The Bryman School Of AZ-High Tech Institute Former Instructor tells all-the bad, the ugly, and the uglier Phoenix Arizona

First let me say "good for you" to all those who have reported their disappointment with The Bryman School. As a former instructor, I can attest that most everything they have reported is true.

The latest update is that Campus President Dr. Joel Kostman resigned under unknown circumstances last Friday, January 23, 2009. In the time I was employed there, he was accused of embezzling over $3000 made at a sale of old school equipment. This money was supposed to have gone to Student Services for an Emergency Student Fund. It never happened. His cohort in crime is Student Services Director James Candelaria. They were employees together at Kaplan College, and when Dr. Kostman was hired at Bryman he brought James with him. Dr. Kostman was also suspected of taking home an extremely large (60+) plasma television that came from the Tempe campus when it closed down. Originally it was supposed to go in the employee break room, but it stayed in Dr. Kostman's office until one day it just disappeared. Several employees of the suspected theft notified William Bill Hillard, the CEO of High Tech Institute, the parent company of Bryman, however to my knowledge there was never an investigation into the matter.

I can't emphasize enough that this school is all about the money. Do not be fooled by admissions reps or let them talk you into something you are not mentally or financially prepared for. One of the catch phrases they like to use is the class will be full if you don't enroll today, and I don't know when we can get you in. The classes do become full, overflowing even, but new students are enrolled EVERY TWO WEEKS and there is ALWAYS room available. Most of the popular programs, like Medical Assisting, Practical Technologist in Radiology, and Surgical Technology fill up fast, and the classes are most often overloaded. This leads to poor classroom instruction, limited hands-on lab time, and ultimately no extern sites to place all of these students when the time comes. Once they graduate, jobs are scarce and the graduate placement office is too overwhelmed to help everyone, as they have fired all but one or two employees of that department.

Additionally, the Pharmacy Technology and Medical Billing and Coding programs have had endless difficulties retaining instructors. Make sure you ask if there are an adequate number of instructors for the program you would like to enroll in. Also get IN WRITING what your recourse is if the instructor doesn't show for a week or more, quits, or is fired.

There is great employee turnover in ALL departments. The most recent news is that most of the admissions reps were let go because they were not meeting their quota for enrollments. They get a bonus for every student that they enroll who stays in school at least one week. Don't let anyone tell you otherwise, as I have first-hand knowledge of this. The Monday of the second week of classes is called magic Monday because if a student shows up on that day and has not dropped out, they owe the majority of their tuition for the entire program. Bryman is not known for refunding a student's tuition for ANY reason.

In late 2007, the school lost their accreditation by the ACCSCT to be a Degree school. This meant they could only offer diploma programs, and no longer offer Associate Degree programs. They scrambled to get students graduated by Jan. 01, 2008, but many didn't make it. Several students quit, many transferred to diploma programs, but some stuck it out. Ultimately the school was allowed to teach out those students who were enrolled in degree programs before the cut-off date, but those who switched to diploma programs were not allowed to switch back. I don't know what happened to those who quit. It was a very sad situation for the students, and for the instructors who cared.

One of the reasons the school lost it's accreditation to be a degree program is that many of the instructors did not meet the minimum educational requirements to teach in a degree program. The school tried to remedy this at the last minute by enrolling many of these instructors in a fast track program created especially for them at Anthem online, also owned by High Tech Institute. The ACCSCT didn't by it. Dozens of instructors were fired and Fridays began to be known as black Friday because no one knew if they were safe. Some of the program managers didn't have the proper education for their positions, and a couple of them were fired as well. But some still remain who do not have the required educational degree for their positions, but this is being covered up and overlooked.

Bryman has a reputation (with it's employees at least) of waiting until the last minute to comply with accreditation requirements. They try to get away with as much as they can, for as long as they can. For example, the extern coordinators for several of the programs are not qualified for their positions. When ACCSCT is visiting, they are told these employees are not extern coordinators and have no student contact. However, when the suits are gone, everything goes back to the way it was. It is no wonder Bryman has so much difficulty placing students on extern sites. Each program is supposed to have its own extern coordinator. However, some program managers cover their programs extern duties, while other unqualified extern coordinators are covering for multiple programs. This is a blatant violation of ACCSCT requirements.

I could go on, even more than I already have, but I will try to wrap this up. NONE of the education received at The Bryman School of AZ is transferable to ANY other college or university. The education is expensive, and not worth the money unless you luck out and get one of the few teachers who truly care, and there aren't many. You really have to be a self-motivator to succeed in any of the programs offered. DO YOUR RESEARCH! There are many other schools that offer the same programs with more updated curriculum and with little or no disgruntled students and/or employees. Read everything you can online. Pick students randomly in the parking lot or down the hallways and ask them (privately) what they really think of the school. DO NOT rely on the admissions reps or any employee of the school to get accurate information. Like I stated before, they are all about the money, not the student.

P.S. Rumors have been circulating this last year that the school is on the verge of closing down due to financial reasons. Be sure you get something IN WRITING regarding your rights to tuition reimbursement, etc. if the school should close. Don't be surprised one day if you show up for class and there's a locked chain on the front door!

Former instructor
Peoria, Arizona
U.S.A.