Complaints

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:03/28/2023

  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.

  Company refused to permit a $500 discount.
  Company used bait and switch advertising promising that attendance at a March 23 webinar would allow attendees a 500 discount

  Business Response

  Date: 04/10/2023

  I'm not sure why this complaint was ever filed.  Student was advised that we would honor the promotion referenced and that a refund of $500 would be issued to the same credit card used for original payment.  There's a bit of a delay in the refund process, so it doesn't happen over night, but we have verified that the $500 refund was completed on 4/7/23.

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/26/2023

  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.

  In August 2022, we paid for my daughter's MCAT prep course ($3,224.00). The class times were not as advertised, and she tried to cancel. Though the delay from the time of payment to the time of advising of class times was caused by Altius, Altius claimed the cancellation was 1 day late. They offered instead to allow her to postpone it's use until 2023 and said she could always sell it to someone else and transfer it at no charge. This was just bait and switch because when she contacted them to transfer her account, Altius said the policy had changed and it would cost $1,000 to transfer the course. We have attempted to resolve this directly, to no avail. We would like a full refund of $3,224.00. Thank you.
  Order ******** - ***** ******

  Business Response

  Date: 03/09/2023

  The
  student enrolled in August 2022 and requested a refund on February 10,
  2023, after their 30-day refund period had expired.
  The
  Altius 30-day refund policy is well documented and widely advertised. It
  is also part of the No Fine Print Policy Summary, which was clearly explained
  to student and signed by her, acknowledging receipt of and agreement to
  this specific term and condition.
  The
  refund policy is clear that there are no refunds for any reason after 30
  days. It does not provide exceptions for cases in which class times do not
  match a students' personal schedule.
  Altius offers the most
  aggressive, customer-friendly refund policy in the industry. The next-closest
  refund period of which we are aware is 3 days. We cannot refund tuition after
  the end of the refund period for any reason.

  Customer Answer

  Date: 03/10/2023

  
  
  Complaint: ********
  
  
  
  I am rejecting this response because: (1) the request to cancel was received within 30 days of realizing they did not offer the class times that had been advertised;  and (2) they have not addressed the misrepresentation that she could instead transfer her account.  We could have recouped some  ($1000) of the cost as we had a student lined up to accept the transfer for this price. Business had said she could do this since they wouldn’t let her cancel.  I would accept $1000 as a compromise.  Thank you. 
  
  
  
  Sincerely,
  
  
  
  ***** ****

• Initial Complaint

  Date:02/06/2023

  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.

  I am trying to get my refund back, I signed up for Altius Test Prep in late January of 2021 and got into a serious car accident in mid-February of 2021. They kept charging my mother's card when I told them I am in no condition to continue with the program at all. I had to keep delaying due to surgeries and other health procedures but they kept pressuring me to return or I would lose my scholarship. When I asked to delay the cohort again, they wanted another $1000 out of my pocket. According to Frankie R****, they do not inform students of any changes or updates to their terms and conditions. Apparently, they updated their terms and conditions back in October of 2022. Then I spoke with Roger M*** and he kept saying I signed a legitimate contract and I had 30 days to get a full refund. Since when was "typing an Excel sheet" a legitimate contract? If a student got into a serious accident or suddenly dies, would you have continued taking out money from his or her account? Still waiting for an answer from that Roger. I am asking for $2,809 back to my mother's account.

  Business Response

  Date: 03/13/2023

  Regarding Complaint #******** from ******* *******, Altius response is shared below.  Full details, along with supporting documentation and email correspondence, are attached.

   

  ALTIUS RESPONSE: 

  1. The student enrolled in January 2021 and requested a refund two years later, in January 2023, after their 14-day refund period had expired.
  2. The Altius 14-day refund policy is well documented and widely advertised. It is also part of the No Fine Print Policy Summary, which was clearly explained to student and signed by her, acknowledging receipt of and agreement to this specific term and condition.
  3. The refund policy is clear that there are no refunds for any reason after 14 days. It does not provide exceptions for cases in which students decide to pursue different careers as a result of personal life challenges.

  Altius offers the most aggressive, customer-friendly refund policy in the industry. The next-closest refund period of which we are aware is 3 days. We cannot refund tuition after the end of the refund period for any reason.

   

  Customer has used our products and services for over two years now and has NOT yet even paid for her original semester.  Only $4,364.25 of her initial $5,749 tuition has been paid.  This is a collections department’s worst-case scenario, and yet Altius has been extremely patient and at *******’s request, we have started and stopped payment plans multiple times. 

   

  With ten documented declined payments, this should have been referred to our Collections Attorneys over a year ago, however, in the spirit of good customer service and respectful of the accident she was in, many additional services and considerations have been granted to her and thousands of dollars in fees, tuitions and collection costs have been waived, including an offer to waive the $1,000 administrative fee she mentions in her complaint. 

   

  No.  We do not notify every student of every policy change as it happens but, as relevant, we work individually with existing students to grandfather them in as appropriate.  Such was the case regarding the $1,000 fee, which was waived for *******.

  The question was asked, “Since when was typing an Excel sheet a legitimate contract?” 

  This was not an Excel sheet.  This was an electronic signature (a business practice commonly used and accepted in business, industries and governments all over the world) provided during a very open conversation, review and explanation of every single item on the page.  The very title of this document:  NO FINE PRINT POLICY SUMMARY, indicates our effort to be clear, transparent and mutually in agreement, in advance.  The legal and binding agreement takes place at the time of enrollment and by virtue of two years of participation with Altius mentors, materials, software and other interactions throughout the course.  This No Fine Print document just validates the reality that we took every effort and precaution to ensure ******* was well informed that NO refunds would be issued after her 14-day Trial Period.

   

  Her final question is hypothetical and extreme.  We don’t have a response for that.

   

  As of March 1, 2023, two years into this agreement, Altius has still NOT been paid in full for the first semester of $5,749.00.  According to the terms and conditions ******* ******* agreed to by enrolling and then also validating via electronic signature on 1/22/21, no refund will be issued. 

   

  There currently remains an unpaid balance of $1,385.00, plus additional expenses incurred.  If this complaint with the Better Business Bureau is honorably resolved and there is no further harassment to our employees or negative derogatory complaints or social media posts, Altius will agree to close ******* *******’s account as satisfactory and not seek any further payments. 

   

  However, if we are to further exhaust expenses, resources, and personnel in this matter, to the full extent of the law, Altius will pursue collections of all unpaid services rendered and damages incurred, including but not limited to all court costs and attorney fees, as legally appropriate as a business of the State of Utah.

   

  Thank you,

   

  Roger M***

  Senior Vice President of Student Success

  Phone:  ###-###-####