Consumer complaint received 2020-11-11
Company: AES/PHEAA
State: WA
Product: Student loan
Sub-product: Federal student loan servicing
Issue: Struggling to repay your loan
Sub-issue: Can't get other flexible options for repaying your loan

Complaint:
Hi. 
In XXXX I went to XXXX XXXX in XXXX, with a promise that they will find me a job at the end of the program. That is what they advertised and why I chose this college. I took out a large loan and completed the program ( which was a total joke- no one finished any of their homework, the teacher never fully checked our work and taught us nothing. We paid for this certificate, and learned absolutely nothing even though I graduated with honors ). 
Then they found me an internship at XXXX XXXX XXXX, who told me they are in need of an MAA like me, and after I completed 1 month of full-time work for them, they apologized and stated they cant afford to hire anyone right now. I was upset and went back to XXXX who said that it wasnt their problem anymore, as they already found me 1 job ( which by the way I was great at and they loved me. A few months later I found out that the counselor from XXXX had a deal with that doctors office and kept sending new interns there every month, with a promise that they are hiring, who were all told that they cant hire at the end of their 30-day internship. Such a scam! ). Needless to say, this ruined my chances of applying for another job because they all saw that my internship didnt hire me and questioned it. I had no way of paying my loans, I was XXXX XXXXears old. I got a small minimum-wage job and paid my loan for the first few years. 
Then in XXXX, I received a letter from the US Department of Education stating that my loan is eligible to be forgiven if I went to XXXX XXXX and took the MAA program from XX/XX/XXXX-XX/XX/XXXX, because XXXX was being sued by several people for fraudulent dealings, false advertising and empty promises. I was ecstatic and submitted my application. I kept calling and checking the status of my application for FOUR years! They kept saying that it is still pending, meanwhile my loan was in forbearance AND accruing interest!! They assured me I will get an answer shortly, since my best friend that did this program with me had her loan fully forgiven already. 
I finally got a response from them saying that I am NOT eligible for loan forgiveness because I missed the eligible window by a few weeks ( apparently I went to college just a few weeks later or earlier than the eligible date-span ). Which cant be true because my best friend went to the SAME program on the SAME dates and had her same loan forgiven.

I dont mean to add in a sob story, but after completing that program back in XXXX, I also dealt with several health issues, brain tumors, treatments and several surgeries. I have so much medical debt and I am absolutely not able to pay back this loan regardless. Especially since I never used this certificate in the first place. I reached out to FedLoan and US Department of Education several times in the last few years, who both give me fake reassurances and help with absolutely nothing. 
I hope that you can see my unfortunate situation and how unfair it was. This is my last resort. I am literally begging for help. I can provide any and all proof of my certificate, internship, even medical bills and proof of surgeries, if needed. 
Thank you SO MUCH for taking the time to read this!!

Company response to consumer: Closed with explanation