Hoboken Ultrasound School Closes, Students' Money Potentially Flushed

Hoboken, NJ – Dozens of students at a Hoboken vocational school may be looking at useless course credits and flushed investments in their future after the MCI Institute of Technology shut its doors earlier this year.

According to a notice from the NJ Department of Labor (DOL), the school - a Florida Company Corp. - ceased to operate and closed its school at 2 Hudson Place in Hoboken on March 7.

“While this is an understandably trying time for all students affected by this closure, the [DOL] is asking for your patience,” the notice states. “Once all alternatives have been reviewed, you will be provided an explanation of your options. In the meantime, it is imperative that you contact your lending institution to notify it of the school’s closure.”

See the DOL’s recommendations for affected students here.

The school’s closure was reportedly an unpleasant surprise for many students, according to reports.

One student told Pix11 News that she’s already paid $17,000 tuition and completed half of the coursework.

The school shut down abruptly, notifying its stakeholders via email without any prior notice, the student alleged.

“This is our career… I put all my money into that school,” she told Pix 11 News.

“I’m giving one star for now because there’s something shady going on here,” a Yelp reviewer wrote on Feb. 25. “No one ever answers phones or emails, staff calls from personal phones and apparently the school’s name will change and is moving, information that has not been given to the students. Also my friend paid $2,000 extra then she was supposed to and has yet to get her money back. No one at the front desk staff barely answers, not that they even have much staff, so I don't know what to think about this school.”

As of April 6, the school’s website was inactive. But according to its LinkedIn page, the school “offers innovative education options for careers within Ultrasound that differ from traditional programs.”

“We offer small classroom sizes for more one on one attention, flexible online classes, as well as a focus on developing hands on experience in order to help you find lucrative employment in the field of Ultrasound,” the LinkedIn page states. “We have over 14 years of experience in the medical field… Come and see the MCI difference for yourself.”

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File photo by Mark Baylor via Flickr Commons