I've effectively been eliminated from St. Joe's MBA, but not for academics

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by friendorfoe, Apr 17, 2007.

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  1. friendorfoe

    friendorfoe Active Member

    Life can be difficult and funny at times. After my decision to stay with St. Joseph’s College of Maine, I spoke with them about the financial aid. They said that because my employer reimburses part of the tuition, their policy is not to certify any financial aid. I think the thinking behind this is to prevent students from getting in debt when they do not need to.

    The problem is that my employer reimburses on a prorated basis. Each reimbursement will be less than the one prior to it as the coursework goes, not to exceed a certain annual amount. This effectively prevents me from cash flowing my MBA to the tune of $15,000+. I spoke with St. Joe’s about non FAFSA loan offerings, but their policy is constant regardless of the lender, they will not certify the loan, period. The one exception is if I get an official letter stating that they will not reimburse me any amount of money for my degree, at which time they will open up the FAFSA stuff to me. Sorry, but that doesn’t pass the common sense test. Pass up free money to borrow money? No thanks.

    So I have effectively been eliminated from the St. Joe’s MBA. Once I finish this course, that’s all she wrote for me at St. Joe’s much to my personal grief. If there was any way to stay other than tossing money out the window, I would. But I’m not willing to swallow a stupid pill to stay, as much as I love their curriculum, the money does matter.

    I looked at cash flowing NCU, (Northcentral) but again, due to the prorated tuition, even though it is possible, by the time I am on my 3rd to 4th class I will likely be paying out of pocket…not entirely objectionable, but I’d like to avoid it as possible.

    So I looked at Amberton University, love their MBA in strategic leadership, but I have to take 4 classes that are undergrad level to be accepted to their 12 class MBA. I do not get reimbursed for the 4 classes.

    So I looked at Columbia College MBA. 5 undergrad classes there, but they are inexpensive and are FAFSA. Pretty tempting, but I’d have to take 17 classes for the entire MBA. Not totally objectionable, but I thought I’d look elsewhere first.

    Lastly there are 2 that I have seen that are readily offering FAFSA, not much more expensive than St. Joseph’s College, if more expensive at all…of which one is not.

    The first up to bat is Ashford University. http://www.ashford.edu/home/index.php?width=800 Like St. Joseph’s it originated as a Catholic school founded by Nuns. In this case the Sisters of St. Francis. They are RA and offer an accelerated MBA with 1 “leveling” course. Each course is 6 weeks long. Much like my much loved Southwestern College. They of course are FAFSA experts and are eager to get me enrolled (they’re for profit which I have no problem with at all) and they MAY accept my 3 credits earned at St. Joseph’s College. If they do, we have a winner!

    If they do not, second up to bat is Bellevue University. http://www.bellevue.edu/ a school founded by the township of Bellevue and later sold. They are for profit, which I have no problem with, and are a bit less expensive than St. Joe’s at $340 an hour and 12 classes vs. St. Joe’s $375 an hour at 14. Their leveling courses are counted as my electives and they MAY transfer over my Economics course (3 credits) from St. Joe’s. If they do, wonderful. If they do not and Ashford does not, I have a tough decision to make. Right now I’m on the fence and the transfer of credit will be everything. Again this school is title IV like Ashford.

    Any advice on either school?
     
  2. Dave Wagner

    Dave Wagner Active Member

    This is the administrative side of the school. Ask to talk to that person's manager about making an exception until you hear no from the president.

    Dave
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 17, 2007
  3. friendorfoe

    friendorfoe Active Member

    The last person I spoke with was the assistant director of financial aid. I suppose I could speak with the director, but I'm not sure where that'll get me. Honestly I a bit exhausted, I feel like I'm begging...
     
  4. Dave Wagner

    Dave Wagner Active Member

    From memory, the citizens of island city of Tyre of had this policy of not allowing guys with armies to sacrifice at the temple of Heracles, but instead insisted that they sacrifice at temple of Heracles on the mainland. Alexander the Great didn't like this policy, so he built an incredible half mile long causeway out to the island, breached the walls, and killed most of the inhabitants. This and many other equivalent deeds is why he is not known as Alexander the Reasonable. Moral of the story: archaic policies can and should be changed or ignored, especially when confronted with sufficient justification. Had the Tyrians realized that that was a good time to make an exception, they could have stayed in business a long time. In sum, you aren't the last guy to ask for some appropriate accommodation for obtaining financial aid.

    Dave
     
    Last edited by a moderator: Apr 17, 2007
  5. sentinel

    sentinel New Member

    A suggestion... Apply for FAFSA and have your employer reimburse you directly, and then you put that payment against your student loan. The principle is paid down from the outset so you less interest accrues on the loan.

    Alternatively, Duquesne University offers a Master of Science in Leadership degree. Full FAFSA might be available plus employer tuition reimbursement.
     
  6. Bruce

    Bruce Moderator

    Sorry to hear of your financial aid troubles.

    Does the degree need to be an MBA, or is there some flexibility there?
     
  7. bellevue sounds like a good program anyone know how much it costs?
     
  8. Jigamafloo

    Jigamafloo New Member

    I may be wrong, and they certainly ACT like a for profit in student recruitment (particularly military), this is what Bellevue has on the web site:

    Q: When was the University founded?
    A: Bellevue University is a not-for-profit institution founded in 1966

    http://www.bellevue.edu/about/

    As far as experiences with Bellevue, mine were very positive for the undergrad, but I can't speak for the MBA.

    Best of luck though, and sorry to hear about St. Joseph's! I know how long you've admired the program, and that you went through a lot of "soul-searching" to get there.

    Take care,

    Dave
     
  9. friendorfoe

    friendorfoe Active Member

    Okay guys.......to answer all the questions.

    The tuition reimbursement would come directly to me from my employer...but to get the FAFSA, which I've already applied, submitted, etc. I would have to get a signed letter head statement from my employer to agree that they will NOT reimburse me. Suffice to say, I won't lie to go to school, that is contrary to everything this MBA is about.

    Second...to Bruce, yes it has to be an MBA. My wife supports my getting an MBA to get out of law enforcement (which she hates) and get into the private sector. A Masters in Leadership or Criminal Justice or MPA, etc. won't cut it. Her friends dad has an MBA, my brother is getting an MBA, her dad works for an MBA, so she is convinced that I am wasting my time with anything else. And on a better note, I am convinced it is the most useful of all the graduate degrees available to me.

    Third, Bellevue is a non-profit...my mistake. Their tuition is $340 an hour about to go to $370 an hour.

    As for fighting St. Joe's, I'm wasting time and I'm not Alexander the Great....I'm a full time professional who is trying to earn a degree to change professions and take care of my household. I don't have time to fight, I need someone to actually act like maybe I'm paying them for a service or some such crazy idea. If they don't want my business, then how can they teach me anything about business. Call me crazy, but I want to learn from someone who can practice what they preach.

    They don’t want to help me? Fine, I’ll move on. I’ve emailed and called financial aid no less than a dozen times seeking alternatives. I don’t know why I’m the only one brainstorming between the 2 of us, maybe they don’t need me. Maybe I was all wrong about them. I don’t know, I don’t care, but I do know that in this case it just isn’t meant to be. I still like their curriculum better than anyone else’s, but I don’t like how business is conducted so far. I just want a RA MBA for goodness sake, not a friggin’ battle of the bulge with a financial aid dean.
     
  10. Bruce

    Bruce Moderator

    Have you considered the online MBA at UMass-Lowell?

    http://www.umassonline.net/degrees/MBAUMassLowell.html

    It's relatively inexpensive (I believe less than $15K for the entire program), and also has the added benefit of AACSB accreditation. I never had a problem with UML's administrative services; while I didn't use financial aid, many of my classmates did, and I never heard a complaint.
     
  11. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

    Hmm. This doesn't pass the common sense test. You might check www.sjcme.edu/finaid/eligibility.htm
     
  12. Ted Heiks

    Ted Heiks Moderator and Distinguished Senior Member

    For starters, you are not a beggar, you are the customer!!! Find out where their alleged eligibility policy comes from (it should be written down somewhere) and then argue your case from knowledge rather than pleading for mercy.
     
  13. TCord1964

    TCord1964 New Member

    Wow...that really sucks! I remember reading all of the posts between you and Des Elms when you were first considering St. Joe's. Leave it to a pencil pusher to mess up everything for you.

    I agree with some previous posts here. Go up the chain of command until you hit the top. If you still don't get the answer you want, then that school is not the right fit for you.

    I think UMass is a good option. Nova Southeastern also offers an MBA with a concentration in Leadership, so you might look at them also.
     
  14. friendorfoe

    friendorfoe Active Member

    Ted, I've practically memorized that page. I'm calling to ask about dropping out tomorrow. Before I do, I'll give it exactly one more chance, then I'm not wasting anymore time on them....I have to admit, I'm a bit tired of it all.

    Bruce, I liked the UMass program, just not the 6 prereq. courses. I went to eLearners.com to every school they have listed and googled their online MBA programs where appropriate. I have explored everyone from American Intercontinental to Worcester Polytechnic. After an entire weekend of looking and an entire day (Monday) on the phone, Bellevue and Ashford U seem the best choices with a little weight leaning more towards Ashford due to the Organizational Leadership concentration. I even considered APUS.

    I also considered Aspen U for an MBA then following up simultaneously with Texas A&M Commerce Masters of Science in Management, but decided that would be re-plowing the same field and look funny on a resume.
     
  15. Shawn Ambrose

    Shawn Ambrose New Member

    Just so you know - I agree with Ted.

    I had a financial aid issue when I attended the University of Akron for my MBA. I got the runaround from everyone. I documented everything - sent an e-mail to the university president on a Friday night. President replied on a SUNDAY - letting me know that his admin assistant would look into the issue. Monday morning I got a call from the admin assistant and I explained the issue - (It had to do with my military TA).

    Tuesday morning - all fixed.

    Sometimes you have to go to the top - but if you liked the academic program so much - I would do everything I could to take care of the FA end of it.

    Best of luck in whatever you do.

    Shawn
     
  16. TCord1964

    TCord1964 New Member



    Word of warning, friendorfoe: I've read some not-so-flattering reviews of Ashford. You may want to do a search here or on the other board, degreediscussion. I can't remember which board, but one of the members studied with that school for a semester or so and was very disappointed.
     
  17. macattack

    macattack New Member

    Why not go for the TAMU-C MBA then. 30 credits, 9 transfer!
     
  18. skidadl

    skidadl Member

    Dude, I would seriously look into these guys: http://www.tourou.edu/cba/mba.htm

    They give a pretty good discount to law enforcement from what I understand.

    I believe you can get and MBA in Strategic Leadership for 7-8k.

    And that is without any pre-reqs!
     
  19. jmetro

    jmetro New Member

    Wow....

    I'm sorry you're having these problems. It sounds like St. Joe's really isn't paying attention.

    I hope you can fight your way through this one. If I were you, I'd need the actual written policy before I gave up. Then I'd get someone in senior management (dean/asst dean/president) to explain why the policy applies to you and how you might be able to circumvent the policy.

    If not, try www.wgu.edu at $5K to $10K depending on how fast you test and write.

    I loved their program.

    Jacob
     
  20. Pugman

    Pugman New Member

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