{"id":368893,"date":"2022-04-18T10:02:56","date_gmt":"2022-04-18T15:02:56","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/content.findlaw-admin.com\/ability-law\/litigation\/filing-a-lawsuit\/can-i-sue-a-university-or-online-college-for-false-promises.html"},"modified":"2024-01-10T09:48:20","modified_gmt":"2024-01-10T14:48:20","slug":"can-i-sue-a-university-or-online-college-for-false-promises","status":"publish","type":"page","link":"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/litigation\/filing-a-lawsuit\/can-i-sue-a-university-or-online-college-for-false-promises.html","title":{"rendered":"Can I Sue a University or Online College for False Promises?"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<div class=\"wp-container-core-columns-is-layout-9d6595d7 fl-sectionWithSidebar fl-container fl-flex fl-flex-wrap fl-gap30\">\n<div class=\"fl-page-articles fl-section-main fl-section-main-full-width\"><h1 class=\"fl-no-margin-top\">Can I Sue a University or Online College for False Promises?<\/h1>\n\n<section class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline\">\n    <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-content\">\n                    By <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/steven-ellison-esq\/\">Steven Ellison, Esq.<\/a> | Legally reviewed by <a\n                href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/bridget-molitor-jd\/\">Bridget Molitor, JD<\/a>\n                | Last updated\n        <time>\n                            January 10, 2024\n                    <\/time>\n    <\/div>\n\n    \n    <details class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle fl-gutenberg-byline-legally-reviewed\">\n        <summary>\n            <i class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n            Legally Reviewed\n        <\/summary>\n\n        <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle-content\">\n            <p><em>This article has been written and reviewed for legal accuracy, clarity, and style by <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team.html\">FindLaw\u2019s team of legal writers and attorneys<\/a> and in accordance with <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/company-history\/editorial-policy.html\">our editorial standards<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>\n\n    <details class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle fl-gutenberg-byline-fast-checked\">\n        <summary>\n            <i class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n            Fact-Checked\n        <\/summary>\n\n        <div class=\"fl-gutenberg-byline-toggle-content\">\n            <p><em>The last updated date refers to the last time this article was reviewed by FindLaw or one of our <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/company\/our-team\/contributing-authors.html\">contributing authors<\/a>. We make every effort to keep our articles updated. For information regarding a specific legal issue affecting you, please <a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/?fli=bylinelink\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">contact an attorney in your area<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n        <\/div>\n    <\/details>\n<\/section>\n\n\n    <div class=\"fl-callout-text article-blockquote\">\n        <p>Yes, you may be able to sue a university or college for making false promises. Whether you took online classes or attended in person, you could claim a school was deceptive.<\/p>\n\n    <\/div>\n\n\n\n<div><p>This type of case may fall under two different legal theories:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><b>Fraudulent misrepresentation<\/b>:\u00a0If you can show that they intentionally or recklessly lied to you, you may be able to sue them for fraudulent misrepresentation.<\/li>\n<li><b>Breach of contract<\/b>:\u00a0If you can&#8217;t show fraudulent misrepresentation but can still show that they failed to keep the promises they made, you may be able to sue them for breach of contract.<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/education.html\">Education law<\/a>\u00a0cases based on fraud and breach of contract can get complicated. Schools will have lawyers on their side in court. You should strongly consider\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/education-law\/?fli=dcta\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">consulting with a law firm<\/a>\u00a0and getting legal advice about whether you might have a case worth pursuing before trying to sue a school on your own.<\/p>\n<h2>College Recruiters&#8217; Promises May Be Too Optimistic<\/h2>\n<p>Schools of higher education are actively competing to get students. Some school recruiters even have student quotas.<\/p>\n<p>As part of their business practices, recruiters may make all sorts of promises to a prospective student:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Complete your degree within four years<\/li>\n<li>Get a great job with your degree or certification<\/li>\n<li>Get federal <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/education\/higher-education\/paying-for-college-and-beyond.html\">financial aid<\/a> on great terms so you can easily pay back your loans<\/li>\n<li>Be taught by the top experts in the field<\/li>\n<li>Get a quality education from a school with\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.chea.org\/about-accreditation\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">accreditation<\/a><\/li>\n<li>Be accepted in\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/education\/higher-education\/college-sports-and-the-law.html\">college sports<\/a>\u00a0to get recruited for professional teams<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>The school has a great website, sends you glossy brochures, has recruiters come to your house, and generally paints a rosy picture of what a wonderful life you can expect once you&#8217;ve <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/education\/higher-education\/life-after-college-work-and-school.html\">graduated with a degree<\/a> from their institution.<\/p>\n<p>Say you rely on those promises and enroll, but it turns out they lied. Four years later, you graduate with an unmarketable degree and a huge amount of student debt you can never pay back.<\/p>\n<p>You feel <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/consumer\/online-scams.html\">scammed<\/a>. You may be able to sue them for their false promises under two different legal theories: fraudulent misrepresentation and breach of contract.<\/p>\n<h2>Fraudulent Misrepresentation of a College Education<\/h2>\n<p>Let&#8217;s start with\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/smallbusiness\/business-laws-and-regulations\/fraudulent-misrepresentation.html\">fraudulent misrepresentation<\/a>. To make a claim for fraudulent misrepresentation, you need to prove six elements:<\/p>\n<ol>\n<li>The school made a representation (a material statement of fact).<\/li>\n<li>The representation was false.<\/li>\n<li>When made, the school either knew the statement was false or <a href=\"https:\/\/dictionary.findlaw.com\/definition\/reckless-disregard-of-the-truth.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">made it recklessly<\/a> without knowing whether it was true.<\/li>\n<li>The school intended you to rely on the representation.<\/li>\n<li>You did, in fact, rely on the representation.<\/li>\n<li>You suffered damages as a result of relying on the representation.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>If you have evidence proving these elements, you may be able to win your court case.<\/p>\n<p>The two big challenges to a fraudulent misrepresentation lawsuit against a school of higher education are:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Proving that the school made a material statement of fact<\/li>\n<li>Proving that the school knew it was false or acted recklessly<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Material Statement of Fact<\/h3>\n<p>The first is proving that the school made a representation that you can sue for. The representation must be of fact. You can&#8217;t sue about an opinion.<\/p>\n<p>For example, suppose the school website and handbooks say that they have \u201cthe best English program around.&#8221; That something is the \u201cbest&#8221; isn&#8217;t a fact. It&#8217;s just an opinion, no matter how many people may agree. You would not be able to sue them for that statement, even if it turns out that they actually have the worst English program in the country.<\/p>\n<p>The representation must also be\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/dictionary.findlaw.com\/definition\/material.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">material<\/a>. This requires you to show that a reasonable person would have found the representation important enough to have acted upon it. A promise that you will be receiving $10,000 in scholarships is material. But a promise that the football team will win the NCAA championship probably isn&#8217;t.<\/p>\n<h3>Intent To Lie<\/h3>\n<p>The second challenge is proving what&#8217;s called <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/injury\/torts-and-personal-injuries\/intentional-vs-negligent-torts.html\">intent<\/a>. You must show that at the time the promise was made, the school knew it was false or made it recklessly without knowing if it was true or false.<\/p>\n<p>The timing is critical. It&#8217;s not enough to show that the promise later turned out to be false. The focus is on the time the statement was made, not the time you may have relied upon it.<\/p>\n<h2>Breach of Contract by the College<\/h2>\n<p>Let&#8217;s now turn to the second claim: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/smallbusiness\/business-contracts-forms\/breach-of-contract-and-lawsuits.html\">breach of contract<\/a>. As you will see, a breach of contract claim is similar to a fraudulent misrepresentation claim, except that you do not need to prove intent or recklessness.<\/p>\n<p>We will start with what a contract is. A contract is a legally enforceable agreement between at least two competent parties.<\/p>\n<p>To have a <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/smallbusiness\/business-contracts-forms\/contract-law.html\">valid contract<\/a>, you need to be able to show:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Offer<\/li>\n<li>Acceptance<\/li>\n<li>Consideration<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<h3>Offer From the School<\/h3>\n<p>An\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/smallbusiness\/business-contracts-forms\/what-is-an-offer.html\">offer<\/a>\u00a0is a promise to do or not to do something in exchange for something else. An example might be, \u201cCome to our school, and we will give you a $10,000 scholarship.&#8221; A reasonable person would believe that you would get the money if you went to the school, so a court would likely find that the statement is an offer to enter into a binding agreement.<\/p>\n<h3>Acceptance From the Student<\/h3>\n<p><a href=\"https:\/\/dictionary.findlaw.com\/definition\/accept.html\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Acceptance<\/a>\u00a0is assent to the terms of the offer. Simple as that. You don&#8217;t have to use magic words. You can either say or do something that shows a reasonable person that you agree.<\/p>\n<p>Using the example offer above, acceptance might simply be saying \u201cokay.&#8221; Another way to show agreement to the terms is if you, without saying anything about the offer, went to the school. That action would imply an intent to enter into a legally binding agreement and, thus, constitutes acceptance.<\/p>\n<h3>Consideration<\/h3>\n<p>Offer and acceptance are pretty straightforward.\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/smallbusiness\/business-contracts-forms\/what-is-consideration-and-how-much-is-required.html\">Consideration<\/a>\u00a0is a little harder to grasp.<\/p>\n<p>Consideration is a bargained-for exchange of something of value. It can be money, but it doesn&#8217;t have to be. It can be a promise to do or not to do something.<\/p>\n<p>In our example, the bargained-for exchange is school attendance for the scholarship. The exchange has value. A court would find that the exchange is adequate consideration and that you have a valid contract.<\/p>\n<h2>Remedies for College Fraud<\/h2>\n<p>If you can prove your fraudulent misrepresentation or <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/smallbusiness\/business-contracts-forms\/contracts-faq.html\">breach of contract claim<\/a>, you can recover damages. Your recovery would be designed to put you in the position you would be in if you hadn&#8217;t acted on the false promise. Most likely, you would get your money back.<\/p>\n<h2>You Wouldn&#8217;t Be the First to Sue a University or Online College<\/h2>\n<p>There are many cases of people suing universities and online colleges for false promises. Here are a couple of particularly interesting, high-profile ones.<\/p>\n<h3>Ashford University<\/h3>\n<p>The first involves Ashford University, an online for-profit institution, and its parent company, Zovio (formerly Bridgepoint Education). California&#8217;s attorney general at that time, Xavier Becerra, brought an action on behalf of students for making false promises about:<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li>Career outcomes<\/li>\n<li>Cost and financial aid<\/li>\n<li>The pace of degree programs<\/li>\n<li>Transfer credits<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p>Ashford made these promises to induce students to enroll. The San Diego Superior Court found that Ashford and Zovio <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/criminal\/criminal-charges\/fraud.html\">violated the law<\/a> and ordered them to pay more than $22 million.<\/p>\n<p>Ashford is by no means unique. There are many examples of government lawsuits against other universities and online colleges on the\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/sites.ed.gov\/naciqi\/files\/2018\/05\/NACIQI-Enclosure-1-law-enforcement.pdf\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">U. S. Department of Education&#8217;s website<\/a>.<\/p>\n<h3>Trump University<\/h3>\n<p>The second case involves the storied Trump University, which was formed in 2004. Trump University ran a real estate training program from 2005 through 2010. It ceased operations in 2011 amidst several lawsuits and investigations over false advertising and <a href=\"https:\/\/www.findlaw.com\/criminal\/criminal-charges\/racketeering-rico.html\">racketeering<\/a>.<\/p>\n<p>In one of those lawsuits, a group of university students sued Trump for fraud. They claimed that the school lied about being a \u201cuniversity&#8221; when it lacked accreditation and about Trump hand-picking instructors when he didn&#8217;t. The students ended up getting a $25 million settlement.<\/p>\n<h2>If You Believe You Have a Claim, Contact an Attorney<\/h2>\n<p>With college enrollment on the decline, schools of higher education struggle to convince college students to enroll. They may say all sorts of things to get you to sign up. You may end up getting burned if you rely on some of those statements.<\/p>\n<p>If you believe a university or online college lied to you, you may be able to sue for fraudulent misrepresentation or for breach of contract. Cases against educational institutions can get complicated, so consider\u00a0<a href=\"https:\/\/lawyers.findlaw.com\/education-law\/?fli=dcta\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">consulting an attorney<\/a>\u00a0experienced in education law. They can advise you of your legal rights and make sure that your interests are protected.<\/p><\/div>\n\n\n<div class=\"was-this-helpful\">\n    <div\n            class=\"was-this-helpful__question-container\"\n            aria-labelledby=\"was-this-helpful__question\"\n            role=\"group\"\n    >\n        <span\n                id=\"was-this-helpful__question\"\n                class=\"was-this-helpful__question fl-text-lg-bold\"\n        >Was this helpful?<\/span>\n        <button\n                class=\"was-this-helpful__button fl-text-sm\"\n                aria-label=\"Yes\"\n                value=\"yes\"\n        >\n            <span class=\"was-this-helpful__button-text fl-text-bold\">Yes<\/span>\n            <i class=\"was-this-helpful__button-icon\">\n                <svg width=\"22\" height=\"22\" viewBox=\"0 0 22 22\" fill=\"none\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\">\n                    <g id=\"thumbs-up\" clip-path=\"url(#clip0_604_3418)\">\n                    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     class=\"fl-radio-button-field-input\"\n                                type=\"radio\"\n                                name=\"negative-feedback\"\n                                value=\"Other\"\n                        >\n                        <label\n                                class=\"fl-radio-button-field-label fl-text-sm was-this-helpful__radio-label\"\n                                for=\"was-this-helpful__radio-button--negative-other\"\n                        >Other<\/label>\n                    <\/div>\n                <\/fieldset>\n            <\/div>\n            <div class=\"was-this-helpful__form-buttons-container\">\n                <button\n                    class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-button was-this-helpful__feedback-button--positive at-feedback-submit fl-button secondary\"\n                    type=\"submit\"\n                >\n                    <span class=\"fl-button-content\">Submit<\/span>\n                    <i\n                        class=\"fa fa-angle-right medium\"\n                        aria-hidden=\"true\"\n                    ><\/i>\n                <\/button>\n                <button\n                    class=\"was-this-helpful__feedback-button was-this-helpful__feedback-button--cancel fl-button primary disabled\"\n                    type=\"reset\"\n                >\n                    <span class=\"fl-button-content\">Cancel<\/span>\n                    <i\n                        class=\"fa fa-times-circle medium\"\n                        aria-hidden=\"true\"\n                    ><\/i>\n                <\/button>\n            <\/div>\n        <\/form>\n    <\/div>\n    <div class=\"was-this-helpful__thank-you-message\" role=\"status\">\n        <i class=\"was-this-helpful__thank-you-message-icon fa fa-check\"><\/i>\n        <p class=\"was-this-helpful__thank-you-message-text\" aria-live=\"polite\"><\/p>\n    <\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/div>\n\n\n\n<div class=\"fl-section-sidebar\"><div class=\"fl-editors-summary\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary\">\n    \n    <div class=\"fl-editors-summary-content\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content\">\n                    <h2>Can I Solve This on My Own or Do I Need an Attorney?<\/h2>\n                <div class=\"fl-editors-summary-content-main\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-main\">\n            \n        <\/div>\n        <ul class=\"fl-list-style-none\">\n                            <li data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-item\">\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-check medium fl-editors-summary-content-item-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                    You may want an attorney to represent you in court or during appeals.\n\n                <\/li>\n                            <li data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-item\">\n                    <i class=\"fa fa-check medium fl-editors-summary-content-item-icon\" aria-hidden=\"true\"><\/i>\n                    Complex court cases (such as higher education lawsuits) generally need the support of an attorney.\n\n                <\/li>\n                    <\/ul>\n                    <div class=\"fl-editors-summary-content-description\" data-testid=\"fl-editors-summary-content-description\">\n                <p>The court process for many cases, such as false advertising claims, can be complicated and slow. 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