Institute For Integrative Nutrition - IIN I Got a Raw Deal from IIN New York New York

Just lost my whole report but bottom line is it doesn't matter anyway because their courses ARE NOT ACCREDITED!!!

-Columbia cut off all ties with them-

-They are getting rid of their campus

-They are not a real accredited university

- speakers have complained they have canceled checks to them before speaker could deposit-

- go find a real college and don't waste your money

- do a simple google search on them to find the truth and Yelp doesn't count as most reviews are written by students (who is going to give one star to a place they paid a bunch of money to!? of course they are going to say it's a good school. who says the school i went to sucked. they want a job! go find a real school.

Im not sure how Chasina could possibly know what phone calls or emails Jon received, but I guess it is none of my business.  And while I appreciate that she has prevented me from having to form cohesive thoughts or draw my own conclusions by telling me what I should believe, Id prefer to consider all the facts.

Id like to point out that I am not a current student or graduate of IIN. However, I recently came across a website of a graduate that contained nutritional advice that I found questionable. So I decided to take a look at IIN.  I am not going to comment on the curriculum or the content of the program because it would be pure speculation.  I do find it ironic that in her lengthy defense of the school, Chasina states that the test was short, easy, and open book. And she points out that they passed you despite the fact that you did not complete the very basic requirements.  It certainly doesn't sound very challenging.  What I find most troubling is that the website (particularly the page regarding credentials) seems misleading.

I did a little research and here is what I found.

The IIN website states that the program provides the following credentials:

(1) A diploma from IIN - However IIN is not an accredited institution recognized by the U.S. Office of Education (or anyone else that offers accreditation that I am aware of), so its courses cant be used toward degree requirements at standard colleges. However the diploma is fancy looking.

(2) Qualification for national board certification by the American Association of Drugless Practitioners - However on the AADA (certifying organization) website, under FAQ it states Q - Who is eligible to apply for board certification? A Any doctor or practitioner that practices drugless therapies or methodologies. Essentially anyone that fills out the forms and pays the $300 fee. Also provides a fancy diploma. 

(3) CEU credits through SUNY Purchase - However CEU credits are also available for free from a number of websites that provide online classes about everything from getting over a breakup to animal tracks. Or, it is possible to earn CEU credits at cheerleading camp. However, SUNY Purchase gives a fancy diploma.

Images of all three diplomas are prominently displayed on the IIN website, in case you want to get an idea of what your wall will look like after you graduate.

The website also states that the school is licensed to operate" under the terms of the education law of the State of New York. I find this somewhat misleading because the school is not accredited. I did find that it is licensed in the NY database as a proprietary school, although oddly the record states that the school was established 10/26/2009. The only individual listed under administrative positions or institutional contacts is the founder, Joshua Rosenthal.

Id like to point out that per Jon's posting, Columbia partnered with IIN in 2007 and Columbia terminated the relationship in early 2008.

Jon, I am glad you enjoyed it.  It wasn't a total waste.  And if the experience is interesting and people enjoy it, I guess it is a success.  But I do feel the school is providing misleading information about the supposed "credentials" it bestows. 

Just one question.  You said you don't understand all the zealotry behind IIN, but you also pointed out that they pay graduates $1,000 for referring new people.  Really?  ;) 

Dear Jon,

I'm sorry to hear you had an unpleasant outcome from your time at the Institute for Integrative Nutrition.  As a former student of IIN and current owner of a private health counseling practice, I feel it necessary to repond to your allegations since it does attempt to tarnish the reputation of a school to thousands of alumni.

First, I acknowledge that I did not know you during your time at the school, nor did I hear first hand what any IIN or Columbia representatives said to you or the tone in which they said it. 

What I CAN report, though, is that during my entire learning experience while studying health counseling, and in any contact I have had with the school and the employees of it in the 3 years since I've graduated, never has anyone used a tone of voice or exhibited anything even remotely resembling "callous treatment" as you have described.  In fact, I always joked that there must be something in the water that makes them all have such a calm, comforting, and compassionate demeanor and tone. 

I do not believe you got this treatment, but am convinced that due to the fact that you made a mistake and have not accepted your responsibility in the mistake, you have adopted the time old tradition of blame and perhaps convinced yourself of a few white lies.

I won't argue with how many notices you got to take your test, because that is silly.  The fundamental question you need to ask yourself and anyone reading your report should ask themselves is, "Why should a school have to remind you x number of times to take a test, and if you don't get those reminders and, therefore don't take your test, should they then argue incessantly on your behalf with the ivy league institution that, while offering extra accreditation is it's own separate entity, and had cleary laid out requirements to get said extra accreditation?"

Also, being a former student of IIN, I and countless others can attest to the fact that you were not only reminded through email (which I admit can be overlooked if you have a busy inbox) when a test was issued and needed to be taken, but also on the online student forum, by your personal counselor who you worked with over the phone, by Joshua Rosenthal many, many times in class, and it was plastered throughout your syllabus and handouts in your class folder.  In fact, it got annoying to me how many times they mentioned in class that you had x amount of days to complete a test and reminded us of how many people had not completed it yet.  All I kept thinking was "how could anyone not have taken such a short, easy, open book test by now?"

Can you acknowledge that it was very understanding of them to have passed you despite the fact that you had not completed your requirements?  Throughout my four years as an undergraduate, and my three years of graduate school,  I never saw a professor or administrator pass a student if they had not fulfilled the requirements (i.e. handing in all papers, taking tests, attendance if applicable) of a class.  Instead you either get failed or the more generous "I" for incomplete.  It does not matter the money you already paid for the credits or that you may have done everything else. And why is that?  Because, as an adult, it is your responsibility to fulfill your obligations, and if you don't you suffer some sort of consequence.

**I encourage anyone reading Jon's rip off report to regard it as an inaccurate smear and a result of anger from someone not accepting responsibility for a mistake that was incredibly difficult to make.