Very Curious about Ashworth College!!!!

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by joshinsb, Apr 21, 2005.

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  1. joshinsb

    joshinsb New Member

    I spent over 4 hours doing research on this college and I read all the discussions about them as well. This is one thing that has never been asked or came up into discussion..... If you call them and want to get information about them.. they try to sell you the xschool like a car salesman.. in any instance...at the end of the phone call they ask you if you know other people who are interested in signing up... but what really caught me off guard is... they offered me $150.00 discount ONLY if i signed up right then and there.. what the hell is that all about???????????? please let me know
     
  2. DesElms

    DesElms New Member

    It's what happens when corporate, private, for-profit sensibilities prevail in an educational setting. I recently called Ashworth's toll-free number to get some questions answered for this thread and I was met, initially, by a woman who insisted that it was their policy to collect all of my name and address and telephone number and email information (ostensibly so they could start marketing to me via snail mail, email and telephone calls, though she would not admit that); and when I refused she told me that she could not answer even one question until I provided that information; and when I asked to speak to her supervisor she said she didn't have one; and when I challenged the counter-intuitiveness of her claim that she didn't even have a supervisor she hung-up on me.

    When I called back on the non-toll-free number I got someone who, when she heard this story, asked if she could let her supervisor listen so she could do something about it. The supervisor asked her to tell me that she, too, was appalled and that, by golly, she was going to figure out who had done that to me and would deal with her accordingly. I have no idea if the supervisor really was upset by it or if there would, in fact, be consequences for the first operator I spoke with; but I will say that the second person I spoke with (the one on the non-toll-free number who had her boss listen-in) answered as many questions as she could -- happily and patiently -- and didn't require a single bit of information from me. Nor did she try to sell me the program in any way.

    The experience lead me to believe that when one calls Ashworth's toll-free number, one is stepping into a pool of commissioned sales sharkes; and when one calls the non-toll-free number, one maybe gets hold of a customer service rep instead of a sales geek.

    In any case, hard-sell tactics do not, in my opinion, have any place in post-secondary institutions of higher learning. Ever! The private, for-profit institutions realize that and act accordingly come across more credibly. Obviously, Ashworth, for whatever else its attributes might be, hasn't figured that out yet.
     
  3. Jack Tracey

    Jack Tracey New Member

    Once, a long time ago, I went to one of those time-share condo sales pitches. As far as I know, it was completely legitimate in that the locations were really available (not bait-and-switch), the prices really were as advertised, the times available were really available, etc. I also got that hardcore, "You need to decide right now" (not tomorrow, not in an hour, not in 5 minutes, but right this second) message. I walked away.
    I think the product was exactly as advertised and if I had said "yes" I probably would have been satisfied. I simply didn't like the high pressure sales tactic. As far as I'm concerned, if you need some time to think about the decision, to weigh the issues, check out other options, then you should take the time to do so. $150.00 means very little compared with you total degree costs, not to mention your level of comfort with your decision. Do your research and then, if Ashworth still seems to be the best choice, call back. I'll bet that you can probably still get the discount.
    Jack
     
  4. TomICAVols

    TomICAVols New Member

    Having worked in admissions before, I can tell you that Ashworth is no different than any other college. Admissions officers who answer the phones are telemarketers pure and simple. I am frustrated by it, too, but have found some very knowledgable folks at Ashworth who were quite capable.

    Anyone know why GetEducated left Ashworth off of their list of MBA programs???????????
     
  5. TCord1964

    TCord1964 New Member

    I think a reason why one encounters the "car salesman" tactics when they call a private, for-profit institution like Ashworth is because they are exactly that....for profit. While state colleges and university receive subsidies from state governments and private B&M institutions charge a premium and get endowments from alumni, institutions like Ashworth don't meet the bottom line unless they are constantly enrolling students. Perhaps when you called them they were behind on their quota for the month, and were under pressure to either sign up callers or get them off the phone. While I don't think that is good business practice for a place calling itself a "college", it would explain their tactics. It sounds like a typical call center atmosphere.

    That being said, I have considered Ashworth as a stepping stone to a BS or BA. Many of the students I have chatted with are happy with the educational experience, although they admit Ashworth does have its problems.
     
  6. TomICAVols

    TomICAVols New Member

    Having had experience with admissions there, I can tell you that state universities are just as obsessed with market share as private for-profits.
     
  7. TCord1964

    TCord1964 New Member

    Just for the heck of it, I checked the Better Business Bureau for complaints about Ashworth College. The BBB has received 290 complaints about Ashworth in the past three years. Most of the complaints were about customer service or billing issues.

    By comparison, I also checked TESC with the BBB. The result: no complaints in the past three years.
     
  8. oxpecker

    oxpecker New Member

    Yes, but people would rarely complain to the BBB about a state institution. Particularly here in New Jersey, where both incompetence and corruption are de rigueur for state organizations.
     
  9. TCord1964

    TCord1964 New Member

    I also checked Grantham, which is definately a private college. No complaints in the past three years.

    Personally, it bothers me that there are so many complaints about Ashworth. I had definately considered them for an MBA. You can't beat their price. However, I fear their reputation may suffer due to so many complaints.

    Perhaps down the road, if they improve their customer relations, I will consider them for a Masters.
     

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