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Sanity check- wiring money overseas to pay for ILA CELTA

 
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s10czar



Joined: 20 Feb 2010
Posts: 60

PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 5:20 am    Post subject: Sanity check- wiring money overseas to pay for ILA CELTA Reply with quote

Hello,

Just doing a quick sanity check here. I've interviewed successfully for ILA's CELTA course and now they are giving me 1 week to wire $500 overseas to Vietnam to "reserve" my spot in the November course.

Does this jive with the experience of others? I can understand the psuedo-urgencey as a means to weed-out dreamers and fence-sitters. But a wire transfer??? Maybe I'm too westernized but why the devil can't I pay with a credit card? You would think a major outfit like ILA would be equiped to handle that.

Anyway, just doing my due-dilligence. Does this 1-week wire transfer business jive with the experience of others who have taken the CELTA through ILA???

Thanks,

Scott
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bingmayong



Joined: 27 May 2010
Posts: 24

PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 5:26 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

It was fine when we did it, we actually paid for the whole thing at once, but overpaid it as we weren't sure how much the wire fees would be. Once we got here, they gave us the change back.

Just so you know, there is an ILA sticky for all ILA questions now.
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H5N1



Joined: 15 Feb 2005
Posts: 80

PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 7:18 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

The CELTA program has successful candidates (that are accpted) wire the $500 to reserve a spot.

Yes, it protects other students who don't get a slot by missing out because someone pulled a "no show."

The deposit is standard procedure (according to all of the people I know that did the CELTA).
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Kornan DeKobb



Joined: 24 Jan 2010
Posts: 242

PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 4:54 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

If you haven't sent it yet, consider doing the CELTA at Apollo instead. But if you insist, don't fall for their crap about how you'll get a great job with them after passing your course. They lie.
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MrMrLuckyKhan



Joined: 08 Feb 2008
Posts: 282
Location: Kingdom of Cambodia

PostPosted: Tue Aug 03, 2010 7:46 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I did mine through Apollo last year and loved it. They also had me to a wire transfer since I was still in the US at the time... They also got most people to pay for Apollo's fees for received the wire transfer. It was never mentioned beforehand, but I think we all just decided to grin and bear it when they mentioned it when we arrived.... it was only an extra $10 or so...
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s10czar



Joined: 20 Feb 2010
Posts: 60

PostPosted: Thu Aug 05, 2010 4:16 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ok, got it. Thanks everyone. Guess I'd better get used to minor hassles if I'm contemplating living/working in Vietnam. Don't appreciate the extra fees involved in wiring funds, though.
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BrentBlack



Joined: 11 Apr 2010
Posts: 96
Location: Quan 3, Saigon

PostPosted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 1:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I am doing the October course at ILA. I just wired over the whole amount. No problems. This seems like standard procedure. Although, I too thought it was weird I could not pay with a credit card. Good luck!

Kornan DeKobb wrote:
If you haven't sent it yet, consider doing the CELTA at Apollo instead. But if you insist, don't fall for their crap about how you'll get a great job with them after passing your course. They lie.


Kornan,

I know you love Apollo, but you have got to stop suggesting that ILA screws people with false hope of a job. No where on there website do they guarantee anything! You obviously feel mistreated, but give it a rest. Unfortunately, your anger is the result of you not reading properly. And I quote the ILA website:

After the course you can apply for a job with ILA. However, completion of the course does not automatically guarantee you a job with ILA, and CELTA graduates must apply for a position through our Recruitment team.


I am not sure how that qualifies as BS? Maybe if you can't read, but then I would assume that you would not be in a CELTA course/English teacher if you couldn't read.

BB
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Kornan DeKobb



Joined: 24 Jan 2010
Posts: 242

PostPosted: Fri Aug 13, 2010 4:37 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

BrentBlack wrote:
I am doing the October course at ILA. I just wired over the whole amount. No problems. This seems like standard procedure. Although, I too thought it was weird I could not pay with a credit card. Good luck!

Kornan DeKobb wrote:
If you haven't sent it yet, consider doing the CELTA at Apollo instead. But if you insist, don't fall for their crap about how you'll get a great job with them after passing your course. They lie.


Kornan,

I know you love Apollo, but you have got to stop suggesting that ILA screws people with false hope of a job. No where on there website do they guarantee anything! You obviously feel mistreated, but give it a rest. Unfortunately, your anger is the result of you not reading properly. And I quote the ILA website:

After the course you can apply for a job with ILA. However, completion of the course does not automatically guarantee you a job with ILA, and CELTA graduates must apply for a position through our Recruitment team.


I am not sure how that qualifies as BS? Maybe if you can't read, but then I would assume that you would not be in a CELTA course/English teacher if you couldn't read.

BB

Brent,

I know you love to seem like the know-it-all from abroad who is not even here and wants to tell folks on the ground how it is, but you've got to stop doing it. I have no opinion about Apollo either way, although others were very satisfied with their CELTA training there.

Now, what if I told you that they just changed the wording on their website directly as a result of my complaint to NEAS, their accrediting agency?

Here is the wording I was promised:
Quote:
Whether you are new to teaching or have previous experience, we provide support and job placement services which are second to none.


Here is what they replaced it with:
Quote:
Whether you are new to teaching or have previous experience, we can provide support in finding a teaching position that is suitable for you.

And guess what? It is still BS! They got rid of the outright lie of "job placement services," and now just say "support in finding a teaching position," but it is zilch beyond providing an interview and giving names of some other schools and recruiters.

Feel like a fool now? You should.

But thanks for alerting me to the change. Now I have reason to pursue my complaint by showing how they continue to mislead people. THEY LIE.

And they suck. I bet Apollo is better. In the ILA course they taught me that it is OK to say
Quote:
Me and my friend ran from the room.
Shocked
I kid you not. I specifically asked this and was told this verbatim.

And I have not yet gotten a response from Cambridge ESOL. This is far from over. (Maybe I can get them stripped of accreditation before October! Laughing )

And btw, had you just paid the deposit now, you could have paid by CC once you got there. Too bad. Mad
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Kornan DeKobb



Joined: 24 Jan 2010
Posts: 242

PostPosted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 4:14 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I noticed Brent was browsing the forum but didn't dare come back here to post.

Can't blame him, can you?
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BrentBlack



Joined: 11 Apr 2010
Posts: 96
Location: Quan 3, Saigon

PostPosted: Mon Aug 16, 2010 5:22 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Kornan DeKobb wrote:
I noticed Brent was browsing the forum but didn't dare come back here to post.

Can't blame him, can you?


Brogan, its not as if I was afraid. I am not interested in engaging in a VC argument that will never be resolved. Your post sounded angry and vindictive. I do not post on this forum like a know it all from abroad. In fact, an overwhelming number of my posts are questions. Pretty much because I have no f-ing clue what is going on. The only time I post like I know what I am talking about is when I post about my experiences, mostly relating to my CELTA application and payment process. I have no desire to virtually wave my balls around via typing just so I feel better. In my experience, ILA has not misled me, in fact, the website and individuals I have dealt with, so far, have been clear and helpful. I am sorry that was not your experience. Anyhow, I do hope you eventually feel better about all this. Remember, the sun is always shining!

BB
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deadlift



Joined: 08 Jun 2010
Posts: 267

PostPosted: Tue Aug 17, 2010 2:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Kornan DeKobb wrote:
I noticed Brent was browsing the forum but couldn't be bothered coming back here to enage in a slinging match against someone who is clearly not interested in civil discussion.

Can't blame him, can you?


No, I can't blame him at all.
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MrMrLuckyKhan



Joined: 08 Feb 2008
Posts: 282
Location: Kingdom of Cambodia

PostPosted: Wed Aug 18, 2010 12:55 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

deadlift wrote:
Kornan DeKobb wrote:
I noticed Brent was browsing the forum but couldn't be bothered coming back here to enage in a slinging match against someone who is clearly not interested in civil discussion.

Can't blame him, can you?


No, I can't blame him at all.


LoL
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Kornan DeKobb



Joined: 24 Jan 2010
Posts: 242

PostPosted: Wed Aug 18, 2010 3:12 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

BrentBlack wrote:
Kornan DeKobb wrote:
I noticed Brent was browsing the forum but didn't dare come back here to post.

Can't blame him, can you?


Brogan, its not as if I was afraid. I am not interested in engaging in a VC argument that will never be resolved. Your post sounded angry and vindictive. I do not post on this forum like a know it all from abroad. In fact, an overwhelming number of my posts are questions. Pretty much because I have no f-ing clue what is going on. The only time I post like I know what I am talking about is when I post about my experiences, mostly relating to my CELTA application and payment process. I have no desire to virtually wave my balls around via typing just so I feel better. In my experience, ILA has not misled me, in fact, the website and individuals I have dealt with, so far, have been clear and helpful. I am sorry that was not your experience. Anyhow, I do hope you eventually feel better about all this. Remember, the sun is always shining!

BB

No problem, Eli. Everything's cool (and will be even cooler after I get my tuition refund!)

Have a nice, shiny day.
KK
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mark_in_saigon



Joined: 20 Sep 2009
Posts: 837

PostPosted: Mon Aug 23, 2010 12:52 pm    Post subject: it seems to me Reply with quote

that wherever we go in seeking employment with these big institutions, or in the much discussed case above, training, we are almost always going to be disappointed in the professionalism of the institutions. Obviously, they are not maintaining the standards we grew up expecting, but we did not grow up here. I also was touched by some very unprofessional dealings with ILA, and my solution would be to attempt to avoid them. However, honestly, I see similarly low standards everywhere I turn. I applaud Kornan for forcing those people to change their advertising to reflect reality, I also reported the institution for a different reason, but perhaps an even more flagrant incident. I think our efforts have about as much impact as the rain does flushing out the canals. In other words, they still stink pretty bad.
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Kornan DeKobb



Joined: 24 Jan 2010
Posts: 242

PostPosted: Mon Aug 23, 2010 2:46 pm    Post subject: Re: it seems to me Reply with quote

mark_in_saigon wrote:
that wherever we go in seeking employment with these big institutions, or in the much discussed case above, training, we are almost always going to be disappointed in the professionalism of the institutions. Obviously, they are not maintaining the standards we grew up expecting, but we did not grow up here. I also was touched by some very unprofessional dealings with ILA, and my solution would be to attempt to avoid them. However, honestly, I see similarly low standards everywhere I turn. I applaud Kornan for forcing those people to change their advertising to reflect reality, I also reported the institution for a different reason, but perhaps an even more flagrant incident. I think our efforts have about as much impact as the rain does flushing out the canals. In other words, they still stink pretty bad.

Really? Do tell, even if it must be in a pm!
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