Complaints are on the rise and for good reason. Students are reporting threats from staff, being dismissed from school for voicing concerns or filing complaints, unexplained fees, and disappearing professors. The list of complaints is lengthy according to onlinedegreereviews.org. The common theme: money, rules, and serious lack of communication.
Although onlinedegreereviews.org has been the primary outlet for students, the NCU theme is universal and has crossed over to multiple sites designed to track nationwide student feedback. Sites include ncu. pissedconsumer.com and
guidetoonlineschools.com.
Issues with NCU are so prevalent that students have turned to outside agencies for assistance. The AZ Attorney General and Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education are just a few who have seen an increase in complaints against NCU.
With so many qualified issues and complaints, it is amazing that NCU has not experienced major sanctions and penalties. Where is the accrediting body? Is this another government agency ill equipped to recognize consumer fraud?
Finding an attorney to pursue a class action suit in Prescott, AZ has also proven to be a challenge. Most are not interested, noting NCU as a major employer and a vital part of Prescott economics. Attorneys in other states are interested in the case but have no idea where to begin. This leaves a high number of students unable to take legal action.
What can students do? Online complaining is not the only answer. It is good to share experience with others, but resolving the issue takes time and attention. Students should take the following steps if they have been unsuccessful with resolving the disputes directly with the school.
1. If this a financial issue, students should file a complaint with the BBB. In this case, NCU makes great efforts to keep a high credit rating with the BBB.
2. Financial disputes should go to the AZ Attorney General.
3. Students receiving federal financial aid should file with US Federal Aid.
Complaints involving discrimination should go directly to U.S. Office for Civil Rights. All other student fraud issues should go to AZ Attorney General, Arizona State Board for Private Postsecondary Education, and North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. Complaints and concerns must be clear with supporting documentation.
Like so many other for profit schools, the desire for higher profits can create disappointed students. In this case, the list of disappointed students is lengthy. Until accrediting agencies step in and pull the plug on schools like NCU, profits trump satisfaction.
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