Northcentral University, AZ..ALL..Please Help

I once enrolled at northcentral university prescott, az for a PhD. They allow me to enrol without processing my Federal finacial aid. After two months I emailed them many times asking to process my financial aid. Finally after a number of emails, they told that my aid is approved all on a sudden. Couple of days after I got an email from them saying that they decided not to participate in federal aid because all students want them not to participate in Federal Aid!!!!!!. They are saying that they hear the students request of not to participate in federal aid programs!!!!!Very funny, right. Students ask the university not to participate in Federal aid.??????. I immediately send them email that I am withdrawing from the university. I don't want to study there anymore since they lost the eligibility to participate in federal aid programs. They told me that they can arrange private loans(and they stoped federal aid as per students request..fantastic). I said no and I am no more interested in NCU. I just send them 5 assignments to the mentor, thats all I did with the university. Now they want me to pay the money to them. $1425 as fees and $50 withdrawal fees. I explained them that I never take any service from them and I don'yt believe that I am obglied to pay. They just want money. They told me that they will send it to collection agency. Please someone help me and advise me, what can I do. I am really desparate, I never complete any course, I never got any credits and they want money..What can I do..Help me please....Anyone advise me what to do please..Is there any agency that I can contact with?

 

Unfortunately, you are not the first person to be caught in this situation. I remember reading about this same thing happening to other members of this board as well, IIRC. I don't remember the reasoning behind the school no longer participating in Federal Student Aid programs, but it was not because "the students requested it."

IMO, I think you should contact the state attorney general's office in Arizona, and ask for the "consumer protection unit". I'm not sure what you mean by submitting 5 assignments but not "taking service from them." If the college honestly didn't do anything for you, explain this to the attorney general's office and tell them these people won't leave you alone.

If you are getting harassing phone calls, send them a letter telling them you want the calls to stop, and you will deal with them through writing only. Under the Federal "Fair Debt Collection Practices Act", they have to comply, or they could wind up owing YOU money after any future litigation. Also in the letter, tell them you want a detailed statement of everything they are trying to charge to you. Also mention you are including a copy of the letter to the state attorney general's office. Send the letter "certified, with return receipt" from the post office. This way, you will have proof the college received your letter, and it didn't get "lost in the mail." If they send this thing to a collection agency (which they may do anyway), do the exact same thing with them.

That should stop everything in its tracks right there. However, if they do send you a statement and are still trying to collect the money from you, you have one of two options: either work out a payment arrangement with them (in WRITING, NOT over the phone), or sue them for harassing you for money you don't owe and damaging your credit report. Also, the state attorney general's office may actuall be able to help you out here.

Like I said, I think this has happened to somebody else here, and they may have different advice. I am not an attorney, and this should not be construed as legal advice. I have had bill collectors breathing down my neck in the past, and I know how intimidating it can be.

 

It sounds like you took a class through NCU. If that is the case, you probably owe the tuition (unless you had an agreement that your enrollment was contingent upon receipt of financial aid or you dropped the class within the withdrawal period).

The dropping of financial aid by NCU because students requested it may be true (in a very roundabout way). Students at NCU may prefer flexible term schedules over a more rigid term structure that is required for a school to participate in financial aid. Someone else here probably has better information on this.

As for the Fair Debt Collections and Practices Act, that primarily applies to third party agencies (although you may have similar rights under a different set of similar laws). Since you owe the money to NCU and NCU is trying to collect, FDCPA does not apply.

I guess the two big questions are...
1) Did you have a contingency agreement for enrollment?
2) Did you enroll in a class and stay enrolled past the withdrawal date?

The amount of work you do in a class is not relevant. I'm sure there are many students in B&M universities that enroll in (and pay for) a course and never set foot in the class. Skipping school or not participating is not an excuse for non-payment of tuition.

 

I should point out my advice was based on the premise that the original poster intended to enroll in the school, but was jerked around on his aid and then intended to withdraw from the program.

I'm still concerned about the line in the original message that says he completed five assignements but "received no service from them." If he actually did assignments, then yes, I would say he owes the money and needs to make arrangements for payment.

 

The rigid term structure required for federal financial aid is indeed an issue.

UMUC has had trouble with this. E.g. see http://www.ed.umuc.edu/general_info/publications/newsletters/faculty/Provost%20Post-May%202005.txt (scroll down to CHANGES TO THE ACADEMIC CALENDAR BEGIN FALL 2005).

UMUC has had to make its calendar more rigid to avoid overlapping semesters. The result is less convenient for students and for instructors. But I presume better for the bean counters.

 

thanks

Thanks for the advise all. I want to be 100% honest. I actually enrolled in the university and registered for a course and started it. I think there withdrawal deadline is before starting the classes and I actually started. Thats what I mentioned submit 5 assignments.

When I applied, they told me that I can enrol and register while my financial aid is under process. They informed me that they will process the aid within 2 weeks, but encouraged me to register soon(not to wait for the aid process). After I registered for the class I never heard anything back from the financial aid department. Until that to get a reply for anything just take hours. Since I didn't hear anything from the financial aid department even 1 month after I started I emailed them saying it is almost 2 months since you told me that my aid will be processed and I never heard anything back. Then after 2 weeks I emailed again and after 2 week I got a reply. They need some more information to process the aid.(Already my head is under their arms then, means even if anything happen, I don't have an opportunity to withdraw). Then a number of emails to and fro asking and providing information..finally 1 day I got an email saying that my aid is processed(they asked somemore information and I never provided that by that time and they told that they canot process aid without that information). I was surprised, since they told that they need that information to process the aid and why and how they processed it without it right after two days??.. They asked me to complete the master promisory note soon. I doubted something is going to happen and thats why they processed everything soon...Then after two days I got the message saying that they decided not to participate in federal aid as per students request. Then I understand why they processed sid in a hurry at the final moment, they just want to make themselves safe by making me take the aid and them getting the money. They might have done this to many. I was really frustrated. I still could take the aid since it will be available for the current semester and pay them the money. I don't feel to do it. They were projecting there participance in federal aid and using that to register students. Yes it is true as per law that I owe them money..I dont want to explain about the service I got, but they ask to buy some book, download a syllabus and post assignments as per syllbus. No teaching, no study meterials provided nothing. I know I may not have much option. Even if I haven't benefited in anyway, I awe them $1500...
If I misleaded anyone who really intented to help me please escuse me. But really I feel desparate. What I am thinking is that for what I have to pay them money? I don't know whether my question is reasonable, but for me I am going to lose $1500 for nothing.
I really appreciate all of you who provided valuable advice. It is painful to give money that I earn working hard to someone without any use to me(I know many of you argue that I am wrong). But...

 

I hate to say this, Poovan, but it sounds like you owe them the money. Sure, you may think it's for nothing, and that you'll have nothing to show for the money, but there it is. Work out a payment arrangement with them, if you can. I would suggest just sticking it out and completing their program, but it doesn't sound like that would make you happy either.

Heck, it took me YEARS to pay for my student loans. In fact, I'm still paying, and I STILL don't have a completed degree. Just a few credits and a monthly payment. Do what I did: chalk it off as an expensive lesson learned. There are better ways of earning a degree. That's what this website is all about.