A career college that offered dental assisting and other training programs in Massachusetts and Maryland abruptly closed all of its campuses last week, citing financial troubles.
On January 9, American Career Institute (ACI) sent a letter to students informing them that, due to financial problems, all of its campuses would close immediately, according to an investigation by Republic Report.
ACI had campuses in Columbia, Silver Spring, and Baltimore, MD, and Springfield, Cambridge, Braintree, Framingham, and Woburn, MA. In addition to dental and medical assisting, it offered programs in Web design, gaming design, and computer network administration.
Massachusetts Attorney General Martha Coakley has opened an investigation of ACI and is working to assist students impacted by the closure and concerned about tuition payments, according to an official press release.
ACI owner and CEO Andree Fontaine told Republic Report that the 15-year-old school was hurt by declining enrollment resulting from increasing reluctance by students to borrow money in a bad economy. Tuition for the yearlong dental assisting program ranged from $16,000 to $18,000, depending on the school's location.
Late last month, the school announced a new dental assistant program in Silver Springs, even as the school's lender was "closing in," Republic Report noted.
