For Students of For-Profit Ashford University

Stoltmann Law Offices is interested in speaking to those students who may have attended, or who are attending San Diego, California-based Ashford University. On Monday, the state announced that it is suing Ashford, and its parent company, Bridgepoint Education, claiming that the online school misled students about tuition costs. Bridgeport is also under investigation by attorneys general in New York and North Carolina. Ashford University does not have libraries, classrooms or labs, but it charges students considerably more ($60,390) than its counterparts that do have those amenities. California’s lawsuit against the school alleges that Ashford turned its admissions office into a sales department with a “boiler room” culture, which required employees to make enrollment quotas. To do so, the employees allegedly told possible students that federal financial aid would cover all of their expenses, or promised them they would receive more aid than they had a right to expect. In 2012, the University had 80,000 students and made $968 million. The lawsuit also claims that Bridgeport lied to investors and in its securities filings by inflating its success preparing its graduates for jobs. The state is seeking restitution for students and civil penalties, as well as a permanent injunction for “similar activities in the future.”