Jones International University preys on the weak and vulnerable Centennial Colorado

My wife who is an education assistant at a public school was contacted by Jones International University during the spring of 2010. At the time we were separated.   She was told she could get her teaching degree, and she wouldn’t have to pay anything because Jones International would help her get financial aid. Although she was not computer literate (she didn't even have an email address) or had any experience at all with higher education,

they enrolled her in their associate of business program and kept her in long enough for them to collect college loans on her behalf and stick her with a debt of $4,500 for three classes. The whole time she thought she was in an Elementary Education program until she had to take a business class. She withdrew in June 2010 according to email records I’ve recovered, yet was readmitted and persuaded to stay for two more classes, one of which was a business course about which, she understood absolutely nothin .

After we were reunited, I never questioned her about he rcollege experience, because it was a sensitive subject.  Now we are moving and she needs to quit her job, so I will need to pay her debts.  When I found out she owed over $4000 to Jones International for 3 classes, I decided to do some research.

From reading 88 email correspondences with Jones International, I understand that she assumed she was in an education program to get an associates in elementary education. Here is an an excerpt from an email with her advisor:

Lillian,

“ I just wanted to write you a little follow-up note after our conversation this evening.  I would like to know first and foremost, that I’m here anytime you need someone to listen and -- if your goal is to become a full-fledged teacher and if you choose to work with me, I WILL get you through this program.”

-Christopher M. Gottlieb

She didn’t even have an email account before Jones International University called her and persuaded her to apply to get her “teaching degree.”  They convinced her she wouldn’t need to pay for anything because she would be getting federal grants.  They strung her along and kept her in the program just for the money.

Her computer broke down in June and Chris Gottlieb sent her this with an attached withdrawal from program form.

Hi Lillian,

Please fill out and return this form to me.

Thank you.

Christopher M. Gottlieb

But she was readmitted July 8 and kept in for two more classes that she had registered for in April but that weren’t to start until July.  Jones hadn’t received her student loans until August, so I imagine they kept her in even after she got out so they would get more money. One of the classes was a business class that she didn’t complete any work for because she didn’t understand it and had no idea why she was taking a business class for her teaching degree.

Jones international took advantage of an extremely vulnerable person.  What they did was fraudulent (and they haven’t heard the last from me.) Shouldn’t an institution of higher learning have some ethical obligation to help people and not take advantage of them?  Their program wasn’t right for my wife, and they knew it, yet took advantage of her vulnerability.  It’s very unethical especially for an institution of higher learning to prey on the weak, yet this is what is happening with all these online universities.  They have no ethics. It’s all about the money.  Shame on you, Jones International! You did nothing but make my wife feel small and powerless.