Empire Education Corp Mildred-Elley Education

Student failed to provide the appropriate documentation required and requested on multiple occasions to receive financial aid.At the time of enrollment student needed to provide a letter stating that she was not in default on a previous student loan taken out at a different institution .She failed to provide this letter after many attempts onthe schools part requesting this needed documentAdditionally, Student neglected to provide parents income which was also a required document since she was considered a dependent studentShe also failed to provide this needed informationThe failure to provide these two pieces of documentation made her ineligible for financial aidThat loss of aid made her personally responsible for the cost of the educationThe school attempted to work with this student on numerous occasions but the student simply failed to provide the needed documentation necessary to process her financial aidSubsequently, the student agreed to start taking care of her balance with the school by making small monthly installment payments but defaulted on every paymentIt is unfortunate that this student feels upset regarding her current status with the school but her neglect in providing needed documentation is the reason that she lost the financial aid that was estimated for when she enrolled in school

The institution is willing to help the student achieve educational outcomes for which she qualifiesThe institution must clarify the following statements and has included appropriate citations from the institution's academic catalog where appropriateThe institution encourages the student to contact the Dean of Academic Affairs to fully understand and explore the available educational options ·The student was enrolled at the institution 09/21/to her last date of attendance on 05/11/for a total of two semestersShe entered the institution in the Medical Assistant degree program and transferred into the Practical Nursing Program in March of Students may retake quizzes or competencies, however students are not permitted to retake midterm or final exams, as indicated on page of the college catalog The student received a on the final exam which would result in her failing the course Several components go into calculating a student’s grade throughout the term; quizzes worth 20%, midterm worth 30%, final worth 40%, and assignments worth 10% The student did not submit the assignment· Each course provides a comprehensive exam to tests students’ attainment of knowledge encompassing material from all weeks They are not specific to just one week or one day of information· As listed on page of the catalog, the institution clearly outlines the process to transfer to another institution· Students are registered for classes based on the program they are enrolled in The courses for each program are listed in the Academic Catalog Students can also see the Department Chair of their program and review an online degree audit to determine which courses are necessary for program completion· [redacted] Foster Career School, College, and High School are nationally accreditedThis means that [redacted] Foster has met the high standards required by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC) in Washington, D.CThe Distance Education Accrediting Commission is listed by the U.SDepartment of Education as a nationally recognized accrediting agency· [redacted] Foster Career School is regionally accredited for non-degree granting post-secondary programs, and [redacted] Foster High School is regionally accredited for grades through adult, by the Commission on Secondary Schools of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, Market Street, Philadelphia, PA215-662-www.msa-cess.org· The Mildred Elley Practical Nursing Program is not accredited by ACEN, nor is it stated anywhere on the website, publications, or marketing material that it is · The institution is accredited through ACICS (Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools) and the New York State Office Education Department Office of Professions to offer and grant the certificate in Practical NursingMildred Elley complies with all New York State and ACICS standards· The institution follows the published guidelines for granting a student a Leave of Absence as listed on page of the academic catalog· The institutions’ tuition comparable to other similar institutions in the area as listed below College Tuition per Credit Mildred-Elley $Mandl School $ASA College $ASA College Nursing Professional Courses $Berkeley College $TCI College of Technology $The Swedish Institute, except Nursing $The Swedish Institute, Nursing $

The school has responded to the department of education regarding this claimWe await their response before responding any further to this issue

The school has tried on multiple occasions to assist this student in her quest to enter into the Practical Nursing programHowever, having recently graduated with a degree from the Medical Assisting Program the student was required to graduate with a minimum of a GRADE POINT AVERAGE or PASS THE
TEAS ENTRANCE EXAM. Unfortunately, the student failed to achieve either of these requirementsThe student is well informed and is welcome to take the TEAS entrance exam again to try to improve her scoreHowever, she recently refused this offerI have provided the section of the catalog, which clearly outlines the requirements for entrance into the Practical Nursing ProgramAt this point, the student does not meet those requirementsFurthermore, the school did not and does not represent our program offerings in any way that is not consistent with what is stated in our catalogWe do not make promissory statements and do not try to deceive our students in any wayFrankly, that assertion is offensive and unwarranted Regardless, the school is still willing to allow the student to retake the TEAS test in an effort to achieve a passing score so that she can apply for entrance into the PN ProgramAcceptance to the program in Practical nursing is competitive, and candidates are strongly encouraged to initiate the admissions or Program have been s Requirements for Admission to the Practical Nursing Programs Acceptance to the program(s) in Practical Nursing is competitive, and candidates are strongly encouraged to initiate the admissions procedure well before the intended start date. Candidates for admission to the Practical Nursing program(s) must meet the following requirements: Be a high school graduate from a recognized school providing secondary education within the United States or hold a General Equivalency Diploma (GED), and Be at least years of age as of the first day of scheduled classes, and Successfully pass institutional assessment exams (including a placement proficiency exam and an exam designated to assess readiness for nursing education) measuring proficiency in oral and written communications and quantitative literacy with scores acceptable to the institution, and Demonstrate proficiency in mathematics and natural (biological) sciences, as demonstrated by:Earning a grade of “C” or above in Math A (or Algebra) and Biology (or comparable natural science course) in high school.Biology (or comparable natural science course) must be earned at the ninth grade level or higher.Math credits must be earned at the tenth grade level or higher; orreceiving passing scores in Mathematics and Science on the GED examination, or an equivalent proficiency examination; orearning a grade of “C” or above in college-level Mathematics and/or Biology coursework; or o A combination of these or alternative methods of demonstrating proficiency in mathematics and biological/natural sciences as judged appropriate by the institutionAchieve a minimum composite score of on the TEAS VI exam OR Successfully complete and graduate from the Mildred Elley Medical Assistant, AOS, or Clinical Medical Assistant, Certificate program, and o Achieve an overall cumulative grade point average of 3.0; or o Achieve a minimum composite score of on the TEAS VI examAdmission will depend in part on how well the student performed in completing other Mildred Elley college coursework. The Practical Nursing program faculty expect all Mildred Elley transfer candidates to achieve a grade of B- or better in any Practical Nursing preparatory course the student may have taken (see below)Due to limitations of the size of each nursing class admitted to the institution, qualified applicants may be placed on waiting lists for future program start dates.The admissions requirements and procedures for students who have completed college-level work that may be applicable to the program differ; please inquire with the Office of Admissions for more details regarding advanced placement.Students who wish to transfer into Practical Nursing from another Mildred Elley degree program must satisfy the following minimum requirements: A grade of “B- or better in all preparatory courses takenSubmission of all official high school and college transcriptsAchieve a minimum composite score of on the TEAS VI examTransfer into Practical Nursing is highly competitive and only on a seat-available basis. For further information please contact either the Office of Admissions or the campus Dean of Academic Affairs.TEAS ExamThe TEAS VI exam is an entrance exam designed to predict candidate success in the practical nursing programThe TEAS test may be taken once per cohort cycleThe TEAS test is generally offered three times per year, in February, June, and September. The TEAS VI exam may only be taken at the Mildred Elley campusStudents may wish to visit https://www.atitesting.com/solutions/pre-program/teas.aspx for recommended books, study guides, and online help

see attachmentFirst let me say that it is unfortunate that this occurrence has caused Ms*** an interruption in her goal of becoming a licensed Practical NurseAs a successful alumnae from Mildred Elley’s medical assistant program in she knows how the school values student success.
Ms*** decided to enroll in the weekend Licensed Practical Nursing program (LPN) at Mildred Elley on our Albany Campus in the second module of the spring II semester of This module started 03/30/She subsequently continued on with her studies for two more modules (one and one half semesters in total) until the end of the summer II semester ending 09/13/At that point Ms*** states that she requested and was granted a personal leave of absence for a planned vacation that would have her miss a total of days of schoolThis seems an unusual request since days out of a week semester (days in one module and days in the second) would have been easily accommodatedAdditionally, out records indicate that Ms*** put in a request for a leave of absence for the fall one and two modules due to a planned move and financial reasons not a vacationIn the leave of absence letter dated 8/5/Ms*** stated “I am in the process of getting ready to move due to the violent area in downtown Pittsfield I live (last week we had shootings around the corner from me and was on lock down in my house, this is why I am moving)“I also understand that the LPNweekend program may not be available and understand that I might have to wait”So Ms*** was granted the leave of absence and when she decided to return in January the courses she needed were not availableAnd, as stated in her original leave request letter she understood that she might have to wait for her classes because the leave upset the sequence of class scheduling and being out of sequence makes it difficult to get the required classes when neededBecause the classes needed were not available in January Ms*** now had to wait to enroll in the March planned startUnfortunately, as it happens that start date went just beyond the day maximum leave time and federal regulations required that the student be withdrawn for failure to return within the day period. This failure to return within the required time period also required the school to return all of the student aid for the semester that Ms*** failed to complete making the cost of those charges now the responsibility of the studentThis increased her student balance with the school to the current balance of $5184.80. Ms*** States that “I now have a student loan of $11,on top of what I have to pay the school”This is not a truthful statementThe national Student loan data system reports that Ms*** has a total outstanding student loan balance of $4,not $11,000. To further complicate Ms***’ financial aid package her federal student Pell grant of $was denied for her second semester (Starting the 3rd module) because her income increased significantly from one financial aid year to the other (2014-to 2015-16)This loss caused her to have an increased unfunded balance of $which is not covered by financial aidFor the award year (2015-2016) starting 7/1/Ms*** family income almost tripled from the previous award year (2014-2015) eliminating her eligibility for that grant. It is understandable how these events can occur since financial aid as it relates to pursuit of program is a complicated area for people to graspRegrettably, Ms*** failed to take the time to sit down with a financial aid representative when she decided to take a leave of absenceThis failure to understand the potential consequences that a leave of absence can have on financial aid eligibility has caused this unfortunate situation to occurMs*** has an outstanding balance of $with the school for educational services renderedAll charges are for courses taken and completed and no refunded is available or warranted

It is not uncommon for students to have an incomplete understanding of how financial aid worksIt is a complicated system that has any number of variables that affect how aid is earned and awardedMany factors influence this processProgram changes, leaves of absence,
class failures or repeated coursework all affect the manner in which aid is earned and disbursedMs*** experienced some of those variables which affected how her aid was earnedAll financial aid is applied for and handled by schools and colleges in a strict systematic prescribed mannerOften times these guidelines that we have to follow do not always correspond with how a student wishes to have the aid disbursed which causes additional confusion regarding just how financial aid worksMs*** has received all of the financial aid she is entitled to at this point in her program of study

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below
Regards, *** ***

I have fully investigated this student debt and in fact the debt of $is correct The student incurred this debt after dropping out of the Mildred Elley school in June of At that time the student was registered under a different last nameWhen the student withdrew from the
program the school attempted to make contact with the individual but was unable to locate an address that was currentAt that time school records reflected two addresses that were not correctThe School did not have a collections department to pursue the matter so the attempt to contact the student ended when no viable address was able to be locatedAs is the case with all debt after years the debt cannot be legally collectedHence the school never tried to collect the debtHowever, Schools and Colleges are well within their rights to withhold student academic transcripts if that student fails to settle any unpaid school chargesThat said I have considered the matter carefully and considering the age of the debt and in the spirit of assisting this student with her forward educational progress I am waiving the charges from I am forgiving this debt and will allow academic transcripts to be forwarded to her or any designated college official of her choiceThe Mildred Elley school wishes the student continued success in her future and hopes that she takes this gesture of debt forgiveness in the spirit in which it was granted

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ***, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear belowRegards, *** ***

Student failed to provide the appropriate documentation required and requested on multiple occasions to receive financial aid.At the time of enrollment student needed to provide a letter stating that she was not in default on a previous student loan taken out at a different institution .She failed...

to provide this letter after many attempts onthe schools part requesting this needed document. Additionally, Student neglected to provide parents income which was also a required document since she was considered a dependent student. She also failed to provide this needed information. The failure to provide these two pieces of documentation made her ineligible for financial aid. That loss of aid made her personally responsible for the cost of the education. The school attempted to work with this student on numerous occasions but the student simply failed to provide the needed documentation necessary to process her financial aid. Subsequently, the student agreed to start taking care of her balance with the school by making small monthly installment payments but defaulted on every payment. It is unfortunate that this student feels upset regarding her current status with the school but her neglect in providing needed documentation is the reason that she lost the financial aid that was estimated for when she enrolled in school.

The institution is willing to help the student achieve educational outcomes for which she qualifies. The institution must clarify the following statements and has included appropriate citations from the institution's academic catalog where appropriate. The institution encourages the student to...

contact the Dean of Academic Affairs to fully understand and explore the available educational options.  ·The student was enrolled at the institution 09/21/2015 to her last date of attendance on 05/11/2016 for a total of two semesters. She entered the institution in the Medical Assistant degree program and transferred into the Practical Nursing Program in March of 2016.    Students may retake quizzes or competencies, however students are not permitted to retake midterm or final exams, as indicated on page 44 of the college catalog.  The student received a 60 on the final exam which would result in her failing the course.  Several components go into calculating a student’s grade throughout the term; quizzes worth 20%, midterm worth 30%, final worth 40%, and assignments worth 10%.  The student did not submit the assignment. ·       Each course provides a comprehensive exam to tests students’ attainment of knowledge encompassing material from all 8 weeks.  They are not specific to just one week or one day of information. ·       As listed on page 43 of the catalog, the institution clearly outlines the process to transfer to another institution. ·       Students are registered for classes based on the program they are enrolled in.  The courses for each program are listed in the Academic Catalog.  Students can also see the Department Chair of their program and review an online degree audit to determine which courses are necessary for program completion. ·       [redacted] Foster Career School, College, and High School are nationally accredited. This means that [redacted] Foster has met the high standards required by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC) in Washington, D.C. The Distance Education Accrediting Commission is listed by the U.S. Department of Education as a nationally recognized accrediting agency. ·       [redacted] Foster Career School is regionally accredited for non-degree granting post-secondary programs, and [redacted] Foster High School is regionally accredited for grades 9 through adult, by the Commission on Secondary Schools of the Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools, 3624 Market Street, Philadelphia, PA. 215-662-5603 www.msa-cess.org. ·       The Mildred Elley Practical Nursing Program is not accredited by ACEN, nor is it stated anywhere on the website, publications, or marketing material that it is.  ·       The institution is accredited through ACICS (Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools) and the New York State Office Education Department Office of Professions to offer and grant the certificate in Practical Nursing. Mildred Elley complies with all New York State and ACICS standards. ·       The institution follows the published guidelines for granting a student a Leave of Absence as listed on page 36 of the academic catalog. ·       The institutions’ tuition comparable to other similar institutions in the area as listed below.   College Tuition per Credit Mildred-Elley $450 Mandl School $600 ASA College $546 ASA College Nursing Professional Courses   $720 Berkeley College $540 TCI College of Technology $548 The Swedish Institute, except Nursing   $549 The Swedish Institute, Nursing $639

Ms [redacted] graduated from the Licensed practical nursing program at Mildred Elley in 2009 and has been gainfully employed in the field for which she trained. The school provided the education that enabled her to work in her chosen field and to that end dutifully provided the service the student...

contracted the school to provide. Like all post secondary schools and colleges Mildred Elley makes no claim regarding how the schools coursework transfers to other institutions. The decision to accept credits is the sole discretion of the individual institution. Though Mildred Elley has articulation agreements with various area colleges regarding transfer credit the school does not advise students regarding transferring to other schools and colleges. Quite the contrary. It is standard practice nationwide for students to be responsible for insuring that the coursework taken at any college or school will transfer to other institutions when pursuing advanced training or degrees. It is frankly unreasonable for any student to come forward 6 years after successful graduation and job placement to expect some form of recompense. Additionally, it is unlikely that any medically based program would accept  core curriculum classes such as anatomy or pharmacology for transfer after 6-7 years. Most institutions including Mildred Elley would likely require those core courses to be repeated as they are critical for program integrity. The request for reimbursement is  rejected.