Working at EDMC Education Management Corporation — Reviews by Employees

Reading all of these posts, I would suggest contacting the US Department of Education, what is concerning is the payments that the Admission Representative are receiving. The politics will never stop at any company, but there are Federal Regulations with the Compensation that Admission Representatives can not be based soley on enrollments. This is a good way to change their business practices, and it will effect the politics that go on there and hopefully make it a better place to work.

I have worked at 2 other organizations that compete with EDMC. I have learned a lot at each one of them and have a lot of respect for what each of them do. It is my personal opionion that EDMC offers the great opportunity for career growth and true professional development. I will say that admissions/enrollment is not for everyone and most of the bitter reviews written are from those that could not or decided not to perform at the highest level. This is true in any position with any company. You are not going to get a good review from somebody who was either let go because of performance or quit because they felt they deserved to be paid more. I have never felt that EDMC has done any unethical. Each person decides on their own what they will or will not do. There is just no place for forcing unethical behavior. If someone feels that way, again they are in a position that is not cut out for them. Although every company can improve in areas, EDMC being no exception, it is a great company to work for and I would invite anyone who is looking for a rewarding place to have a career to look into a position with the company.

This company is a people mill. They tell you every week you are expendable. They want you to work 6 days a week with no extra incentive. Management is not competent and I am in fear of my job daily. Please, so one out there help us!

The campus leadership and work environment is balancing out since the numero uno dictator Glenn and his DOA puppet Joe left town!

Bottom line: this company is totally shady, and the admissions rep position SUCKS. RUN. FAST. They are flirting with the fine line between being a diploma mill and real school and all they care about is Title IV funding for "students" who have online access to seal their unfortunate fate of choosing an online education from a for profit "institution". EDMC promotes "helping change lives" and "fulfill the dream" of potential students. Translate: they want the cash from poor, uneducated and usually unemployed people who feel that education might be a fit for them. The EDMC marketing group is a bunch of bottom feeders who pander to people who don't do their homework (no pun intended) about a good choice for education. In training, they show you a 60 Minutes story (I'm sure this is on youtube, please look for it) about the diploma mill scam, and how schools have been shut down. The trainers are very proud to point out that EDMC is not mentioned in this story. That video scared the bejezzus out of me at the thought of EDMC even being considered a part of this scam. But they are, and so is every other for profit institution out there. There are MANY better choices for students, and trust me, at $448 per credit, this school is hardly a good deal.

There are only a few reasons you should EVER work here and here they are: 1) you have a criminal record or some background that will show up in a real company background check (there's none here), 2) you have no sales experience or you're fresh out of college, 3) you're a regular drug user (no drug test), or 4) you have no college degree. Funny how a "college" doesn't require you to have a degree to work there.

You're locked at a desk for 8 hours a day clicking a mouse, sometimes making 400 calls per day and not speaking to a single human being. You talk to people all day who don't even have a grasp of the English language let alone be able to make it through "college". The sales process is all smoke and mirrors. They use this great tactic called a "second voice" which means that you're handing off a potential student, on the phone, to your "director" who is supposed to make the student feel more comfortable, i.e., close the sale. They're trying to create an illusion of a real school which is easy to do on the phone. Deplorable behavior on the part of MANY employees (yelling, bouncing balls, etc).

Pay - sucks. If you start high on the food chain (and by high I mean 45 to 50 K which ain't high in my book for sales) you will NEVER increase your salary without being shady and push to the point that it's painful for you and the student. They say you can increase your salary significantly after your first 6 months - sure, if you're fed like the top producers are, which you won't be, or if you're one of Bernie Madoff's disciples. This is a no win situation for pay. For the amount of money you make here, you can find a job with WAY less stress and be WAY happier.

Respect - zero. If you're getting applications from students, you're fine for the time being. Sales is not about respect so this is no surprise. Look out if you're not producing, you will have a bullseye on your back, forehead, and chest. No help from anywhere.

Benefits - good, if you want to pay out the nose for them. The flex spending program is a pain but worth it. 401K is decent. Free "education" if you want it. if you have no degree and you can stomach this hell hole for a couple years, not a bad idea.

Job security - a joke. There is none. Very high school environment so if you're playing the game you're ok. If not, forget it. And FORGET IT if you're not getting applications, even though the lead sources are out of your control completely.

Career potential - EDMC is making money hand over fist, which is what attracted me, but HOW they're making their money is very disturbing. Managers are all average age about 28 and have limited life experience let alone sales experience. Many people are scrambling to get out of admissions because it sucks so bad, but even other departments don't want to hire people from admissions because they know the person is looking to jump ship anywhere they can. If you're good at the casting couch approach, you'll be very successful in a very short time.

Location - Strip district of Pittsburgh. Loved being there, but you pay to park, minimum of $65 per month. That blows. If you're physically challenged in any way, you will never be able to work here since you have to walk a great distance from anywhere to the office. Of course, when they move the entire operation out to Phoenix in the near future, that won't be a factor at all.

Co worker competence - everyone, especially directors and their directors, is VERY well versed in financial aid because that's the only way this company makes money of course. Managers are a joke, 28 year old used car salespeople who are promoted based on their succes in admissions, NOT on actual qualifications. They teach barbaric and pushy sales tactics and you will be ostracized if you don't use them. You'll also be unsuccessful because being shady and unethical are the only way you can be successful here.

Work environment - sucks also. Hours are horrible, you can work until 8PM depending on your shift. Forget about having a personal life. Managers constantly hound you about doing overtime during the week as well as on weekends which is good for your paycheck but sucks for your personal life. There is a HUGE infestation of mice in the entire building and it's covered with mouse traps. Don't be surprised to open your drawer at your desk and find a family of mice. It's happened. Several times. Most unprofessional work environment I've ever worked in. It's like high school only without the bells and the lockers. So much for "raising the level of professionalism," which is what the CEO said he wants to do. That's a joke.

If you are an honest individual do not take a position with this company. This place is like being in the 8th grade all over again. You are either "In the Click" or you are not. If you are not the apple of your "Directors" eye, then you will endure a painstaking year of the same salary if you do not get fired in the meantime. If you like brown -nosing or sleeping your way to the top; I stongly encourage you to obtain immediate employment - you will THRIVE. This place is not about helping people get educated; it is all about the MONEY. The very last day of your telemarketing training, you are introduced to the Matrix whereas you can make a ton of money only after 6 months. You are handed leads as old as ten years old and expected to make 150-200 calls per day from them with a few new Careerbuilder leads daily. The new leads are called three times a day. Very similar to stalking someone. You are told that you will receive your "fair share" of leads. WRONG!!! If your "director" does not like you for any reason at all; you will be stuck on the autodialer they call PACE all day long while the favorites are being handed the "Golden" leads in strict confidence. ("Make sure you never tell anyone that I gave you this lead.") The director's favorite workers get leads left and right and do not have to autodial for 8 hours straight like the bottom feeders that are not favored. Sound fair?

Someone should report this place to the Department of Education. There is a $50 application fee for all students to apply. Some are pursuaded to pay while others have it waived at the discretion of the director This fee is not applied to the new students financial aid nor is it refunded back to the applicant. Why are some being charged this fee while others are not. More importantly why isn't the money applied to to the applicants financial plan? It essentially is discriminating against those who are willing to pay the fee.

You may read favorable posts to this website. These are the brown-nosers or extra marital affair co-workers that I was referring to earlier. Looking for a career with security? Try a reputable company, not an institution that grossly overcharges people to go back to school and maintains a constant revolving door for it's employees.

lack of integrity and appreciation for employees

But let me begin with positives...students, benefits...and my co-workers
biggest complaint....salary!! Goldman sachs was bailed out and we get a mere 1.8 raise!!!!
my friends who teach high school make more than we do!!
admissions director is a ruthless and power-hungry - ec committee, lacks integrity

The company treats its employees as disposable as napkins and uses scare tactics and fear to motivate.

Well put in the last posting, right on the money! Actually it is worse in Pittsburgh, but you have to remember alot of the people that are in charge in Phoenix came from Pittsburgh, and they have the buddy system that they protect each other.

Pay-Is good if you make the numbers, higher ups control that, and make things happen for their puppets.
Respect- Just last week I seen two higher ups humilate the same girl two different times in front of other co-workers, one time it was in a morning meeting.
Benefits-Are good
Job Security-If you make the numbers you are secure.
Location-Not bad

Pay-Well the better you can scam the student to enroll and paint the perfect picture and sell the financial aid and don't forget to tell them about the refund with the money left over they will get the Matrix Pay Scale will work for you, big increases 6 months potenial of increasing your pay by 5 thousand even up to 30 thousand in the six months of employment. The employees that do things the right way, you will not get those increases, they will clip away your starting salary with decreases, and eventually get fired or have to quit. Recently a group of us sent copies to the US Department of Edcuation to make sure the are following the quidelines. The Quality Points of the Matrix doesn't add up, it looks like the Matrix is based soley of securing enrollments.

Respect- If you break all the rules, you are respected and you are a superstar. If you question anything that is unethical, you days will be limited and you are an outcast with no respect.

Benefits-The only positive thing about the corporation.

Work/Life Balance-Hours are terrible they is two Locations for the Call Centers, Pittsburgh and Phoenix, there really isn't a reason the employees shouldn't have better work schedules, especially the people that have kids, and some employees need to work a part-time job, in today economy and it is impossible to work a part-time job.

Career Potenial/Growth- Superstars get promoted, with no management experience, very young, used car sales mentality.

Location-Not bad

Co-Worker Competence- 80 percent belong in a fast-food chain career.

Work Environment- Unproffesional, work place is nice, but we are For-Profit, they do spend alot of money to make it look nice for the image.