Post University, Inc.

Complaint: [redacted]
I am rejecting this response because:
From: [redacted]
Subject: BB Complaint
Date: July 1, 2015 at 3:52:32 PM EDT
To: [redacted]
Cc: [redacted]
 
Thank you for answering. I have submitted the email several times. Yes the professor was remiss in response to my email explaining that I didn’t think I would be able to manage the class. I have since sent a copy of my unemployment documentation and a check for 212.50, more then the drop fee and enough to cover one week. I sent this June 25th to [redacted]. His name was on the denial letter. I have spoken with my attorn who said that there is a law that says the plaintiff is required to prove proof of loss of profit. I don’t want to get that far, but I am willing to go there because of the lack of reason that I have experienced. You have already lost my future tuition because I withdrew….Its too bad. All my other professors were professional and extremely helpful. As was my adviser [redacted]. Thank you
 

Sincerely,
[redacted]

[redacted], we have investigated your claim and have carefully reviewed the facts. At this time Post University will be unable to provide you with a refund. On May 7, 2014, the institutional representative you spoke with noted in our CRM system that you did withdraw from class. The class started...

on April 28th, and there is no indication of prior conversations regarding your attempt to withdraw. Based on Post University’s refund policy you do not meet the requirements for a complete refund.  If you can provide additional evidence regarding conversations between you and the institutional representative you spoke with, please submit this to the University and we would be happy to look into the claim further.

In each
of our communications, we made it clear that it was the student’s
responsibility to have an official copy of her transcripts sent to Post
University.  We also took the added step of contacting her school district
on her behalf.  The District indicated that it would take 4-8 weeks for
the request to be processed, and we instructed the student to follow up with
the local Board of Education to ensure the transcripts were sent to the
University.  Without a copy of her transcripts, we were not able to
disburse any financial aid.  Since the student participated in her courses
past the ADD/DROP date, she is responsible for the tuition charges per university
policy.  If she would like to submit a petition with additional
documentation as to why these charges should be removed, she is welcome to do
so.

As part of the admissions process, students are required to submit copies of official transcripts.  A transcript is considered official if it is received unaltered and in a sealed envelope.  The student was informed of this requirement when he...

began the admissions process and had ample notification prior to the start of class.  This information is also published in the university catalog.   When the student requested his official transcript, he had the document sent directly to him and upon the receipt of the information, he opened the envelope prior to sending the transcript on to the University.  Due to his actions, the document no longer met the requirement and it was requested that he obtain the correct copy and send the document unopened and unaltered.  The student began classes while resolving the requirement.  To expedite the process for the student, a representative from the University also attempted to obtain the document directly but did not have sufficient information.  During the process, the student elected to cease participation well after the add/drop period.    In regard to the student’s initial course at the University, this class is included as part of his required curriculum.  Under certain circumstances, students may waive this requirement however in his case, he did not meet the criteria for approval.    A thorough review shows the university did follow policy and the student is financially responsible for the coursework; however to ensure a positive student experience, all charges will be removed from the student’s account.

We have been working closely with this student to
address her concerns, while also adhering to the University’s policies and procedures. Unfortunately,
until recently this student has repeatedly violated our civility code, despite
a number of...

requests from the University Provost and other members of our
faculty and staff to change her behavior. She also has not met the graduation standards
for the MBA program. Thus, she will not be able to graduate in May.  We
have asked the student to submit a formal appeal by May 15th
explaining how she will meet the standards required for graduation from the MBA
program and why she should be granted special dispensation to retake her
capstone course.  Until the appeal has been filed, and the student has
demonstrated her commitment to abiding by the University’s Civility Code, there
is not much more we can do. We trust this explanation fully resolves this
complaint.

We
regret that this student is unhappy, but she did not provide any specific
documentation in her petition to warrant the removal of the charges from her
account.  In reviewing her...

account, the
only record we have of her experiencing difficulty submitting an assignment was
in the last couple of weeks of the course; we have no evidence that she requested
an incomplete or extension.  The
paperwork to which she refers was to be provided by her, and thus any delay was
on her part.  We also have no record of
her ordering her book through the online bookstore, and we can’t be responsible
for delays that may have resulted from an order placed with an outside vendor.  In accordance with university policy, she is
responsible for the charges for the course she took in 2011.  We trust this information fully resolves this
complaint.

We have reviewed the student’s enrollment and account activity including payments from all sources and the policies applicable at the time of her withdrawal.  Payment was not received for her coursework from all anticipated sources and this information was explained to her.  ...

After evaluating [redacted] activity through the point of her withdrawal, Post University has decided to make a good faith effort by reversing the charges to eliminate the outstanding account balance.  A transcript has been issued per her request. She has been notified of the outcome both by the phone number and email address provided.  This matter has been resolved.

Although we understand that this student would like to make payments through her online student account, the ability to pay online is provided to currently enrolled students only.  Since this student is not currently enrolled, she no longer has access to an online student account.  As we have explained to her, she is welcome to make payments on her account by credit card, check or money order.  We have held off on sending her account to an outside collections agency as we prefer to try and resolve account issues directly with students whenever possible.  We encourage the student to follow up with our student accounts office as quickly as possible to make arrangements to pay her outstanding balance.

We have reviewed the student’s records and the activity.  Students are provided with a degree plan upon entry into a program and work with Academic Success Counselors who review progress and recommend coursework.  Students...

are allowed access to view their own completed coursework, credits and grades in the student registration system and they are encouraged to monitor their progress. 
 
This student began the enrollment process into a Graduate Program while still completing the requirements for his Undergraduate Degree.   His Undergraduate courses ended on June 21, 2014 and he began Graduate courses on June 23, 2014. Prior to conferring his degree, the Office of the Registrar conducted the review of his academic records to verify that all requirements were met.  He was notified on July 17, 2014  that he was required to complete a final course to meet the 120 credit hour requirement and receive his Diploma.  He remained enrolled in the Graduate course that began on June 23rd and registered in the following module for his final required Undergraduate course.  In accordance with the University Catalog, degree completion is not a requirement for students to enroll in a Graduate level course.  A student may begin taking courses prior to matriculating into a Graduate Program and apply those courses toward the degree requirements.
 
The student completed his Undergraduate degree requirements on October 18, 2014 which was conferred on December 13, 2014.   Upon the request of the student, written confirmation of degree completion can be sent from the Office of the Registrar.   We cannot speculate the reason the student “lost the respect of his immediate manager” based upon his inability to supply his potential employer with proof of completing his bachelor’s degree.
 
As we want to ensure the student has a positive experience and success in completing his Graduate Degree Program, we are removing the charges for his graduate coursework completed prior to his official undergraduate degree conferral.  This will apply to his enrollment in [redacted] Charges in the amount of $2190 will be reversed from his account for his [redacted] Charges incurred for enrollment in the graduate program after the completion of his bachelor’s degree in December 13, 2014 will not be adjusted.

The student initially enrolled at Post University with a clear understanding that she had less than her full eligibility available to complete her degree because she had already used part of her funding at a different university.  With this knowledge she had time to financially plan how she would complete her degree when her limits were met.  Periodically she was provided award letters which included the amounts that reduced her remaining aggregate loan availability.  These were issued on the following dates:
Award Letter Issued 7/26/2012 Award Letter Issued 4/12/2013 Award Letter Revision Issued 9/24/2013 Award Letter Revision Issued 10/21/2013 Award Letter Issued 3/3/2014 Award Letter Issued 7/9/2014 Award Letter Issued 4/9/2015 In each instance the student was reminded to “visit the [redacted] to review the balances for her Federal Student Loans.  Using this website, the student was encouraged to check her outstanding loans at multiple times during her enrollment to monitor her remaining eligibility.   The award letter issued on 7/9/2014 covered the period of enrollment beginning on 8/25/2014 and ending on 4/25/2015.  As the student’s actual enrollment could impact the amount of available aid in her subsequent award, the notification provided on 4/9/2014 was determined after all funding had disbursed and most accurately reflected the remaining available aid.  Issuing the award on this date allowed the student time to determine whether she would remain enrolled in the upcoming courses scheduled to begin on 4/25/2015 or drop at no charge while she revisited her plan to complete her degree when her Federal Student Aid funding was exhausted. At that time, she made the decision to remain enrolled in that module and take time off to return at a later time.  This action was in line with her initial expectation in 2012 that at a certain point she would no longer have Federal Aid available to complete her degree.   She was allowed to take the time off to determine alternate arrangements and was also advised of the other sources available such as private student loans.   She chose to return in a course beginning on 10/20/2015 with a full understanding that there was not sufficient Federal Student Aid available and an agreement to pay.The student has been contacted on several occasions by the Student Accounts Department to assist her in arranging a mutually beneficial payment.  Once the student honors her agreed payment arrangement for the coursework taken in October 2015, the University will be able to remove any registration holds from her account and work with her to financially plan to complete her degree as she had initially intended.

As noted by her statement, this student has been enrolled at the University since 2012. When she initially began, she was informed that she would not have enough financial aid to cover her entire degree. Post University takes every measure to ensure that students understand the limitations of...

Federal Student Aid through counseling and annual award information. As the funding is limited to an aggregate amount over a student’s lifetime, the student’s Tuition Planner will make recommendations to the student to request increments lower than the maximum available per academic year. Included in the award notification is a link to the [redacted] where students are encouraged to review their personal loan information to determine remaining eligibility.
In the case of this student, with her most recent award beginning with Module 5 starting on April 27, 2015, she was notified in advance by her Tuition Planner of her remaining funding. At that time she was informed that while she had not yet reached her aggregate limit, she only had a small amount of remaining Federal Student Aid. The student had the opportunity at that time to drop the course at no cost but decided to remain enrolled in that module, paying directly in lieu of paying with Federal Student Loans. She planned to take time off upon completion of that module and return at a later time with an understanding that she would make payments for her remaining coursework. She returned and enrolled in a course beginning on October 20, 2015 at which time she was aware of her inability to use Federal Student Aid and need to make payment. The student does owe for this coursework and has agreed to a payment arrangement but has not submitted the agreed payment. Interest is charged for unpaid balances without payment.
Additionally, this student was notified directly on her Student Aid Report when she completed her Free Application for Federal Student Aid. The report contained the following messages:
• "Based upon data provided by the [redacted] and your grade level, we have determined that you may have received subsidized student loans in excess of loan limits established for the federal loan programs. You should review the information on Page 4."
• "Based upon data provided by the [redacted] and your grade level, we have determined that you may have received a total amount of undergraduate student loans that exceeds the loan limits established for the federal loan programs. You should review the information on Page 4."
• "Based upon data provided by the [redacted] and your grade level, we have determined that you may have received a total amount of undergraduate student loans that is close to or equal to the loan limits established for the federal loan programs. Therefore, your eligibility for additional student loans may be limited. You should review the information on Page 4."
The student expressed an additional concern regarding the option to purchase books. The majority of the courses at the university do not require the purchase of books but instead use Electronic Course Materials. Electronic course materials are developed and customized by faculty to address specific course outcomes and to ensure the content is the most current available. These materials are not available in a single book or books. For courses which do not utilize electronic course materials, students have the option to purchase materials from an outside source. If the student had enrolled in a course which did not utilized electronic course materials, she would have had the option to purchase her materials outside of the university.
We will continue to work with the student to enable her to resolve her balance and to determine the options available for her to complete her degree.

This student enrolled in two
8-week modular classes which began on June 22, 2015.   In
accordance with the University tuition refund policy, a tuition credit of 100%
is granted for 8 week modular courses if the notice is received by Friday 5
p.m. EST prior to the beginning of classes -...

June 19; and a $150 per course fee will be
charged for classes if notice is received by 5 p.m. EST of the first Friday of
the module - June 26.  Published proc[redacted]re for students to drop or withdraw instruct the student to send a communication to [redacted]@[redacted].[redacted].  No tuition refunds
will be granted for withdrawals after 5 p.m. EST of the first Friday of the
module. The student did not initially notify staff of his potential withdrawal until the second week of classes on July 1, 2015.  At the time he indicated that he was thinking about quitting,  the student was already
financially responsible for charges in accordance with the published policy.  The
student did not notify the designated office of his intent to withdraw until
July 9, 2015 which was the third week of the module.  The University does have a petitions process for which students may request a review of special
circumstances.  The student did not request a further review of the
circumstances.  At this time, the University did follow the published
policies and the student is financially responsible.    As we want to ensure  a positive student
experience, we have reduced the charges on the student’s account to $150 per class or a total of $300 which reflects the course fees that would have been charged for classes which were begun and not dropped prior to the start.

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.
Sincerely,
[redacted]

The discussion board component of our classes is a critical
part of the learning experience, which was explained to the student when she
enrolled.  Information on the discussion
board requirements also is explained in the Getting Started Guide, in the new
student...

orientation program that she was asked to complete, and in her course
syllabi.  Despite the fact that the
student chose to stop participating in her [redacted] 2 classes, she is still
responsible for the tuition costs.  In
addition, she didn’t ask to drop her [redacted] 3 classes until well past the ADD/DROP
period.  Per University policy, which is
clearly explained in the University Catalog, students are responsible for
tuition costs if they drop classes past the ADD/DROP period.  This student is welcome to file a petition if
she would like to provide additional documentation as to why she should not be
responsible for the charges.  We trust
this explanation fully resolves this complaint.

This student was charged the fees in accordance with our clearly stated university policy on dropping classes.  However, as a one-time courtesy we have removed the charges from her account.  We trust this fully resolves this issue.

This student enrolled in, and was correctly charged for, the course in question.  However, based on her apparent misunderstanding of the nature of the orientation course, we will remove the charges from her account as a one-time courtesy.

We have researched the account and academic activity for this student.  The student began her first course at the University on August 24, 2015.  This course was scheduled to end on October 18, 2015.  At the end of September the student experienced unusual circumstances and...

requested that the University review those circumstances and allow a late withdrawal and a reversal of charges.  She was offered her the option to petition. Petitions are reviewed by committee at which time circumstances, supporting documentation and pertinent policies are taken into consideration to render a decision.  Any requests should be submitted within a reasonable amount of time and with supporting documentation for special circumstances. The decision is then communicated to the student.  At the time of the petition, the student submitted a statement and supporting documentation. The committee reviewed the information and agreed to grant her request and subsequently removed her charges and enrollment.     The student re-enrolled in a class beginning on October 19, 2015 and ending on December 13, 2015.  On December 20, 2015 she again submitted a petition requesting a review of her circumstances to allow a reversal of charges.  A brief statement was sent with no supporting documentation.   In the student’s statement, she noted that she moved (during the module) to a location where she did not have access to a computer.  Initially she did have access when she enrolled and participated in the course.  With no supporting documentation, the committee was unable to approve this request and the decision and the reason for the denial was communicated to the student. The student did not appeal the decision or provide the required documentation.  If the student does not provide sufficient documentation, she will be financially responsible for the course as she did not drop in accordance with the published add/drop policy.   Tuition Charges for all courses offered at the University are published on the website and within the University Catalog..

The student began enrollment in 12 credits over two 8 week modules for which she completed 6 credits in the first 8 week module and...

participated for two weeks past the add/drop period in the second 8-week module.   The student is financially responsible for the courses.  Several University representatives including her Tuition Planner and her Student Accounts Processor have reached out to assist her in completing the payment process in order to continue with her studies.  Additionally, the Director of the Office of Student Finance for the Online Education Institute also reached out to resolve the matter. We will continue working directly with the student to resolve this matter.

[redacted],  at Post University we would never want to ruin yours or anyone’s college experience. We dounderstand your frustration, but we had to base the amount of your refund on the University Refund Policy. If you have any documentation showing that you spoke with someone previously to starting your course, we will be able to work with you in finding a solution. I also want to personally assure you that at Post we do not pay any of our employee's commission for enrolling students into the University. We only enroll students solely based off of their credentials, applications and ability to thrive in a post-secondary education.  I urge you to reach out to your Admissions Counselor or Tuition Planner if you have any questions or can provide more documentation.

After reviewing this student's file, it's clear that she understood that she needed to submit her transcripts in order to be eligible for financial aid.  We had number follow up communications with her about the need to submit her transcripts, and she indicated that she had contacted her high...

school. The student participated in her courses for several weeks before she indicated that she was having difficulty obtaining her transcripts.  Since the student participated in the classes in which she was enrolled, she is responsible for the tuition charges.  If she would like to submit a petition and provide additional information on why the tuition charges should be removed from her account, she is welcome to do so.  We trust this information fully resolves this complaint.