Pacific Coast, a Private Nursing School, Closes
A private nursing school shut down Friday, closing the doors on nearly 600 students who attended classes at campuses in Santa Ana and Chula Vista.
Pacific Coast College officials disclosed little information about the closing, referring all questions to the school’s corporate parent in Los Angeles, United Education and Software.
Officials there could not be reached for comment, but top executives had complained to school administrators that Pacific Coast was losing money at the rate of about $75,000 a week.
Pacific Coast College students may be able to seek some sort of relief for their lost classes from the California Student Tuition Recovery Fund. But it was not clear yesterday whether they will be able to transfer their credits to other private schools or community colleges with similar courses.
United Education and Software has a history of financial difficulties dating back to December, 1989, when the corporation filed for bankruptcy protection. Officials there took that action after a series of problems including student loan-processing foul-ups, a federal audit of one of the company’s schools and a consumer-protection complaint brought by the state of California.
The consumer protection complaint was eventually settled when the company agreed to provide $6.5 million in loan credits for students who were owed refunds.
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