In 2021 he testified before Congress and the DoEd. 

Good afternoon, my name is Kendrick Harrison and I am a military veteran, entrepreneur, and a father of four. I am also a former Argosy University student. Before I decided to pursue my college degree, I was a highly decorated combat veteran. I joined the military when I was 17 years old and shipped out shortly after my 18th birthday. From there I spent a year in Korea, and then at Fort Lewis Washington where I was deployed to Iraq. Going back to college was always a dream and a goal of mine, as well as a promise to my dearly departed grandfather. Unfortunately, for me, I enrolled in Argosy, and my dream became a nightmare.

Since Argosy, my life has been in a great deal of turmoil, and a lot of financial strife. As a direct result of Argosy, my family and I were evicted and made homeless. My credit score dropped over 100 points and my car and my oldest daughter’s car was repossessed. Honestly my family and I are still to this day trying to recover from all the damage. I applied for a Borrower Defense discharge when Secretary DeVos was in office. My Borrower Defense application was strong. I had the best team with lawyers from nonprofit organizations putting together all the evidence. But DeVos rejected it flat out. She said I failed to state a legal claim or present evidence — and that was not true. Since then some of my loans were closed through a TPD discharge, but the pain from my experience still follows me and my family.

I want you to know what it’s like for student veterans. We serve our country honorably, but for-profit colleges like Argosy target veterans and they lie to us. I was courageous when I was ordered to go to war. I only ask now that our leaders in government be just as brave, and just as courageous and make sure the for-profit industry never preys on another veteran.

Former Specialist Audrie Phoenixa

Art Institute – lost GI Bill

I enrolled in the Art Institute while I was still active duty. They told the (forgot his military title) on-post guidance counselor that my tuition would be free.

I ended up with 20k in student loans, charged for classes I had to leave mid semester while deployed to Iraq , and threatened with a failing grade for a life drawing class if I didn’t provide a nude portrait.

After 20 years my student loans debt was finally discharged in the lawsuit but my GI bill is toast.

Marine veteran Erica Kane

Argosy University – $450,000

During my senior year in undergraduate school, Argosy University recruiters did a presentation during my Capstone class. They collected names, email addresses, and phone numbers from all students before the presentation began. Following their presentation, I began to receive numerous emails and phone calls. I made an appointment with an “admissions counselor,” who was most assuredly a salesperson. I was told that it would be very difficult for me to be accepted into a PhD program given that I was an older student (31 at that time) and would be graduating from a private university. I was further pressured into enrolling with assurances that a Doctorate in Psychology (PsyD) was preferable over a PhD because those with PhD’s rarely did work other than teaching and research. I was told that if I wanted to actually practice psychology, a PsyD was preferred.

At this time, I had yet to even graduate from my bachelor’s degree program. I still had 12 weeks before that would happen. Throughout those 12 weeks Argosy recruiters continued to email or call me at least once or twice per week. These calls were to “check on my progress” with completing my bachelor’s degree; however, it was remarkably high pressure. I was asked several times to come back in to meet with the admissions counselor despite having already talked to them in-person.

Throughout the high-pressure recruiting I was told I would receive a military discount of “at least 20%” given that I had served in the United States Marine Corps. I was also assured that the university would pursue grants on my behalf. Both turned out to be false assertions.

Former Major Valerie Scott

Clinical Psychologist
Argosy University – $ 398,480.19

I attended Argosy University, Tampa from September 2006 through September 2012. I was enrolled in and completed the Doctor of Clinical Psychology (Psy.D.) program. During that time, I was subject to fraud and multiple ploys to ensure that I, along with the other students enrolled, took out exorbitant amounts of student loans only to later be discriminated against by hiring agencies based on the school from which I graduated. 

Argosy University committed fraud by not disclosing all program requirements prior to or upon enrollment. During the first week of classes I was told by the administration that I was not allowed to obtain outside employment in order to pay for school. “Your job is school,” I was told on numerous occasions. I had not been told that I was not allowed to work prior to enrolling in the program. Their proposed solution to pay for living expenses was to take out more student loans. We were often reminded of the availability of Grad PLUS loans. Not wanting to be on the faculty’s proverbial “hit list,” I did as I was pressured to do and took out extra federal loans to pay my rent, utility bills, gas, and groceries. 

Secondly, Argosy lied about the cost of the program and steadily increased prices throughout my tenure. The Argosy University handbook that I received upon enrollment in the Doctor of Psychology program required 98 credit hours to complete at a stated $850 per credit hour. Tuition ballooned to $1,107 per credit hour, an increase of 30% in just 6 years, with no increase in student services or resources. The overall cost of my education was stated to be approximately $83,300 upon enrollment, but it ended up costing much more not just due to the increase in tuition but also the inability to have a job in order to pay for my daily expenses. In the end, I graduated with $267,000 in loans but now owe nearly $400,000 due to high interest rates despite paying on my loans consistently. 

To make matters worse, I was enrolled at Argosy during the recession. I vividly recall paying $4.50 per gallon for regular unleaded gas as I drove 70 miles each way in gridlock to the unpaid training site at which my school placed me. I was also forced to take out emergency GradPlus loans to avoid losing my home when the housing market crashed and adjustable interest rates spiked on my mortgage.

Throughout my time at Argosy they continually pushed joining the military in order to obtain loan cancellation through the Public Service Loan Forgiveness program. Upon graduation and massively in debt, I then made the decision to apply to the Air Force. I was fascinated with aviation and thought the Air Force would be a great fit. The Air Force agreed to disagree. I received an email from the Training Director saying that they did not admit Argosy University students, and the recruiter immediately cut off communications. I regrouped and applied to the Army. I obtained an internship at Brooke Army Medical Center and was later deployed with the 159th Combat Aviation Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division at Fort Campbell, Kentucky, earning a bronze star for my service. 

My life took a turn for the worse after returning home. A patient with whom I had worked for the duration of our deployment committed suicide. As if that wouldn’t be horrible enough, I was there, just 100 yards away, unable to do anything but sob. To see someone you care for make that decision is too much for anyone to bear. Despite therapy, medication, and a strong desire to help others, I cannot return to work as a psychologist. I have been working outside my field for minimum wage since 2018. Though Argosy University did not force me to join the military, they set up the circumstances in such a way that I had no choice. I am incredibly proud of my service, but I can no longer use my degree for which I owe a mortgage. 

US ARMY SERGEANT Charles R. Horgan

Brooks Institute $120,000

I have the dubious honor of being one of the two first Purple Hearts handed out for the Iraq war. My Sergeant and I were involved in the first major firefight of the war and our engagement changed the rules of engagement for the rest of the conflict (probably not a good thing). So I was on the news. We got interviewed a bunch. The Army was very happy to have us as spokespeople.

I got out in 2004 and enrolled in Brooks in October of 2005. This was before the 9-11 GI Bill came out, so even though I would qualify, I never got it. I used the 50k for college GI Bill and burned through that really quickly. I used all available federal loans (which emptied pretty quickly) and then needed co-signers for the rest of my loans.

Of course the good “job placement” at brooks was about as good as using Craigslist to find free gigs. The reality of living in LA and paying back the loans meant that I couldn’t afford to
work free gigs in order to get experience. That’s what the school was for.

When the 9-11 GI Bill was approved, I applied for it and was told that I couldn’t use it because my other GI Bill had already been used. They wouldn’t pro-rate back so I was stuck. All loans that were mine defaulted as I tried to make even the lowest payments on anything
that was co-signed.

The reality of all of this was that I was stuck working gig-economy nonsense on top of a full time job in order to make ends meet. No time could be spared which meant I couldn’t afford to make much-needed appointments at the VA. My mental health crumbled and eventually collapsed.
It wasn’t until 2019 that I was finally awarded 100% Permanent and Total disability from the Army. This came with no back pay (even though my symptoms are the same as they were in 2003) and my Federal loans were forgiven. Which only leaves like 70k in personal loans that my family had to pick up.

Looking back on the Army and Brooks can really make me grind my teeth into a fine powder. When they could retain them, the staff at Brooks seemed really motivated and excited to teach. And the structure of the classes was really good for my post-Army work-ethic. But even when I was preparing for graduation, the school was struggling to maintain accreditation as teachers were laid off and classes discontinued.

It all sucks, because I would have loved to have gotten into a school like the one Brooks represented in the recruiting. Instead, it felt like I was working in that sporting goods shop as it went under in the Sopranos. Aside from meeting a few good friends, I don’t think my experience at Brooks amounted to more than a way to suck 120K out of a veteran desperate for a new purpose, and who was struggling with their mental health.

Few things have radicalized me more than the student loan situation in the USA and the general last 10 years of American politics

Former Lance Corporal Shawna Crider

Disbursing Technician
Art Institute, Atlanta – Lost GI Bill

I went to the Art Institute of Atlanta to attend culinary school. I didn’t see the red flags in the beginning. When I first applied, I was only interested in Ai, not dead set. But they were really pushy and finally to get them off my back I said, “OK fine! Shut up and I will go to your school.” So I went. I was specializing in savory but then switched to baking and pastry so I could be more creative with my craft. I had seen photos of bakery students doing sugar work and we were never taught it. Other students were allowed to pick on me because I didn’t fit a certain demographic or wasn’t on the “liked” list. I was picked on not just from other students but from staff and higher staff members and when I would defend myself, it was me who was the “problem”. There were teachers who were department chairs that were getting away with making inappropriate comments on what students were wearing. When it came to plating, I was “too much” then I was “not enough.” I did react in class one time. I was forced to sign a paper that said if I caused more “problems” that I would be expelled. I was separated in a whole kitchen by myself because a girl who didn’t like me complained. My class also knew I was deathly allergic to mushrooms, another reason I switched from savory. The school accommodated my allergies. But, the students would purposely put mushrooms in their dishes to force me to leave the room. The department chair, who was a Navy Veteran, did nothing about it. 

I was passed up on multiple Scholarships because “well you’re a military student your school is being paid for already.”  There is a US Foods $10,000 scholarship. Although they [US Foods] do not discriminate against veterans, they leave it up to the schools to screen the applicants. If the school knew you were using a GI Bill, they never passed along your information for the scholarship. They were not supposed to offer the scholarships to family members of faculty and staff, but they allowed a student whose family member worked in the culinary department who was in my classes and she applied and received the scholarship.

The culinary school of Art Institute of Atlanta tried to tell me that I owed them $$$ even though I didn’t use any loans or financial aid- I strictly used my GI Bill. When I brought up the fact that they were being sued for fraudulent activities, misappropriation of funds, amongst many other reasons, my debt suddenly disappeared. When you talk to the VA about it, why are we as veterans having to beg to get those benefits back? The VA paid for us to go to school there. Why are we having to beg and plead for them to give us our stuff back. We shouldn’t have to do that.

Former Petty Officer Third Class David Boyer

Aircrew Survival Equipmentman
ITT Tech – lost GI Bill and Pell Grants, paid $35,000 in private loans

I grew up in rural Missouri. My parents were old school Pentecostal. I wasn’t allowed to go to movies, school events, parties etc. We had a 100 acre farm that kept me busy repairing rundown equipment and working all through summer and school time. My parents were awful, so I joined the Navy in 1987 and did well. I put on a stripe every six months until I hit E-4. My job (MOS) was 125% overmanned at the E-6 level and up so I couldn’t advance anymore. I served in the Persian Gulf and Desert Storm. I did eight years to get a GI Bill. When processing out, my exit instructor worked for ITT Tech and talked them up. Then, he gave them my and others information without permission. After I got out, I got calls from ITT Tech several times a day; this was in 1993 before the internet. I went to a campus open event and looked at lots of stats on job placement and growth, all of which were 95% and up for Electronic Engineering. I called the VA several times and was always told that the school was the best, but everything was a lie, even the documents. I graduated in the fall of 1997 with a BAS. I was in the top 3 of my class. I went to find a job and learned no one will ever hire you from that school. I lost $75k (the combined value of my GI Bill, Pell grants, and student loans) and will have low wages for life. Everyone knew but me. Borrowers Defense did nothing for me since my initial application was denied by the Department of Education under Betsy DeVos. I reapplied, but before the Sweet case was settled, I had paid off my loans. I did interviews with NY Times and others; I went to Washington, DC with Veterans Education Success. Still nothing. If retroactive legislation is passed, I could get back the GI Bill but not the $35k loans

Former Navy E-3 Sabian Chase

Aviation Maintenance Administrationman
ITT Technology Institute 

lost GI Bill, $75,000 in federal loans

I went to ITT Tech in Tampa when they opened up the nursing program for an associates degree in applied science.  I was in the third class to go through the program.  I was 29 so that would be around 2009.  I had never used my gi bill until then.  I got out of the military in 2003.  They said I only had 50% which was fine with me.  I had to take out loans and they gave me a stipend along with my monthly gi bill.  I was unaware the stipend was going to need to be repaid until it was over.  

I went through the whole program with a lot of ups and downs to say the least but I did complete the course.  After graduating I had to pass boards to get my RN.  Granted I was already a licensed CNA for about 3 years.  I had to pay for the boards out of my own pocket which upon starting the school the paperwork I signed said the first one was on them.  That changed along with many other things.  I was so unprepared for my boards that I failed them 3 times and after years just gave up on becoming a RN.  I had the title of student RN until I failed my first boards.  I was fired after I failed the first board at my job I took after school.  I went on to try again a few times.  

After the school closed I wanted to further my education and try to get a bachelor’s degree. No one would take the credits and job interviews even as a CNA would not hire me.  A few places even laughed me out of the interview when I said I went to ITT.  Very embarrassing to say the least.  I continued working when I did find work as a CNA until I got injured and could no longer do the job.

My loans started out at about 75k over the years they kept getting larger. Around 135k was how high they were when they got forgiven.  I still owe around 15k for another school I went to for medical billing and coding.  Using what was left of my GI bill that I didn’t even know I had.  I think I had around 150k for school and most of it was taken by ITT and I got shafted after 3 years of school.

I would love to have my GI bill money back to pay off remaining loans and with what is left try and finally get my bachelors degree in business mgmt, but I don’t see that happening at 45.  I went into the military in 2000 with the sole purpose of going to school to better myself being from a lower middle class family that couldn’t afford college.  It turned out to be decades of red tape and all that jazz.

I’m a veteran that feels like my service and my time was wasted to make someone else’s pockets fatter at my expense.  With little to show for the dream of a 20 year old young man from Alabama.

Former Petty Officer First Class

Michael Hainline

Master at Arms

Spoon River Community College – lost GI Bill and mobility in right arm

Not all scam schools are for-profit. Some were state funded community colleges like Spoon River Community College. This school had a long documented history of unsafe practices in their truck driver training program that were allowed to continue even AFTER Mr. Hainline’s horrific accident!

​My name is Micheal Hainline and I am a former job training veteran. I attended truck driver training at a small public community college that displayed the yellow ribbon along with kind words supporting veterans. Other students and I, including another veteran, were assigned to operate equipment at the time between fourteen and thirty-nine years old, half of the equipment were missing axles & wheels all validated by the way per use of vehicle identification numbers. Two of three trailers manufactured in 1977 & 1987 had mechanical issues that prevented all normal operation of a hand crank and the 1977 trailer displayed an expired department of transportation safety inspection certification sticker. I was sadly injured, losing all mobility with my right arm. I filed numerous complaints against the school including with the department of veterans’ affairs who at first told me that they had no such student complaint system. I didn’t think this sounded correct, so I researched on my own finding that in fact the department of veterans’ affairs does such a system per the G.I Bill feedback portal.

I filed a complaint in early March, 2017 & conducted a telephone interview with the state approving agency who under contract works with the department of veterans’ affairs to perform certain educational services which includes approval of programs, monitoring and reviewing of schools & programs that enroll veterans and approved military dependents as students. It’s the state approving agencies who approve, monitor & review the schools while the department of veterans’ affairs funds them. There are between fifty-one & fifty -three state approving agencies that cover all fifty states as well as U.S. territories.

I told the state approving agency the good, bad & needs improvement of the program. I also was able to send supporting documentation to the state approving agency & the Department of Veterans’ Affairs since the school implied that I was not telling the truth.
On December 20th, 2017, the state approving agency conducted a targeted risk-based review of the program per the ordering of such by the department of veterans’ affairs due to the seriousness of my injury. The state approving agency REPORTED to the department of veteran’s affairs that they were unable to substantiate my complaint pertaining to the equipment having mechanical concerns as well that use of the equipment was unsafe.

This response was in direct conflict with the evidence presented as well as what other students had stated in their written & verbal statements.
According to the policy approved by the Department of Veterans Affairs detailing how a targeted risk-based review is to be conducted by the assigned state approving agency or SAA, a report of “unsubstantiated” consists of the following criteria: UNSUBSTANTIATED means that a complaint or allegation was researched and that credible evidence of the complaint or allegation DOES NOT EXIST.
Let me note here that both the Department of Veterans’ Affairs & the assigned state approving agency did have evidence prior to this review conducted nine months after my complaint and over a year after my injury. However on follow up, I was informed that supporting evidence had been excluded.

Another condition mandated in the Department of Veterans Affairs approved policy regarding the conducting of a TRBR or targeted risk-based review is to include the interviewing of students in which it’s my understanding that only administrators & school staff were talked to. When I contacted the Department of Veterans Affairs asking to file a challenge or an appeal of what the assigned state approving agency had reported to them, the VA informed me that no such mechanism exists and that the Department of Veterans Affairs are to accept all reports & findings from state approving agencies as an ABSOLUTE adding that the VA is PROHIBITED from all questioning of what the assigned under contract state approving agency has reported even if those reports or findings consist of erroneous or even fraudulent information. The state approving agencies yield enormous power & influence with our legislators, veterans’ groups & others and are not to be questioned.