University of Phoenix Reviews
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For Profit Failure
School not recommended by
Anon
on
February 04, 2010
20/28 people found this review helpful
UoP, like other for profit so-called universities allow anyone into the program. This impacts the quality of the program tremendously. In group projects, students typically have one or more peers who have difficulty with simple writing skills. The program is based on writing, which means you will pick up the slack.
There are no lectures, no tests, and very little quality controls in place. In my opinion, it is an overpriced online correspondence school. For less money, consider online programs from public schools or local colleges. You'll get a better education guaranteed and the shady Phoenix salesmen won't harass you (the first sign that something is awry.)
Learn More about University of Phoenixnever ever ever try to go here
School not recommended by
William
on
February 02, 2010
33/53 people found this review helpful
Attempted one semester.. dropped 2 days after it started yet still got stuck with an $1800 bill.... tried to ruin my credit, before I finally just had to pay it to get it off of my credit. People are rude, professors are never heard from.. Not worth the money for $300 a credit hour. You are better off taking the money and going to Vegas for the weekend and blowing EVERY SINGLE DIME OF IT ON A SLOT MACHINE.
Not for everyone
School recommended by
Kyle
on
January 29, 2010
57/65 people found this review helpful
I've read a lot of negative reviews here and every single one of them, with the exception of one, complained about things that organized adults with initiative could handle. I attended this school when I was in the military, earned my associate and four years later, am now starting a degree in accounting. All I have to say is I HAD PROBLEMS TOO yet I still recommend this school. But only to those who have the time, initiative and organizational skills to tackle any situation that may arise. The team concept at the school can and, more often than not, does suck. Guess what? I took three semesters of classes at a local community college and the same situation arises, only, I don't have the time to physically be there to babysit them all the time. You will be teaching yourself the information, not doubt about it, so be prepared for that. Bottom line, if you have issues with anything about this school or any other school and feel you can't or don't want to put the extra time in to fix it, do yourself a favor and get out. Trust me when I say the issues at the school are numerous but are shared with many other schools out there. There are always counselors who don't care, I've met plenty of them at other universities and community colleges. And this is a for-profit school so you should be prepared to offer proof of what you do when they ask for more and they don't deserve it. For the person that received F's in their first two classes despite working their butt off, I had the same problem with a teacher. But I kept documentation of everything I did for that class and the grades I got for them, confronted the teacher and adviser, and finally received the grade I earned. This is not a unique problem to the school since my wife had an issue with one of her grades when she attended a brick and mortar school, kept no documentation and couldn't argue it to the school or teacher. University of Phoenix: Only for those who have initiative, REAL drive, and the ability to take responsibility for themselves. Blaming the school for having teammates that don't care doesn't make any sense to me because you WILL get that at ANY school you attend, guaranteed.
Be Cautious!
School not recommended by
SV
on
January 24, 2010
28/36 people found this review helpful
I am in my last week of my masters program at UOP but I am not very pleased with my experience. I would admit that my writing has improved and the subject areas were pretty good however, some of the instructors were less knowledgeable than I was. The APA format required is subject to each instructor’s discretion and you don't find out what is expected until you have lost points off of your first paper for whatever reasons they decided to deduct for. I also found that the learning teams can be difficult because you may end up with some incompetent and unwilling teammates. I lost a lot of points from a teammate’s portion although we asked her to revise because she did not answer the questions required. Some say they grade based on the individual in the group but that is bull. Now let's not talk about the cost. I owe so much money right now but I was half way through before I realized how much it was going to cost and by then it was too late to start somewhere else. My advice, be cautious and aware of all aspects before embarking on the UOP journey.
Mixed Feelings
School recommended by
Eric
on
January 24, 2010
29/30 people found this review helpful
I have been attending UOP for 4 years, which I received a Bachelors in Criminal Justice and about to receive a Masters as well. I have found my time at UOP has been some what challenging, but fulfilling in regards to my academics. The biggest problem I have found with UOP is the staffing. They show little confidence in their ability to do their jobs. Both academic and financial advisers have displayed nothing but laziness and incompetence, leaving students frustrated and angry. During my course with UOP I have found myself taking matters up the chain, which I continued finding the same problems, especially within management. I have come to terms that UOP is devoted to take students money, providing little assistance as possible. During my 4 years I have had several academic councilors who have failed miserably to provide adequate customer service and when I have attempted to address this matter with proper personnel, I received nothing but excuses. I have many times thought about continuing my education with a different institution, but due to the quality of instructors that I have had over the past 4 years, I have decided to stay. The only reason I continued my education with UOP is because of the instructors and the programs that are available to working adults, like myself. As an 8 Navy Veteran, I have learned that the best way to get through difficult situations is to fight through it and stay focused on your objectives, which in this case was my education. As for my recommendation to anyone looking to attend UOP, I say be careful and make sure this school is the right school for you. Staffing is incompetent and will provide you with little to no help, but on the flip side, the instructors in my book are A quality. If I was to do it all over again, I not sure if I would choice UOP as my first choice, but I wouldn't rule it out.
Be aware
School recommended by
Andrew
on
January 18, 2010
108/111 people found this review helpful
I am a working professional with 18 years of management experience. I need a degree to improve my wage earning potential. I have a family and I am married along with working 40 plus hours a week. My time with the University of Phoenix was well spent but here are a few items that may merit consideration. The first thing is what do you as a prospective or current student expect from this institution? If the goal is to get a degree in an environment other than traditional classroom work then U of P will fit the bill. The second thing to consider is far more introspective. Are you someone who is self motivated and able to adhere to a rigid schedule independently? If you are not then U of P is NOT for you. The reality is that ANY online environment requires major self discipline. The third thing to consider is your degree path in conjunction with what your professional field requires. If you need an MBA with specific accreditation then do the research and find out what U of P offers. If your specific accreditation need is not there then DO NOT assume U of P will fit the bill. The fourth thing to consider is whether or not U of P will even fit with your overall goals. Find out if your employer will accept a U of P degree before you start. There are plenty of online programs available so do the research and pick the one that is the best for your need. The fifth thing to consider is credit transfers. Again do the required research and maximize your opportunities. Most universities and colleges will accept U of P credits because U of P is regionally accredited. My credits will be accepted 100% by the university I will attend to earn my graduate degree. Remember your arm is not being twisted to attend U of P so take charge of your own destiny and figure things out on your own. I had no trouble with my counselors because I asked plenty of questions and I took control of my education. When I had questions or concerns I did not wait until the last minute to address them. I allowed a reasonable amount of time (24 to 48 hours) for my counselors to find answers or solutions before responding back to me. This is an online environment and a business so expecting immediate responses is not realistic. Yes I ruffled a few feathers when the counselors did not meet my expectations. When I am spending my hard earned money that is just the way life is. I got the education I paid for because I put forth the effort. Some of the instructors were good and some were bad but that is no different than any other college or university across the nation. The school develops the curriculum and I personally have no issues with that. In my opinion this eliminates much of the potential for professor bias in the classroom instruction. I have sat through enough liberal indoctrination in my life and at my age I have no tolerance for such frivolous academic nonsense. The course work was not easy but it was also not impossible. I spent 30 hours per week studying for my two classes. The pace is accelerated so be prepared to find a way to make things happen on your own. The group learning environment was personally very tense in the beginning. I requested that my group change until I found one that was up to my own speed and expectations. Once I had that chemistry I simply did not allow it to be changed. Yes I ruffled some feathers but it is my money. The reality is know what you need and develop a plan to attain that need. If you are expecting to have your hand held and a cheerleader right next to you then do yourself a favor and go to a traditional institution of higher learning.
Proud To Attend UOP
School recommended by
James Warner
on
January 14, 2010
49/51 people found this review helpful
I’m not sure why there are so many complaints about UOP, any problem I have had has been resolved very quickly by either my instructors or by my counselors. Most of my instructors have been wonderful, only one instructor seemed to be a bit strict on my discussion question posts (requiring the posts to be at least 150 words), but that was not really an issue for me. Overall my 1 and a half years attending this university have not only been a great experience, it has also improved the way I feel about myself having a GPA of 3.97. I have never had a financial issue that could never be solved, I have never had an error that could not be corrected, and although some counselors are difficult to reach, they have always gotten back to me to solve the issue or answer my questions. The many negative reviews for UOP do not truly describe my educational experience, but I would agree that online education is not for everyone. I expect to graduate with an associate’s degree in psychology august 2010, my only issue is that UOP does not currently have a clinical psychology program and I will have to attend another university to continue my education.
Lame counselor
School not recommended by
jgz
on
January 13, 2010
19/42 people found this review helpful
I just got off the phone with a UOP counselor. UOP has been hounding me every single day on the phone since I requested information from their website. I told them over and over again that I will call them when I'm ready. It is a true telemarketing set up there. Finally after one week of daily and sometimes twice daily phone calls I relented and had them put me through to a counselor " " . She was completely lame. Good phone skills (nice voice, handled the conversational portion well) but a complete moron when it came to talking about the degrees, curriculum, program etc. For instance she didn't know what an MFA was. She also didn't know what a "low residency" program was and started defending UOP saying it wasn't low residency it was certified! What an idiot! If I have to be the one to educate the counselors for the school, how good can it possibly be? Stay away, stay away!!!!
It is what it is with UOP...
School not recommended by
MiamiFlower
on
January 07, 2010
60/64 people found this review helpful
I attended UOP from late 2008 until September 2009. I was excited to be attending the university because they seemed as if they were more put together then most online schools.
At first, my Academic Counselor would call me all of the time to check in and make sure that I was doing well. BUT when I had questions for her, it would take forever to receive a call back AND then we would play this phone tag game. When leaving a VM, I would let her know to call me after 4pm (which she had done during the honeymoon phase of our relationship) but she still insisted on calling me during my work hours KNOWING that I wouldnt be able to pick up my cell to talk to her. What is it that she wasn't understanding?!?! UGH! Then when she would call me, she would act as if she never got my initial message stating the problem.
The second problem was the finance counselor. She was nice but seemed clueless as to what was going on. I always had my questions ready and she could never give me a straight answer. I will say that she was helpful especially when it came to making payment arrangements BUT I am still trying to figure out why I still owe over 1500.00. I still cant get a straight answer on that one and that is one of the reasons why I have decided to leave.
The last problem is the learning teams. I have taken 5 classes with them and almost half of the learning teams I have been involved with have been horrible. The last class I had taken was the turning point for me! There was 5 of us on the team and if one person wasn't sick then there would be something wrong with someone's computer and etc, etc. I understand everyone has issues but it seemed a bit much when they happened every week.
When it came down to the project, we set a date as to when it should be submitted for peer-review. Three of us handed them in on time and the other two were full of excuses. The instructor never recieved the finished product. The 3 of us tried to reach out to the slackers via team forum or email and never got responses. I pleaded with the instructor not to give us three a failing grade. It took the instructor 4 days to get back to me but I ended up with a B in that class. STUFF LIKE THAT I CANNOT TOLERATE! I do not want my grade to be dependant upon someone else handing in work or etc!
You also have to deal with the time difference of some of the teammates. Sometimes they wont be able to log on until they leave work which may be the time that I go to bed! Or - they may work 2 jobs and not be able to log into the team forum until the weekend and to me, that prolongs any projects that your team has to work on. The whole thing seems a mess to me!
I honestly do not think that the learning teams are necessary, but my opinion will not make a difference. A lot of people that I have spoke to have stated that they will not apply there because they do not have the time or energy to deal with learning teams. The education was fine but the learning teams are a mess. If you are considering attending UOP, please consider the whole learning team thing and if that meets your needs.
If you're serious about an education
School not recommended by
Mario Siqueiros
on
January 07, 2010
50/55 people found this review helpful
I received a BSM a few months ago, and I can honestly say the road to achieving this goal was paved with a few rather rough bumps.
The biggest issue was dealing with the learning teams. Being active duty military I learned to identify conflict management/resolution techniques to deal with the many "ideas" from group peers (this kept me sane). Each class was the same ol' thing: forming, storming, norming, and performing; the problem was that by the time the group came together it was well into the 4th week and by that time all the group cared was about submitting a "final project".
UoP will not let you start a class unless they have been paid first...and if a student needs to drop a class (for an emergency) in the first two days after an electronic post was made, that student pretty much has to speak with Congress to get the money returned...
I do have to thank UoP for making a better writer out of me - the amount of papers that students have to write is a little excessive, not a bad thing but excessive. I will be pursuing a MBA from a different institution.
Just don't do it.
School not recommended by
Curtis
on
January 06, 2010
22/37 people found this review helpful
If you are able to attend a collage in your community that offers "night school" please do it. I personally feel UoP is all about the money. I mean $1650 is a lot of money for a five week class. How else do they pay for all their online and internet advertisement? I know they make a lot of money because the Arizona Cardinals play football in the University of Phoenix Stadium. I don't know of too many other schools that have put their name on a professional sporting stadium.
Glad I read Reviews First. Saved me from BIG Mistake.
School not recommended by
Lisa
on
January 05, 2010
54/77 people found this review helpful
It's obvious that UoP is just in it for the money. They don't care about your education. It sounds like an online education scam.
I just got off the phone with a counselor and she seemed nice, but was very forceful in trying to get me to sign up. She kept saying if we can get your stuff approved, then all of a sudden it was approved. She made it seem like it was hard to get in, but obviously not. I was in without even filling out the application.
She tried to talk me out of the field I wanted to get into because UoP did not offer it. She claimed everything the people said in the reviews, but if I were to sign up I see by the reviews as well that I would be dropped. Then let's talk about the price. It was a total of 27k for an 19 month program. Are you out of your Freaking mind??! Told me I MIGHT qualify for a 20k loan, and in the same breathe I do qualify. So, in signing up for your school I will be in debt 27k more than I started and I'm not guaranteed a job placement. NOT. She sound like she really needed to reel me in so she can pay her own bills.
Please read the one review with the guy who worked there, he pretty much sums up what i was thinking about the school. UoP is a bottom-line school, and that Bottom Line is WE WILL DO WHATEVER IT TAKES TO GET YOUR MONEY. It was a big waste of my time and I'm so glad I was smart enough to sense she was money-hungry. To give them 27k is just like putting it in a trash can to burn. Whatever you do, always read reviews. Even the people who said they recommend it mention they have problems. Money seems to be the first concern. The so-called professors are not educated, and there's something fishy about the classes. BUYER BEWARE
Flexibility?
School not recommended by
inbetween
on
January 04, 2010
39/46 people found this review helpful
I'm currently a student in their MS of Psychology program. I'm only 3 courses in, but in all of my courses I've received an A- or better. Initially, I was proud to be enrolled at the University of Phoenix, but now I find myself mumbling the name of the school when asked where I'm pursuing my master's degree. When I enrolled I was under the impression that this school offered flexibility but I was mistaken.
UOP values group work and "checking in." They tell you upfront that you're expected to log in and write a substantial post twice a day 4 days out of the week. In addition to "checking in," you may be placed in a group of idiots - I hate to call others names but its true! I've experienced group members who are control freaks and lack common sense, and who have truly made me question how they were allowed into a Master's program.
In a group of 5 people we had two group members decide they wanted to turn in the project early (without the consent of the rest of the group) and the professor accepted it! When I asked for them to show the rest of us their final product it was full of misspelled words and grammatical errors. UOP provides aids such a plagiarism check and grammar check but they decided not to use such. Their rationale: they wanted to turn the project in early. *blank stare* There’s absolutely no incentive to turn projects, papers, discussion answers in two days early – no extra credit, getting a head start on the next assignment, nothing. So can you see why I feel my name-calling is justified?
My experience with the faculty and staff has been good overall. My financial advisor seems to be a “goober,” but other than our run-in, the counselors/advisors have been very helpful. My professors seem overly qualified – which is a real plus!
Long story short – group work has been a nightmare and it bothers me that group work is such a big part of the curriculum. I work full-time in a corporate setting – I’m fully aware of how to operate in a group setting. The concept seems elementary. In addition, the school is expensive and it makes me question if the frustration is worth it. It seems like anyone can get in. I’m thinking of withdrawing from UOP before I’m in too deep.
Walden University’s program is becoming more and more appealing, plus it’s $10,000 less than UOP! Of course, I'm assuming this is based on the program you choose.
A Wonderful Experience...
School recommended by
Natalie
on
January 02, 2010
39/44 people found this review helpful
I have been a student of UoP for 1.5 years with the intention of graduating with my Bachelors in Business Management.
I am very pleased with all aspects of my online courses. Yes, initially things were confusing with becoming familiar with how the online forums worked. But once you become familiar with them, things become very simple for most.
I have a very helpful academic advisor. Any questions that I have about ANYTHING have been answered in a very proficient manner. And timely, I must add. My financial aid advisor is very helpful too. I have not had ANY problems with finance discrepancies falling into my lap like others have mentioned in these reviews. I personally feel that if you stay on top of what is going on at all times, you will not be thrown a curve ball with unexpected costs for tuition etc...
The classrooms tend to be very professional at all times. I have had a couple of facilitators become a bit "gruff" with me in message statements in the forums, but with this said, the facilitators (professors) want to see you succeed. And they do NOT set you up for failure. The facilitators are VERY helpful and prompt with responding to any questions or concerns you may have about an assignment or anything else. You can even call them at home. I have had to call a facilitator once during my 1.5 years of attending classes at UoP, and not ONCE did she sound upset at the fact that I had to call her at home with some questions.
With this said, you must be a self motivated individual ,with not a lot of "spoiled food" on your plate. Yes, I have a full time job and an at home life, and at times I do feel frustrated and overwhelmed with school, but you have to just have a talk with yourself and tell yourself you can do it. What I mean about "spoiled" food on your plate is that you must approach online schooling with a clean and open mind. There were a lot of social activities I had to give up in order to make my schooling journey a success. Get rid of the drama in your life and prioritize and you will succeed!
In addition, I find all of the negative comments about UOP very hard to believe.
Learning Team Solution
School recommended by
JL
on
January 01, 2010
32/37 people found this review helpful
I have been attending UoP for three and half years. I will have my BA in accounting in June 2010 and frankly wonder what sort of reception I will get when I begin applying for jobs.
That is what initially drew me to this forum, but after reading a dozen or so responses I wanted to comment on the learning team experience.
I have always tried to maintain an attitude of "taking the high road" when it came to the learning teams. Encouraging others and remaining positive in the online experience has helped me to develop a few friendships of mutual respect. We are all working toward an accounting degree and have flowed into the same classes for past six to eight months.
This is the trick: your counselor can help you keep the same people in your learning team if you request it. Sometimes the "professors" will also let you pick your team members.
After working with the same team members over and over we know each others' strengths and weaknesses. Who procrastinates but always comes through, or who pitches in at the last moment to redo an assignment.
UoP can be rewarding and you definitely get out of it what time you put in. The alternative is going to school at night for eight years instead of online for four years while working full time.
UoP Just as Good as Any Other
School recommended by
Dawn
on
December 28, 2009
40/46 people found this review helpful
I have attended UoP for a little over two years now. I have about a year and a half left before I graduate with a BS in Business Information Technology. I can honestly say that I have learned a lot and this college has done what any other college would have done, which is to open my mind and give me a broader view of the world.
UoP has its faults just like any other college or business. It also has strengths, including some well written academic books and a great way to learn math. The pace is fast and you have to work hard to get good grades. Some teachers are great and some are not so great. The web-site is laid out well and easy to navigate although, the virtual library is a bit cumbersome to navigate and it is slow.
My biggest complaint is about the learning teams. Businesses are pushing universities to teach students how to participate on teams, but in college, unlike business, there are no consequences if you choose not to participate or participate poorly. In business, you could lose your job. In school, you get the same grade your team members get whether you have participated or not.
But if you focus on why you are in school, to learn, and don’t worry about what other people are or are not doing, you can get through. I always start the team assignment in the first week and am ready to turn in the entire assignment at the end for those times when no one participates or the participation is poorly done. The classmates that have good writing skills are few and far between.
I will graduate from UoP with a degree that I worked hard for and deserve. I will learn everything I can from this school and it will be just as good of an education as I could get from any brick and mortar school. There are people in this world who will never accept an online education as legitimate, but there are just as many people who will think no degree is legitimate if you didn’t go to the same school they did. But, if you need the support of faculty to get you through school, this is not the environment for you. You have to work independently and motivate yourself in order to achieve. If you are not self-motivated online universities are not for you. If you are, UoP is just as good as any other school.
School not recommended by
Sam
on
December 24, 2009
116/122 people found this review helpful
There is a lot of misinformation here, so I hope to bring a different perspective. I work at UoP as an Enrollment Counselor, I have taken classes at UoP and I am a faculty member there.
Never forget that this is a FOR PROFIT organization. Ever move they make is to increase the bottom line. They will improve customer service only to the extent that it affects their earnings. They finally realized that they earn more from retaining students than from just slapping people into classes, so now staff is financially rewarded for retention along with enrollment. It has nothing to do with what is best for the student. Profits are the goal.
That being said, it is a good solution for SOME people. Those who are intelligent and self directed enough to overcome obstacles when they arise and push through. It is the best solution for those who work full-time and cannot sit in traditional daytime classes.
The problem comes that because they are so focused on profit they incentivize enrollment counselors by the number of students they put into and keep in class. Enrollment counselors enroll anyone they possibly can. I've seen students who are "special ed" students and require support personnel just to make it through life be enrolled. The counselor then holds their hand and babies them through the first block of two classes. Then the enrollment counselor gets credit for the enrollment on their matrix, and dumps them on the academic counselor who must retain them to meet their matrix.
The matrix is a tool to try to fly under the radar of the Dept. of Ed. It attempts to meet only the letter of the law that states that counselors should not be paid for how many students they register, or REG. The school can point to it and say they are paying for numerous other criteria. However the bottom line is that everything the counselors are graded on are tied to the REG and retention. If your student drops out, then your customer service skills and professionalism must be poor. Never mind that perhaps it may have been in the student's best interest to withdraw. Truly excellent customer service is listening to a client's concerns and helping them find what is best for them, but that is not what the matrix rewards.
I have been a professional salesperson for many years, and have never seen such a ruthless and hard-core sales environment as this. Counselors are taught to dig several layers deep into a student's motivation, not so they can truly help them, but so they can manipulate them. Counselors are taught to prey on a vulnerable population that is uneducated and often unemployed and desperate. Again, this is not talking about those for whom this school is appropriate. For someone who needs an MBA to advance in their profession, great...it is an efficient way to do it. The ones who should probably not be there are those who watch a lot of CSI and think it sounds like a cool job and are schmoozed into signing up for the Criminal Justice AA when they can barely read and write.
Don't believe all the blue sky counselors will throw at you. They are on a complicated, disguised form of commission, and most, but not all, will tell you ANYTHING to close the deal. It makes me ill to listen to the person next to me who has a Master's in Psychology tell students to sign up for that degree because there is such a great need for Psychotherapists out there. She is only at UoP because she couldn't find a job in that field herself.
I have lost so much faith in people from having to listen to the lies 9 out of 10 counselors rely on to make their numbers. These are basically good people (except for 1 or 2) that are caught in an extremely dysfunctional system. It doesn't take long for them to start believing their own lies; because that is the only way they can maintain their self image as a good person.
To get an idea of their environment, see the movie Glen Gary Glen Ross. They are all in one room together and can hear each other's conversations. (Plus the managers tape conversations to "coach" on better techniques later.) One difference is that there is little profanity, because the school has an insidious Mormon hierarchy (but that's another story). However, when someone gets a REG, everyone is supposed to be congratulatory. We also all are allowed coffee, unlike the movie where "coffee is for closers". What IS like the movie is that "Leads are for closers". Rather than have an equitable lead distribution system like most ethical sales environments, the lead flow is highly manipulated so that the majority of new leads go to those with the highest perceived closing rates. These are the strong arm closers that will use every manipulative technique available to sign someone up. They can break all the rules as long as they produce. Once again, not a problem for those who really want to do this degree program and will finish and benefit from it. Big problem for those who are talked into it, take out massive loans, don't or can't finish, and are in much worse shape than if they had never met us. This, sadly, is the large majority of students, but most people at UoP turn a blind eye to it, and make it the student's fault. Now these students are still uneducated, still poor and in a lot of trouble financially. This should be a crime, and those making a lot of money off of these unfortunates should be ashamed of themselves.
The pay disparity at UoP is astounding. The hard closers who will say anything to enroll students make 80-100K a year. The poor schmuks with ethics doing the same job, trying to enroll only the ones who can legitimately benefit from the program make under 30K. And they sit right next to each other. You learn to either adapt to the system, or you are squeezed out by not getting fresh leads.
Academically, as a student and and faculty member, the program is middle of the road. The instructors ARE facilitators of the information and discussions. They are NOT professors, and not really instructors either. You can learn a lot, but expect it to by your own hard work. You are given the resources and can squander that by not doing the readings or make use of it. Do not expect to be taught and you won't be disappointed. Grades are extremely arbitrary and subjective. In the faculty training on a practice exercise, grades were all over the board, and none were right or wrong. There was no requirement to know APA style, so expect your instructors to have widely ranging familiarity with it. The pay for beginning faculty is about 1/3 what it is at other schools. That could be why some instructors do not put a great deal of time and effort in. Not right, but possibly understandable.
The learning teams are not for the student's benefit. They are to meet the requirements for contact time for accreditation. Since the instructor does not spend as much time as a traditional instructor, and thus can be paid less, the teaching that goes on between classmates counts as the needed contact time. (again, more profit for the school.)
It's a valid degree from a regionally accreditated university. Its equal I think to some lesser known state schools. It will never be a Princeton or Stanford, much less a Harvard or Yale. But then, most of UoP students could never get into those schools. It's more expensive to comparable state schools, but what you pay for is the convenience of going online. When state schools get their act together and start offering complete online degrees, at state school tuitions, look out UoP. Stockholders, take your money and run.
The true graduation rate at UoP is debatable; there is a lot of fuzzy math there. If it just served those that are ready and qualified to go to school, the rate would probably be pretty good, because those students are adults with a goal in mind. I have a strong suspicion that it is the ones who are pushed and manipulated into taking out financial aid and going to school who are the ones that ultimately drop out. And that is the problem with the for profit model. When making money is the primary motive, some people who can least afford it are talked into doing something that is not in their best interest and will destroy them financially. The highly paid counselors and financially growing stockholders would rather not think about that.
NOT LIKE ANY OTHER SCHOOL??
School not recommended by
Daniel Castro
on
December 23, 2009
17/27 people found this review helpful
I initially was so excited to further my education and better my future until i attended one class and realized University of Phoenix might be a decent institution but not for ME!
the first bad expierence would be dealing with financial aid and enrollment counslor it is a very misleading proccess I commend anyone who is willing to go thru it,the main reason i choose to attend uofp is due to the advertising of working familys it wasnt till i went to the resource center till i realized that they prohibit children by placing very large NO CHILDREN ALLOWED SIGNS, i had went to fax my verification worksheet real quick and me and my children which were very quiet, but we were still kicked out, despite the fact that it was summer and it wouldnt be safe to leave my children in the car, further more i just recently registered for classes at Mesa Community College and realize what a better fit it is for me, once again I have no doubts to whether uofp is a decent school, i just no it wasnt decent for my needs,
All in All if you have children and are a single parent trying to work hard to better your family then the misleading info and the runaround that i recieved from uofp mite not work for you neither, again i commend everyone who has the patience and skill to deal with uofp especially due to the cost over $400 per credit hour, Mesa Community College is only $71 per credit hour i paid $1,200 just for 1 class which was 5 weeks long at uofp, at mcc i registered full time the whole semester will cost $800, do the math, is it worth it? I think NOT!There is clearly no positive advantage from this university over community colleges just a bit more of a headache, and hassles.
DEPENDS ON THE INSTRUCTOR
School not recommended by
karen
on
December 21, 2009
18/20 people found this review helpful
I have been attending the u of p for a little over a year now. My lowest grade before this block of classes was a 96.15. I have always had thoughtful participation's and dq questions. Currently in one class I have a 98 and in the other I have an 74. The class I have a 74 in just flat out has an attitude with me.
The first week in this block of classes I had to send both of my instructors a message letting them know that more than likely I would turn in assignments for week one late due to a death in my family and that I understood the point penalties for the late assignments. I go into week one and I'm so confused because there are 6 syllabus posted and they keep changing, so the calender doesn't match up with the syllabus. Students were sending emails in the question thread asking for clarification. It was just a mess.
I have always been very organized and felt like the whole forum needed to be deleted and redone with correct information. So anyway, I go to the last syllabus posted, and print and attach the course materials to it as I had done in all my other classes. I turn in week one with only deductions for the late assignments.
By the time I got to week three I was so confused I decided to go by what the syllabus stated. The syllabus stated that I would get additional info from the instructor on the assignment on day 3 - but I never received this information. The instructor then told me that the assignment was missing, and I copied and pasted the syllabus, and told him that I never received the information from him to finish the assignment.
He then sent me a rather nasty message telling me that obviously I'm not reading posts in the main forum, in all caps, which i felt was very unprofessional of him. I responded by telling him that in my u of p experience the syllabus rules, and that's what I went by because the main forum was junked with several confusing posts. I then involved my academic adviser and she submitted a ticket, but the instructor I think was upset with me for taking it higher than him, so he then kept telling me my post for participation and dq was not substantial.
I am now considering looking into another school to finish my degree, just from all the frustrations from this one class. I still like the school, I just am not satisfied by how this situations was handled by the apollo group and the u of p. I am considering finishing my one year left with another online school.
Honest About Phoenix
School recommended by
Jamie C
on
December 19, 2009
29/32 people found this review helpful
I want to provide an accurate assessment of the university because many others are taking certain issues and making them seem as though they are all the university is about.
It is not the easiest school to attend because you have to truly know that you are there for an education. If you do not stay on top of participating and getting your assignments turned in on time, you will have a headache and failure is likely. Participation and teamwork are essential because you are in an online setting and this helps to keep you focused. The teams are not always easy to deal with, like in any situation some people try to take advantage of others, and you have to be open-minded and considerate of others - not everything should go according to one person.
The tuition is just as high as any university, so make sure that you have your financial resources sorted out before enrolling, it makes things much easier.
Communication with your counselor and financial advisor is essential, they are there to help with issues and when they are not available, there are others that you can speak to for general help.
I have been attending UOP for 1.5 years and will be graduating in January with a BS-Business Admin. I feel that it has been a great experience, not always good but definitely not always bad. I attended traditional universities and decided to leave so that I could maintain my full-time job.
You will have problems with traditional colleges and online alike. You have to know that with UOP, no one is going to do it for you; but you will find inspiration and encouragement when you need it. Please research on your own and do not take one person's comments to heart, because it could deter you from your future success as a UOP student.
SCAM
School not recommended by
KRIS
on
December 18, 2009
12/32 people found this review helpful
When "recruited" to go to U of Phoenix the "recruiter" said it wasn't his job to "railroad people into the school" and to take advantage of people. He said that I could finish my degree and not have to pay my tuition until I was completed.
After taking two online classes in early 2004, they were calling for their money. Well over $1,000 had to be paid right away to continue on with the program. I was unable to pay this right away and it was defaulted to EDFund. I spent the next two years slowly paying off just two classes at U of Phoenix through EDFund. In June 2007 my two loans were paid in full and I never went back to the University of Phoenix.
Today is December 18, 2009 (5 years later) the U of Phoenix is now calling me looking for well over $1000 in tuition. After contacting EDFund they said the money I paid them was for some other student loans (but I only went to U of Phoenix) and that the other $1000+ must be for other "charges" or "tuition" at U of Phoenix. My question is - why am I supposed to pay twice and why 5 years later? I thought this was all settled 2 and a half years ago!
Do not attend U of Phoenix unless you intend on paying double what you are supposed to. I feel bad for working people who have a dream to become something more of themselves through honest hardwork and education only to get punished in the end.
University of Phoenix SCAM ALERT
School not recommended by
Ryan
on
December 16, 2009
12/44 people found this review helpful
I was interested in starting school to become a nurse so I checked out university of phoenix as a possible route. BIG MISTAKE! Not only will they share your information with HUNDREDS of telemarketers but I also had acouple scam artists blowing up my cell phone at all hours trying to get financial information out of me for my continued education. One time after politely saying to the person on the line "I'm sorry I'm no longer interested in furthering my education" he told me he wanted to have sex with my wife so I hung up on him. If you are thinking of having anything to do with these scam artists DON'T.
Awesome Experience
School recommended by
Rachel
on
December 15, 2009
30/33 people found this review helpful
First I would like to say that my experience with UOP has been nothing but smooth sailing. I have a very supportive team of advisors and my instructors have been very helpful. I have attended an on-campus University and I never recieved the kind of support there that I have recieved while attending UOP.
This is my 3rd year at UOP and soon I will be recieving my BA. If anyone has failed or is complaining about the school it's because this is just not for them and the work is too overwhelming for them. In an Online school you have to be diciplined and you have to work harder. I started my BA program 4 weeks ago and in the first week I had 2 classmates drop out!!! People think online school is easy. If it is not for you then you need to be honest with yourself but don't write a review knocking the school because you could not handle it!!!!
I also cannot bellieve someone can recieve an F from an instructor if they did all their work and participateed in class!!! Everything is documented and logged!!! There are guidelines to the school and if you cannot fulfill them then you fail just like any other school. If you do the work you get the credit if you don't you get a failing grade.
Overall if you are seriuos about wanting to continue your education and you have no options but to go to school online then do it!!!! I have no regrets what so ever, it is the best decision I have made for myself and my family. People will always have an opinion BUT it's up to you to get the facts!
its human nature to be negative...
School recommended by
Sharon Moore
on
December 12, 2009
35/41 people found this review helpful
I am very alarmed by the negative reviews about UPO. I attend this college and do not understand the attacks. To say that UOP is not a valid or legitimate school is nothing more than pure stupidity. I attend this college and I have attended traditional campuses, it is no different or lacking in any aspect. I actually could not even advance to the next class for one of my courses. If this school was not valid or adequate all students would breeze through.
I am bright enough to know that people have a mental hang up on any online school. If you ask yourself logical questions when in doubt you will discredit any irrational thoughts. For example, why is a college "more real" because you sit in a classroom than if you do it in front of a computer? Why are papers that are turned via the computer less valid than those typed on one and turned in face to face? Learning is learning; it has nothing to do with the physical attachment of sitting in a classroom.
Maybe those comments that state UOP is a joke, is because those same people would say the same about any college. Why is it a joke? I want to ask those people... because you failed? Now many schools are offering online classes. Are they a joke now?
I have many close friends who go to a local university.. Why is there class valid and mine is not? Because when they cut class it is a physical class? Or when they take a test they sit in a "real" desk where they can really cheat? I make that comment in a superficial lash of sarcasm.
The only comment that is true about UOP is that it is not for everyone. The online classes are for people who do not need to be babysat.
Be honest with yourself... how many people did you sit next to in a class that were there in body but not in mind? I sat in the same class with a student who graduated as the valedictorian; does that mean because I sat physically in the same course that I have the same grasp? Is it even necessary to answer?
I learned conversational Japanese in my room at home, is it less valid than someone who accomplished the same because they did it in a “classroom”? Not only does online school push the envelope of traditional college degrees, it pushes the envelope for people to challenge what they have adapted as “norm”. A+ to a job well done.
Current Student: IT Degree
School recommended by
Whitney
on
December 11, 2009
45/47 people found this review helpful
I was very surprised by all of the negative comments. I am a "non-traditional student" being only 21 years old and have a 4.0GPA. I graduated high school very early and went to a traditional university right away. I absolutely hated it; went to a technical school, hated that and went to University of Phoenix, where I have been happy.
First off, this school is NOT for everyone. If you do not like to do hands-on examples and can't tell yourself to read the required material for the week because you need that extra kick from someone else, then don't go to this school.
I'll start with the only two problems I had:
When I first started UoP, I had a financial adviser who would never return my phone calls or emails. Instead of getting completely frustrated, I called my enrollment adviser and he helped me get a new financial adviser. I would not take no for an answer! When I went to a traditional school, I had the SAME problems with counselors and advisers. They never got back to me and missed meetings. I know some of you are complaining this happened to you at UoP, well it happens at traditional schools as well. Don't stop trying until you get what you want.
This last block of classes I had a teacher who, in my opinion, was a slacker. She gave me a 0 on an assignment and granted I had an A in the class, it was still my points. I emailed her and called her several times. I called my academic adviser and told him the situation. He put his boss on the phone and we had a small conference. They did NOT tolerate that from a teacher. They ended up getting that bosses boss and they got a hold of the teacher. She was in trouble and they dealt with that. Needless to say, I got my points back and she was in trouble.
Now I know each program is different but the technology program gives you many hands-on examples. One of the IT classes I took, you were this avatar going into a company and had to figure out their spam/malware situation. Those types of examples help me learn. As far as math, you have a separate math portal you can go on and do your assignments and quizzes. There are tutors you can meet with and they can help you. There is a plagiarizer checker, huge library, grammar checker, paper submitter; many different tools to guide you.
Some of the reviews here said that UoP is expensive, well it is. The thing people have to remember is, UoP is actually a private school. No private school, to my knowledge, is affordable. It is a for-profit organization, but the tools they offer, and all the new features every month they add, make the money worthwhile. You can even go to discussions on the iPhone. I travel very often and honestly, going to class on your iPhone??? That is amazing.
As far as group projects, I understand that in the "real world" slacker employees would be fired but if you go to a traditional university, those group members who are complete slackers are STILL in your group no matter what. We can moan about it but in the end, no matter what kind of school you go to, there are always slackers. This teaches you to step up and "manage" the team, even if that means doing it yourself.
UoP online is very easy to use. You can sign up for workshops on different areas of your weakness such as APA. There are also student labs on accounting, finance, java, all sorts of topics.
Someone was complaining about the syllabus. Starting this last block of classes, teachers were allowed to change them the way they wanted. A lot of my syllabuses are completely different now. Someone also said the teachers are not real professors or something of that nature. My two teachers right now, both have their PhD. My father is a boss, but the boss above him received his degree from UoP online.
I have an adviser who calls me once when classes start and right before they end and every once in awhile, they call to make sure I'm doing okay. If I ever need them, I just call them up and talk to someone right away.
Although there may be times when it feels like it is just a ball of confusion, call the right people, get in contact and never hang up unless you know every detail. It is the SAME as a traditional college. No college is perfect and not every college is for everyone.
I recommend this school for anyone who is a self motivator and is willing to use the online tools the school as to offer, along with appreciating what the money goes for.
