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CB Colleges and Universities Josef Silny & Associates / Jsilny.com Incorrect educational credential evaluation, no refund
Josef Silny & Associates / Jsilny.com

Josef Silny & Associates / Jsilny.com review: Incorrect educational credential evaluation, no refund 25

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Author of the review
5:38 pm EST
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Josef Silny & Associates (http://www.jsilny.com) has a nice company web site, but when the online application status said "All documents received: Yes" that did not mean much. They still requested a new application form and more money, because the one I sent was supposedly an old form (I picked it up the day before at school). A week later they wrote to me that they needed original official documents. The web site asked for officials documents only, not originals, so I sent notarized copies. Even worse, they did not recognize the right equivalent education in the US, and when I sent them supporting documentation from several sources, including an international database, they said that they are using a different paid version of the same database... At the end they were very sorry, but their professional opinion was such and such (unfortunately wrong), and of course there was no refund. Be aware! Try better alternatives, such as WES (World Education Services) at www.wes.org.

Update by NoMoreJosefSilny
Mar 31, 2009 8:18 pm EDT

The correct name of the company is Joseph Silny and Associates, not Josef Silny.

25 comments
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Joan Lloyd
, US
Mar 06, 2017 1:48 pm EST

Criminals! I used them a few years ago to have my transcripts evaluated. Paid for this to be done and now I want JUST an official copy for my new school and these criminals are saying I need to redo the process and pay a new fee. This company needs to be investigated for all kinds of criminal activities. I am sure we can file a lawsuit against them and a good lawyer can take them down. They are incredibly fraudulent in how they conduct business. I cannot imagine why a transcript cannot be re-submitted (for a small fee) in this day and age of ONLINE DOCUMENTATION. CRIMINALS!

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Joan Lloyd
, US
Mar 06, 2017 1:45 pm EST

Criminals! I used them a few years ago to have my transcripts evaluated. Paid for this to be done and now I want JUST an official copy for my new school and these criminals are saying I need to redo the process and pay a new fee. this company needs to be investigated for all kinds of criminal activities. I am sure we can file a lawsuit against them and an good lawyer can take them down. The are incredibly fraudulent in how their practice. I cannot imagine why a transcript cannot be submitted in this day and age of ONLINE DOCUMENTATION. CRIMINALS!

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JosefS=waste of time and money
San francisco, US
Jan 12, 2013 4:01 pm EST

I completely agree as well with every single negative comment said here. Every single bit of it. I experienced it all. I have paid almost $500 in services and have received customer service that is worth a burger and fries. The lack if communication between my evaluator is like nothing I've ever experienced. When I've called, I'm always told that I need to submit in writing or email because my evaluator "is too busy and not taking calls". To say that these people are worse than the poorest customer service you'll ever experience is an understatement. Be warned, you won't get what you paid for and you're basically wasting your money on being treated like dirt.

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jmie
, US
Dec 26, 2012 6:00 pm EST

I recently had my credential evaluation done by Josef Silny Assoc. I think they are a good company. They evaluated my credentials good enough. They made it clear that they need the originals even if it means that you have to contact your school and your school will send it directly to JSA. You just have to read well their instructions. I was also lucky that my evaluator was one of the most helpful I have ever talked to. He patiently replied to all my emails answering all my queries. But I do agree with some that their customer representatives that will talk to you through phone were very unprofessional and really has lack of knowledge. I too was given a wrong information by one of their representative on phone luckily my evaluator was helpful enough and resolved my problem quickly. I hope they will do something about it because these people ( on telephone line ) make their company look really bad when in fact they're not as bad as everyone here were trying to say.

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Renu Sethumadhavan
Jacksonville, US
Oct 22, 2012 9:41 am EDT

I completely agree with all that is written here. All this company does is to exploit foreign students. I am surprised no one has filed a law suit against this company. I did my evaluation through them in 2009 and they completely screwed it up. Some one should really investigate this company.

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zeena gia
Orlando, US
Aug 09, 2012 2:18 pm EDT

I need my credentilas evaluated soon. These comments give me jitters. I dont know which company to trust with my original credentilas and money and also I dont want to be under evaluated. Some one out there with a positive experience please help.

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Peggy232
, US
Jul 24, 2012 9:27 am EDT

Run for the hills. Don't give this people your money, very low class. Extremely rude representatives. I recently order a copy of my credential evaluation and pay $100 on top of the $35 it costs, just to receive it fast. I'm still waiting for it and when I called to ask for status a male representative was so unprofessional and rude! I told him I needed the papers ASAP, which means as soon as possible, apparently he didn't understand and said "you need them WHAT?" thought out the call he kept on being rude, almost screaming to me each time I made a question. Towards the end of the call I told him he should be a little bit nicer and be simply slammed the phone on me!

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Clauz10
, US
Jun 11, 2012 9:10 am EDT

I do appreciate all the comments because i am actually in the process of applying to WES or ECE but decided to do a review. From all the reading, i'm getting that they should not be considered at all. Does any one have any other suggestion of a company that does evaluation and that is honest? please help
Taj

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V!!!!
Miami, US
Jun 05, 2012 1:14 pm EDT

I HAVE TO COMPLETELY SUPPORT ALL THESE COMPLAINTS AS I HAVE RECENTLY GOT A REALLY BAD EXPERIENCE WITH JOSEPH SILNY COMPANY. THEIR NAME WAS ON THE UNIVERSITY LIST OF RECOMMENDED CREDENTIAL EVALUATORS. I WENT TO THEIR OFFICE BECAUSE I LIVE IN MIAMI AREA AND I DID NOT WANT TO MAIL MY ORIGINAL DOCUMENTS ANYWHERE. WHEN I WALKED INTO THEIR OFFICE I FOUND MYSELF IN A CROWD OF FURIOUS PEOPLE TRYING TO GET INFORMATION ABOUT THEIR TRANSCRIPTS FROM THEM. AS MY TURN CAME, THEY TOLD ME THAT THEY ARE QUESTIONING THE VALIDITY OF MY ORIGINAL DOCUMENT AND WILL NEED TO CONFIRM THAT WITH MY UNIVERSITY (WHEN I CALLED THEM BEFORE I CAME THEY SAID THAT THEY DO NOT REQUIRE APOSTILE!). THEY DID NOT GIVE ME ANY TIME FRAME OR GUARANTEE THAT THEY CAN CONFIRM THIS ON TIME, NEVERTHELESS I WAS SUPPOSED TO PAY THEM THE TRANSCRIPT FEE (NONREFUNDABLE) UPFRONT. THEY ALSO REFUSED TO ACCEPT THE CERTIFIED AND NOTARIZED TRANSLATION THAT I BROUGHT (THEY REFUSED TO ACCEPT MY TRANSCRIPT UNLESS I ORDERED A NEW TRANSLATION FROM THEM- $150 ). AS I WAS RUNNING LOW ON TIME, I PROCEEDED TO ORDER BOTH EVALUATION AND THE TRANSLATION ($290). THEY DID THE JOB ON TIME, HOWEVER AFTER THE JOB WAS DONE, THEY DECIDED THAT THE DOCUMENT OF MINE IS ORIGINAL ENOUGH...SO NO NEED TO CONFIRM IT WITH MY COLLEGE BECAME NECESSARY AFTER ALL... WHEN I ASKED FOR A COPY OF THE TRANSCRIPT FOR MYSELF, THEY SAID THEY DO NOT PROVIDE THIS SERVICE UNLESS I PAY 30 DOLLARS FOR IT...BESIDES HAVING MY OWN EXPERIENCE WITH THEM I SPOKE TO A FEW PEOPLE WHILE I WAS AT THE OFFICE AND HEARD SOME HORROR STORIES ABOUT THE FACT HOW THEY DO NOT HONOR ANY TIME FRAMES ...AND FIND WAYS TO OVERCHARGE YOU...SO ...DO NOT TRUST THESE PEOPLE...GO TO WES...PAY THEM 300 AND HAVE A PIECE OF MIND!

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Ibraheem Ananzeh
Cedar Rapids, US
Apr 08, 2012 9:06 pm EDT

Here is my experience with them.

1. They sent my Evaluation with my name printed wrong although my originals are in English.

2.They gave me 2.4 GPA while my GPA is 3.0

I just don't know how to get my money back from them.

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Erica12
Tallahassee, US
Mar 23, 2012 1:26 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I got my credentials evaluated by them and I don't think they evaluated them correctly. I have not had the time to double check with another company, however am pretty sure they have seriously underevaluated them. I would use somebody else, you will spend you money and will be deceived or misled.

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Kemal06
, TR
Mar 23, 2012 11:51 am EDT

Hello. I mailed my transcript to Josef outside of the US today then I saw all these negative comments and now Im afraid what if same things happen to me too! Should I cancel my request and credit card before they receive my documents? So that they can't charge me anyway.
By the way which credential agency is better among the others from NACES? If any of you deal with a good trusted company, PLEASE let us know so would know which one to use.

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Suchi07
Richmond, US
Sep 01, 2011 2:00 pm EDT

These people only know how to trap you and get more and more money from you.And yes they also know how to do the wrong evaluation, incomplete evaluation!All these said above also happened to me..Please dont go for them and also dont go to the university who recommends them.

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Liliana Krupinski
Pompano Beach, US
Aug 01, 2011 8:35 pm EDT

This people is the worst. Thy nerver returned my original Bacehlor diploma. Ans I called them many times to get it back. and they told me : Sorry we can not keep your papers with us. So you have to go to your country and get it againn.
Can you beleive what is the meaning for these people a Diploma that it took me to get with sacrifice in my country? I jus t not recomended this company. Hate them very much.

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Peter Crown
Washington, US
Jan 19, 2011 10:56 pm EST

Josef Silny and Associates is just a company designed to pray on the inspired to get educated in this country. They don't care about you, or what you need, or your future, ONLY YOUR MONEY! I am sure that if you ask them about customer service you will hear WHAT IS THAT? Just read in all their forms NON-REFUNDABLE! You don't like it? TOO BAD! My two cents? Find another alternatives or you'll feel that you need serious counseling.

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burcinexer
Pittsburgh, US
Jun 03, 2010 3:03 pm EDT

WES service sucks... Do not go to that website. They are fraud. They do not refund any money you sent. Their service takes forever. You will lose time and money without having any service. At the end I called them 3 times, I email them couple times but nothing.

They do not offer a service, I lost one month. I asked them for refund and they said that they cannot refund any money. It is company policy.

What a company!

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theworstservice
West Palm Beach, US
Apr 20, 2010 7:52 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

THIS IS A PROFFESIONAL TRANSLATOR? i DON'T THINK SO! THIS IS AN EMPLOYEE OF JS

Thank you for your e-mail. I received your original documents on April 13, 2010. You can refer to my e-mail dated April 13, 2010 where I responded that I had not received your originals at that time yet. Your diploma is being translated already. Your evaluation was due on April 26, 2010 initially, but as we could not send your diploma to translation because we could not see the copy that you sent us for the estimate (It was completely illegible) and we got your original diploma on April 14, 2010, the due date of your evaluation has been changed to April 28, 2010. Please, notice that we complete your evaluation in 10 business days after we receive your original documents as it is stated on the evaluation. Nevertheless, I will do my best to complete your evaluation and mail it out on the initial due date that was April 26, 2010.

I apologize for the misunderstanding regarding the additional fee you by were told you by mistake that you must pay. You do not have to pay anything else.

If you have any other questions, please, do not hesitate in writing to me.

Thank you for using our services.

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theworstservice
West Palm Beach, US
Apr 19, 2010 7:36 pm EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

I ask for a accurate price before I decided to use the service. I send my papers via fax so they can see what do I have. They send me all the information with the forms that i needed to fill plus the "accurate" price.
I send my original documents with the payment and the form that I have to fill, but I receive an email in which they say that they didn't receive my originals, (but they cash my check). I decide to call them 2 times and they never call me back, neither send me an email. I call them for third time (because you I want to kno what's going on with my case). they told me that I have to send more money because I have to do something else. They told me that they have my originals, and the person who gave me the price, was wrong.
Now they're asking me for more money if I want to receive my original documents (and I already send my prepaid envelope).
Scam? YES! THAT'S TRUE! THEY ARE! UNPROFESIONAL PEOPLE,
THE WORST CUSTOMER SERVICE THAT I EVER RECEIVED...

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asian student
, US
Feb 23, 2010 6:08 pm EST
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

the web site said student have to send them all original documents, which i sent with application and check. i was told that all the originals must come directly from university. i was shocked, look at the documents people, all of them are original. In my country it's different system, once you got all original documents and there is no question of reissuing any more set of documents, but this office insisted that i obtain my original documents again. i thought this office was telling university to how to their job. Also, this office told me that they will also try to make communicate with my university. i am not sure if they did or no, but several weeks later when i approached them, i was told that my university asked for fee/money for the services. i agree that no university works for free, even JS&A does not work for free, but they failed to inform me about the fee.
Josef Silny may have good education and well experience in evaluation, he does not do all the work. the staff he is running this office with, unprofessional, no skills to communicate, and all they do is wait for 90days and say we did not get sufficient documents for evaluation.
even though your school may recommend this office, please trust me, the last thing you wanna do is to deal with this office.

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Benjamin Sorel
Miami, US
Feb 05, 2010 9:43 am EST

J Silny is a very bad option. They are unprofessional people and you should be careful, they used to add as much money as they can after you to be in their hands. If you has a complaint with that, then they will delay your documents as longer as they can.

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spacebunneh
asdfasdfdf, US
Jan 21, 2010 6:18 pm EST

I waited 4 months for my credit evaluation. I even put my case manager on "favorite five." I used to call her every morning. She knew me by name just from the sound of my voice.

They insinuated that my school was a fraud. They neglected to follow up with the school official for almost two months and at the same time they never bothered to give me an update. If I hadn't been so insistent I would have never received my credit evaluation.

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B. Connta
Hollywood, US
Nov 23, 2009 4:33 pm EST

I went to college in Europe and was planning to get my Bachelors here in the U.S.
These clowns stated in their so called evaluation that I only finished High School instead of my Associates. It strongly suspect that our schools are giving kickbacks to Joseph Silny & Associates for under-evaluating students, so that they make more money when they have to repeat entire Degrees.

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pipinacalifornia
San Mateo, US
Nov 22, 2009 8:15 pm EST

Don't be fooled by WES, read the other complaints in this same site, just search for WES. THose aren't serious, either.

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mlg779
buford, US
Sep 23, 2009 9:43 am EDT

THEY SHREDDED MY HS DIPLOMA ! ? because they said that if they don't here from you after 3 months, because they do not have a storage place they shred all documents

I paid UPS for return too, so all that they had to do is to sent it back, but was way easier to shredded, I guess ?
They did not call me before, nor emailed me COME ON THIS IS A OFFICIAL DOCUMENT, YOU DON'T SHREDDED JUST LIKE THAT!
My diploma is from Romania, so now I have to go back there ... I'm so mad

People THIS IS NOT A PROFESSIONAL COMPANY, JUST A BUNCH OF JERKS, WHO ONLY NEED MONEY

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JS&A
Miami, US
Mar 13, 2009 8:17 am EDT
Verified customer This comment was posted by a verified customer. Learn more

The Josef Silny & Associates, Inc. application form states that official ORIGINAL academic credentials are required for every single case. This means certified copies are not acceptable. This information is stated in a very informative web site, on the application and is stated in the correspondence sent by all JS&A staff members. JS&A is a company of very highly qualified staff members, as well as Mr. Silny's experience in the field of higher education and foreign educational systems. If there is a disagreement with a professional opinion, we always review the case a second time and communicate with the client directly. This does not mean the the professional opinion will change, but we will always explain the conclusion.