Really frustrated with UMUC (and I'm not even a student there)

Vask3n

Late last year I applied and got accepted into one of UMUC's cybersecurity MS programs while applying to several schools, but after starting a program at a different school (I never accepted the admission or started any classes at UMUC) I've found myself in a really frustrating position. I literally cannot get this dinky school off my back, no matter how hard I try. I officially withdrew my application by calling into the school late last year, but I routinely get emails from their financial aid office about submitting "Required documents." It's as if I still have a financial aid application in-progress months after withdrawing my application and requesting explicitly that my information be removed from their process going forward.

Yesterday I started getting emails again about completing my financial aid application for the new year, including asking me to submit proof of citizenship.I have no idea why they are still doing anything with my financial aid information behind the scenes. I've officially withdrawn my application, talked to them on the phone about it, and for some reason they still feel the need to hound me.

Just need to vent about this before I call them again tomorrow for what I assume is going to be another fruitless attempt to shoo these flies away.

So PSA: Applying to UMUC may end up being a lifelong endeavor, be careful.

whiteskies

Sir/Ma'am,

I could say that about three other schools off the top of my head. One of them I personally called and said take my name off of the mailing list and they still call (everytime a new semester is about to start). To add to that maybe a (estimated)month or two ago I get a packet in the mail with all the courses and admission requirements for the new semester. It is like that with not just UMUC.

It is like going to dealerships looking for a car. I got a call from a dealer last year with whom I bought a car from about 7 years ago (Didn't know car dealers stayed around that long). When I was looking for vehicles online 6 months ago they used to send me "specials and discounts" all the time to my email (they even called). Some I marked as spam and blocked the entire domain from my inbox and some I just did the unsubscribe link process. Universities are no different than car dealerships.

PS.

I could name drop schools but I am not. I am more professional than that. ...but I could. I wouldn't talk bad about a school for something so small so to speak. You talk about hounding I know a guy that goes/went to WGU and gets calls all the time about the same thing from advisors Lol sorry WGU inside joke.

Sir, you can block email, you can label emails as spam, it's other ways to not get UMUC emails and phone calls. If you need advice send me a PM.


Good Luck,

WhiteSkies. Capital W

Vask3n

Thanks, but the problem for me is not the fact that I am getting emails from them. Of course anyone can create a mail filter to drop mail from umuc.edu.

The problem I have is that I know they are still running my financial aid information (including social security number, FAFSA info, etc) behind the scenes when I have nothing to do with the school anymore and certainly am not in the midst of an application.

On top of that, UMUC looks to be using a really old version of Peoplesoft for their backend system which is another reason I am uneasy about my PII still being transmitted across their systems.

whiteskies

Sir,

You can log into https://fafsa.ed.gov/ and take UMUC out of the schools you're enrolled in or requested financial aid through. You can edit that, believe me I know. So, they won't be able to continue running your FA, if indeed they are. If you applied for FA through UMUC you kind of put yourself in a tuff spot. You signed some type of paperwork. It is liking applying for an American Express Delta Skymiles credit card and hitting submit then saying you don't want the card. Just a little humor

Moral of the story go to that website.


Good Luck,

Whiteskies. Capital W

Danielm7

Vask3n, UMUC just called me, they said they were trying to reach you about some financial aid stuff and asked that you give them a call. Boy, they are really going overboard with this contact stuff now!

thomas_

I would send their IT department an email saying that I've asked to be removed from their email list and no longer attend school there(or never have in the first place because I officially withdrew.) I would then continue with that if I continue to get these emails from them I will consider it to be SPAM and harassment and I will take the issue up and lodge a complaint against with them with the Department if Education, Federal Trade Commission and the organization they receive their accreditation through. I would also threaten to show my displeasure on social media, so other potential students can be warned of their shady practices.

goatama

thomas_ wrote: »

I would send their IT department an email saying that I've asked to be removed from their email list and no longer attend school there(or never have in the first place because I officially withdrew.) I would then continue with that if I continue to get these emails from them I will consider it to be SPAM and harassment and I will take the issue up and lodge a complaint against with them with the Department if Education, Federal Trade Commission and the organization they receive their accreditation through. I would also threaten to show my displeasure on social media, so other potential students can be warned of their shady practices.

Uh, as someone IN an IT department, if we got some crank sending us an email with that crap, we'd laugh all day long. Threatening the IT department at a school makes absolutely zero sense. They have no control over any of that nonsense.

Sending it to the *enrollment* department, along with the CEO or dean (or whatever UMUC has) might make a *tad* bit more sense. But that's just my opinion. I just work in IT.

thomas_

goatama wrote: »

Uh, as someone IN an IT department, if we got some crank sending us an email with that crap, we'd laugh all day long. Threatening the IT department at a school makes absolutely zero sense. They have no control over any of that nonsense.

Sending it to the *enrollment* department, along with the CEO or dean (or whatever UMUC has) might make a *tad* bit more sense. But that's just my opinion. I just work in IT.

If they took their job seriously then they might forward it to the correct department. If they didn't then I would proceed and then it might come out during an investigation that the IT department received the complaint, but decided to laugh it off. I would be the one laughing in the end while you got canned. Thank you for implying that I was a crank, your attitude is exactly the type of people I try to stay away from.

If you fail to see how someone using university IT assets to engage in activities that amount to harassment and SPAM is a problem for the IT department, even if this activity is only a marketing person using their university computer to access a SaaS program such as Peoplesoft or Infusionsoft which are delivering the emails, then I feel sorry for you.

goatama

thomas_ wrote: »

If they took their job seriously then they might forward it to the correct department. If they didn't then I would proceed and then it might come out during an investigation that the IT department received the complaint, but decided to laugh it off. I would be the one laughing in the end while you got canned. Thank you for implying that I was a crank, your attitude is exactly the type of people I try to stay away from.

If you fail to see how someone using university IT assets to engage in activities that amount to harassment and SPAM is a problem for the IT department, even if this activity is only a marketing person using their university computer to access a SaaS program such as Peoplesoft or Infusionsoft which are delivering the emails, then I feel sorry for you.

lolwut? Emailing IT about this is the absolute last ditch effort of someone who has no idea how things work. What UMUC is doing absolutely IS harassment, and has nothing to do with "abuse of IT resources", which is I think what you're referring to. It's hilarious to me that you think there would be an "investigation" and that I would "lose my job" for failing to report your misguided emails and threats.

Again, this is a policy issue with how the school's enrollment department is run, that's where you would direct your ire to actually be effective. I've been pursued aggressively by a for-profit college (Westwood Online). It was when the "enrollment counselor" told me it was time to "suck it up" and ask [my] dad for money for the tuition" that I told him to pound sand.