ASSOCIATES IN MEDICAL ASSISTING Comments

Kaplan grads have a horrible time finding jobs in Omaha.  Who wants to hire someone who was poorly educated?  I also think Kaplan will enroll anybody.  It takes a certain kind of person to be a health care professional and not everybody is cut out for it.

Thanks for all the information everyone!
I was just getting ready to enroll online when I decided to check out some reviews first. 
Thanks, to all of you...who kept me from making what could have been my biggest mistake.

Have any of the students at Kaplan been told they do not certify you after you go through all the education? My daughter graduated with many honors and is still unemployed and has been turned down because she needs to be "certified". It seems Kaplan does not tell you this, nor do they certify you! They do NOT place you in any employment, though they say they help when you enroll. (Bait and switch?) They do NOT tell you about certification upon enrollment, (an extra expense and surprise for grads). They charge the same as other MA schools, and these other schools DO certify you, as part of their offerings, but Kaplan does not, but they charge the same. I think this school has ripped off many many grads, as well as misinformed and duped them all for "money". Many employers will not hire Kaplan grads.  Beware.

I graduated from Kaplan with a diploma in medical assisting Aug. 2010. My experience was very similar to Omaha, NE.  The classroom was unruly, and, a horrible learning environment. Cheating was rampant. There were physical altercations, and two students actually attacked each other with syringes, and yet, were permitted to continue the program.  The website and admissions officer stated at the beginning of the program that graduates were able to sit for the CMA exam, because the school was accredited.  Halfway through, the Dean and the head of Allied health came into the classroom and told us we should all sign up for the AAMA student organization as it would give us a price break on the CMA exam.  I joined, and, when I recieved the literature, realized my school was NOT accredited. I asked the college president about this and he said "well, we just found out.  Our other campus was approved, so we just assumed we were too." I can't imagine someone making an oversight that horrible and not being fired. He then went on to "explain" how certification wasn't that important.  I can tell you from my unfortunate experience that certification IS very important. I only know of 2 people out of several hundred graduates who were able to find employment. One of those people got a job because her neighbor is the hiring manager.  I had a 4.0 in school, won several honors, have good references, an excellent review at my extern site, and I am certified through a lesser known certification agency............Not even 1 interview.  Financial aid was also a nightmare, they messed up my scholarships and grants numerous times. I have since found out that Kaplan has a very bad reputation with many area employers......undoubtedly this is due in part to the fact that they graduate people with less than 50% attendance, cheaters etc. who are simply incapable of performing well on the jobsite.  For the same time and money you could go to school to be an LPN, for just slightly more, an RN, COTA, PTA etc.. 
   Whatever you choose, good luck!

I am  graduating for University of Phoenix with AS Medical Administration/Medical Records. I am interested in transfering to Kaplan to get My AAS in Medical Assisting it seems that they want to me to repeat classes that I have already taken anyone else have this problem.

I'm attending Kaplan and in my second term of Associate of Applied Science in Medical Assisting. Some time today, I received an article "School of Hard Knocks" stating that some schools private/public/online show records of "useless diplomas and staggering debt."  Indeed, no doubt we will all end up owing money to this school and in time we'll have to pay our pay it back but is anyone actually known someone from this school to actually graduated and find job within their field that they studied for?  Like I don't want to waste my time... Reading other websites about how Kaplans a scam/ripoff I don't know what to believe... I enjoy my classes I really do, the online thing just works for me because I'm a 20 year old stay at home mom with a 3 year old daughter... I'm really relying on my degree to get me past being unemployed because of this horrible economy.  I want to know that getting our degrees won't be consider a laughingstock especially while we're looking for jobs...

I almost enrolled in Kaplan for Medical Assisting but the enrollment advisor was so rude to me i just told her i am sorry i am not interested! It was ridiculous! I am going somewhere else! I did not need to be disrespected. It seems like that is all they want is your money.

Nicole, the enrollment advisor did you a favor, trust me! 

No offense. I don't know what school you guys are refering to, but my instructors are great. They are prompt when it comes to answering question. My academic advisor and financial aid advisor are wonderful and never hesitate to call and check up on me asking how are my classes going. I love this school. Yes at first I was hesitant, but after reading other reviews from other school, i took a chance cause if you think about it, every school has negative review even top universities. You just have to take it by the horns and make the best of it. Everybody should have their own opinions. Dont give people bad information just cause your experience was bad. I am a Kaplan University Medical Assisting student graduating next year.

wow... glad i googled. thanks for the comments

I spent one, 10 week term (and 5 grand) at Kaplan and it was the biggest waste of time and money ever. I entered already having a bachelors degree but wanting to work in health care. What a stupid mistake that was. The instructors don't care, many of them aren't even adequately educated. Students spend "class time" yapping on their cell phones, having noisy conversations, sleeping, or talking about themselves. Instructors have absolutely zero classroom control, so the one or two people actually trying to learn get overlooked. Instructors act irritated by those who want to make good grades. Financial aid lies - don't believe me? Read reviews all over the internet about how people get ripped off by financial aid misleading them. This was evident by them magically having funds for me after I told them I couldn't afford the program as it stood. I'm positive that they would have let me finish my time saying I had loans, then suddenly presented me at the end with a bill, holding my degree for ransom. Again, read reviews on the internet of people to which this very thing has happened. Also, I've spoken to doctors around here and they won't hire students who go to Kaplan because the school has a crappy reputation due to its graduating people who are poorly educated and lack communication and workplace skills. It's a joke of an "institution". It's not a university, it's an institution of higher learning. Credits do NOT transfer because no respectable school will take credits from Kaplan. This is a for-profit business. They do not care about you succeeding, they care about overcharging people dumb enough to fall for their scam. I'm completely embarrassed that I fell for the Kaplan trap, and I hope anyone considering attending Kaplan will RUN in a different direction. PLEASE do more research than I did. I'm now looking at a program at a reputable school and the cost of this program is 1/3 of what Kaplan charged. There are other options, you just have to seek them out. I did not do enough research and now I'm paying for that mistake.

Well.....after reading ALL THIS....NO THANK YOU KAPLAN !!!!

I was thinking of enrolling in Kaplan for the Medical Assistant program, but after reading all the negative comments I will never go to this college. Thank you to all the people who cared enough to post thier comments.  You saved me a lot of time and money.

I am currently a student of On Line Medical Office Management. I am coursing (supposedly) my last course before graduating with honors. Well, looking at my degree plan I found that they are making me take three classes that I do not need because it was approved when I transferred. They want me to take Introduction to Reading Skills and Strategies   (Foundational Requirements only), Introduction to Writing Skills and Strategies   (Foundational Requirements only), and Introduction to Math Skills and Strategies (Foundational Requirements only)when I have already taken all the advance classes on these courses, and these were approved when I started school at Kaplan. I have emailed everybody and nobody wants to return my emails. Nobody wants to address the issue. 
The real issue here is that each course represents almost two thousand dollars to the school's pocket and they do not want to let that go.
I am going to take this so far up to the top, that they will not know what hit them when I am done voicing my disgust to anybody and everybody.
It is a shame, because the school experience was amazing.

Being an instructor for them was just as bad. I can't believe their still in business. Worse place to work-no support, no feedback, just idiots!

In 2008 i finished the CMA program was told they help with job placement boy was i lied to it is now 2010 and i am still unemployeed i hear it is because i went to Kaplan also was told i had i shouldnt owe anything out of pocket due to the fact i was not working again i was lied..

I was suppose to start school on July 1,2009. At first i called just to get some information about the school and online degree program and then the man wouldn't let me off the phone for two hours!!! I enrolled and now i am trying to get out of it!!! I have called and called and nobody will answer and when they do answer they hang up! This is the worst mistake i have made so far. I hope they don't try and make me give them anymore of my money!!!!

I recently graduated (March 2012) with my AAS in Medical Assisting. I am preparing to take my CMA exam, looking to still pay to join AAMA. All of which I was prepared for through school and definitely knew of all my responsibilities upon graduating. I feel the classes were great, you definitely have to be self motivated. There is no late work allowed, deadlines for things every week, and is overall super organized. Getting a hold of my teachers was only a problem with some teachers. Most of them were excellent! I even spent an hour with one of them over the phone via texting and voicechat going over different ways to submit my homework as I could not afford the software needed at the time. I felt there was quite a bit of support, you need to help yourself though to find it, it won't fall in your lap. I feel the material was all important, pertaining to the focus of each course. I signed up July 2010 for the Medical Assisting Degree and by November 2011 I was doing my clinical's at the local clinic, which I was able to request and work with the school for. It was pretty ridiculous working with anyone over the phone, such as financial aid. FINANCIAL AID IS HORRIBLE HORRIBLE HORRIBLE! Definitely you will want to stay on top of them because they will get you in the end if you don't! I started out with a student adviser, which within a few months her email no longer worked and I had to always be on hold in order to talk with someone. Nobody ever knows what is going on because every time you call you have to talk to someone new, and nobody has extensions to reach them after you hang up. I had a few good experiences over the phone, but overall is was BAD. And look out for money you will owe out of pocket toward the end of your degree program even if they say you won't. Overall I liked the ability to work full time and still live in my small town (where there is no school) and get an education. Good luck with your choice!

I am 17 and I have my GED. Can I go to school for Medical Assisting right now, regardless of my age? I will be 18 in 6 months.

This has turned into a complete nightmare!!! The teachers were great!! My enrollment officer was great! The financial aide department lied from the start!! When I enrolled I was told that I would be getting back 2,000 dollars for the year. I asked why my award letter didnt show that and they said since I was admitted on a trial basis it wouldnt change until after I became permanent. Well the day after the five weeks was up it didnt change and I was only getting back 200.00 for the whole year!At that point I decided to withdraw! I am a young mother with a young family and I needed the extra cash to help keep us afloat! When I left kaplan I was told it would be like I was never there and the fafsa wouldn't even recognize I had been there. Well come to find out they charged me 4,000 dollars and claimed that I wasnt eligible for the same loan that had already gone through 5 weeks earlier!!!!Plus all the extra added charges that they placed multiple times on my account! I cant get in contact with anyone and no onw will return my emails!! THEY ARE THIEFS AND CROOKS!!! DONT WALK AWAY RUNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNNN AWAY!

THE BIGGEST MISTAKE I'VE EVER MADE!!!!

Kaplan is a fraud. They reel you in with promises posted all over their website that they are "a different school of thought" and that they work with students and have supportive faculty and advisors. This is bull! I've been in the MA program for 2 years now and I'm in my final classes with the clinical site rotations. Now I see Kaplan's true colors. They placed me at an absolutely inadequate site that was not complying with Kaplan policies or providing me with opportunities to perform the skills I'm required to do. I voiced my concerns to the school and they wouldn't hear it, in fact they basically called me racist and unprofessional because of my concerns. I've had no help with my issues and now I'm going to graduate with a degree stating I have skills that I do not have because they are TOO LAZY to help a student succeed. ATTENDING THIS SCHOOL IS THE WORST MISTAKE I'VE EVER MADE. I've wasted my time and energy and LOTS OF MONEY and I'm really ticked. I wish I could be one of the positive reviews on here, but unfortunately that just wouldn't be the truth. I think that if Kaplan can't ensure that clinical sites are going to adhere to Kaplan policies, they shouldn't offer degrees like Medical Assisting online. What a WORTHLESS school!!!!!