ComplaintsforThe Fieldstone School, LLC

• Initial Complaint

  12/19/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  On the 9/22/22 I signed an enrollment agreement. On October 17th I made a partial payment of $450.00 towards the $1,100.00 registration fee due before the first day of class (10/24/22) later changed to 11/7/22 without any notice. On 11/7/22 I decided to not move forward with the class because it wasn't going to help me financially the way I thought it would have. In the contract signed the business committed to refund me all money paid if I cancel enrollment before the completion of 5 school days or 5% of the program. The nature of the dispute is refusal of refund by said business as well as upholding the contract agreement. I was told that I am owed 75% of the tuition cost and 25% to go to the business. The issue is that I never paid the tuition total so the math being presented by the school director doesn't make sense 75% of $1200 is $900 how am I expected to pay $300 + admin fees $350 total when I never received any education from this school mores never paid the tuition cost. It has been nothing but unprofessionalism since I signed the contract. When I went to discuss my refund I was told aforesaid information and then told he didn't have time to speak that he was to busy. After scheduling a date and time to go over the clear outlines of the contract with the director, I was spoken over, yelled at and the director just walked out of our meeting going back to his office to "work" leaving me with no help and frustrated. I took out a line of credit to take this class and I'm not okay with paying someone for nothing in return. I should be getting all of my money back is spelled out clear in the contract signed. I don't believe that this business has tried to resolve the issue in any way. In their policy and procedure booklet given it states a refund is due to the student within 45 days of the effective date of termination 12/22/22. I also included an email received showing the poor communication given throughout the start of the program.

  Business response

  01/13/2023

  The compliant had completed an enrollment form on 9/22/2022 to pursue a Phlebotomy program scheduled to start on 10/24/2022. She did not make any payment on the day she completed the form. She was not considered a student until she makes a deposit of $1,100. On 10/17/2022, she came and deposited $450 with the assumption that she would complete the deposit before commencing the program. Due to covid -19 that prevented some students to complete their Phlebotomy training on 10/22/2022, the next class was pushed back by one week to start on 10/31/2022 instead of 10/24/2022. The instructor had informed the students who were fully registered to start the class of the change in the start date. On 10/24/2022 at about 6:00 pm, the compliant arrived at the school to start the class. She claimed that she did not receive the notice of the change in date. We apologized and she was ok with that. She was told of the new start date of 10/31/2022 at 6:00 pm. She was told that the program would start with a CPR training. She agreed to continue and was issued with a CPR book despite that she had not completed the deposit. She was made aware of the balance which she promised to complete before the 31st. She was allowed to do so because she was a previous student of the school. She never came to complete the payment before the 31st. She did not show up for the first day of class which was on Monday 10/31/2022. Also, she failed to show up for the next class on Saturday 11/5/2022. She however, showed up on Monday 11/7/2022 at about 5:35 pm to request a withdrawal of her application. She was informed of the withdrawal policy and she agreed to come back to present a proper withdrawal letter. On the day she said that she was to come, she failed to show up. Later she called on another day and showed up. She was provided with the refund policy and how much that she would be receiving but she was not pleased with the amount. The policy says that "if a student withdraws in the first quarter of the class, she would be entitled to 75% of the tuition fee and be charged $50 administration fee" The tuition fee is $1,200 and 25% of it is $300 regardless that she did not complete the full deposit. We were going to wave the admin fee for her. She refused the calculation. She was hinging her calculation on the part that says if she withdraws withing five days of enrolling before the commencement of the class, she will be entitled to full refund minus the admin fee. In this case, the class had gone more than a week. She left and said that she would come back. She called sometime in December that she was coming to meet with me at 10:00 am. She did not come till about 12:05 pm. I was busy with several deadline activities and reports still I gave her time. She still refused to agree to the calculation and insisted on getting the full amount. This dragged for over 25 minutes before I told her that I had to leave. She left and did not contact us again till date. 

  Customer response

  01/13/2023

  
  Complaint: ********
  
  I am rejecting this response because:
  

  The information provided by the business is not truthful. 

  1. The writer states that I was not considered a student until the registration fee of $1,100.00 was paid. Okay then why are we following a contract based off of guidelines for students. Full payment was never made because I was told that I had till the class begun to pay.

  2.Change of class communication: I arrived at the school on 10/24 ready to begin class and was greeted by a confused program director and then class instructor. Apologizing for the lack of communication. That they just had a secretary quit and they were slowly realizing that not all vital information had been communicated to future student. They had informed me that the classes had been pushed to 11/7/22 not 10/31. Later receiving an email from the class instructor Jennifer D on 11/6/21 Titled Phlebotomy Welcome Email. Explaining the lack of communication from their previous secretary and apologizing for the confusion and stress. Stating that people were told different dates including the 10/31 date that the director is claiming that I didn't attend. (no one did, it wasn't the true date).

  3. 10/31 CPR class. I had informed the director that I had already obtained my CPR license and did not need her from the school in that regard. That is why I didn't not show up on 10/31 or 11/5. So the 10/31 is not my start date 11/7 is when the actual phlebotomy classes start.

  4. 11/7 withdraw. When I stated that I wanted to withdraw from the program I was never told to come back at another date to supply them with a formal letter, I gave a formal letter of withdraw that day of my own doing. The director just ignored me so I said to myself let me get this documented. 

  Every time that I have told **************** that I would be there I was I never missed any of our meeting. This issue is very important to me. I have a business withholding $450 dollars when they provided me with no service. **************** is stating that way after the fact of signing the registration contracts that I was provided with the refund policy. Although I have had the refund policy since I went to office on 11/7 to withdraw because I was never provided with a copy on the date of the agreement. 

  5. *************** is stating that he was whiling to waive the admin fees leaving me with a refund of $150.00 but that is a lie he was offering me $100.00.

  He is stating that me talking to him and trying to understand the lingo of the contract dragged on for 25 mins before he told me that he had to leave but this is a lie I was spoken over while trying to ask questions and was yelled at. His new secretary came into our meeting because he was so loud stating there were students taking an exam and they he just left the room. After that meeting is when I had called asking for a copy of my contract because I never got one. I called the office letting them know I was running late for out 11 am meeting I was 10 mins late and *************** came to meet me to provide me with a copy of my contract because he would let his secretary give it to me. 

  After I got my contract is when I contacted the BBB.

  I have attached the welcome email clearly showing the updated start date of 11/7/22.

  I never attended a class. I was never late or absent to a class. Technically I was never a registered student for the class, I never finished the registration or provided the proof of health records needed to begin. 

  Lastly, the information that I and hinging my calculation on is actually the part that clearly states that I have the right to cancel this enrollment contract before the completion of five school days or 5% of this program, or course, whichever occurs first, and receive a full refund of all monies paid, less actual reasonable administrative costs up to $50 or %5 of contract price, whichever is less, and actual reasonable costs of non-reusable supplies or equipment. 

  Class began on 11/7, I withdrew on 11/7 before the classes commenced more so before the completion of 5 days or 5% of the program. 

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

  Business response

  01/25/2023

  The Fieldstone School response are as follows:

  1. When an applicant completes an enrolment agreement without putting any deposit down, he or she is not considered a student of the school. But if the individual deposits an amount that is less than the deposit amount, she or he will be expected to complete it before the first day of class to receive the books, uniform, copies of the enrollment agreement and policy manual except if the applicant had approached the school for help to spread the deposit payment. In her case, she was supposed to complete the deposit payment before the start of class but she did not. From her report, she was never going to complete that amount and that was why she decided to withdraw and nothing else. If she had told me of her handicap, I would have helped her being a former student.

  2. Regarding the dates for the commencement of class, things happen and classes are moved. Students were informed but she claimed that she did not get any calls. I can't question that. When she came for the class on 10/24/22, she was dully informed by me and the instructor and she never showed any displeasure. She was informed of the 10/31/22 date which she agreed to. It was I that told the instructor to send a welcome email to the students including her because she never showed up for the CPR.

  3. She never told me that she had a current CPR certificate. If she had told me why should I have given her the CPR book to read before the 31st. She took the book and promised to be at the class. She only returned the book after withdrawing. Every other student for that class attended the CPR training on the 31st. CPR is a part of the program. If she can truthfully say that she never told me that she had a current CPR card and did not collect the book from me, I will offer her full refund tomorrow and apologize to her.

  4. Regarding withdrawal policy, it is clearly stated. You write a letter stating why you want to withdraw and complete a withdrawal form. That was the form that she was asked to come back and complete because the secretary was not present to provide her with the form. When we eventually met to discuss the amount and how it is calculated, she was raising her voice and the back and forth made the new secretary to come. I never yelled at her. Both of us wanted the other to understand their point of view.

  Like I said in item 3 above, if she can attest to the fact that she never wanted to complete the deposit, and agreed to the 31st start date and collected the book from me, she can come tomorrow and get a check for $450.00 and I am prepared to offer her the class for free.

   

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