I attend Westwood College at the South Bay campus in Torrance. I am scheduled to graduate December 15th, 2007 I have two more terms left. I was pulled from class July 11th, 2007 and asked to sign a piece of paper without an explanation of what it was. So I refused and asked to read it. I discoed that this piece of paper was an agreement stating that I will agree to pay 18% interest on $18,219.34 that I will owe Westwood College once I graduate. Depending on the amount of time I have to pay this loan back, the maximum being 180 months, I am looking at almost $40,000.00 in finance charges. Add finance charge to my balance owed and that jumps to well over $50,000.00. This is ridiculous. I would have to pay Westwood $50,000.00 aside from the other two Federal Loans (subsidize and unsubsidized Stanford loans) I have going to them to help pay for my tuition. I am near my max which is $23,000.00, so I am looking at paying nearly $80,000.00 for a degree that is useless.

July 11th, 2007 I spoke with a representative from the financial aid office and asked about the piece of paper they wanted me to sign. She informed me that I needed to get out of "this Westwood Loan" and apply for a private loan and I did and was not approved. She then instructed me to find a cosigner. I explained to her that I do not have any cosigners and the school was under that impression before I was admitted. I was then told that there is nothing else that she could do, and that I had the option of seeking other private lenders, but I had to sign the paper until then. I refused to until I can negotiate that ridiculous 18%interest rate.

Westwood's sales reps lied to me, Westwood's Financial Aid personnel lied to me. I was promised that I would be able to receive grants to help me pay for my education. I was told that Westwood College was regionally accredited, which was a lie. I was sold pure lies and scammed out of money pushed in to sever debt. I have sacrificed a lot to pursue a higher education and now I am being ripped off for it.

I am also experiencing a last minute notice of my financial obligation and status. They know that they are robbing student and the only way to get their authorization to do so is to wait until they can hang it over your head right before graduation.

I am in desperate need of help. Readers if you read this and could be of any assistance please feel free to e-mail me at [email protected], it would be greatly appreciated. Thank You for Your time.