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Unemployed Grad Sues College for Tuition Refund

Unemployed Grad Sues College for Tuition Refund
8/4/2009
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Scholarships.com Staff

A recent college graduate who has failed to find a job since April has sued her alma mater. The student, Trina Thompson, filed suit against Monroe College, a career-oriented college in New York, asking to be reimbursed the full cost of her tuition, which was $70,000.

Thompson's suit claims that the Monroe College career center failed to do enough to help her find a job after graduation. As a result, Thompson is struggling to make ends meet and, according to the New York Post, facing the prospect of homelessness as her student loans are about to come due. While Thompson has been regularly submitting job applications and making use of resources such as job listings available through her college's career center, this has not been enough to find work. So she is suing Monroe College for failing to provide her with the leads and career advice she says she was promised.

While the merit of this particular lawsuit remains to be determined, it does raise questions about what students should expect from college, as well as what services colleges should provide and can promise to their students. Especially right now, when jobs are scarce and competition is fierce, current students and recent graduates are dealing with greater stress and desperation as they try to navigate the job market. Meanwhile, career centers have fewer contacts and resources to work with, as fewer places are actively recruiting or even hiring recent college graduates. As a result, many college career counselors are finding themselves nearly overwhelmed, as more students need to rely on more services for longer to try to find post-graduate employment.

Finally, this lawsuit serves as a reminder for college-bound students of more good questions to ask during their college search: What are the job placement rates for the school and the department, and what career services are offered to help alumni find work? Considering these things while choosing a college may make all the difference when it comes time to find a job after graduation.

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