Trade School Scams
Is the Dream Education To Good to Be True?
Story by Angel Luna

You know those commercials that are on TV that are about how to easily get the security of a diploma in a trade school? They really do work, the commercials at least.

When I kept seeing them, I was really interested, not because I thought it was cool, but based on how quick can you finish them, and how fast can you get a job in that field. I'm one of a lot of my friends who, instead of going to a community college, chose to go to one of these vocational schools after high school. I didn't do it because I don't think I'm smart enough to go to a regular college, but at the time that I enrolled, I saw trade school as a the quickest and most efficient way for me to start my career in graphic design. Many people my age were just enrolling in community college to front that they were not some mediocre guy or girl with no dreams and a shady job. But after going to vocational school, I still feel like that mediocre guy, except I also threw away $20,000 to do so.

After I quit my job at a shoe store, I was thinking about going to Evergreen Community College.   I was excited about all the changes in my life, from being just one more average Joe to becoming a college student. But then one day my cousin came by and told me about how he was going to Silicon Valley College. He explained the Silicon Valley College plan and it sounded like it was going to be fun, plus it was like a short cut in my educational carrier. The schools offered classes in the field I wanted to go into, Graphic Design, with no English, Science, or Math requirements. Man, it was going to be only classes that I want! The first thing I told me cousin after he explained everything was, “Where do I sign.” The next day I made an appointment to see a Silicon Valley College counselor.  

The representative or “counselor” that I met with told me wonderful stuff about the school. It was like she was describing Disneyland. The process was very easy and I was surprised that I got accepted according to their academic standards. My future looked bright according to them. I was a star in the making, soon to be in the wall of fame of Silicon Valley College.

Admission was a done deal already, so the next step was to get my financial aid. The financial aid lady was a very nice, and while she stared at my paper work, she kept telling me how wonderful it is to get an education. My application for financial was almost done, and she said I was ready to get all the goodies from the government and from private loan companies.

They suggested to me that I get my mom as a co-signer for my federal loan, and I was like yeah, that sounds great, so I took the bus home with my application in my hand, thinking of the many possibilities of becoming a professional in a field that involves technology. But my mom could not co-sign because of her legal status, and I also couldn't apply on my own, because I was not old enough. I was broken hearted, but I was still trying to fight to get my education.

According to the school, there was a grant from the school for “special emergencies,” and my emergency fit the requirements. I got the private grants, and in my eyes I was happy that there was still people out there trying to help a young man get his education.

The first day came around, the class was “Photoshop 7” for beginners, and I was very confident because I had already worked with the program.   The teacher seemed like he was a good dude, his name was Mr. Randall, but he told us to call him only   “Randall” or “Rando.” He was very smart and relaxed. For the first time, I felt like a teacher cared, plus, this guy was a pro in the industry – he actually   made video games, something I always dreamed of. I really felt like I was in a good position to get to my goal of becoming a graphic designer.

As months went by, I was there every day, on time and ready to do what I was told, it was great. The last day of Photoshop came and to my surprise all we had to do was hand in easy assignments.   So the class just played a Street Fighter II tournament the rest of the day.

But then the rest of the classes after that one had the same vibe, the students weren't being taught, and we were just having a good time.   I started to notice that it seemed all the teachers were taking the same approach, just kicking back and trying to pass the time.

I moved up to the Layout Design class, and the teacher we got was nothing like Rando. This teacher was worse then all the bad teachers that I had during the years, and basically had us doing nothing. The students got mad and decided to complain about it. It worked and she got fired the next day.

I had to take time off for a short while to take care of some family issues and when I got back, all the school personal had changed.   They weren't sure what to do with me, so I kept getting switched around the graphic department like a top. Finally, I got some type of attention from the department and only because they thought that I had been here already too long. I thought so too. The program was supposed to be over after your Portfolio class, but I had already taken three Portfolio classes.

In the end, they gave me an invitation to the graduation. Ha, big deal, I was expecting a damn diploma, so after this chapter I decide to escape this evil matrix and left the school for good.

Even while I was still taking classes there,I received calls and letters about paying back my loans to the school. Ultimately, that's all they really wanted from me anyway, my dollar bills. The only thing that I always got on time at that school was the reminder to pay my bills for the private loan, and let me tell you, those fools from Sally Mae are not that polite.

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