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Vatterott students scramble for plan B now that school is permanently closed

Posted at 5:20 PM, Dec 18, 2018
and last updated 2018-12-18 19:30:50-05

KANSAS CITY, Mo. — For the students who were enrolled at Vatterott College, the shock of its closure is still fresh.

The news came suddenly Monday afternoon, leaving instructors a short window to pack up their things and let students know class was permanently canceled.

Josh Jones, who was enrolled in the automotive program, thought it was all a dream.

"More like a nightmare," he said.

With just two weeks of school left until graduation, Jones now finds himself empty-handed. Even his tools are still locked inside the Vatterott building on north Corrington Avenue.

"I mean it's kind of hard to describe. In a way I feel like crying. In a way I feel like being mad," Jones said.

He wasn't the only one who came to campus Tuesday for a closer look and to see if anyone there could help.

One of those people was Adrian Rothrock, the campus executive director for another school, the Aviation Institute of Maintenance.

"We were just as shocked as everybody else," Rothrock said of the closure.

Rothrock and his colleagues visited Tuesday in the hopes of contacting someone at Vatterott. They want to help some of the displaced students.

"We'd like to at least sit down with the students, see if there's an opportunity to move some of those credits over," Rothrock said.

Vatterott is supposed to post information on its website about transferring credits. The Missouri Department of Higher Education recommends that students look into the accreditation for suggested schools before enrolling.

Vatterott itself had 19 locations on probation with the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges.

For many students another next step is looking into reimbursement. Federal loan forgiveness is handled by the U.S. Department of Education, while cash/self-pay students should contact the Missouri Department of Higher Education. The department said those students should not expect to receive a full refund, and the process will take months.