Complaint Review: Everest Online University - Tampa Florida

I started going to Everest Online on 2/25/13. I heard so many rumors about this school but I didn't believe them because people were still going to this school. The school name use to be called Florida Metropolitan. Since I been in this school they have changed their name multiple times. When I enrolled in this school I started majoring in Criminal Justices. I never had any problems with this school besides multiple representatives from each department calling me with different information regarding my account.

Back in 2014 I was dropped due to multiple reasons, first I was told that I was dropped because of my grades which was never a option because I have always received good grades, second I was dropped because of missing documents, then I was dropped because I had a balance on my account, after been told all the incorrect information I was told that I was dropped because a Parent Plus Loan form which I have sent that document in multiple times to multiple representatives.

On 03/24/16 I was working with Carole Miller, Carole Miller told me that they needed my W2. If I didn't have my W2 forms on hand she can request a 4506T form to access my W2. After Everest receives this form they will clear my account and if she needed more documents she will call me. Right after I talked to Carole Miller I was told that everything is in and it will take two weeks to clear my account. Two weeks has passed so I called to speak with a financial Aid Representative. I was told everything is looking good and if a representative needs more information they will contact me.

I end up talking to Christina Holmes on 03/30/16 she told me I had missing documents again, the same documents that I had signed and fax over multiple times. I begin working with her. I sent everything to her fax number. She was one the phone with me the whole time I was getting everything together. She told me I need to turn everything before 04/12/16. I got everything sent over to her. I called and sent emails to her to let her know that I sent over everything and to ask her did she receive everything. I didn't receive a call back so I figured everything was ok.

Christina was out of the office which is why I was not receiving calls or emails back. I called her on 04/11/16 and she said everything is on file. I had stated a new semester on 04/11/16. I started doing my school work the same day. The next day I logged in school to start my work for the day I was unable to do anything because they had dropped me. I called Christina she told me that I was dropped because they didn't receive my information on time, I asked how is that when I sent her all my information. She was like everything is on file call back to talk to a director. I end up calling back to talk to two directors which they told me that they will not be able to do anything until I pay back $4,540.

I kept calling and calling until one of the representative find a director that will be able to assist me with this matter.  After I called multiple times I was able to talk to Serena Holmes who is a Director.  I talked to Serena Holmes and she told me that everything will be able to get cleared so I can finish my degree because it was an error on Everest end. She got everything together and seen that I had sent documents in multiple times but she had to check with other places to see if I had actually signed these documents. She was able to locate everything so she told me that everything will be getting cleared off my account. 

She called me to tell me that she was able to clear $3,708 because she had seen the error but I will have to pay $832 because it was a agreement that Everest made but I will still be able to attend school and someone from the reentry department will be calling me to help me get enrolled back in school. Supposedly I received this balance because I didn't have Pell grant and Fasfa. I called the Department of Education and spoke with a customer service representative. They told me that I did have both Pell grant and Fasfa Everest just didn't pull my funding like they were supposing to.

Everest kept saying that I didn't have funding to pull from and that they didn't see the information that the Department of Education is providing.  I received multiple calls from different representative to get me settled in for school. I was told that I will start my first class on 8/22/16. I received a call from one of the representative; they told me that I will not be able to start the class until I pay the remaining balance of $832.

A few representatives sent an email to me regarding school and to let me know that I can get back in school because the Criminal Justice field will be getting ready to close out but I will have to talk to the Financial Aid department to see what they can do about my balance. I talked to a director which he told me that I would have to pay a onetime fee of $100 and they will clear my remained balance. That didn't make sense to me so I called the department of education to tell them what Everest had told me. The Department of Education told me that it sounds like fraud. I was told to file a complaint and file out a fraud from against Everest. I have not got any feedback yet.

I only need two classes and two elective to graduate from Everest. I will be receiving a BA degree in Criminal Justices. I was told that the Criminal Justices field will be getting closed out. I asked one of the representatives about the conflict and if it is true how will I be able to finish my degree in that field. That person told me that his director said that I can go to school but I will have to talk to a Financial Aid director about my balance.

When I talked to a financial aid representative I was told that I need to come up with a payment plan. I called the Department of Education to inform them what Everest told me and they said to call the Borrower Defense to repayment loan discharge and tell them my concern. Multiple representatives told me that my situation is fraud and it will not make sense to pay anything because Everest and other schools are getting closed down for fraud.  I need four classes total for my BA degree and thirteen classes for my Master which I can't finish at Everest let alone transfer my credit and if I do transfer I would be starting over for a whole year again.  I am hoping my loan with financial aid gets discharged!!