Kaplan University Kaplan Higher Education Corporation. Kaplan Higher Education Corporation is a division of Kaplan, Inc., a subsidiary of The Washington Post Company. Kaplan University commits fraudulent activity and misappropriates Direct Loans Federal Funds, Internet
Kaplan University a subsidary of the Washing Post accredited by HLC located in Chicago, Illinois commits immoral, unethical and fraudulent activity and misappropriation of Direct Loans Federal Funds against University students by not releasing student refunds/stipends to student's designated for educational expenses by state/federal government in a specific term.
Imagine not receiving your pay check when your employer told you that you would be paid. This is how university students are living on fixed incomes are feeling at Kaplan University because the Financial Aid Office is not releasing there fundings from loans and federal and state grant at the beginning of the term nor the middle but at the end of the term or the next term or not at all. Kaplan University has indicated on more than one occasion that since they are a private university they are not required to release stipends/refunds (state/federal funds) to students until the end of the existing term or the next term. This appears to be immoral, unethical and fruadulent activity and misappropriation of state/federal funding due to the fact that the federal government has allocated federal funding for students educational expenses while attending school in a given term/semester.
Kaplan Finanical Aid Office does not answer the phone, return calls or respond to emails in order to avoid students requesting information on the status of the refunds. The Kaplan University website fails to identify the University Administrators identities, phone numbers or email addresses. The Kaplan University Website also fails to display student complaint forms which bars the student for initiating complaints. The compliance office reroutes your phone calls to other numbers never allowing you to speak with anyone. From reading Blog Complaints regarding Kaplan students feel that they are at a dead end and are being abused emotionally and financially. Kaplan University is a private university; however because they receive state and federal funding or obligated to comply with state and federal regulations. Hiding behind the fact that they are private does not exclude them from following the same regulations and policies that state universities must adhere to.
Many students have made attempts to resolve there finanical woes with Kaplan. I would truly encourage every student of Kaplan University who is experiencing any form of financial difficulties from the Business Office and the Financial Aid Office to report fraudulent activity and misappropriation of state and federal funds to the following agency Hotlines:
U.S. Department of Education: http://www2.ed.gov/about/offices/list/oig/hotline.html?src=rt
Illinios State Attorney General Hotline: http://www.illinoisattorneygeneral.gov/about/email_consumers.jsp
U.S. General Accounting Office: consumer@ag.state.ia.us, fraudnet@gao.gov
State of Iowa State Auditors: info@auditor.state.ia.us
State of Illinois State Auditors: Iles Park Plaza 740 East Ash St. Springfield, IL 62703-3154 217/782-6046 217/785-8222 (fax) 888/261-2887 (TTY) Michael A. Bilandic Building 160 N. LaSalle Street Suite S-900 Chicago, Illinois 60601-3103 312/814-4000 312/814-4006 (fax) Email us at auditor@mail.state.il.us
The offices above are very good and identifying criminal activity. Give them the opportunity to open Kaplan University's financial books. The more complaints they receive from everyone regarding this matter opens the door for an open investigation
3 Updates & Rebuttals
Jeanski
Buffalo,New York,
USA
Response to Robin
#4Consumer Comment
Thu, October 14, 2010
This is very interesting information and I thank you for correcting me. However, I have searched everywhere for this information and can't find it. Can you provide a reference from the Title IV regulations? Since this is a common complaint among students it might be useful information for a lot of students.
robin72965
Hummelstown,Pennsylvania,
United States of America
In Response to Check Your Facts.
#4Consumer Comment
Wed, October 13, 2010
This is in response to the post titled Check your Facts. When the university receives funding from the government or from student loans and it posts to your account and you are left with a credit and you have an educational expense report on file, then the school, by law of the U.S. Department of Education, is to send you the remaining funds within 14 business days of the check date when the funds are posted.
How do I know this? Well I have been going through this every single term. I get the runaround. I was told on 9/22/10 that I had a check date of 10/1/10. They received the funding on 9/29/10 and I had a credit of $730 that was due to me. Then on 10/1/10 the check didnt go out.
I waited a week and called on 10/12/10 and was told by a supervisor that the business office by law had until today to issue the check. Well guess what no check again. I was then told by yet another supervisor today that they had until tomorrow. Well the business office only cuts checks on mon, wed and fri putting it past the law date.
Then a little later today I was told by yet another rep that it was the 19th. I then spoke to a big whig manager and he told me the 15th. I was also sent to the student accounts department by the other manager but he connected me to space.
For 1 hr and 46 minutes I listened to nothing but a phone ring. Then several other times today when they said they would transfer me they just quietly disconnected and left me hanging.
I go so tired of the runaround today that I asked to speak to someone so I could withdraw. I've been there since Aug 2009 and this was my 6th term. I am so tired of the bullcrap they put people through.
I'm sorry that I didnt do better research before deciding to go back to school after 26 yrs. Then they were supposed to transfer me to student accounts and the supervisor gave me the phone number which turned out to be a fax number.
It took forever, most of my day, to finally tell them I was done. I am transferring to a most reputable university - Penn State. It's funny how they want your money but when it's time for them to give it to you, they give you the run around. Well no more for me. I'll give my money to someone who is actually worthy of it.
Jeanski
Buffalo,New York,
USA
check your facts
#4Consumer Comment
Thu, September 23, 2010
You've posted some excellent resources for students who believe they are victims of fraud. However, there is a BIG difference between acting in the school's best interest (which is what Kaplan does) and fraud. You are absolutely correct that the student loan program was set up to help students with expenses while in college. However (and someone please correct me if I'm wrong) there is no requirement for the school to send you any excess funds during the term in which they're used.
There have been MANY reports similar to yours - i.e., student not getting refunds in a timely manner. The school is holding on to the money in case you withdraw/fail out prior to the completion of a full course load. It's easier for them to return the money to the lender if you withdraw, than to go after YOU for the money they've disbursed as excess funds, in addition to the tuition. Once you've completed the full time enrollment successfully, they feel OK about sending you the excess. If you don't complete it, they just return the money to the lender and come after you for the tuition due.
Given the number of reports on ROR about these schools, it seems wise for potential students to seek an education elsewhere.