Please help! Advice needed badly!

[teresa82]

In the mid 1990's my mother graduated from a diploma mill school through the mail. This school was not accredited by the Department of Education or any other state agency. It was a complete fraud.

 

In 2009 she started attending a state university in person. She told the new school she had this diploma mill bs school degree hoping to get into the graduate program or at least get transfer credit - neither happened so she started as a freshman.

 

For those two years she received the Pell Grant. However, in her 3rd year the school decided that she was not eligible for the Pell Grant and that she needed to pay all the money back for the previous 2 years - $9,600.

 

They argued that because she had a Bachelor degree already she was not eligible for the Pell Grant and needed to repay all the money back. For 2 years all was well and out of the blue they decided to start this.

 

They placed the account into collections with a 3rd party agency and it’s on her reports, original amount 9k now 13k and collecting interest. They say it’s an individual account. They said they themselves sent their own money to the Department of Education and now she owes the school.

 

Any advice would be greatly appreciated. They refuse to give her a transcript, register for classes, etc. I am sure I will need a lawyer.

[LynnInMN]

Unfortunately she owes this money and a lawyer wont be able to help her. She knew she had a degree, even a worthless one and had previously received Pell's. She even tried to use it to gain credit. Did she fill out her FAFSA's properly? Report her previous aid?

 

This happens a lot, even now. Degrees from schools like University of Phoenix are not transferable to any state school. Same goes with ITT and a host of other schools. The fact remains, you have a BA...although it is not worth the paper it is written on.

[teresa82]

She never previously received any type of pell grant. She paid out of her own pocket, no financial aid anywhere. Please read the info again. Used it to her gain? She paid out of her own pocket for the diploma mill degree. Heres info on the fraud school that was closed by the fbi http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Kirk_diploma_mills

[hoapres]

You need to determine the appeal procedures that are applicable to the denial of Pell Grants. You need to determine the definition of "Bachelors degree" is with regards to the awarding of Pell Grants. ITT Tech, University of Phoenix, and other such for profit college degrees are often worthless but they are nationally but most often not regionally accredited. You need to determine if the possible non accredited degree is considered a "bachelors degree" with regards to Pell Grants.

[Gio7707]

She never previously received any type of pell grant. She paid out of her own pocket, no financial aid anywhere. Please read the info again. Used it to her gain? She paid out of her own pocket for the diploma mill degree. Heres info on the fraud school that was closed by the fbi http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/James_Kirk_diploma_mills

 

This guy was always in hot waters and while in prison his wife continued to operate the scam business..

 

I believe there is a application to dismiss (fraudulent schools) but I am sure Lynn knows better about that ..

 

Degree Mills and Diploma Mills: Be Warned!

 

The terms diploma mill and degree mill are often used interchangeably, but there is a distinctive difference: degree mills provide degrees from fake colleges which do not exist, and diploma mills provide fake degrees from real colleges.

 

Degree mills are for-profit organizations which disguise themselves as legitimate schools. Many have names which are very close to the names of real colleges, in order to easily confuse people. One well-known degree mill was named LaSalle University, which mimicked the name of the legitimate La Salle University. The only difference was a space between La and Salle.

 

James Kirk, the operator of the degree mill LaSalle, served five years in federal prison for charges related to LaSalle and other various degree mills which he owned. Apparently running fake schools is a lucrative business, as Kirk’s wife continued to open and operate additional degree mills while he was in prison.

 

Read more: Degree Mills: Make Sure Your Online College is Legitimate - StateUniversity.com Blog http://www.stateuniversity.com/blog/permalink/degree-mills-make-sure-your-online-college-is-legitimate.html#ixzz1j4VMIMsS

[hoapres]

Pell Grant eligibility is predicated on you NOT having a bachelors degree with some limited exceptions. The problem is getting a non accredited bachelors degree be considered as one by Pell guidelines.