Concorde Career College

Doug of Pleasant Valley, MO October 26, 2009

I entered a career college in July 2009, there were many problems, so I checked into the community colleges for the LPN program but found they had a waiting list. So, being an older student,I decided to go to another career college. Concorde Career College ended up being my second choice. I first entered a program with another career college, but cut my losses and transferred to Concorde.

When I first went in, I was assured by the admission rep that my student loans would transfer...no problems. I met with financial aid and was told that I may have a balance due since the previous college had all ready taken some student loan money for the classes I had there. I was unable to get another loan so I was offered a Concorde Loan Option, which I took since it wasn't very much. I was told everything was fine from that point on. I got my books, the third class (most received books day one)-a few days later I get a call from financial aid telling me that she was able to lower my amount due by half and all I needed to do is come in and resign some papers. I did this and was told that now everything is fine, no problems.

the day after I signed the papers, the financial aid officer called again telling me there was a problem-this time she said that my previous school had returned over 3k to unused student loans, which would cover my balance due for Concorde...but there is a 90 day wait to get the money to them. It is now up to the Director of Financial Aid to say it is ok, and the financial aid person told me she wasn't sure it would be ok'd. So I will find out, after attending classes since the 15th, whether I can continue.

Now, if I attend classes, I have to pay for them even if they refuse to wait 90 days. If I don't attend classes I run the risk of being dropped for attendance and they get the money unless I officially drop the program. They led me to believe everything was ok three times then changed it at what seems to be their whim. Dropping the program isn't an option because I would have to wait months for any other program to start. I was told everything they thought I wanted to hear. I feel like I have been baited to stay regardless of what the truth is regarding the financial aid.

Due to the continued changes in the financial aid status I have lost sleep wondering whether or not I am in a program or not. I have lost virtually all the trust for career colleges since the problems in financial aid...these are problems that really don't exist since the money was returned to the lender and will be available to the school. The admission rep sucked me in telling me what I wanted to hear as did the financial aid office. Now I am basically stuck until a decision is made. I will NEVER recommend a career college to anyone.

colleena of gresham, OR October 16, 2009

I went to get info dental assisting. As I have a criminal backround I was very skeptical about getting a job even with added education. He said this would not interfere. And then preceded to tell me I was to fat and to old for the job. I was in shock and just sat their while he told me medical billing was where I needed to be. That my backround would not affect that either. I went thru all the classes. And did not find full time work for about a year. And even then the main reason I got it was someone I went to school with worked there. It was a very diverse non profit. And when layoffs started I was out.

And have not worked in a medical office since. I have had a couple pt cashier jobs. In the last 3 years. No one will hire me because of my backround. And now I have debt for schooling I cannot use. I have been checking into taking courses at mt hood comm college and all of their medical office, coding, reception, transription, ect. Require a full criminal backround check. So I cannot even get current or further my education in this field. I should have walked out when he first insulted me, but I was at a point in my life where I had to do something and at the time 9 months sounded really good compared to 2 years. I would not reccomend this school to anyone.

linda of yucaipa, CA October 4, 2009

I am in the LVN program at Concorde and on 9/29/09 my classmates and myself entered class and found out that we had a new instructor. We were told by the assistant Dean and the Director of Nursing that they decided to swap our instructor and another classes instructor. They did this 9 days before our final! Our class was outraged and asked for and explanation, we were told that we were not privy to the information due to confidentiality reasons. However they went on to say that our new instructor was competent and that they have the utmost confidence in her. We told them this was unacceptable to make a change so drastic as this right before our final. I went to the academic dean to get answers and to make a complaint. He tried to bully me into accepting the change, my classmates and myself filed a written grievance. The instructor we were given to replace our instructor has had a formal grievance filed against her, I have a copy of the letter they filed. That other class explained in depth how she was not organized, the lectures lacked structure and were vague and it is evidenced by the fact that the class is severely behind. The class began demanding their money back. Theirs is a class of 30, my class is a class of 6.

I have come to find out, by calling the corporate office that they were aware of the grievance against this instructor and they were aware of the switching of the teachers. I have spoken with so many faculty members of the school and corp. office and asked them why would they allow this to happen. This has impacted our class in such a negative way, all of us our suffering from the stress of this situation.I truly feel like our class was disrupted for the sake of the larger class. The tuition they pay is 28,000 times 30 of them compared to 28,000 times 6 of us. The director of nursing needs to be held accountable for the decision she has made to take our instructor from us. We have only had the new instructor for a few days and we are already falling behind, she is unable to meet the objectives for the class time as scheduled. As of now we are awaiting the decision of the grieveance committee. However i feel regardless of the outcome, the administrators responsible for implementing this change and causing so much undue stress upon our class, which has manifested itself as symptoms such as nausea, hives, headaches, lack of focus, insomnia and stomach aches. Needs to be held accountable for their blatent lack of consideration for our class.

Danielle of Lucerne Valley, CA September 28, 2009

Concorde advertises that you can graduate with an Associates Degree in Respiratory Therapy for 32k and you can continue your education any where. They further indicate that they supply you with everything you will need for the price for your tutition. What they don't explain to you is ALL of the gray area. Like the likely-hood of you working as a CRT is rare, that Concorde's AS Degree doesn't transfer to a normal 4 yr college and most medical establishments don't recognize it. They mislead and lie about the very things they state they do. They don't tell you that they are not concerned with the student's success. They explain to you that they are a professional Institution that has a dress code and a code of conduct. They don't tell you that it is only inforced as "they" see fit, everyone is not treated the same. In order to even think of getting a job as an RT, you will have to take the advanced RT class. Which they offer, yet don't offer. The price is 9k...opps now it is 11k. Everyone in my class is very unhappy about the stories we were told. If you are looking to go to school, I would keep looking. Good~Luck with your Future

rachael of Roeland Park, KS September 11, 2009

28 RN sudents finished and passed all course work for degree, An exit exam was given after course work only 14 passed, it was given again only 5 passed, remaining must withdraw from program, pay a 100 fee and wont be able to take again until Feb next year. The information on the exam is designed for a practicing RN not a new grad RN. Now we have no degree and cant get one, cant transfer credits to another program, this has been emotionally and physically stressful, the school has taken 25-35,000 dollars from each of us and we have no degree and cant sit for NCLEX. Many of us have no jobs and now extreme debt.Is there any actions we can do legally?

Terri of San Bernardino, CA June 16, 2009

I was quoted the total cost of training as 16,665 for an LVN certificate program. I further have this in writing to the Work Force Investment Act who was funding me for 10,000 of this tuition. After nearly a month of testing and numerous drives to and from the school. They changed this fee to 18,389. They state it is the total cost of tuition, but the document they signed to WIA states this is the total cost for books, intitution ect. They will not honor this document as proof to what I had been originally quoted. I feel like they have gotten me emotionally involved and then hoped they could spring this additional expense and that I would just sign for the additional amount.

Report Your Experience
If you've had a bad experience -- or a good one -- with a consumer product or service, we'd like to hear about it. All complaints are reviewed by class action attorneys and are considered for publication on our site. Knowledge is power! Help spread the word. File your consumer report now.

Share		Follow us on Twitter.

Back to the top |