Complaint Review: Art Institute of Pittsburgh Online Division - Internet

I enrolled in the Art Institute online in Jan 2007 after the birth of my last child. My husband (legally anyhow) is active duty military but decided that he did not want a family so I am a single mother of 4. I applied for financial aid and it was granted and was told that my financial aid would cover my tuition until the end. I made sure to ask this because as a single mother of 4 I could not afford any payment towards an education. Around 1.5 years out from graduation I was told that I now ran out of financial aid. Actually, I was never told, I logged in and saw a payment alert one day. After calling my financial counselor immediately she agreed that I had never been given the appropriate discounts for being a military spouse and that she would get it fixed which should cover everything. Well, I continued on with school and continued to get alerts for payments due. I called my counselor every single time. She wouldn't answer and when she did, had no news to report. I was then passed on to her boss and then her boss's boss. No one seemed to know what was going on or how to apply the discounts. THEN, they had to put the discounts under review once someone finally figured out what was going on. In the meantime, I had 3 classes left. I was now being threatened to be locked out of class. Still a single mother of 4, working 2 jobs, I managed to finish school with a 3.87 GPA and cannot even receive my diploma. I was never sent a graduation packet... nothing.

What I was sent was a bill for $7,778.00! I was floored and am now being told that I would not receive my diploma until my bill is paid- a bill that I do not believe I honestly owe. All of that aside, I was emailed several offers for a discounted payment rate- "End of Year" or "End of Summer" "Savings". Well, the offer was for half of the tuition they say I owe them. As a single mother, now actually not receiving ANY child support I find myself still working 2 jobs and trying to receive my diploma that I worked hard for. I emailed the representative from accounting that sent me my last "End of Year Savings" offer and when she responded she told me I was sent to collections and actually gave me the information from the collection agency. I asked her if I could make the entire payment of what they offered and was told no. So, I called the collection agency and spoke with the gentleman who was assigned to my case. While on the phone with him for the first time I actually read him the email that the Art Institute had sent to me with their 50% discount. I read him the entire thing and I would assume our call was recorded (or at least it says it was) I went back in to print the few "end of Year" offeres that I had received and every single one of them had disappeared from my email. Literally they were ALL gone. I called the collection company back, explained to him what happened and he sounded just as shocked and confused as I. 

Furthermore, I explained that I now work for an Attorney and am familiar with how debts are purchased for cents on the dollar. I do not want to get my boss into this and have not thus far but I asked the gentleman at the collection agency to make the Art Institute an offer. He said he would and has been very nice and respectful. A few days later he let me know that they are not willing to make any offer and want the entire balance in full. I explained that the email, that he heard me read, tells me that not only can they accept a lower offer but also that once that payment was made, in full, that the account would be satisfied and I could receive my diploma. Now the gentleman at the collection agency tells me that they told him even if I pay at a discounted rate they will not give me my diploma.

First of all, my tuition should have never been an issue because I was told I would not owe. Secondly, I was never alerted that I owed until I logged in and saw a "past due" alert. Third, it took almost 1.5 years for their accounting department to figure discounts that should have been applied the entire time and I STILL have no proof that whhat was finally discovered was even a correct amount because I had no way of actually knowing and their accounting department did not even know. Finally, missing email offers.....and the fact that the collection agency now emails me (I requested email communication for record purposes) asking ME if I had heard from them because they will not even respond to him after he told them about my allegations.

I told him I was willing to pay the half discount and I demand my diploma at that time. He says the Art Institute will not return his calls. THe COLLECTION AGENT and myself actually have a deal that if one of us is contacted we will contact the other.

Smell fishy??