University of Phoenix - Financial Aid

Jennifer of Boise ID (04/20/06)
I started the online MBA program in 2001. For the first classes I took, everything went fairly smoothly, as I was on a corporate payment plan. In 2002 I got divorced and took a short leave of absence. When I started my program back up, I ended up having to apply for financial aid (I couldn't afford the taxation) in order to finish my program. I worked with numerous individuals who promised that my financial aid would be processed and that I could take my courses.

In 2004, I was at a point where I could no longer afford to attend without the aid and I officially applied for the financial aid. My advisor at the time said that it would be approved with no issues and that I would have it in a month. Over the next several months, I was alternately told that they didn't process it because I was on the corporate aid, and that they had processed it and I would be getting it soon. I didn't know which to believe - the second choice should have been obvious by this point. Over the next several months, I struggled with the financial aid department. After talking me into taking a summer course without the aid approved "because it will be processed in time" and I wouldn't have to worry.

At one point I was assured that my aid would be approved and provided by July. I was talked into taking ANOTHER course at this time with the promise of aid on the way. Around this time, my advisor stopped responding to my emails and phonecalls. I ended up sick during this time and ended up getting an incomplete. I was unable to finish the class in time, and was told I'd have to retake it (which would have to come out of my pocket entirely). In September, I found out the advisor was no longer with the company and I had a new one. He promised the same things as the first, yet I still did not get aid processed.

There was no way that I could retake the course without any aid, but the new advisor talked me into it as well, saying that he could approve financial aid retroactively. Several complications later, I still had not received any aid. I was suffering major financial hardship at this time, which caused major physical issues and I ended up with another incomplete that I had to cover (trying to pay my bills that I would have been able to cover had UP processed my financial aid as promised). At this point I was told that I would have to retake those two course - paying out of my pocket - before they could process my aid. I took out hardship withdrawals out of my 401k to do this and I successfully completed those two classes. ...

I had to take out several hardship withdrawals (penalized) from my 401k to pay for classes I was promised I would be covered by financial aid with. I was forced and coerced into a position where I had to take a class that I couldn't afford that I am still trying to pay off slowly - that should be adequately covered by financial aid (Either Sallie Mae or Citibank - they have their option!). I nearly had to file bankruptcy last summer to get through this, but I stuck it out because I felt it was the right thing to do, even though I had been wronged greatly and lied to. After almost two years of going through this financial aid circus, I broke down to where I had to go on anti-depressants in order to deal with the extra excessive financial burden I had to deal with. I haven't attended classes since April of 2005, yet I am still dealing with the physical, emotional and economic effects on my experience at UP. I still don't have the MBA that I have worked very hard for, either. I don't know if I will ever be able to finish it if UP won't follow through with the financial aid.

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