Feds Offer Debt Relief to Former Everest College Students

By LORRAINE SWANSON

There is good news for former students who attended a now-shuttered, for-profit college and incurred thousands of dollars in debt, only to learn that their degrees were worthless after graduation.

The U.S. Department of Education is offering debt relief to thousands of Illinois students who attended Everest Colleges, operated by Corinthian Colleges Inc.

Corinthian was one of the largest for-profit college operators in the United States before it sold off or closed its 91 campuses last year amid allegations of fraud. Corinthian operated seven Everest Colleges in the Chicago area, including campuses in Bedford Park, Chicago, Merrionette Park, Burr Ridge, Melrose Park, Skokie and North Aurora.

An investigation by the Illinois Attorney General’s office revealed widespread misrepresentations to prospective students. Many students were encouraged to take out federal loans and charged exorbitant fees only to discover that their degrees were not recognized in their chosen fields after graduation.

The Department of Education announced Friday that students who think they've been defrauded at Illinois’s Everest Colleges are now eligible to have their federal loan debt forgiven.

“Students who were lured into for-profit schools such as Corinthian deserve relief,” Illinois Attorney General Lisa Madigan said in a news release. “Today’s action by the Department helps, but I will continue to fight for relief for Illinois students who Corinthian and other for-profit schools lied to and took advantage of.”

Students who are eligible for relief need to complete a form on the Department of Education’s website. They will also be contacted by the department representative.

The Department of Education continues to investigate Corinthian’s campuses in Illinois and provided the following list of Illinois campus locations, programs and periods of attendance that are now eligible for relief:

Everest College (Bedford Park):

• Dental Assistant (July 1, 2013-Sept. 30, 2014)
• Medical Administrative Assistant (July 1, 2013-Sept. 30, 2014)

Everest College (Burr Ridge):

• Dental Assistant (July 1, 2013-Sept. 30, 2014)
• Medical Administrative Assistant (July 1, 2013-Sept. 30, 2014)
• Medical Assistant (July 1, 2013-Sept. 30, 2014)
• Medical Insurance Billing and Coding (July 1, 2012-Sept. 30, 2014)

Everest College (Chicago):

• Dental Assistant (July 1, 2011-Sept. 30, 2014)
• Medical Administrative Assistant (July 1, 2010-Sept. 30, 2011)
• Medical Assistant (July 1, 2010-Sept. 30, 2011)
• Medical Insurance Billing and Coding (July 1, 2011-Sept. 30, 2014)

Everest College (Melrose Park)

• Dental Assistant (July 1, 2013-Sept. 30, 2014)
• Medical Assistant (July 1, 2013-Sept. 30, 2014)
• Medical Insurance Billing and Coding (July 1, 2013-Sept. 30, 2014)
• Pharmacy Technician (July 1, 2013-Sept. 30, 2014)

Everest College (Merrionette Park)

• Dental Assistant (July 1, 2013-Sept. 30, 2014)
• Massage Therapy (July 1, 2013-Sept. 30, 2014)
• Medical Administrative Assistant (July 1, 2010-Sept. 30, 2011; July 1, 2013-Sept. 30, 2014)
• Medical Assistant (July 1, 2010-Sept. 30, 2011; July 1, 2013-Sept. 30, 2014)
• Medical Insurance Billing and Coding (July 1, 2013-Sept. 30, 2014);
• Pharmacy Technician (July 1, 2010-Sept. 30, 2011; July 1, 2013-Sept. 30, 2014)

Everest College (North Aurora)

• Electrician (July 1, 2012-Sept. 30, 2013)
• Medical Administrative Assistant (July 1, 2010-Sept. 30, 2014)
• Medical Insurance Billing and Coding (July 1, 2011-Sept. 30, 2014)
• Medical Assistant (July 1, 2010-Sept. 30, 2014)

Everest College (Skokie)

• Dental Assistant (July 1, 2012-Sept. 30, 2013)
• Medical Administrative Assistant (July 1, 2013-Sept. 30, 2014)
• Medical Insurance Billing and Coding (July 1, 2010-Sept. 30, 2011; July 1, 2013-Sept. 30, 2014)
• Pharmacy Technician (July 1, 2010-Sept. 30, 2011; July 1, 2013-Sept. 30, 2014)