by Sandy Womack, Ed.D., Director, EduPlan www.eduplan.org
I am an educational counselor, working mostly with employees at larger companies, helping them set up degree plans, focused on their goals, background and skills. These larger companies have Educational Assistance Policies that pay most or all of the tuition for a degree. So, I am not that knowledgeable about Financial Aid.
However, I recently saw a documentary on TV that highlighted the problems of financial aid. Many students were taking out large financial aid packages and when they graduated they found that the interest rate was as high as a credit card rate (17 - 18%). Many new graduates received phone calls that could be called harrassment. One woman featured was told that she would be arrested if she did not pay her financial aid amount that month. So, she did so instead of paying her rent. Later, she and her 5 year old daughter were evicted.
There is a fairly damaging blog from a woman who attended Westwood College and felt she was scammed by Sallie Mae. Read it at: http://fight-westwood.blogstop.com This is called: Westwood College Online and Sallie Mae Scam.
By the way, Westwood College is not regionally accredited. I would never recommend this college to any of my clients.
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