Complaints

This profile includes complaints for Pearson Education's headquarters and its corporate-owned locations. To view all corporate locations, see Find Local Branches.

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• 

  Pearson Education

  5601 Green Valley Dr Ste 220 Bloomington, MN 55437-1186

• 

  Pearson Education

  1313 Lone Oak Rd Eagan, MN 55121-1334

• 

  Pearson Professional Centres

  #201 - 818 Broughton St Victoria, BC V8W 1E4

• 

  Pearson VUE

  PO Box 8588 Philadelphia, PA 19101

• 

  Pearson VUE

  3 Bala Plz W Ste 300 Bala Cynwyd, PA 19004

The complaint text that is displayed might not represent all complaints filed with BBB. Some consumers may elect to not publish the details of their complaints, some complaints may not meet BBB's standards for publication, or BBB may display a portion of complaints when a high volume is received for a particular business.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/08/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  My son made three attempts to take the tests at home through Pearson to get his GED. All three times the test failed and after conversations with their customer support, it was determined that the problem was on their end and could not be resolved. I was refunded for the tests.My issue is that Pearson required that 4 pretests be taken by my son to make sure that he was ready to test, these pretests are expensive and an unnecessary money grab. Because my son is unable to test due to their system failure, I have requested to be refunded the money for the pretests. I have gone through different departments and was told to email GED Marketplace Store help. I emailed them and gave them all four of my order numbers for reference.They responded by stating that they couldn't look into this without the order numbers and an email address. They didn't even read my email.I tried again, I said it was the email address that they are replying to, and here are the order numbers again, highlighted in yellow. Now they are not responding at all and I am being ignored.

  Business Response

  Date: 02/19/2024

  GED Testing Service LLC is a joint venture of NCS Pearson, Inc. and the **************** on Education.  Pearson Education is an affiliate company of GED Testing Service LLC (GED Testing Service or ***TS).  NCS Pearson, *** is the parent company of both entities. GED Testing Service is the owner of the well-known *** test, the four-subject high school equivalency exam that is nationally and internationally accepted by colleges and employers.  Individuals must pass each of the four (4) content area tests with a score of ************************************************************************************************************************* which they achieved the passing scores on all four tests (*** Diploma).  After review of the situation a refund of the pretests have been issued to the candidate. GED Testing Service therefore considers this matter resolved and respectfully requests that you close this complaint with notation of proper handling of the underlying incident.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/19/2024

   Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/20/2024

   I am rejecting this response because:
  
  

  when checking my bank account I discovered that Pearsons had only refunded me $22.99.

  I purchased 4 practice tests at $30.00 each, these are what I need to be refunded for. Below are the order numbers for the practice tests -

  **************

  **************

  **************

  **************

  ---

  
  

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/05/2024

  Type:Customer Service Issues
  Status:

  ResolvedMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  On the 11th of November 2023, I was taking the *** (DAS-C01) exam using Pearson's services, conducted remotely through an application provided by the vendor. Towards the end of the exam, it was suspended abruptly claiming that I left my computer and turned off the lights, which is not true as I was doing the exam. I demanded the vendor to show the recording (as the exam is recorded) to prove that I had left the desk, which did not happen.I want to note that before starting the exam, Pearson asked me to restart their exam application because even though I could see myself in their application and the camera was recording me, they were unable to see me. This situation repeated during the exam, where I was asked to restart the Pearson application after answering several questions because they couldn't see me. I assume the same situation occurred at the end of the exam, causing the vendor to fail **** tried to reach an agreement with Pearson with no luck. As a result, I initiated a chargeback due to the lack of service delivery or unwillingness on Pearson's part. I won the case after a few weeks when the vendor accepted my chargeback.After winning the chargeback, I tried to register for a new exam to retake it physically at the exam center to avoid issues with Pearson's application. However, the website displayed an error instructing me to contact customer ********************** upon contact with Pearson they blocked my account because I raised chargeback, even though the vendor accepted the chargeback liability. Now they want me to pay for the failed exam and, of course, pay a new fee for retaking the exam. I disagree with paying for the chargeback I won, which is my consumer right.Consequences: Effectively, Pearson has blocked my professional career path because I cannot take any professional *** exams anymore as they have blocked my accounts and are demanding payment for the failed chargeback. Moreover certifications I already have periodically expire and I cannot retake them.

  Business Response

  Date: 02/15/2024

  Pearson VUE is a computer-based test delivery provider for information technology certification and professional licensure exams. Pearson VUE operates over ***** Authorized Test Centers.  According to our records, the candidate experienced multiple technical issues with their video feed during the exam. At one point the lights in the candidate's testing area went off and the ******* was no longer able to see the candidate, therefore the exam was revoked per the testing policy.  The candidate then submitted a fraud claim with their credit card company used to pay for the exam. This resulted in a financial hold being placed on the candidate's account because the candidate technically took an exam without paying for it.  After review of the matter, as a one-time exception the financial hold has been lifted off of the candidate's account and they will be able to reschedule the exam. However, the candidate will be responsible for any fees associated with taking the exam.  We encourage the candidate to thoroughly review the testing policies and ensure all of their technology is working properly prior to taking the exam. The testing policies can be found at *************************************************. Pearson VUE therefore considers this matter resolved and respectfully requests that you close this complaint with notation of proper handling of the underlying incident.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 02/18/2024

   Better Business Bureau:
  
  I have reviewed the response made by the business in reference to complaint ID ********, and find that this resolution is satisfactory to me.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/30/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  UnansweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I received a paramedic book bundle with the wrong online resource codes. We were supposed to get platinum planner and *** testing online codes, but I received 2 platinum planner codes. When I call to rectify the situation I was giving the go around out and they pointed to finger at the book store. the books were plastic wrapped with he codes inside and the bookstore wouldn't take the books back cause the plastic was open. when I asked to speak to a manger to get the *** testing code that I need for school. I was told I would be given a call back on January 29th. I never received a call back. when I called back on January 30th I was put on hold and then hung up on. I called again and put on hold. was on hold for over 40 min. they never got me to a supervisor. they don't want to fix this problem and they are just trying to see if they can get more money out of me. seeing if I would just but they books again or pay for a new code card. this is wrong!!! they won't fix there problem and wouldn't give me the respect of following through was a phone call back like they said. extremely unprofessional!! this problem has happen to the majority of the people in my paramedic program and pearson will not fix it. multiple of people have called to try and get the code card issue fixed and they give us the run around. all we want it a replacement code card for *** testing!!!

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/25/2024

  Type:Sales and Advertising Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  They charge $20 for a practice exam that you can't review once you've completed it. The exam I took was the ***** *********** Broker Practice Exam.

  Business Response

  Date: 01/30/2024

  Pearson VUE is a computer-based test delivery provider for information technology certification and professional licensure exams. Pearson VUE operates over ***** Authorized Test Centers.  Unfortunately practice exams are not available to review once completed. According to our records we have no record of the candidate's complaint, however as a courtesy we have sent the candidate a voucher for a free retest. Pearson VUE therefore considers this matter resolved and respectfully requests that you close this complaint with notation of proper handling of the underlying incident.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/19/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I have been overcharged for an online book that my daughter used for one semester. Moreover, despite multiple requests, Pearson has not issued a refund AND is continuing to bill me for the book, two and a half years later!My daughter rented the online Biology book on 9/10/21 for a 4 month college semester. This was the first year Pearson offered access to books this way through their PearsonPlus service. It bills 10.99/mo on a monthly basis, but what was not made clear was the fact that the rental does not cancel at the end of the period. The student has to manually go into their Pearson account and cancel any rented books, or they will continue to be billed for them for perpetuity. As of this writing we have been overbilled for 24 months, equalling $263.76 in charges beyond the valid $43.96 we paid for the 4-month semester, for a grand total of $307.72.On 12/10/2023 I discovered the issue and called Pearson at ************ to ask that they stop billing us and issue a refund for the erroneous charges. I opened case# ********. After escalating to a supervisor I was told that their policy was not to issue more than 1 month worth of refund, but they would do that and cease billing us. I asked them to try escalating to another manager. On 12/13/2023 I called back and spoke to a supervisor, who informed me the request was denied. She said they could still cancel it and issue the 1 month refund for December. Today I called them because not only did I not receive any refund, but I have been charged again on my Dec 2023 bill and my Jan ************************************************************************** while insisting they will not refund more than 1 month. I tried working with their call center but they outsource to a foreign country and it is very difficult to get them to understand the issue. Please, any help you can offer to get them to stop charging me and refund as much of the $263.76 that we were overcharged would be greatly appreciated.Best regards

  Business Response

  Date: 02/02/2024

  Hello Everyone,  We are sorry you are having issues with your Pearson plus subscription   We have cancelled your subscription and have issue credit for the January and December charges.   Unfortunately we cannot issue credit for the 2022 or 2023 payments.  Per our terms of service the customer could have cancelled the subscription at any time after the 4 month term.   Our Customer ********************** team received no request for cancelation in 2022 or 2023.  Since the subscription were not course based we were under the assumption that the etext was still in use.  Please let me know if you have any questions.   Thank you.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/18/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  PearsonVue is the only option for taking ********* exams. I attempted to take an exam 1/16/24. The pre-checks all passed. Right before starting the exam, the program told me my video feed wasn't working, to check firewall, ports, etc. My camera was lit up, showed up in the pre-check, as did all the network connectivity tests, etc. So, I called to talk to customer **********************. All she could do was put in a ticket. Two days later, I call back for the status and they tell me the ticket was already closed and they will issue a refund.So, I ask, how am I supposed to take this exam. She says, reschedule it and try again. Me - and if the same thing happens? Her - call back and they'll put in another ticket. I ask to just talk to tech support now so we can verify there won't be an issue. Her - no, I can't do that and she hangs up on me. I called back 3 times to try to talk to tech support, including talking to a supervisor. All of those calls, I was hung up on, including the supervisor. PearsonVue is terrible.

  Business Response

  Date: 01/23/2024

  Pearson VUE is a computer-based test delivery provider for information technology certification and professional licensure exams. Pearson VUE operates over ***** Authorized Test Centers.  We have been in contact with the candidate and are working with them to reschedule the exam.  Pearson VUE therefore considers this matter resolved and respectfully requests that you close this complaint with notation of proper handling of the underlying incident.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/14/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I rescheduled an exam to be tomorrow (01/15/2024) at 3:30PM Eastern Time. However, Pearson VUE has changed my exam time to today 01/14/2024 at 6:30AM Eastern time without my consent. They are considering this exam missed and are not allowing me to reschedule.

  Business Response

  Date: 01/16/2024

  Pearson VUE will need additional information regarding the Exam the consumer was taking so we may research internally in order to respond appropriately to this complaint.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/16/2024

   I am rejecting this response because:
  There is no information on what information they require. Additionally, I have submitted PROOF to their customer ********************** department that a reschedule was originally made and they still refuse to honor their LEGAL obligation.

  Business Response

  Date: 01/19/2024

  In order for Pearson VUE to respond to this request in a timely manner, Pearson VUE will need additional information regarding the Test the consumer was taking so we may research internally in order to respond appropriately to this
  complaint. Please provide information on what test the consumer was taking. Thank you.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/19/2024

   I am rejecting this response because:
  
  There is no information on what they are requiring from me. I was taking the A+ Core 1 220-1101.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/19/2024

   I am rejecting this response because:
  
  There is no information on what they are requiring from me. I was taking the A+ Core 1 220-1101.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/19/2024

   I am rejecting this response because:
  
  There is no information on what they are requiring from me. I was taking the A+ Core 1 220-1101.
  

  Business Response

  Date: 01/22/2024

  In order for Pearson VUE to research internally the issue we will need to know what exam the consumer was taking. Please provide that information so we may resolve the issue. **** you.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/22/2024

   I am rejecting this response because:
  
  This is exactly what I answered in my last correspondence. With the exact exam code and everything. This is evidence that they are simply copy/pasting a reply without seeking any steps towards resolution.

  I was taking the A+ Core 1 220-1101.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 01/23/2024

   I am rejecting this response because:
  
  

  
  This is exactly what I answered in my last correspondence. With the exact exam code and everything. This is evidence that they are simply copy/pasting a reply without seeking any steps towards resolution.

  I was taking the A+ Core 1 220-1101.

  
  

  Business Response

  Date: 01/23/2024

  Pearson VUE is a computer-based test delivery provider for information technology certification and professional licensure exams. Pearson VUE operates over ***** Authorized Test Centers.  According to our records a case was opened by candidate stating they were unable to reschedule. The customer ********************** team issued a candidate a voucher to allow to schedule another appointment, however the candidate has not rescheduled. The candidate is encouraged to contact customer ********************** to utilize the voucher and reschedule their exam. Pearson VUE therefore considers this matter resolved and respectfully requests that you close this complaint with notation of proper handling of the underlying incident.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/13/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  Subject: Urgent: Reporting Test Disruption and Unprofessional Conduct I am writing to bring to your attention a concerning incident that transpired during my recent test session, necessitating a review and appropriate action.Throughout the test, the assigned test supervisor demonstrated unprofessional conduct, creating a challenging testing environment. Their persistent requests for me to relocate my laptop were not only disruptive but also led to the inadvertent oversight of not plugging in my laptop, resulting in an unexpected shutdown.Compounding the situation, the test supervisor suspended my test before to answer one question, citing an inability to see me. This issue arose due to my laptop running out of battery, a direct consequence of the disruptions caused earlier. This experience has left me deeply distressed, as it significantly impeded my ability to complete the test fairly.Believing in the importance of fair and unbiased testing conditions, I trust in Pearson VUE's commitment to ensuring a positive testing experience for all candidates. Therefore, I kindly request a thorough investigation into this matter and appropriate actions to prevent the recurrence of such incidents.I appreciate your prompt attention to this issue and anticipate your response.Sincerely,

  Business Response

  Date: 01/16/2024

  Pearson VUE will need additional information regarding the Test the consumer was taking so we may research internally in order to respond appropriately to this complaint.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/10/2024

  Type:Product Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  I opted to take the *** online exam offered by Pearson Vue on 4-29-23 at 7:00 am cst. I successfully completed the system check as required prior to the exam. Once I successfully satisfied the room scan requirement, the ******* chimed in. My test began on time. I completed the first half of the test. The ******* allowed a 15 minute break. Upon my return, the ******* started the second half of the exam. I was able to complete three questions before the program crashed. The ******* called me. I could not understand what he was sayibg. There was so much noise in the background, cars honking and his accent was so thick, I could not understand nor clearly hear what he was saying. The call was lost two times. He called back and the noise was worse. Sounded like he was outside. The call was dropped for the final time. I attempted to back out and restart. No luck. I attempted to call customer **********************. No response. I started a chat. Received an automated response that had nothing to do with my request. I sent an email. I could not get a human to assist with this matter. I am extremely frustrated. I attempted to restart. My computer would display the test screen with the clock reading test in progress. At approximately 8pm that night, the testing page closed. I received an email soon after stating that I had failed. I was extremely ****** off! I immediately hunted for a contact person. No luck. I sent an email addressing my concerns. received a regurgitated response long pass the 10 day response time stating that my test was completed. I fired an immediate response to his email and have not heard anything since. I would like a refund for my test or a voucher. I have been trying to reclaim my hard earned money since the test crashed in April of 2023. I am not letting this matter go. My registration ID was: *********. My dispute case number was: ********

  Business Response

  Date: 01/17/2024

  Pearson VUE is a computer-based test delivery provider for information technology certification and professional licensure exams. Pearson VUE operates over ***** Authorized Test Centers.  According to the case records the candidate experienced technical issues during the exam which caused the exam to freeze. Upon opening of the case, a request to reauthorize to retake the exam was sent to the Sponsor (CCE).  The reauthorization is at the discretion of the Sponsor.  We encourage the candidate to contact the Sponsor directly in regards to obtaining a reauthorization to take the exam.  Pearson VUE therefore considers this matter resolved and respectfully requests that you close this complaint with notation of proper handling of the underlying incident.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:01/02/2024

  Type:Service or Repair Issues
  Status:

  AnsweredMore info

  Complaint statuses

  Resolved:

  The complainant verified the issue was resolved to their satisfaction.

  Unresolved:

  The business responded to the dispute but failed to make a good faith effort to resolve it.

  Answered:

  The business addressed the issues within the complaint, but the consumer either a) did not accept the response, OR b) did not notify BBB as to their satisfaction.

  Unanswered:

  The business failed to respond to the dispute.

  Unpursuable:

  BBB is unable to locate the business.

  PearsonVue OnVue's software crashed during a routine exam involving virtualized computer operating systems. I stood up and stretched after being seated for ~2 hours and while in queue to be connected back to a *******. The exam was restarting and I was on the camera and was let back into the exam. Shortly after the ******* resumed the exam and when I was sitting in front of the webcame I was told I needed to be infront of the webcam and terminated the exam.This is a blatant cash-grab for a $500 exam; sure we think you cheated enough to complete nullify your exam, but if you pay us $500 more you can immediately retake it no questions asked. What the h*** kind of tests are you running PearsonVue!? Multiple phone calls to their foreign call centers who do not speak clear English with a heavy accent only resulted in hours upon hours of wasted time of people who do not have any authority to review or make decisions re-read the same scripts of how they are sorry but have zero capacity to make changes.

  Business Response

  Date: 01/02/2024

  Pearson VUE will need additional information regarding the Test the consumer was taking so we may research internally in order to respond appropriately to this complaint.