American Public University

Instructors are responsive as are administrators, and others. So far I have received support any time I have requested -- from the time I started the transfer application and credit transfers, to needing a course extension to finish final assignments because of personal and family health reasons. The eight week sessions allow one to complete the MBA in a year, and at a very affordable cost. There is a lot to do each week: I spend about 20 hours a week per course minimum reading and writing, but I maintain an A average. Be sure to ask questions about where to find resources, etc as there are many to access. Everything can be done on your time schedule, which is a significant benefit, as long as you meet the few deadlines each week.

I had a wonderful experience at APUS. The Professors were very good and always ready to assist you. We also had well-behaved colleagues. During the course of my MBA program, I worked too hard because it was difficult to contact colleagues from different time zones. However, being online made it easier for me to work from three continents. In fact, wherever there was Internet. I worked from France, Belgium, Germany, Italy, Washington DC, Chicago in the USA, Montreal, Sherbrooke in Canada and Lagos, Nigeria just to mention a few. With perseverance, hard work and determination, the sky is your limit. Enjoy the moment.

I feel that APUS provided a well rounded course of studies. I only had one professor that was not up to caliber of the other professors. Other wise I feel that my experience here was excellent. When I had an issue with the one professor my academic advisors stepped in as well as the Academic Vice-Provost. I passed the class but was very dissappointed with the professor not the class or the school. I would recommend APUS to anyone.

I've attended several other universities, colleges and have degrees from brick and mortar schools, however the challenge and pace at APUS was much better in that I found the work - was work, not some of the mediocre do the assignment mentality of other schools. If you think because it's online it'll be easier, you'd be making the wrong assumption. There are a few areas where improvement would help, the instructors are with few exceptions great and engaged. The area where improvement would help the most is in their administration, support where you can end up being passed around through the advisors until you get an answer. In some instances, the texts could be better. Sometimes there are people who don't appear to have the writing skills to be in graduate classes. This is not however much different from your traditional school. I would highly recommend it for people who are willing to work, stay connected and participate. It's a great value for the cost and provides you with the opportunity to increase your knowledge in an interactive environment. If you don't participate or want to write more in-depth assignments than you will not like it. Great school. T. Smith

I think the vision of getting my MBA allowed me to think than I could better my situation financially. To date (1.5 years later) that has not happened. The main reason is that employers seemed to be bothered with online degrees, especially from schools that are unfamiliar to them. My BSBA degree with a finance/accounting major and my experience carries more weight than my newly earned MBA. To that end, I only had the time in my life to do online classes and I made the decision with eyes wide open. However, I have seen no new doors open for me because of this designation. It may have to do with the lack of true networking that goes on at traditional schools. It may have to do with the school's lack of relationships with major employers at APU. And for those reasons alone, I think that the cost of the program is too high as the program can't compare with the intangibles received at normal schools. While I am unhappy with the employment issues, I am happy that the information learned during the degree was beneficial to me as a person. Perhaps the school should reflect on these missing ingredients to become a better school if these issues are a concern for them. Until then, I can only give mid level grades for my review.

AMU is a great school that provides a top notch education. Tuition is reasonable and classes are challenging. Coursework requires hard work and dedication. If you want to succeed, you must do the work. AMU is not a diploma mill in any way. Instructors are helpful and all staff at AMU provide exceptional support. I have studied in various traditional brick and mortar universities and AMU has been my best experience by far. Very happy with my experience with AMU and the education I have received. Proud to be graduating from AMU!

I have taken 5 semesters with APUS and I can tell you that if you don't mind your questions being unanswered (flat out ignored), or given vague commits (unpersonalized, unrelated and more copy-paste related) or the run around when you need assistance then yes this school is for you. I am not just looking for someone to hand me a degree; I am paying for a service which should evolve professors actually trying to educate me in needed information (not just tell me to read a chapter), can answer my questions and the professors should actually want to help me succeed (not treat me like crap). Here are some examples of my experience in APUS and you can be the judge if this school is for you. When I received commits from a professor (copy-pasted, vague and stated things that I had done as though I haven't), I would ask the professor what exactly is wrong or needs corrections. The professor would tell me to go to someone else for the answer(s). Now if a professor refuses to answer a question about their very own commits that says something about their teaching methods. I have asked a professor if she could check to make sure my submitted paper was available for her to see (I have had issues with submitted papers not going through correctly) and her reply was to go to contact student support. Now why would I need to go to support when all I am doing is making sure my paper was correctly submitted to her? Sounds like she's just acting lazy don't you think. I have been told that my APA formatting was not right and that she was following the regulations in her corrections (she stated they were not her own) and yet when I went on the Owl (which is in the syllabubs as a reliable source) and the schools regulations on APA formatting and sent her screen shots and pasted examples to prove I was correct, she ignored the proof, denied owl as a reliable source and still marked me wrong (said she said she wasn't' going to change it). I have contacted even the Dean of this school to see if this behavior was acceptable (this behavior seems to be a pattern in almost every professor I have come across) in the APUS school. The reply I got was a big "NOTHING." So there you go, if you don't mind this behavior then feel free to waste your money on attending and getting a worthless experience.

This is a great option for someone looking for an online only program. APUS/AMU has partnered with Wal-Mart which was the reason I began the program. There's very little argument when the largest retailer in the world recommends a university to their associates. Be aware that it is not brick and mortar learning. You are in control of what you learn, self discipline is a must. APUS/AMU offers a good education at a fantastic price.

Generally APU has attentive instructors that seem to actually review and professionally critique papers. The one instance that I encountered where an instructor failed to meet even the minimum requirements was completely ignored by APU staff when I voiced concerns. The instructor obviously did not read any of my submissions and used a form of automated grading system that was totally inadequate for graduate level work. When I asked the instructor to elaborate on automated responses that made no sense, he simply cut and pasted what the computer had already stated. He did not even read my questions not to mention the papers. I brought this problem to the attention of multiple departments at APU. They did not respond in a timely fashion and did absolutely nothing to mediate the issue. If you get good instructor then APU will work out great for you. However, if you get the "Automated Professor" (He is still there)that is obviously only looking for a paycheck, you will not only get nothing out of the class, but be very disappointed as well.

APU was the perfect choice for me since it allowed me to do all my coureswork online. I am very busy with other things in life so the ability to advance my academic studies online was paramount. The staff at APU are excellent and professional, from the counselors, administrators, professors all the way to the technical support folks I was always well taken care of. Cost is about average when compared to other online communities and the financial aid process makes it a smooth activity to align payment so all you have to concentrate on is taken your classes. The format for class particiaption and the materials are all utilized during the course of studay and the professors are very helpful when you have a question or issue and explain how to solve problems or write papers at the level they need to be written. Graduation was awesome. The guest speaker, the ceremony, meeting the leaders of this university was excellent. I would highly recommend to anyone considering furthering their academic studies to attend APU. Now tha I have my MBA under my belt I have other doors of opportunity opened for me to pursue.

I have just completed my MBA program at American Public University System. After attending this university for seven years straight, I feel that I can accurately rate and assess the school better than most. I have attended both B&M schools and this university, and I must say that the work is challenging, especially if you are a working adult with children. I am a witness that if you apply yourself and manage your time wisely, you will learn what you need to know in your field of study. I cannot express this enough. Many of the negative reviews that I have read come from people that are not capable of online learning. This is not a bad thing because we all learn differently. If you know that you cannot learn without having the physical presence of a teacher, then online learning is not for you. If you know that you are skating and/or cheating your way through your online class, then YOU must hold yourself accountable. This will only hurt you in the end. When you try to get a job, you will not know as much as you should about your field. Many of my colleagues discovered that they gained more applicable skills than many of the students from the B&M schools. Lastly, accreditation means something. No, APUS is not Harvard, but getting an accredited degree is still worth every penny.

I am currently employed and began the MBA program to enhance my current knowledge and perspective of the world. I have been to several schools and rate this one as good as other programs or better. I attended a brick and mortar school for my undergraduate degree in criminal justice and then a top rated online program for a Masters of Science in Criminal Justice. My pick is the Homeland Security emphasis in order to better understand how policies and procedure work within disaster management. Also, I thought this was important considering the outcome of terrorism and natural disasters. Many other schools do not offer this option. Overall, I think that students who excel in school will enjoy this program and many others they choose. For students who have set high expectations including: a school finding a job for you; the school making life easy etc. you might be disappointed. To speak for myself, I am having a great time in class and have nothing but good things to say about this school!

I expected more from the program. After examining a lot of institution, and realizing many of the "brick and mortar" schools offering online Masters programs were going to cost between $30-$50K, I settled on AMU/APU. I have been disappointed thus far with the "classes" online. Of the two classes that I have taken, there have not been anything that I would consider a lesson offered by a professor. I thought that there would be powerpoint presentations and outlines that articulated the course topics. Instead, the "lessons" provided links to reading and minimal teaching from professors. So far, very disappointed.

I have had some very good quality professors at APU, but the point is to find employment at the end. My advice is to spend more money and pay for an MBA from a more well-known, connected instituation. Unfortunately APU has no affiliations with employers, which is necessary to find employment these days.

I have been attending APU for 8 months now and I am sooo pleased with this on-line college. Everything about I am learning is based on real world challenges. APU has proven to me that it is not just a business, it is truly a learning institution that is not just in it for the money.

The MBA degree at APU provides an excellent higher education for any student who enjoys a challenge. The class discussion and students interaction provide a great understanding of real business situation through research scholarly publication. My education at APU provided the understanding and knowledge to tackle any business decision on a job. APU provides excellent support to enroll a student without any hassle. The financial aid department is fantastic for an online university. I have attended other colleges in the past, and APU provides great resources to assist students in their educational endeavor. I highly recommend American Public University. Thanks, Joan

I have found American Public University to be a wonderful institution. I truly value respect for the individual's cares/concerns. I especially like that students aren't treated as just a number due to having empathetic/compassionate professors who are truly masters of their crafts.

First, here is a little about my background. My bachelors in journalism is from a traditional brick and mortar school and I have attended multiple institutions over the years. In addition, I taught four years of high school and about four years on the collegiate level and am currently an instructor for both online and live classes. Second, let me preface my review by stating that when I went searching for an MBA my emphasis was on quick, inexpensive, convenient, regionally accredited, and well liked by the students. APU fit all of my criteria and exceeded my expectations. When I was getting my bachelors, I would say the breakdown out of about 40 classes was 8 teachers were lousy, some were so so, most were ok, and about 5 were life changing. My online experience with APU was similar. The MBA is only 39 units so the breakdown was that 1 instructor was lousy, 2 were so so, most were average, and 2 were life changing. I was able to complete my MBA in 14 months with 2 8-week classes per session and it was definitely challenging. I would not recommend this route unless you enjoy writing. I wrote about 8 12-15 page term papers and about 80 total 3-5 page papers for the weekly assignments. This was in addition to the online discussion groups. I also completed a mid-term and final (often timed) for almost every class. Occasionally the term paper would count as the final. I had excellent discussions with my classmates and instructors and I am still in touch with my favorite professors. My MBA helped me to acquire a new teaching job and definitely jump started my salary. I recommend APU without reservation to someone that is seeking to improve their business knowledge and get a leg-up in certain parts of society. However, if you are seeking to move on in traditional brick and mortar academia or ivy league business I suggest you go to an AACSB business school. This school was good for my situation, but you must weigh your situation and needs for the future. Last, I must address the financial aid situation. I did everything I was asked (on time) and filled out my paperwork properly. I never had a problem and they were quite polite.

This school is excellent for providing an equivalent, if not identical, learning experience utilizing the same educational course material as USF and North Carolina State (which I have attended). The only drawback to this school is communicating accurately with the somewhat inefficient financial aid department. However, they have gotten appreciably better at answering inquiries accurately and within 24 hours. Any individual considering a college degree would do well to ask themselves what is the real difference between an identical degree required class at one university or another. Generally, because of accreditation rules and the need for national level cookie-cutter educational classes to create specific and degrees like an MBA, BFA, nursing degree or what have you, there is no real difference. As someone with three major college degrees under their belt,(and a background in operating businesses for over 45 years),I heartily recommend American Public University for anyone that is pursuing a college degree online, and additionally wishes to save a great deal of tuition monies and put that money in their own pocket. Keep in mind that the biggest reason to utilize the online delivery system for educational classes is because it provides a major convenience for the student to sit at home (or anywhere else)and still gain a quality education. The teachers at American Public University are generally top-notch. Each student provides a review of their class and teacher at the end of that class. This provides a timely feedback to the school (and incidentally it would appear that the few bad teachers disappear rather quickly, from their educational system). Take it from someone that has paid a fortune on tuition and sat through many physical classes on a number of campuses that the way to go in acquiring a modern, quality education is American Public University and their online classes. ***This is my own opinion. I have not been coerced nor offered any remuneration.***

I didn't use financial aid nor student advising. I completed my MBA with a concentration in Information Technology Management in 3.5 years. I took 1 8-week course at a time. The courses were challenging. I feel that I earned my degree. Overall I am pleased with the university, its staff, its programs, and my fellow students. However, I found that a couple of the professors to be either overloaded or underqualified. Most of the professors, that I had, were good to exceptional. The business school definitely increased its quality and value around the time when it became accredited.

The MBA course at APU is above average (and well above average in some respects) compared with other MBA classes I have attended (both by correspondence and in a traditional classroom). I cannot comment on the financial aid department as I have had no interaction with this department. Textbooks are for the most part the same textbooks which are recommended at other universities. Given, some texts can be quite pricey, but no more so than the medical textbooks I've used previously nor other graduate level texts. The quality of the professors (or instructors) is variable. I have had some who interact very well (and frequently) with students; and others whose only interaction is the grading of assessments. This again is really no different to any other unversity I have had experience with. The interactions I have had with the school's technical and student support have far exceeded my expectations with responses and resolutions to my queries in a very timely manner. The only difficulties I have had are the rather compressed term lengths for courses and discrepancy in student knowledge. What is normally a sixteen week course is compressed into an eight week timeframe, meaning with time management is critical. This of course can be very challenging for working professionals with children. Because there is no graduate exam requirement for entry (which I feel by and large is a good policy), I found a large disparity in the knowledge between course participants. On one hand, some students are senior managers with years of experience, and on the other are those who have recently received a bachelors degree and have nil experience. This makes the sharing of knowledge and leveraging of experiences a very one sided affair. As with any graduate program, it has been my experience that one only gets out as much as one puts in. For some students this may mean doing the minimum to get the testamur for the wall, whereas others will choose to go the extra mile: extra reading, establish study groups, perhaps even organize internships with local companies to boost their experience - it is these students who benefit most from the flexible self-directed learning format of this program. On balance, I would recommend this program to others, especially given the school's regional accreditation and the program's ACBSP accreditation.

This is not my first university, so I pretty much know how the game goes. The financial aid for this department is horrible. They screwed up my financial aid packet twice and failed to inform me. Come to find out it was an error on their part. I am surprised they didn't say ooops my bad. I feel as far as financial aid goes I am being taken for. I have attended other colleges such as the University of Phoenix that actually helps and assists and makes sure that my needs are met. The teachers are not very helpful more of just there to be grading things with a few posts every now and then. I contacted the teacher about numerous discrepancies between the grade book, the syllabus, and the assignments tab. She didn't even know if some assignments were due. The books are overpriced. I hate how grad students can't use financial aid for purchasing books. Think about it each book can run two hundred to three hundred per class. I chose this school because it was the least expensive of all the schools I reviewed, but now I can definitely see why. I feel stuck at this school at least until the program is over with. I will not recommend this school to anyone else. In addition, don't ever email any department they won't respond back and the jacka**es they have working the phone lines don't know what they are talking about, but want to hurry up and get you off the phone. Two thumbs down and one middle finger up.

The MBA program at AMU/APU with an emphasis on homeland security resource allocation is a JOKE. If you are forced to get a degree by your employer and want to spend the least amount of time and money to get a degree - this is the school for you. If you want to actually be challenged and learn something... move on! I don't know how this school maintains it's accreditation??? I don't know anyone enrolled in the courses here that doesn't get an "A" in EVERYTHING. The good news is that this school somehow does maintain its accreditation and therefore you won't get labeled as a "diploma mill" recipient and will be eligible for government jobs.