Jay-Z's Roc Nation School of Music, Sports & Entertainment at Long Island University Brooklyn is receiving criticism for not following through on their promise to have students graduate "debt-free."

In a recent report published by Gothamist, former students told their stories regarding the school's tuition free promise.

Justice Stephenson recalls trying to figure out her future plans after graduating from high school, when she got a text from an unknown number. The message came from LIU president Kimberly Cline. She stated:

I tried to reach you by phone. Roc Nation School at LIU is awarding you a full tuition scholarship. You will receive full tuition and be able to graduate without debt.

She was urged to take the offer, called the "Hope Scholarship," which is reserved for the school's "highest need" students.

She began her education as part of the Roc Nation Music School's inaugural class, which promised guest lectures from prominent musicians like The Jonas Brothers, and Rihanna, and of course the name recognition of being associated with Jay-Z. However, she started noticing charges on her school account which were unexpected. She attempted to reach out to Cline, but was told to wait for a response she never ended up getting.

As she prepares to graduate, Stephenson has been faced with $5,000 of debt, which was negotiated down from $26,000, she claims. Stephenson isn't alone. About a dozen recipients of the "Hope Scholarship" have been faced with unexpected debt despite the initial promise of graduating "debt-free."

Gothamist reached out to students who claim that the Roc Nation School failed to live up to its promises of facilitating the next generation of artists. They were forced to implement their own makeshift recording studio due to a lack of available resources. The promised celebrity guests never showed up either.

Students were forced to couch surf and find less than ideal places to live, after incurring financial burdens they were not anticipating, and at least four students ended up dropping out or transferring to other schools. It appears that the school's aggressive marketing strategy caused confusion and disappointment.

LIU marketing chief Jackie Nelson claimed that the scholarship only covered tuition:

Upon admission to the university, Hope Scholarship recipients receive an offer letter from the university that outlines the full-tuition scholarship and any student obligations. The offer letter also expressly includes that neither university fees nor housing costs are included in the scholarship.

However, she neglected to provide a copy of the scholarship letter claiming this. Gothamist received multiple copies of scholarship letters from students stating that they would be given a "full-tuition scholarship" and additional financial grants.

Students reported being advised by LIU financial staff to take out private loans in order to pay off their debts to the school and stay enrolled.