Rosemont was my first choice for a college, and I was so thrilled to get in. One semester later and less than a week into the second, guess again!This is a terrible school. I should've guessed from the enrollment process. My acceptance got held up for weeks because a teacher of mine supposedly didn't send a letter of recommendation as promised. He told me he did and while he didn't seem to think so, I now think Rosemont's administration screwed up. I base that on the hassles I've endured since. Let's start with financial aid. I had to talk to that department three times for the same issue, which might not seem so bad, but they explicitly said after the first two times "You don't need to worry about this, it's settled." And they have a 'wonderful' way of waiting until the last minute to mail forms that need to be completed by a deadline. Against my better judgment, I ignored these warning signs.
This school has the most backwards ass way of doing things I've ever witnessed. When you're a first-year (or a transfer like me), you'll find that they make the schedule for your first semester. How nice, except they won't tell you the definite times until the day before the semester begins. For those of us that commute and work, that's not exactly helpful. (Oh, the times are up on iWay well-before that, but they warn you not to be concerned because the times may change.) And in my case, not only did they load up the schedule with courses not in my preferred major, but with three ones respective to three separate majors. And one of the classes corresponded to a class I took at DCCC, which transferred successfully. (Speaking of transer credits, four of my old classes didn't make the cut - despite there being corresponding courses there.) And if you're wondering why I simply didn't change my schedule, I did... once the semester started. Apparently, the add/drop period doesn't begin until the first day, which leads me to...
Advisor approval for new classes! WTF?! If you drop a class and add a new one, you'll find you're not in it until the advisor (or Student Services if you haven't settled on a major yet) okays it. They most likely will, but if you need to be there full-time due to scholarship or financial side... well, that wait can be frustrating and daunting. And of course, by this point and by their limited selection, you have to take whatever you can get to fill up your schedule. This plus the un-transferred credits equals a frustrating way to bilk more money out of students.
Oh, but it gets worse. Apparently, you need to meet with your advisor before registering for any classes for the next semester. I never had to do that at DCCC, but I understand this isn't unusual at four-year schools. I don't object to it and would've happily complied, but I was never told about it. Yes, despite a interview, a tour, a transfer day and three days of orientation, no one saw fit to mention this little fact to me. In fact, at that transfer day, I was led to believe I could proceed the same way I did at DCCC. I do so accordingly when the time comes and a few days before pre-registration ends... I get bitched at by my advisor and condescended to in an e-mail. I explain the situation in a reply, which is then met with a reply where I still get talked down to and told to schedule a meeting before pre-registration ends. (This part, by the way, is a day before it ends.) I never was able to make it for a meeting and by the time I could I was approved anyway, rendering the whole effort a waste of time and nothing but needless frustration.
This little situation also highlights how ineffective the school is of letting students know anything important. By e-mail? Really? I gave them two damn phone numbers!
Of course, now as a new Add/Drop period is upon us, I find I can't drop one of the classes I decided not to take. This class had a price tag of $150 in books, but then expected me to pay $75 registration fee for a website that the teacher thought was necessary for whatever bullshit reason. And if I don't drop the class by Tuesday, I won't get a refund for it. I can't help but wonder if I'm being punished for the earlier mess. If so, no one saw fit to contact me and there's certainly nothing in the handbook or website about such a punishment.
Before that, I was already considering seeing a second semester through and then transferring out to another school like Cabrini. (I obviously intend to do research about them before I commit, but I gotta say, they have been very accomodating whenever I seek information.) Now? I'm considering withdrawing before the week is over to get a refund.
Rosemont as a whole seems incapable of grasping a simple fact: I'm paying them. Therefore, they have to accomodate me - not the other way around. They're all too eager to accept your money, but then throw you under the bus until it's time to pay up again.Never go to this school!
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