I was at Charter College until recently. I was at the Lacey campus in WA. I passed all my classes, got the highest score on the NHA test, out of everyone in my group. I had completed one week of externship and then I started getting sick. I was going to school to become a medical assistant. I was put on life support for about 24 hours and spent a week and a half in the hospital. When I was discharged, I had a meeting with some staff at the college and they offered for me to jump right back into externship. I choose not to jump right back in due to me feeling like my brain wasn't fully healed from being put on life support.
Campus staff and I came up with a plan, though. This plan included me auditing a class (I wasn't going to have to pay to audit the class since I had already paid for and passed the class before). At the end of the audit, I would be checked off on my skills again and then go finish the last 4 weeks of externship.
Before the audit began, even before the Mod started, I ended up back in the hospital. I was gone a total of 25 days while I was in the hospital.
While in the hospital, I had a meeting with the financial aid department. The lady had me go online and fill out FAFSA again. Then the following week, I had a follow-up call with her. My financial aid had been approved. However, she said I would still have to take out, yet another loan, through the school for an additional over $1,000. Of course I asked why? I had already paid for externship the first time and I didn't get any of that money back. I asked if she could just use the money that was left over since I had already paid for it. She said no. I had a panic attack because I was already paying back $30,000 total, through financial aid and the extra loan from the school. The school doesn't allow you to wait until you graduate and are employed to pay back the loan through them! I have been paying $75 every single month for 11 months so far. She told me my payments would increase in amount as well.
During this point of the call, since I was still in the hospital, a nurse had to give me medication to try and help calm my panic attack. I used the F word a couple of times, not calling the lady the F word, but using it to express my frustration. She then started treating me like I was a child, I'm 40! I told her where I was and that she had put me into a panic attack and I had to be given stronger medication to help calm me down. Again, I NEVER called her any names when I swore. She then went on to say that she would need to get special permission to keep my monthly payments at $75.
When we ended the call, I thought everything was fine. I ended up getting discharged from the hospital later that same day. Less than 24 hours later, I got a call from the campus success coach and the manager for that campus telling me I was no longer welcome at Charter and they were expelling me. They said it was because I used the F word. I didn't get a warning from them, they went immediately for expelling me.
Mind you, I have heard every single staff member on that campus swear at some point or another. I 100% believe I was expelled for some other reason and not just because I used the F word a couple of times. Also, I was having a panic attack and in the hospital. At every college employees pick their favorite students. I didn't and I refused to fit into their perfect little mold of the perfect student. Rather than telling the truth, I feel they were grasping at straws to find any little thing to get rid of me.
I only had 4 weeks left until I was completely finished and getting my MA certificate. I felt like a target by specific staff, since day one. I definitely didn't get the education I paid for. I have spent the last week calling the main campus in Alaska and New Mexico. I've left dozens of messages. Not one person has returned my calls. In addition, when I get a hold of a front desk staff member, at any college in the County, they all refuse to give me the names or numbers of the CEO or anyone else higher up.
I wouldn't recommend going to any Charter College. Yes, some staff are absolutely wonderful, but there isn't much they can do but sit around and left management pull stunts like this. I believe they are scared to loose their jobs if they stand up to management.
If you are reading this, and you're thinking about enrolling at Charter, please, I am begging you, make sure you're making the right choice. If you're ever in a situation like mine, keep in mind that your credits will be a pain in the A to transfer. Charter makes it nearly impossible. read more
