INDIANAPOLIS -- Hundreds of students in Indianapolis and Fort Wayne are being suddenly forced out of their school as Medtech College shuts down.
The for-profit college was founded in Indianapolis in 2004, and has two locations in the city and a third in Fort Wayne, in addition to campuses elsewhere around the country.
The school will close its doors September 16 following a decision by the U.S. Department of Education to ban the school from receiving federal student loans for overstating job placement numbers.
The closure means 600 students will have to find a new place to finish their education.
Competitor Harrison College is stepping in, meaning many Medtech students will be able to finish their programs.
But the school doesn't offer an LPN program, which means April Roney and dozens of others will have to wait for state regulators to decide whether Harrison can provide those courses.
"You basically feel hopeless," Roney, who is six months from finishing her LPN program, said.
The Indiana Board of Nursing meets on September 15 to make a decision about Medtech's students.
Harrison College already offers an associate's of science degree and RN programs, which means it has the ability to handle LPN courses – if state regulators say yes. Harrison released the following statement to RTV6 on Wednesday:
"With Medtech College’s announced plans to close its three campuses in Indiana (two in the Indianapolis area and one in Fort Wayne), Harrison College has been asked to be the preferred transfer provider for these students, to help them complete their programs. Through a formal articulation agreement, we are working with each of Medtech’s students in Indiana to determine individual transfer plans that will assist them in completing their educational journeys. Approximately 500 students are currently enrolled across Medtech’s three Indiana campuses and another 100 were enrolled to begin their journeys through Medtech in the fall.
Harrison has no plans to purchase Medtech or any of its individual campuses. "
If regulators say no, some 160 Medtech students will likely have to restart their educations. The silver lining would be that their student loans would be erased if they can't transfer to another program.
