a paper that stated that Keiser charges tuition by the semester, not per credit hour. It also goes over the refund policy stating that after 4 weeks of classes you are entitled to ...drumroll please...NO REFUND!
I finsihed my AA in CJ and started my AS in forensics and now I am some what forced to finish there because they used up almost all of my undergrad student loan money so when I go to do my BA I don't know how I will pay for it
As of Oct 31, 2012, Keiser has been investigated by the Florida Attorney General and has entered into a Voluntary Compliance Contract. If you were illegally billed you can get your money back. In the document they committed many unethical practices.
Google Keiser University and Florida Attorney General and you will find it. They sent all students they stole and misreprented their school to and letter offering them free retraining so they won't sue. If you read the compliance document you can actually get your money back. Good Luck
As a professor at another college, we have these issues also. One thing to mention is if you did not withdraw before the W/D date, no monies are returned (that is the lenders rule). I hear it all the time "this school is a rip off I only attended one class" and the student failed to W/D before the date and believe they are ripped off.
Someone mentioned Walden University...that is where I received my graduate degree. Because one of their professors took too long to review my dissertation, Walden enrolled my for another semester at my cost. I went to the Dean and after 2 months of back and forth Walden paid for the semester.
So take the comments with a grain of salt, Keiser is a fully accredited University if these were their normal practices they would not be fully accredited.
I wonder what Dr.Keiser would say, if he knew that the Campus in Clearwater was a total shamble! The President is ineffective and has no idea of what is going on in the School, The new Dean, is unprofessional and totally out of her depth, grapevine has it that 50% of the faculty are looking for other positions at other University's, and that causes alarm for potential students, as well as current ones. Something needs to be done . Soon.
I agree! I attended Clearwater campus for a little over a year. After ignored emails, phone calls, and blatant disrespect from the Dean, I quit and was ready to transfer elsewhere to finish my degree. They will not show me where my financial aid went, exactly how much, and of course, holding my transcripts till I pay off the $10, 000 owed? I wasn't aware my aide had ran out until I was pulled out of class. The interest rate is over 20% on this $10, 000. The Dean... A disgrace! Time to lawyer up.
After non stop solicitation from a Keiser Admissions counselor I had seen in Oct 2003 about my college options I attended Keiser University in 2004 for three months, from March 4th till approx May 27th of 2004, I had held off because, (even though I wanted too really bad) I didn’t have a stable job or even a secure and stable place to live but that didn’t keep the admissions counselor from calling me and pushing me to come in and start school in March of 2004. Finally I came in to enroll, at that time I was told again by the Keiser Admissions Counselor, that I would get a computer with my class and it was included in my tuition and would be paid for/covered. There was no computer amount listed on the Estimated Tuition schedule and/or the promissory note. I know this cause I got a copy in 2005. I had to leave school three months later, I felt horrible that I had to leave but I had no choice. I didn’t know how to leave, I had never signed a education promissory note before, never read one and wasn’t educated in how. In 2005 I got collection notices, stating I owe Keiser money. (I didn’t know I had a loan with Keiser) so I had to dig into it and contacted Keiser University. Keiser claimed I signed a document, (which I don’t remember doing) stating and it was three months after starting school, that if I didn’t graduate I would have to return the computer or pay $1500. I asked for a copy of this letter and it was, “ Not Dated” by me, next to my copied, signature, but by a rep of Keiser University and three months after I started school, and around the time I left Keiser University. I don’t think I was even in attendance the date of the computer picked up or the date of the letter signed. After contacting Keiser, and finding that the ombudsman is basically an employee, (which is a conflict of interest) I will not file a grievance with Keiser because I feel it’s a waste of my time. I do not believe I would get a fair trial.
contact the florida department of education send them a letter as well as the FILE A COMPLAINT WITH THE BBB AND CONSUMER COMPLAINTS.
File a complaint, with department of education, FL department of education, the BBB ect. If they get enough complaints hopefully something right will come out of it.
I have withdrew from this school towards the end of August. They call me up to 5 times a day. I have blocked their phone number and I still get voicemails from them asking me if I want to re enter the program. Now I am even getting text messages from different people. This has to be harassment.
This professor has to be the worst professor in that school, I have complained about her many times with the dean's office and they still have not fired her. She accuse the students from plagiarism all the time.