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Universal Technical Institute [UTI]

Universal Technical Institute [UTI] review: The financial aid program is a scam 11

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Author of the review
11:22 pm EST
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My son attended UTI in Houston. He was an Army veteran and had the GI Bill. The financial aid people insisted that he couldn't complete the program (basic automotive) without loans. They required my wife and me to co-sign even though he was independent and had a job. Now, five years after he graduated, he is back in the Army because he couldn't make a living in a Jaguar dealership shop and his loans have doubled because he is not paying them on-time.

The worst thing about what these people do is that they rope parents in as "co-borrowers." Now my wife and I are on the hook with Sallie Mae for thousands of dollars that did not benefit our son, much less us. The school lied to him and he passed the lie on to us. Now we suffer.

What these people do is fraudulent and they should stop preying on people. But as long as their advertising works and there are people out ther who want to make a living working with their hands, I guess they'll continue to be in business.

As someone who has a degree from an actual university, let me tell everyone who is considering UTI, use the money at a community college. You'll be happier, better educated and still have some money in your pocket.

11 comments
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difry_uti
Scottsdale, US
Jul 01, 2013 5:01 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Hello Bimer, my name is Diana Fry and I am the Social Marketing Specialist for UTI/MMI and it is my job to reach out to and help provide customer service to any unsatisfied or unhappy students/graduates of our campuses. I am sorry to hear that your son's experience was unsatisfactory. I can assure you that we are not scam or run fraudulant business. We live in a highly regulated industry and are held to strict rules by the Department of Education with regards to disclosing student, graduate and employment rates and with the policies and procedures set in place with admissions. Our disclosure information can be viewed under the Student Services tab on the Universal Technical Institute website. And while, we cannot guarantee employment, we do pride ourselves on assisting our students from the beginning and throughout their entire career. This includes helping assist with job searches (if applicable.) However, If you feel that you or your son was lied to, then that is definitely an issue and I would like to hear more about your specific situation. Please email me your contact information and specific details at difry@uti.edu and I would be more than happy to investigate your matter in attempt to rectify any outstanding issues. Thank you! Diana Fry - Social Marketing Specialist, UTI/MMI

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dee0656
Hemet, US
Jul 09, 2013 12:34 pm EDT
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The financial aid program is a scam! My grandson attends this school, and I know for a fact that he is eligible for 100% financial aid. This school has given him loans and then demands a payment of over $400.00 per month. He has no job and can not pay this. As of today he was told he can no longer attend classes and has to pay $100.00 to un-enroll...

This school is a rip off! Stay clear away from this place.

I will be filing a complaint with the BBB today!

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Mpollard
Thomasville, US
Aug 11, 2021 7:39 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more
Replying to comment of dee0656

Is this the same school as MMI? My nephew is looking into going to the one in Orlando

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difry_uti
Scottsdale, US
Jul 09, 2013 5:54 pm EDT
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Hello Dee, Thank you for reaching out to me – I would be happy to look into your grandson’s situation and would ask that you would allow me the chance to investigate matters in attempt to rectify any outstanding issues before filing any more complaints on review sites or with the BBB. While I will not be able to provide you with information directly (due to privacy laws) – I would be more than happy to connect with your grandson to speak with him about his situation. I will also be able to connect him with his employment specialist who will be able to help assist him with a job search. Please pass word to him that he can email me directly at difry@uti.edu. I will need to know his student ID number, the campus he attends and names of folks he has spoken with. Thank you in advance for your cooperation, it is greatly appreciated!

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apepin
Apple Valley, US
Nov 20, 2013 2:43 pm EST

I went to UTI from 2010 to 2011 and was promised a job within 2 weeks of enrolling as well as visiting the employment department. I was interviewed for a job at the school that i did not apply for. I applied for the veterans student worker position and was interviewed to work in the tutoring lab ( both of these departments are on the opposite side of the Rancho Cucamonga campus from each other). I qualified for financial aid yet still had to apply for several student loans. With not getting a job like I was PROMISED by the admissions representative i had to exhaust all of my unemployment benefits that i was recieving. When i asked about why i had not been placed with a job i was given the run- around.

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sonia gonzalez
Perris, US
May 05, 2014 9:15 pm EDT

My son attended and graduated from UTI at Rancho Cucamonga Campus in September 12, 2008. When he enrolled he was only 17 years old and my husband had to sign as a co-signer because our son even thou he was a minor to sign for himself on these paperwork but they found every and all the ways possible to get him to start right away. He did not get a job in his career and as promised. He was just 18 years old when he graduated and all the dealerships were asking him for experience and these were jobs he was looking for himself. m UTI had job placement in auto parts or walmart, Midas and other companies that basically any one without all these loans could apply and get hire without owing 40, 000.00 dollars on a career that should of be only around 17, 000.00 dollars as we have recently found out from a friend of my son that also attended UTI at the same time as my son. It is a scam all the advertisement they show on TV I just saw a commercial where they PROMISED that 4 out of 5 graduates will work in their career jobs. Please to anyone thinking about this SO CALL SCHOOL please stay away from them and parents please do not sign any loans or enrollment forms for anyone we will regret it just like we had and continue to regret doing that for our son we are in so much debt and our son as well. They have even garnished my husband's check for a career and a job that was never accomplish by my son but we are still paying for broken promises. I am looking into filing a complaint with the right agencies to proceed with my complaint with anyone we can talk to about this contract

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Mpollard
Thomasville, US
Aug 11, 2021 7:39 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Is this the same school as MMI? My nephew is looking into going to the one in Orlando

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Janine Sherrod
US
Sep 21, 2021 6:56 pm EDT
Replying to comment of Mpollard

Yes, MMI, UTI DTI, they're all the same school.

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Billy Hibbs
Orlando, US
Jul 04, 2014 12:21 pm EDT

Sonia,
What was your son's Attendance and Professionalism grade? What was his grade in the classes?
I am a graduate of the campus in Orlando and took the Automotive and Nissan training-the eduation I got was AWESOME! However, it took a LOT of hard work. I am now a Master Technician at an Infiniti dealer now after 4.5 years. Guess what? i am GLAD I HAVE STUDENT LOANS!
These Automotive brands: Ford, GM, BMW, MINNI, Volvo, Mercedes, Porshe, Toyota, Honda, Nissan,
These Motorcycle brands: Harley Davidson, Honda, Yamaha, Suzuki, Kawasaki, BMW
These Diesel brands: International, Daimler, Cummins, Peterbilt
These Marine brands: Volvo Penta, Mercury Marine, Yahama, Honda, Suzuki
ALL of them trust UTI to do their training for them. Oh yeah, NASCAR does, also.
So did these companies get it wrong? All of them? Or, is it possible that your son did not put in the work necessary to get the education?
Billy H-PROUD UTI GRAD!

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uti lies
Jackson, US
Apr 15, 2015 12:14 pm EDT
Verified customer This complaint was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

Uti is the biggest scam I've ever seen. It was all around the worst mistake I have ever made. They bold face lie to you from start to finish. There certificate of completion is worthless, there job placement assistance is a joke, there curriculum and equipment is dated, and being robbed at knife point was far more pleasurable and less stressful than dealing with the financial aid department. If you or someone you know is considering going to uti don't. Look online I found a company that offers a money back guarantee for $1000 to pass any ase test you want, compared to the $45k it costs to get uti wall art (certificate of completion) which is utterly useless.

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Janine Sherrod
US
Sep 21, 2021 6:54 pm EDT

I owe over $30k because UTI in Orlando actually put one of my son's loans in my name after I signed for a Parent Plus Loan of $3200. He graduated Diesel Technologies at the top of his class & 2 years later, still can't find a job in the field. I'm trying to find out how to dispute it but all the info I'm getting is for actual students not parents.

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Universal Technical Institute [UTI] is ranked 39 among 269 companies in the Colleges and Universities category