Westland College

I attended Westland College in Citrus Heights between 1985 to 1986.
It shut down in May, 1986, and another school tried taking it over.
Words cannot express my visceral hatred for this school.

 

Most of the time, when a degree mill thread is given a second life, it's someone trying to defend the school. I guess I don't mind a little necromancy if the purpose is to drive yet another stake through the heart.

 

I used to work in the area... it's hard to separate Fair Oaks and Citrus Heights - they wind in and out of each other.

 

I would like to clear up the business regarding Westland College in Citrus Heights California. I attended the college from 1984 to 1986, took out 10,000.00 in student aid through Sally Mae. The College was a business college, non accredited, that offered an associates degree. They offered several different degrees to choose from, I chose Secretarial Science as a degree to be an Executive Secretary. I attended school 8 hours a day, five days a week, for two years. Tough school but worth it. Unfortunately, in 1986 the Owner of the College embezzeled all the money that was given to him and left the school, students, and teachers with nothing. The opportunities that were offered to the students, who weren't able to get their associates degree, would have to attend Yield College in fresno, test out in every class they attended passed at Westland, in order to get their degree. Many students received their associates from westland many did not. That doesn't mean they didn't attend or get the education to further their career. I would say if you have an applicant that has attended Westland College, Citrus Heights California, please give them a break because they suffered enough with having to pay their student loans for an uncompleted diploma that they paid for and put their time in.

Thank you,
Former Student, Westland College, Citrus Heights CA
Michelle Kane

 

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The only bad thing is there is no way to verify that the applicant went to that School, good, bad, or indifferent. Honestly anyone can say they were a student at Westland College to get "something" on their resume - it's easy due to the fact that it cannot be verified. Not being able to find any evidence of the school's existence in some record data somewhere is suspect at best, including the few posts here by very "new" members.

If it were me, I would leave that off of a resume, it opens up cloudy doors that should remain closed IMHO that is.. Experience would have way more weight in a hiring decision then putting this place on there.

Peace

 

Yes Virginia, there was a Westland College!

For those that stuck it out to the bitter end of Westland College there was a rescue by National College based in Sioux Falls South Dakota. A few years ago, I drove by, and there was a church in the old automotive section of the school and an automotive dealer on the west side that was a vacant field when I attended there.

 

Westland College in Clovis CA.

Does anyone know about the Western College that was in Clovis Ca. It was closed down in 1988. I am try to locate manuscripts from when I went there.:

 

I attend Westland College in Clovis, CA from 1983 to 1985, and it was a nationally credited school. Your problem is going to be that anything prior to the 1990's the California Department of education, and all California Departments pertaining to it have destroyed all records of said school. Your best bet is to get a hold the Federally department of education and do a search of your student loan/grant history and you will be able to aquire records from them. And for the narrow minded anal retentive people who judge trade schools as Degree Mills, you had better stop seeing your dentist as every employee beshides the dentist got their education from a 'Degree' mill, oh and you better stop having your cars engine worked on to as all those mechanics got there education at a 'Degree' mill, and so did your hair stylist, most likely your bank teller, your nurses aided your secretarial assistant and your paralegals, so go hide in a dark hole and pretend these 'College's' and these people don't matter!

 

Westland College is discussed in this 1989 report from the California Postsecondary Education Commission.
See page 16 in the PDF (page 9 as numbered in the text). According to this report:

- Westland opened in 1981

- It was accredited in 1983 by the Association of Independent Schools and Colleges (AISC). AISC is now ACICS, the Accreditation Council for Independent Colleges and Schools. ACICS is a CHEA and USDoE recognized accreditor.

- Westland failed an audit in late 1985 and was sold to Sierra College of Business in February 1986.

- Then it closed for good in May 1986. Some $600,000 in student tuition and federal loans were lost.

- 44 private postsecondary schools closed in California between 1986 and 1989.

- Of these closed schools, 15 were accredited by AISC (now ACICS).

- Another 12 closed schools were accredited by the National Association of Trade and Technical Schools (NATTS), now the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges (ACCSC), which is also a CHEA and USDoE recognized accreditor.

*****

The regional accreditors are sometimes criticized for their focus on financial issues (not just academic issues).
On the other hand, it's probably true that RA schools are much less likely to fail financially than NA schools.

 

Westland College Reunion

My name is Mongkol Mahavongtrakul. I worked at Westland College in Citrus Heights, California, as one of the electronics instructors during 1982 to 1986. A lot of us, instructors and students, were upset that the school was shut down. Some of the students had to pay back the student loans which I felt so sorry for them. A lot of instructors didn't get paid for a month or so. Many of us kept on working and hoped that the school financial would get better.

The school used to be one of the best schools in Sacramento. Our graduates did get jobs and some of the students did continue getting higher degree after they finished Westland College. We did very well financially until the owners bought private jets and placed bet on the gambling tables and lost the school in 1986. Many innocent lives were affected. I couldn't blame anyone if they hated the school. I am not sure if the owner, Mr. John Hatch is still alive. I had forgiven him and his family long time ago. Life goes on.

If anyone who used to be related to Westland College in Citrus Heights, and wants to have a reunion in the near future, we should form "Westland College Citrus Heights" on the Facebook. Most of us must be in the 50s, or 60s by now. If you see this message by accident, please email me at [email protected] and we can make the reunion become reality.

 

Westland college did close in 1987. It was absorbed by national university in 1988.

at: WESTLAND COLLEGE DID CLOSE IN 1987. IT REOPENED AT 6060 SUNRISE ABOUT A MONTH LATER. ITS NEW NAME WAS NATIONAL UNIVERSITY. THERE WAS ANOTHER CAMPUS IN CLOVIS, CA.

 

National College took over Westland College. I was in the electronics program . TV cameras were on campus a couple of days before it was bankrupt. Ireturned along with 2 or 3 other studets to complete the curriculm and received an Associate of Applied Science Degree in Electronic Technology on November 1986 National College is now National American University. The address for transcripts is :5301 S. Highway 16, Suite 200 Rapid City, SD 57701. There is a $10 fee per transcript . TEL # 605-394-4935 FAX # 605-394-4869 A transcript request form is available online. Hope this info is of help to someone and goodluck.

 

Oops! National college took over westland college in 1986. A couple of days before westland college's doors were closed to us, the lobby was crowded with tv crews and other reporters. I returned with a couple of others to complete my courses and graduated with an associate of applied sciences degree in electronic technology. From national college. Transcripts available at : National american university, 5301 s. Highway 16, suite 200, rapid city , sd 57701 tel:605-394-4935 fax: 605-394-4869 hope this helps

 

NATIONAL COLLEGE not national university. Now the name is NATIONAL AMERICAN UNIVERSITY. Westland College was closed in 1986 not 1987.

 

Wow! A seven year old thread!

 

I attended 1985-86. Graduated in nov 1986 with an associate of applied science degree in electronic tecnology. Yes, it was bankrupt. Opened as national college. New name is american national university. For transcripts: American national university, registrar, 5301 s. Highway 16, suite 200, rapid city, sd57701 phone (605) 394-4935 fax # (605) 394-4869 good luck.

 

Taken over by national college. Now called american national university. For transcripts: American national university,regitrar, 5301 s. Highway 16, suite 200, rapid city, sd 57701 tel: 605-394-4935 fax: 605-394-4869 good luck

 

I was a student at Westland College in Citrus Heights/Fair Oaks California at the time of their closure in 1983. I am hoping that someone has found current information on their business offices and how to contact them. My current college is asking me for my transcripts from Westland College and I do not know how to satisfy their request. Any information to this matter will be greatly appreciated.
Thank you

 

That all sounds good, but it only is subject to those students who actually attended the programs provided by National College. I graduated may of 1986, and the registrar for national College has retained no information for any student that wasn't there. The California Department of post secondary schools only has that registrars information and at that time the federal Government only required record retention on 5 years!

I am currently trying to do loan/grant search to see if I can obtain any information through them!!