Liberty University Online

When the student withdrew from her two courses in Summer 2015, the resulting balance was $1,347.50.  This same total was communicated to the student on July 1, 2015, when she initially inquired about withdrawing.  During the phone call on July 1, 2015, the consequences of withdrawing were...

correctly explained and the Advisor also directed the student to submit an appeal.   When discussing the appeal, the student was informed that the appeal would most likely not result in the balance being removed.  The student did file an appeal and she was approved for a tuition credit of $847.50 ($423.75 for each course) which she could utilize toward repeating the two courses in question.  This amount is equal to what the student is being charged for in tuition, following her withdraw.   This tuition credit was awarded as a courtesy, due to the extenuating circumstances that the student was experiencing. There are additional charges beyond tuition (fees and text books), which have not been credited.
In reference to the current balance, the student was charged correctly and in accordance with published university policy.   Per the Withdrawal Policy, if a student withdraws after submitting their first assignment (first assignment includes Course Requirements Checklist), they are responsible for 25% of the tuition for said course(s).  The Withdrawal Policy is included on the university’s website, in Financial Check-In, as well as in the course itself as a part of the first assignment (Course Requirements Checklist).   When completing Financial Check In and the Course Requirements Checklist, all students are required to confirm that they have read the policies and procedures contained therein.  In both instances, the student did confirm that they had read the policy.
Taking into consideration the fact that we have approved this exception as a courtesy to the student, we are only able to apply the credit toward repeating the two withdrawn courses. Per the original approval, this credit will remain valid through the Fall semester of 2016.

I have reviewed the response offer made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.I have spoken to the Advocate office several times about their failure to address issues. I have several e-mails to support it. Furthermore, I have been told one thing then find out it is something completely different. That is unacceptable. My time is valuable and so are the funds for the education for My degree.
Regards,
[redacted]

Re: Revdex.com ID – [redacted]   Liberty is in receipt of your notice dated August 12, 2016, regarding the complaint ID referred to above. The complainant has expressed frustration in reference to an overlapping loan review which resulted in return of Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized loans to...

the loan servicer. This return of funds to the lender resulted in a balance on the complainant’s account. The complainant indicated that they should not be held responsible for the balance as the complainant believes the balance resulted from University error. The return of Federal direct loans, due to an overlapping loan with another institution created an account balance for the summer 2016 semester of $3,296.26.   Liberty records show the complainant was accepted to Liberty’s online program on June 21, 2016 in pursuit of a Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology with a focus on Crisis Counseling. The complainant is currently enrolled in twelve credit hours in the summer D sub-term (7/4-8/26). Originally financial aid was projected in the amount of $4,339 in direct subsidized and $3,161 in unsubsidized loans. The Financial Aid Office provided the student with an Award Notification on June 22, 2016 which indicated the amount of projected aid and also states awards are estimates and subject to change.   Regarding the complainants concern related to the change of loan eligibility in the middle of the semester. Federal regulations issued by the U.S. Department of Education state the school is responsible for certifying a loan amount that ensures a borrower does not receive a loan in excess of the direct annual or aggregate loan limits. The amount of federal direct loans a student can borrow each academic year (annual loan limit) is based on the type of enrollment and grade level; undergraduate or graduate.   The account was reviewed for overlapping loans on August 04, 2016 and it was noted that the complainant had already received $4,329 in subsidized loans and $2,171 in unsubsidized loans, at [redacted], for the 2015-2016 school year. Dependent undergraduate students at the senior level are able to receive a maximum of $7,500 in direct loans, ($5,500 in subsidized loans and $2,000 unsubsidized loans) for a single school year, regardless of whether those loans were received at one institution or multiple. Thus, the complainant is only eligible for $1,000 in additional subsidized loans before reaching the annual limit. As a result, the majority of the $4,293 (net) and $3,128 (net) subsidized and unsubsidized disbursement received at Liberty was actually aid the complainant is not eligible to receive. Therefore, to prevent an overpayment, the original loan amounts previously referenced were removed from the account and returned to the loan servicer. Liberty then certified the remaining $1,000 in subsidized loan eligibility which has been disbursed to the account. This created the summer balance due of $3,296.26.   Following further review of the communication between the Financial Aid Office representative and the complainant, Liberty submits that the complainant was given the impression that her balance resulted from Liberty error. Unfortunately that information was incorrect and will be addressed with that particular representative. Liberty maintains the conclusion that no error was made by the University. Since the Financial Aid Office was not made aware of the overlapping loans with other schools until the time of disbursement, there was no way to notify you prior to the start of classes. It is also important to note that the University can also be hindered because of data from other institutions not being reported to agencies within a timely fashion.   As a courtesy to the complainant, due to receiving inaccurate information from the aforementioned Financial Aid Office representative, a payment was made by Liberty University of the balance of $3,296.26 which resolves the summer balance.   I trust this addresses your concerns.   Sincerely, [redacted]Compliance AnalystFinancial Aid OfficeLiberty University

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me.  I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved. Thank you.
Regards,
[redacted]

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me.  I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.
Regards,
[redacted]

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me.  I will wait for the business to perform this action (cover the cost of the course and zero out my account balance) and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.
Regards,
[redacted]

We are in receipt of your notice dated July 7, 2015, regarding the complaint ID referred to above. In the complaint, the complainant states that they have been contacted about a balance incurred after withdrawing from courses at Liberty in the Fall of 2012. The complainant claims...

they were not contacted by mail or e-mail about having a balance; however, they are now being contacted by a collection agency stating they owe over $4,000. The complainant does not believe they owe that amount and would like a physical bill stating how much they owe, and they also ask that half the balance be covered by the University. The complainant has also inferred they are unable to register or enroll at any other institution due to this outstanding balance.
 
Liberty records show that the complainant was accepted to the University’s online program on August 24, 2012, in pursuit of an Associates of Arts degree in Business Management—Information Systems. On September 4, 2012, the student enrolled in the Fall 2012 semester, registering for two courses in the semester’s C sub-term (9/17/12-11/9/12) and two in the D sub-term (10/22/12-12/14/12). This enrollment totaled 12 credit hours, or full-time enrollment, allowing the student to receive the maximum federal financial aid. On September 17, 2012, the student received a disbursement of federal funds including subsidized loans, unsubsidized loans, and Pell Grant.  After an additional disbursement of Pell Grant on October 22, 2012, the student had received a total of $2,775 in Pell Grant, $1,980 in unsubsidized loans, and $1,156 in subsidized loans for the semester.
 
In the complaint, the complainant stated “after a couple days I decided I didn’t like online class and withdrew”. Liberty records do reflect that the complainant completed at least one assignment for each of their first two courses—BIBL 104-Survey of Biblical Literature, and INFT 101-Instructional Technology for Online Learning, both of which began on September 17, 2012—and, after a period, stopped completing assignments for either.
 
In Liberty University’s Withdrawal Policy (the most updated version of this policy can be viewed here: [redacted]), a student is considered to have attended an online course if they have completed any assignment (discussion board posts, exams, quizzes, etc…) or initiated contact with the course professor regarding an academic subject. Additionally, every online course offered by Liberty has an item called a Course Requirements Checklist, which a student is required to complete in order to begin the course. This policy—which is e-mailed to students at the beginning of every semester as a reminder—also states “students who attend their course(s) but eventually cease making submissions to their online course(s) or cease communicating with their professor(s) regarding the course(s) for a period of 21 consecutive days or longer, and do not request a withdrawal, will be assigned a grade of FN for the course(s)”.
 
As stated above, Liberty records show the complainant completed at least one assignment for each of their two initial courses in the Fall 2012 semester. On September 22, 2012, the complainant completed the Course Requirements Checklist for BIBL 104. However, no further coursework is shown completed. On the same date, September 22, 2012, the complainant completed the Course Requirements Checklist and three discussion board posts for INFT 101. Later, on October 9, 2012, the complainant completed a quiz and a communication exercise for INFT 101 as well. That is the extent of the complainant’s noted participation in either course.
 
On October 29, 2012, the complainant contacted the University’s academic advising department and requested to be dropped from all their courses. Since the student had not participated in their two D sub-term courses, those were dropped on October 30, 2012 per the student’s request. However, the complainant’s formal request to withdraw took a few days to process; by the time it was processed, the student had not attended either BIBL 104 or INFT 101 for more than 21 days, thus requiring the complainant to be given grades of FN in both courses. On October 31, 2012, the FN was made official for BIBL 104, and the FN was officially evaluated for INFT 101 on November 1, 2012.
 
Whenever a student withdraws from or drops all courses in a semester they have begun attending, it is considered a cease of attendance. Per federal regulations, if a student ceases attendance from a semester in which they received federal financial aid, a calculation will be made to determine how much of their financial aid a student is eligible to keep. This is based largely on how long into the semester a student actually attended. Any financial aid amounts deemed “unearned” are sent back to the federal government. This can sometimes result in a balance, for which a student is fully responsible. This process is explained in the listed withdrawal policy as well as the attendance policies sent regularly to students. It is also noted that, in the same October 29 phone call in which the complainant requested all their courses be dropped, the advisor with whom the complainant spoke advised them of the recalculation process and the possibility that the complainant would owe a balance.
 
Before the cease-of-attendance aid recalculation took place, however, the complainant’s financial aid for the semester was decreased. On October 24, 2012, the student’s $2,775 Pell Grant award was cancelled following notification from the Director of Financial Aid at [redacted], who indicated the complainant’s Pell Grant needed to be cancelled at Liberty so it could be disbursed at [redacted], where the student was already attending. According to [redacted] College’s communication, the complainant had enrolled in courses at [redacted] on August 21, 2012, and begun attending as of September 12, 2012. It should be noted the Financial Aid Director from [redacted] College indicated the complainant “stated she never started the September 17 term with your school”. Incidentally, the aforementioned October 29 conversation between the complainant and Liberty’s advising office was the first time the complainant indicated to anyone at Liberty they were considering attending another school.
 
After the aid recalculation occurred, on November 6th, 2012, $1,587 in unsubsidized loans were returned to the federal government, having been deemed unearned by the complainant at Liberty due to their cease of attendance. Combined with the $50 fee students are charged for withdrawing, the complainant’s balance at that time was $1,637. Per the complainant’s account, within a few months, efforts were being made by the University’s Office of Student Accounts to contact the complainant and inform them of the balance they owed. E-mails were sent to the complainant’s Liberty University Webmail address (with the complainant’s personal gmail.com and Yahoo.com e-mail addresses Cc’ed on the communication) on March 11, 2013, July 22, 2013, August 1, 2013, and August 28, 2013. Additional attempts were made to reach the complainant by phone until, by July 22, 2013, it was confirmed that both of the phone numbers the complainant had listed on their account with Liberty had been disconnected or changed. Reminders about the balance were also sent by letter to the complainant’s listed address, though, on September 25, 2013, one was returned to the University listed “unable to forward” and, on October 2, 2013, another was returned labeled “returned and undeliverable”, with the single mailing address the complainant had filed with Liberty listed as “inactive”.
 
On August 2, 2013, a Fraud Prevention hold was placed on the complainant’s account at Liberty University. Per federal regulations, since the student had received federal financial aid at the University, Liberty has the authority to request additional documentation from the student in the event conflicting information is discovered that may be potential fraud. Thus, a hold was placed on the complainant’s account and the complainant was requested to provide a Fraud Prevention Form, a color copy of their government-issued identification, and an online form called a Verification Worksheet. Per University policy, once such a hold has been placed on a student’s account and the student has been informed of it, the student has four weeks to provide the requested documentation and satisfy the review or any financial aid on their account for the school year will be returned to the federal government. Records show e-mails and online messages were sent to the complainant’s account with the University informing them of this review, this policy, and the potential consequences, but no response was received. The aforementioned items remain outstanding. On September 3, 2013, the remainder of the subsidized and unsubsidized loans the complainant received during the Fall 2012 semester at Liberty were returned to the federal government. In total, this was $3,136. This raised the student’s overall balance at Liberty to $3,186.
 
It is University policy that, once reasonable efforts have been made to contact a student to discuss a balance (electronically or over-the-phone, when possible), if a student has not made arrangements with the University to pay their balance, the balance is referred to an outside collection agency. It is then a matter of the collection agency contacting the student to make arrangements for the balance. These collection agencies typically charge a fee for collecting the balance. When the aforementioned attempts to contact the student by e-mail and mail failed, on May 29, 2015, the complainant’s balance was referred to [redacted] collection agency. It should be noted [redacted] has charged a 30% collection fee, raising the overall balance the complainant owes to $4,141.80. It is too late for the complainant to make payment arrangements for this balance with Liberty University; the complainant is encouraged to contact [redacted] at ###-###-####.
 
It has been noted that the complainant is attempting to obtain a copy of their official transcript from Liberty. The University will not release an official transcript to the complainant while a balance remains on their account. The balance must be paid in full for the complainant to receive an official transcript. Records show the complainant has been informed of this, and has also been informed of the opportunity for them to receive an unofficial copy of their transcript if they contact the University Registrar’s Office.
 
Also, if the complainant requires a bill stating the balance, they will be required at this time to request an Itemized Receipt from [redacted], the collection agency.
 
Since numerous attempts were made to contact the complainant about their balance at Liberty University, the University will not approve the complainant’s desired settlement of decreasing the balance by half. The student received financial aid in the amount of that balance whilst attending Liberty University, and will be required to pay it in full. As previously stated, for any further questions about paying this balance, the complainant must contact [redacted] at ###-###-####.

I have been attending Liberty University online for 2 years now and at this point I wish I had gone to another school. In October after successfully passing all of my classes 3 A's and a B, I decided to do the usual register for my next Fall term. So I register via chat with an agent. During our conversation I was told that I could register successfully but not for 3 classes because I didn't have enough aid to cover it as I had done before. So days later (not even a week) I contacted an agent via chat again to make some adjustments to my classes etc. I was told by this agent that I had a balance on my account. I was confused. She stated that I couldn't take my classes until I pay the balance. I was later transferred to student accounts to resolve the situation, but I was on hold forever due to most of the agents being very busy at this time"--according to the agent. I was told to try back later. Something I didn't want to do because I wanted it to be handled then. Okay so I talked to another agent and that's when I said to drop the classes because of the misinformed information. Days later my email is full of cease of attendance letter and a huge balance that baffled me. I started contacting many different agents explaining what happened only 1 really help me understood it. She said because I withdrew on the day of the deadline it was returned and now that is the reason for the balance. She even said the balance didn't look right, but after trying to help me shouldn't so I thanked her and spoke to someone else days later. Now today I have tried contacting and explaining this all over again and still they think I should pay this whopping 3,000.00 balance. For one thing I have never dealt with such misinformed agents like this before in my life. I'm literally paying for something that an agent who supposed to know information screwed up leaving me up in the air like I'm crazy. I almost feel crazy explaining the situation and they act as if I'm lying. I have nothing to gain from this. Hell, I got all of the transcripts from each one I spoke with. Clearly, I'm not Casper. I just feel so overwhelmed and today an agent disconnected from me the minute I explained the repetitive situation. Like what kind of business are they running? I'm a few classes from graduating and now it looks like I won't be. I mean what average American has 3000.00 just lying around especially just giving it away for no reason. I'm one step for attempting a lawsuit. Trying my best to be nice and hoping someone at least listen/help me.

Review: I just received a notice from [redacted] stating that they have approved a student loan in the amount of $951 to the school. I have never requested a student loan, nor did I give the school permission to request this loan on my behalf. I filed a FASFA and completed the entrance counseling on the chance that I may need one in the future but did not request it. The school made no attempt to contact me about a balanced owed or whether I wanted to pay the balance out of pocket or through a loan. When I contacted the school they told me that I gave them permission when I completed the initial counseling however I was told that was a requirement for admittance. In addition I received tuition assistance from my job which covers the cost most of the cost of tuition except for $75. I later received a notice, two weeks after the loan was requested from the school stating that they are refunding $792. This action not only effects my credit, my financial stability, my security and my trust in the school but it also shows that the school shows no concern for its students. If there is an owed balance of $75 or even $150, then why did the school request the max for the student loan. In addition the school made no effort to call, contact or discuss the situation or owed balance. This is fraud and I intend to contact [redacted] and file a fraud complaint as well.Desired Settlement: I want the money returned, the loan removed from my credit history, and the school to never request a loan under my name again.

Business

Response:

Re: Revdex.com ID – [redacted] Liberty is in receipt of your notice dated July 31, 2016, regarding the complaint ID referred to above. In the complaint, a Liberty student indicated they received notice from a federal loan servicer that a loan in their name had been paid to Liberty University. The student was upset by this, as they claimed they did not give the University permission to request a loan on their behalf. The student has acknowledged that they completed a FAFSA and Entrance Counseling for loans but claimed they did not consider this permission for the University to pay out loans. The complainant also claimed they were advised that completion of the Entrance Counseling was required for admission to the University. The student feels that taking this loan out on their behalf is fraudulent behavior by the University and has requested that the University return the loan money to the loan servicer. Liberty records show that the complainant was accepted to the University’s online program on March 25, 2015, in pursuit of a Master of Business Administration: International Business. On March 27, 2015 Liberty received a FAFSA (Free Application for Federal Student Aid) the complainant had submitted for the 2015-2016 school year. As a graduate student, the only type of financial aid the student was eligible for via FAFSA submission was a federal direct unsubsidized loan. On March 30, 2015, an Award Letter was sent to the student via mail indicating they were eligible to receive up to $20,500 in unsubsidized loans at Liberty for the 2015-2016 school year. On February 3, 2016, the student contacted Liberty University’s Admissions Office in preparation for attending their first semester at Liberty, in the spring of 2016. At that time, the student recognized they were going to receive Military Tuition Assistance to cover the majority of their tuition for their courses at Liberty. However, the student inquired how to receive the loans their online account showed they were eligible for. As a result, the agent advised the student to complete an Entrance Counseling via the website [redacted]. Records show the student completed the Entrance Counseling on the same day. In their complaint, the student claims they were told the Entrance Counseling was “a requirement for attendance.” The University does not have have record of the student being advised the Entrance Counseling was anything other than a requirement for receiving student loans. From May 1, 2015 to January 18, 2016 the student received ten e-mails from the University about completing Entrance Counseling. In those emails it was exclusively referenced as a means to receive loans and nothing more. In those letters the student was also told how to decline loans if the student was awarded with loans but uninterested in using them. While University representatives are trained to inform students regularly of the requirement to fill out the Entrance Counseling, it is only mentioned as a requirement for students wishing to receive student loans at the University, which is the context in which the counseling was described and recommended to the student. Completion of a FAFSA along with Entrance Counseling and an active Master Promissory Note, is considered a student’s agreement to have student loans pay out in their name unless the student specifically directs the University otherwise. The student’s loans were not projected to their account until they registered 6 credit hours, on their degree completion plan, in the summer 2016 semester. The loans were projected on the student’s account as of April 4, 2014, at the time the student completed Financial Check-In. Financial Check-In is an electronic contract by which the student agrees to pay for the charges associated with a specific semester of enrollment. Students can pay for their charges through use of financial aid, a payment plan or a combination of the two. When the student completed Financial Check-In the student’s loans were listed as one of the payments being made towards the tuition costs. On June 20, 2016, the student completed Financial Check-In again with the loans still reflected on their account. In the complaint, the complainant wrote: “if there is an owed balance of $75 or even $150, then why did the school request the max for the student loan.” For the summer 2016 semester, the portion of the student’s tuition that was not covered by their Military Tuition Assistance payment was $150. However, because loans were projected on the student account even though Military TA did not cover the student’s full costs the loan eligibility covered the remainder. The University is required to award a student with their maximum federal financial aid eligibility up to their budget. The budget is comprised of components related to a student’s education including tuition, fees, books and supplies, travel, room and board and miscellaneous expenses also referred to as cost of attendance (COA). Because the student’s budget for the term allowed a maximum of $941 in unsubsidized loans that amount of aid was placed and projected, and was only subject to change if the student requested changes. Liberty has no record of the student requesting the loan be removed or decreased. The complainant also asked why the University did not contact them about a balance owed. The complainant feels as though the University should have asked whether they wanted to pay any such balance out of pocket or through a loan. As previously noted the student had their loan projected on their account for the summer 2016 semester as of April 4, 2016. Between the loan and the Military Tuition Assistance payment, their entire balance was covered by financial aid for the summer 2016 semester. Thus, though the student had $150 in tuition that was not covered by the Military Tuition Assistance, it was not reflected as an outstanding balance because the loan was on the account covering it. As a result, the student was not contacted about needing to pay a balance because their account did not show a balance that needed to be paid. Students at Liberty can decrease or even cancel student loans if they desire by filling out an online form called a Federal Direct Student Loan Change Form. Students who contact the University expressing disinterest in using their loans are specifically referred to that form. Since the complainant did not contact the University at any point expressing concern over their loan or a desire not to use it, there was no indication the complainant did not wish to use the loan and receive the resulting refund. As a result, the loan disbursed on July 25, 2016, and the amount left over after all the student’s costs were covered was refunded to their [redacted] Account on July 28, 2016. Liberty University regrets that the complainant did not wish to receive this loan and that they consider it a fraudulent action. It should be noted that this loan was not the result of fraudulent action by the University as it was processed onto the students account as a result of the student completing the FAFSA, the Entrance Counseling and having an active Master Promissory Note on file. If the complainant wants a portion of the loan cancelled from their account, there is a course of action they can take. The complainant is advised to fill out a Federal Direct Student Loan Change Form via their online ASIST account. On this form they should specify that they want to decline their unsubsidized loan for the summer 2016 semester. The University’s Financial Aid Office cannot cancel the full loan as a large portion has already been refunded to the student. However the University can cancel the amount of the loan that was not refunded and is still on the student’s account. The student should be mindful that canceling any portion of their loan for the summer--now that the loans have disbursed and the excess has been refunded to the student--will result in a balance that the student will be responsible to pay. For the remainder of the loan, the complainant is encouraged to find their loan’s lender information via the National Student Loan Database System ([redacted]) and contact their lender about returning to them the credit refund they received. In addition, the student requested in their complaint that the school never request a loan in their name again. The complainant is advised that submitting a FAFSA in the future will automatically be reviewed for student loan eligibility. As a graduate student all the complainant qualifies for through the FAFSA is unsubsidized loans. If the complainant is not interested in receiving loans, they are encouraged to not submit a FAFSA for any future aid years. If the complainant has any additional questions they are encouraged to contact the University’s Financial Aid Office at ([redacted] Sincerely,

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me. I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.

Regards,

Review: I was awarded a specific financial aid amount for the Summer D term with Liberty University which covered my tuition in full. I chose Liberty University over other Universities for this reason. This financial aid amount was dispersed into my account and applied to my tuition at the beginning of the semester. Mid-way into the semester, the University discovered there had been an oversight on their part when they put together my financial aid package (due to overlapping funds) and therefore removed my financial aid (which had already been applied to my tuition). It was told to me on the phone by a Liberty representative, [redacted], that the University should have checked for an overlap (as they were aware I had transferred from another University) but failed to do so. This caused the University to offer me more financial aid than was allowed by the Department of Education. The Department of Education then notified Liberty of their mistake and Liberty then removed the financial aid from my account. The University would like for me to resolve the financial difference left after the aid removal from my account, however, I do not believe I should be held accountable for the mistake and oversight on their part. I filled out the FAFSA correctly for the 2015-2016 aid year and that information, including the aid received from NHTI that year, was entirely accessible to Liberty. With the information they were given they offered me a financial aid package that I accepted. The aid was then dispersed onto my account at the beginning of the semester. Once the aid has paid the tuition it is no longer subject to change, and yet that is what happened. I am feeling extremely misled as the financial aid package had been dispersed and covered my tuition as stated, only to be taken away in the middle of the semester without warning. I was then told that my left over balance was just over $100 due, only to find out that this as well was inaccurate. I am now left with a balance of just over $3200 due that was entirely unexpected and originally covered in full. I do not feel I can trust Liberty University's claims as there have been repeated financial errors. To expect me, as the consumer, to make up for the oversight of the University is unjust and inappropriate business practice.Desired Settlement: I am not responsible to pay for the balance left on my account after my original financial aid was removed, and the hold this caused lifted from my account. The oversight was not my fault, and I cannot be held accountable to the cost of the mistake made.

Business

Response:

Re: Revdex.com ID – [redacted] Liberty is in receipt of your notice dated August 12, 2016, regarding the complaint ID referred to above. The complainant has expressed frustration in reference to an overlapping loan review which resulted in return of Federal Direct Subsidized and Unsubsidized loans to the loan servicer. This return of funds to the lender resulted in a balance on the complainant’s account. The complainant indicated that they should not be held responsible for the balance as the complainant believes the balance resulted from University error. The return of Federal direct loans, due to an overlapping loan with another institution created an account balance for the summer 2016 semester of $3,296.26. Liberty records show the complainant was accepted to Liberty’s online program on June 21, 2016 in pursuit of a Bachelor’s of Science in Psychology with a focus on Crisis Counseling. The complainant is currently enrolled in twelve credit hours in the summer D sub-term (7/4-8/26). Originally financial aid was projected in the amount of $4,339 in direct subsidized and $3,161 in unsubsidized loans. The Financial Aid Office provided the student with an Award Notification on June 22, 2016 which indicated the amount of projected aid and also states awards are estimates and subject to change. Regarding the complainants concern related to the change of loan eligibility in the middle of the semester. Federal regulations issued by the U.S. Department of Education state the school is responsible for certifying a loan amount that ensures a borrower does not receive a loan in excess of the direct annual or aggregate loan limits. The amount of federal direct loans a student can borrow each academic year (annual loan limit) is based on the type of enrollment and grade level; undergraduate or graduate. The account was reviewed for overlapping loans on August 04, 2016 and it was noted that the complainant had already received $4,329 in subsidized loans and $2,171 in unsubsidized loans, at [redacted], for the 2015-2016 school year. Dependent undergraduate students at the senior level are able to receive a maximum of $7,500 in direct loans, ($5,500 in subsidized loans and $2,000 unsubsidized loans) for a single school year, regardless of whether those loans were received at one institution or multiple. Thus, the complainant is only eligible for $1,000 in additional subsidized loans before reaching the annual limit. As a result, the majority of the $4,293 (net) and $3,128 (net) subsidized and unsubsidized disbursement received at Liberty was actually aid the complainant is not eligible to receive. Therefore, to prevent an overpayment, the original loan amounts previously referenced were removed from the account and returned to the loan servicer. Liberty then certified the remaining $1,000 in subsidized loan eligibility which has been disbursed to the account. This created the summer balance due of $3,296.26. Following further review of the communication between the Financial Aid Office representative and the complainant, Liberty submits that the complainant was given the impression that her balance resulted from Liberty error. Unfortunately that information was incorrect and will be addressed with that particular representative. Liberty maintains the conclusion that no error was made by the University. Since the Financial Aid Office was not made aware of the overlapping loans with other schools until the time of disbursement, there was no way to notify you prior to the start of classes. It is also important to note that the University can also be hindered because of data from other institutions not being reported to agencies within a timely fashion. As a courtesy to the complainant, due to receiving inaccurate information from the aforementioned Financial Aid Office representative, a payment was made by Liberty University of the balance of $3,296.26 which resolves the summer balance. I trust this addresses your concerns. Sincerely, [redacted]Compliance AnalystFinancial Aid OfficeLiberty University

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me. I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved. Thank you.

Regards,

Review: I enrolled in courses with the University. About half way through the first term I was unable to complete some of the course work due to personal reasons. I made multiple attempts to contact the instructors of the courses bot via email and telephone with no response. As a last ditch effort I had a family member log into my courses and post a request for contact in the discussion boards again with no success. In addition to attempting to contact the instructors for the courses I also had a conversation with my advisor when she called to see how things were going. Her recommendation was to continue to attempt to contact the instructors.

I was dropped from the courses about 3-days prior to course completion and rather than receiving a failing grade for not completing the required work I was dropped from the course and given a grade of FN. I was also dropped from my courses that I had registered for to begin the next term. I was not notified of either of those actions and when I called to speak with my academic advisor and the military affairs office I was told that there was nothing that could be done to reverse these actions and that there was a financial hold on my account preventing me from attending future classes. I was told the financial hold was because I requested to be dropped. I was told that I could contact someone to reverse this but the military affairs office was unaware of an address or phone number that I could contact to start this process.

This action has caused a domino effect with not only not being able to attend courses at Liberty University if I were to chose that option but it has also blocked me from using my military benefits that I worked so hard to earn.Desired Settlement: I would like to see my grades changed from FN to a failing grade as this is college and if you don't complete the required work then you fail and your GPA suffers. Once the grades are changed to failing grades I would like then school to notify the VA of the change so they can update their system and release the rest of my benefits so I can continue my education.

Once this is completed I would like the school to refund my account for monies owed for being dropped from the courses after I requested to continue and was told I was not allowed.

I was really excited about attending Liberty and now I have such a sour taste in my mouth and I would like to University to make this right.

Business

Response:

Below is the response to Complaint# [redacted].The student claims that emails were sent to their professors for the respective classes in Spring detailing the reasoning for being absent from the courses for a length of time, as well as attempting to call them. The Academic Progress department, responsible for confirming the 21 days needed to earn a grade of FN, confirmed that they do not have any record of the emails claimed by the student. The student claims that a relative of theirs logged onto their courses via Blackboard to submit a discussion board asking for assistance from the professors. A submission of this kind would have reset the internal timer, counting the days inactive in the course, removing the possibility for FN in the courses in question. The student claims that they were not alerted of the FN’s or the removal of their future courses. As a University we inform students of this policy by requiring them to read and accept the terms of each course’s Syllabus, which details the FN policy. The completion of the Course Requirements Checklist is an affirmation that they understand this policy, among others. Beyond this the Military Affairs office also emailed the student regarding the change in his military benefits the day after the FN’s were placed on their account. The student claims that they were not notified on how to appeal this policy. The student was called and notified of the formal Student Complaint form process through the Student Advocate Office, and was emailed directly after the call concluded with the link to the process. However no complaint was submitted through this process for review by the Student Advocate team. The desired outcome of having the grades changed from FN to an F is not an outcome that will be approved. If the student would like to pursue alternate resolutions they should proceed with submission of a formal complaint through our website with documentation to support the personal issues they experienced. This can be done by going to [redacted] and filling out the digital complaint form there.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response offer made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint.

Regards,

Review: I was a student at Liberty University in the Spring of 2015. During that semester I had my account put on hold until an aggregate loan review was complete for my financial aid to process. I did not understand why my loans would be placed on my account one day and then a few days later removed and this was done for at least two weeks. So I decided to call the financial aid department and see why this was happening. I was advised this was something the school does to verify the student still has funds available to attend school. When it was time to register and do my Financial Aid check-in my account was released from the hold. I called the Financial Aid department again because I wanted to verify there was funds left. I was told the funds rewarded was all the money that was left after they reviewed my aggregate loan limit but the amount given was enough to cover my classes and recieve a refund so I was satisified. After the first 28 days of class my refund was deposit on my higher one card and I proceeded with my semester. The term ended I received my grades and my student account was at a zero balance. I proceeded to register for the next term as I normally do but this term was special because these were my final two courses before graduation but something was wrong with my account I had a balance owing over 2000 dollars. I called and asked why was this balance on my account and was advised the school had rewarded me to much money so they had to send my funds back to the DoE four months later after the fact I had completed the semester and received a grade in the courses. I was advised it is up to the student to keep an eye on their loans because we do not give the option of completing an reaffirmation letter we send the money directly back without prior notification. The Financial Aid department will put your account on hold and say they are verifying things but they are actually doing nothing. They will say were reviewing your aggregate loan limit and then reward you funds that they supposedly already reviewd but months later they can legally take funds back mess up your account and career and say oops we made a mistake but it was really your fault you should have known. I do not think that is fair nor do I believe I should have to pay that balance. The school has sent my account to a collection agency and advised me until I pay the balance with the collection agency there is nothing that can be done.Desired Settlement: I would like my balance to be erased or given the option to complete a reaffirmation letter.

Business

Response:

Re: Revdex.com ID – [redacted] We are in receipt of your notice dated August 5, 2016 regarding the complaint ID referred to above. The complainant is disputing a balance owed to Liberty University during the fall 2014 semester. The complainant has requested a response concerning this disputed balance. In the fall 2014 semester the complainant was preliminarily accepted to a Liberty University (LU) degree program and subsequently registered for courses. The complainant was informed prior to the semester start date that they must submit official transcripts from all previous universities to complete the admissions process. At the time of their preliminary registration the complainant was eligible for Federal Direct Loans and the Federal Pell Grant which were projected onto their account towards the cost of attendance. Additionally, a portion of these loans were (upon the complainant’s request) allocated in the form of a book voucher which would then allow the purchasing of books utilizing this financial aid. On August 2, 2014 a book voucher was created in the amount the complainant requested and sent to LU’s partner online bookstore (MBS Direct), available for use. The complainant purchased items from MBS Direct totaling $107.22. On August 6, 2014 the complainant was informed that due to outstanding official transcript submissions their courses for the fall 2014 semester had been dropped. This resulted in all tuition and fee charges being removed from their account. The complainant’s financial aid was also removed due to not being enrolled in the minimum credit hour requirement needed to sustain federal loan and grant eligibility. As the complainant was no longer eligible to receive financial aid (due to no enrollment) the amount they requested for a book voucher was no longer available for use. The amount spent at MBS Direct was charged back to the complainant’s account at LU as a result of using financial aid to purchase the items previously mentioned, and then losing eligibility (for the reasons previously stated). MBS Direct does have a return policy (with applicable shipping/handling fees determined by said policy) that can be utilized in an event such as this. After reviewing the complainant’s records at MBS Direct the disputed balance is accurate and applicable. Upon the complainant’s courses being dropped, financial aid removed, and MBS Direct charges applying to the account, Student Accounts attempted to make contact. Between October 31, 2014 and June 30, 2015 the complainant received eleven calls from Student Accounts in an attempt to set up payment arrangements to avoid being assigned to an external agency. No arrangements were agreed upon by the complainant and the account was turned over to an external collection agency on September 10, 2015. The balance assigned is the aforementioned $107.22 plus collection fees of $32.03 for a total of $139.25. I trust this addresses your concerns. Sincerely, [redacted] Associate Director of Student Accounts Liberty University

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me. I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.

Regards,

Review: I have been turned over to collections for a bill that is not even mine! I never attended this school and never received any products from it. This is fraudulent! If this is not resolved and not taken off my credit report I am going to be taking legal actions ! Never took any classes or anything and I'm getting billed for something that is not mine. I do not have a bill to even call I was told this was on my credit report.Desired Settlement: This resolved and removed from my credit report

Business

Response:

Re: Revdex.com ID – [redacted] We are in receipt of your notice dated August 5, 2016 regarding the complaint ID referred to above. The complainant is disputing a balance owed to Liberty University during the fall 2014 semester. The complainant has requested a response concerning this disputed balance. In the fall 2014 semester the complainant was preliminarily accepted to a Liberty University (LU) degree program and subsequently registered for courses. The complainant was informed prior to the semester start date that they must submit official transcripts from all previous universities to complete the admissions process. At the time of their preliminary registration the complainant was eligible for Federal Direct Loans and the Federal Pell Grant which were projected onto their account towards the cost of attendance. Additionally, a portion of these loans were (upon the complainant’s request) allocated in the form of a book voucher which would then allow the purchasing of books utilizing this financial aid. On August 2, 2014 a book voucher was created in the amount the complainant requested and sent to LU’s partner online bookstore (MBS Direct), available for use. The complainant purchased items from MBS Direct totaling $107.22. On August 6, 2014 the complainant was informed that due to outstanding official transcript submissions their courses for the fall 2014 semester had been dropped. This resulted in all tuition and fee charges being removed from their account. The complainant’s financial aid was also removed due to not being enrolled in the minimum credit hour requirement needed to sustain federal loan and grant eligibility. As the complainant was no longer eligible to receive financial aid (due to no enrollment) the amount they requested for a book voucher was no longer available for use. The amount spent at MBS Direct was charged back to the complainant’s account at LU as a result of using financial aid to purchase the items previously mentioned, and then losing eligibility (for the reasons previously stated). MBS Direct does have a return policy (with applicable shipping/handling fees determined by said policy) that can be utilized in an event such as this. After reviewing the complainant’s records at MBS Direct the disputed balance is accurate and applicable. Upon the complainant’s courses being dropped, financial aid removed, and MBS Direct charges applying to the account, Student Accounts attempted to make contact. Between October 31, 2014 and June 30, 2015 the complainant received eleven calls from Student Accounts in an attempt to set up payment arrangements to avoid being assigned to an external agency. No arrangements were agreed upon by the complainant and the account was turned over to an external collection agency on September 10, 2015. The balance assigned is the aforementioned $107.22 plus collection fees of $32.03 for a total of $139.25. I trust this addresses your concerns. Sincerely, [redacted] Associate Director of Student Accounts Liberty University ([redacted]

Review: Let me state that I applied to Liberty University Online to obtain a Masters' of Arts and teaching. I was planning on using my degree to teach elementary students. However, I quickly learned that teaching elementary education was not what Liberty was trying to do. I applied for a start date of May 16, 2016. I started my coursework on that date and from that point forward it has been nothing more than hassles, misrepresentations, and no solutions provided. I had a hard time picking what the primary nature of my concern is due to the fact my issues with Liberty University touch on almost all of the listed complaints.

1. advertising issues - Liberty states on its website that they provide a virtual classroom which they do not and failed to inform me of such until after the classes had started.

2.billing issues - Liberty is now assessing a 25% pro-rated tuition fee upon me due to the fact I withdrew after 1 week of classes. In this one week period of time I received no instruction, no lecture, no virtual classroom, no course-related feedback from professors, information that was out-dated in the field I was studying, and professors who openly admit (in emails) to not knowing the subject matter in which they are teaching. Why am I responsible to pay tuition when no instruction occurred. Liberty University admitted that the coursework I was studying was not and will not be for years to come up on current teaching practices nor will it be in a virtual classroom setting. I was told directly by the University that if I wanted to learn about education I should invest time in watching presentations on [redacted] from [redacted] University. Why would I should I pay Liberty tuition when they admit I will not learn from their format?

3.contract issues - Liberty promised to provide a virtual classroom that was modern and up-to-date. Which it was not. If I enter into a contract to purchase a car and I have in fact paid for said vehicle I will receive it. In this case I paid for a virtual classroom that was taught by experts in their field. Funny thing is I paid but received nothing that Liberty promised. I have emails from the professors that state they do not know or understand the subject matter they are to be teaching.

4. customer service - I have been trying for a week now to get hold of someone, anyone at Liberty who could help me. All I receive in return are emails stating they are sorry but to try and email more people. The list of people I am to contact is a circuitous one. Each office tells me to contact each other and vice versa. I have asked for contact information to the appeals office, only to be told they do not have contact information. Who can help if I cannot contact the appeals office? I tried writing an appeal and it would not let me submit one. I will attach below a copy of the appeal I have been sending repeatedly to Liberty.

5. delivery issues - My issue here is that they were to deliver a virtual classroom and failed to do so. Also professors were to be the current and proficient in their field and they are not (based on their own words). Also professors used derogatory terms when referring to students with disabilities - I know this is a concern that the Revdex.com does not get involved in. I am bringing this up to illiterate a point that professors that are up on best teaching practices would know better then to use the wrong terminology when discussing students. I was paying to learn best teaching practices which I could not learn if professors used derogatory and outdated terms.

6. Product issues - Liberty touts this as a virtual classroom which it is not. This is nothing more than a home study/correspondence course. The only difference now being that I send my assignments in via the internet and not the postal service. Liberty also stated that I was to receive constant and immediate feedback that would be course/content related. This never occurred and when I asked for course content feedback it was not provided, I was told that it could not be provided directly from my professor because she did not know what the content was. Back to my car analogy...if I took my car in to be repaired I would hope that the technician was an expert who could diagnose the problem and fix it., not just state the obvious that it does not work. If a professor cannot provide appropriate feedback then the product that Liberty is selling (an education) is worthless.

7 -Refund - I do not feel I owe a 25% pro-rated tuition rate for a product that was never delivered and a contract that they broke by not providing a virtual classroom nor educators who are experienced and experts. I was told by the school of education at Liberty University that the things I just mentioned would not be available for years to come in the Masters' of Arts and Teaching program. I should have been made aware of this upfront in the many times that I asked prior to class beginning.

I tried posting my appeal that I have been sending to Liberty University on this form, however, it is not allowing me to submit my complaint. I would like to send this to the Revdex.com so that you have a quantifiable accounting of all my complaints with Liberty University. Please contact me for further information.Desired Settlement: I would like feedback from Liberty about why this program is allowed to be taught when it is out-dated and not up on current best teaching practices. I would appreciate it if Liberty took the remaining 25%pro-rated tuition off my student account.

Business

Response:

Response to Complaint# [redacted] 1. Advertising issues - Liberty states on its website that they provide a virtual classroom which they do not and failed to inform me of such until after the classes had started. After reviewing the sections on the [redacted] website that are intended for New Students no language of a virtual classroom was located. There is language that references an online classroom but without specific claims of what will or will not be delivered. Beyond this multiple sections offer insight and encourage prospective students to explore further into the format within courses prior to enrolling in courses. This is offered through viewing and completion of a sample course and tutorials that show how the course is presented within the Blackboard software. The intent of these being made available is to insure students have seen the format and system before enrolling and participating in a course which would require them to withdrawal with penalty after being active within the course. 2. billing issues - Liberty is now assessing a 25% pro-rated tuition fee upon me due to the fact I withdrew after 1 week of classes. In this one week period of time I received no instruction, no lecture, no virtual classroom, no course-related feedback from professors, information that was out-dated in the field I was studying, and professors who openly admit (in emails) to not knowing the subject matter in which they are teaching. Why am I responsible to pay tuition when no instruction occurred. Liberty University admitted that the coursework I was studying was not and will not be for years to come up on current teaching practices nor will it be in a virtual classroom setting. I was told directly by the University that if I wanted to learn about education I should invest time in watching presentations on [redacted] from [redacted] University. Why would I should I pay Liberty tuition when they admit I will not learn from their format? The complainant’s claims of content being out-dated along with professors admitting to not knowing the subject matter is being further reviewed. At this time no correspondence between the student and professors showing this has been provided. Also the complainant has submitted a complaint for review through our internal complaint system where these claims are being passed along to the educational department leadership for the programs they took courses within to fully investigate and resolve if needed. Regarding the 25% that is not being refunded upon withdrawal this process is explained through our withdrawal policy online as well as the student being notified this would take place with the opportunity to rescind and stay in courses to avoid the charges. The complainant did enter a contract with the University upon completion of the financial check-in promise, and in line with this was given access to the course and was an active participant in the course. 3. Contract issues - Liberty promised to provide a virtual classroom that was modern and up-to-date. Which it was not. If I enter into a contract to purchase a car and I have in fact paid for said vehicle I will receive it. In this case I paid for a virtual classroom that was taught by experts in their field. Funny thing is I paid but received nothing that Liberty promised. I have emails from the professors that state they do not know or understand the subject matter they are to be teaching. See comments from concern #1 above regarding the virtual classroom and tools/resources provided to all students to insure they have insight into courses before enrolling and making activity. Emails between the professor and complainant have not been provided for review at this point. 4. Customer service - I have been trying for a week now to get hold of someone, anyone at Liberty who could help me. All I receive in return are emails stating they are sorry but to try and email more people. The list of people I am to contact is a circuitous one. Each office tells me to contact each other and vice versa. I have asked for contact information to the appeals office, only to be told they do not have contact information. Who can help if I cannot contact the appeals office? I tried writing an appeal and it would not let me submit one. I will attach below a copy of the appeal I have been sending repeatedly to Liberty. According to complainants records they have contacted the University between 5/30/16 and 6/3/16 regarding their frustrations and how to submit a complaint/appeal surrounding their experience and the impact of their withdrawal from courses. The complainant was directed to submit an official complaint and when sharing that they had challenges attaching documentation was responded to by the Student Advocate office within 24 hours providing assistance on how to attach documentation the complainant would like considered for review. Currently this complaint is under review and within the stated 7-10 day timeframe for completion they were given on 6/3/16. 5. Delivery issues - My issue here is that they were to deliver a virtual classroom and failed to do so. Also professors were to be the current and proficient in their field and they are not (based on their own words). Also professors used derogatory terms when referring to students with disabilities - I know this is a concern that the Revdex.com does not get involved in. I am bringing this up to illiterate a point that professors that are up on best teaching practices would know better then to use the wrong terminology when discussing students. I was paying to learn best teaching practices which I could not learn if professors used derogatory and outdated terms. See responses to concerns 1 and 3 above. Complainant has not provided any correspondence between themselves and professors for review either within this Revdex.com complaint or attached alongside their internal complaint with the University. Until documentation is provided 6. Product issues - Liberty touts this as a virtual classroom which it is not. This is nothing more than a home study/correspondence course. The only difference now being that I send my assignments in via the internet and not the postal service. Liberty also stated that I was to receive constant and immediate feedback that would be course/content related. This never occurred and when I asked for course content feedback it was not provided, I was told that it could not be provided directly from my professor because she did not know what the content was. Back to my car analogy...if I took my car in to be repaired I would hope that the technician was an expert who could diagnose the problem and fix it., not just state the obvious that it does not work. If a professor cannot provide appropriate feedback then the product that Liberty is selling (an education) is worthless. See responses above to concerns # 1, 3, and 5 regarding the virtual classroom. Regarding the concerns with lack of feedback and content expertise this is being investigated by the academic department via our internal complaint. This process can be aided greatly by the complainant providing any correspondence between themselves and professors were claims made above can be substantiated and reviewed. 7. Refund - I do not feel I owe a 25% pro-rated tuition rate for a product that was never delivered and a contract that they broke by not providing a virtual classroom nor educators who are experienced and experts. I was told by the school of education at Liberty University that the things I just mentioned would not be available for years to come in the Masters' of Arts and Teaching program. I should have been made aware of this upfront in the many times that I asked prior to class beginning. I tried posting my appeal that I have been sending to Liberty University on this form, however, it is not allowing me to submit my complaint. I would like to send this to the Revdex.com so that you have a quantifiable accounting of all my complaints with Liberty University. Please contact me for further information. Concerns regarding portion of courses that is not refunded as well as claims that virtual classroom was offered but not delivered on have been addressed above. Also concerns over response time are addressed above with concern #4. In summary upon review of the situation the accusation above of unmet promises that the complainant shares regarding the virtual classroom are inconsistent with the information made available on the University’s online program website. The complainant claims inaccurate information was shared via phone calls as well. Upon review of any calls that were available for review any conversations where this was discussed could not be located. The complainant’s request to refund the 25% of tuition for the courses attempted will not be granted as the student was informed of the potential impact of a withdrawal at multiple stages (policy posted on website, required to review at Financial Check-In, policy included in first required assignment for the course, and consequences outlined upon request to withdrawal with opportunity to rescind and stay in courses). Also the opportunity to further investigate the course format are readily available and advertised to students to insure they are comfortable and satisfied with the format and type of interaction they will receive.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response offer made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

I have all the emails and screen shots of the information you have asked for, but like I stated multiple times I have nowhere to send it. I will gladly show proof. As for the email you state that you sent on the 3rd of June it clearly states I have no place to send said information to. The only place it told me to send my stuff to was the appeals office which I have tried and still have not been able to upload my documents. They are too large in size and I cannot compress them any further. I did ask for an email address and you would not provide one as clearly stated in that email.I took the sample course online and it was more advanced than the courses I took in the Master's of Education. Liberty had used the term Virtual Classroom on their website on the page where you apply. Sadly, you have have taken it down so the Revdex.com cannot see it and replaced it with Distance Learning Degrees. I am happy that the future applicants will not be fooled by that terminology! I did not record my conversations with Liberty that I had over the phone. However, I did have them and I do have the phone records to prove that I called or Liberty called. I was told by [redacted] that if learning was to occur it needed to happen through [redacted] and my own studies not those provided by Liberty University. I have the email [redacted] sent me. How could I have email from her if the call supposedly never happened based on what you are saying? I am sad that you cannot be honest in this dealing. However, I assume that $1,500 means more to Liberty than its integrity! Never in all my educational dealings have I been openly lied to and deceived. If I end up paying the $1500 so be it, but at least I was honest, christian, and upfront in my dealings with Liberty University!

Regards,

There were several events of cheating by a student at Liberty online. I personally witnessed it and told Liberty about it. They basically acknowledged my claim and have since done nothing about it. I am disappointed that a Christian school would not care about the honor of their programs or students. I took classes there years ago and have recommended friends to go there. I will not be doing that again, as they have failed to hold Biblical ethics in high regard. It is very disappointing.

Review: I transferred to Liberty university. I attended [redacted] police academy amd transfered credits. Another student attended [redacted] police academy as well but was given credit for 10 more courses, 26 credits. He attended [redacted] a different year but [redacted] acknowledges it was the sane course instructed by the same instructor. [redacted] placed a AR next to my classes instread of a letter grade. This was due to a MOU at the time. Liberty will not grant those credits. I would like to finish my BS there, it seems like common sense. All I want is those courses counted as electives with two of them being 3XX, 3 credits each. The other students name is [redacted]. I am happy to supply as much documentation as necessary. I am now a Police Lieutenant.Desired Settlement: 26 elective credits awl warded, 2 of which are 3XX and 3 credits each. I believe it is common sense for our transcripts to be identical. I've referee [redacted] and three other students who now attend. The other students were also given this credit.

Business

Response:

Response to Complaint ID# [redacted] Complainant has submitted identical complaint through the University's internal complaint system as well as several other agencies. For this reason the below response is what was sent to them directly through these other mediums regarding this issue. Your [redacted] transcript clearly designates those courses as non-institutional and as “transfer credit” due to credit taken by exam and life experience credit. At our institution, as with others with our accreditation, we only transfer institutional courses. Non-institutional work is not accredited. Again, [redacted] did not offer these as accredited courses when you took them in 2006. Because of this, they are not transferable and must be reassessed by any institution if a student wishes to transfer. [redacted] may have offered them as accredited, institutional courses at a later date, but that will not affect coursework completed prior. After researching your situation, I was surprised to find that we already granted you life experience credit for your [redacted] and for your [redacted]. We are not obligated to grant credit for non-accredit coursework, but we assessed your certifications following ACE (American Council on Education) guidelines and granted the appropriate measure based on our policies. I am sorry if you are disappointed, but the issue is with the courses themselves, and not with our policies or practices.

Consumer

Response:

I think that Liberty U offered me nothing but stuck to a policy that allowed others to recurve credit prior to changing their policy in 2010. I am disappointed.

Review: I was attending Liberty last year, I notified the school and financial aid office that I would be taking two semesters off (for family situations). At this time I was approved for my financial aid, and I took the full amount. I discussed the amount via chat and then submitted the paperwork. After the semester started I received the aid and completed my courses. Now Liberty is stating that they over awarded me since I did not attend the following semester (which I already had informed them I would not be). Since I had given the correct information on my future attendance, and had the amount of aid approved, I would like the billing to be removed from account so that I can continue my program as planned.Desired Settlement: The amount owed to be removed from my account.

Business

Response:

We are in receipt of your updated notice dated October 2, 2013 regarding the complaint referred to above. The student’s complaint addresses a balance on the account resulting from an over-award of aid. The University has encountered an inconsistency in the processing on this file and will adjust the account to bring the balance to zero. Please allow several business days for the processing of this adjustment. We trust this action will satisfy the student’s complaint. Sincerely, [redacted] Liaison/Compliance Analyst Office of Financial Aid CC: [redacted], Director of Liberty University Online Student Advocate Office

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and find that this resolution would be satisfactory to me. I will wait for the business to perform this action and, if it does, will consider this complaint resolved.Regards,[redacted]

Review: I attended Liberty University a few years back. I stopped after a couple of semesters and transferred because of the costs. At that time I believed everything was satisfied. I owned about $1500 which was paid and now I'm receiving a bill from a collection agency stating I owe Liberty over $12,000? This is ridiculous. I am willing to settle the debt for half of what I originally owed if Liberty will cease collection and remove this mess from my credit reports. This is ridiculous.Desired Settlement: There is no way I owe that much money. I will pay 25% of my original debt as long as my credit report is corrected and the collection is removed.

Business

Response:

Re: Revdex.com ID – [redacted]

We are in receipt of your notice dated September 2, 2015, regarding the

complaint ID referred to above. In the complaint, a former Liberty student

indicated that they recently received a bill from a collection agency stating

they owe Liberty over $12,000. The complainant disputes this, saying they

previously paid their Liberty balance of “about $1,500”, and has asked that

Liberty cease collection efforts and remove the balance from their credit

reports. The complainant has also indicated they may be open to paying a

portion of their balance if Liberty complies with their requests.

Liberty records show the complainant was accepted to the University’s

online program on April 16, 2012, in pursuit of a Bachelor’s of Science in

Business Administration-Healthcare Management. During their first semester of

attendance at Liberty—Summer 2012—the student received federal student loans

and Pell Grant but incurred a balance after they withdrew from two of their

three classes and a portion of their loans was returned to the federal

government. This balance was carried over to the complainant’s next semester of

attendance—Fall 2012—in which the student attended three courses and received

disbursements of Pell Grant ($2,775) and student loans ($4,125). Despite

financial assistance, records show the student’s financial aid did not cover

all their costs that semester, leaving a balance of $1,504. This is likely the

balance the complainant indicated that they paid in the text of their

complaint; records do show the complainant attempted to the pay the balance

online with an E-check on February 7, 2013. However, the payment failed and was

returned to the student on February 14, 2013, after it was noted that the

account from which the payment was being made could not be found.

For their third semester of attendance—the Spring 2013—the complainant

registered for three classes for the semester’s D sub-term (3/18/13-5/10/13).

The courses were Health 252, Health 491 and Business 472. For the semester, the

complainant was initially set to receive $2,082 in Pell Grant and $4,125 in

student loans to help cover their tuition and fees. However, on March 11, 2013,

the complainant was selected for a Fraud Prevention Review by Liberty’s

Financial Aid Office’s Program Integrity team after inconsistencies were noted

on the complainant’s account, inconsistencies that appeared to be conflicting

information which may have been potential fraud. Per federal regulations (see

34 CFR 668.16(g)), universities are required to have a system in place to review

any accounts on which there may have been potential fraudulent activity. As

part of the review, the complainant was required to provide certain

documentation to the Financial Aid Office within four weeks lest their

financial aid for the school year be returned to the lender, for suspicion of

potential fraud. This was communicated to the complainant via e-mail on March

11, 2013.

The complainant did not provide all the documentation requested, as

part of the Fraud Prevention Review. However, since the complainant did provide

some of the documentation—including a copy of their High School Transcript, a Statement

of Educational Purpose, and a Fraud Prevention Form—it is clear the complainant

had received communication regarding the review and was aware of it. Thus, the

complainant should have been aware that, if they did not provide all the

documentation requested to complete the review within four weeks, their

financial aid for the school year would be pulled from their account, resulting

in a balance. On April 12, 2013, since the complainant had failed to provide

sufficient documentation to clear the Fraud Prevention Review, the loans and

Pell Grant that had disbursed to their account during the Fall 2012 semester

were sent back to the federal government, leaving a balance of $6,735 on their

account for that semester.

At this time, the complainant has still failed to provide all the

documentation requested for the review, which includes official college

transcripts for [redacted], institutions at which the complainant

previously received federal financial aid. These were requested after the

complainant’s 2013-2014 FAFSA was received, on April 4, 2013, with a flag for

an Unusual Enrollment History review by the U.S. Department of Education asking

Liberty to review the student’s enrollment history and determine if they were

eligible to continue receiving financial aid funds.

In addition to the pre-existing balance from the Summer and Fall 2012

semesters described above, the student also incurred a balance for the Spring

2013 semester. Not only did the Fraud Prevention Review prevent the student’s

financial aid from paying—and the projected funds previously described were

later sent back to the lender when the complainant failed to complete the Fraud

Prevention Review—but the student was unofficially withdrawn from two of their

Spring 2013 courses. Liberty records show that the student completed initial

assignments for Health 252 and Health 491 on March 18, 2013, but did not

complete any other assignments for either course. Per Liberty’s Drop/Withdrawal

Policy (which can be viewed here: [redacted]),

if a student attends an online course by completing an assignment or e-mailing

their course professor about an assignment, and then fails to attend again via

any of these means for a period of 21 days or more, they will be dropped from

the course, assigned a grade of FN (Failure for Non-Attendance) and will be

charged for the course if there is no formal attempt to withdraw. Since Liberty

does not have record of the student attempting to withdraw and does have record

of the student failing to attend both courses for more than 21 days after

starting, the complainant was assigned a grade of FN for both Health 252 and

Health 491 and is responsible to pay for them.

Thus, as of April 22, 2013, when the grade of FN was placed on the

student’s account for Health 491, the student’s account balance for all three

semesters totaled $12,164.06. As stated above, the student is responsible for

this balance, as it derives from tuition and fees related to courses the

student took at Liberty. Liberty records show that multiple attempts were made

to contact the student about this balance—26 monthly E-bills were sent to the

complainant’s Liberty University and [redacted] e-mail addresses, which

the complainant had listed on their application to Liberty. In addition, a pair

of Final Notice reminder letters were sent to the street address the

complainant had listed on their account at Liberty on April 21, 2015, and April

23, 2015.

However, since the student did not respond to these e-mails or attempt

to contact Liberty about the balance in any way, on June 11, 2015, the balance

was forwarded to [redacted], a collection agency whom the complainant can

contact at ###-###-####; the complainant will need to contact [redacted] as it

is now too late for the student to make payment arrangements with Liberty. It

should be noted that [redacted]—as is typical of collection agencies—has charged a

percentage to collect this amount, increasing the total due to $15,813.28. The

complainant should contact [redacted] at their earliest convenience to discuss

potential payment arrangements.

While the complainant’s financial aid for the 2012-2013 school year

cannot be reinstated at this time since the school year in question is closed,

if the complainant provides all the documentation that was requested for the

fraud review and it results in the clearance of the review, consideration may

be made as to the possibility of Liberty withdrawing the balance from

collections, clearing the mark on the complainant’s credit, and offering

in-house payment options. But this will only occur if the complainant provides

all documentation and their review is cleared. If the complainant has questions

about all the outstanding items required for the review, they are encouraged to

contact Liberty’s Financial Aid Office at ###-###-####.

Sincerely,

Review: Before enrolling in Liberty University's Online Educational Specialist Degree program in Curriculum and Instruction,I was assured by the University registrar's office that the degree I was applying for would count toward a Georgia T-6 upgrade according to the documentation of requirements I provided to Liberty University per the Georgia Professional Standards Commission(PSC).It was stated by the University's representative that "teachers from Georgia get their degree all the time from Liberty and it does satisfy Georgia's upgrade requirements". I enrolled in the program Spring 2013. As I neared the conclusion of the program, I contacted the PSC again to see what paperwork I needed to complete to submit for the certification upgrade I was anticipating earning the upcoming year. The PSC responded to me and stated to me that Liberty University's program to not meet the requirements for a certification upgrade. I inquired if the requirements for an upgrade had changed since my entry date into the program and the PSC said that they had not changed since my entry date. I contacted Liberty University and set all correspondence and documentation and filed a complaint to receive a refund of tuition. They denied my request. I am seeking a refund of $8,500 for the tuition and books that was paid out of pocket so that I may put that amount toward a degree that does count toward a certification upgrade in Georgia.

Business

Response:

Unfortunately we are unable to meet the student's request for a refund of the tuition paid for courses taken at Liberty University. After reviewing the notes on the students account the first mention of an upgrade certificate took place on 6/17/2014. Unfortunately prior to this date this pertinent piece of information was not included in the questions or conversations between the student and the university staff members. Our EdS/EdD programs are approved by the Virginia Department of Education for the New Field Upgrade. The courses required to add an endorsement are specified on page 2 of the Degree Completion Plan. Virginia does not offer an equivalent for the In-Field Upgrade.

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response offer made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

Liberty University has asserted that the first mention of a certificate upgrade was 6/17/2014 and that I did not discuss this with any staff members prior to that date. This is not true. As stated in my complaint, I did my due diligence in asking Liberty University staff members prior to beginning the program if it would lead to a Georgia certificate upgrade and even provided the pertinent information from the Georgia Professional Standards Commission for Liberty University to verify. It is completely unreasonable to think that before I sacrificed precious time away from my family and invested our money to earn this degree that I would not carefully check and verify with the University that the program of study would qualify for an upgrade and thus a pay raise to better support my family. I relied on what I was told by Liberty University and it was not until June 2014 that I was informed that the program would not lead to an upgrade. I had advisors throughout the program and it was evident that I was a Georgia educator earning this degree for the purpose of an upgrade in Georgia. I was never informed or advised that this was not the case during my enrollment. I am sure that if this happened to me that this has happened to other Georgia educators. It is my hope that no other person will have to go through this tragedy. I am very disappointed that a christian organization has responded in such a worldly way- denial and to blame the victim due to liability. Liberty University has not sought to take responsibility for the faulty information I was given and acted upon nor for personal turmoil they have caused my family. What further recourse can the Revdex.com assist in this matter?

Regards,

Business

Response:

Unfortunately upon further review of the notes on the

students account no mention of the certificate upgrade was found prior to

6/17/14. The situation is unchanged since this time that our EdS/EdD programs

are approved by the Virginia Department of Education for the New Field Upgrade.

Virginia does not offer an equivalent for the In-Field Upgrade. If the student

is wanting to pursue this further the best course of action would be to refer

to the Georgia Professional Standards Commission (GAPSC) for a list of

qualifying in and out of state programs. Currently Liberty does not qualify

unless this is changed by the GPSC.

Review: This school is crank calling my cell phone. The phone number ###-###-#### phones my cell daily and when I anwser they hang up. I phoned the number and was directed to the school I attemptred to transfer to admissions to request I be removed from their calling list and of course the school hung up on me as well during the transfer. Its impossible to get a live rep on the phone. I would never attend this school and want them to stop prank calling me daily! This school has a reputation for this behavior and needs to stop! **Desired Settlement: Stop contacting me and stop this improper contact procedure for all people suffering this

Business

Response:

This customer’s contact information has been removed from our inquiry database. She should receive no future calls from Liberty University at the phone numbers addressed in the complaint unless future inquiry is made. If she has further questions, please contact **.[redacted].

Consumer

Response:

I have reviewed the response offer made by the business in reference to complaint ID [redacted], and have determined that this proposed action would not resolve my complaint. For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.

Sadly I have to decline the solution due to the fact that on 2/6/2014 at 3:10 I again recieved a telephone call from this institution and again when I picked up the call they simply hung up on me. This is occuring to many poeple , perhaps the school should look into why this is occurring and fix the problem. Based on public information this problem has been consistent with this school for years. Is there a telephone issue that causes the line to disconnect once contact is established or is this a live person actually calling people from the school daily just to hang up on them. Simply removing my information doesn't fix the problem I'm hoping the school will take action to stop this practice of calling people and hanging up on them, they have been aware of the problem for years, I hope they care enough to find a solution and implement it. As for removing my contact information, can you recheck that it was completed properly as I am still receiving hangups from this school

Regards,

Business

Response:

As

per the customer's initial complaint her number was removed from our call list.

If we could procure the number that called the student and the number that was

called during the 2/6/2014 3:10 call we will gladly further investigate the

issue.