I applied to the school and for financial aid but ...

I applied to the school and for financial aid but did not register for classes. I could not attend for personal reasons. I got a letter in the mail 5 months later saying a debt collector is trying to collect a full semester's tuition. I DIDN'T EVEN REGISTER!!! Nor, did I receive any notification that they were planning on reporting a 100% FAKE debt. I was only notified when the debt had already been sent to the debt collection agency. Now I have a $2800 debt that's going to mess up my credit which I've worked hard to keep at a decent score. It's unbelievable that a professional institution can get away with reporting false debts, absolutely unbelievable. I would choose a different school.