Newcastle College Course - is it a con?

Butterfli

I saw a reference to this on a thread where someone was asking about working from home but I can't find it now so forgive me for posting a new thread.

Basically among the suggestions was info about Newcastle College offering free Life Coaching courses and so I emailed them and had an email back saying that my application had been registered and then a further one giving me my login.
This was 31st May and I eagerly started following the course.
I got as far as the first activity exercise and spent a fair amount of time doing this, hit the save button on their screen and the whole lot vanished into the ether!
I emailed the tutor and heard nothing until 9th June when I had a phone call saying that I didn't actually have a place on the course but I could pay for one at nearly £400. They are supposed to be writing to me but I'm not holding my breath.

I pm'ed another poster who'd asked if anyone else had enrolled, during our correspondence she tells me that she can never get through on the phone and no-one answers emails although they make great noises about their accessibility to students.

Has anyone got any experience of this college and this course in particular?

Maybe it's just my suspicious mind but I'm beginning to think it's just a scam.
What do you guys think?

Butterfli

Debt_Free_Chick

Gotta a link? Google throws up a number of options

WeirdoMagnet

Here's a link to the other thread about the course and here's a link to the Newcastle College Diploma in Life Coaching Page

If you try to register is says:

Thank you for visiting the Newcastle College e-learning platform.

Due to changes in funding criteria, we are no longer able to offer free places for this course.

We are still able to offer this course at excellent value of only £395.

Should you wish to take up this offer please continue on to the registration page and enter your details along with payment.

Newcastle College looks forward to welcoming you to this course, as one of over 100,000 distance learning students since 1993 you can be assured your learning is in safe hands.

Jacster_2

I'm afraid I can't help on this course, but Newcastle College is a reputable college, so they should be able to sort things out, and I would think it is unlikely to be a scam. Perhaps just poor administration or e-learning site development?

HTH

Glad

moved this to Student board where it may get some replies and also be of use to other students looking at this course

BWZN93

I think the government was funding a lot of those NCFE certificates, but is now only funding those that are specifically useful for everyone who wants a job. I just registered for the NCFE Next steps in IT (I was a rebel in high school and didnt do my computing GCSE - doh!) through vision 2 learn. They have a list of courses and all are free, but beware, not all courses are available in all areas - I wanted to do the Money Management course, but it wasnt available down here in Bath yet.

For the OP - If you really want to do that particular course, then you may be able to get a discount, or free, if you are on any benefits etc. I did a couple of GCSE's and the Open University at no cost to myself, because I was on Jobseekers Allowance at the time. They may well give you the free place anyway.

I chose the IT course. I havent started it yet, but I will let you know how I get along with it, although I cant see it being all that difficult to be fair. Just another thing for my CV really............ And after that, im going to do the Health and Safety at Work course (Im a store manager - cant hurt!!)

Jo xx

David_Brent

I don't know about the actual course you enrolled for, but I can say that Newcastle College has a good reputation, and it was fine when I studied there, im sure that they aren't trying to con you. Also rather than emailing the tutor try phoning up instead, many tutors just delete their emails because of spam from the college and yours could have been included.

trace-j

Is worth contacting the College Direct?