Westwood College

I was 18 (2009), still in high school and wanted to get a better education after I graduated. I wasn't really sure what school to attend, it looked overwhelming. Then an ad came across "Westwood College - A place where you can succeed", so I applied online and got a call 2 days later from a rep called Eric ** and set up an appointment. He came to my house, sat with my mom and myself and started showing me brochures of degrees like if he was trying to sell me a product. Eventually, I chose Criminal Justice. I had always wanted to become a police officer and this looked like a great school (so I thought). Eric filled out the paperwork and told me some students pay $150-$0 a month seemed pretty affordable. Eric told me that he had another 4 students (not including myself) fighting for the same enrollment. A couple of days later, he gave me a call saying that I was the one that was chosen. I was filled with joy because I was still in high school and was already accepted to college, had a place to go after I graduated (wish I hadn't).

During the enrollment process, I had to do an exam, ID picture and started talking to me about student loans and that the total was going to be $75000+. But not to be scared by the number, that most are covered by grants and scholarships, and what isn't covered will be added to my student loan, so I should not be worried about payment during school. Westwood faculty helped me fill out the FAFSA and couldn't help but notice that the graduation rate was 28% (in 2009, updated for 2012 is 21% according to OEDB.org). I was concurred and brought it to the attention of the staff. They told me not to mind that and it just hasn't been updated. With all the enrollment out of the way, I attended Westwood College for 1 year (Aug 2009-Jan 2011). During this time, I attended many classes here. I expected to receive a world class education, but that isn't what I got.

One day, I was in class and overheard a couple of alumni talking about the school's creditability and said that this school (Westwood College) only wants our money and that most employers don't take degrees from Westwood, more like a piece of paper with your name on it. This shocked me, it begin to worry me. So I went to student services and asked them about these claims and told me not to listen to people and that the school was working on getting a better accreditation. This happened late 2010. During this, I had a personal event in my life and had to leave school for work. About a year later, I was about to find a stable job and felt like I had to go back to school. I wanted to re-enroll and finish off my 2 years in the Criminal Justice field, had to go through the enrollment process again (March 2012), had to go through a so-called re-entry committee to see if they were going to let me go back in to school. With that out of the way, I had to go to the student finance.

There they told me that my start date was on March 15, 2012. On the first day of class, I showed up to and learned the the teacher didn't show up to class. What a first impression. I showed up the first week and during that week, a finance rep from the school said "Once you're done with this program, this will be your total debt." It was nearly $75,000 on your student loan. Then it clicked. This is outrageous (now knowing that at a community college, I can get a real degree for little or nothing). I dropped from Westwood a second time and this time, for good. Now I got a letter sent to the mail saying I owe $37K. What! $37K for the one year I took (Aug 2009- Jan 2011) and the so-called Bachelors of Science aka ** because that is exactly what it was. This is for one year, now times that by 3 - that will be over $100K.

I am very upset and scared just because I felt I was lied to just so Westwood College, a for-profit school, can take my student loan money. I am in the same position before I enrolled for Westwood as I am now. The only difference is that now, I owe $37K for an education that I can't use. Not only that, I can't even transfer the courses I completed. I am not asking for million dollars, all I am asking is for justice because this school misleads and gives false advertising just so they can enroll us (students) in a school where all it wants is money and not care about its students. I know I am not the only one. If you just Google Westwood, you will see hundreds of stories of lies and deception. I don't want money from the school or publicity, all I want is for the school to refund my student loan.

At 20 years old, I thought I needed a decent degree. So, one of my friends told me "We should get back on track and go back to school, maybe Westwood." This sounded perfect, especially because I had seen their commercials; and wow, they really fooled me! Long story short, I attended that college for 1 year, and I had a personal event in my life that I quit going. A few months later, I was about to re-enroll and finish off my 2 years in the Criminal Justice field; but luckily, an employee at the Anaheim Campus told me "Once you're done with this program, this will be your total debt." It was nearly $75,000. Then it clicked; she was warning me not to go back! Thank God, she did; and I just walked out!

Now, it's been 3 years, and I'm still paying Sallie Mae $23000 total now. I'm down to only $19000 for only 1 year "education." My friend that mentioned Westwood to me is now a "Westwood Graduate" with a Bachelors in Criminal Justice and with now close to $100,000 in debt! And certainly her "B.S." is really what it stands for! **. She is nowhere in the law enforcement field and is high in debt, making loan payments over $400 - $500 per month! For all of you thinking of attending school, just sit and think "Is it really worth paying thousands of dollars just for a degree?"

Having been in the Information Technology industry for over 15 years and working as an IT director, I looked forward to getting a degree in IT in order to join the ranks of management. With the birth of my son and having to work up to 10 hour days, few if any options were available for me back in late 2006. Browsing online and looking at various colleges and available options, I was set to attend night school at a local community college and work towards a bachelor's degree by taking night classes. I received several calls from recruiters from a few IT colleges inquiring about my requests for information. Benjamin from Westwood won me over. Researching Westwood online, there weren't many complaints as compared to the other colleges of this type at the time. After discussing with my wife, we decided that I would enroll in Westwood College Online which would allow me to be home with my newborn son and help my wife while obtaining a degree. Ideal, isn't it?

Admission Promises: During the admission process and in retrospect, Benjamin, the Admission Counselor, whom I would discover after graduation was actually a sales rep, told me what I wanted to hear to gain my confidence and make the sale. I knew the differences between accreditation and he assured me that they were working hard and would not quit until they received Regional Accreditation (Westwood eventually voluntarily resigned this accreditation). "Yes, the cost of the education ($60,000) is expensive but you get what you pay for. Westwood College is well known throughout the IT industry and we send students to Microsoft, IBM, HP. We have a high graduation rate and you can make serious money after graduation." He emailed me the datasheet for the Information System Security bachelor's degree. I was very impressed. Since I would probably like to continue my education and work towards a master's degree, I was assured by Benjamin that the credits I earned from Westwood would transfer to any traditional brick and mortar college. Financing would be no problem through various loans and grants that they would help me sign up for as long as I had a high school diploma. Job placement assistance was another selling point with Benjamin. Being an older learner and with my vast experience, they would assist me in getting interviews with several of the larger IT companies in Southern California.

After passing the admissions exam, getting transcripts to them etc., I received various emails in regards to loan applications and how to complete the FASFA. The rush to get me enrolled made my head spin. Looking back at it now, trying to keep up with the many demands that the admission process required kept me off my guard. But, I was enrolled and on my way to get a valued bachelors degree in Information Systems Security.

Quality of Education: Remember I get what I pay for? Not wanting to cheat myself, I took every class seriously. Studied during my work breaks and did not use the books for exams. I wanted to make sure I was getting everything I was going to pay for. Attended all of the discussions and did all of the lab work that was required. But there were doubts about what I was learning. I asked several of the instructors why we were reviewing outdated technology in some of the classes. I was told that the information in the class is on the certification exams that you can take after you successfully completed the course. Being gullible, I took that as a good explanation. Having several certifications under my belt already before starting Westwood, I did not remember seeing old tech questions on previous certification exams but this was a college and they wanted me to succeed!.

A month after graduation, I attempted to take several certification exams using the books, notes and tests I was given at Westwood. Using that information, I was bewildered to find that I was ludicrously unprepared and failed. I went to a book store with an attached coffee shop and reviewed the books there, at no cost. Comparing the material given by Westwood to what was in the test prep book, I was an astonished to find that the material from Westwood was watered down. Chapters made out of footnotes? I did pass the exam after a retake but I used books from a book store and not the material I paid for from Westwood. I have all of the books that Westwood sent me. Comparing them to the technology exams and other material out there readily available for free, it is my opinion that I could have saved myself all of this trouble by visiting the book store and studying for free. Westwood gave me a weak, watered down education, which did not prepare me for the real world or did it have any relevance to real world issues.

Value of Degree: Westwood College is well known throughout the IT industry and credits will transfer to other colleges? After taking a break from graduation three years ago, I took my transcript to Cal Poly Pomona to start my tract for a masters degree. Upon review by the admissions office, they stated that they could not transfer any credits from Westwood. I explained what Benjamin had told me and swiftly called Westwood upon arriving home. Upon reaching a representative, I was told that until they obtain Regional Accreditation, some credits may not transfer to some colleges. Not what I was told through the admission process and all during my experience at Westwood from the instructors, counselors and finance people. Not deterred, I traveled to several other colleges in my area and was told the exact same thing. Credits will not transfer. A Fullerton admission rep explained that I could test out on classes already taken at Westwood. DSST, CLEP and EST exams are routinely given for a fee and if you pass, most State and Private Colleges will give you college credit. So, books in hand from Westwood, I studied and as above, I failed. Same issue as previously stated: watered down books that had no related information that you would normally receive with a real college education. I went back to the book store for independent study. Yes, after studying the test prep guides and books related to the classes, I prepared to take standardized tests to get credit for classes I had already taken at Westwood. After several weeks of studying and prep using books from the bookstore, I passed.

Cost of Education: Get what you pay for? Well, if you have read my story so far, you would wonder if I did. So far, almost everything I was told by Westwood representatives was either a lie or a twisting of the truth or a willful omission. The excitement over obtaining a Westwood degree soon diminished to disdain. Things in general regarding Westwood began to spiral downward. Time to pay the piper came quickly. Sallie Mae and Great Lakes started sending me bills. Not getting anywhere fast and the economy now heading downhill just as quick, getting raises and promotions with the degree I obtained was proving to be a little difficult. News was out about the fraud and deception tactics Westwood had performed at several campuses across the US. In fact, Westwoods name kept pulling up in search engines under scam, fraud, degree mill and my HR director was not stupid. She questioned the validity of the degree I obtained therefore denying me employee reimbursement for educational expenses. No chance in making management now either.

According to my employer, Westwood still had not obtained Regional Accreditation and until they do, I was out of luck. Emails to Westwood asking for explanations were never responded to. Representatives would direct me to the website for answers. So, no extra money for me to help pay for this educational misadventure, no pay raise and no management position for me. I started paying my signature loan but Sallie Mae wanted almost $750 month for this education I received. It totaled to almost half my take home salary between the two loans, not what I was told during the admission process. Low interest loans easy to pay back after you graduate because we will help you land a job. Try 18% interest over 30 years. What? I will be 70 years old before this loan is paid off. No retirement for me, huh? Starting to cost me more than what I bargained for. So I pay what I can after taking a pay reduction to keep my job when people are losing their shirts. Credit score has dropped but I have a roof over my head and able to feed my family. I still have no answers or have been offered any help for this after three years of trying.

Job Placement Assistance: "We will help place you with a company after graduation, free resume review and posting services will definitely get you in the door at some of the largest IT companies so you can kick start your career." Not exactly what I was offered during the admission process but that's okay. I was not looking to start as a bottom feeder for minimal wage but if I could get in the door, I could show them what skills I had to offer. Westwood representative reviewed my resume. An instructor from one of the last classes I took walked us through posting it online and that is where the help ended. Asking for leads, I was told three separate times by two different Westwood employees that they could not help me. They do not have what I was looking for, no available work in Southern California, no large IT companies either. I could travel 60 miles and work desk support, apply for assistant manager at a fast food restaurant or apply for other entry positions not related to my field of study. Well, this is definitely not what I was told during my admission process by Benjamin. Panic and depression is now setting in.

Reputation of Institution: Several websites are warning potential students to stay clear of this college. Due to the fact that there are several litigation in process due to fraud and other informational websites have picked up the degrading fact that Westwood College students and graduates are Jerry Springers. Playing an active role in the IT community here in Southern California, I have queried many industry experts and IT companies and they do not recognize Westwood College degrees as being valid. SCE, Wells Fargo, Shuffler, NTT Data, Experian and many others have indicated that they would not hire a Westwood graduate. Independent online research reveals search engine results returning key words such as fraud, law suits, deceptive practices and diploma mill. Not looking real good for a graduate, is it? Wikipedia definition of a diploma mill:

"A diploma mill (also known as a degree mill) is an organization that awards academic degrees and diplomas with substandard or no academic study and without recognition by official educational accrediting bodies. The purchaser can then claim to hold an academic degree, and the organization is motivated by making a profit. These degrees are often awarded based on construed life experience. Some such organizations claim accreditation by non-recognized/unapproved accrediting bodies set up for the purposes of providing a veneer of authenticity." [1]

Wikipedia has also included a page to include for profit schools: Out of the 15 sampled, all were found to have engaged in deceptive practices, improperly promising unrealistically high pay for graduating students and four engaged in outright fraud, per a GAO report released at a hearing of the Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee held on August 4, 2010. [28] Examples of misconduct include offering commissions to admissions officers, employing deceptive marketing tactics by refusing to disclose total tuition cost to prospective students before signing a binding agreement, lying about accreditation, encouraging outright fraud by enticing students to take out student loans even when the applicant had $250,000 in savings, promising extravagant, unlikely high pay to students, failing to disclose graduation rate, and offering tuition cost equivalent to 9 months of credit hours per year, when total program length was 12 months.

One of the four for-profit colleges found to be engaging in fraudulent practices were: Guess who? Westwood College in Dallas, Texas: Admissions representative telling applicant to falsely add dependents to qualify for Pell Grants, assuring the applicant that the dependents would not be verified through previous income tax returns nor Social Security numbers, and financial aid representative encouraging applicant not to report the $250,000 in savings, stating that it was not the governments business how much money the undercover applicant had in a bank account., when the Department of Education requires students to report such assets, along with income, to determine how much and what type of financial aid will be awarded. Further search engine inquiries reveal hundreds of complaints regarding Westwood College similar to mine.

In summary, Westwood College representatives lied to me, used deceitful practices and mislead me in regards to the quality and value of education I received. A Westwood education has left me with over $75,000 in college loan debt and with a degree that is not recognized, anywhere by anyone. The reputation of Westwood College is tarnished. I have done better studying independently using books free of charge and paying only for the test taking fees to obtain valid college credit. I have resigned myself to years of hard work and no hope of retirement due to Westwoods false promises, lies and omissions and I foresee no bright future for myself or family.

I started Westwood College Online back in 2007 for their Game Art and Design degree. After completing 2 years, and reaching my more advanced classes, I discovered the lessons had no real difference than the previous classes and the online tutorials, which we've done using a software 2 versions behind ours. There was nothing new and most of time, it didn't even coincide with what we were learning that week!

My instructors couldn't answer some of the more advanced issues I had with models, such as a models verticals imploding when sectioned to make the Unreal Animations. Instead, we had to use their cookie cutter models for animation.

After several of these classes and no hope in sight of getting any real knowledge from these courses, I quit. Another huge issue I have is I was told these classes would be tailored towards working folks and would be a huge strain, and I found the work load to become more and more unbearable as each class with 3-4 per term with 5 terms a year, had reports and posts and tons of reading each week. Don't get me wrong, I knew this was going to be rough, but not nearly as stressful as it had become. To top it off, I come to find out the school lost its only accreditation and didn't let us know. The letter they sent out said they where on probation due to low successful course completion and that, it does not affect our degrees.

This school misled my husband by promising a particular service at a particular price and then took much more money than what was quoted and did not deliver the service. My husband John ** was first misled by a Westwood commercial that implied one could attend the game development program they had to offer and upon getting a degree, one could then work from home via the computer/internet. It turns out that what they really meant was that you could attend the school via the computer/internet and not actually work on a job from home that way, but the commercial most certainly made it sound as if you could. Then when he spoke with them, he made it clear that he wanted to learn programming.

He was very excited about the opportunity to work from home (he was never corrected about this) and also that we are a struggling family so if it would cost more than we could handle, he would not be able to attend. He was assured that the cost of getting this degree would not exceed $60,000 and that a large portion of that would be covered by grants leaving us with an estimated twenty-something thousand dollars left to pay back, and that he would not have to pay anything back until after he graduated.

He worked very hard to keep his grades up and maintained a 3.8 GPA thinking that he can graduate, get his degree, and make a better life for his family. He had to juggle family, work, and school for 3 years which was incredibly difficult but he was determined to do what he had to in order to achieve job security and a better future. At this point, he still has about 2 terms left to graduate but he cannot do so because they say that we need more money to finish the program and we are barely able to keep our electricity on and pay the mortgage right now.

They have already gotten $124,000 in the form of grants, federal loans, and personal loans which they applied for in his name by simply sending him forms to sign every so often so he had no idea until recently how much debt had actually incurred. We have to pay back nearly $90,000 in federal and personal loans with no degree to show for it and even if he did have the degree, he would not be able to use it. They told him that he would learn programming but the art and design program they placed him in did not cover programming at all as he was told it did and as far as art and design game development jobs go, there were none in the state that we live in.

We are left now, after all the hard work and time put into what was supposed to be a better future, way over our heads in debt and certainly no better off than we were when he started attending Westwood College Online. We have been harassed relentlessly by Sallie Mae (the financial institution that Westwood used for the loans) but we cannot pay it because we simply don't have the money as we are already struggling. I don't feel that we should have to pay it considering that they did not put him in the type of program that he was applying for. He couldn't even finish the program in order to get the degree because they've already exhausted all of his available funding and even if he could, it would be useless and he did not get to learn anything that he went to this school to learn in the first place.

An internet search of Westwood College reviews, as well as speaking with people who have attended other colleges and heard things about Westwood, has revealed that we are not the only people they have done this to. They have done the same thing to many other students as well and it is nothing but a scam. College is supposed to be an opportunity to better your life and the school representatives certainly should not lie to students in order to get their money and leave them with nothing but outrageous debt. What this school is doing is wrong and I'm sure that it can't be legal.

I am a former Westwood College student in 2010. I was going for B.S. Degree in Criminal Justice. I am completely disgusted with this school. 9 months in the program, I found out it that wasn't fully accredited. There were rumors around the school. When I asked the teachers about it, they wouldn't give me a straight answer. I soon started investigating on my own and found that there were problems with Westwood colleges across the nation. The counselors at the school told me that those were the "haters" talking. I soon called local police dept and they said they didn't recognize the bachelors degree from Westwood College.

The programs were aimed in my field and I had some great instructors. I also had a few instructors that didn't care. We had take home finals and easy projects. I think the education I received was decent. It could have been better. The financial aid dept. was a joke. It lacked communication, organization and came up with lies. The financial aid dept was very misleading and told me that I was "charged for textbooks" even though I didn't need them for class. That doesn't make sense! I could never get a straight answer or the same answer. I had to talk to person after person to find out what I owe for one term. They would say, "we don't know what you owe and we have to talk to our loan consultant back in Idaho." The college has charged illegal interest rates on loans that were not discussed with students. Now, I am $15,000 in debt and I wasted a year of schooling.