#ALoanNoMore
  • Home
  • Where Do I Start?
  • Know Your Loans
  • Defense To Repayment
    • Denials - Defense To Repayment
  • Private Schools
    • Argosy University
    • Art Institutes
    • Brown Mackie College
    • Corinthian Colleges Inc.
    • DeVry University
    • ITT Technical Institute
    • South University
    • University of Phoenix
    • Westwood College
  • Lenders
    • ACS
    • AES
    • Firstmark
    • Great Lakes
    • Navient/Sallie Mae
    • Nelnet
    • University Accounting Services, LLC
    • Wells Fargo
  • For-Profit Companies
    • Alta Colleges Inc.
    • Apollo Education Group
    • Bridgepoint Education
    • Career Education Corporation
    • Corinthian Colleges, Inc.
    • DeVry Education Group
    • Dream Center
    • EDMC
    • ITT Educational Services, Inc.
  • News Feed
  • Contact/Help
  • Donate
Picture
Westwood College, owned by Alta Colleges Inc., is an American for-profit institution of higher learning with 14 campus locations in five states and online learning options. Westwood is nationally accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools (ACICS). Since its inception in 1986, Westwood has graduated more than 37,000 students. (Source)
​
  • On November 11th, 2015, Westwood College announced that it would no longer enroll new students.
  • On January 27th, 2016, Westwood College announced that it would close its doors effective March 2016.

School Locations
California:
 Anaheim, Upland, Los Angeles (Mid-Wilshire), and Los Angeles (South Bay).

Colorado:

Denver North (unincorporated Adams County) and Denver South.

Georgia:

Atlanta (Midtown) and Northlake (unincorporated DeKalb County).

Illinois:

Chicago Loop, Woodridge (DuPage), Chicago O'Hare Airport, and Calumet City (River Oaks).

Virginia:

Annandale (unincorporated Fairfax County) and Arlington (unincorporated Arlington County).

Westwood College Online

Loan Discharge Eligibility (Federal Loans)
 If Westwood College closed while you were attending, you may be eligible for a discharge* of your federal loans under the Closed School Discharge Program, which includes any payments you made voluntarily or through collections.  You qualify for a full loan discharge if you meet the following requirements:
  • If the school closed while you were enrolled and you don't complete your program because of the closure
  • If the school closed within 120 days after you withdraw
(*Please note that loan discharges are considered taxable income, so you will want to talk with a tax expert on how to handle this come  tax season)

You are ineligible if you:
  • Withdraw from the school 120 days or more before the school closes
  • You are completing a comparable education program at another school, such as a "partner school" with Westwood College (non-comparable education programs may qualify you for a loan discharge)
  • You've agreed to participate in a "teach out" with the school
  • If you transfer academic credits/hours earned from Westwood to another school
  • If you've completed all coursework for your specific program, even if you haven't received a diploma/certificate from the school
​
Loan Discharge Eligibility (Private Loans)
 If Westwood College closed while you were attending, you may be eligible for a discharge* of your private loans.  This might be more difficult to achieve since you'll have to deal with the private student loan lender directly.  Some states do offer a little assistance though.  For example, under the Student Tuition Recovery Fund in California, you may qualify for loan discharge if you meet the following requirements:
  • If you prepaid your tuition
  • If you paid the Student Tuition Recovery Fund fee (probably included with your prepayment, if you made one)
  • If you suffered a loss (i.e., lost an education, will lose money on loans for a school that is no longer in business, etc.)
(*Again, please note that loan discharges are considered taxable income, so you will want to talk with a tax expert on how to handle this come  tax season)

Other states that DO provide assistance with discharging of your private loans include:
  • Georgia - Tuition Guarantee Trust Fund (770) 414-3300
  • Virginia - Student Tuition Guarantee Fund (804) 225-2600

States that do NOT provide assistance like the Student Tuition Recovery Fund at the time of this writing (02/23/2016) include:
  • Colorado
  • Illinois

Consumer Complaints & Reviews
Consumer Affairs - Westwood College

Documentation

Media Links

2017


01/05/2017 - AG Madigan Asks Feds To Forgive Federal Student Loans For Former Westwood College Students

2016


02/04/2016 - Student Loan Forgiveness Looms as Westwood College Closes

2015


11/12/2015 - Westwood College stops enrollment, Anaheim students left confused

11/04/2015 - Westwood College to forgive $15M in loans to criminal justice students

2012


01/18/2012 - Illinois attorney general's office plans to sue Westwood College

2011


03/02/2011 - Durbin: VA Disqualifies Three Westwood College Campuses From GI Bill Program

2010


08/26/2010 - Westwood College Rip-off

2009


04/20/2009 - Alta Colleges to Pay U.S. $7 Million to Resolve False Claims Act Allegations

Powered by Create your own unique website with customizable templates.
  • Home
  • Where Do I Start?
  • Know Your Loans
  • Defense To Repayment
    • Denials - Defense To Repayment
  • Private Schools
    • Argosy University
    • Art Institutes
    • Brown Mackie College
    • Corinthian Colleges Inc.
    • DeVry University
    • ITT Technical Institute
    • South University
    • University of Phoenix
    • Westwood College
  • Lenders
    • ACS
    • AES
    • Firstmark
    • Great Lakes
    • Navient/Sallie Mae
    • Nelnet
    • University Accounting Services, LLC
    • Wells Fargo
  • For-Profit Companies
    • Alta Colleges Inc.
    • Apollo Education Group
    • Bridgepoint Education
    • Career Education Corporation
    • Corinthian Colleges, Inc.
    • DeVry Education Group
    • Dream Center
    • EDMC
    • ITT Educational Services, Inc.
  • News Feed
  • Contact/Help
  • Donate