Complaint Review: ITT Technical Institute

We need to all get togeather and get a Lawsuit going. ITT Tech is getting rich and we are getting poor, it's happening in every state. Someone needs to help us. Please contact me if you can help in way.I am writing this letter, because I feel there has been a great injustice committed against me. I attuned ITT Technical Institute from Sep 1998 to May 2000 at 12669 Encinitas Ave, Sylmar, CA. About 2 months from completing the whole course and receiving an Associates of Science degree in Electronic Engineering technology. I did not stop attending class from my own choice, but it was from a technicality. A Technicality that was overlooked for others.

When I began ITT Tech, I did not have the $28,000 to pay for the course. The recruiter told me that it was okay; that they offer Financial Aid and their financial specialists would take care of me. She said she would find a way for me with getting student loans. Therefore, their financial specialists set me up with student loans for $27,855. They said that it was not still enough, I would have to pay $1,800, I was set up with payment, to pay the school; and I was ready to start school.

I continued to go to school over the next year and a half trying to complete the course. At the time, I was attending school I lived at home with my parents and helped them out with any bills that would arise. About six months before I was kicked out, my father lost his job after working over 20 years and needed financial help from me. I went to the financial specialists there at ITT Tech and let them know what my situation was and that it was hard for me to make my payment on time. He said; just try to pay what I can that they would work with me. Some time in May 2000, one of the financial Aid specialists called me out of my class, and he said that I had to attend a meeting concerning my tuition. When I went to the meeting, I found the room to be full of all the head member of the faculty. This included the head of the financial aid Mrs. Lowetta and school director
Mr. Nader, they went over with me that I was behind on my payments, and I explained to them why. I told them that I was helping my parents and that I have been looking for a
second job, so I could have more money. The job placement personnel verified this; they were present at the meeting. Also I informed them that I have been told by the Job placement center that ITT was going to have some companies come and hire some students in my class for my field of my degree, I said to them I am one of the top students in the class and I know I will be chosen for one of those jobs. There reply to me and my problem was that if I did not have the $300.00 in 24hrs, that I would be dropped from the school.

I was dropped from the school, just two months from completion. I was dropped from the program because I owed them about $300.00 when they were already paid by my student loans over $27,000. I do not believe I was kicked out because of the $300.00. I found out after, my class graduated that there were other students that were allowed to stay and complete the course while still owing the school over $2,000 and was allowed to graduate. Some of them were barley passing and always needing help from someone, most of the time I was the one to help. Some of the students had told me after I had left that some of the staff would make comments about African American and that they did not need to come to ITT. I feel I was dropped from the program, because I was African American not because of the little money that was owed to them. I believe I was discriminated on by ITT Tech. I believe ITT just looked for any reason to get rid of me an African American student with a GPA of 3.8, in a matter that on paper would have the appearance of legality, but in all actuality was not. Because, I think they could have done more possibly; send my account to collections or got me another loan for $300.00 not expel me from school with two months to go. This does not make since to me. I feel I was Frauded.

Currently I owe over $ 30,000 in student loans for knowledge that is useless to me, as I cannot get a job in the industry without the degree. I do not believe they care because they were still paid by my loans. The last quarter I was in school, they still had me pay, I think a quarter goes for about $ 10,000, and they had me pay for something I was not in class for. I have tried to utilize the credits I earned at ITT Tech to go to other schools, but 'no school' recognize ITT as accredited no school will take ITT. When I first went to ITT and on my walk-thru, I was told that all the universities accept ITT. Therefore, I was also lied to. I was also told that all ITT graduates make at least $ 28.00 hr. That is another lie they tell people. On my own research, I have found only 35% get jobs and make about $12.00 hr. I was also lied to because I was told 98% finish the program, when it more 55%. In that being said, it looks like to me they are pulling frauds on many people. Also I was also eligible to get more of a Pell grant then they put me in for and a Cal Grant because my parents only made $11,000 that year and they school said that they have to go on my dads last year income. I have found out that they could have done a hardship letter on behalf of my parents and got me the full PELL amount not $ 800.00. Therefore, as you can see I was lied too on many counts. I thought that this was a good school; I thought I was going to be able to get a good job and be the first in my family to go to college. Instead I was (screamed).

I have since went back to ITT Tech and tried to finish and get my degree. I was told that I would have to start all over because they do not have that same degree I was going for and none of the credits I have would not transfer over. I talked to the director of the school to see if he would let me finish the courses, I need for the EET program that I was taken before. He told me no, that it was not an option that was avablie to me. Instead, they wanted me to at attend another 1 years and get another student loan of $17,000 dollars, when all I needed was 2 months to go for the EET degree. That would make a total of $44,000 for an Associate Degree.

I am pleading my case to you and asking you please, for your help in this matter. I am looking for the justices that I feel we all deserve. I would love to go back and finish the degree I was working so hard to get. As I stand right now, I am responsible for paying for something that I did not receive, or more correctly put taken from me.Because of the situation with ITT, the decimation I went through. It has been a big down hill for me. I cannot go to any school and have my credits accepted, I have been denied jobs offers anything credit related, have a hard time getting into an apartment. I was also denied the privilege of serving for our country, as part of the Air Force; even though I was told by the Air Force my test scores on the ASVAB was the highest they have ever seen in their office. All because of the student loans on my credit report.

I do not know who do go to for help.I do not think that I should have to pay for my student loans when all they did was frad me. I have contacted Congressnian Howard Buck McKean, Senator Barbara Boxer, California Bureau for Private Post Secondary Education, Office of the Secretary Regents, US Department of Education, Civil Rights and NO ONE Will Help.

Something need to be done so this will not happen again to anyone eles. I think that it is really sad that they keep getting away with all the evil and hurt they cause when someone has a dream.

Respectfully,
Esmon
lancaster, California
U.S.A.