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Report: #651764

Complaint Review: EDMU aka South University Online - Internet

  • Submitted:
  • Updated:
  • Reported By: $arah — jesup Georgia United States of America
  • Author Not Confirmed What's this?
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  • EDMU aka South University Online 709 Mall Blvd Savannah GA Internet United States of America

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Concerning SUO, EDMU and other affiliates, I am a recent victim of this scam that has posed a financial burden on myself and family in life altering aspects. I enrolled in 2007 prior to SUO (Savannah, GA) online division being bought out by EDMU! Overnight, I end up dealing with people that seemed uneducated and lost. It was a group that was for the online division in Pittsburgh, PA, all hush hush of  course. I inquired as to why I had so  many advisers, and was thrown around like a hot potato? No answer. In 2009, I had a kitchen fire and had to move. I had to withdraw from class. They kept the tuition. Then I had issues getting internet beamed in the rural area I was at, and again, did not make class, they kept the tuition. Finally, I moved again, where I had satellite internet 559.00 to get installed top go to class;  a tree fell on the receiver and I was going to be dropped for non participation so I withdrew, THEY KEPT THE TUITION!

I had serious issues with these folks in Pittsburgh, where they canceled my loans without my permission, and had me listed as WITHDRAWN for months! It was not until my mother, who was listed as a contact, got a phone call from Sallie Mae that I was even aware of such occurrence> Due to this withdrawn status, apparently for months, I was in repayment, although I had taken classes off and on, at least part time, 2009-2010, and this sent my loans into repaument. The school said it was not up to them to correct it. SO I started a mission that ended up back at the Pittsburg office, looking for the registrar, who I was told was NOT at the location!!!!
I then call Savannah, where I orginally enrolled. Still no help, as they do not deal with the online department. Then came time in July 2010 for our financial aid dispersments. On July 5, 2010, SUO adknowledged that a holiday, so our loans that were recieved went back to the lender to get dispersed later, 'just a small error that the lender made.' I call the lenders, well that is NOT true.
I was over charged 625.00 that I found in mathmatical errors on the Student account sheet, and had to write a formal appeal for my own money!!!
Now that my credit is 51K in student loans and I am still 7 full courses away from graduating, my loans are at an all time MAX, this school has NOT answered my phone calls, voice mails, emails, requests or anything!!!
This is the finest example of FRAUD I have ever seen, and .................


THIS IS NOT THE END OF IT!
I will be the one Tom spoke about.........
SEE YOU GUYS IN THE HEADLINES! 

:)
Stay away from SOUTH

This report was posted on Ripoff Report on 10/16/2010 03:04 PM and is a permanent record located here: https://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/edmu-aka-south-university-online/internet/edmu-aka-south-university-online-ruthless-contemplative-manipulative-and-scammers-inte-651764. The posting time indicated is Arizona local time. Arizona does not observe daylight savings so the post time may be Mountain or Pacific depending on the time of year. Ripoff Report has an exclusive license to this report. It may not be copied without the written permission of Ripoff Report. READ: Foreign websites steal our content

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REBUTTALS & REPLIES:
2Author
4Consumer
0Employee/Owner

#6 General Comment

EDMC AND SOUTHUNIVERSITY

AUTHOR: Brenda Du Bois - (United States of America)

POSTED: Friday, October 22, 2010

My response is to Sarah, you attempted to contact me through email and wanted me to find you on FB.  I don't like the way they have this set up, we can respond to each others reports, but we can't seem to make direct contact with each other.  I am interested in making contact with you.  I'm under, Brenda Lee my profile picture is a Bucking Bronco, getting ready to land on a cowboy!.  Contact me through there and I will see what we can do. 

 

I too was taking the Legal Classes, I was just getting started, theY reneged on a verbal agreement; that is at least, partially documented and was over heard, by another person, because I had the conversation on Speaker phone.  They too pulled some fancy foot work with me and my FA, and returned my Grant as well as my Loan money, and then turned around and charged me for classes I didn't take, and yes had withdrawn by the appropriated allotted time.  I'm not sure how this other person can respond to you and say, that none of this Didn't happened since they were not involved in anyway.  All they can be working off of, is what they themselves have experienced.  If things have been sweet for them, then great.  That doesn't diminish our personal experience with EDMC/SUO in anyway.  I won't go into all the details here on the Internet right now.  Because of my personal experience I CAN EASILY BELIEVE YOURS IS TRUE!

 

I WOULD NOT RECOMMEND  "EDMC/SOUTHUNIVERSITY ON-LINE"  THEY ARE WHAT YOU SEE ON THE INTERNET, CHCIK OUT ALL THE OTHER COMPLAINTS, THERE ARE TO MANY OF THEM.    AT THIS POINT I WOULDN'T RECOMMEND ANY OF THE OTHER  FOR PROFIT SCHOOLS, ESPECIALLY AFTER READING AND WATCHING ALL THE OTHER VIDEO'S, ON ALL THESE OTHER FOR-PROFIT COLLEGES.  I WISH I HAD DONE "MORE" RESEARCH BEFORE I ENROLLED.  I'VE MADE A FEW MISTAKES IN MY LIFE, AND THIS IS AT THE TOP OF THE LIST, AND I GOT OUT EASY, COMPARED TO EVERYBODY ELSE. 

 

IF YOU CHECK, THE TOP 5 OR 6 OR 7 HA! TOP EXECUTIVES FOR THIS COMPANY, THEY ARE EXACTLY THE SAME EXACT TOP EXECUTIVES THAT WAS WORKING FOR THE APPOLO GROUP, PHEONIX UNIVERSITY ON-LINE.  THEY KNOW THAT ALL OF THIS IS SHORT LIVED, AND THEY ARE RAKING IT IN, AS MUCH AS THEY CAN, AS FAST AS THEY CAN, FOR AS LONG AS THEY CAN.  I TRULY HOPE WHEN ALL OF THIS IS SAID AND DONE, THAT THE APPROPRIATE PEOPLE GO TO PRISON.  I THINK IT MIGHT TAKE A WHILE, THEY'VE BEEN GETTING AWAY WITH THIS KIND OF RACKETTERING FOR A WHILE.  THE ONLY REAL CONSOLATION IS USUALLY "THE BIGGER THEY ARE, THE HARDER THEY FALL" 

THEY ARE JUST CROOKS, IN SUITS.  NO DIFFERENT IF THEY

hAD ROBBED A BANK,  OR MUGGED YOU IN THE STREETS.  

I'M NOT HIDING, MY NAMES BRENDA DUBOIS I have every intentions of taking this all the way!

THANK YOU FOR LISTENING! 

 

 

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#5 Consumer Comment

wrong again

AUTHOR: Jeanski - (USA)

POSTED: Wednesday, October 20, 2010

No, I don't work for EDMU. I work for a small, private, Christian university in the South. We've had an online program (in which I teach) for about 8 years now, but our focus is on the traditional programs in liberal arts and education. We have several incredibly successful graduate programs, and two doctoral programs.  I've been there for almost 20 years, and have worked in a variety of administrative positions in addition to teaching. I also have two daughters who graduated so I've been through the financial aid process many times. I also received my doctorate through a distance education program so I have some experience from a student perspective as well.

If you read through other RORs over the last year or so you'll find that I post quite a bit on the colleges. I am a big advocate of students starting at their local community college because they're better and far cheaper than these for-profit online schools. You have the advantage of reputation, real people, and resources to help you when there's a snag of any kind. Now that most schools have affordable online programs and/or special programs for the working adult, there's no reason NOT to pursue an education.

Good luck to you.

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#4 Author of original report

you must work there

AUTHOR: UpYours - (United States of America)

POSTED: Tuesday, October 19, 2010

It is very apparent that you work for EDMC but that is fine.....
I really will let you find out for yourself.

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#3 Consumer Comment

response

AUTHOR: Jeanski - (USA)

POSTED: Tuesday, October 19, 2010

Interesting response "UpYours". I'm curious about why you changed your username, but won't pursue that.

 1. "I was a full time student, the entire time, have never been a half stepper"... hmmmm, no you weren't, if your original post is true. In the first paragraph you relate three separate events that prohibited attendance (and led to a "withdrawn" status). In your second paragraph you stated, "...although I had taken classes off and on, at least part time, 2009-2010"

2. "They did not refund my 12,500.00 to anyone.  Not the lender nor the servicing department, nor me."  I asked a friend of mine who works in FA about this. She stated that perhaps you withdrew towards the end of the term, and the loans were used to pay the tuition for that term. So now you owe the student loan company, not the school.

3. "They charged me for 5 courses, and of course I was only taking 3". Since these schools work on an accelerated schedule, perhaps you can explain the academic calendar for these courses. For example, the school I teach for has an accelerated program in which the Fall and Spring semesters are each broken into two nine-week terms. A student must take at least two courses per nine-week term, and attend both terms within either the Fall or Spring semester, in order to qualify for full time status and federal aid.

I reviewed the faculty lawsuit you mentioned. If the charges are true, then everything I've been saying in the months I've been posting here is validated.  However, I am not convinced of massive conspiracies of embezzlement just because this particular faculty member has filed a lawsuit. In fact, I had to laugh at one of his claims in which he "performed small heroics with almost every student".  Sounds a bit pompous to me.

I'm not necessarily arguing with you. I believe that these businesses are a sham and should be shut down. There are sufficient traditional schools with programs for the nontraditional student that would welcome the chance to provide a sound education and good customer service.

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#2 Author of original report

Yes, a SCAM

AUTHOR: UpYours - (United States of America)

POSTED: Sunday, October 17, 2010
Jeanski.........and all others......
I am not a student that does not understand financial aid! I opened a Loan Consolidation co. offshore in St. Lucia, and trust me, I DO understand FA! That is the problem.
1. I was a full time student, the entire time, have never been a half stepper.
2. They did not refund my 12,500.00 to anyone.  Not the lender nor the servicing    department, nor me.
3. They charged me for 5 courses, and of course I was only taking 3.
4. Prior to that, I was overcharged 625.00 and had to write a formal appeal to get that back.
5. Now, for October 3, 2010, the first day of class, I could NOT access the class however, they have my loans and have NOT sent them back to the lenders .........

SO please tell me why no one will answer my emails or phone calls, voice mails, or pleas for help regarding MY loans?

This group headed by EDMC in Pittsburgh, PA  are crooks, point blank period. They are facing major charges/lawsuits by their stock holders as we speak. I had have issues with these people since the beginning of 2010. I am just tired of doing their job when it comes to my financial aid.

As far as being withdrawn, I have the emails concerning my attendance and I see that since I am not enrolled this time, no fault of my own as I cross my 'T's' and dot my 'I's' always!
ALL my necessary financial aid is always completed way ahead of time by ME! They just do NOT do their part. This is why I am not in class this trip.......not to mention I guess they wanted to embezzle my funds, again.
Feel free to use these as access to information.......
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/Forprofit-schools-reel-as-apf-4089706553.html?x=0&.v=8

http://dockets.justia.com/docket/arkansas/aredce/4:2010cv01294/83465/

http://www.jobvent.com/edmc-education-management-corporation-job-reviews-C7602

http://www.sueainow.com/Faq.aspx

http://californiawatch.org/watchblog/whistleblower-lawsuit-against-profit-education-company-unsealed

http://www.jobvent.com/edmc-education-management-corporation-job-reviews-C7602

I am sure the last article will amaze you since the employees are bashing the hell outta their employer....EDMC. Referred to as ghetto style, trailer trash, and ignorant! Maybe we should all apply for a job there and get sued by the stock holders that shows such a rises in enrollment of students that it has drawn national attention.

By the way,  check out GOA.gov.....and read the article where the government probe into 5 online schools were targeted and PA being one of them, getting students to lie on their FAFSA and other forms to get the max benefit, providing misleading information at the tax payers expense.

Matter fact, in Arkansas, the faculty has sued this company........check this out if you think it is a joke..........
www.highereducationissues.net and click on Faculty lawuits!
Thanks and have a nice day!

;)

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#1 Consumer Suggestion

not a scam

AUTHOR: Jeanski - (USA)

POSTED: Sunday, October 17, 2010

This seems to be another case of a student not understanding how financial aid works. It is really unfortunate that so many external issues kept you from staying enrolled. But colleges are a business and the bottom line is always money.  Once you enroll, you are charged tuition. If you withdraw past the refund date, you are still charged the tuition, but you are NOT eligible to receive federal aid. So any loans that were disbursed (not "dispersed") would be returned to the lender. That's the law per the Department of Education. If you went into repayment status, it's because you were less than full time status for at least 6 months. That's when repayment begins.  So even if you were enrolled part time, the clock was ticking.

For other students considering online schools..... think again. Almost every traditional school has an online division now. There will be real people you can talk to, and formal avenues of redress should there be a problem. Please be wary of these for-profit schools, and, above all, read the information on federal aid available through the Department of Education!!

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