The Fall Out

You may have read my blogs on the Art Institute Online and seen my latest spat and the email I sent. Here is what happened after that email.

I received a call from my academic adviser so I call her back.

"Hi Michelle this is Michael Williams. I am returning your call."

Michelle: "Hi Michael, I received your email. You have to take math if you want to continue in your degree program it is part of the core requirements. Without it you can't submit a portfolio to be allowed into the program."

Me: "I am not taking math. I have already taken math courses that are steps beyond the ones you want me to take. I am not paying to take math from you guys."

Michelle: "The only class I see is Calculus and it doesn't have a grade."

Me: I am not talking about calculus, I am talking about trigonometry and college algebra. I took the last math class because at the time I was thinking there might be a work around for the future but I was out of time and I still wanted to be in school. This time I rejected the schedule you sent me but I was enrolled anyhow."

Michelle: "You have to take this math because you placed there."

Me: "No I didn't I never took a placement test because I sent my credits and the school decided to ignore them."

Michelle: "Oh yeah. You did not take the placement test so that is why you have to take this class."

Me: "I am not taking this class. Can you work another class in instead."

Michelle: "You have to take the class."

Me: "No I don't. I have already taken more then enough math to fulfill the requirements. I am not taking anymore math. It is not my fault you don't accept accredited collegiate transcripts."

Michelle: "I only see the calculus and that didn't transfer there is no grade."

Me: "I sent transcripts from four schools! Stop looking at NAU and look at Rio Salado Community College."

Michelle: "I see a Speech class and an English class."

Me: "That is Mesa Community look at Rio Salado's transcript."

Michelle: "I don't see it we must not have got it."

Me: "Hmmm... that is funny, all those emails I have sent and you just decide to look at my grade transcripts now? Andi was able to view those transcripts when I had this conversation with her last December. She was not able to tell me why they did not transfer but she could see the transcript. Why did she find them but you can't? Did they get lost or is someone lying to me? They were sent and they more then fulfill these core classes requirement nonesense."

Michelle: Blah blah blah problem...

Me: "The problem I am having here is that you and everyone else I talk to is more interested in pointing out how everything is my fault and not the schools instead of trying to fix an error. It doesn't matter who made it I am trying to get you to fix it, you and this school have the power and pretending you don't is just stupid. I have taken math before and I can do math circles around the math you want me to take but I should not have to take it because I already have fulfilled this requirement. Are you going to help me to at least put math off for now until I can get someone to help me out?"

Michelle: "Well you did not do a credit challenge."

Me: "I never knew I could until it was too late."

Michelle: "Well that was in the enrollment packet you should have known about it. It was in the enrollment package."

Me: "What enrollment package? I have no idea what you mean. I never got an enrollment package in the mail. I started school before my transcripts had arrived so how was I going to challenge anything?"

Michelle: "You got the enrollment package and it was in there."

Me: "The problem I am having right now has nothing to do with this. I want to take a different course then the one I am signed up for and I am looking for options. I feel like the class can be at least put off until I can figure how to get my prior courses accepted."

Michelle: "You have to complete the math and it is too late for the credit challenge. You have to take the class."

Me: "You know what.... no I don't. I am done with this conversation and I just want you to un-enroll me from this school."

Michelle: "I sent you an email link to a form you have to fill out and then I will process the paperwork."

Me: "Thanks and have an oh so lovely day."


The e-mail was sent 2 hours before I called her so it explains why she was a wee hostile. She never tried to work with me. I spend all day doing my best to work with people that "Never got a bill" and had their insurance lapse so I know everything can be worked around regardless of fault. I was trying to let them find a solution so that they could continue to take a ridiculous amount of money for crappy classes with no actual work on their part. I mean really I do all the reading by myself and I have to wait at least 12 hours for answers to my questions so I am doing it alone and the classes suck. The only thing the do is grade stuff all of the test are graded automatically so it is just the subjective busy work. I should start an online school...