Can my university keep me enrolled if I can't pay tuition?

I started university in 2021, and halfway through the semester, they denied my private loan. They didn’t unenroll me, even though I couldn’t pay tuition, and now they’ve sent the debt to collections. The collection is showing up on my credit. Is this even legal? I never agreed to pay later if they kept me in the classes, and I thought they were supposed to unenroll me if tuition wasn’t paid.

Ugh, that sounds like a nightmare. From what I know, if you got the education, they can send the debt to collections, even if you didn’t pay. Have you considered talking to a bankruptcy lawyer about Chapter 7? It might help with the collections.

@Dale
Chapter 7? I don’t really know how that works. Would that clear everything, including collections and tuition? I’m a little lost on the details…

True said:
@Dale
Chapter 7? I don’t really know how that works. Would that clear everything, including collections and tuition? I’m a little lost on the details…

Yeah, it can clear some debts, but student loans can be tricky. Federal loans are usually safe from discharge. But your private loan might be cleared, depending on the situation.

This happened to me too. They didn’t drop me, but I ended up in collections. I had to hire a lawyer to sort it out, and it wasn’t easy, but I eventually got it cleared up.

Fitz said:
This happened to me too. They didn’t drop me, but I ended up in collections. I had to hire a lawyer to sort it out, and it wasn’t easy, but I eventually got it cleared up.

I’m trying to figure out if I should fight this. The lawyer I talked to said Chapter 7 might help, but IDK if it’s the best route for me…

@Tatum
It’s not a quick fix, but it might be worth it. Just keep in mind it can affect your credit for years. I’d suggest checking if there’s any contract or agreement you signed with them about paying tuition later.

I think the university can go after the debt since you got the classes, but it’s worth trying to argue that they should’ve unenrolled you if you didn’t pay. A lawyer could help with that, but you should definitely explore bankruptcy options if it gets worse.

It’s a tough situation. They might be able to collect since you were enrolled, but maybe you can negotiate or settle the debt. Bankruptcy could be a good option to clear it, but it’s important to understand the long-term effects on your credit.

If it’s already in collections, you might want to try negotiating with them or see if you can get a payment plan. Chapter 7 is an option, but it could hurt your credit for a while.

River said:
If it’s already in collections, you might want to try negotiating with them or see if you can get a payment plan. Chapter 7 is an option, but it could hurt your credit for a while.

Yeah, I was thinking of doing a payment plan. But now I’m leaning towards filing Chapter 7, since it seems like that might clear the debt faster. I’m just not sure how it all works…