...
Finding out
I phoned ICS, I spent quite some on the phone taking with their representative. I confirmed what their ads said I could do this course at home I didn't have to go to college. They would send all my course material to my door and I could start as soon as I received it.
I ... Read review
Advantages: Do it at your pace at home Disadvantages: No tutor support, Sales People don't tell you everything
...agreement, which I returned to ICS and started my course.
The Material & Tests
=================
I completed the first three tests with great ease; I did read the course material just to make sure I was doing it properly. When I got to the fourth test, I came across some difficulties I had to produce a set of accounts, which I did, I had had to produce a trial balance to prove the accuracy of the accounts. Basically ... ...still didn't balance. I phoned ICS to speak to a tutor; I discovered that a tutor was not available because they were at work! I asked why I had been told that a "tutor would always be available for me", the reply I received was "you was not told that". I had an argument with the advisor, as I know what I was told.
The Tutor
========
I ended the call because I had arranged for the tutor to ... more
I would imagine most people have seen the ads on TV; you can study at home, at your own pace, tutors available to help. The promises sound good but they don't live up to it.
I was working as a receptionist at the time at an accountants and my employer got me involved in doing some basic bookkeeping. I enjoyed it and they decided I was a better bookkeeper and they would find another receptionist.
I want a qualification so that I had some in writing for this skill, my employer wasn't interested in helping me financially or time to study.
Finding out =========
I phoned ICS, I spent quite some on the phone taking with their representative. I confirmed what their ads said I could do this course at home I didn't have to go to college. They would send all my course material to my door and I could start as soon as I received it.
I thought there had to be a catch, what was the price for this course? £300 pounds in total, I would have pay a small deposit first and spread the rest over 9 monthly instalments. That was good as well, what about support, a tutor would always be available by phone, post and email. I was also ensure about what the course contained, I was told that if I thought the course was not for me I could send it back as long as I had not used any of the material.
After discussing with a few friends and family members I decided to go ahead. I rang the advisor up paid a deposit with my credit card, gave them my bank details for the direct debits for the further payments.
The Delivery ==========
I received my material within 7 days I had a read through the make sure it was something that I could understand and complete. I had learned a lot a work and when I was reading through the tests, I realised that I didn't need to read the some course material, as I already knew it. I signed the agreement, which I returned to ICS and started my course.
The Material & Tests =================
I completed the first three tests with great ease; I did read the course material just to make sure I was doing it properly. When I got to the fourth test, I came across some difficulties I had to produce a set of accounts, which I did, I had had to produce a trial balance to prove the accuracy of the accounts. Basically if the trial balance doesn't balance then the accounts are wrong. I couldn't get this trial balance to balance so I checked the accounts, they were fine. I did the trial balance again, it still didn't balance. I phoned ICS to speak to a tutor; I discovered that a tutor was not available because they were at work! I asked why I had been told that a "tutor would always be available for me", the reply I received was "you was not told that". I had an argument with the advisor, as I know what I was told.
The Tutor ========
I ended the call because I had arranged for the tutor to call me once they had finished working after 9pm when they return all calls to all students. I waited until 10.30pm and did not receive a call. I phoned them again the next day and asked why I did not receive a call, I was told that returning a call could take up to 48 hours. I was satisfied that I would receive a call that evening but I didn't. I sent an email at 11.30pm that evening asking the tutor to contact me, as I needed help, as the test was not correct. I did not get a reply.
I spent a week of phoning, emailing and writing and still not manage to speak to a tutor. After that week I took the test to work for my boss to do, a qualified accountant, and sure enough his trial balance did not balance.
Customer Service =============
I wrote a letter to them saying I did not want to finish the course, since it was not correct, and would not be paying for anymore instalments and I had cancelled my direct debit. I only received a letter from them when they tried to take money from my bank account without success saying that I must post a cheque to them to keep my instalment plan arrangement.
I replied telling them again why I wasn't paying but they were not happy with that, they wanted their money for the course. Apparently I should have been told that I only had 7 days to cancel the course, so even if I hadn't started it I could not have cancelled. I was also told that the tutor had replied to all my phone calls, emails and letters. To this date I have not seen anything and I check my email everyday.
Overview =======
The initial calls were great, the advisors were very helpful, the delivery times were quick and there was very little fuss in the set up as well. The coarse material was very easy to understand and even had mini tests at the end of each section to make sure you had taken it all in.
The faults with ICS were the tutors that didn't help and test that you would never had passed, this should be very important for a company like ICS but they are more interested in being paid.
I am currently still paying for this course at £1 per month; I'm making them wait for their money. If anyone is thinking of taking a home learning course, don't use ICS.
Advantages: work at your own pace Disadvantages: requires a lot of motivation, not much help given, expensive, very difficult...need I go on??
...advert on TV, I contacted ICS and asked for them to send me some information. The adviser on the phone was very helpful and answered all of my questions. I received a pack that consisted of booklets and leaflets about the subjects offered a short while later and made my choice to do GCSE psychology. ~Pricing~ At around £250, it was quite a lot to pay for my 15-year-old self but they offered an instalment plan that helped. This way, I had to pay a ... ...~I don’t get it…~
ICS like to send the course material in instalments so you only get a new section once you have completed the previous. The first pack of materials for my course (a ring binder, some separators and the first section of my course) arrived within a week or so and I started checking it out straight away. However, after reading pages and pages of what seemed to be a never-ending section about perception, I got tired and gave up. The ...
aysegul 01.05.2004
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of ICS Diplomas
Advantages: Tutors can be helpful, modules are structured well Disadvantages: Errors in course material, poor customer service once you are committed
...committing to my course with ICS - I can only hope that the next person to consider a course with them reads the reviews on this website first and takes note before making their decision!
INITIAL CONTACT
I wanted to complete a Human Resources course that only required limited study outside work - I am quite new to the job and didn't want to be asking to take time off to attend college. I had an e-mail from ICS offering me 20% of any online course: ... ...other... :-) so I contacted ICS again and asked them to re-send the package to my home address again. Which they did - but, again, delivered it to the corner shop - who again sent it back. Really frustrated, I gave them two weeks to get the items to my actual address this time, which eventually they managed to do. So five weeks after I was raring to go with the course, the materials turned up. Not a great start!!
THE COURSE MATERIAL
At first glance ...
swindon2551 05.07.2007 (04.07.2007)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of ICS Diplomas
Advantages: fine if you live near an exam centre that's actually sitting the exams! Disadvantages: A complete rip-off, unhelpful, refusal to refund course fees
...my LEA.
I phoned ICS to ask what else I could do, as I had trouble getting through to my LEA, and was greeted with an extremely unhelpful advisor. By this point, I had also worked out from the Edexcel timetable of examinations that I couldn't physically sit all 6 exams in one year (an argument that ICS still refutes). It also said in the original literature sent from ICs that this was the case (however, they reckon that they got it wrong in the ... ...plans.
At the moment, ICS have won. They've got my money, I'm not studying with them anymore, they won't give me my money back. I've lost out.
I'm currently studying for my Diploma in Literature with the Open University, which has been a much more pleasant and professional experience (plus its a higher qualification at the end!) Unfortunately, in this instance, if you want quality you've got to pay for it. My diploma is costing me nearly ten times ...
nearlyfivefoot 05.12.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of ICS Diplomas
Advantages: Can inspire you, interesting, different Disadvantages: Rude customer services, poor interaction. NO DIPLOMA!
...entirely to this subject because ICS will not issue me with mine!!
I finally completed an ICS distance learning course on Freelance Journalism in April this year. I say finally because it actually took me four years to complete and 2 extra payments of £75 a time to extend the deadlines. I can’t say why it took me so long, it wasn’t a particularly difficult course especially if you enjoy writing. It wasn’t any particular grade or level and you didn’t ... ...And to my main point: ICS should send the diploma which you have worked so hard to achieve!! Since April I have contacted : my tutor who told me to contact customer services and customer services five times. Each time they have apologised that the last person didn’t send the diploma and assured me they would. I know that the proof is in the writing and I don’t actually need this piece of paper but as they say; it’s the principle! What has really ...
Kazzay 22.10.2004 (17.11.2004)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of ICS Diplomas
Advantages: Good way to learn, reliable organisation since 1890. Disadvantages: A bit pricey
I have just completed an ICS course on HTML 4.0 fundamentals and I am currently working on HTML 4.0 advanced. The course came supplied with two CD-ROM's. When using the CD-ROM, you can set the voice on or off and choose between classic and the common interface. Before you start the course, you can look at the overview of the course, or if you wish, start the exam straight away. This is not advisable because, you need to practice if you want to get ... ...you start the exam, you will go through a series of lessons that are relevant to the exam. You can take the exam as many times as you want because, the more you take the exam, the better your final score. The exam scores are stored in a log, which shows you the number of attempts you had made and your final score of which you have to print it and send to ICS.
Why study with ICS?
1. Gain industry recognition of your skills 2. Choose from a wide ...
rambo 11.01.2001 (13.01.2001)
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Advantages: gain qualifications to put on your cv,could start your own business Disadvantages: need motivation,no contact when enrolling over internet
and the course never gets done. However, because I want it so much I’m finding that gives me the motivation. I do have days when I don’t want to do it but my fiancé always gives me the support I need.
As I mentioned with the ways to enrol, you do not get confirmation through e-mail once you have enrolled online. After reading the website again it does say they need to process your enrolment first (they can decline enrolment if they want to), before your course is sent out to you. I found this did take around a week and a half to get to me but I was really impatient.
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AimeeLouise18 21.09.2004
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