I enrolled in Westwood College Midtown Atlanta in March 201. During my initial vist I was badgered into signing up for the school with many promises that were not kept. I kept inquiring why I did not have enough money on my ledger to cover my tuition, books, and travel and kept getting the response that it was all the financial aid that I had. I informed the College repeatedly that FAFSA was showing I had much more moeny to be disbursed. I found out 3 months before I gradualted that the reason I did not have enough funds is because the school was only requesting enough to cover the tuition, then you had to sign their Apex loan to cover the additional costs. I refused to sign the loan the first couple of times I was approached, but in February of 2012 I was called out of class during the review for my finals.
At that time I signed the Apex loan and 2 days later I recieved a bill for over $4000. I asked for several audits, and spoke with the Business Office because I had a $1200 credit when I signed the Apex loan. I was billed back to August of 2011 although in February I had a credit. When I inquired how that happened I was told they gave me thier money, the ledger shows that I used the money, so I owed them the money. This was unacceptable to me so I began contacting everyone I though possible, all the way up to the Attorney General's Office here in the State of Georgia. Everyone I spoke to told me the same thing, there was nothign they could do about it. I even asked the Attorney General that if the same office filed charges in other States why couldn't they do it in Georgia, I was told they have nothing to do with that type of compalint. While in Westwood many of my fellow students had similar issues and no one seems to be willing to assist us here in this state.
Can someon ehelp with this situation and we desperately need legal reprsentation on this matter. I am now stuck with a $23,233.00 bill and a degree from a Institution that is not Regionally Accredited. This created a lot of problems for me when I went to register at other schools to complete my Bachelor's Degree. Westwood knew when I enrolled that I had intentions of furthring my education and assured me that their credits would be accepted at any other University. I have since found out otherwise as I wound up having to enroll in Ashford University because Georgia State would not accept my credits from Westwood. I also know of several other students who informed Westwood that they planned in enrolling in a traditional college after completing their education at Westwood.
Now we all have degrees that are virtually worhtless, with huge bills. Thankfully Ashford accepted some of my credits, but several classes have to be re-taken, therefore repaid for. Can someone help please.
Jeanski
Dayton,#2Consumer Suggestion
Thu, June 13, 2013
In Georgia, these types of schools are regulated and authorized by the Georgia Nonpublic Postsecondary Education Commission. You can find them on the internet. Here's a link to their student complaint form:
http://www.gnpec.org/forms/pdf%20files/ComplaintProcess.pdf
Good luck!