Jeanski
Hamburg,#2Consumer Suggestion
Thu, April 29, 2010
There are a few things in your report that don't really make sense. Let me explain a few things that might help you or other readers understand how the process works. When you applied to Everest you no doubt filled out the FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid). For those who are not familiar with the FAFSA, this is a generic form that must be completed before any kind of financial aid is awarded at any school. It is always FREE - don't be scammed by websites that want you to pay to fill it out. This is the first step in the process. Once the school receives your FAFSA, there will be a number called the EFC (Expected Family Contribution) that gives the school an idea of how much money you or your family have to contribute towards expenses. Each school them applies its own formula to determine how much aid you are entitled to. This is determined by the cost of tuition, expected living expenses for the area, etc. The FAFSA has to completed for each academic year (usually August through July).
Once the school has all that info, they should prepare and send to you an Award Letter that describes, in detail, what your expected tuition and fees are, and how those can be paid through various kinds of aid that you've been awarded. From the FAFSA they would've determined if you were eligible for federal or state grants (like Pell, which doesn't have to be re-paid), then any institutional aid (like academic or sports scholarships), then federal loans, usually in that order. Anything that's left over is your responsibility to pay. Or, in the case that you have excess funds, those will be returned to you. In any event, you have to sign the award letter, acknowledging acceptance of the money paid on your behalf. You also have to sign a MPN (Master Promissory Note) acknowledging receipt of the loans and promising to pay them back.
Example: School XYZ has tuition and fees of $5000 per semester. The school has determined that you are entitled to $1000 in Pell Grant and $3000 in federal loans for each semester. That leaves a balance of $1000 that YOU are responsible for. There are all kinds of rules that govern federal aid, such as how many credits you have to take per semester, satisfactory academic progress, etc. Rarely would a student receive a refund of any excess aid if they attend an online school such as Univ of Pheonix, etc. They maximize tuition to take advantage of the numbers. A better option is to attend a local community college - almost all of whom have online programs - because the tuition is WAY cheaper. You could probably attend for $1000 per semester, leaving you the excess funds to help with living expenses.
Federal loans are managed through Sallie Mae, and it's true you have six months after completing school to start repayment. If you cannot repay on their schedule there are all sorts of options to defer the payment, or pay a smaller amount. But you MUST contact Sallie Mae and do the paperwork.
I don't know of any school that offers personal loans to students to help pay tuition. I suspect there was a balance due after the aid was applied and that's what you owe the school. You have no recourse but to pay them.
As for accreditation, yes, they are accredited, otherwise they couldn't receive federal money. Job placement is never a guarantee. No one, at ANY school, is going to come up to you at graduation and say, "OK here's your job". It is up to you to pursue leads that should be provided by the job placement office. They should also help with resume writing, interviewing skills, etc. If they don't, write a complaint letter to the school.
One last comment. Your use of "lye" for "lie" and "worser" indicates that your writing abilitites need to be improved before you attempt college again. I would strongly suggest checking out a few classes at your local community college. In the beginning of your post you said that they don't require a diploma. I'm assuming you mean a high school diploma? If you don't have one (or a GED) your local community college can help you get one. That would be a better place to spend your money.
Don't give up on your educational dreams. Good luck!