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Sanford Brown Institute

Sanford Brown Institute review: rip off school with no accreditation 23

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sanford brown did not go into detail about how they are not accreditted, which means an ultrasound student cannot take the registry exam after completing the program. after taking $32, 000, No one will hire me because I am not registered, nor do I have ultrasound working experience.

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23 comments
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Lisa R. 85
Queens, US
Jul 15, 2023 7:13 am EDT

I graduated back in 2010 and now I’m unable to sit for my ARDMS because my transcript is in hours rather than credits. Can anything be done to fix this?

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Tishp23
Naples, US
Jan 22, 2013 11:45 am EST

I need help in resolving an issue with Gibbs College (Norwalk) Sanford-Brown. When I was accepted I was told that I had received financial aid. After 2 semesters I realized that the "classes" were a joke. I was taking graphic design and one the first day of class during my third trimester, the” instructor” for Photoshop 2 walked in and told us that she was going to be learning the program along with us and too be patient. WHAT?!?!?!
I went to the main office to switch out of that class and was then told that I had a HUGE bill because my financial aid had never been approved. I withdrew from classes immediately. I could not afford that school without financial aid and would never have attended without it. I told them I would pay for my books and art supplies but nothing more since they had lied to me. That was 15 years ago. About every 5 years I get a call from a collections agency stating that I owe $16, 000 and that I didn't get financial aid because I dropped out. I write letters, call Sanford Brown and then the account gets pulled from that agency and I don't hear anything back. Well I got another call last night from a new collection agency.
I don't know what to do. They tricked me into believing I had financial aid and then wanted me to pay everything cash after I already completed 2 semesters. THEN they put in my file that I stopped attending classes when the truth is that I withdrew using their standard procedures. Does anyone have a similar problem and do you have an attorney?

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td53
Iselin, US
Jan 16, 2013 11:08 pm EST

My experience with Sanford-brown Iselin is great also. Teacher are the best and really want you to be the best.. Learning so much hoping to continue for another programlike surgical tech or ultrasound.

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Kapak13
Portland, US
May 24, 2012 10:10 am EDT

All I can say is that the Sanford Brown in Portland Oregon is great. I enrolled before they were accredited but they made sure they met/exceeded all requirements for accreditation in a timely manner. The instructors are amazing and they have really kept to their standards concerning best medicine. I'm in the veterinary technology program and they questioned me about my readiness for what layed ahead as far as blood draws and what not. A few students out here have complained and had their fair share of issues with the school... But then again, they all failed classes, failed to show up to classes, and failed to follow the student handbook.
If you just do your research and know you have a passion for what you're about to invest in AND can always make the time for class and homework, you're golden. This college isn't about pumping out numbers of graduates, they are about making sure that every student who does graduate is the absolute best possible. It takes certain kinds of people to really qualify for their offered classes.

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Crytek21
, US
Apr 01, 2011 4:03 pm EDT

Sanford Brown in Long Island Used to be called Katherine Gibbs. You know its funny, I sit here and read most of these Pro-Sanford supporters talking about how great the school is and how much they blame the students for not doing their homework? What kind of bologne is that? First of all, I can bet that most of these Pro- Sanford Brown supporters here are actual employees by SBI trying to influence the public attitude towards a COMPANY...thats right SBI is a COMPANY not a damn school. I went to a private university and I am paying as much as you would pay to go to one of these rediculous schools. I have a BA in criminal law and im almost done with my MA in forensics. I am set to start working for a private intelligence firm as a intelligence analyst in a few days. I went to SBI to find out more information one day (prior to starting my first year of college). They collected my info and little did i know, the thieves manipulated my FAFSA account and entered their school's name replacing the original school I was going to. This schoo abuses student government loans, and basically you are paying for nothing. The accrediting agency they claim to be part of is BOGUS because almost every school in that agency is being investigated. Katherine Gibbs Schools also known as SBI has been under investigation by the New York State Attorney Generals Office. Just to let you know... One company actually owns these institutes...such as Devry, SBI, Kathrine Gibbs. If you are really looking into getting a quick worthless degree.. then go right ahead and sign your soul away to these [censor]. If you just want a 2 year degree, then do the normal thing and go to a 2 yr community college. If you want a good solid education, go to a 4 year school with ACTUAL ACCREDITATION.

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Iselin
, US
Jan 29, 2011 10:01 pm EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

FIRST OF ALL WHITE PLAINS, YOU CANNOT BLAME PROSPECTIVE STUDENTS FOR EVERYTHING. THERE ARE ADMISSION REPS WHO TELL 1 PERSON ONE THING, YET ANOTHER ADM REP TELLS ANOTHER PROSPECTIVE STUDENT SOMETHING ELSE. YOU DO NOT FIND OUT THE LIES UNTIL YOU ARE ALREADY A STUDENT IN THE CLASS. MY CLASS HAVE DONE RESEARCH ON THE NEW PROGRAM THAT WE WENT TO SCHOOL FOR. NOT ONLY DID WE FIND OUT THAT THE CLASS WAS NOT ACCREDITED LIKE THEY TOLD US, BUT WE HAVE A DEPT HEAD BREAKING CONFIDENTIALITY, THEY HIRED AND FIRED A TEACHER FOR HIS COLORFUL PAST THAT WAS STUMBLED UPON BY A STUDENT, THEY SENT US TO LOCATIONS FOR EXTERNSHIP THAT ARE NOT HIRING (BY THE WAY, I DID TRY TO FIND MY OWN) AND EVERYONE AT THE SITE SAID THIS WAS SOMETHING THAT COULD'VE BEEN TRAINED WHILE AT WORK. WHENEVER YOU DO TRY TO SPEAK UP ABOUT AN ISSUE, THEY LOOK AT YOU LIKE YOU'RE THE LIAR, PACIFY THE SITUATION, TELL YOU THEY'RE ON IT, AND NOTHING HAPPENS. WHAT'S SAD IS THAT THESE DECISIONS ARE SUPPOSINGLY COMING FROM THE "HIRE UPS!" SO THE NEXT TIME YOU MAKE THE STATEMENT, "I'M SORRY YOU GUYS HAD SUCH A BAD EXPERIENCE BUT I DO BLAME YOU FOR IT, " THINK CAREFULLY BCUZ IF YOU WALKED IN ALL OF THESE PEOPLE SHOES WHO HAS A COMPLAINT ON THIS WEBSITE...YOU WOULD CUT YOUR FEET OFF! SIGNED...ISELIN, SBI

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SBBILLING&CODING:)
WHITEPLAINS, US
Nov 05, 2010 6:38 pm EDT

I ATTEND SANFORD BROWN WHITE PLAINS AS A BILLING AND CODING STUDENT.. I WILL FINISH MY CLASSES IN 3 MONTHS . THEY HAVE TOLD ME EVERYTHING I NEED TO KNOW BEFORE ATTENDING. WHAT YOU MUST UNDERSTAND IS IF YOU DON'T ASK QUESTIONS THEN THEY WONT BE ANSWERED. NEVER EVRE GO TO A SCHOOL AND ASSUME THAT THEY ARE ACCREDITTED.ITS YOUR RESPONSIBLITY TO FIND OUT WHAT EXITING EXAMS ARE NEED AND WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW IN YOUR FIELD OF STUDY... ALSO WHEN YOU HAVE TO DO YOUR EXTERNSHIP DONT WAIT FOR THE SCHOOL TO FIND IT FOR YOU. ITS OK TO FIND YOUR OWN... I KNOW I ALREADY HAVE 2 PLACE LINED UP. IM SORRY YOU GUYS HAD SUCH A BAD EXPERINCE BUT I DO BLAME YOU FOR IT

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Cindy11306
Riverview, US
Oct 14, 2010 5:40 pm EDT

I just recently found this site and I want to let everyone know that I experienced many of the same problems. I attended the Tampa campus and ws kicked out for telling the truth to prospective "students". I am now having my wages garnished at the tune of 400.00 a month. I have spoken with an attorney and he is willing to file a class action lawsuit if I can find enough present and past students of the tampa campus. Please reply to this message and I will give you the e-mail address to this attorney.

Cindy
Riverview fl

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mstj2011
, US
Oct 12, 2010 7:08 pm EDT

Yes, Sanford Brown is the worse school ever and I regret my decision to go there. Actually I only went for two weeks and attended the Medical Assistant Program. The reason why I regret attending SB is because they want me to pay close to 1600.00 for what?! No one can tell me what I am paying for. I sent back the book and stuff.

Now I have the collections department calling me and threating and yelling at me. I have sent little payments but I may not send anymore because of the way they do business. I have sent numerous emails and letters requesting them to stop calling me on my cell and they continue. Once a collection department is told not to call a number they are to STOP!, but not SB.

My advice, RUN FROM SANFORD BROWN! Try a local college or a creditable online school. Stratford Career Institute is pretty good for a online school.

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Roland Petit
Penn Valley, US
Oct 05, 2010 6:39 pm EDT
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Your thought/communications process on this board is good, but please check your spelling and punctuation carefully before posting. Unfortunately, these flaws distract the readers from "the meat" that's so important that you're trying to convey. Thanks for sharing.

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BxNY
Bronx, US
Oct 03, 2010 9:23 pm EDT

I attended SBI in 2007 never got hired after i graduated I thought it was bc I was pregnant during my externship the doctor did not hire me, which was fine until I tried looking for a job and no place would hire me. Im begining to think that the school has a bad reputation... I thoght of going back to school since that was always the plan when i went to sbi they said in oreder to be a dianostic medical sonographer i had to take the ma course which sounded ok being that i had never had any experience in the medical field. But after reading so many reviews i have my second thoughts and it makes me wonder if this school is a complete rip off and now im in dept...My creidts with sbi r non transferrable to any school. SBI is accreidted with CHEA but it doesnt mean nothing in NYC bc in order to be accredited it has to be with the CAAHEP... I wish I would have known this before. Im currently looking to find school NYC that is accredited with CAAHEP since that is the only way to get hired... Anyway long story short I wouldnt recommended SBI, you can go to a cuny and get an MA certificate for way less than 2500, medical coding and billing is around 2400 n so on, i didnt know any of that though before wish this was around when i was younger so I wouldnt be in dept 12, 000 for a MA certiciate that means abosoultly nothing...

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boricua2436
Tampa, US
Sep 01, 2010 10:40 am EDT

*FORMER SBI GRADUATE 2006 in TAMPA, FL*
I totally agree with all of you guys on here! I unfornately went to that school and it was a disaster from day one. They lied to me and my friend by promising the world if we went to this school. They acted like their school was the best and did not make us aware that we are basically gonna waiste our time there! The teachers sucked and did nothing but make us read from a book all day and take quizzes and tests all the time. So it basically was a waiste of money and I sware that everyone in that school is working with one another. They are watching closely to make sure that no one marches out of place and leaks out the truth. I hope that school gets closed down for fraud and we all get our money back!

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Jburke
Chicago, US
Aug 06, 2010 12:35 am EDT

You should call these guys. Apparently they have helped others defrauded by trade schools. http://www.kcrlegal.com/helping-victims-of-trade-school-scams.aspx

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Holy S**t!
, US
Jul 23, 2010 4:27 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

i graduated SBI-NYC in 2005 with a certificate in Medical Billing & Coding; and have not been able to find a job in the field since. i wanted to relocate to Minnesota, but apparently the Mayo Clinic wasn't havin' it. at first i thought it might be an age thing because i was a little older than most of my classmates - but now i know it was a credibility issue; and AT NO TIME did anyone in that Financial Aid office nor any school official say anything about accreditation.

now i am on the hook for $11, 000 - and no future in finding a job in this field.

if there is a class action law suit, i would want very much to be a part of it. i can be contacted at

mcciccolato@yahoo.com

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Edna0512
Tampa, US
Jul 22, 2010 3:24 pm EDT

I agree totally with every vile, disgusting thing about SBI-Tampa. Once it was known I was gay, I have received lower grades, not given externship sites, and now no career services assistance. Guess who is going to file a lawsuit...this gay [censor].

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JenniferBaybe!!
, US
Mar 25, 2010 9:42 am EDT

Can anyone say too little too late? I am absolutely disgusted with this school after reading this! I've been attending Sanford Brown since June 2009 for MA. You know, my fellow classmates and I started noticing that something wasn't right and we started to question the school and they sent the president of the school in to our classroom to speak with us about her concerns. She basically tried to cover everything up, everything we complained about, she had an excuse for. And she pretended to side with us, but now come to think of it, she was basically in there to shut us up and keep us from going elsewhere with our complaints. It's horrible to realize that all of my suspicions were real! And now it's too late, I'm getting ready to graduate in about eight weeks and I can't withdraw. I was doing this to try to better my family and I think I harmed them and now I am very discouraged. If you are thinking of signing up for this school, DON'T! Don't make the horrible mistake I did this school is not worth it!

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Sbaptist
, US
Sep 22, 2009 8:12 pm EDT

wow... this is interesting ! I guess we all have our own experiences. I finished HS and I had some college back in FL and it didn’t really work for me, so I dropped out and plus I was overwhelmed with work school and my daughter! So I found out about SBI from my doctors office when I was doing my Ultrasound, and the lady was so pleasant and I was so curious about it, and the lady was a former graduate from the ultrasound program and she spoke highly of the school( white plains campus) so I called them and I set an apt, yeah I agree they don’t give you too much info on the phone so I went in anyways cause I was shopping around to see what other school I should go to and I also contacted NYU and they took long to get back to me and the lady was a bit rude and she gave to the info and it was way over my budget ! So when I went to Sanford brown, they were soooooo sweet to me and I had a lady that met with me to explain everything to me from the program, the tuition, accreditation etc….. I don’t understand what these people are talking about, the accreditation is all written on the catalog and the paper work you sign! They are accredited with a different accreditation, so make a long story short, since I didn’t have enough credits to get in the DMU program, they presented me with the MA program( it was an option) so I knew I didn’t want to go back to a community college so I took that rout, and then I transition to the DMU after I graduated, good thing about that was I started to work @ a hospital as a medical assistant then the hospital paid a portion of my DMU class and I don’t regret any of it, I understand some of the MA students can be a little immature but I was focused and this was no joke to me and since this was an investment to my future, I was in the dean’s list from MA! DMU (diagnostic ultra sound) was great class, the teachers was Great! They don’t BS at all, classes were exhilarated, but overall it was awesome program! And after I graduated I took the 1st portion of the exam right away and I took the other part after I worked a year so people ….get your facts right….you have to do your research I have been a Sonographer for 3 years now and I LOVE IT! My representative is so sweet, she really helped me through the transition, from the 1st day called me on my bday, externship and helped me on even personal problem, so sorry but I had a great experience and I am actually in the alumni association that just formed this month !

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Irish Kids Heineman
, US
Feb 14, 2017 5:56 pm EST
Replying to comment of Sbaptist

Well then you are one of the rare lucky ones. SBI NYC lied outright about the DMU program being accredited. Yes, the school is accredited, but the program was not when I went there so now I cannot get hired from any hospital or radiology group because I am not a graduate of an accredited program.

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R.Copeland
Philadelphia, US
Sep 13, 2009 4:07 pm EDT

I am so glad I came across this site, last year I was considering attending SB for ultrasound and yes I was told that I should take the Medical Asst. program first. Therefore, I'll have some medical knowledge, I thought that made since. However, I didn't enroll and by the experiences I have read from this site I'm glad I didn't.
SO THANX ! Here I am again looking into Prism Career Inst. I reviewed the web site it is accredited by ACCET, If anyone has any dirt on this school or have any advice for me please e-mail me at rochellecopeland@msn.com

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dont try to rip me off
Trevose, US
Apr 21, 2009 10:12 am EDT

I had just registered to go there. I started a week and a half ago. I can not believe how manipulative those people are. They lie up and down, they do not give you all the facts. I went in yesterday to tell them I was going to withdraw and to stop my student loans, and at first the guy tried to bs his way out of me trying to withdrawl, then he really did a low blow thing.. he used the fact that I had said I was doing this to better my future and my 8 month old sons future.. and he told me that because I was giving up I am a poor mother..

First off I never said I was giving up, I said I was going to find a different school that didn't try to rob $45, 000 out of peoples pockets and second off I work my butt off for a job and support my child just fine.. at least I don't work for a company that has no morals...

They tell you that in order to go into the ultrasound program you have to take the MA program, which is FALSE. They are just trying to collect $14, 500 from each student who is trying to go into the ultrasound program. Then to do the ultrasound program that is another $34, ooo. But what they don't tell you is that they are not accredited, so when you graduate you can't sit for your boards, and nobody is going to hire you without being certified.

my best advice.. do NOT waste your time or money going to this school!

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cheeba6060
Brooklyn, US
Apr 04, 2009 11:34 pm EDT

I am currently attending sbi and its horrible! The teachers never show up on time, they dont teach you anything. all you do is copy notes all day, you can do the same thing on the internet. then they expect you to pass the testings. I am usually a very good student and lately relized i cant even pass a test there, because of all of the misinformation and lack of teaching.
Dont waste your money because its really not worth it

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SoMessedUp!
Brooklyn, US
Mar 14, 2009 2:19 pm EDT

That sucks, majorly! I was taking serious consideration to attend Sanford-Brown Institute in Manhattan. But I guess it's just to show that the saying is right: You get what you pay for. I've heard a lot of success stories about NYU and their course for a career as an ultrasound technician. I fell in love with this position being a patient when I was pregnant. I truly am glad of your honesty because this helped people like me to prevent this from happening to them too. I once was going to attend a school, "Interboro Institute". Two years after I changed my mind, it has been closed. And their drop-out ratings were higher than NY State's high-school drop out average.

Messed up part about the whole situation: I googled "success stories of sanford brown ny" and came up with this Sanford Brown Institute Complaints forum instead. Just to confirm exactly what I was thinking. These institutes are only after your money, not to guarantee a satisfied education. Thanks SBI Victim.

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Nanlisa
Upper Darby, US
Feb 14, 2009 7:21 pm EST
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I agree with you 100 %. Before you go to this school, or any other trade school, contact employers in the areas to see if they hire graduates of the school. Find out what type of training they require. For example, find out if you have to take an industry-approved training course. Find out if the equipment that you'll be using is up to date and what the employers want.

Find out the pros and cons of working the field that you want to train for. I have seen these ads for these trade schools, especially Sanford Brown, on TV during the day, and they make working in the medical field sound glamorous and exciting, but it's not. If you're going to train to be either a medical or dental assistant, for example, you have to have a very strong stomach. You have to draw blood, take vital signs, assist the doctor with a patient, deal with all types of people; especially crying children; you have to look into a patient's mouth to clean it, and so forth. If you can't handle this, then this type of work just isn't for you.

Suppose you decide to drop out once you've enrolled. Find out what their refund policies are.

Investigate before you invest.