#1 Update By Author
AUTHOR: Rachel - Williamson (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Saturday, July 22, 2006
POSTED: Saturday, July 22, 2006
Here is something that school does not want you to know. They not only send manuscripts and written work out, off campus to contract people. They send your work out, with you personal information to the contractor's personal residence.
They send your name, address, phone, email and STUDNET ID NUMBER off campus to someone's house and they won't tell you where it goes. To who it goes and they won't assure it's a Professional who grades it.
If they also hold the right to faial your written work if they don't like what you written, not based on a real grading system.
I had to have my work Professioanly edited to see what the real problems were. I even went through the DETC, which did nothing to assure my information was safe.
Anyone could get my info, anyone could get my student ID number and if that person knew anything about computers, get my credit card number. Get my records...anything.
This is not a secure school. They hold highly questionable practices. They are a huge institute that made 8 billion dollars in 2004. They are owned by Tomson Learning. They give crap books with little support and then require submissions based on little information. This school thinks we are morons and basically have a low opinon of the people who take courses there.
In my complaint review the head of the English department stated "That most readers do not know American history,at all." This person also explained why I had to keep history up to date in an alternate reality.
The letter and recomendations are counterdicting.
She also made this comment, "The prelude you included was a freewrite band-aid...put together in response to the editors comments." This was false, it explained another mythology that affected the plot.
stay away from this school...it's a huge rip off.
#2 Update By Author
AUTHOR: Rachel - Williamson (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Tuesday, September 12, 2006
POSTED: Tuesday, September 12, 2006
I finished the course after much interaction between the DETC and the BBB. The BBB did nothing in the least for me, as a matter of fact they lost my second complaint.
I finally recieved my 'diploma' after the so called 'professional editor' returned my final undgraded because she didn't like what I wrote for a short story.
I recieved the most negative letter from Carol Sprock, head of the english departmant stating that the editor graded my work in her private home but could not tell me HOW MY PRIVATE INFORMATION that was attached to the work was secured.
She also deamed my work 'unmarketable' because she didn't like my basic story. Thus is was failed.
I reported the returned MS to the DETC and they closed the case and got my diploma.
BEWARE, THE WRITER'S COURSE DOES NOT WORK ON ACTUAL WRITING. IT IS SUPPOSED TO TEACH YOU HOW TO SUBMIT A MS FOR PUBLICATION ACORDING TO THE SCHOOL.
I never even got an apology form those jerks, instead I was further insulted by thier own full time employee.
The couse is actually worth about a third of what they ask for it. I figured out just how much the books cost and factored in the standard 50% of that cost for over head. The course should be no more than 200 dollars. Do not buy anything from these people. They do not support you and they cover up hidden facts like personal information security.
#3 Update By Author
AUTHOR: Rachel - Williamson (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Saturday, September 30, 2006
POSTED: Saturday, September 30, 2006
I filed three reports with the BBB and only had the BBB reply to the first report which had the least amount of damage to the company in it.
The 2 and 3rd reports deal with security issues of my personal infor that was sent off campus to a private residence without my permission and about the eployee breaking thier own policies.
I have looked on the BBB od scranton PA for the total number of complaints filed with them against this co. 237 reports that they had listed. I don't know how far back those reports go, could be months or weeks.
Out of the 237 reports only 53 people accepted the BBB suggestion.
The first report filed with the BBB was blantly refused as even an issue with the co. I rebutted the co descicion and suddenly the report was closed with no further investigation.
It appears to me that the BBB of PA doesn't seem to intrested in following up or even coming to a real conclusion. They just want to close the case.
The last two reports deal with identity security--they just ignored them completely.
#4 Update By Author
AUTHOR: Rachel - Williamson (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Friday, December 01, 2006
POSTED: Friday, December 01, 2006
As suspected the BBB is a waste of time and effort. They have "lost" four seperate complaints that I have filed and "conviently" responded to one complaint that did NOT ask for a resolution. The BBB is PROTECTING this scam becuase Penn Foster pays thousands of dollars to them for fees.
#5 Consumer Suggestion
AUTHOR: Margaret - Houston (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Thursday, May 17, 2007
POSTED: Thursday, May 17, 2007
I am currently enrolled with Penn Foster taking the travel agent certificate, and I completed the Administrative Assistant certificate program in 2003-2004. I have never had problems with them. I mainly took the Admin course because I was confined to my bed during cancer treatments and needed something to keep myself busy and to further my knowledge in a few areas I did not feel was not strong in. (I was on a medical leave from my job as an office manager).
I feel that the courses they offer and the type of material is a value and think of it like this: If one thinks they are interested in a possible career and they take a $600-800 certificate program and they end up not being interested, they have gained additional education/knowledge but have not wasted a lot of money. I don't know about the other courses aside from what I am currently taken and what I have taken, but if a person was interested in working in an office as an admin, etc. The Admin course program is excellent and definately gives one enough training for an entry level position.
#6 Consumer Comment
AUTHOR: Ken P - Richlands (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Sunday, September 02, 2007
POSTED: Sunday, September 02, 2007
I am taking the Desktop Publishing course with Penn Foster Career School.
Other than the study material concerning Windows Software being a few years outdated, the lessons are very good. I thought I knew a little something about DTP until I started this course, however I was very wrong.
As far as materials are concerned, it would have cost me more money to purchase the materials I have received from Penn Foster than I have paid for the course. The course was $699, and the Adobe InDesign software they sent is that much alone if you buy it retail. Not to mention the $50 Classroom in a Book textbook, the Penn Foster textbooks, the shipping charges they paid, as well as the other supplements and materials they have sent.
The staff at Penn Foster has been very quick to respond to the couple of emails I have sent regarding the course, and resolved my problems to my satisfaction. There is no delay in receiving courses, as they are ahead of me consistantly, even though I proceeded through the first half of the course very quickly.
In short, if you use common sense and pick your courses carefully, You should have a good experience. I agree that some courses should not be offered by mail or online, such as the TV Repair course, or something else that requires hands-on training (like cooking), but if you are willing to take the course anyway, you get what you pay for.
I know I am getting what I paid for.
Ken
North Carolina
#7 Consumer Comment
AUTHOR: Amy - Martinsburg (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Saturday, November 29, 2008
POSTED: Saturday, November 29, 2008
First of all-if people who are taking courses or have taken courses with any type of college should at least us a spell check or learn how to spell properly!
I have a friend who works for the Maryland Department of Rehabilitation and PennFoster is an acredited school that the state of Maryland uses to re-educate there clients who are no longer able to continue the work that they were previously doing due to medical issues.
As with any school (internet or not) you should research the course or program that you are interested in and find an appropriate school that is acredited. You should compare schools and prices---as the old saying goes "You get what you pay for."
I am currently considering a online program but before I make my choice I will research my options and make some phone calls and compare the online schools with local colleges in my area. I want to be sure I am getting what I pay for and to be sure that the local employers in my area will accept the degree from the school I choose. I also want to make sure that the information I have learned is enough for me to be able to take the exams needed to be board certified by the state that I choose to work in.
#8 Consumer Suggestion
AUTHOR: Chiliheadwizard - Orlando (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Thursday, December 11, 2008
POSTED: Thursday, December 11, 2008
Do not take this the wrong way. I understand you are upset at how you were treated and especially your fear of identity theft.
One glaring problem I have with this, however, concerns your writing skills in the first place. You express an interest in a writing course, but your spelling has been atrocious in multiple posts. We are all human and I would expect the occasional typo, but your spelling is consistently horrible. I said to myself, "This person wants to be taken seriously as a writer?"
I am not sure exactly what the editor said about your work, but I remember my English composition professor in college. Some of her students were convinced she was a direct descendent of the Marquis de Sade due to her harsh comments on our essays. Teachers are there to teach, and oftentimes they have to be the proverbial Simon (from "American Idol") or Piers (from "America's Got Talent") in order to whip their students into ship shape if they care at all. My chemistry professors were nice guys but often they, too, would chew the class out if the class in general did a poor job on an exam.
If my reading of many reviews are any indication, professional critics can be the meanest. Whether or not I like a performer, a book, an author, a movie, or the like, I sit there at times and wonder who leaked in their Cheerios. Perhaps the editors and teachers at this school, as the proverbial Simon and Piers, are giving you a taste of what it means to be writer? If and when you go out into the real world and have to deal with them, you may wish you had these people back on your case.
#9 Consumer Suggestion
AUTHOR: Alcoatari - Pcheco (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Tuesday, December 30, 2008
POSTED: Tuesday, December 30, 2008
How about you go and earn an English degree from a real school, or even a Liberal Arts Degree. Hell, even an associate's degree would do you well. Your spelling is uncommonly terrible and I am guessing you are or were an ESL student. You can thank the poor education system of America and useless teachers for reinforcing your bad spelling and bad grammatical habits.
But alas, my point is this: Given your bad grammar and spelling, and faulty typing, it is very possible that your manuscripts were not readable. That's not to say your stories were bad, just that no one could see the story underneath all of the errors.
I am going to venture a guess that some of my comments here resemble those given to you by the contractors who performed your reviews.
Brush up on your English Language skills and I don't think you will have any problems.
Getting published, on the other hand, will be even more difficult than what this school put you through. Often times, the agents or editors won't even send you feedback; they will simply throw your material into the trash.
This is especially true if your cover letter is sprinkled with the telltale signs of someone with a very poor grasp of basic English.
Also, to Amy: here is a little taste of your own medicine.
In your post you used the improper form of “there” when you should have used the form “their” second paragraph, second line. Also you've misspelled “accredited” twice.
If you're going to call someone out on their English skills, you may want to double check your own.
#10 Consumer Comment
AUTHOR: Lizzy - Bridgeport (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Sunday, May 31, 2009
POSTED: Sunday, May 31, 2009
Penn foster is not a rip-off. I did a Interior Decorating program from Penn Foster and i am now a Certified Interior Decorater. I just register my company and hope to do better this year. When i needed help with my assignment i call student services and someone is always their to assist me. Their fees are reasonable and affordable to pay monthly. I think you have a problem with how you express yourself and it shows in your writing. Your spelling is not good. I saw a lot of misspelled words. If you want to get a good impresson in your writing and get the right meaning to the person who is grading your assignment its important to spell correctly. Penn Foster is not an elementary school. The person who is grading your assignment is not going to try to think what word you are trying to spell. I am so glad that i could do my program online and Penn Foster helped me to achieve my goal that i so long wanted to do in the comfort of my home. Penn Foster has maintained a tradition of excellence for more than 100 years. For me its a lifetime dream that i was able to fulfill.
#11 Consumer Comment
AUTHOR: Candacerb - Roseburg (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Thursday, June 11, 2009
POSTED: Thursday, June 11, 2009
I am a student of this program in the "Physical Therapy" courses from Penn Foster. I have learned a tremendous amount of medical information. I job shadow at the same time and I can see how it is elevating my learning abilities. My courses are very important to the work I do outside the computer. First of all, I think they are very organized and resourceful to the information they provide. It is definately a "You get what you put into it" situation. Online courses are a great future for students that are unable to do so otherwise; location, schedule, etc. The price for a course of this size is great and you don't sit in a classroom listening to a teacher talk about religion or politics while you pay for for example an English class. Speaking of english class, it scares me to think they are putting people through their online classes and receiving career diplomas for people as Miss Rachel. I am sure she is trying but her english is horrible and she needs to step back a few steps and take other courses before she professes to be a writer. Stay possitive Rachel and think about things before you say them or better yet before you spell them. Get back in and recheck yourself. Your effort is never wasted.
#12 Consumer Comment
AUTHOR: victoria - chattanooga (USA)
SUBMITTED: Thursday, December 03, 2009
POSTED: Thursday, December 03, 2009
I know they are crooks,from reading the other comment below i am really scared now because they have my bank info . i will take care of that first thing in the morning,
I didn't have a good experience with them accused of plagerism and they have hidden fees, now they say I owe something I don't have to show anythng for, I have news for them, I am not paying 600.00 for a course they decided they wanted me to fail so they can get more money, it's like they suck you dry until you quit. they know they will not get anymore from me, as far as the threats they said they are not true either about if i dont pay up , i will never go to another college they can hold it against me, well let them try i am waiting
#13 Consumer Comment
AUTHOR: Kara - (Canada)
SUBMITTED: Thursday, December 24, 2009
POSTED: Thursday, December 24, 2009
The people who are saying learn to spell, spelled multiple words wrong, shouldn't say anything if you can't spell either.
#14 Consumer Comment
AUTHOR: Solitude2008 - Baytown (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Saturday, January 09, 2010
POSTED: Saturday, January 09, 2010
First, I have to say that the reason you probably failed your Freelance Writer's Course may have something to do with the fact that you are a terrible speller and make numerous mistakes. I can only imagine all of the aspirin the "editor" had to pop to read anything you may have submitted for grading. One thing anyone should take into consideration before reading what you have written and automatically assuming you must be right is the fact that you do not seem to be learning much from the Penn Foster program and what you've written here may very well be proof that you need far more "editors" similar to the one you had from the start.
Secondly, it's very easy these days to get online and check a company's reputation through the BBB. Were anyone to do so, they'd see for themselves that the school is indeed not a rip-off. To be honest, you have made no valid points in saying that Penn Foster is a rip-off or a scam. The way you succeed in the program for the most part is on your shoulders, and I suspect that you are not putting much effort in, which may be why you are not getting the results you are apparently whining for and yet unwilling to study for.
I'm enlisting in the Navy and my backup plan is to be a Veterinary Technician, and if this school were indeed a rip-off than I highly doubt that the Armed Forces would be interested in recruiting me, don't you? With that said, this report in itself is a rip-off, and to the poster, I say this:
Before you badmouth a company to the public, have your facts in order. Make valid points and be ready to back up what you say with straightforward proof/evidence. Penn Foster is actually a great program with many rewards for those willing to put in their fair share of work and effort. It would be a shame for someone that is perhaps a little naive to read your report and reconsider being a part of Penn Foster all because you cannot complete your assignments correctly.
#15 Consumer Suggestion
AUTHOR: mcshawnboy - Sykesville (United States of America)
SUBMITTED: Friday, January 28, 2011
POSTED: Friday, January 28, 2011
I became interested in Penn Foster Jewelry Repair course via a sponsored add from Facebook while researching jewelry supplies. The Ripoff Report's the first place I look for consumer info, but it didn't show up in my first search.
I did find a site that reviews online schools & feedback from students, both good and bad comments.http://www.onlinedegreereviews.org/college/penn-foster-reviews/
If your interests are in writing it'd be beneficial to use Spell Check, especially when writing a complaint letter.
#16 Consumer Comment
AUTHOR: Lisa - Sacramento (U.S.A.)
SUBMITTED: Friday, March 18, 2011
POSTED: Friday, March 18, 2011
Well, first off, I think you should have taken a english Class first. Your spelling is worse then a fifth grader. uuughhh Horrible!! And please dont write a book.
#17 Owner of Company
AUTHOR: Judy - Spring (United States of America)
SUBMITTED: Monday, March 21, 2011
POSTED: Monday, March 21, 2011
I could not stop laughing as I read these rebuttals on the college. I appreciate the time each of you took to write about their experiences but I cannot read anymore and cannot figure out whether to trust these comments or not. It's just too funny. Sorry but think about it.
#18 Consumer Comment
AUTHOR: Msdavi - Fredericksburg (United States of America)
SUBMITTED: Friday, November 18, 2011
POSTED: Friday, November 18, 2011
I disagree with what this person has to say. Penn Foster is a GREAT school to attend. They are cheap in price, have awesome teachers who help out if you need it, and have challenging exams. I have taken two courses with this school... The Administrative Assistant Career Diploma and the Criminal Justice Associates Degree, and I am highly PLEASED with the school work of this school. BOTH courses hit every aspect of the class and does it in depth.
#19 Consumer Comment
AUTHOR: Charles - United States (USA)
SUBMITTED: Friday, November 18, 2011
POSTED: Friday, November 18, 2011
Let me point this out just because you didn't have anything bad happen. This doesn't apply to the poster. You can disagree all you feel like.
#20 Consumer Comment
AUTHOR: Rock - Ligonier (United States of America)
SUBMITTED: Sunday, February 19, 2012
POSTED: Sunday, February 19, 2012
Mentioning of the United States Armed Services not accepting you if Penn Foster were to be a rip-off is unfounded. The United States Armed Service will Accept any person whom can do 10 push-ups, 10 sit-ups, and run(jog)a very short distance. Even a felon can join with a waiver.You need not to have further course studies in order to enter the armed forces.
I am presently a student at Penn Foster. I will post a review after my first year. My concern here in Pennsylvania is that I have found not a 4 year university to accept any credits from Penn Foster nor a community college. I have paid for the program and will finish, just as I read and pay for a newspaper.
#21 Consumer Comment
AUTHOR: Rock - Ligonier (United States of America)
SUBMITTED: Sunday, February 19, 2012
POSTED: Sunday, February 19, 2012
Mentioning of the United States Armed Services not accepting you if Penn Foster were to be a rip-off is unfounded. The United States Armed Service will Accept any person whom can do 10 push-ups, 10 sit-ups, and run(jog)a very short distance. Even a felon can join with a waiver.You need not to have further course studies in order to enter the armed forces.
I am presently a student at Penn Foster. I will post a review after my first year. My concern here in Pennsylvania is that I have found not a 4 year university to accept any credits from Penn Foster nor a community college. I have paid for the program and will finish, just as I read and pay for a newspaper.
