Laurenellen McCann via Compfight

Recently, we heard from an Ashford University student who read our earlier interview with a former staffer from the school. The student, Maya Walker, had her own story to tell. She’s working her complaints with the grievance offices at Ashford and hoping for resolution. We think it’s very interesting for other prospective students to hear her story. Maya, 41, lives in San Jose, Calif. Here’s the exchange with Maya via email.

WA - Please describe your educational pathway from high school to college and now?

MW - I had a hard time in high school… I never felt accepted and the stress of fitting in disallowed me to focus on my studies. Although I was challenged in high school, my motivation to succeed did not wane.  When I entered junior college for the first time, I was so relieved that it was nothing like high school. The teachers no longer publicly ridiculed me, the students weren’t teasing me or threatening to beat me up, and It just felt like I didn’t need to be “somebody” anymore. I didn’t feel the need to “fit” in. Or more accurately, I did fit in.

Although I was much happier in college, I was still challenged with trying to balance education and survival. I ended up taking many years to finish school. The positive side to that is I was fortunate enough to experience a diverse education at many different colleges. I have been to; Moorpark college in Moorpark, CA, Front Range college in Boulder, CO, Santa Barbara City College in Santa Barbara, CA (which, by the way, was my favorite junior college of all-my english teacher started the class every morning with a ten minute meditation-so cool),  Cabrillo college in Aptos, CA, Humboldt State University, Acrata, CA, and, finally, Ashford University.

Like so many adult students out there, I had trouble balancing school and life. I was well supported in all these schools however, and the reason it took me so long was not because of lack of support in the school, but my own challenges of making it in the world. Of course my life experiences kept pointing me back to school however, and to the importance of finishing my education.

Although my educational path was littered with the common obstacles many are faced with trying to manage life while staying in school, I managed to keep a GPA of 3.5 and was accepted into Humboldt State University in the psychology BA program. At HSU I earned a GPA of a 3.85 and continued to excel. In my sophomore year, I was accepted in to the MA program in Behavioral Neuroscience, and was leading a research lab working on EMG recording of facial movements with regard to emotion. Unfortunately, uncontrollable life circumstances required that I withdrawal from HSU a semester shy of graduation. I would have liked to go back to HSU and finish my BA, however, at that time, it wasn’t possible for me to move up to Humboldt county again. This is what prompted me to seek out an online education. I thought that it would be easier for me to finish my degree online while working and, I only had 13 more credits to go, so I figured I would just try to power through an online course to get my degree.

WA - How much have you spent on your Ashford coursework?

MW - I have taken a total of 24 units and have spent over $10,000 at Ashford

WA - What are your primary grievances with Ashford University?

MW - Before I get into that, I want to point out that out of all the colleges I’ve been to-every one, had a financial aid department and financial aid counselors would go over the costs of school and inform me of any discrepancies in terms of cost, and financial obligations. I was greatly supported. The schools really took care of me and I trusted them to point me in the right direction. I was used to trusting an educational institution.

When I applied to Ashford University in 2010, I assumed I could trust them, just the same as before, to give me accurate information to the best of their ability. I expected them to look out for my well being, even if it meant discouraging me from taking a particular program, or advising on the limitations of financial aid. In all my experiences at the other schools, the admission counselor would go over my transcripts with me, and let me know where I stood. They would let me know EXACTLY how many credits will transfer in to the program, and how many I needed to complete at their institution- before they collected my financial aid money and started me in class.

My admissions person was very eager to get me started and assured me that all my financial aid would take me through the program. I had only 13 more credits left. He told me that Ashford University would transfer all my HSU courses, and assured me that I would have my degree in no time. I believed them when they told me that my financial aid would pay for my entire program because, not only was I used to trusting my school advisors, I didn’t have many credits left to earn. I also believed him when they said they would transfer all classes. I have a boat load of credits on my transcripts and I was 13 credits shy of graduating at HSU. So, I believed my admissions coordinator and didn’t think to get what he was promising in writing.

Ashford admissions lied to me about everything that was most important in my decision to attend their school. They stated that they were accredited by the WASC and that was the main reason I chose them. It was hard to find an online college that had WASC accreditation, which was important to me. Now I find out that they were using questionable tactics to claim WASC accreditation, and their application for accreditation has been denied. Moreover, I kept getting misguided advice from day one with Ashford. They wanted me to start right away, even BEFORE they received my transcripts! I was 4 months into the program when they contacted me about how they were not going accept some core classes from HSU, and have me take more GE classes!  I was mortified. Not only was I lied to about that, I could not believe that they were questioning  core classes from Humboldt State University, and comparing them to their outrageously easy, non effective, short, online classes - that don’t even give your brain time to really assimilate the material.

It had seemed that much of my time at Ashford was spent trying to fix problems, rather than actually learning. They lied about my financial aid money. I didn’t have enough to cover the entire program… Unfortunately, it was too late for me to back out. I was already thousands of dollars in with them and not enough to start at another school. Twenty four credits later and I’m still over $5000 dollars away from finishing. I’m out of financial aid and I now have to come up with that money in order to continue. Remember, I had only 13 credits left when I entered. No one told me I would have to take so many more classes to get my degree.

I have strong suspicions that this institution does not care at all about it’s students graduating, and was willing to misrepresent themselves in order to increase admissions. I am anxious to start graduate school and I feel that Ashford University is blocking my further education. I had no idea that I was potentially shooting myself in the foot by taking the “easier” (but very expensive) path to finish my schooling. If I was given proper admissions and financial counseling, I would have decided to go to a local state university with a lower tuition cost. The education I got from my previous junior and state college was far superior than that of this online program. The only reason I agreed to do the online program is that I only had a few more classes left and they promised me my loans would cover it.

WA - What is your plan now educationally and professionally?

MW - My dream is to pursue a doctorate degree in Clinical Psychology and use that to help so many who are suffering in this world.

But, I would like to add, I am now stuck. I can’t continue my education because they have used up all my financial aid money, put a hold on my transcripts and won’t let me continue until I pay in full for my classes.  I just can’t afford to pay out of pocket until I can get a better job that will allow me to take care of myself while going to school. The catch is I need the education to get that better job. I have been trying to come up with something and talking with multiple schools. There is a class action law suit against Ashford, for the same grievances I have, that is now in progress.

WA- What would you advise to other students who are considering Ashford University?

MW - If you must do an online program, then demand to wait to start classes until they have finished looking over your transcripts and letting you know for certain what courses will  be transferred. This way, you have the ability to decide to go to another school before you spend thousands of dollars. If you don’t wait, they will wait until you are well into the program before they come back with the bad news. Also be sure to get all promises in writing, do your research on feedback from other students about the school. I’m kicking myself for not doing that because I have found hundreds of negative and downright evil statements about Ashford University and how horrible they are. Also, I would demand to talk with the financial aid department to get true financial information- not your admissions coordinator (who is really just another sales person trying to get you to start). Even the “financial advisor” who I dealt with didn’t seem to know anything about financial aid at all. Unfortunately it was like pulling teeth trying to talk to anyone other than my advisor at the school, and their financial aid department is really called the “processing department”. The employees in the processing department seemed to be better trained in the legalities and particulars of the financial aid process. Do your own analysis of your financial aid status as well as your borrowing limits. Don’t trust anyone there to tell you that you can afford this school.  If your looking, however, for a real education and not just a degree, than you should chose another school than Ashford University.

I have learned over the years that it’s not the rocks in your way that make the difference, but the path we choose around the rocks. In other words, don’t let the obstacles in your way keep you from moving forward. For so many students, staying in and finishing school isn’t easy and in some cases, feels impossible. This is why I have become so passionately involved in seeking justice and stopping Ashford University from stealing away our educational dreams in order to earn a buck. It isn’t right that Ashford University preys on its students for profit, instead of supporting them through one of the most difficult time in their lives. Being an adult student isn’t easy, and the last thing that we need is big business trying to take advantage of innocent, struggling students.

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