Gold Coast Policies & Procedures

Gold Coast Policies & Procedures
The following policies shall govern the administration of all courses offered by Gold
Coast. No oral or written representation by any registrar or instructor shall supersede
the written policies of Gold Coast Schools.

Tuition fees: Tuition covers class fees and one set of materials (if included in tuition).
Tuition must be paid in full prior to the start of any class. Certain classes (ie: contractor,
etc.) may require additional materials that are not included in the course tuition. Please
check with staff regarding what is or is not included with each class.

Material updates: From time to time course materials will be updated and changed. For
courses that include materials, Gold Coast will provide the student with one set of
materials. If the materials are later updated or revised, it is the student’s responsibility
to pay for upgraded materials.

Deposits: Partial deposits will be honored for one year from the date the deposit was
made. During the one year period deposits may only be transferred to another student
or another class provided the student has not attended any class sessions and provided
that Gold Coast is notified in writing as to the student’s intentions. Gold Coast has the
sole right and discretion to approve or disapprove of any deposit transfer.

Refund and Cancellation Policy:

       Pre-License, and Post License classroom courses - No refunds are given
       after the first session of any course. For any course that is greater than 10
       hours, the first session is defined as the first four (4) hours of the course. For
       any course that is ten (10) hours or less, the first session is defined as the first
       two (2) hours of the course. For any courses that include books or other course
       materials, these materials must be returned in brand-new and saleable condition
       (no writing, highlighting, or any other damage). If materials are not returned in a
       brand-new and saleable condition, the cost of said materials will be deducted
       from any refund. Any request for a refund must be received no later than 30 days
       after the scheduled class start date. Gold Coast does not charge a cancellation
       fee if student needs to cancel or re-schedule at least 24 hours prior to the start of
       class. Students who do not show up for a scheduled class without 24 hours prior
       notice (no show) relinquish their right to a refund. However, the student will have
       a class credit with Gold Coast for one year from the date payment was made.

       Online Courses, and online practice exams - Once a student purchases an
       online course, no refunds or credits will be given. Online courses and practice
       exams expire one year from date of purchase. Students who register for the
       online course are not eligible to review classroom based courses. However,
       students who wish to transfer to the classroom course will be able to do so upon
       paying a $50 transfer and materials fee plus the difference between the
       classroom and online course tuition. All transfers must be approved by the school

Administrator or Director. Classroom and online courses are different courses.
       Time spent in each cannot be transferred or interchanged. Any course materials
       will be shipped within 7 days of registration. Additional charges for shipping may
       apply to any materials being shipped outside of the Continental United States.

Continuing Education, and all one day classes - No refunds are given after the first
break of any course scheduled for less than 15 hours. Any request for a refund must be
received no later than 30 days after the scheduled class start date. Gold Coast does not
charge a cancellation fee if student needs to cancel or re-schedule prior to the start of
class. Students who do not show up for a scheduled class without prior notice (no show)
relinquish their right to a refund. However, the student will have a class credit with Gold
Coast for one year from the date payment was made.
       Cram Courses - All cram course sales are final. No refunds are given after the
       student receives course materials. Gold Coast does not charge a cancellation fee
       if you need to cancel or re-schedule prior to the start of class.

       Bookstore items - No returns or refunds on bookstore purchases including:
       books, videos, cd’s, dvd’s, calculators, flashcards, etc. All sales are final. If an
       item is defective we will gladly exchange it for a new one of the same version
       within ten (10) days of purchase date. A check returned by students’ bank for any
       reason, will incur a service charge.

Study Buddy Program: A 10% study buddy program discount will apply for any group of
two or more students that register at the same time for the same pre-license class. Both
students must be pre-registered and tuition must be paid in full at least 24 hours prior to
the start of class. No retroactive discounts will be given, and no study buddy discounts
will be honored on the start date of the class.

Coupons, Discounts, etc: Any student registering with a referral card or discount coupon
must be pre-registered and paid in full at least 24 hours prior to the start of the class to
receive the discount. The card must be presented during the initial registration. No
retroactive discounts will be given, and no discounts will be honored on the start date of
the class. Gold Coast does not accept or honor coupons or discount codes that are not
specifically authorized and published by Gold Coast (ie: online coupon sites).

Transfer Policy: Students cannot arbitrarily switch back and forth between schools,
classes, or crams without the prior written authorization from the Director or
Administrator. Instructors cannot authorize transfers. Students who switch schools for
crams, classes, or exams without prior written authorization may find themselves
bumped from class as seating priority is given to those who attended class at each
location. Students switching from one program to another (ie: online to class, or English
to Spanish) may be charged a transfer fee if the transfer is permitted.

NSF Check Charges: An NSF fee of $30 shall be charged for all returned checks. The
student is responsible for all payments, regardless of who pays for the class (ie:

company or relative).

Materials: Students are given only one set of materials. Materials change periodically.
Replacement materials are the student’s responsibility.

Repeats/Retakes: (Real Estate and Appraisal students only) FREC and FREAB rules
dictate that students who fail a class exam must wait at least 30 days before retaking
the exam. If a student wants to test prior to the 30 days, he or she must repeat the
entire course before being eligible to retest. If a student fails the retake exam, he or she
must repeat the entire course before being eligible to retest. Retake students will have
priority over review students if classes are full.

Review Students: Review students are students who have passed the end of course
exam, but wish to further review prior to the state exam. Three rules apply for review
students. 1) Review students are asked to register with the office. 2) All review is on a
space available basis. New students and retake students will have priority over review
students. 3) Review students are asked not to participate in classroom discussions.

Hurricane/Tropical Storm Policy: In the event of inclement weather, Gold Coast
management will monitor storms and make decisions regarding cancellation of classes
on a case by case basis. In the event of a class cancellation all efforts will be made to
quickly reschedule classes as time and classroom space permit. It is not always
possible to schedule makeup classes on the same days and times as the classes that
are cancelled.

Cram Courses: Students must pre-register for all cram courses and are expected to
complete all cram materials prior to attending the cram. Crams are intended for those
who have completed their class and are preparing for the state exam. Students can only
register for one cram at a time.

ID Badges: Students will be issued an ID that is your "PASS TO CLASS". ID must be
worn at all times when in Gold Coast buildings, including attending classes or doing
business with the office. ID’s will be checked prior to admittance to all cram courses.
Admittance and all administrative work (including notary, pass-slips etc.) will be denied
to any student who cannot show a valid and current ID. There is a $10 fee to replace
lost ID'S.

Cell phones and pagers: Cell phone usage is discouraged inside Gold Coast buildings,
due to the noise level created. Please be courteous to other students and hold
conversations outside of the building. Cell phones must be turned off or in silent mode
while in class. Repeat offending students may be asked to leave class and will not be
permitted back in with their phones or pagers.

Laptop computers: Laptops are permitted in class provided they are being used for note
taking purposes and are not distracting to surrounding students. Students with laptops
will be asked to sit in specific areas. Anyone found to be using a computer in any

manner deemed inappropriate by the instructor will not be permitted to further use the
computer in class.

Recording Devices: Recording devices (including tape recorders, digital recorders,
cameras, camera phones, video recorders, etc.) are not permitted to be used in class.

Absences: Each state agency limits the amount of time students are allowed to miss.
Instructors will explain this policy in class. Students missing in excess of the allowed
time will be required to make up the time and material prior to testing.

Smoking: Smoking of any type, including electronic cigarettes, is prohibited inside all
Gold Coast facilities. Students are permitted to smoke outside of the buildings, away
from the building entrances.

Classroom comfort: Classrooms are generally kept in the range of 73-75 degrees.
Instructors will adjust for overall class comfort. Classroom temperatures may vary,
please dress accordingly.

Neatness: Students are asked to please replace chairs when leaving class and to place
trash in the containers provided. Please do not place chewing gum under our chairs.
Any students found to be vandalizing any Gold Coast property will be dismissed from
class, without a refund.

Questions: The nature of the State required material and the time frame allowed
requires that class be presented in a highly structured format. Each instructor has his or
her own specific policy on answering student questions which will be explained at the
start of class.

Class Examinations: Class exams are required to be administered under secure
conditions. Students found cheating on an exam will be dismissed from class with no
credit and no refund. Any incidents of suspected cheating may be reported to the
appropriate state agency.

Exam Review: Class exams are utilized as an evaluation to determine whether or not a
student is qualified to proceed to the State examination. Class exams are not part of the
learning process. Gold Coast does not review class exams with students.

Parking: Students must park at the back of the parking lot away from the building in
Boca Raton; and between the yellow lines in N. Miami Beach. Gold Coast is not
responsible for items left in a students’ car, or for any towing charges if students have
illegally parked. Gold Coast will not reimburse students for any towing charges as a
result of the student’s negligence. Common sense dictates that personal items such as
cellular phones, brief cases, purses, cameras and sunglasses should be properly
secured and not be left in automobiles at any time.

Safety is always a concern, wherever you are. As an added precaution, we recommend
that you use the "Buddy System" when leaving school, especially at night.

Recruiting: Pursuant to FREC rule, recruiting for employment opportunities for any real
estate brokerage firm must be accomplished outside the prescribed classroom
instructional time. Noncompliance should be reported to the Commission.

Weapons: Weapons of any type (including guns and knives) are not permitted on Gold
Coast premises at any time. State law prohibits weapons in schools. Any student found
to be violating this policy will be immediately ejected from class with no refund. Holders
of state issued concealed weapons permits are not exempt from this policy. Off duty law
enforcement officers are exempt from this policy.

Study Aids and Products: Throughout the course your instructor will mention different
study aids and additional course offerings. These products and courses are optional.
They are designed to assist you in your studying and enhance your professional
knowledge.

Lost and Found Items: Gold Coast is not responsible for any items left in our facilities. If
you have lost an item, please check with the office. Please label all of your belongings
to make identification easier. Please do not leave valuable items (purses, brief cases,
wallets, cell phones, etc.) unattended at any time.
Disruptive Students: Instructors have the authority to dismiss any student that the
instructor feels is disruptive and or whose behavior may be detrimental to other
students, at any time without a refund.

Pet/Service Animal policy:

No pets of any kind are allowed in Gold Coast offices, classrooms, or other premises.
However, based on the Americans with Disabilities Act (ADA), “Service Animals” are not
considered pets. Service animals are permitted to assist individuals with physical
disabilities. Under the ADA service animals are defined as dogs that are individually
trained to do work or perform tasks for people with disabilities. Examples of such
work or tasks include guiding people who are blind, alerting people who are deaf, pulling
a wheelchair, alerting and protecting a person who is having a seizure, reminding a
person with mental illness to take prescribed medications, calming a person with Post
Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) during an anxiety attack, or performing other duties.
Service animals are working animals, not pets. The work or task a dog has been trained
to provide must be directly related to the person’s disability. Under the ADA, service
animals must be harnessed, leashed, or tethered, unless these devices interfere
with the service animal’s work or the individual’s disability prevents using these
devices. In that case, the individual must maintain control of the animal through voice,
signal, or other effective controls. Therapy Dogs (TDs), Emotional Support Animals
(ESAs), or any other dog whose sole function is to provide comfort or emotional

support do not qualify as service animals under the ADA and thus are not permitted
on Gold Coast premises.

As Per: http://www.ada.gov/service_animals_2010.htm