Make Sure Online School is Accredited b4 Enrolling

[Kristy_joyz]

houston nursing school may be bogus

08:13 pm cdt on wednesday, july 9, 2008

by rosa flores / 11 news

video: rosa flores' 11 news report view larger player

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houston -- for single mom mariciel ferrer, getting an online nursing degree made a lot of sense so she enrolled in the omnibus international college foundation.

however, after paying about $1,600 in application and tuition fees, the online school that was supposed to let her earn a licensed vocational nursing degree stopped returning her calls.

"i cried when i found out," ferrer said.

the texas higher education coordinating board's investigation unit said in a statement that omnibus "does not have the authority to operate in texas -- not from the texas higher education coordinating board, the texas workforce commissioner or the texas board of nursing."

11 news went to the houston offices of omnibus international college foundation.

"we are not a school," said rene gaviola, the ceo of omnibus.

11 news: all your materials say that you're a school and so do the posters on the wall.

"they always ask (if) we are accredited in the u.s., and we say no," claimed gaviola, who said the organization doesn't need accreditation because they are only a charity "affiliated" with a school in the philippines.

"it's the school in the philippines that will be giving you the certificate," said gaviola.

gerald treece, 11 news' legal expert, said he isn't buying gaviola's answer.

"it's consumer protection and preventing consumer fraud," said treece. "do the people out there in search of their dreams, are they being taken advantage of?

"if, in fact, the documentation you get at the end of this exercise is worthless, then i think that's misrepresentation," treece said.

ferrer said she wasted her time and money and would love to get her money back. for now, she's hoping to make her nursing dreams come true through a program on the internet.

[sddlnscp]

This is actually important with any school! In Colorado, not all of the nursing schools are NLNAC accredited and therefore, I would highly suggest finding out if the school you are going to attend is accredited or not before jumping in! Research in choosing a school can be your best friend if it comes down to it later on. Pick wisely, the wait may exist, but it will be worth it in the long-run! Best of luck to everybody!

[rnmomtobe2010]

This is actually important with any school! This is sooo true. I cannot imagine something like this happening to me. Sounds scary.