ComplaintsforLindenwood University

• Initial Complaint

  05/30/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I am going to make this Long story short. I received a bill in the mail about a month before the 2023- 2024 school year was out for $3,000. I was not surprise since that's what we paid for our son to attend the first semester. It is what happened next that surprised me. I called my son and informed him to go to financial office the next day to find out why we were just now receiving a bill with school being less than a month from being over, and to confirm what was owed. My son was told that he did not owe $3,000 but $15000. We were told that our taxes had not been verified. I asked why would you need to verify it every semester. I was informed that they only verify it once at the beginning of the year. So I asked how was my son allowed to register for classes a second semester if nothing was verified and he owed that type of money. I got crickets with every questions I asked for financial office supervisor. I got to speak to everyone but the person in charge of the financial office. I am entering my doctorial program, I have attended two community college and a total of four Universities. I have never been allowed to register for a class owing any money, especially not $15000. It was not enough that my son was recruited there to run track as a freshman and disbanded the boys track team the same year that they started it. My son could have transferred to a school that cost less in the middle of the year had when been made aware of any of this. Now we have to find away to come with $15,000 so my son can transferred to another school next fall!

  Business response

  06/05/2024

  Lindenwood University (Lindenwood)values its students and takes student concerns seriously. Lindenwood is also committed to providing the best student experience possible. Based on our review of this situation, we confirmed that ***************************** (****************)son, *************************** (****************), attended Lindenwood from fall 2023 until spring 2024. In her complaint, **************** alleges a billing error associated with Mr. ******* student account. Specifically, she alleges **************** erroneously owes a balance of nearly $15,000.00 and implies that **************** provided the documentation necessary to obtain federal financial assistance. As a general matter, financial aid is available to all eligible University students. Like nearly all institutions of higher education, Lindenwood uses the U.S.Department of Educations Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA), in part, to determine the amount of financial aid a student may be eligible to receive. Students electing to receive federal financial assistance must complete a Master Promissory Note (***) and entrance counseling to acknowledge their understanding of the terms and conditions of their federal student loan and their rights and responsibilities. As part of the eligibility and award process, many institutions of higher education employ a verification process to confirm the accuracy of data reported on a students FAFSA. Students selected for verification are contacted and asked to provide additional documentation to support the information reported on the students FAFSA. In this instance, **************** applied for and was deemed eligible for federal financial assistance. On October 18, 2023, **************** received an email to his University-issued email account prompting him to sign his *** and complete entrance counseling. Notwithstanding that email, **************** failed to comply. On November 21, 2023, Lindenwood notified **************** via his University-issued email account of his selection for verification. Again, **************** did not respond to the email. Subsequently, on December 8, 2023, **************** received another email prompting him to execute the *** and complete entrance counseling or affirm his desire to decline the loan. Similar emails regarding the verification process sent to **************** on December 18, 2023, and January 3,2024, went unanswered. On January 8, 2024, **************** met with a financial aid counselor to discuss his ***, entrance counseling, and the verification process. At that time, **************** was instructed to complete all necessary paperwork. However, **************** again failed to comply, which resulted in another email on March 11, 2024, instructing him to complete his ***, entrance counseling, and the verification process. On April 24, 2024, **************** again met with a financial aid counselor who provided **************** with a breakdown of his student account and the financial aid process, including the verification process. The counselor also informed **************** that failing to promptly complete the necessary steps would result in the delayed processing of his paperwork and disbursement of federal funds. Still, **************** took no substantive steps to complete the financial aid process until May 1, 2024, when he visited the financial aid office to complete the verification process.However, on May 3, 2024, **************** returned to the financial aid office with **************** on the phone. At the request of **************** and ****************, the attending financial aid counselor canceled Mr. ******* federal loans.
  
  During his enrollment, **************** accrued a debt of nearly $15,000.00, which included, amongst other things, costs related to room, board, tuition, housing fines, library fines, and parking fines (totaling $31,795.63) less credits for cash payments, an athletic scholarship,and University merit-based scholarships (totaling $17,055.00). It is Lindenwoods position that **************** is liable for the debt, and the amount accurately reflects the debt accrued by **************** during his enrollment at Lindenwood. **************** is encouraged to contact Lindenwoods student accounts department with any further questions or for additional assistance.

• Initial Complaint

  03/13/2024

  Complaint Type:

  Billing Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I am not liable for this debt with Lindenwood University. I do not have a contract with ************************************************** They did not provide me with the orginal contract as I requested.

  Business response

  03/21/2024

  Lindenwood University values its students and takes student concerns seriously. Lindenwood is also committed to providing the best student experience possible. Based on our review of this situation, we confirmed that ********************** attended Lindenwood during the fall of 2020. ********************** owed a balance of $6,072.00 when he withdrew. The balance includes fees for a housing deposit ($200.00), an eBook charge ($72.00), a residential charge ($4,900.00), undergraduate tuition ($9,000.00), and partial repayment of an educational ***** ($2,000.00) less credits for the online housing deposit ($200.00), the online enrollment deposit ($200.00), an academic ***** ($4,000.00), a partial tuition refund ($4,500.00),a housing deposit refund ($200.00), and an athletic scholarship ($1,000.00).Lindenwood submitted the debt to the *********************** (NSB) for collection on or about October 16, 2023, at which time the outstanding balance increased from $6,072.00 to $7590.00 with the addition of the collection fee ($1,518.00).On or about November 28, 2023, Lindenwood, through NSB, offered to settle the outstanding debt for a one-time lump sum payment of $5,000.00.Although initial attempts by NSB representatives to resolve the debt seemed promising, ********************** failed to respond to subsequent communications. It is Lindenwoods position that ********************** is liable for the debt, and the amount accurately reflects the debt accrued by ********************** during his enrollment at Lindenwood. ********************** is encouraged to contact the *********************** with any further questions or for additional assistance.

• Initial Complaint

  07/15/2022

  Complaint Type:

  Service or Repair Issues

  Status:

  Answered

  More info

  I am writing to elicit your help in a very concerning matter. I would like a refund of $4000.00 in tuition or the ability to compete the degree program I was originally offered. Please read on for more specific details. Five months ago, in February, I reached out to the university to begin my readmissions after a long and challenging bout with COVID. I was directed to the graduate admissions office and then to ******* Wisdom. ******* and I discussed my hardship with death and destruction surrounding the pandemic, making it impossible for me to continue school. ******* reached out to Dr. *******. I received an email confirmation from them stating approval was granted to continue with my doctoral program. I reapplied and was admitted. Several months of correspondence and conversation took place between February and July as I prepared to continue my previous catalog program. Not at any point was there any indication otherwise. Today, 7/15/22, ******* ****** contacted me to say that the registrar told her that she would not allow me to reenter my program and that my credits are no longer valid. This is the opposite of what has been communicated to me for the past several months. Below is a screenshot of just one of 52 documented emails expressing plans to move forward with my previous coursework. I have been misguided and blindsided. I am beyond concerned as I would not have enrolled in Lindenwood if I had known how disorganized things are at Lindenwood. I seek your assistance with this matter because several departments are on different pages. I should not have to waste any more time. Currently, I am at work and should be working; instead, I am sending this email. Please assist. I have contacted the Better Business Bureau and will reach out to the Board of Directors. I look forward to hearing from you.

  Business response

  07/19/2022

  Lindenwood values its students and takes student concerns seriously. Lindenwood is also committed to providing the best student experience as possible. Based on our review of this situation, we confirmed that on or about July 6, 2022, the former student submitted to Lindenwood a petition to be exempted from the readmission policy that states, in-part, if a student is not enrolled for more than two consecutive semesters the campus catalog in place at the time of re-admission will apply. Because the former student last attended in fall 2020 (and more than two consecutive semesters had passed at the time they sought readmission in 2022), the new campus catalog would apply. Under the new campus catalog, the student’s former academic program was no longer enrolling students and was in the process of being taught out. However, the University reviewed this individual situation and determined that it is able and willing to work with the student to apply the degree requirements of a prior 2021-22 campus catalog for complete her academic program under the prior requirements. This has been communicated to the student and Lindenwood believes this matter has been resolved to the student’s satisfaction. The student is encouraged to contact Lindenwood with any further questions or for additional assistance. 

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