Let me give an example of the scam it is. I signed up but was unable to continue and tried to withdraw. First, they make you sign a notarized form that you must mail to withdraw. After 2 weekss, I wrote to ask if they had received it. They had never said what they said in repsonse until now of the "Non-refundable" nature of the registration. they wrote "
Student Degree Level: Juris Doctor
Student Degree Major: Law
Date of Enrollment: August 2, 2008
Term for Enrollment: Fall 2008 – August 25, 2008
Period for Enrollment: 2 years – 08/25/08 â– 08/25/10
Dear Student,
Novus has an established refund policy for students who withdrawal from their studies. Withdrawal is based upon fairness to the student and nationally accepted refund policies. At Novus tuition is for a degree term and that term is 24 Months for Juris Doctor studies. A withdrawal fee of $300.00 is charged and all other tuition is refunded according to a sliding scale up to 30 days after the registration date, after 30 days, NO Refund is granted.
This policy is a Novus policy and most every other private or state university has a similar policy as to refunds. If a student registered for a semester term at resident school they must withdraw within the withdrawal period to be eligible for a refund, and whether they complete the term or not they are obligated to pay for the term registered. If the student has received a student loan or financing they are obligated to pay the loan whether they complete the term or not, if they withdraw after the refund period.
When you registered for the program your tuition was charged in full. You signed your Student Orientation Form and your student materials were sent to you. Your faxed withdrawal was received on July 15, 2009 for a period of 11 months in the program. Your refund due is none and your balance owed for tuition financed and unreturned Text Books is: $7229.51 + $300.00 Withdrawal fee = total due to Novus: $7529.51
These policies are outlined, as required, in the official Novus online catalog website, and student manual. You signed the Student Orientation Form stating that you read and understood these policies and procedures.
Students who withdraw and fail to pay finance fees and tuition balances will be placed in financial default and reported to all appropriate credit reporting agencies as a default on student financing and legal collection procedures will be utilized to collect tuition balances including legal action with attorney’s fees. Please make payment in full or please contact the Law School at
[email protected] to make payment arrangements to pay your remaining balance due with in ten days from date of this letter
Thank you,
T. Booker
Finance Dept.
Novus
This was all news to me. In addition, the degree is a vanity one, that you still must apprentice with an attorney or a judge which requires no schooling anyway. So I wrote back:
This is beginning to look like a scam, so let me get this straight, I have paid over a thousands to you, and short of 3 books valued about $135, you are now saying I owe you $7,521! Do remember, I read a few things before I withdrew and I will do some reporting too. To the corporations commission, etc.; as in my case, this is so unreasonable as to shock the conscience. Luckily, I do have access to attorneys at my work and will fight this.
Remember, I have been to accredited law schools and they did not try to pull this one. Add to the fact your degree does not even entitle you to take the bar without getting experience like working for a judge for attorney, at most it is a vanity degree, or else you would obtain certification. I stand ready to fight you every step of the way. In the accredited law school I attended, University of La Verne, I was top of my class in contracts. Good chance to fight this and practice my skills.
I did keep all the materials you sent, since it was all by email, and I will go carefully over it and give you my opinion. I was never asking for a refund of what had been paid, but I will make an offer to settle now for ending this for what has been paid as liquidated damages. Should you persist in this claim I will go for a full refund. You inflexibility gives a person no other choice.
You never mentioned if you received the notarized withdrawl. By your new claim I can assume you are on notice.
so to answer your question, yes, it is a scam.