A VERY, VERY ANGRY MOTHER!!!

"My 16 y/o son wanted a better job and so took an online CNA course from (*this) school. He completed the course which costs $676. He did this so he could work this summer WHILE taking it. He was sent a certificate of completion but no certificate number for the state registry even though it said they were accredited. He did this all on his own to show us he could do it....". 

Read *the rest of this complaint about this online educational service.

Be Aware

If you are looking at an online education program that is a BVI LLC, which is a business registered in the British Virgin Islands, or their address is a P.O. mail box in a parking lot and you cannot reach anyone by phone, then consumer beware!!! Just know that any claim, concerns, and agreements, or problems with the products and services they provide must be settled by binding arbitration in accordance with the rules of The British Virgin Island Arbitration Center and BVI legal system. What does this mean to you? Well, in short: good luck.

Do Your Research

Hopefully, if you do your research, you will ask questions and consider the school's location and track record. Ask yourself what will happen if you have concerns or complaints! If your concerns are valid then the school should give you no problems with finding a resolution. Make sure you have a list of the things you expect from your training so that you can choose a vocational training program that is right for you. One important aspect to consider when selecting an educational or training program is its reputation in the community and among employers who prefer to hire graduates from well respected schools. The institution must be honest and credible in all their dealings with their students and the general public and ideally, should be accredited and endorsed by recognized overseeing and regulating organizations.

14 Program Quality Check Points:

• Get in touch with the provider of the vocational training program or online course and ask questions.
• Ask if the program is composed, managed, and taught by experienced (and certified) medical assistant professionals and instructors, who have actually worked in various disciplines of the medical assistant field.
• Review the program syllabus. The training should be comprehensive and cover all aspects of the medical assisting occupation.
• Find out the program's success and pass-rate: the percentage of students that graduate successfully from the program, sit for certification exams, and land jobs.
• Ask to see the program's refund policy. If they don't have one, it's best to walk away.
• Choose only courses that meet your specific educational needs and goals, if a program is not flexible enough, or does not lead to the desired credentials, it's probably not for you.
• Contact leading professional associations and certification bodies and ask about their guidelines so you know whether you will be eligible to sit for their professional certification exam upon graduation.
• Check the school's recognitions and accreditation status. Also, if it is an online course, remember to check their reputation. A reputable school will always post all necessary info to their website.
• See if the website has a public forum where you can read the comments. Don't rely solely on a website's published customer feedback language, since bad customer comments can be sorted out, and good ones faked.
• Examine the school's address. Is it a physical address, or does it exist only in cyberspace? With a physical address you will always know where to turn should you run into problems.
• Are you signing up for local services, or services provided from abroad? You might run into legal concerns but will have trouble enforcing them if the business is registered abroad.
• Ask around; seek advice from professionals already in the field, read the newspaper to find out current trends.
• Know what type of education local employers want and what the future job outlook might be or your chosen career path.
• Always carefully read contracts addressing early withdrawal and refund policies, and know the school's return policies.
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On this highly competitive job market the one thing that opens doors is good and credible education.