Call Kurtis: WyoTech Student Blames School for Not Getting Loan Approved

A Sacramento student says her school cost her her financial aid. Miranda Lampson blames WyoTech for not submitting her loan application. But WyoTech says it's her fault.

Faced with getting kicked out of school, she called Kurtis to investigate.

"This was the chair I made in trim and upholstery, which was my specialty class," said Lampson as she showed off a car seat she reupholstered in class.

The 21-year-old hopes to one day have her own custom car shop - that is, if she graduates from her automotive program at WyoTech in a few weeks. She's just been suspended over a financial aid mess. A loan that would pay part of her tuition and living expenses didn't go through.

"I figured my loan's been submitted. I have a loan 'cause they're giving me money, so it must be coming from the loan," said Lampson.

After WyoTech gave her five $800 checks, Lampson says the school told her she didn't have the loan. She'd have to reapply for the loan, but it now had a higher interest rate.

"I just think it's wrong to try to push me into something I didn't agree to," said Lampson.

She blames the school for not submitting her paperwork to the lender. But WyoTech claims it tried to get the documentation together nine times, saying: "Ms. Lampson delayed submission of the required documentation and submitted documents with errors. Ultimately, Ms. Lampson's loan was cancelled by the lender."

Lampson denies the school's side of the story.

"I never got called in. I would go back every once in a while and check and she's like, 'Yeah, everything's fine, you're all good,'" said Lampson.

"There's certainly questions we want answered," said Russ Heimerich, spokesperson for the the state's Bureau for Private Postsecondary Education.

Heimerich says the state agency can help students sort through issues like Lampson's.

"What the bureau does is try to protect the student consumer by making sure that the schools offer what they say they're going to offer," said Heimerich.

Lampson is asking the bureau to look into her situation.

After CBS13 got involved, she was allowed back in class while she reapplies for her loan. WyoTech says the interest rate could be nearly as low as the loan she thought she had.

"I would like for my original rate to be given to me," said Lampson.

WyoTech tells us it has now received all the documents for Lampson's new loan application. If everything goes well, she says she's on track to graduate next month.

Link: WyoTech's Full Statement