North Central University Financial Aid System

I'm a current student which uses FA option but due to the fact they are doing away with this thing and I can't get any other alternative loan with Salle Mae and the payment options are bit high still. :/ I am looking into Touro University seem to be only $25.00 more per hour then what NCU offer. One thing I love about NCU was it was great taking classes and it was something I enjoyed then the other university I took online.

 

one of the victims

I just got accepted to NCU and was supposed to start on April 1st. I've calmed down a little now that I've read all your posts. The option to expedite the program is definitely a plus.
But... the way they did it! Just on March 1st Ronnie Strawn of NCU financial department sent me an e-mail explaining how to apply for FAFSA. On March 4th, Friday, she sent me another e-mail saying to let her know when I get my SAR. On Tuesday I got my SAR, e-mailed her ... and no response. And the next day, and the next. Then later last week NCU e-mailed me an impersonal announcement - the one that was pasted on this site. In this announcement they sound very upbeat, and not even about to apologize for such a short notice. Actually, no notice at all... I felt very offended. It's both dishonest and disrespectful to us, the students.
At that time I also contemplated applying to another school (before or after suing NCU for knowingly misleading me). I've cooled off now and will wait to see what kind of financial plan equivalent they have. Sallie Mae site responds with the same - "contact your school's financial office". Well, that's not a problem - a problem is getting a response. Since they don't answer my e-mails, I called them today, but "they are not accepting calls". There is absolutely no way go get through. The reception staff talks about them being so busy with the change of policy as if it was some kind of tsunami. But it wasn't! They KNEW it was coming. It's us who was left in the dark.

Still outraged,
Laura

 

Laura I was to start on April 1st as well.
I am applying at another school. Good luck!

C. Novick, it has hurt the interest of at least one person...me
BH

 

Brian, good luck.
I'd like to do the same, but the lack of residency requirement at NCU still lures me back. Walden and Capella are more established and offer federal financial aid, but require residencies.
However, after the trick NCU pulled on us this time, who knows what else they'll do. They obviously don't have any regard for the students. What they did is highly unethical. So, staying with NCU is like sitting on a time bomb. Someone in earlier posts has mentioned this scenario: NCU administration doesn't see a lot of profits and decides to close the universtiy. The students will, of course, find out days after it happens. I think it's not that impossible.
So, it's a gamble for me. I need what they have (no residency) but I don't feel safe with them and I don't trust them. I'll keep reading this board and see what others from NCU are planning to do. You have character, Brian. Best wishes.

Laura

 

Hi,
Laura, I agree with your concern over NCU pulling something like this in the future. I know other online schools have there ups and downs; but now that I've been burned at NCU I find it hard to trust them. I rather take my chance with another school then stick around and wait for NCU to hurt me again. I already Know I can't take another sudden change by NCU lightly. My mother always told me if your slapped in the face by some one the first time don't doubt they won't try it again. So, I don't want another slap in the face from NCU. I wish you luck Laura.

 

Life in the real world

Quebec Students Stage Traffic-Snarling March Through Montreal to Protest Shift on Student Aid

http://chronicle.com/prm/daily/2005/03/2005031701n.htm

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Is it the one week per year that you cannot commit to?

 

PaulC,

For some people, it is all they can do to get one week off from work. Add to that , family obligations, motel rental( or staying in a dorm), food that has to be paid for, air travel and car rental, it can add up. Many people, (including myself), cannot afford that. If you can, then it is not too bad. Just my 23 cents. This is where the Northcentral's of the world are very inticing.

 

No doubt there are many reasons people prefer programs without the time and cost associated with these short face to face sessions: different wants and different needs.

If one can afford Walden, and this is not a given I understand, the additional cost of three one week residencies is moderate in relation to the total cost of their Walden doctoral program. So, if one was considering Walden or Capella, I assume, perhaps incorrectly, that affordability has been factored in to that consideration.

 

Simon wrote: "Laura, after an experience such as yours I can totally understand your skepticism and anticipation of other possible unfavorable scenarios. However, do not think for one moment that the other distance learning institutions are picture perfect and do not have their share of significant issues that impact on segments of their student population."

Simon,
I have to agree with you. Other schools have their share of deceiving students in this way or another. Before I chose NCU I had been researching other online schools and looking for any negative publicity about them. I ran across a site called something like http://www.capellasucks.com! I am not completely sure about the address, but something like that. This guy was a Capella student, he set up the site and invited others to give their input. Something tells me he doesn't like Capella very much. As for others, some spoke in favor of Capella, some were pretty bitter, and there was actually a lawsuit mentioned that Capella is currently going through. So, we are definitely not the only disgruntled online students.

Avia93,
good luck to you. Hope you have more options than I do in terms of residency requirements. Keep us posted, O.K.?

PaulC wrote: "Is it the one week per year that you cannot commit to?"
"If one can afford Walden, and this is not a given I understand, the additional cost of three one week residencies is moderate in relation to the total cost of their Walden doctoral program. So, if one was considering Walden or Capella, I assume, perhaps incorrectly, that affordability has been factored in to that consideration."

PaulC,
That's probably the main reason why people go online - so they can keep their current jobs and/or families intact. I guess you don't have a whole lot of commitments compared to the rest of us.
By the way, Walden offers federal financial aid. So if "one can't afford Walden", then "one" gets that financial aid. And, if money and time taken from work and/or family isn't a problem for you, then why not go to a brick and mortar school? I would. Lucky you.

 

I do agree that many of us make the DL choice to keep our jobs and families intact. It was certainly ahuge factor in my decision.

I offer the following only because you make the suggestion that, "I guess you don't have a whole lot of commitments compared to the rest of us." While in my doctoral program, I was raising two kids, had a full time job, and worked a part time second job. During this period I also helped out with the serious illness of a close relative. I received a two week per year vacation benefit from my employer and I used one week of that to attend the short session, which left me with a week of vacation left over. I would not suggest a reason you are making your choice.

On behalf of the many, many learners that I was fortunate to meet and learn from along my journey, learners whose personal stories of difficulty and hardship and commitments were very compelling, it would be a mistaken premise to suggest that a person that makes the choice that includes these very short sessions must have fewer commitments. It just is not so.

I do not begrudge nor diminish any person’s reason for not choosing a program that includes a one week per year face time commitment. Choice is a good thing and we all have different wants and needs. I respect those choices.

I'm pretty much an average guy with at least as many commitments and responsibilities as the next fellow. So, I would say time and money are both scarce commodities. I don't have the luxury to say these are not a problem for me. To suggest that if one can commit to one week a year, that they can also commit to 52 weeks a year at a B&M seems a bit of a stretch.

I wish you well in your program.

 

NCU's loss of federal aid

I think it will be very important to confrm why NCU is no longer a part of the federal program that initiated their participation in federally supported aid.

This information should be public via the Dept of Education. NCU terminated voluntarily, as they claim, or otherwise. Confirmation will come with time or by specific inquiry into the program that NCU was a part.

My guess is that NCU would be foolish to misrepresent what they know will be pulic information, so I'd lean their way until I have confirmation from the DOE.