Huntington Learning Center‎

[A default letter is provided here which indicates your acceptance of the business's response.  If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]
Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.  I wanted to respond to close out the complaint after speaking to Mr V[redacted], but could not figure out how. 
Regards,
[redacted]

Please see the attached.  Sorry for the delay as I wanted to research it thoroughly in order to provide the most accurate response. Please don't hesitate to call me if you need anything else.Regards,  [redacted]

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# [redacted], and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

 First I would like to thank everyone for the answer that you send to me
But unfortunately you guys answer question I did not ask
I just want to say you one last thing  one last question you never answer which is  where is [redacted] who made the deal with me  he is the one who knows my refund he is the one who knows my hours and he is the one who promised me with  very fun  I'm trying to get an answer for this where is this man  he will give me back my money
 
 
 
In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

From: Edwin V[redacted]
font-family: arial, sans-serif;"><[redacted]@wecanlearninc.com>Date: Thu, Nov 19, 2015 at 3:41 PMSubject: Fwd: YTS Refund Confirmation for Mark [redacted] (Student [redacted] )To: [redacted]@myRevdex.com.orgDear [redacted],Sorry for the delay in responding to the earlier communication and thanks for guiding me on the process for responding. As stated in our call, I thought that **. [redacted] was going to call Revdex.com and close the case as the situation was resolved. What caused it was our misunderstanding of the process for refunding money when it was done through the lending institution. It is a new process for us but it was just as simple as refunding our part to the lending institution (Your Tuition Solution) and then they proceed with the full refund by them adjusting their part of the Administrative Fee, which they had taken from me, and which we had deducted in the check that we sent to [redacted]. Once we heard of the proper procedure from Your Tuition Solution, we called [redacted]s, I explained the process and he brought us the check, which we voided and, as you can see from the above communication, they deducted my part of the refund from my account, they adjusted their end, and accredited the full refund into [redacted]s' account.
We hope that this clarifies and solves situation, satisfying all concerned. I would appreciate a communication from you stating that this has been resolved and that the case is closed.
Thanks,
Edwin
Edwin V[redacted]
Executive Director
Huntington Learning Center - Reading, PA
[redacted]
at The [redacted] Shopping Center
Wyomissing, PA [redacted]
Office Phone: ###-###-####
Fax: ###-###-####
[redacted]@hlcmail.com
http://www.huntingtonhelps.com
Follow us on [redacted], [redacted] and [redacted]!
We provide every student with the best education possible.

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# [redacted], and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

 Thank you for your answer and forth respond but the respond was not accepted the major complaint in my case was the person I am I have dealt with [redacted] was not working there no more he is the one who is show me the credit and he's on a sign the contract with me and he's on you promise me with things now I'm looking for these things they tell me he does not work here no more but he supposed to refund me the hours that I'm not using he was not supposed to deduct the discount a 10% he was not supposed to take away the hours when my son was have sent also the make up hours that they talking about this is not true icon for more at 4 p.m. my son come from school 3 o'clock how did we accept the rescheduled for make up hours at 12 p.m. nothing they say in the answer is true I want a fair answer  to. case  I want the witness was working there when I make that deal  to testify  what is my hours what is my refundthey want to give me back make up hours and my son doesn't want to go back to the same school and I said I would come even the make up hours you don't want to give it to me  I want my refund I don't make up hours I don't want to the talk to the 10% and the coupon  he was going there and the teacher was not  free that's why he lost those hours then I suppose to get my refund I feel like I was being  abused by taking my money not refund me back the fair amount  my son doesn't want to attend the classes anymore and its not fair for me to lose this much money  its almost $200 for a class and for me to lose like almost five classes total of $1,100 + $200 discount  this is too much for us to lose  for something we did not do its not my fault I want [redacted] to come back and testify 
 
 
 
In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

Revdex.com:
I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID# [redacted], and have determined that my complaint has NOT been resolved because:

 Thank you for your answer and forth respond but the respond was not accepted the major complaint in my case was the person I am I have dealt with [redacted] was not working there no more he is the one who is show me the credit and he's on a sign the contract with me and he's on you promise me with things now I'm looking for these things they tell me he does not work here no more but he supposed to refund me the hours that I'm not using he was not supposed to deduct the discount a 10% he was not supposed to take away the hours when my son was have sent also the make up hours that they talking about this is not true icon for more at 4 p.m. my son come from school 3 o'clock how did we accept the rescheduled for make up hours at 12 p.m. nothing they say in the answer is true
 
I want a fair answer  to. case  I want the witness was working there when I make that deal  to testify  what is my hours what is my refund
they want to give me back make up hours and my son doesn't want to go back to the same school and I said I would come even the make up hours you don't want to give it to me  I want my refund I don't make up hours I don't want to the talk to the 10% and the coupon  he was going there and the teacher was not  free that's why he lost those hours then I suppose to get my refund I feel like I was being  abused by taking my money not refund me back the fair amount  my son doesn't want to attend the classes anymore and its not fair for me to lose this much money  its almost $200 for a class and for me to lose like almost five classes total of $1,100 + $200 discount  this is too much for us to lose  for something we did not do its not my fault I want [redacted] to come back and testify 
 
 
 
In order for the Revdex.com to appropriately process your response, you MUST answer the question above.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

I went to Huntington learning center in Brooklyn 86st. this place is expensive and once they get the money they dont care, Katherine was very rude , she made time for me to sell me a package but when it came down to questions she doesn't have time, she says call me im busy now. They sell you hours I paid 2,700. for 26 and they owed me 2 according to them. Im an adult going to college I guess they figure ill never use them again ,where as parents with children will always continue to use them . I personally would not recommend Huntington services to anyone. I thank so much my tutor, she was excellent. But the front Desk especially Katherine they are only interested in making their commission. Shame on You! PEOPLE THINK TWICE THERE ARE OTHER LEARNING CENTERS THAT ARE LESS MONEY AND THE WORKERS WILL MAKE TIME TO SELL YOU A PACKAGE AND MAKE TIME TO LISTEN TO YOU AT ANY GIVEN TIME. They also need to give better heat in the back with private booths so you can concentrate better and not freeze or hear the other tutors teaching.

I do not recommend 86st between 5th and 4th Ave in Brooklyn.When I went there Katherine the front desk heavy set lady took care of me. When I bought the package I paid 2,700 and change for 2 hrs every Saturday . From the third week of sept 2017- Dec 9th 2017. They sell by the hours, so I bought 29 hrs. when I wanted to speak to her about how many hours I have left she told me, your done. So she looked in computer and she oh im sorry you have 2 hrs left see if your tutor could spend or split the hrs today 11/9/17. She is not a good listener she wants talk ,talk and not let you have a word rushing you and claiming she has NO time either to call her or see her after my tuturoing. First of all Im an adult going to college not a KID. You dont just take peoples money and then brush them off. She has no manners, and doesnt give a dam cause she got her money. when I finished my tutoring I only took one hour because I was so upset I left passing right in front of her and she didnt bother to reach out to me. Plesase dont bother go some where else they shorten your hours, and once you tell them something or have question THEY DONT HAVE THE TIME BUT TO SELL THEY MAKE TIME. Shame on Huntington Leanring Center. By the way Thanks to my tutor ,she was excellent I did learn much more. Thank you Melody you are the Best .Parents be aware they know you have children and will keep using their services as for adults they dont give a dam. SHAME SHAME ON HUNTINGTON CENTER IN BROOKLYN.

Review: I paid Huntington Learning Center $5110 for 125 hours of tutoring services for my daughter, [redacted] attended 95 hours from 01/29/2013 through 05/11/2013. I have documentation of her attendance. I have tried to work with the Center director, [redacted] for a refund. The center director claims my daughter attended 115 hours. I claim the center deceitfully charged hours to my daughter's account when in fact she was absent. I consider this act fraud and would like a refund of the hours my daughter did not attend tutoring sessions. On 02/27/2014 I received a refund for 10 hours of service, however the refund should be for 30 hours not attended. There is still a 20 hour discrepency not refunded. I feel that I am entitled to a refund of the full 30 hours not attended. Thank you for accepting my complaint. [redacted]Desired Settlement: I would like an additional refund of $809.60. This is the other 20 hours of service x $40.48 per tutoring hour. [redacted]

Business

Response:

[redacted] did indeed attend the Huntington Learning Center beginning on 1/29/13 and ending on Saturday June 15th, 2013. I have sent to Mrs. [redacted] a copy of every sign-in sheet that her daughter personally signed from May 1st to June 15th. She has also been sent the summary pages to show the work that was actually done at each of those sessions as well. I have copies of the teachers hours that were paid that worked with [redacted] during those times should she care to see them. I don't know how to better show Mrs. [redacted] what we taught or worked with her daughter on, then the documentation that she has received. The Enrollment Agreement that Mrs. [redacted] signed also discussed that if her child did not finish the program (which [redacted] did not) that she would not be entitled to the discounted rate - we however refunded without removing the discount from her account because we pride ourselves on customer service here at Huntington. I am sincerely sorry that Mrs. [redacted] feels this way, however, the documentation is clear. [redacted] Center Director

Sent on: 3/18/201

Consumer

Response:

I am rejecting this response because: The center director stated in her rebuttal that she sent me a copy of the sign in sheets for tutoring sessions from 01May through 15June 2013. I DO NOT have those documents. I never received them. I do have in my possession a financial record dated 04June2013 from Huntington Learning Center stating a credit of $1214.40 and dates of absences during that time frame. There is still 20 unaccounted hours.

Sincerely,

Business

Response:

I have attached for you a copy of the letter that I sent to Mrs. [redacted], which says that I have enclosed a copy of the May and June sign-in sheets and her individual workbook pages that show what [redacted] did each session that she was here. I have now scanned in every sign-in sheet from her first day to her last day with the individual workbook pages that show what was accomplished each day. These sheets show that we did indeed do 115 hours of tutoring. She paid for 125 hours of tutoring and was refunded for the 10 hours that [redacted] didn’t do. The files are done by month with each sign-in sheet and accompanying the workbook page copy.

I do not know what else to show Mrs. [redacted] about the sessions that her daughter attended. She was here and personally signed in each and every session.

Sincerely yours,

Review: I approached the Huntington asking if they did GRE prep because I saw on their website they only do SAT/ACT and High School/Middle School tutoring. They promised me they could get me ready to take the GRE in two months. I was told and signed a contract saying if I was not happy with the services I could get a refund for the hours I did not purchase. I paid $2700 that day. I attended tutoring five times (two hours a piece) and found the services to be unsatisfactory. They got my billing wrong, they could never get the dates I was scheduled right, when I would show up, we would waste 15-20 minutes as the instructor was trying to figure out what I needed to do next, BUT the most important thing is they were using middle school Huntington curriculum books which was not preparing me for the GRE. I continued to mention this. I was told that I should have taken a diagnostic test out of MY GRE book (which they did not even have GRE supplies which is critical to that test!) but had taken one of their diagnostic tests. When I cancelled services, I waited two weeks with no refund. I contacted them and they sent it up to their higher office. I got one email response saying they would take care of it but it was never taken care of. It has been 28 days and several emails requesting updates with no response. Their lack of professionalism and ability to provide a service was frustrating. I am 45, three deployments and can speak for myself very clearly but what about all the kids who they see who can't or don't know how to identify inadequate services. I will never recommend them again and want my refund.Desired Settlement: Two things: my refund and if they are going to take people's money, get your business straight and take care of these kids!

Consumer

Response:

[A default letter is provided here which indicates that the business has not responded to you directly. If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]

At this time, I have not been contacted by Huntington Learning Center regarding complaint ID [redacted].

Regards,

Review: I signed my daughter up to take the 4 hour testing that is required before Huntington can set up tutoring sessions. I was told I would need to review the results with the director once the testing was completed, but I was not told this follow up appointment could not be scheduled on a Saturday (which is what I needed). When I took my daughter in for the test, the Huntington employee said directors don't normally work on Saturday so they would call me in a few days. When I was called a few days later, I was told the director ([redacted]) could meet with me the following Saturday at noon. When I said this time would not work for me [redacted] took over the phone call and told me she does not normally work on Saturdays and she was doing me a favor, which she repeated several times during our conversation. [redacted] said she works 10-12 hours a day as it is and I said I understand long days I commute 72 miles each way to work. I suggested to have my mom present in the office while I was on the phone to discuss the results of the test or to have my mom represent me. I was told no that I must come to the office. After 20 minutes with no resolution, I told [redacted] I would call them back. A few days later, I received a message on my home phone that they could now discuss the results with me on the phone and my mom in the office. I found it interesting they were ready to now compromise and a message was left on my home phone instead of calling my cell phone like they had previously done. Plus, it wasn't [redacted] who call me back.

Desired Settlement: DesiredSettlementID: Refund

A refund of the $75.00 testing fee.

Business

Response:

Initial Business Response

Let me explain what my research into the complaint placed by [redacted] (case #XXXXXXXX) turned up.

To preface the details of that investigation it should be noted that the Directors at Huntington Learning Center work a 4 day work week, working Monday through Thursday from opening until closing (a 10 hour day). These weekday hours generally align with the availability of parents to meet in the evening on weekdays. Additionally, they often extend their workweeks by conducting school visits on behalf of students starting as early as 7:00 am and will occasionally come in on a Saturday to meet with those parents unable to meet during the week.

In this particular case [redacted] could not come in during the week to review the results of her daughter's academic evaluation. And Robyn, our Center Director, since she was already coming in for other parents on her day off, offered to meet with Ms. [redacted] at noon on a Saturday. Unfortunately, that would not work for Ms. [redacted] since she had a conflict with a hair appointment that day. It was at that point that Ms. [redacted] asked if her mom (grandma) could attend in person while Ms. [redacted] would be attending via telephone. [redacted] said that was not possible. The reason we need parents to attend in person is simply because we review the results and show the parents the student's actual work. (This review conference takes anywhere from 90 to 120 minutes to conduct and would lose an immense amount in the translation without the parent being physically present to see a student's work.) Later, after some thought, feeling that the conference would never otherwise be held based on Huntington's longstanding procedures, [redacted] acquiesced and called Ms. [redacted] and offered the conference via telephone. That offer was turned down and subsequently the complaint lodged with you folks.

When I received your email and researched the events, I told [redacted] that, in spite of the time taken to administer the assessment, we would be refunding the testing fee to the client. I also asked Robyn to call the client and let her know that a refund would be sent in the mail early the week of December 16th. In addition, I asked Robyn to offer to review the results in a meeting with mom at no charge and with absolutely no obligation whatsoever to enroll her daughter. She declined.

(I made that offer because, as the oldest and most respected learning center in the country, Huntington has always focused on the child. That being the case, I felt that at least if mom knew of her daughter's skill gaps, she could then address them with whatever facility she felt most comfortable.)

I hope this sheds some light on the events leading up to Ms. [redacted]'s complaint.

Final Consumer Response

(The consumer indicated he/she ACCEPTED the response from the business.)

Review: We went to Huntington Learning because our 13 year old was having academic difficulties and needed support on writing, reading comprehension and study skills. We were very clear about this from the beginning. They told us that with 176 hours of tutorial support she would be on track. We could not afford that, but they said we could do 125. We spent almost $6,000 to prepay for 125 hours. My daughter went to supposed tutoring classes, but it was not more than just a proctor and worksheets. I complained early on that we were being charged $41 an hour for her to take tests, and they said this was part of the curriculum. Also, my daughter was very bored in the beginning and they said I needed to be patient and that they purposefully make it very easy so the student has success. She would often get done early and they would have her wait or do extra math. I expressed she didn't need help in math, she needed writing and reading comp, plus study skills. They said it was important to break up the lesson so student didn't get bored. After the first 50 hours she showed no growth on the tests, so I questioned it. The then director said that my daughter just didn't try and that they would address it with her. She continued to go 1 - 3x a week. We told them that she had basketball and that she wouldn't always be able to go 3x a week. After 100 hours and still no growth, they then proceeded to blame us for not being consistent and canceling appointments, even though they told us to set 3x a week and cancel the ones we couldn't make. I feel like they were not honest with us about their methods, the outdated curriculum (I specifically asked if it was aligned to the new standards), and their outdated methods. Then when we questioned multiple times why she wasn't working on writing or study skills they just kept telling us this the foundational stuff was needed. They didn't care, because all they cared about was they got their money. They prey on parents who are trying to do the right the thing. It is a total scamDesired Settlement: I feel like we were lied to and were preyed on because we really were trying to do the right thing for our daughter and get her the academic help she needed. It was extremely expensive, and all we received was a proctor and a bunch of drill & kill worksheets. This did not do as they promised, which was to increase her academic knowledge, study skills, writing, and reading comprehension. Over 100 hours of tutorial support and we have see no growth.

Business

Response:

Complaint Response – [redacted] This 8th student came to us with significant academic issues. We spent about 4 hours doing a comprehensive academic evaluation to determine areas of strength and weakness. We do that so that the program is individualized to the student’s needs. That assessment showed weakness in all areas from comprehension to writing to math. The results were reviewed with the parents in detail and a plan of action established according to that conversation. The parent complained that “..she didn’t need help in math..” The math component was included based on the results reviewed/agreed upon with the parents. The assessment showed that this 8th grader had not even mastered multiplication and division (tradition 3rd and 4th grade skills). The assessment also showed that the student had virtually no understanding of the concepts and mechanics of fractions and mixed numbers (5th and 6th grade skills), the foundation for all algebra and other high school math. The program starting levels are determined based upon the assessment and the program is begun at levels that are in the student’s “comfort zone”. The idea is to set the bar at a level where the student can be successful. Starting at grade level would frustrate the student, be ineffective, and would certainly not contribute to the student’s confidence and motivation. We started this student at the appropriate levels. The method we use to determine whether those levels are appropriate comes from a regular review of the student’s scores on the lessons that they are working on. Our target zone is to have scores consistently between 80% and 100%. In that way they are practicing skills correctly while building confidence. We certainly want students to be commenting that it’s easy. If scores are consistently 100% we know we are not challenging the student enough and are wasting precious time. If the scores are falling consistently below 80%, then the student is not developing skills and confidence is eroded. This student, even at the beginning of the program, at lower levels, was rarely scoring 100% and had some scores falling below the 80% level. The parent complained that “…after 100 hours and still no growth…” We hold regular progress conferences with parents so that they are kept informed of the student’s progress. In these meetings the curricula grade levels and student scores are reviewed. There were a total of 5 progress conferences held with these parents. In reviewing the records of those meeting, scores fell consistently within the target range, indicating that levels were consistently appropriate. We have several metrics we use at Huntington to assess progress. The primary ones are the levels and scores on each individual “splinter skill” we are working on with the student. The results for this student for the primary skills we worked on were as follows: Core reader (Like school texts which combines all the skills) - Started at 6.0 grade level and went to 7.8 grade level. Vocabulary – Started at 7.0 grade level and went to 9.4 grade level. Getting the Main Idea – Started at 6.0 grade level and went to 8.9 grade level. Working Within Words – Started at 6.0 grade level and went to 6.9 grade level. Getting the Facts – Started at 6.0 grade level and went to 8.9 grade level. Detecting the Sequence – Started at 7.0 grade level and went to 7.8 grade level. Identifying Inferences – Started at 7.0 grade level and went to 7.8 grade level. These levels (especially the higher level skills introduced later in her program (Sequence, Inferences, etc.) would have been higher had we had the opportunity to complete the prescribed hours as dictated by the student’s academic evaluation. However, since we only completed about two thirds of that program, it stands to reason that we were not able to get her to grade level goals in all the reading and math skills required for school success. The secondary metric we use is the standardized test. It is a lesser focus because it is multiple choice, therefore not representing real life, and its format makes it difficult to measure a student’s effort level since it merely involves filling in a “bubble”. On the standardized test the student had the following results over the first 55% of the student’s prescribed program: Vocabulary went from 8.7 grade level to 11.0 grade level Reading Comprehension went from 9.8 to 10.5 grade level Math Concepts and Applications went from 8.3 to 9.1 grade level The parent commented that the tutoring was “…not more than just a proctor and worksheets.” We have two types of tutoring at Huntington; “basic” which is strictly 1-1 for students through 3rd grade due to the interactional needs of early reading. The second is “advanced” tutoring where a student shares a teacher with one or two other students, with each student working on their own unique program. This is so that a student gets a share of 1-1 instruction while spending time working independently to practice skills. This is designed to foster the independence needed to perform in the regular classroom. This student fell in the “advanced” category and received that instruction. Regarding the complaint of “…outdated curriculum …”. Huntington constantly reviews, updates, and adds curricula including even the most recent acquisition of “common core” materials. That doesn’t however mean that older curricula is automatically obsolete and is thrown out. Along with the latest curricula, we also have “tried and true” curricula that have helped students over decades. As long as it produces the same historically good results, we keep it. A great example of that is why we continue to teach math foundationally. California ranks 47th in math due to the “reinvention of the wheel” of instruction in spite of the fact that math had previously been taught the same way from generation to generation with great success. That’s why we have not “followed the lemmings over the cliff” in reaction to every supposed “new and improved” method developed. The last complaint was that “They just didn’t care, because all they cared about was they got their money.” That couldn’t be further from the truth. As the oldest and most respected learning center in the country, founded by educators, our focus is always on what’s best for the child. Our belief is that if we always focus on the child’s needs, the dollars and cents will take care of themselves. That is why we have, and continue to be successful in helping thousands of students for almost 40 years!

Consumer

Response:

Complaint Response – [redacted] This 8th student came to us with significant academic issues. We spent about 4 hours doing a comprehensive academic evaluation to determine areas of strength and weakness. We do that so that the program is individualized to the student’s needs. That assessment showed weakness in all areas from comprehension to writing to math. The results were reviewed with the parents in detail and a plan of action established according to that conversation. The parent complained that “..she didn’t need help in math..” The math component was included based on the results reviewed/agreed upon with the parents I was okay with the ½ hour of math, to fill in some minimal gaps she had, but there was no way that I said it was okay to not focus on reading comp and writing. That is why we were there. The over focus on vocabulary (which can be learned through flashcards), and the excessive testing and being charged to have my daughter take tests, was something that I asked to stop multiple times. The assessment showed that this 8th grader had not even mastered multiplication and division (tradition 3rd and 4th grade skills). The assessment also showed that the student had virtually no understanding of the concepts and mechanics of fractions and mixed numbers (5th and 6th grade skills), the foundation for all algebra and other high school math. I completely disagree with this statement. She did have some foundational gaps, but they were more 5th & 6th and not 3rd/4th. As the prior math teacher, I know the grade-level standards well. She received an A+ in her 8th grade math class, and this would be impossible to do with Common Core State Standards if she had “virtually no understanding.” The program starting levels are determined based upon the assessment and the program is begun at levels that are in the student’s “comfort zone”. The idea is to set the bar at a level where the student can be successful. Starting at grade level would frustrate the student, be ineffective, and would certainly not contribute to the student’s confidence and motivation. We started this student at the appropriate levels. The method we use to determine whether those levels are appropriate comes from a regular review of the student’s scores on the lessons that they are working on. Our target zone is to have scores consistently between 80% and 100%. In that way they are practicing skills correctly while building confidence. We certainly want students to be commenting that it’s easy. If scores are consistently 100% we know we are not challenging the student enough and are wasting precious time. If the scores are falling consistently below 80%, then the student is not developing skills and confidence is eroded. This student, even at the beginning of the program, at lower levels, was rarely scoring 100% and had some scores falling below the 80% level. I complained of boredom, and they said she wasn’t trying. It is natural for bored students to not get 100%, and I expressed this to them. They blamed her low scores on boredom when it worked for them (as with her first set of scores after 50 hours). The parent complained that “…after 100 hours and still no growth…” We hold regular progress conferences with parents so that they are kept informed of the student’s progress. In these meetings the curricula grade levels and student scores are reviewed. There were a total of 5 progress conferences held with these parents. In reviewing the records of those meeting, scores fell consistently within the target range, indicating that levels were consistently appropriate. This is completely false. Not only did [redacted] not show progress when data was shown to me (after 50 hours and after 100 hours, but I complained multiple times about the fact that there was no growth and that the focus was on concepts she didn’t need help in. Also, there was not actual data shown at the conferences, except for two. The others we just went over books she was working in. It was a complete joke. We have several metrics we use at Huntington to assess progress. The primary ones are the levels and scores on each individual “splinter skill” we are working on with the student. The results for this student for the primary skills we worked on were as follows: Core reader (Like school texts which combines all the skills) - Started at 6.0 grade level and went to 7.8 grade level. There was no evidence that she actually mastered these, and honestly, why did she have to start at grade level 6.0, when according to their test scores below (highlighted), the initial test showed her at a 9.8. This makes no sense, and is why I complained she was starting too low, and probably why she was so bored and didn’t focus. Vocabulary – Started at 7.0 grade level and went to 9.4 grade level. I agree that she progressed in vocabulary, but as stated to them, and previously in my rebuttal, vocabulary can be learned through flashcards. I don’t and shouldn’t have to pay $43 an hour to have someone proctor flashcards. Getting the Main Idea – Started at 6.0 grade level and went to 8.9 grade level. There was no evidence that she actually mastered these, and honestly, why did she have to start at grade level 6.0, when according to their test scores below (highlighted), the initial test showed her at a 9.8. This makes no sense, and is why I complained she was starting too low, and probably why she was so bored and didn’t focus. Working Within Words – Started at 6.0 grade level and went to 6.9 grade level. There was no evidence that she actually mastered these, and honestly, why did she have to start at grade level 6.0, when according to their test scores below (highlighted), the initial test showed her at a 9.8. This makes no sense, and is why I complained she was starting too low, and probably why she was so bored and didn’t focus. Getting the Facts – Started at 6.0 grade level and went to 8.9 grade level. There was no evidence that she actually mastered these, and honestly, why did she have to start at grade level 6.0, when according to their test scores below (highlighted), the initial test showed her at a 9.8. This makes no sense, and is why I complained she was starting too low, and probably why she was so bored and didn’t focus. Detecting the Sequence – Started at 7.0 grade level and went to 7.8 grade level. There was no evidence that she actually mastered these, and honestly, why did she have to start at grade level 6.0, when according to their test scores below (highlighted), the initial test showed her at a 9.8. This makes no sense, and is why I complained she was starting too low, and probably why she was so bored and didn’t focus. Identifying Inferences – Started at 7.0 grade level and went to 7.8 grade level. There was no evidence that she actually mastered these, and honestly, why did she have to start at grade level 6.0, when according to their test scores below (highlighted), the initial test showed her at a 9.8. This makes no sense, and is why I complained she was starting too low, and probably why she was so bored and didn’t focus. These levels (especially the higher level skills introduced later in her program (Sequence, Inferences, etc.) would have been higher had we had the opportunity to complete the prescribed hours as dictated by the student’s academic evaluation. However, since we only completed about two thirds of that program, it stands to reason that we were not able to get her to grade level goals in all the reading and math skills required for school success. Why would I purchase another 50 hours when the first 125 showed no growth, except in vocabulary? I was also told by the director that she would look at providing make-up hours to show us that with additional help we would finally see the growth, but Doug denied the director’s request. The secondary metric we use is the standardized test. It is a lesser focus because it is multiple choice, therefore not representing real life, and its format makes it difficult to measure a student’s effort level since it merely involves filling in a “bubble”. On the standardized test the student had the following results over the first 55% of the student’s prescribed program: Vocabulary went from 8.7 grade level to 11.0 grade level Reading Comprehension went from 9.8 to 10.5 grade level Math Concepts and Applications went from 8.3 to 9.1 grade level I am confused about the scores above, In the third paragraph they say [redacted] was way below her 8th grade level (3-6th grade concepts missing), but here they say that she began at a 8.3 grade level. This reiterates the fact that they are dishonest, and that their assessments are outdated and flawed. Also, the reading comprehension did not go to 10.5, these are not truthful data points. This is not what I was shown. What I was shown was that she made no progress in reading comp nor math. The parent commented that the tutoring was “…not more than just a proctor and worksheets.” We have two types of tutoring at Huntington; “basic” which is strictly 1-1 for students through 3rd grade due to the interactional needs of early reading. The second is “advanced” tutoring where a student shares a teacher with one or two other students, with each student working on their own unique program. This is so that a student gets a share of 1-1 instruction while spending time working independently to practice skills. This is designed to foster the independence needed to perform in the regular classroom. This student fell in the “advanced” category and received that instruction.I often viewed more than three other students and only one teacher in the area being supported. And yes, that is what a proctor is, where they oversee the work, and then support if necessary. Regarding the complaint of “…outdated curriculum …”. Huntington constantly reviews, updates, and adds curricula including even the most recent acquisition of “common core” materials. That doesn’t however mean that older curricula is automatically obsolete and is thrown out. Along with the latest curricula, we also have “tried and true” curricula that have helped students over decades. This is a complete lie. The packets and booklets we were shown were from the 80’s. The prior director even stated that the materials were very old and that they didn’t have new materials. As long as it produces the same historically good results, we keep it. A great example of that is why we continue to teach math foundationally. California ranks 47th in math due to the “reinvention of the wheel” of instruction in spite of the fact that math had previously been taught the same way from generation to generation with great success. That’s why we have not “followed the lemmings over the cliff” in reaction to every supposed “new and improved” method developed. I don’t even know where to begin with this, but can show you tons of research that the drill and kill method they utilize will support advancement on fill in the bubble tests, but will not produce strong mathematical understanding needed to be successful in advanced mathematics courses. The last complaint was that “They just didn’t care, because all they cared about was they got their money.” That couldn’t be further from the truth. As the oldest and most respected learning center in the country, founded by educators, our focus is always on what’s best for the child. Our belief is that if we always focus on the child’s needs, the dollars and cents will take care of themselves. That is why we have, and continue to be successful in helping thousands of students for almost 40 years! So after doing research I found ample examples of others feeling like they had just bought a lemon at a used car lot. Also, if you look on glassdoor employees will state that they overcharge and do not deliver, nor do they adequately pay the staff. Lastly, if you listen to their radio ads trying to get people to buy into their franchises, they specifically discuss how much a person can make and how profitable it is. If they cared about the child, this would not occur. I rank this experience with buying a used car. I am so disheartened and disgusted.

Business

Response:

Please see the attached. Sorry for the delay as I wanted to research it thoroughly in order to provide the most accurate response. Please don't hesitate to call me if you need anything else.Regards, [redacted]

Consumer

Response:

I am rejecting this response because it is full of untruths and contradictions. Please see my reasons in red on the attached document.

Consumer

Response:

Complaint Response – [redacted] This 8th student came to us with significant academic issues. We spent about 4 hours doing a comprehensive academic evaluation to determine areas of strength and weakness. We do that so that the program is individualized to the student’s needs. That assessment showed weakness in all areas from comprehension to writing to math. The results were reviewed with the parents in detail and a plan of action established according to that conversation. The parent complained that “..she didn’t need help in math..” The math component was included based on the results reviewed/agreed upon with the parents I was okay with the ½ hour of math, to fill in some minimal gaps she had, but there was no way that I said it was okay to not focus on reading comp and writing. That is why we were there. The over focus on vocabulary (which can be learned through flashcards), and the excessive testing and being charged to have my daughter take tests, was something that I asked to stop multiple times. The assessment showed that this 8th grader had not even mastered multiplication and division (tradition 3rd and 4th grade skills). The assessment also showed that the student had virtually no understanding of the concepts and mechanics of fractions and mixed numbers (5th and 6th grade skills), the foundation for all algebra and other high school math. I completely disagree with this statement. She did have some foundational gaps, but they were more 5th & 6th and not 3rd/4th. As the prior math teacher, I know the grade-level standards well. She received an A+ in her 8th grade math class, and this would be impossible to do with Common Core State Standards if she had “virtually no understanding.” The program starting levels are determined based upon the assessment and the program is begun at levels that are in the student’s “comfort zone”. The idea is to set the bar at a level where the student can be successful. Starting at grade level would frustrate the student, be ineffective, and would certainly not contribute to the student’s confidence and motivation. We started this student at the appropriate levels. The method we use to determine whether those levels are appropriate comes from a regular review of the student’s scores on the lessons that they are working on. Our target zone is to have scores consistently between 80% and 100%. In that way they are practicing skills correctly while building confidence. We certainly want students to be commenting that it’s easy. If scores are consistently 100% we know we are not challenging the student enough and are wasting precious time. If the scores are falling consistently below 80%, then the student is not developing skills and confidence is eroded. This student, even at the beginning of the program, at lower levels, was rarely scoring 100% and had some scores falling below the 80% level. I complained of boredom, and they said she wasn’t trying. It is natural for bored students to not get 100%, and I expressed this to them. They blamed her low scores on boredom when it worked for them (as with her first set of scores after 50 hours). The parent complained that “…after 100 hours and still no growth…” We hold regular progress conferences with parents so that they are kept informed of the student’s progress. In these meetings the curricula grade levels and student scores are reviewed. There were a total of 5 progress conferences held with these parents. In reviewing the records of those meeting, scores fell consistently within the target range, indicating that levels were consistently appropriate. This is completely false. Not only did [redacted] not show progress when data was shown to me (after 50 hours and after 100 hours, but I complained multiple times about the fact that there was no growth and that the focus was on concepts she didn’t need help in. Also, there was not actual data shown at the conferences, except for two. The others we just went over books she was working in. It was a complete joke. We have several metrics we use at Huntington to assess progress. The primary ones are the levels and scores on each individual “splinter skill” we are working on with the student. The results for this student for the primary skills we worked on were as follows: Core reader (Like school texts which combines all the skills) - Started at 6.0 grade level and went to 7.8 grade level. There was no evidence that she actually mastered these, and honestly, why did she have to start at grade level 6.0, when according to their test scores below (highlighted), the initial test showed her at a 9.8. This makes no sense, and is why I complained she was starting too low, and probably why she was so bored and didn’t focus. Vocabulary – Started at 7.0 grade level and went to 9.4 grade level. I agree that she progressed in vocabulary, but as stated to them, and previously in my rebuttal, vocabulary can be learned through flashcards. I don’t and shouldn’t have to pay $43 an hour to have someone proctor flashcards. Getting the Main Idea – Started at 6.0 grade level and went to 8.9 grade level. There was no evidence that she actually mastered these, and honestly, why did she have to start at grade level 6.0, when according to their test scores below (highlighted), the initial test showed her at a 9.8. This makes no sense, and is why I complained she was starting too low, and probably why she was so bored and didn’t focus. Working Within Words – Started at 6.0 grade level and went to 6.9 grade level. There was no evidence that she actually mastered these, and honestly, why did she have to start at grade level 6.0, when according to their test scores below (highlighted), the initial test showed her at a 9.8. This makes no sense, and is why I complained she was starting too low, and probably why she was so bored and didn’t focus. Getting the Facts – Started at 6.0 grade level and went to 8.9 grade level. There was no evidence that she actually mastered these, and honestly, why did she have to start at grade level 6.0, when according to their test scores below (highlighted), the initial test showed her at a 9.8. This makes no sense, and is why I complained she was starting too low, and probably why she was so bored and didn’t focus. Detecting the Sequence – Started at 7.0 grade level and went to 7.8 grade level. There was no evidence that she actually mastered these, and honestly, why did she have to start at grade level 6.0, when according to their test scores below (highlighted), the initial test showed her at a 9.8. This makes no sense, and is why I complained she was starting too low, and probably why she was so bored and didn’t focus. Identifying Inferences – Started at 7.0 grade level and went to 7.8 grade level. There was no evidence that she actually mastered these, and honestly, why did she have to start at grade level 6.0, when according to their test scores below (highlighted), the initial test showed her at a 9.8. This makes no sense, and is why I complained she was starting too low, and probably why she was so bored and didn’t focus. These levels (especially the higher level skills introduced later in her program (Sequence, Inferences, etc.) would have been higher had we had the opportunity to complete the prescribed hours as dictated by the student’s academic evaluation. However, since we only completed about two thirds of that program, it stands to reason that we were not able to get her to grade level goals in all the reading and math skills required for school success. Why would I purchase another 50 hours when the first 125 showed no growth, except in vocabulary? I was also told by the director that she would look at providing make-up hours to show us that with additional help we would finally see the growth, but Doug denied the director’s request. The secondary metric we use is the standardized test. It is a lesser focus because it is multiple choice, therefore not representing real life, and its format makes it difficult to measure a student’s effort level since it merely involves filling in a “bubble”. On the standardized test the student had the following results over the first 55% of the student’s prescribed program: Vocabulary went from 8.7 grade level to 11.0 grade level Reading Comprehension went from 9.8 to 10.5 grade level Math Concepts and Applications went from 8.3 to 9.1 grade level I am confused about the scores above, In the third paragraph they say [redacted] was way below her 8th grade level (3-6th grade concepts missing), but here they say that she began at a 8.3 grade level. This reiterates the fact that they are dishonest, and that their assessments are outdated and flawed. Also, the reading comprehension did not go to 10.5, these are not truthful data points. This is not what I was shown. What I was shown was that she made no progress in reading comp nor math. The parent commented that the tutoring was “…not more than just a proctor and worksheets.” We have two types of tutoring at Huntington; “basic” which is strictly 1-1 for students through 3rd grade due to the interactional needs of early reading. The second is “advanced” tutoring where a student shares a teacher with one or two other students, with each student working on their own unique program. This is so that a student gets a share of 1-1 instruction while spending time working independently to practice skills. This is designed to foster the independence needed to perform in the regular classroom. This student fell in the “advanced” category and received that instruction.I often viewed more than three other students and only one teacher in the area being supported. And yes, that is what a proctor is, where they oversee the work, and then support if necessary. Regarding the complaint of “…outdated curriculum …”. Huntington constantly reviews, updates, and adds curricula including even the most recent acquisition of “common core” materials. That doesn’t however mean that older curricula is automatically obsolete and is thrown out. Along with the latest curricula, we also have “tried and true” curricula that have helped students over decades. This is a complete lie. The packets and booklets we were shown were from the 80’s. The prior director even stated that the materials were very old and that they didn’t have new materials. As long as it produces the same historically good results, we keep it. A great example of that is why we continue to teach math foundationally. California ranks 47th in math due to the “reinvention of the wheel” of instruction in spite of the fact that math had previously been taught the same way from generation to generation with great success. That’s why we have not “followed the lemmings over the cliff” in reaction to every supposed “new and improved” method developed. I don’t even know where to begin with this, but can show you tons of research that the drill and kill method they utilize will support advancement on fill in the bubble tests, but will not produce strong mathematical understanding needed to be successful in advanced mathematics courses. The last complaint was that “They just didn’t care, because all they cared about was they got their money.” That couldn’t be further from the truth. As the oldest and most respected learning center in the country, founded by educators, our focus is always on what’s best for the child. Our belief is that if we always focus on the child’s needs, the dollars and cents will take care of themselves. That is why we have, and continue to be successful in helping thousands of students for almost 40 years! So after doing research I found ample examples of others feeling like they had just bought a lemon at a used car lot. Also, if you look on glassdoor employees will state that they overcharge and do not deliver, nor do they adequately pay the staff. Lastly, if you listen to their radio ads trying to get people to buy into their franchises, they specifically discuss how much a person can make and how profitable it is. If they cared about the child, this would not occur. I rank this experience with buying a used car. I am so disheartened and disgusted.

Review: [redacted] of the [redacted] Huntington Learning Center represented to me and my wife that any unused time that we paid up front for my son's learning program would be refunded to us on a prorated basis. We received a 10% discount on our son's program for paying for the full 109 hours of his program upfront. However, when we stopped our son's program after using 66 hours due to our dissatisfaction with the program, the Huntington Learning Center did not return the full prorated amount of the unused 43 hours that we paid for upfront. When I called [redacted] to obtain an explanation, she stated that the discount was eliminated because we did not complete the program. This contradicted what both me and my wife were specifically told when we signed our son up for the program, which was that we would be refunded on a prorated basis for unused hours paid for upfront. We would never had paid for the program in full upfront if we would have known that this was their policy.Additionally, according to my accounting, even if they took the discount away, they still under-refunded my money for the 43 hours of unused time. I have called the Company's main office in [redacted] to get their accounting of my refund, but they have not returned my call.Desired Settlement: According to my accounting, we are owed an additional $498.50 refund.Paid upfront: $4,763.80Program Hours: 109Cost Per Hour: $43.70Unused Hours: 43x Cost Per Hour: $43.70Total Amount Owed: 1879.30Actual Refunded Amt: 1380.80Additional Refund: 498.50

Review: This center takes advantage of parents who want to provide additional school support for their children. Their business practices are deceptive and dishonest. I was told up-front that unused tutoring sessions were refundable. As such, I requested a refund for unused sessions. However, I have been waiting for more than six weeks to receive my refund. I have written evidence from the center director that my refund was received, and would take up to 4 weeks to process. I waited the four weeks, but the funds were never credited back to my credit card. I have been forced to file a dispute through my credit card.Desired Settlement: I would like the charge to be refunded to the credit card that was used to make the purchase.

Review: I have withdrawn my son from Huntington Learning Center (on or about April 23, 2013 ) and requested a refund as I have been paying in cash. I I had just given them a check for 2,000.00 which they cashed on or about April 14, 2013. I have contacted [redacted] (i have TRIED to contact her) but I get no respopnse, no call backs, nothing. I was contacted Wednesday, 5/8/13 by a [redacted], who left a voice message (no last name and she is no longer working at HLC)stating that I should receive my check via certified mail by Friday, 5/10/13. Today is Friday May 17, 1013 and still no check, no call, no correspondance at all... I called them back and spoke to [redacted] (she is the only one I have spoken to)and suggested she track the cert letter as I had not received...NO RESPONSE, AGAIN. I have made a complaint on the corporate level with a young lady in NJ, but I have had no responses from [redacted]...Desired Settlement: I would just like to receive my refund!!!! my son was pulled out before that 2,000.00 was used (as you pay ahead or there is no class!), andif any was used it was not much...my biggest complaint is that no one will take or return a call!!!!! Very bad business practice and I am shocked that no one is being responsible...

Review: This is the email that I sent to the [redacted] of the company as well as their franchise corporate office on May 26, 2014. I still have not received a response from the [redacted].

"I still have not receive the phone call that I requested about this matter. It is very disappointing that I can not get a call back. Since I wasn't able to get in touch with anyone from the [redacted] location I was able to get in touch with [redacted] from the corporate office last week. She returned my call within a day. I was pleased to be able to get clarification on some of my questions.

She was able to send me an electronic report of activity for my children. This was very helpful to be able to see what I was being charged and I can now compare dates. This might be something that your office could implement when a customer has a question about their account. I see now that the $49 that I was charged is per hour and not per session. I take responsibility in not understanding this. There are two dates that are on the report which should not be there. The first is March 27th. We let the center know that we were not able to bring the kids on Thursdays due to a conflict in my son's baseball schedule. The second is April 22nd. This was the week of spring break. We let the center know during our face to face meeting on April 8th that the kids would not be coming to tutoring during spring break. I am requesting a refund for the unused hours. I paid for 30 hours per child and used 18. Since I paid $2,645, I am owed a refund of $801. I feel that I am being reasonable in my request and since I first asked for this refund a month ago, I hope that we can get this resolved as soon as possible.

In the future, I would suggest that the [redacted] location learn from the corporate office on how to create positive communications with your clients. All of this could have been avoided had my calls and emails just been returned in a timely manner. But when weeks go by with no response it just escalates the situation. You customers should not have to chase you down in order to get someone to answer their questions. Still after sending numerous emails and leaving numerous voice mails, I have not received a phone call from your office in over two weeks now. As a business [redacted] myself, I find that unacceptable. Even the letter that was mailed to me didn't have a name or signature as to who sent it.

I have not yet gotten in to the reasons why our family decided that we are not bringing our children to your location. I have not yet gotten in to this but I am at a point now where my frustration is building and building! I should probably ask for additional days to be refunded since what we were told would happen during tutoring did not happen. In fact, I deserve a 100% refund. It is very disappointing that we expressed our frustrations with the education director and our requests were ignored. We requested that the kids' homework be top priority. We expressed to [redacted] during our first visit with her that the kids were struggling with their homework and she said it would be no problem for their homework to be top priority. Our first tutoring session, after 2 hours, their homework was not started. We then had to spend another 3 hours once we got home doing homework. This only added to our school work stress. The kids needed help with their homework. They didn't understand their homework. This is the sole reason why we called Huntington in the first place. We expressed our frustration with the center but there was no change. Finally we were able to express our frustrations to the education director during our face to face meeting. She said she understood and that homework help would be a top priority. That next tutoring session after this promise, my daughter went to her tutor with her math homework. The tutor said to her "that looks hard" and told her to go sit down and finish her assessment. Our entire experience with Huntington has been a complete waste of time.

I would never recommend Huntington to anyone I know. This lack of communication is beyond frustrating. Your customers do not deserve to be treated this way. I am not the type to complain. I have never submitted a negative online review. I am the type of customer that when they are unhappy they quietly walk away and just never come back.

Please let me know what you need from me to complete the refund transaction. I paid with my [redacted] card but if you would prefer to mail the check my address is: [redacted] I feel that my request is beyond fair and reasonable. I am not asking for the full refund that I deserve. I am simply asking for a refund for the hours unused." [redacted]Desired Settlement: I would like a refund.

Consumer

Response:

At this time, I have not been contacted by Huntington Learning Center regarding complaint ID[redacted].

Regards,

Review: Signed our child up for service in February, 2014, paying $9000 for services to be performed over the course of the next 6 months. Prior to any services being performed we recognized that our son would not be able to use their learning service as his disorders made him difficult to control if he did not want to do something, and he did not want to attend Huntington. My wife would be unable to make my teenage son go to the center if he chose not to go. I, being in the military, would not be around to help her as I was being deployed.

We informed the management of our decision to disenroll immediately (late Feb) and requested a refund. After multiple attempts to obtain a refund (phone calls and emails) we finally received a partial refund in May for $4000 (over 2 months after disenrolling). After the partial refund, we continued to send multiple emails which the management responded to with a promise that the remaining funds would be returned...that it was "being processed." To date, the remaining $5000 has yet to be refunded, well over 5 months after our initial dropping from the program.Desired Settlement: Refund of the remaining balance ($5000) as no services were rendered.

Review: My son received tutoring from jan 20, 2014-mar1, 2014. I was offered to use comenity bank tuition solutions to make payments for the service and accepted. I was informed that if I did not use the entire amount of the loan, that their office would notify the credit card company to remove the amount that wasn't used. I paid off the balance that I owed in May 2014 and made the Huntington office aware of this. The director stated she would speak with the [redacted] so that he could notify the credit card company of the change. So far, this hasn't happened. I contacted the corporate office in June 2014 and they contacted the owner. He called me the same day very apologetic and assured me that he'd take care of the account. This never happened. I called the [redacted] once the bill arrived and left a voice message. He's yet to return my call. I'm still making payments on a service I'm no longer receiving. If I discontinue the payments, my credit rating will be negatively impacted. The corporate office stated all he has to do is call the credit card company and for some reason he's not taking care of it. I just want him to do his part in order for me to close this account, receive my refund for the over payments and not risk my credit rating decreasing.Desired Settlement: The [redacted] needs to call the credit card company and inform them when the service ended in order for them to make the adjustment and refund the over payments. Thanks!

Business

Response:

Revdex.com spoke with the business. The customer has been provided a complete refund.

Review: I paid in advance for a [redacted] preparation course that was halfway completed and now it appears that the business has closed. I contact Huntington Learning Center Corporate office and they are only collecting names and numbers and amount owed which exceed $1,000.00.Desired Settlement: I want the money returned for the classes that were cancelled.

Review: I had went to hunington learning center to have my daughter tested. My mother, aunt and myself the went bac kto get results. They proceded to tell me that it would cost me over 8000.00 to get my daughter the help she needed. I thought that was outragious, so my aunt then gave them a check for 375.00 for a deposit to hold a spot for her while we talked about it more over the weekend. I decided not to go through with it because I could not afford the money that they were asking. My aunt tried to call her bank monday morning to stop payment on the check and they said it had cleared sat afternoon and we had just left friday night around 730pm. They were in a hurry to get my money in the bank but they are refussing to give me back my 375.00 telling me at first it would take 3 months to get my money. I called every 3 weeks and checking on it and then a week ago they told me I wasnt getting money back and they never said I was. They also said that they dont give refunds. This is bs and I am very pissed about the issue and I have called corporate and they gave me the number to call the [redacted] and they even tried calling them and email them and they have not responded to either place about this issue. They need to be shut down and I want my money back immediatly. Noone should have to go through this crap with a place that is supposed to help children learn better. All im asking is for my 375 back and they cant even do that.Desired Settlement: I would like a apoligy and also my money back ASAP. There is no reason for this

Consumer

Response:

[A default letter is provided here which indicates that the business has not responded to you directly. If you wish, you may update it before sending it.]

At this time, I have not been contacted by Huntington Learning Center regarding complaint ID[redacted].

Regards,