ITT shut down earlier this year, and now its students are protesting against paying the loans they took out while at the institution.
Much like other for-profit universities, ITT has a weaker curriculum than most schools in the country, leading to the college’s unexpected decision to shut down without warning in August. Many students — both recent and older — believe the government and the company’s remaining finances are responsible for helping them pay what they owe.
There are at least 100 protestors involved in a “debt strike” that includes students who are accusing ITT Tech of scamming them. The institution’s recent decision to close follows years of allegations surrounding fraud, deceptive marketing techniques and ways to hoodwink students into taking out massive student loans.
At least a dozen state attorneys general and two federal agencies are suing ITT over “borrower defense to repayment” claims. The technique regards to illegal or deceptive manners of luring students into borrowing money for school with false promises of a degree and the necessary skills to succeed in the tech world.
There are other options for former students if their loans are not forgiven, including a closed school loan discharge which allows students who did not complete their degrees to file a claim that could help them get 100% of their loans dropped.
Additionally, students could transfer credits to other universities where they would be considered valid, which is a process that students and other universities are still navigating. The ITT portal is still open for students to view their transcripts.
