ComplaintsforMilwaukee Area Technical College

• Initial Complaint

  05/22/2023

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  Spring of 2022 I (********************* student ID ******** attended Milwaukee area technical college in ******. When enrolling for classes my mom and I spoke to an advisor and explained that all my classes must be virtual. The advisor agreed and selected a few courses. When fall classes were beginning to start my mom reached out to the school several time due to my courses being in person and not virtual. Final my mother spoke with ***************** who was able to assist in getting the in person courses dropped and enrolled me into virtual courses. Early 2023 I was informed that I had a bill of $1400. My mom reached out to the school and was told that although I was enrolled incorrect courses that I was still responsible for the entire amount. The way ***************** and and his coworker talked to my mom and I was extremely upsetting. They made condensing statements such as "**** even if the bill is not accurate and we take off the classes that she dropped, she still has a bill for $900 sarcastically." This is extremely upsetting because I do not have my transcripts to submit an application to an university. Rather than trying to help me I was told to "submit an appeal." *********** does not care about their students, and hinders further education if it's not with their establishment. The way the **** was so helpful 9/2022 but rude on the call today 5/22/23 was shocking. We do not have $1400 to pay for classes that I was not supposed to be in. We have contacted the media as well.

  Business response

  06/15/2023

  Thank you for taking the time to share your concerns with us. We take them seriously and we apologize that the student's experience has not been ideal.

  After reviewing what you shared with us, we removed all charges related to in-person classes the student had not intended to take. 

  With those charges now removed, the student's remaining balance of $1,031.50 includes tuition and fees for online classes you did take in the fall of 2022 (PSYCH 199 and SOCSCI 172). 
  

  We would be happy to work with the student on a payment option for this remaining balance. Please contact *********************** at ************ to start the process and we will code the record to allow the student to register once this is in place. To get started, you would pay 1/3 of the past balance (about $344) and then pay the remainder in four equal payments over the next four months.

  Please note that this was communicated directly with the student as well. 

• Initial Complaint

  11/11/2021

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I filed Chapter 13 in 2014 and I graduated in 2015. I included approx. $2500 worth of debt (tuition/books) from MATC. They never filed a claim to be paid thru bankruptcy. Now, 6 years later, I'm trying to get my student transcripts and they say I owe a student loan and can't get my student transcripts until this is paid. I never received a student loan. It was a payment plan for tuition and books. My bankruptcy has been paid and closed. They never filed a claim, never called me, never billed me, never sent me a letter. I requested an itemized statement, never received it. I requested a copy of the documentation I signed for a loan, they won't produce it. I went to the school last week to get it, and was given a balance due statement. It was never a loan and they have no proof that it was. I want it removed from my account so I can get my transcripts.

  Business response

  12/09/2021

  MATC recognizes how challenging this situation is for our graduate and others in her situation. 

  
  At the same time, student debt is not automatically eliminated through a bankruptcy proceeding. This includes both loans as the student referenced and money owed directly to a college, which is what happened in this case. Since this debt was not eliminated through bankruptcy, it remains in our records and like other colleges and universities, MATC asks that a student pay outstanding debt before transcripts are released. 

  
  The student owes $1,101.61 from the Fall 2013 semester and $1,150.63 for the Spring 2014 semester for a total of $2,552.64. We would be happy to work with the student to pay the outstanding balance so we can release transcripts. She can contact us at ************ and ask to speak with ****** or *****.
  

  
  

  Customer response

  12/13/2021

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  [Please type your response here.]
  
  Regards,
  
  ************************************************

   

  I was not trying to eliminate this balance.  Clearly you don't understand the difference between a Chapter 7 and Chapter 13 bankruptcy.  If I owed a student loan, which I don't, it would have been included in my Chapter 13 and paid in full.  If it was not a student loan, it would not have been paid.  MATC did not file a claim for payment, because it wasn't a loan.  Anything other than a loan, would have been paid at a percentage.  This was not a loan and cannot be considered as such.  I did not receive any money from NATC.  

  About 3-4 years ago, I was given my transcripts by MATC for Excelsior College.  I had this same situation and there wasn't an issue.  Now, I need them again, and it's a problem.  I have one semester left to complete my Associates Degree to become an RN.  If MATC is not willing to send my transcripts, I cannot get my degree.  If I can't get my degree, I'll *** for the money I've spent thus far for a degree I can't receive.  I would have paid all this money for nothing.

  Lastly, where is the itemized statement for what I owe?  It's a simple request, that would close this case.  If it was a student loan, where is the proof? You should have a record of the loan I was given.  You can say how much I owe, but you can't and won't prove what it's for. 

  Business response

  12/23/2021

  Thank you for sharing your concerns. Transcripts were released previously due to your bankruptcy situation at that time. Your balance was held from collections during the bankruptcy process, however, now that your bankruptcy process is complete and the debt was not discharged, it is still owed to the college and would have to be paid in order for us to release transcripts. (As we shared, the debt incurred is not dischargeable in bankruptcy absent a showing of undue hardship. 11 U.S.C 523(a)(8).)
  
  The attached records show you entering into a payment/credit agreement to cover the costs of $1,101.61 from the Fall 2013 semester and $1,150.63 for the Spring 2014 semester for a total of $2,552.64; you also agreed to the attached statement outlining that MATC may refuse to release records if you did not complete the terms of the payment/credit agreement. 
  
  Again, we would be happy to work with you to pay the outstanding balance so we can release transcripts. You can contact us at ************ and ask to speak with ****** or *****.
  
  

  Customer response

  12/24/2021

  Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and have determined that this does not resolve my complaint.  For your reference, details of the offer I reviewed appear below.
  
  They keep repeating the same thing.  They did not file a claim with the bankruptcy courts.  They would have been paid.  If they knew the charge could not be discharged, why wouldn't they file a claim? Again, they didn't file because it wasn't a student loan.  The document they submitted is not an itemized statement.  It does not say what the charge is nor does it say the amount.  I can prove it wasn't a student loan.  Clearly, they cannot.

  
  [Please type your response here.]
  
  Regards,
  
  ************************************************

*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. ↩