WHITMORE LAKE, Mich. (WXYZ) — Rachel Maier was thrilled. She had taken out loans, studied hard, and finally completed her masters online through Argosy University.
Days after she completed her final course though, the school announced it was closing permanently.
"I just completed my program and I was last told that my graduate status was being audited," Maier told 7 Action News.
She said Argosy University reached out to her in October, offering a chance to complete her masters in human services online through its Tampa campus.
By early March, 20 Argosy Universities were closed, following months of financial struggles of its parent company, recently put into receivership.
Argosy has instructions for current students looking to transfer to other institutions, but Maier said she's been unable to get answers on what her options are since she already completed her program.
“We never received any email or anything saying that we had graduated or a diploma was sent,” Maier said.
7 Action News attempted to contact Argosy University by phone and couldn't get through to anyone.
We did, however, connect with its parent company, Dream Center Education Holdings. They never returned our call.
DCEH is the subject of a civil action lawsuit pending in federal court by several Art Institute students whose schools also recently closed.
Maier doesn't plan to take legal action, but feels like she's been left in limbo.
“All the work that I’ve put into it," she said. "I’ve been stressing over whether or not I actually have received a degree instead of being able to celebrate my accomplishment."
The U.S. Department of Education is offering advice to students affected by these closures.
If you're affected by the closure, click here. For general information on what to do if your college or university closes, click here.
