ComplaintsforSaint James School of Medicine

• Initial Complaint

  03/29/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Resolved

  More info

  Subject: Complaint Against St. James School of Medicine for ******************* Practices To Whom It May ******* at the Better Business Bureau,I am submitting this complaint to request your assistance in addressing serious concerns with St. James School of Medicine, located at ****************************************************************************************************************. This institution has engaged in deceptive and exploitative financial practices that have significantly impacted me and other students, such as *************************.Issue Summary:Advanced Payment and Refund Policy Abuse: Both ************************* and I made substantial advance payments for two semesters, as mandated by St. James School of Medicine. Upon our decisions to withdraw, the institution manipulated our student balances to zero, effectively denying us any refunds. This action is in direct violation of the trust we placed in the institution and likely infringes upon consumer protection laws.Unauthorized Charges: Without prior disclosure or agreement, I was charged $5,000 for counseling services, purportedly free, and an additional $3,000 as a service charge. These unauthorized charges showcase a clear pattern of deceitful financial conduct by the institution.Excessive Delay in Refund Processing: The institutions refund policy imposes an unreasonable ***** week delay on the processing of refunds, a ***** contrast to the immediacy with which it withdraws tuition fees. This policy is manipulative, deterring students from seeking due refunds and unjustly benefiting the institution at our expense.Request for Action:Given these circumstances, we urge the BBB to intervene by investigating these practices, holding St. James School of Medicine accountable, and helping us secure justice and financial restitution. The unethical behavior and financial exploitation we've experienced cannot be overlooked and require immediate redress.Sincerely,*************************** *************************

  Business response

  04/15/2024

  We are unable to respond to this complaint. The complainant is complaining on behalf of someone else. 

• Initial Complaint

  03/26/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unresolved

  More info

  I attended a Caribbean medical school from 2015 to 2016 with the caveat that I had to pay tuition ahead of time to move forward. I successfully completed the first 2 years of basic sciences and was prevented from taking USMLE step 1 until paying ahead for clinical rotations. At the time I thought it was 1 semester in full to pay in advance. I paid the 1 semester and was told I had to pay the second. Now this took me a lot of time as the semesters were ***** plus late fees at this point. I managed to finally pay the second semester (for clinicals) off around 2022. I didnt hear anything out of the school after I paid them. I finally reached out when I was able to take time off my 2 jobs. I was told too much time had passed and I would need to petition to be a student again. I was accepted back under the conditions of repeating a review semester involving leaving the ** for a minimum of 4 months and having to repeat payment. This was unrealistic and at that point I requested my roughly $20,000 I had paid ahead. I have not been contacted now in several months or followed up with regarding return of my money for future semesters. I planned on transferring, however cant realistically afford it unless I can get my money back. I cant afford a lawyer to try to get my money back. I filed a complaint with the *** and havent heard back. They are based in ********** ********. How is this legal that they just take my money? I know theyve done this to other students. This is devastating to me as that is so much money and work. Im not expecting money back I paid for basic sciences, just what I paid ahead for clinicals.

  Business response

  04/15/2024

  SJSM is a minority owned, family-run business founded in 1999 that operates an accredited for-profit medical school with two campuses one in ******** and one in ******************. SJSM provides high-quality medical education at an affordable tuition to students, many of whom come from non-traditional, diverse backgrounds. More than **************************** the ************* and ****** received their medical education from SJSM.
  **************** voluntarily withdrew from enrollment as a student at **** on September 11, 2023. In her letter of withdrawal, **************** stated:

  
  "I want to express my sincere gratitude to the faculty, staff, and fellow students at Saint James Medical School for the support and guidance I have received during my time here. I have learned valuable lessons and had the privilege of being part of a dynamic learning environment. . . . . I genuinely appreciate the opportunities Saint James Medical School has provided me, and I hope to reevaluate my educational path in the future. I want to emphasize that my decision to withdraw is based on my current circumstances and is not a reflection of the schools quality or the support I have received here."
  

  
  See Attachment A, ****** Withdrawal Letter to SJSM.

  
  SJSM respectfully disputes Ms. ******* allegation in her complaint that **** has subjected her to unauthorized charges upon her withdrawal from SJSM. **************** specifically notes that SJSM deducted a $5,000 consulting fee and $3,000 service charge from her account.
  However, as of October 2022, SJSMs Student Payment and Refund Policy (the Policy), which was provided to students and is prominently posted on SJSMs website, has stated that a students tuition payment includes a nonrefundable $5,000 counseling fee and a nonrefundable $3,000 administrative surcharge. (See Student Payment and Refund Policy, at **********************************************.)The Policy specifically states that in the event of withdrawal from SJSM prior to the completion of the MD program, the counseling fee and administrative surcharge will not be refunded. This Policy applied at the time that **************** withdrew from SJSM.
  SJSM properly reconciled Ms. ******* account after she withdrew from SJSM. SJSM applied an existing credit to Ms. ******* account and, per the Policy, deducted the counseling fee and administrative surcharge from her tuition fee refund. **************** was appropriately refunded $175 in accordance with SJSMs Policy.

  Customer response

  04/15/2024

   
  Complaint: 21490328
  
  I am rejecting this response because:

   

  The response letter is not even my name! My name is ***********************.  I was told I was no longer a student and had to petition to be readmitted in 2023. If I was no longer a student why wasnt my money I paid ahead refunded then? This school is a scam and a bunch of crooks. I was told I had a time limit to accept to repeat and repay for coursework and I opted to take my money back. Additionally, they should not be entitled to keep any money for counseling services as I was not provided with any services after basic sciences. I will be seeking legal council on this matter. I worked very hard to come up with that money and all they did was give me another excuse to take more money from me. It took me years to raise that money with hard work. This is not a light matter. I did not voluntarily withdraw, I was forced into the situation from this school when I realized they didnt have my best interest at heart. 
  
  Sincerely,
  
  ***********************

• Initial Complaint

  07/10/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Product Issues

  Status:

  Unanswered

  More info

  I paid for clinical rotation upfront during the end of my second year preclinical courses. I paid approximately ****** and they are taking a less administrative surcharge of $3,000 and a counseling fees of $5,000. This total of $8,000 is being taken out of the $******. We as students were not told and also the contract which we signed to pay the tuition did not have this information clearly stated. No where on the contract does it state this policy that I signed. The students should be informed clearly on the contract that there will be amounts of money deducted if withdrawn. I withdrew and did not get a full refund. I was told my *********************(my point of contact there) that I would be getting my full refund over the phone. I e-mailed the finance department and they stated I will only get a partial refund because it is their policy and its on their website. I looked on their website and I couldn't find it clearly stated until I googled and it was hidden under the support desk FAQ. This is deceptive business in order to get money from students who never got to finish clinical rotations and did not get to completed their board exam prior to clinical rotations. I withdrew because of health reasons and my lack of interest in continuing any further. Also on their website it states According to the student payment and refund policy: "This policy has several benefits for students. Primarily, students do not need to prepay for future semesters of CS1 until they successfully pass the ***** Step 1. " This is a clear contradiction they have on their website as this is what is stated on top of their page but then goes on to explain their deduction policy on the bottom of the page. This information was not given on the contract.

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