Heald College

they got my money. job placement stunk. oh well.

I graduated from Heald in 2004. Waste of money in Medical assisting degree with no phlebotomy. I wasted my time when i could of invested time to somewhere else.

This Review is for Heald College San Francisco
WARNING: The intake staff here (Angel) are PROFESSIONALS at selling themselves to you! They ought to get a prize for committing such a crime!
This was quite possibly one of my biggest regrets (Financially) of 2013 & a WASTE of time!
They caught me at a VERY vulnerable time in my life & made LOTS of promises & seemed committed to my success. (Yeh, right!) They’re out for your MONEY.
Shortly after my interview I was signing forms & suddenly given heaps of stuff I didn’t need like pounds of Books, Bags, endless Accessories, Uniforms, & even a schedule filled with Courses I didn’t need to take — Everything with the words ‘HEALD’ labelled in big print of course!
They were so nice & friendly at first, desperately convincing, especially my assigned Counselor (bless her!) but I was quickly forgotten, left on the shelf so to speak, & ended up feeling EMBARRASSED like many others, that I even got involved in the first place.
I dropped out during my 2^nd mid-​term due to a Medical Emergency & they basically sent me an Exit Packet & threw my case in the Rubbish bin, landing me in DEBT. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise!
Anyway, I’d advise most people to stay away– Do NOT give them your phone # because you will receive countless texts & rings. This institution is out for your money & will ruthlessly try to get you — EASY target when your going through a rough time innit?

They keep calling because they’re that desperate for students. Don’t even bother this go, you could probably get more with a business degree at city college than this place.

This place scammed me like many reviewers talk about.
The advertised «lifetime job placement» is full of crap. They really don’t help you with nothing after you graduate, except with a link to post your resume online. They can’t even extend a helping hand with your resume.
I phoned in for a month trying to get help on my résumé. Finally, I get a voicemail from Fred who says he is Director of Career Services at the San Francisco location. He suggests I sign up for an online resume builder website called «optimal résumé.»
After trying to figure it out for over a week, the only thing optimal is my frustration level. So I email, Fred, asking for assistance and he tells me to use another program. I reply back that what I really need is to talk to a counselor like I was told I could do when I first enrolled for this school.
NO RESPONSE, yet, or ever.
Thanks Heald for that awesome assistance you promise your Alumnus, not to mention all the money I forked over to go to school here. Basically your promises amount to little more than an email brushing grads off. Appreciate it, Fred.

This school is a complete joke and scam. I have a background in the medical field, so going to school to refresh, learn new concepts and get a A. A and A.A.S could be beneficial, thought. I enrolled in the Pharm. Tech Program. My counselor was Angel; she was pretty nice and professional during the interview. We talked about my status as a student and worker and the schedule. She told me «No worries! We’re here to help you and can do variations to your schedule if you need it! I asked for day-​time classes and made emphasis about the schedule flexibility because of work. Any time is available to take classes at Heald College! Night time? I asked; yes, she answered. Well, everything was great till my third quarter. I got A in all my tests, and only one absence that was previously notified. The program of Pharmacy Tech is plenty of gaps; there is not a sequence to follow in class and is evident how teachers have to refill gaps to keep you in class. That makes you feel stupid but it’s sad seeing a professional acting as a clown in front of students. I said clown but not as a disrespectful comment, but to say they have to do improvisations to complete a 2 hours class. I tried to change my schedule to night-​time classes because my status at work changed. It’s incredible the way this scammers try to manipulate your mind. I went to pick up my schedule and Dr. Q, the director of the program at that time, told me «we’re offering you Pharm. lab, if you don’t take it we don’t know when you are going to receive this class. ??? I tried to talk with her again and booked an appointment but the receptionist told me she was on the phone, so I couldn’t. Andrew Jones, who ignore students and think we don’t have neurons emailed me and asked me to meet with him. Summarizing, he told me that I have to go to Concord or Hayward to take classes there because here in SF they don’t have classes in the evening. That was so hilarious that almost I told him that it was the funniest joke I have heard in my life. Dr Q came to the meeting to support the Andrew’s wonderful idea. Definitely, I drop out to take care of my money. I meet with someone whose name I don’t remember, but said it was a director of something there. I explained to him my situation, he jotted down my contact information and I still waiting for his email or phone call. Finally, I went to see the principal, Steve, and he was pushing me to change of program as I was wearing a pair of shoes that I don’t want it anymore. Nothing, you won’t get nothing positive from this people. Scam, lies, unprofessionalism. Don’t invest your money here, go away. They are now in the news because all tons of scams and lies.
Hasta la vista Heald SCAM College. I should say Hell College!

Honestly, when I first started I thought it was all a scam just like others, but Heald has been the best thing that has happened to me seriously. I completed my A.A.S and my A. A which I never intended on completing lol but my admissions advisor Michael told me I should since I planned on going to a university because all the classes offered in the A. A are transferable, and without those classes the school wouldn’t even look at my application. I thought yeah right, but it was true had I not completed my A. A California State University East Bay wouldn’t have looked at my application.
Heald college in my opinion is for an individual who wants to complete their degree a.s.a.p so their able to move onto the next step. In my case I wanted to go to a university, and I didn’t want to be in school forever. I’m now 26 and I have three degrees, and applying to graduate school all this would have been impossible without heald college, and the staff that motivated me and helped me through it all.
It’s not a bad school, so to all the new people wondering if they should go I say go for it if you want a jump start on your career or to attend a four year university. By the way since I was a transfer student I was only at CSUEB for a year and a half awesome right?
I just want to thank the heald staff for being a part of my journey and making my dreams come true.

I graduated from this school, from the only program worth while that they offer (IMO). I received my AAS in Paralegal studies as well as my AA in general education. I had almost straight A’s when I went here, and was placed in a great externship for a wonderful law firm. I was one of the lucky ones. The law firm I was assigned to was small, so although I worked hard and proved myself, I felt like they just didn’t have a need for me while I was externing. My extern ended, and I went on my way. A few months later, they called me and asked if I’d work for them. Right time, right place. I’m still with the same firm today, 2 years later.
I was one of the lucky ones. I worked hard, got good grades, and proved myself to my employer. The school was easier than CCSF was, and I absolutely had more personal attention. My overall experience was positive. You get out what you put in, like anywhere else.
3 stars is coming from my experience, not everything else I hear. I’m now over $ 32k in debt, which I know would be the case going into the program, so I can’t hold that against them. However, the school is incredibly disorganized. Financial aid is a joke. They don’t have any idea what they’re going. The career department was good, or at lease Nando was.
I do feel like if I wasn’t in the right place/​right time scenario, I’d still be searching for a job. Nobody wants to hire a paralegal without any experience (check the CL ads if you don’t believe me). I personally know many people who are still jobless after going to Heald, or are employed at well below what they should be making after spending so much on school.
Conclusion: You can succeed at Heald. It is possible. Be selective with the program you choose. From what I hear, all of the medical programs are a joke, and will net you a job that pays $ 12 – 15 an hour after you graduate. My experience was good, but not typical. Be careful. If you have the drive and motivation, you’re probably better off taking the same classes at community college. If you need an extra push, Heald may be a good choice, but know what you’re getting into before you sign up. They are a for-​profit school, and profit is their main focus. There are many people who go there who have no chance at graduating, and the school has no problems throwing them into debt and collecting their financial aid money.

WORNING!!! If you are smart do not enroll this school and do not repeat someone’s mistakes!!!
The most horrible school is San Francisco plus it’s not credible. Even if you’ll graduate from Heald you won’t be able to transfer to any good Universities. When I finished Heald College with 4.0 GPA I was not able to transfer to any universities in Ca. I had to go back to a community college to pick up extra 10 more classes in order to Transfer to USF.
The Admission is so rude and is so, stupid. I can’t even tell how frustrated I was with them.
Finally, when I was able to transfer to a university I realized that I was missing couple syllabuses. I contacted to several people even with head of the department. Every single one so, useless and not helpful at all. Legally they must keep syllabus in record, and they do not. What kind of school is that?
Tuition is too overprice. Does not worth it! They charge for an associate degree $ 40,000 and you can’t even transfer to a single university. For the same amount of money you can get a Bachelor degree in a good school! This school is just after your money! Do not let them fool you!

WARNING:
If you’re smart enough to read through my review I’ll give you every reason in the world not to fall into this scam.
This place is the worst. I spent over two years in this place struggling to get a useless degree and every step of the way it was a mediocre ploy to make you hemorrhage money, and the only reason I stayed was because I thought spending that much on nothing is pointless but enough is enough. They will take you in, give you things you didn’t even know you are paying for, take the government’s FAFSA money they give you and still ask you to pay more every month to cover for mediocre classes based on things you already know and don’t need that aren’t even accredited.
Let me begin from the start. I went to community college previously to this but thought I needed something faster like Heald. They will badger you every day to get you into an office and sell you. They will do everything they can –aggressively– to hook you into signing up your FAFSA money. Let me be clear, the recruiters are machines that only need to get you in for a commission, they don’t care about you or your future and will do anything to get you in even if they have to lie to you like they did to me. They do not charge fees equally but instead do it based on your situation. I payed less than my girlfriend because her parent’s made more than mines.
Once your in they will tell you what your getting but not that your paying for it. I was given a backpack and all of my books for my classes not knowing I was paying for this out of my own pocket and not a loan or FAFSA for nearly a grand. If you decide to attend rent books because in the two years I was there I was NEVER able to sell a book back.
If you find yourself here expect to pay over 1,500 for classes like personal development which is literally just sitting there listening to someone teach you to be polite in a job for a month. Or basic math REGARDLESS how high you score on the placement test, and many more like it. Just because there are 25 kids and a teacher as opposed to 200 to 1 like in a REAL college do not expect you won’t be crammed next to someone who can’t even fit 1 textbook in front of them. Also expect to work for up to 80 hours in one semester for free for «experience». But what if you already work full time you ask? Well too bad, you’ll have to pay more to continue the following semester to finish your «externship». Don’t ever think just because your paying more than someone in U.C. Berkeley that your going to have easy A’s or that
people will at least be nice or lenient –they wont. They just want your money.
My personal experience… I went through all of this and then some. I went in for Pharmacy tech which is literally just a glorified shelf puller that’s main job is making sure they don’t accidentally kill someone. They’ll tell you you can make dough in the biz but I know people working in the biz that barely get payed minimum with a degree. I went in only to find out YOU DO NOT NEED A DEGREE from this place, (all caps for you skimmers) you just need to know your stuff from any up to date text book and pass a state exam with over 65% of the answers. Don’t spend 30,000 dollars for a piece of paper that I didn’t even get like me, buy a good book, study, go get your license. The director for this program is immensely biased and will go as far as to not even give you an internship. They will change your payments without even giving you a notice so don’t be shocked.
GOD forbid you go out of work like I did. If you have no money they will cut you no slack. I ran dry of cash and they immediately shut me out of school because I could not pay. Anywhere else would not let you take classes the next semester but not here, they literally won’t let you attend. After I got back in I was so behind I failed and spent 1,500 on nothing. On November I broke my leg and arm and many ligaments. I learned the hard way after 14 weeks your dropped from the school. When I was able to walk again I asked if I could return. They said yes at first and then they said they re– standardized the academic system. This meant I would have to commute between Hayward, Concord, and San Francisco 4 days a week to continue my program or lose half of my work there and start all over after 30,000 of debt.
Make no mistake, these people are bloodsuckers working for a company of bloodsuckers. They take the people who already have a low income and are desperate for an education and beat them down harder than they were off before. All I can say is don’t be me, Stay in your jobs and community colleges and find another way. You can’t even transfer units here, and sure there are a few graduates but even they regret the absurd price tag. There are other ways but I can guarantee this isn’t one of them.

Quarter 4– This is still based on the administrative portion of this school.
Dear Admissions Department,
I am respectfully writing this review because, your department keeps calling me every month. Asking me what program I am interested in because I filled out the on-​line form. Every month I keep telling you the same thing, that I am a current student and the only reason I pick up the phone because I think you are my program director or professor. Please fix your system so that you know not to call people who are already students or do research before calling people to ensure that they are not currently enrolled in school.
Sincerely,
Conchita–
On the lighter note there are some improvements:
Professors– 5 STARS!
Financial Aid Dep– Way better now, not more teeth pulling paper work once everything is sorted out.
Business office– Very helpful and responsive to your needs.
Admissions Dept– BOOOO! need major improvements.

It’s a total scam designed to prey on hardworking but desperate people with high hopes. They only care about your money. To list just a few reasons: Me and my girlfriend signed up, I unfortunately enrolled but she didn’t due to the fact that they were charging her over a thousand dollars more per quarter; possibly because she had a significantly higher household income than myself. It’s the same program so why charge someone else almost five grand a year more?
Just recently I was denied becoming a part time student because I needed to show «proof» that I was working enough to do so; they do not work around your schedule like they are so fond of advertising.
More recently I was denied access to the class I was currently enrolled in, because I was late on a monthly tuition payment. Initially they had said I needed to pay otherwise I wouldn’t be able to take classes the next quarter, fair enough I thought, I have till the next quarter to pay and meanwhile I can buy my books. Not the case, I was notified later and without warning that my program director had been told not to allow me to take a seat in class until I had payed the full amount of my money. After a week of them hounding me, missed classes and exams, they simply «re-​evaluated my contract» and expected me to go back to class despite being severely behind on my class. That isn’t right, any other legitimate college would not release your grades or would not let you sign up for classes the next quarter, but kicking someone out of a class in the middle of enrollment and exams because of acute financial hardship without warning isn’t justified.
I can keep going for days but I digress…

Do not give Heald College your phone number either on-​line or over the phone.
They will keep calling you every month, month after month.
I’ve asked over and over to be removed from their call list, and they won’t do it.