Penn Foster Career School

I contacted Penn Foster concerning schooling for Real Estate. They advertised to start with a $10.00 down payment. After I filled out the online application it charged my card $30.00. I was told that I would receive a refund immediately because the system had a glitch I am still waiting for that refund almost 2 weeks later. I cancelled the enrollment. I also, spoke with a very nasty school counselor that hung up on me. This is not a good school to do any kind of business with.

My experience as a Student at Penn Foster College was very rewarding. All of the course materials were current. All supplies were delivered promptly. I finished my program on time and received my certificate. I really enjoyed interacting with my instructor's. Tuition was affordable.

Review: Penn Foster had a advertisement back in December for a course called Health Information Specialist, I agree to take this course, I signed up and send my down payment, for the following six months I made payments for this course, I notice the course material was not what Penn Foster Advertise. Later on in my student blog, I notice the course modules was for medical billing which I have this certification. I called the school several times, spoke to the Student Care Representatives, about the advertisement and how I was switch to a course I did not agree to, the Student Representative admitted it was a mistake. I was offer to take a course call Health Information Management, but I had to resubmit a down payment, and payments, I did not agree because I was not offer a refund for the misleading advertisement and was switch to a course call Medical Billing, which I had already submitted payments for six months for a course I did not agree to. I should have been offer a refund to rectified the mistake but it did not happen. The money I submitted for the course I agree to was not offer to be refunded, due to Penn Foster misleading advertising. I was switch to a course that I did not agree to and I did not receive any correspondence notice of my course being switch to a different course. Penn foster continue to bill me but did not deliver the services I agree to.Desired Settlement: To receive a refund for the last 6 months I submitted for course I agreed to. I would have taking the course Health Information Management, but the student care representative ask me to submit a new down payment without rectifying the false advertisement mistake. So I would like a refund.

Business

Response:

Revdex.com Case Number: [redacted]

Review: May name is [redacted] my student number is [redacted]. When I signed up with PennFoster, I asked if I could cancel the course for any reason without any fees or penalties and I was told yes. Shortly after that PennFoster charged $10 out of my account without any authorization. When I question the reason for the $10 fee, the representative told me there was never a charge and had nothing on file. However, I have my bank statement stating otherwise. Then, between October and November of 2013 I called PennFoster and requested to cancel the course due to personal reasons and lack of funds. The representative told me several times that he would make a note on my account and that he would cancel the course without any penalties or fees. Between January and February, I received a call from a PennFoster representative telling me that I was behind on my payments and threatened to add fees, raise the monthly dues and take further action. When I tried to explain to the representative that I had call and canceled their services, the representative hung up the phone. The lady was rude and unpleasant to talk to with a very threatening tone of voice. After having that bad experience over the phone, I did not care to answer anymore of their calls. However, they calls continued to the point that I felt harassed. Now, I have current received a letter in the mail stating that PennFoster has sent their claims to a collection agency. I am highly disappointed at the way PennFoster has treated me and handled the situation. I been sent to a collection agency for material I never received nor any classes that I taken. I guess this is what happens when you deal with a low end and non-reputable learning center.Desired Settlement: I want PennFoster to cancel the fake collections and refund my $10.00 which they claim were never charged from my account. And please hire representatives with more criteria and qualifications to answer the phones.

Business

Response:

Revdex.com Case Number: [redacted]

Review: I'm enrolled in the online Medical Assisting Associate Degree with Penn Foster. Back in December, I paid my tuition in full due to a "pay early deal". I've recently became very unsatisfied with the program and wished to simply switch my program within Penn Foster. I called customer service today to do so and was told this action was not possible. I wasn't able to use the credit on my tuition from unused classes towards the new program I wished to start, nor were any of my credits transferable to this new program within Penn Foster because I was "transferring down" from a degree to a diploma. I talked to at least 6 different people, all of whom transferred me to a different person who didn't/wouldn't help me stay at Penn Foster. This isn't the first time that customer service has been way under satisfaction. Whenever I do call, I'm always routed through their automated services with long hold times. When being transferred from one department to another, I always get sent back to the "main menu" in which I have to start the whole process over. My school books were hardly on time, and I would have to call to see where they were only to find out they hadn't even been shipped out. This delayed my class time for a month at a time for each class, which is highly frustrating.Desired Settlement: My desired outcome would be to have a refund to my credit card for the unused tuition payment on the last 6 classes I haven't completed/attended.

Another outcome that would be satisfactory would be the agreement to transfer both my unused tuition payment and credits to the Medical Administrative Assistant program the I wish to switch to.

Business

Response:

Revdex.com Case Number: [redacted]

Review: This company must be stopped. They advertise their business saying that they are a nationally accredited school, so I signed up with them and started the Computer Repair Program. After about 65% of the way through this program I found out that they are not accredited. So, I stopped paying them my money. After that they reported me to a debt collection agency. Keep in mind if you contact them about my case right now, they will probably say that there is no case pending or that they don't know me. How do they get away with this? Why are they allowed to do that? I'm not sure what the name of the collection agency is but this is the phone # ([redacted].Desired Settlement: Close that business down.

Business

Response:

Revdex.com Case Number: [redacted]

Review: Could not complete lesson due to connection issues. I made a complaint with instructors and management with concerns, no action was taken. So stopped the course 2 weeks in. Collectors where very rude. I told theme I would not pay for an education I did not recieve.Desired Settlement: Take off my credit. I did not recieve any thing from theme .

Business

Response:

Revdex.com Case Number: [redacted]

Review: I have received the collection for this agency not through them but my credit report for a ridiculous amount I do not owe to them. I never started school with them. I attempted and decided not to because I knew I would not have time. I only took ONE aptitude test. No courses were taken. I called them to cancel this with them and I was told I would be removed from the program. Now I'm being collected on, I don't understand if I never took the classes why I have to pay them for services not used or provided? That's not right. This is now hurting my credit really bad.Desired Settlement: Remove this from my credit report and remove me from the program as I requested months ago. I didn't use their services, I shouldn't have to pay them for it.

Business

Response:

Revdex.com Case Number: [redacted]

Review: I lost my job while I was pregnant and was unable to make payments I called them and told them I couldn't make payments for a few months. After a few months I said I could make payments again at that point it had already been sent to a collection agency as a penn foster employee proceeded to tell me if I agreed to make payments it never should have been sent to an agency. Seriously so frustrated. I was told when I signed up if I was less than halfway into the class and dropped it I wouldn't be responsible for the whole semester only what I had completed thus far.Well I was less than half way through with the first semester and my accounts at a collection agency for the whole amount late fees too and some sort of breaking a contract fee? I wasn't aware I was in a contract. So this is now effecting my credit score! VERY REGRETFUL about attending this school IM making sure to tell my friends and family about pooor experience!Desired Settlement: Id just like for the company to stand by its word I shouldn't have tp pay for the classes I didn't attend (like I wsas told I wasn't!) and take off my credit report.

Business

Response:

Revdex.com Case Number: [redacted]

Review: I decided to attend Penn Fosters online school for their physical therapist aid program, within the first couple days I found out it was something school was not required for, so I called to cancel the program and the representative did so. He then asked if there was something else I was interested in, I said I was interested in anything in the medical field, but I did not want to do a program through their school if schooling was not required for the program. He recommended that I go the personal trainer program. I asked him if schooling was required for this career and he assured me it was, so I signed up for the class, studied did my assignments, and had taken my tests. At the end of my program I can to call a certification place to set an appointment for my exam. The representative from the certification place had then informed me that schooling was not required to take this exam, that all a person needed to do was simply make an appointment and take the test. I do not feel I should be responsible for paying for "classes" that were not needed. If I had known when I first signed up for the "program" that all I needed to do was make an appointment I never would have signed up for Penn Fosters "program". I feel I was lied to by the representative just to get another student, when I found out I had called Penn Foster and told them and told them I refused to pay the remaining balance for something that was never needed in the first place and they informed me that since I had completed a certain percent of the "class" I was responsible for the remaining balance. I do not feel I should be responsible for the balance for something that was not needed in the first place.Desired Settlement: I would like the remaining balance forgiven and to be removed from my credit history.

Business

Response:

Revdex.com Case Number: [redacted]

Review: This school claims they are accredited but that is not the truth. They told my son that they were accredited. So he left a accredited university to enroll in this school. Only to find that he CAN'T transfer his credits. OH and he CAN't transfer his financial aid. Because they don't accept financial aid!!! They say they offer helpful payment plans & that is why they don't accept aid. The true reason is they are in fact NOT AN ACCREDITED COLLEGE. They claim that they are but that is an untrue statement. After more research, I found that they are accredited but not at a federal level which is how schools get their code for financial aid. By guidelines specified by the US Department of Education an accredited school must meet guidelines to be eligible for financial aid & offer a degree. Now my son is stuck! He has to start paying his Loans back from the REAL college he withdrew from to enroll in Penn Foster. Their sales team are masters at talking these young adults into enrolling in their school. My son also is stuck paying for a degree that he is not earning through this farce of a school. Don't get me started on their curriculum. That is another issue in itself. BEWARE!Desired Settlement: I would love for my son to be refunded but I already know that is not going to happen unless I hire legal help. The only outcome I am wishing for, is that this report is viewable by the public. To warn parents and possible students about enrolling into Penn Foster. Also, that this report stays on their record. For the life of me, I can't figure out why the Revdex.com has given them a A rating when they have over 300 complaints against them????????? Upon further investigation, past graduates are saying they do NOT get what they are promised upon completing one of their programs or degrees! That in my book, is false advertisement.

Business

Response:

Revdex.com Case Number: [redacted]

Review: I enrolled in penn foster high school in november 2013 I believe.I was doing the school and makeing my 49.95 a month payments out of the 1145 dollars im asked to pay to recieve my high school diploma. Im 50% done with the penn foster high school so I began apply for a beauty school and when I spoke to the director of the beauty school I was told the supposed dipolma I was gonna recieve was not gonna be excepted so they proceeded by calling penn foster high school with me present and requested the school code given by the pennsiyvania board of edaction and when the code was entered it came up as an invailed and the costumer service representive became hostile and started repeatedly stateing that is the code and hung up on the director of the beauty school and I. the beauty school is called [redacted] school of cosmostolgy. the [redacted] school of cosmotology director and I had come to realize that penn foster high school is a scam. im now not engageding in penn foster high school and working to get my ged. ive proceed the ask them to please remove me from there high school program but the refuse to do so until I pay them the remaining tution at

the amount of 1131 and I rufuse to pay if its a scamDesired Settlement: I would like the outcome to be that I get the money back I had already put into penn foster high school and then to leave me alone to stop sending me mail asking me for money.

Business

Response:

Revdex.com Case Number: [redacted]

Review: I enrolled in their college without a high school diploma which they said I didnt need if I took the general studies. after I enrolled and paid 49. enrollment. they said I couldnt continue without a diploma. I argued the point several times over the phone and they said they would refund the money to my acct. today I received a bill and they have no intentions of refunding any of my money. they are crooks and I want my money back. I am disabled and on social security. that money was important to me to use it for my education. please respond a.s.a.p. thanks. carlDesired Settlement: I want my 49.00 into my acct. immediately and taken out of collection where it will go, because I am not paying it.

Business

Response:

Revdex.com Case Number: [redacted]

Review: I contacted Penn Foster early in this year about doing an online High School Diploma. I then later sign up to take the class with some questions ask like will this Diploma recognize State, National and Internationally the answer was yes I then started the class with a down payment. I then went to apply to start a Phlebotomy class I was asked for a High school Diploma I went on to let the admission clerk know that I was enrolled at Penn Foster I was told by that clerk that online Diplomas are not accepted by the Board of Education and Penn Foster is one of those schools that are going around giving this class even thou they are not suppose to. I came home and I contacted Penn Foster and told them my findings and I will like to cancel I was told after a long debate over my findings that I cant, I went on to told Penn Foster I will not pay any more money and I hang up the phone. I would get frequent calls and mails asking for payments I explain to Penn Foster my stands I am taking because I was l trick into registering to do this class and I was told I can use the Diploma without any problems and that was a lie. I receive a call from a debt collector[ [redacted]] on the 9/4/2014 asking me to pay $500.00 to them for Penn Foster I told them my stands on this matter and the Lady told me I have to pay or I will be taken to court and they would place it on my credit, I then hang up my phone and proceed to call Revdex.com.

Business

Response:

Revdex.com Case Number: [redacted]

Review: I signed up at Penn Foster for a pharmacy tech course. I paid 25.00 with a credit card and received the first kit. In the process of this my husband became extremely ill and had to have triple bypass surgery. I contacted the school to inform that that I would not be able to contnue due to not having the income any longer and also having to care for my husband. I received MANY threatening phone calls and harassing phone calls about paying what I owe them even thought I never received any thing else from them other than the first kit that was paid for by credit card. I am wondering why they would expect you to pay under circumstances totally beyond my control and for which I received NOTHING!!!! They have filed on my credit report a collection for $709 for NOTHING. I could not take the course, could not pay. My biggest thing is why do they expect pay for NOTHING. I could not pay for the course. My husband was extremely ill with loss of income.Desired Settlement: Take off my credit report. I did not get anything from them other than the first kit which was paid for. Contracted them immediately when my husband became ill. Why should I have to pay for something that I never received. Especially when they were well aware that my situation had changed.

Business

Response:

Revdex.com Case Number: [redacted]

Review: I recently enrolled into Penn Foster Career School over the phone for the Home Inspector Course. My first Question to the adviser was, is the Course accepted by the State of NC. They advised that is was accepted by the State of NC so I continued to enroll in the program. After completing the program and receiving my diploma and transcript I proceeded with the application process with the NC Department of Insurance to take the state board and was denied because Penn Foster was not accepted with the state of NC. I called Penn Foster and was transfer to four different people before being connected with the financial supervisor where I explained the issue and asked for a refund. I was advised that in the (fine Print) it stated I should do my own research to see if the program was accepted with my state and that I would not receive a refund. As I mentioned before I enrolled over the phone and after I was told It was accepted by the state of NC I felt that I didn't need to research any further. At no time was I told by Penn Foster that I needed to check with my state for requirements. After talking to the supervisor I visited the web site and did see a section for State requirements which listed the states that should be researched. NC was not listed which lead me to believe that NC was accepted.Desired Settlement: I would like to be refunded in full by Penn Foster Career School and have all advisers up to date on which states accept there programs

Business

Response:

Review: I was charged for good or services which were never received
Over the past year I have endured heart attacks and a colon removalI am in the recovery process and I am currently on disability
Several letters have been sent to Penn Fosters collection agency - [redacted], [redacted]/ Phones is ###-###-#### and there has been no response either written or verballyI called the same day as the notice from [redacted] arrived on 8/7/A second letter has been sent as of this date 9/10/Recently I have also sent a duplicate letter to Penn Foster
All mail correspondence has been done via USPS Priority mail.Desired Settlement: Remove this from my credit report
Business
Response:
Revdex.com Case Number: [redacted]

Review: I am currently an unwilling customer of Penn Foster Career School services. I have been paying for unconsummed services via automated charges to my [redacted] credit card. On November 02, 2011, I decided to obtain services for my son [redacted] as well. Unfortunaly, my son got incarcerated early on March 2012 . On April 12, 2012, I contacted Penn Foster to initiate cancellation of membership for my son's services and I was informed by Penn Foster about a "federal law" that does not allow services to be cancelled unless the person who is receiving those services initiates the cancellation order. I informed the Penn Foster services that my son was not able to comply with that law due to the fact of his incarceration situation. Penn Foster stated there was nothing they could do about it. At that point, I decided to cancel the couse on my name but unfortunally, up until this date, we are still being charged a fee of $49.00 monthly for my nson [redacted]'s services. My Penn Foster student ID# was [redacted] and my son's [redacted] student ID# is [redacted]. I will appreciate your assistance with this issue. I have previously contacted my credit card but have not yet received response from them and it is financially and emotinally consuming to see these charges on services I am not receiving.Desired Settlement: I expect to receive reimburstment of fees charged for services not rendered form April 2012 to present.

Business

Response:

Revdex.com Case Number: 9494297

Review: On the Penn Foster website, it advertised that their High School Diploma program has a "Down Payment Match Program". It then proceeds to say, "For every dollar you put down, we'll match it and reduce your total tuition cost by that much." There were no other details, no footnotes, no fine print and no disclosures listed anywhere. It simply stated that they will match EVERY dollar. Directly below this statement was the program cost of $995. Because this stated it was a limited time offer, we scrambled to secure $500 for the program, since they were going to match every dollar we put down, this would cover the cost of the $995 tuition. My wife called Penn Foster and they stated that they would only match up to $200! My wife told them that their website said "EVERY dollar", but then what they explained even got worse... She was also told that we cannot apply a down payment towards the $995 tuition, but rather, had to apply it toward the "Monthly Payment Program" which costs $1395!! So not only will they not match every dollar as promised, but they are also charging an extra almost $400 in order to even use their down payment program. So either we pay a total of $995, with no "Match Program", or they match the first $200 of the $1395 "Payment Program" which costs us a total of $1195! It's a scam deal that they advertise to get you to call them, and they do not honor the website advertisement. On September 15th, I sent them an email (Ticket# [redacted]) asking for an explanation of this advertising and explained that if they have no disclosure listed on their website, it's false advertising and needs fixed. Not only did they ignore my email by never responding (it's been two weeks), but they put the same advertising back on their site again. We planned to sign my daughter up this year and our son next year, so it's a shame they can't even respond to a reasonable email question and that they feel the need to mislead people.Desired Settlement: Penn Foster should honor the deal they advertised. If they stated they will match every dollar, they should do that. If I put down $500, they should put down the same. And they should not require me to sign up for higher priced auto-payment program when I want to pay in full. If they are willing to honor their advertisement and actually communicate, we will consider using their services. If they will not, they should be held responsible for false advertising and should be required to amend their website advertising practices.

Business

Response:

Revdex.com Case Number: [redacted]

Review: I was enrolled in school.Lost my kidneys and became disabled. According to contract I had with Pennfoster they owe me $475.00 for unfinished schooling. I have the paperwork for money due. Copies on request. I am jumping threw hoops of excuses for not returning my money. This is the 8th month this has been going on.Desired Settlement: $475.00 due according to paperwork

Business

Response:

Revdex.com Case Number: [redacted]