If I could give this school a negative rating, I would…read more
After finishing my undergraduate degree, I entered Antioch University's Clinical Psychology program with a specialization in Spiritual and Depth Psychology.
I was young, hopeful, and trusting, drawn to Antioch because of its stated commitment to healing, inclusivity, and social justice. Those values aligned perfectly with mine.
I came in excited and ready to grow.
But what I experienced was the opposite.
The support I was promised never existed.
I was given only Google Voice typing as an accommodation, which did not meet my needs. When I explained that I could not type or write due to my disability, they accused me of asking for too much and blamed me for struggling. I was placed in the position of having to email constantly through severe hand and wrist pain. I begged for temporary support until I could hire a personal assistant--something that should have been easily granted.
They refused.
Eventually, friends had to volunteer to type for me. Once I had real support (from outside the school), my pain decreased, my anxiety eased, and I could finally focus. That support should have come from Antioch. Instead, I was met with coldness, judgment, and punishment.
One professor demanded that I translate the DSM-5 into Farsi during my accommodation crisis.
The faculty decided this would somehow help me succeed, even though I clearly explained that I process and understand information better in English, not Farsi.
This demand showed how little effort they made to truly listen to me or meet my real needs.
And this happened before AI tools were widely available--I couldn't rely on technology for help. I depended on the school to provide real, human-centered accommodations. They failed.
One professor also issued a formal letter of concern when I showed up to office hours to ask for help. I even told a professor, "I don't know how to advocate for myself yet--please coach me." Instead of support, they used my vulnerability against me, labeling me "unprofessional."
They punished me for trying to grow.
I was left alone to figure everything out. Professors didn't hold real office hours. Tutoring was unreliable. I had to build my own support system outside of the university just to survive.
I often wondered: Why am I going under $150,000 loan for if the most basic support doesn't exist for students like me?
I attended Antioch between 2021-2022, at a time when real, human-centered support was essential.
Instead of coaching me through challenges, they put me on a remediation plan. And after meeting every unreasonable demand they gave me, they still unjustly removed me from the program.
It broke my spirit. It harmed my health. It gave me PTSD.
To Antioch Faculty and Leadership:
When a student with a disability tells you they're struggling, your duty is not to shame, retaliate, or punish.
It is to coach, guide, and build an environment where they can safely grow.
Every student deserves a chance to thrive--not just in words, but in action.
Stop projecting. Start listening. Lead with humility, not ego. Education is sacred work.
To Future Students:
If you have a disability, or if you believe education should be about healing and empowerment, be cautious.
Get every accommodation in writing. Protect yourself. You deserve more than empty promises--you deserve real support.
If you have been mistreated by a school, remember:
You are not broken. Yes, students are always growing--but the system must also grow.
When schools fail to support students, it's not the student who is the problem.
The system that failed you needs healing and serious self-reflection.
Blaming students only hides the real work that institutions must do.
Thank you for reading.
And to every student who's been silenced, pushed aside, or retraumatized:
I see you. I stand with you. Keep going.
Side Note:
During my time at Antioch, one of the few faculty members who truly tried to help me was also retaliated against.
It was horrifying to witness--and it showed me how deeply fear ruled the system, harming not only students but compassionate faculty too.
I share this because I believe no school, no business, no system should ever operate from fear.
Our world today urgently needs institutions led by kindness, love, and heart-centered human beings.
That begins with each individual taking responsibility for their own healing--learning to detach from ego, letting titles and degrees serve humanity rather than dominate it.
The "pieces of paper" we've given so much value to--degrees, credentials, status--should not be used as tools of terrorization and exploitation.
They were meant to empower and uplift, not to harm.
Until systems choose love over fear, they cannot truly claim to be serving humanity.
I hope for a future where all educational institutions lead from the heart--or step aside to make room for those who will.
