Argosy University Denied Degree - Bogus Failures - Incompetent Grading - Retaliation Tampa, Florida

Hi Robert,

I understand how many of us believe that credits attained at one accredited school ought to be transferable to another school accredited by the same body but it is not so. Many universities will transfer credits for those courses that they believe are identical or similar enough to count (i.e. assignments, number of readings, full range of topics covered, etc.) to a fairly low maximum. At least, a maximum of 18 or 24 credit hours feels quite low when one has attained, for instance, 98 of a required 104 to graduate and finds themselves in need to transfer. The maximum number of hours permitted to transfer into any given degree program is usually found in the fine print on most schools websites or by inquiry to the department concerned.

I believe I fully understand what Tampa Student has experienced as I (also as a student at the Tampa campus) had a remarkably similar nightmare. The purpose, as I see it, of keeping students the entire length of time for a degree and then some is to maximize profits. I also had a 4.0 GPA for the majority of the time I was in the program and yet, for various reasons (many arbitrary and for which no written policy could be located) was required to take the same course three times (regardless of having attained an A from the outset). This is but one of the many instances I experienced. From my perspective, students that did not specifically enhance the graduate record (i.e. Caucasian and/or female) were more frequently required to complete additional requirements in order to progress. Additionally, students who were cash only (as I was) could be baited or coerced into continuing as long as possible whereas students who attended with the assistance of FAFSA had a set amount of funds available. These students, therefore, had obvious financial constraints and if possible, had to graduate before loans were maximized.

There are several types of programs that require students to pass a comprehensive exam or a competency test in order to fulfill their requirements for graduation or progress to internship, etc. There is no mandate, however, that these tests be equitable or even that the necessary information to prepare for the assessment be provided to the student in time to meet the schools own published deadlines. To my knowledge, there is no grand requirement for any test to be objective, reliable, nor valid.

Robert, I hope that by sharing my story you and any others who may read this have a greater understanding of what Tampa Student was conveying.

And to Tampa Student I am very sad to hear of yet another one of us who experienced such maltreatment. I hope that you are well emotionally and that you have found a way to use what resources you had left to move on and succeed.

This is a for-profit school. Keeping students as long as they can is in there 'bottom line' best interest. Dismissing them bogusly before it is time to place them in internships is in their 'outcomes' best interest. But look at the newly published attrition numbers on the school's website at wwwDOTargosyDOTedu/pdf/psydinfo/TampaAtrnDOTpdf. Compare this with their internship placement numbers and you will see what I mean. These numbers are located at wwwDOTargosyDOTedu/pdf/psydinfo/InternshipTampaDOTpdf. These numbers were not available until very recently. I wish I had seen these before applying!

This is a for-profit school. Keeping students as long as they can is in there 'bottom line' best interest. Dismissing them bogusly before it is time to place them in internships is in their 'outcomes' best interest. But look at the newly published attrition numbers on the school's website at wwwDOTargosyDOTedu/pdf/psydinfo/TampaAtrnDOTpdf. Compare this with their internship placement numbers and you will see what I mean. These numbers are located at wwwDOTargosyDOTedu/pdf/psydinfo/InternshipTampaDOTpdf. These numbers were not available until very recently. I wish I had seen these before applying!

What is the purpose of them letting you go the entire length of time for a degree(4 years) only to deny you at the end?  I could see some benefit to them if they did this at the beginning so they could try and keep the aid money without providing the classes to you, but at the end?

I do not know what degree you were pursuing or what this test was.  But I have never heard of a test where if you fail it you get kicked out of school.  You may get a fail for that particular class, and hopefully a chance to re-take it. But to get kicked out, especially if you had excellent grades up to that point?

If this school is accredited wouldn't the courses be transferable to another school where you could finish up.  Again, if you were there for 4 years you should have been either at or near the end. 

Sadly, your heartbreaking story isn't the first I've heard.  There is a website that students have designed where you can come together with other students to find a resolution to your problem and/or use one of the links to contact the Department of Ed, APA, . . . . to file complaints and research what your rights are and what recourse you have.  The site has been developed by serious students like you.  The site is tampastudents  dot net.