Complaint Review: Bryan University

I was looking for a career change after my law firm went out of business and found Bryan College (now called Bryan University) advertising for their new online Discovery Project Management Program. As I was looking to get into the eDiscovery/Litigation side of things I felt it was the perfect fit for me. The program was eight months long and once completed I would receive a graduate level certificate.

I was told by my enrollment counselor Krystal Minka that I'd have no e problems obtaining a job once I completed the program as there was a serious need of eDiscovery professionals. I was also told that I would be taught my "world-class" eDiscovery professional who were leaders in their field. I was also told that I would get a job right after completing the program making six figures. Now I must say that the six figures part i was skeptical about especially since I had no prior eDiscovery/Litigation support.

Well I and about 20 students started the program, the first of its kind, excited and hopeful. Alas that excitement and hope soon faded as classmates started dropping and reality set in that the program, while we learned a lot especially for costing $20,000 for eight month. The program was taught predominately by attorneys and most of them were partners in their firms. The dean William ' Bill' Hamilton works for Quarles and Brady as a partner made promises in a recorded video that was posted to the program page for the eDiscovery Project Management certificate.

In the video he talks about having a financial obligation to ensure that the students were working and had found jobs, well that was a joke because several graduates later (myself being in the first group to graduate) people are still jobless and owing $20,000 for a certificate that is pretty much useless. Funny thing is that George Socha co-founder of the EDRM is one of the board members as well as several other leaders in the eDiscovery world. On instructor Denise Talbert, partner at Shook, Hardy, and Bacon had mentioned in her class about internships which of course some of us unemployed student jumped at; when pressed about the internships she made some excuse quickly changing the subject like she had never brought it up in the first place.

Before our group was to graduate we all participated in mock interviews with board members as well as some of our instructors. I am received positive feedback and actually some assistance from my board member, however several of my classmates’ interviews were a joke at best with one classmate being told by the dean himself (Bill Hamilton) that if he suggested she send her resume to Quarles and Brady’s office in the Milwaukee area. He didn’t even bother saying ‘send me your resume (even though he already had a copy) and I will get you onboard’. What a joke!

Needless to say Bryan University is a J-O-K-E! Especially their eDiscovery Project Management program. I wasted $20,000 that I can never get back and now eDiscovery/Litigation Support career to show for it.