Trump University: A Student Enrollment Overview

Between 2005 and 2010, thousands of students attended Trump University, a real-estate training program owned and operated by The Trump Organization. Records indicate that 7,611 tickets were sold to customers, with 6,000 of these for a $1,500 3-day course, and 1,000 for silver, gold, or elite mentored courses ranging from $10,000 to $35,000. The program was not an accredited university or college, and did not confer degrees or college credit. It was the subject of multiple lawsuits and student complaints, and ceased operations in 2011.

How many students attended Trump University?

Trump University, also known as the Trump Wealth Institute and Trump Entrepreneur Initiative LLC, was an American company that ran a real estate training program from 2005 to 2010. It was owned and operated by The Trump Organization and was founded by Donald Trump, Michael Sexton, and Jonathan Spitalny. Despite its name, the organization was not an accredited university or college. Instead, it conducted three- and five-day seminars, often called "retreats," and used high-pressure tactics to sell them to customers.

Records indicate that 7,611 tickets were sold to customers attending courses. About 6,000 of these tickets were for a $1,500 3-day course, and 1,000 were for silver, gold, or elite mentored courses ranging in price from $10,000 to $35,000. While Trump University did not confer college credit, grant degrees, or grade its "students", it employed many of the same tactics as predatory colleges, such as preying on vulnerable populations and implying that the school offered a fast track to financial security.

In 2011, amid multiple investigations, lawsuits, and student complaints, Trump University ceased operations. The company became the subject of an inquiry by the New York Attorney General's office for illegal business practices, resulting in a lawsuit filed in August 2013. Additionally, Trump University was the subject of two class-action lawsuits in federal court, which alleged that the company defrauded its students through misleading marketing practices and aggressive sales tactics.

In November 2016, Trump settled all three lawsuits for a total of $25 million. The settlement included $21 million for the participants in the class-action lawsuits and $3 million for New Yorkers not covered by the class actions. An additional penalty of up to $1 million was assessed by the state of New York for running an unlicensed university.

In conclusion, while the exact number of attendees of Trump University's seminars is not known, records indicate that at least 7,611 tickets were sold to customers. The settlement of the lawsuits against Trump University suggests that there were likely thousands of students who considered themselves victims of the company's misleading practices.

What did students learn at Trump University?

Trump University, also known as the Trump Wealth Institute and Trump Entrepreneur Initiative LLC, was an American company that ran a real estate training program from 2005 to 2010. It was founded in 2004 by Donald Trump and his associates Michael Sexton and Jonathan Spitalny. The company offered courses in real estate, asset management, entrepreneurship, and wealth creation.

Despite its name, Trump University was not an accredited university or college. It conducted three- and five-day seminars, often called "retreats," and used high-pressure tactics to sell them to customers. The instruction typically began with an introductory seminar in rented spaces such as hotel ballrooms, where students were urged to sign up for additional classes. These classes ranged from $1,495 seminars to a $35,000 "Gold Elite" program.

Records indicate that about 6,000 tickets were sold for a $1,500 3-day course, and 1,000 tickets were sold for silver, gold, or elite mentored courses ranging from $10,000 to $35,000. The operation used many of the same tactics as predatory colleges, preying on vulnerable populations and implying that the school offered a fast track to financial security.

Although Trump claimed that students gave the program 98% favorable reviews, some former students alleged that they were pressured by Trump University employees to give positive feedback. In reality, the program did not confer college credit, grant degrees, or grade its students.

Trump University ceased operations in 2011 amid multiple investigations, lawsuits, and student complaints. It became the subject of inquiries by the New York Attorney General's office for illegal business practices and was accused of defrauding its students through misleading marketing practices and aggressive sales tactics. Despite Trump's repeated denials, he eventually settled all three lawsuits in November 2016 for a total of $25 million.

How much did Trump University courses cost?

The cost of courses at Trump University varied depending on the type of course. The introductory seminar urged students to sign up for additional classes, ranging from $1,495 seminars to a $35,000 "Gold Elite" program.

Records indicate that 7,611 tickets were sold to customers attending courses. About 6,000 of these were for a $1,500 3-day course, and 1,000 were for silver, gold, or elite mentored courses ranging in price from $10,000 to $35,000.

Did Trump University offer any benefits to students?

Trump University, also known as the Trump Wealth Institute and Trump Entrepreneur Initiative LLC, was an American company that ran a real estate training program from 2005 to 2010. It was founded in 2004 by Donald Trump and his associates Michael Sexton and Jonathan Spitalny. Despite its name, the organization was not an accredited university or college. It conducted three- and five-day seminars, often called "retreats", and used high-pressure tactics to sell them to its customers.

While the organization did not confer college credit, grant degrees, or grade its students, it did offer courses in real estate, asset management, entrepreneurship, and wealth creation. The instruction's focus was real estate investing, with Trump claiming in advertisements, "I can turn anyone into a successful real estate investor, including you."

Trump University was the subject of multiple investigations, lawsuits, and student complaints, and it ceased operations in 2011. Three lawsuits were filed, asserting that Trump University engaged in illegal business practices, including false claims and racketeering. The lawsuits also centered around allegations that Trump University defrauded its students by using misleading marketing practices and engaging in aggressive sales tactics.

Despite these controversies, it is possible that some students may have benefited from the courses and programs offered by Trump University, particularly those interested in real estate investing. However, it is important to note that the organization was not a legitimate educational institution and did not provide the same benefits as an accredited university or college.

In conclusion, while Trump University may have offered some educational content, its benefits to students were limited, and it ultimately ceased operations due to legal and ethical concerns.

What was the outcome of the Trump University lawsuits?

Trump University was an American company that ran a real estate training program from 2005 to 2010. It was owned and operated by The Trump Organization.

In 2011, amid multiple investigations, lawsuits, and student complaints, it ceased operations. The company offered courses in real estate, asset management, entrepreneurship, and wealth creation. Despite its name, the organization was not an accredited university or college. It conducted three- and five-day seminars (often called "retreats") and used high-pressure tactics to sell them to its customers.

Three lawsuits were filed asserting that Trump University engaged in a variety of illegal business practices, ranging from false claims to racketeering. Two were federal class actions: one against Trump University and its managers, including Trump, and one against Trump personally. A third case was filed in New York State court.

In 2005, the New York State Department of Education sent Trump, Sexton, and Trump University a letter saying that they were violating state law by using the word "university" when Trump University was not actually chartered as one and did not have the required license to offer live instruction or training.

In 2013, in a lawsuit filed by New York Attorney General Eric Schneiderman, Trump was accused of defrauding more than 5,000 people of $40 million for the opportunity to learn Trump's real estate investment techniques in a for-profit training program. Trump ultimately stopped using the term "University" following a 2010 order from New York regulators, who called Trump's use of the word "misleading and even illegal".

In a separate class action civil suit against Trump University in mid-February 2014, a San Diego federal judge allowed claimants in California, Florida, and New York to proceed. A Trump counterclaim, alleging that the state attorney general's investigation was accompanied by a campaign donation shakedown, was investigated by a New York ethics board and dismissed in August 2015.

Trump filed a $1 million defamation suit against former Trump University student Tarla Makaeff, who had spent about $37,000 on seminars, after she joined the class action lawsuit and publicized her classroom experiences on social media. Trump University was later ordered by a U.S. district judge in April 2015 to pay Makaeff and her lawyers $798,774.24 in legal fees and costs.

In November 2015, the district court ruled on Trump's motion for summary judgment. In a 44-page opinion, the court denied Trump's motion for summary judgment on most of the claims, finding that there was a genuine issue of fact on the plaintiffs' claims of deceptive practices and misrepresentation in advertisements in violation of California, Florida, and New York consumer protection and business law and therefore letting these claims proceed to trial.

In November 2016, it was reported that Trump had agreed to pay $25 million to settle the two class actions and the New York suit. The settlement was reached 10 days before the San Diego class action was scheduled to go to trial. $21 million went to the participants in the class actions, $3 million to New Yorkers not covered by the class actions, and a penalty of up-to $1 million will be assessed by the state of New York for running an unlicensed university. The plaintiffs' attorneys agreed to forgo their fees and work pro bono to maximize the amount that will go to the approximately 7,000 former Trump University students involved in the case. The settlement also specified that Trump, who had previously said he would never settle, did not admit any wrongdoing.

Final payment of the settlement was put on hold because one member of the class opted out of the settlement to pursue an individual claim. A district court and an appeals court rejected that person's claim, and Curiel finalized the settlement in April 2018. Former students can now get a refund of up to 90% of the money they spent on courses.

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