Complaints

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:05/29/2025

  Type:Order Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  To Whom It May Concern Subject: Formal Complaint Against Holberton School Misleading Practices and **************** Demands I am writing on behalf of my spouse, **** J. *****-*******, as a co-signer on his Holberton School contract (************, **). We are raising serious concerns about deceptive practices and misleading promises made by the school that have caused us financial and emotional distress.Holberton heavily promoted its program as a path to becoming a professional software developer, claiming graduates would secure jobs starting at $60,000/year. These promises influenced **** to quit his job and commit to full-time study for 9 months, during which he worked hard, earned good grades, and completed the program.After graduation, Holberton failed to deliver. They offered little to no job placement assistance, and the only software role they encouraged him to apply for paid just $30,000/yearhalf the advertised amount. The only job he secured with their help was in Supplier Enablement, unrelated to software development and paying under $50,000. Hes been stuck in that role for two years, unable to transition into the tech field.According to the contract, repayment was contingent upon securing a qualifying software developer job. Yet Holberton is now demanding money, this has left us financially strained.We feel misled. Holberton's promises were not upheld, and we are now unfairly burdened by financial demands due to their misrepresentation. Since July 2024, **** asked for a copy of the contract and only received a delayed response, directing us to an inaccessible portal. We respectfully request the BBB investigate Holberton for false advertising, breach of contract, and unethical practices. As a co-signer, I am willing to fulfill any fair obligation, but the school must be held accountable for the harm it has caused.Thank you for your time and attention.Sincerely,******** A. *********-******** (Co-signer and Advocate for **** J. *****-*******)

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/29/2025

  Im sharing a few old videos of the hard propaganda they had and a complaint I found. I know they have many more, but they have deleted them and created new videos, because they know they were doing it wrong. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/29/2025

  More evidence 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/29/2025

  More evidence ******** propaganda videos. 

  Customer Answer

  Date: 05/29/2025

  They finally sent me a copy of the contract. As you can observe by contract and evidence I already sent you, they are contradicting themselves. Also my supposed signature is uncertain. I'm uncertain if I even signed that. I have no recollection. 

  Business Response

  Date: 06/04/2025

   

  June 4, 2025
  To Whom It May Concern
  Better Business Bureau
  
  Subject: Response to Complaint #********
  
  We are writing in response to complaint #******** and categorically deny the claims made by **** ******************* Her statements are incorrect.
  My name is Mercedes Daz, and I serve as the Chief Executive Officer of Code Puerto ********** doing business as Holberton Coding School. I also hold the position of School Director.
  
  Holberton Coding School commenced operations in Puerto **** in 2020 and has since graduated nearly 200 Software Engineers. Our alumni are employed by leading companies across the aerospace, healthcare, insurance, and banking industries, as well as top-tier software development and engineering consultancies on the island. The current average salary among our graduates is $58,000, with salaries ranging from $35,000 to $117,000.
  
  We provide comprehensive career development support to all students, which includes resume guidance, interview preparation, professional headshots, ******** profile reviews, and ****** repository evaluations. Students also have access to networking events such as TechTalks, Fireside Chats, and Company Information Sessions. Our *************** team offers ongoing guidance on job search strategies and students and alumni can access our exclusive Holberton ********** which features opportunities curated from both our hiring partners and the broader job market.
  
  Successful job placement depends on a variety of factors, including market demand, cultural fit with the employer, development of soft skills, performance during technical interviews, and the individual's sustained effort during what can be a lengthy job search. While we provide robust support, we do not and cannot guarantee job placement. This is explicitly stated in the Enrollment Agreement signed by Mr. **** ****. The relevant clause reads:
  

  Holberton School does not offer job placement assistance; and cannot, in any way, guarantee employment.

  Mr. **** acknowledged and initialed this clause along with the rest of the agreement.
  

  Despite this, Mr. **** did receive job search support from Holberton. We are aware that he was in the interview process with two companies when he accepted his current position. Although his role is not in software development, he informed our Student Success Manager that he chose this job because it was a better fit for his family. He then voluntarily withdrew from the other interview process. His current position pays $25.00 per hour and is full-time, which translates to an estimated annual salary of $52,000. This figure is near the average salary of our graduates and exceeds most entry-level software development roles in the local market.
  
  Our graduates' achievements are regularly highlighted on our social media channels and featured in our advertising. *********** shared in these campaigns is based on verified reports from alumni and presented as aspirational figures, using language such as "you could be making $X." We do not make promises or guarantees regarding outcomes.
  
  Mr. **** continues to have access to our ********* and ***************. However, he has not reached out for support in transitioning to a new role since beginning his current employment.
  
  Mr. **** chose to finance his education through an Income Share Agreement (***). Per the agreement, payments are based on incomenot the specific field of employment. The agreement clearly states:
  When do your Monthly Payments begin: Your monthly payments will begin when your monthly Earned Income meets or exceeds your monthly Minimum Threshold, and (ii) you have completed (or abandoned, or withdrawn from or have been dismissed from) the Program.

  The Minimum Threshold is defined as:
  Minimum Threshold (or 'Floor') means your gross, pre-tax, annual Earned Income of $30,000 (equivalent to $2,500 on a monthly gross pre-tax basis).
  
  **** ********** claim that payments are contingent upon employment in a software development role is false. The *** does not require that income be derived from the software industry.  Earned Income is defined in section 1a of the Income Share Agreement:

  Earned income means your total wages, compensation, gross income from self-employment (including bonuses), freelancing, contractor work, side-gigs, and other income, as reported or required to be reported for income tax purposes.  Earned Income will also include any money you receive other than from paid work if you have voluntarily chosen to not seek employment and you are receiving significant money from another source.
  
  Mr. **** began his current job on April 22, 2024 (contrary to **** ********** incorrect assertion that he has been in the role for two years). At that time, he was required to upload income documentation to ************** the *** servicing platform. Section 6(a) of the *** states:
  In order to verify your Earned Income, we will collect the following items to ensure you are always paying the proper amount under this Agreement:  Prior to your first Monthly Payment: A pay stub, letter from your employer, self-employment contract, consulting agreement, or other verifiable source.
  It further requires:
  You will inform us of your employer, job title, and Earned Income at least every two months (and every month while in deferment), by uploading current Income Documentation to the Customer Portal You shall consent to disclose otherwise confidential or protected information about your income to us for the sole purpose of correctly administering your *** payments.
  Mr. **** has not complied with these income verification requirements.

  In such cases, the *** outlines how monthly payments may be estimated (Section 6(b)):
  If you fail to update your employment and income every two months we may assume that your Earned Income is equivalent to the average full-time income for occupations related to your Program and begin charging you based on that amount.
  
  **** ********* stated in her communication that Mr. **** earns $4,000/month (equivalent to $1,000 per week). His payment obligation under the *** is 17% of his monthly income which is what he agreed to upon enrolling at Holberton and selecting this payment method.  This comes to approximately $680/month.  Holberton Coding School has fulfilled all its contractual obligations. Mr. ***** however, has not fulfilled his.
  
  **** ********* also mentioned, we have attempted to communicate with the school since July 2024 for a copy of the contract. We have no record of emails, messages, or calls from either Mr. **** or **** ********* requesting copies of any contracts prior to May 28, 2025.
  
  The Enrollment Agreement was shared with Mr. **** at the time of signing via the DocuSign platform. The *** is available on the Meratas servicing portal (***************), which he can access using his personal login credentials. If Mr. **** or **** ********* were unable to retrieve the documents through the Meratas platform at any point over the past ************************************************************* notified us at Holberton. We would have immediately provided the necessary assistance.
  
  **** ********* contacted me directly by email on May 28, 2025, requesting a copy of the contracts and stating she did not know how to access the Income Share Agreement on the *********** platform. I personally responded on May 29, 2025, providing both the Enrollment Agreement and Income Share Agreement, along with step-by-step instructions for accessing the *** through Meratas.
  
  In no way have we misled Mr. **** or any of our students. All information regarding enrollment, payment options, and job support is transparently available and thoroughly discussed with prospective students before any agreements are signed.
  
  At Code Puerto ********* d/b/a Holberton Coding School, we are committed to providing life-changing tech training and education to Puerto Rican residents. Our efforts have been recognized by the Puerto **************************************** which selected us to receive ***** funding under the 21st Century Techforce program to expand our initiatives. We have also been named an approved education provider for all 15 local ********************* Boards across Puerto **** and receive federal funding through the Workforce Innovation and Opportunity Act (WIOA).
  
  This complaint is based on false premises, is malicious in nature, and appears to be an intentional attempt to evade a contractual obligation made at the time of enrollment. We respectfully request that the Better Business Bureau dismiss this complaint in full.
  
  Sincerely,
  Mercedes Daz

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/05/2025

   
  Complaint: 23389534
  
  I am rejecting this response because: I feel they were not transparent in their offerings and I wish for BBB to review all the evidence submitted. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ******** A *********-********

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/05/2025

  To Whom It May Concern,

  
  I would like to clarify and reiterate the basis of our concerns regarding Holberton School and our experience with them.

  
  First, my original statement remains accurate: Holberton did not present the salary range of $35,000 to $117,000. What was communicatedverbally and through marketing materialswas that their graduates typically earn $60,000 and above. This is a significant discrepancy, and it misrepresents the real range of outcomes.

  
  Second, the issue is not whether Holberton offers career development in theory, but rather whether they effectively provide support to graduates like *********** they consistently advertise as part of the program. We are not asking for guaranteed jobs or free services, but for Holberton to actively help place students into the job market they were trained for, and to follow through on their promise of career services and job board access.

  
  **** has not had access to Holbertons exclusive job board, nor has he been contacted with meaningful opportunities. We are simply asking that they continue to send his rsum to relevant employers and keep him updated as part of the career placement process that was promised. It is reasonable for a graduate to expect at least some structured guidance and outreach after investing in a program like this.

  
  While its true that job placement depends on several factorsincluding soft skills, interview performance, and individual effortthe school cannot cite those reasons when they themselves have failed to provide the promised support. **** has repeatedly reached out, both by email and in person, asking for assistance. If Holbertons team cannot locate those records, that reflects poorly on their internal processesnot on our effort.

  
  Regarding salary, it is incorrect to say that **** is earning $52,000. He is a contract worker at $25/hour with no PTO or holidays, so every time the company is closed, he does not get paid. His actual annual income was only $30,000, as evidenced by his tax forms. Holberton must stop calculating based on assumptions and begin using actual earnings when enforcing their Income Share Agreement (ISA).

  
  Holberton also claimed **** took the current job because it was a better fit. This is not true. He accepted it out of necessity after nearly nine months unemployed, and no other offers were available. We were struggling financially, and he had to take something to help us survive.

  
  I understand and accept that the *** defines earned income broadly and does not require it to come from a tech-related job. However, that does not absolve Holberton from their responsibility to uphold the job placement and support they promised during onboarding.

  
  Holberton also claimed we had not requested a copy of the contract before May 28, 2025. That is not true. We had attempted to reach them since July 2024, and I cannot be held responsible if their team failed to document or retain those communications. I only emailed directly on May 28 in response to their threat of legal action, and yes, Ms. ********* sent the contract on May 29, which I had already acknowledged in our response to the BBB.

  
  Finally, I want to emphasize: this complaint is not malicious, as Holbertons representative stated. That accusation is offensive and feels like an attempt to discredit a legitimate concern. I believe the real issue is their unwillingness to help a student they already received federal financial aid ****** now wish to profit fromwithout honoring their commitment to his career development.

  
  We respectfully request that the Better Business Bureau continue to review all evidence submitted. Our goal is not to avoid payment, but to seek fairness, transparency, and accountability, both for **** and for future students.

  
  Sincerely,
  ******** *********
  

  
  

  Customer Answer

  Date: 06/05/2025

  Sorry after reviewing my last letter I noticed two typos: 1. "I only emailed directly on May 28 in response to their threat of legal action, and yes, Ms. ********* sent the contract on May 29, which I had already acknowledged in our response to the BBB." It should say Mrs. **** sent the contract on the 29th. 2. "I believe the real issue is their unwillingness to help a student they already received federal financial aid ****** now wish to profit fromwithout honoring their commitment to his career development." It should say I believe the real issue is their unwillingness to help a student that was not elegible for student aid, and they are not honoring their commitment to his career development.  

   

  Thanks! 

  Business Response

  Date: 06/09/2025

   

  June 9, 2025
  
  To Whom It May Concern,
  Better Business Beaureau
  Complaint #********
  
  This document addresses Mrs. ********** response to our complaint reply. The indented text represents our responses to each of the points raised by Mrs. ******************** First, my original statement remains accurate: Holberton did not present the salary range of $35,000 to $117,000. What was communicatedverbally and through marketing materialswas that their graduates typically earn $60,000 and above. This is a significant discrepancy, and it misrepresents the real range of outcomes.
  
                   At the time Mr. **** joined Holberton Coding School, the average reported salary for graduates was $60,000. Our social media communications referenced this as a potential earning upon graduation, based on outcomes at that time.
  
  2. Second, the issue is not whether Holberton offers career development in theory, but rather whether they effectively provide support to graduates like *********** they consistently advertise as part of the program. We are not asking for guaranteed jobs or free services, but for Holberton to actively help place students into the job market they were trained for, and to follow through on their promise of career services and job board access.
  
                   Holberton has consistently provided effective career support. This is evidenced by the fact that, after Holberton submitted Mr. ***** rsum to various companies, he was invited to interview at his current employer two weeks prior to graduation.                   Additionally, he received an invitation to interview at a second company just three weeks after completing the program.
  
  3. **** has not had access to Holbertons exclusive job board, nor has he been contacted with meaningful opportunities. We are simply asking that they continue to send his rsum to relevant employers and keep him updated as part of the career placement process that was promised. It is reasonable for a graduate to expect at least some structured guidance and outreach after investing in a program like this.
  
                   Mr. **** registered for access to the Holberton ********* on April 29, 2024, at 18:26:18, as documented by the timestamp on the ****** Response sheet and we can confirm that Mr. **** is currently listed as a guest in the *********. He, like                     all alumni, has lifetime access to Holberton *************** and the *********. He is also a member of both the Alumni and ******** channels on Discord, granting him access to all new job postings. Holbertons Student Success Manager also                       reached out individually to Mr. **** on September 23rd, and December 3rd, 2024 with invitations via Discord to join Cybersecurity events and Tech Talks for networking opportunities, and has continued to invite Mr. **** to several events in 2025.                   He did not reply to these invitations or attended the events. If Mr. **** had wished to explore other opportunities, the necessary resources were always available to him.

  4. While its true that job placement depends on several factorsincluding soft skills, interview performance, and individual effortthe school cannot cite those reasons when they themselves have failed to provide the promised support. **** has repeatedly reached out, both by email and in person, asking for assistance. If Holbertons team cannot locate those records, that reflects poorly on their internal processesnot on our effort.
  
                  We have received no communication from Mr. **** requesting assistance in exploring alternative job opportunities following his acceptance of his current role. We cannot retrieve records that do not exist. Therefore, we request that Mr. ****                            provide evidenceeither email correspondence or dates of alleged in-person visits to our facilitiesregarding any such outreach. Our facilities maintain a log of all visitors, and we are able to verify or refute claims based on those records.
  
  5. Regarding salary, it is incorrect to say that **** is earning $52,000. He is a contract worker at $25/hour with no PTO or holidays, so every time the company is closed, he does not get paid. His actual annual income was only $30,000, as evidenced by his tax forms. Holberton must stop calculating based on assumptions and begin using actual earnings when enforcing their Income Share Agreement (***).
  
                 The only way for Holberton to verify Mr. ***** actual income is through his monthly submission of salary documentation to the Meratas platform, as stipulated in the Income Share Agreement (***). He has not submitted any such documentation.                   Once he does, Meratas will use the verified income to calculate the payment owed, in accordance with the *** terms, which were reviewed and signed by Mr. ****.
  
  6. Holberton also claimed **** took the current job because it was a better fit. This is not true. He accepted it out of necessity after nearly nine months unemployed, and no other offers were available. We were struggling financially, and he had to take something to help us survive.
  
                 Mr. **** voluntarily withdrew from another interview process.
  
  7. I understand and accept that the *** defines earned income broadly and does not require it to come from a tech-related job. However, that does not absolve Holberton from their responsibility to uphold the job placement and support they promised during onboarding.
  
                Our support has been effective, as demonstrated by Mr. **** securing employment within 30 days of graduation in a role he selected. We continue to support all alumni through lifetime access to our alumni channels and *********. Alumni are                        encouraged to reach out to the Student Success Manager at any time. However, Mr. **** has not utilized these resources.
  
  8. Holberton also claimed we had not requested a copy of the contract before May 28, 2025. That is not true. We had attempted to reach them since July 2024, and I cannot be held responsible if their team failed to document or retain those communications. I only emailed directly on May 28 in response to their threat of legal action, and yes, Ms. ********* sent the contract on May 29, which I had already acknowledged in our response to the BBB.

                Neither the Student Success Manager, or myself as Campus Director, have received emails from Mr. **** following the start of his current employment. We again request that Mr. **** provide proof of any such communication.
                We can provide the following communications sent to Mr. **** regarding his obligation to submit income verification and begin payments:
               - July 23, 2024
               - September 5, 2024
               - March 25, 2025 (in which he was informed his account may soon be referred to collections)
               - May 28, 2025 (informing Mr. **** that we were about to take legal action)
               - May 29, 2025 (responding to Mrs ********* request for contract documentation)
               We can also provide screenshots of a Discord conversation between our Student Success Manager and Mr. **** in July 2024, during which Mr. **** committed to uploading income documents by August 1, 2024. He did not fulfill this commitment.               Follow-up messages were sent by the Student Success Manager via Discord on August 5 and August 7, 2024, but he did not respond.
  
  9. Finally, I want to emphasize: this complaint is not malicious, as Holbertons representative stated. That accusation is offensive and feels like an attempt to discredit a legitimate concern. I believe the real issue is their unwillingness to help a student they already received federal financial aid ****** now wish to profit fromwithout honoring their commitment to his career development.
  
              Please note that Holberton did not receive any ***************** Aid on behalf of Mr. ****.
              We remain committed to supporting our alumni throughout their careers. However, we also expect alumni to honor the commitments they agreed to. Mr. **** entered into legally binding agreements, which he had the opportunity to review and seek                independent financial or legal advice on prior to signing.
  
  We respectfully request that the Better Business Bureau continue to review all evidence submitted. Our goal is not to avoid payment, but to seek fairness, transparency, and accountability, both for **** and for future students.
  
             To pause the legal collection process, Mr. **** must submit income verification for 2024including all pay stubs and his income tax returnso that the actual amount owed for 2024 can be determined. We are willing to work out a payment plan, but             Mr. **** must also begin making monthly payments as contractually required.
  
  
  Mercedes Daz
  CEO Code Puerto *********
  Director Holberton Coding School