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Former students of DeVry University have filed a class action lawsuit against the school and Adtalem Education Group Inc., alleging that the benefits of receiving a degree from the university were misrepresented.
DeVry University is a for-profit school with locations across the country in addition to online courses. The institution offers a variety of programs including business degrees, technology degrees, healthcare administration degrees, liberal arts and science degrees, media arts degrees, and graduate degrees.
According to the DeVry class action lawsuit, the school misrepresented the employment and income rate of its graduates. Advertisements from the school reportedly stated facts such as “90% of all graduates in the active job market had careers in their fields within six months.”
The school’s marketing allegedly also claimed that their graduates made a higher-than-average income, stating: “One year after graduation, DeVry University grads report earning 15% more than median earnings reported by all other bachelor’s degree graduates.”
The plaintiffs argue that this alleged deception was intended to attract potential students to DeVry and have them remain through graduation. The university allegedly “falsely and misleadingly advertised the employment rate and income rate of their graduates to induce potential students to purchase educational products and services, and to remain students through graduation.”
DeVry University’s marketing strategy drew the attention of the Federal Trade Commission (FTC), prompting the agency to file a lawsuit enjoining the “deceptive” trade practices. The case was settled in December 2016 and prohibited the university from “[m]aking any representation, expressly or by implication, about the benefit of any educational product or service, or the success or likely success of any student or graduate, unless the representation is non-misleading, and, at the time such representation is made, DeVry possesses and relies upon Competent and Reliable Evidence that is sufficient to substantiate that the representation is true.”
The DeVry class action lawsuit claims the defendants made their claims based on faulty data from a third-party income report, as revealed in the FTC lawsuit. The former students claim the university should have known that their third-party data was not reliable and purposely used the inaccurate data to skew the perception of their graduate outcomes.
“The sampling methods and methodology behind the income report gave or should have given Defendants reason to question the reliability of the conclusions and information contained in the report,” the students claim. “Among other problems, the comparison of incomes of DeVry graduates with graduates from other schools did not adjust for significant salary drivers such as age, experience, and degree field.”
The students accuse DeVry University of fraud, negligent misrepresentation, unjust enrichment, and violating the Deceptive Trade Practices Act. The proposed class action lawsuit seeks restitution, economic damages, mental anguish damages, DTPA damages three times each plaintiffs economic and mental anguish damages, court costs, and attorneys’ fees.
The DeVry University Class Action Lawsuit is Lindberg, et al. v. Adtalem Global Education Inc., et al., Case No. 5:18-cv-00649-XR in the United States District Court for the Western District of Texas.
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13 thoughts onDeVry University Students Sue, Alleging Degree Benefits Were Falsely Advertised
Im in learning more. I need a refund. I fall into this category of students.
My name is Pamela R. When I registered with Devry University In November 2011 to acquire a Bachelor’s Degree in Business Administration. When I talked to a lady in the Devry Registration Office over the phone, I asked her how much the program was, and she told me $56,000 dollars. I thought that was extremely high. So, I asked her two more times to be sure, and she repeated 56,000 dollars, and that she was going to ask for 56, 000 in loans and see if I could get some Grant’s. Well, 3 1/2 years into school, received a message in my account to contact the finance department. They were letting me know my funds were getting low, I asked how much more money I needed in order to graduate, and they told me I needed 30,000 more dollars. I talked with my son that registered in Devry what the office told me. He said mom it’s not 56,000 it’s 86,000. I could’ve passed out on the field track. The lady lies to me. Another issue with Devry, their books looked like a rough draft of an unfinished manuscript. The accounting book was totally off. I remember working on an assignment for 8 to 9 hours trying to balance a book. I had to call my Professor. He told me not to spend hours on dhomework because the book is not right, and that the Professor’s had a meeting with the board. The board told them to get as close as they can. I told the professor $25,000 was as close as I could get, I believe it was supposed to be under $2,5oo or under $25.00. Can you imagine if we were to try and balance a real business books, the company would go bankrupt. I was supposed to graduate in 2015. Very devastated. I went to go purchase a car and can’t because of a 86,000 dollar debt on my credit that should’ve never been there in the first place. All because of some sick individual they had working in the office registering people under intentional deception of the cost of a Business Administration Bachelor’s Program Degree. My credit is shot. I’m seeking for total forgiveness of this debt that never should have occurred.
I went to Devry University from 1993 to 1996 in Woodbridge. They claimed that when we graduate there is 90 % placement rate and we would be working in 3 mths. Unfortunately that was not true. Are we able to be in this class action suit. Or get our loans forgiven
I have big loans with Keller University (Devry Master’s degree… same building though)… They told me about high job rates with the high income. I have never been able to use my Master’s degree (Project Management – MISM). Do I have a case for a refund?
Hi I went to devry and graduated in 2013 I was told I would have a job with in 6months I’m still waiting I owe 77000 in debt is there any way to have this forgiven. I was going to go to a different college but decided to go to devry because I wanted to have a job in my field within 6months.
i want a refund / loan forgivness .
I attended DeVry University from 1998 to 2002. I graduated with a 3.49 gpa. I was on the Deans list more semesters than I was not. I never received one job interview or job for that matter through DeVry. I have since never been able to utilize my degree in Telecommunications Management. I currently owe $67,000 in student loans. The same practices they were sued for from 2008 to 2015 were being used as far back as 1997. That was the main reason I decided to attend. Do I have any options or recourse?
March 2019
I’m currently at 70,000 est from loans from these people
My federal and private student loan about $177,000 for education with Devry. Please send me more information about refund…..Navient charge 14% instrest on my student private loan and keep on harassment.
I owe 133,000 as of this month and their career services recruiters do the minimum about helping you find employment. All I get told is to use LinkedIn and ask complete strangers for advice on how they got their start and what they do with their degree…. Isn’t that what DeVry’s career service advisors are supposed to do…
Can you please get me more information I want to discharge my loan?
Can I get a refund