Fila Academy promised what most cosmetology schools do: the chance to enhance your education and become a successful professional cosmetologist. But the story doesn’t end happily ever after with graduation and a great beauty job. Instead, this is just another lesson on why you should make sure your potential beauty or spa school is accredited…
According to Courthouse News, this Glen Burnie, MD, cosmetology school was recently sued in a class action suit by students who were tricked into the potential of obtaining a beauty school eduction. Students say that they were actually given the answers to exams before they even took them – giving them no chance to actually prove any of their ability. Additionally, Fila Academy forced students to sign up for loans and grants in order to get the more than $16,000 in tuition per student, the article says. And what’s even worse? Students say they were forced to clean toilets along the way.
Fila’s website claims that they accept students who can pass a test in compliance with the NACCAS Ability to Benefit Policy. However, it never stated that they were actually accredited by NACCAS. This is a vital piece of information and why it’s important to do your research. A simple Google search for NACCAS will bring you to the website, where you can search by the name of the school and see if they are actually accredited by this important cosmetology school-accrediting body.
Don’t let something like this happen to you. Do your research and ask questions before you hand over your life savings to someone who may be giving you false hope and empty promises. This shouldn’t scare you into not going to beauty school – it should merely educate you. Start searching now and protect yourself.
-Amanda Fornecker
Tags: beauty school, beauty school scam, cosmetology school, fila academy
Something in this story does not make sense. If the students were receiving grants and federal financial aid the school had to have been accredited. A school is not able to offer Title IV Federal Financial Aid without some form of accreditation. This school must have or have had and then lost some form of accreditation.
In addition accreditation in it of itself is no guarantee of the schools quality. Students should always investigate the school before enrolling.
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so does this mean that I could sue this school considering the fact that i got $10,000 in loans and am now getting bills from them??? somebody please respond to this!!!
The wording in the lawsuit is unclear as to whether or not the loans/grants the students signed up for were actually federally funded. I’d have to assume, as you point out, Justin, that the school was not able to offer Title IV aid, and therefore the students were actually signing onto private loan programs. Again, the lawsuit does not specify how/if such deception took place.
Jayme, I’m not a lawyer, but I’d say if they have a lawsuit pending, and you have similar claims, it might be in your best interest to speak with someone who can offer you professional advice as to how you might proceed.
All in all, stories like this are upsetting, and give legitimate educators a bad name. Hopefully if the claims turn out to be true, this “school” will be shut down for good, and the victims will be compensated.