Alumna sues college because she hasn't found a job
 

Alumna sues college because she hasn't found a job

• Story Highlights
• Monroe College graduate says career office didn't help her with job placement
• She seeks $70,000 for tuition and $2,000 to compensate for stress
• Office shows preferential treatment to students with better grades, she says
• College says it is "committed to working with all its students"

By Jason Kessler



NEW YORK (CNN) -- A recent college graduate is suing her alma mater for $72,000 -- the full cost of her tuition and then some -- because she cannot find a job.
Trina Thompson has sued her alma mater, Monroe College of New York.

Trina Thompson has sued her alma mater, Monroe College of New York.

Trina Thompson, 27, of the Bronx, graduated from New York's Monroe College in April with a bachelor of business administration degree in information technology.

On July 24, she filed suit against the college in Bronx Supreme Court, alleging that Monroe's "Office of Career Advancement did not help me with a full-time job placement. I am also suing them because of the stress I have been going through."

The college responded that it offers job-search support to all its students.

In her complaint, Thompson says she seeks $70,000 in reimbursement for her tuition and $2,000 to compensate for the stress of her three-month job search.

As Thompson sees it, any reasonable employer would pounce on an applicant with her academic credentials, which include a 2.7 grade-point average and a solid attendance record. But Monroe's career-services department has put forth insufficient effort to help her secure employment, she claims.

"They're supposed to say, 'I got this student, her attendance is good, her GPA is all right -- can you interview this person?' They're not doing that," she said.
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Thompson said she has fulfilled her end of the job-search bargain, peppering companies listed on Monroe's e-recruiting site with cover letters, résumés and phone calls. But no more than two employers have responded to her outreach, and those leads have borne no fruit.

Her complaint adds, "The office of career advancement information technology counselor did not make sure their Monroe e-recruiting clients call their graduates that recently finished college for an interview to get a job placement. They have not tried hard enough to help me."

She suggested that Monroe's Office of Career Advancement shows preferential treatment to students with excellent grades. "They favor more toward students that got a 4.0. They help them more out with the job placement," she said. iReport.com: "Don't sue your alma mater"

Monroe College released a statement saying that "while it is clear that no college, especially in this economy, can guarantee employment, Monroe College remains committed to working with all its students, including Ms. Thompson, who graduated only three months ago, to prepare them for careers and to support them during their job search."

Thompson says she has not hired an attorney to represent her because she cannot afford one. When she filed her complaint, she also filed a "poor person order," which exempts her from filing fees associated with the lawsuit.

Asked whether she would advise other college graduates facing job woes to sue their alma maters, Thompson said yes.

"It doesn't make any sense: They went to school for four years, and then they come out working at McDonald's and Payless. That's not what they planned."

I think she might get it might settle for half.

let me get this straight,

you spend 70,000 dollars getting a collage edumacasion, and you demand that the collage finds you a job themselves? If I recall correctly, the collage isnt her mom holding her hand all the way down the road. The market certainly isnt helping her situation either.

:bowrofl: on pouncing on an applicant with a 2.7 GPA.

This is the future of America guys. I'm worried.

2.7 GPA and solid attendance? LOL.

2.7 gpa in the easiest program ever ......bachelor of business administration

no offense to anyone, but anyone could get that degree in their sleep

people will sue for anything these day's,

I just think it's hilarious that she cites solid attendance. That should be a given!

Never, never! Pass up a law suit that is is your favor! If you've been done wrong, you hit them where it hurts.

^^ can i sue her for being stupid ??

:iagree: Yes, we need to be worried. No one held a gun to her head and forced her to go to college ......... she chose her field to major in. Everyone thinks someone owes them something for nothing. Personal responsibility is erroding fast in this country.

John

I would agree there is some truth to the earning power of a degree, "if" you go to college with no idea or purpose as to what you intend to do with your life after graduation. For example, you have no idea what you want to do after school, and major in history, but don't want to be a teacher. If you have a purpose and the degree will lead to a specialized field with good earning power, you are probably ok. If the history major example had to take out massive student loans for school, they will probably be paying off their loans forever. My ex girlfriend went to school to be a nurse, and borrowed money for her education. She makes a great salary now......... but she went in with a purpose. Most of the successful people mentioned in this thread, that did not graduate college, are intelligent, and were driven to succeed. College is no guarantee of success.

John

+1.

College is not for everyone.

Her lawyer?



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