Ashford University : Organizational Management Reviews
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Anonymous
(Graduate) on February 21, 2012
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MAOM
I graduated from Ashford in January 2011, having completed a bachelor's program in August 2009 and then the master's in January 2011. While Ashford was not perfect in every area, for the most part my experience was a good one. I've read many of the reviews posted here and it is my opinion that some of the reviewers looked at Ashford as a simple way to get a degree, and were frustrated when they had to follow specific procedures and rules.
My experience was that as long as I did the work to the best of my ability, handed it in on time, and kept up with the class, things went absolutely fine. Sure, there were occasional issues with the finance department, but with persistence and professional attitude, all were handled.
The bottom line is that within an online university setting, the student is responsible for reading the information provided to you about the program, the financial obligations, and even the stipends. Ashford gives you options and you need to understand those options and act accordingly.
I kept the same advisor throughout my entire time with Ashford; generally you are required to change when you move to a master's program, but I requested that I be allowed to keep the same one, and Ashford allowed it. He was excellent and very responsive.
You, the student, are the consumer in this scenario and it is your resposibility to make sure things are handled and completely. If you expect other people to care about your education as much as you do, you will have issues. But if you stay on top of things, do your assignments, network with the teachers and students, you will leave Ashford with a degree that you EARNED.
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Anonymous
(Graduate) on January 28, 2012
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Self Education
I believe that everyone chooses what they want to do in life. If you are ultimately going to complete your online degree, you more than likely know that you will not have significant interactions with the professors. This is where self dedication comes into play. The literature itself is a great teacher for its respective classes. Those individuals who give a negative review are probably those who learn from visual interactions. Overall, I graduated almost one year ago and everything I have learned I have applied in my life and future goals. I personally have a vision that requires me to not depend on others, but rather requires me to adhere to my own principals and my own values. Ashford University has done that for me by providing its online degree program. I am truly grateful for the program and what it has transformed me into. Overall, if you have the self motivation, will, and want to learn, then Ashford is for you. If you are not willing to read and learn from a non face-to-face environment, then turn back time to when you were 18 or 19 go back to a formal college and learn the traditional way as many individuals call it. Unfortunately, for those of us who have to provide for a family, maintain a full time job, and learn, Ashford University does a great job at that.
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Grant.lightfoot
(Graduate) on October 22, 2011
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Where's The Critical Thought and Personal Accountability?
Ashford is a great school. I love the fact that they are (Bridgeport) is attached to a physical structure of higher education in Clinton, Iowa. I understand that this is kind of a marketing thing, wherein you don't feel like a UOP, Devry or insert the name of any other 100% online school. I like the history that they acquired, the fact that they are a total package with on-campus students, sports, etc. This is a savvy for-profit outfit.
I'm glad that there are still people out there, like those at Bridgeport, that take advantage of what our mixed-market and free economy has to offer. There's nothing wrong with making money in this country, unless you're occupying Wall Street right now. But I digress.
My experience has been nothing less than 100% positive. It takes a lot of self-discipline and time management to go to this school. It takes a lot of dedication and commitment to get the grades you want. For working professionals that want to earn degrees, this is a great place to go. I moved up to executive management prior to even completing my BA.
I have learned so much and it shows in all areas, especially in written communication, which in this world is vital. I plan on obtaining my MA from Ashford and then attending North Central University or University of the Rockies for my PhD.
No matter what anyone is saying on this comment thread, you can't go wrong by going to college here. It works for those that work and want to work for what they get.
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Teofilo_h_rivera
(Graduate) on May 9, 2011
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MOAM @ Ashford University
Some background data:
I completed a 4 year tour in the U.S. Army with an Honorable Discharge as a NCO. I have a Bachelors Degree in Information Technology from Baker College in Auburns Hill, MI. I have experience with Training, Business, Education, Information Technology, and ERP Systems. I have been working as a Business Systems Analyst for the last 15 years.
My program:
I completed a Masters of Arts in Organizational Management with a minor in Supply Chain Management. I chose Ashford for their online program and cost.
My experience with Ashford:
Each individual will have a different and unique experience at Ashford University. I can only share my personal experience with you.
I have read various reviews on Ashford University, both good and bad. My experience was a great one. The classes were challenging, and the Teachers were excellent.
It was convenient not to have to travel to a brick and mortar classroom; however it was tough to complete a Master online. There is a lot of reading, writing, and posting.
I ran into personal problems that required a change in my priorities and I could not keep up with the class pace. Ashford scheduled my courses with two week between courses. In one instance I requested and was granted a Leave of Absence during a personal emergency.
Overall, I am happy with my investment, and after a deserved vacation and I planning on added Project Management to my degree.
Regards,
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Anonymous
(Graduate) on October 28, 2010
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Thumbs up for Ashford!
I graduated September 2010 with a Bachelor of Arts in Organizational Management maintaining a GPA of 3.97. As a full time working adult (in my mid 40’s) with three children, I tried to complete my degree for the past 15 years at a traditional college campus and even a competitor’s online program. Ashford made my educational goals come true but it took a lot of hard work, perseverance and time management. I completed 25 courses at Ashford, which equals approximately 60 percent of the required credits to graduate and I give my educational experience an A+ rating.
Do not think for one minute that Ashford is a diploma mill or you can coast through the assignments and get a good grade. Classroom postings, replies, assignments, tests, and the two or more papers that are required for most classes quickly separate those who are serious about learning and those who are not. Traditional 15-week courses are compressed into five weeks so there is very little time to mess around or you will quickly fall behind. To maintain my GPA required many sacrifices and without the support of my family, vacation days from my employer and Ashford adjusting my course schedule, I could not have succeeded. As with any learning endeavor, you will only get out what you put in and all the instructors at Ashford recognize those who put forth the sincere effort.
In closing, I found myself more motivated at Ashford than any of the previous educational institutions I attended. My fellow classmate’s discussions and instructor’s real world experiences provided a modern ‘virtual’ learning atmosphere for our rapidly changing times. All said and done, I have learned how to apply many of my newly learned skills but what I did not expect is the compelling force to continue life-long learning!
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Lloyd.w.williams
(Graduate) on July 5, 2010
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My experience at AU
I attended an AU program (and finished). From my experience AU is a quality institution and offers some great programs. Here is a brief review covering most aspects of my experience.
Rigor
Each course requires about 5 open book quizzes, 10 discussion postings, 20 response postings, and 3 essay assignments. The assignments are graded and in most cases feedback is given using a rubric. About 40% of your grade comes from the essay assignments which demonstrates competency. Unlike most traditional schools, most essays submitted online are scanned for plagiarism. Online schools are no place to fake your education. Trust me; this is more work than was required during my first two years at a traditional college.
Format
The online format for learning requires a student that can crack open a book and learn. If you are the needy type, gets lost easily, needs constant feedback or moral support from a professor then online learning is not for you. From my experience, if I did have questions about what was expected of me I had no trouble getting help.
Professors
There were some instructors I liked a lot and others not so much. This comes with the territory and should be expected. Right now the trend for online courses is to hire instructors with a masters degree or higher in the fields they teach. Online adjuncts are also required to have real world working experience in the field. Every single professor did their job, and that includes the ones who didn’t give me an A+
Quality
I chose the “organizational management” path which focuses on the people side of management, leadership, HRM, and employee behavior. I found that the content of the courses and schedule contributed to my development and career goals. As an online student you get out of it what you put into it.
Administration and financing
Honestly I had some trouble in this area. The admin staff made some mistakes in my enrollment, my schedules and financing. Some of which could have been prevented if I was paying attention. If you are thinking about being an online college student, I recommend knowing everything about your degree plan and financing options. Don’t just go with the flow.
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Scarletsash
(In Progress) on April 17, 2010
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A very good experience so far.
I have been taking courses at Ashford since 2008 and expect to graduate in 2011. After about a year and a half in the BAOM program, I am still feeling very good about the school. I am confused by reviews that say there is no support or that it is expensive. Here is how I would break down my experience so far:
Financial - FAFSA has so far loaned enough for my whole tuition with some to spare. A check I received last year was enough to cover my books for the entire year.
Before enrolling, I compared Ashford's program with others that I thought were comparable. At the time, Ashford's tuition was the second lowest.
Support - My enrollment advisor was the reason I started at Ashford. I had hung up on reps from several online universities whose information I had requested, because they seemed like used car salesmen to me. Ashford's advisor was different. He DID seem to be promising the moon at times, but I took a chance and so far those promises have been kept.
When dealing with my enrollment advisor and my academic advisor I feel like I am their only student. Responses come within 24 hours without fail. When issues need more follow-up, I literally wonder where they find the time and attention that they gave to me in their day. They have always been polite and patient with me, even when I was testy. I don't know what happened to people who complain about support but I cannot stress enough how different my experience has been.
Teachers - I have not attended classes on-campus in 14 years. When I did, it was at a California community college, so I don't have much to compare the online program with. Based on memory, I find Ashford's instructors to be similar to those from the JC in terms of personality and style.
Teachers - I have not attended classes on-campus in 14 years. When I did, it was at a California community college, so I don't have much to compare the online program with. Based on memory, I find Ashford's instructors to be similar to those from the JC in terms of personality and style.
I disagree with those who say the teachers are absent from the process. I have always received detailed answers from them. My only complaint is that I sometimes get feedback on an assignment that might shape my approach to the next one, and thus my grade, too late to make any changes.
Technology – My thoughts about teachers lead me here next. The teachers use the system differently. They post information in different places and aren't always very understanding when you don't find it. This lack of consistency has been a challenge for me. Other than that, Ashford is using the same technology as other schools (Blackboard).
Value - Ashford IS a regionally accredited school. The credits WILL transfer to the type of schools I would apply to. Again, I am confused by the surprise of other reviewers on this issue. Reading the admissions requirements to a program on any University's web page will tell you what they accept.
Even though it is among the least expensive of schools, I cannot give Ashford a 10 for value just yet. Frankly, I wonder sometimes what the value of this degree will be in the end. I have managed to hold a 3.96 GPA during my time with the school. I have not found this difficult to maintain.
In addition to "going to" school, I have a full time job and do part time work. I can put in as many as 60 hours per week working. I wonder what people who spend 20 hours a week on their coursework are doing.
In a week with no paper, I spend about 5 hours on assignments. If the 8-10 page paper in the last week of most courses is due, I spend about 11 hours on schoolwork that week.
Thus, the only concern I have about this school is how easy it has been. I wonder sometimes if this isn't all just too good to be true. However, if it turns out that this is really all that goes into obtaining a legitimate degree, I will have no regrets about choosing Ashford University.
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Anonymous
(In Progress) on August 15, 2009
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Ashford is an Excellent Online Option
My experience with Ashford has been excellent. Coming from a traditional in-seat experience at Broward College in Broward County, Florida, I feel that my knowledge from the curriculum at Ashford has definitely widened my scope. The professor's posed challenging questions and excellent feedback within the Blackboard forums. Get ready to do a lot of writing in pure APA format! Yes, you will have to be responsible for making contact with both your academic advisor and your financial aid advisor on a regular basis in order to fulfill the tasks you hope to achieve at Ashford, but that would be at any college in which you take initiative. I am currently in the final two courses (yes you can take two courses concurrently) of my Bachelor's of Organizational Mangagement and find that any college I am hoping to attend for my Master's in Public Administration have stated they will transfer the entire degree towards their MPA. That is of course, if I choose not to continue on with Ashford's MPA in October. Ultimately I only required eleven courses with Ashford in order to obtain my BAOM, so I was able to complete that task starting in January of 2009 and ending in September, 2009. Be sure to as about the PLA program (Prior Learning Assessment) as I was able to eliminate 23 elective credits by submitting a one page Credit Rational paper and $30 per credit. I don't think you can complete your BA at ANY other college in eight to nine months! As a Deputy Sheriff it will provide me an opportunity to advance within my career and my employer is not concerned with Ashford's 'credibility' because they have heard from many different agencies that they are excellent! On a scale from one to ten, I would give Ashford, its professors and its administrative staff a ten! Good luck in your endeavors.
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Dirtbiking
(Graduate) on July 12, 2009
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Take these reviews with a grain of salt
A lot of these reviewers are either tainted by bad experiences and offer plain untruths. For instances, many (not all) Ashford University textbooks if purchased from THEIR bookstore are packaged with their name on it. However, the course information provides the full ISBN and you can buy the textbook anywhere online and usually cheaper. That said, their bookstore is very efficient. Living in Tennessee I normally received a book from them within 2 days. The few times I tried buying my books elsewhere was more hassle than the savings were worth.
As for academics, what do you expect, a Harvard or MIT education? Give me a break. I did the bulk of my undergraduate work (80+ hours) in a brick n' mortar institution (Univ of Nevada, Las Vegas) and found Ashford to be on par as far as a non-technical degree program goes. Like UNLV, Ashford has good and bad instructors, and some courses are relatively easy while others are not.
I actually found Ashford's course load to be much more intense than UNLV, and for the most part, their professors won't accept the "dog ate my homework" excuses many of my UNLV professors would.
As for brick n' mortar institutions, if you find sitting in a lecture hall with 150+ other students while a professor drones on non-stop for 50 minutes and then leaves without answering a single question a better learning environment, more power to you.
Finally, you have to separate the academic from the marketing side. all these institutions do this nowadays as they battle to fill seats. Otherwise, I have had very good academic advisors, and never experienced a single problem with their financial department whatsoever.
Bottom line: you get what you pay. Its not MIT but it's not a degree mill either. Ashford's online programs are accelerated and the workload bears this out. If you do not participate in the discussion forums, or turn in homework on time you fail, just like a traditional school. Like a traditional school, each course has its bright students and those who aren't so much, and this is reflected in their work.
I accomplished approximately 40 credits, obtain my degree, and found Ashford relatively on par with all the brick n' mortar institutes I've attended as far as course relevancy, instructors, and academics. Hope this helps other prospective students.
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Miagirllost
(In Progress) on May 22, 2009
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Continuing Post below:
I’ve since transferred to the local university, who accepted all my credits EXCEPT Ashford’s. I’ll be graduating this fall rather than summer because of this. However, I do agree with the University’s decision that the classes at Ashford are just not at the same level as most US Universities. Now, I have been receiving calls and letters saying, I owe $2011.00. I spoke to a Financial Aid officer at Ashford, who refused to send me an invoice. When I said I would not speak to her without one, she hung up. I called her again and once I questioned her as to why the Academic Advisor registered me for a course if I owed money, she hung up. I was never informed about the first balance. It clearly states in the student handbook, students are not allowed to register if there is a balance. Please note: Your academic advisor is the only person who can register or drop you. You yourself can’t do this, which makes it possible for your Academic Advisor to register you for courses without consent as well as driving up balances you may not know exist.
I have called Ashford University 20 times in last two days and no one is willing to send me the exact date and courses. I have emails stating I would be receiving financial aid. I do not know why I owe these people money. I have already made a report with the Better Business Bureau, as well as the US Dept. of Education’s Office of Inspector. I hope something will be done to stop Ashford from taking advantage of people who just want an education, while misrepresenting and lying about Federal Aid. I for one believe Federal Aid for this school should stop in hopes of steering people far away from this school.
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Clwz28
(In Progress) on April 16, 2009
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Excellent Choice
After reading many reviews for online classes, I came to realize that all colleges receive a mixture of reviews, both positive and negative. Those who struggle in class seem to be the ones who scream the loudest about the integrity of the college they are bashing, often refering to the school as a diploma mill.
Let me set the record straight. Whether at a brick and mortar campus or an online classroom, you get out of your educational experience what you put into it. I have been enrolled at Ashford for one year, and will be graduating March of 2010. I currently hold a 3.97 GPA, but I will tell you that this is not a cake walk. On average, I put in approximately 20 hours per week to maintain this average. When grades are posted, a class average for each assignment is posted so you may gage your accomplishments to that of your peers. Let me tell you that not every classmate does this well. For example, on our latest writing assignment, the class average was 6.16 points out of a possible 10, I scored much higher than the average, but this speaks volumes to my statement of you get out of it what you put into it.
I have found all but one of my classes to be challenging, and the instructors are always posting questions to students Blackboard disscussions, pressing them to explore further. Ashford is a quality school, that is accredited. If you are serious about learning, not looking for a free pass, Ashford is an excellent choice.
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Clarkjs
(In Progress) on April 2, 2009
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Enjoying My Experience Thus Far
I have only completed the mandatory introductory course; PSY 202, as well as one course within my major, and I am basing my evaluation soley on these two courses and the interaction I have had with my various advisors.
I have given Ashford an overall rating of 8.5. I feel that they have met all of my expectations thus far, but a 9 or 10 rating is reserved for exceeding all expectations.
The materials used by Ashford are the same texts that are used by a traditional university. they do have a few "custom" texts, however I think the only thing "custom" is the Ashford logo on the cover. The content of the books appears to be exactly the same as any other non-custom text.
The teachers, for the most part appear to be experts in their fields. I only had minimal interaction with any of the teachers, I did however interact with the teaching assistant. All of my emails or Blackboard postings to either of the instructors, were answered in a reasonable time. The grades were posted on a consistant basis, and constructive feedback was provided for all papers that I was required to write.
I feel that the institution rating feeds back to the overall rating of "8".
I have rated the support a perfect "10". I have called or emailed my enrollment, accademic, and financial advisor more than 15 times for various reasons. Each and every time I received a response from them within 1-3 hours. They appear to be very accessible and haven't made a habit of "passing the buck" if my question or issue wasn't their particular area of work.
As for value, I have rated Ashford a "10". I am a Military student using the Montgomery GI Bill. My books are provided by a Military grant and my tution is $750 per course regardless of the level (upper or lower). The course cost, along with the support functions make this school an extremely good value for me as a Military student.
Being that Ashford is an online school, of course they are using technology. I don't see them using more or less than any other school, and I rate them an "8"
Taking my experiences into consideration I would reccomend Ashford Universtiy to anyone seeking an online BA.
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Ryangapen
(In Progress) on February 24, 2009
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Great, for the right person.
I have been attending Ashford for about 2 years. I started out going for my degree in Organizational Management, and later added a second degree in business administration. I will admit that the school has some drawbacks, but it's worth the time. The academic advisors have changed a few times for me, and there have been some miscommunications, just like other schools. The only difference is that when I had an issue I didn’t have to wait in line for a half hour, I just sent an e-mail and waited a day to hear back.
For someone that is a self starter, I would highly recommend this school. You don't have to listen to boring lectures, and you can join in with the class at just about any time. I have had professors from several great schools such as MIT, and Yale. I would not have had an experience like this at any other school.
I was not the best student before, but after trying school online, I will never go back. If I get tired, and want to check out of class, I can. And if I wake up at 3am and want to go to school, I can. This has boosted my motivation, and I continuously want to do better. I have a GPA of 3.84 right now, and I am very proud because I worked very hard for it. Plus my tying skills have improved dramatically. I was able to side step my career to something that is far less labor intensive, and I am doing better than I ever have. It’s really hard to sum up Ashford in a few paragraphs. What I can say is that if you are a self starter, then you will do well here, but don’t expect it to be a cake walk.
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Schumacher.ak
(In Progress) on February 23, 2009
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The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly
The Good: An acclerated program. At Ashford your writing will improve, the curriculum is geared toward writing papers of modest length, using multiple sources for content. Two to 3 papers are due for every 5 week course. The weekly quizzes account for 20% of the overall grade, they're open book, and even if you don't do the assigned reading you can still do well enough on the quizzes.
The Bad: You are required to write two 300 word posts every week, and respond to a minimum of four posts. Everyone typically gets 80% to 100% credit for posting - regardless of quality - and sometimes the quality can be pretty poor. Just write something, anything, and you'll get credit.
The Ugly: Pretty much everyone passes. Just pay the money and show up.
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Pinheads1
(Graduate) on February 15, 2009
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Great Experience!
I had always planned on going back to school and finishing my Bachelors degree as I dropped out of a community college after completing 66 units due to financial issues. Well, at the age of 50 I did so and chose Ashford U. after researching several other colleges (both on-line and traditional). My advisor got me started (first class in March, 2006) and I took out a couple of student loans to initially pay my tuition. Everything went smoothly for me. The classes were challenging and, as in any school, some instructors were better than others but none were poor. I found that my e-mails and phone calls were responded to in a timely manner and the instructors were willing to work with their students when issues arose. Again, as in any school, there were students who took issue with grades, complained when they were late with assignments and lost points or didn't purchase the text and expected to receive an A. Let's face it; you get out what you put into your academic career regardless of where you study and on-line classes take discipline as it is up to the individual to succeed or fail. I graduated on June 30, 2008 with a degree in Organizational Management (suma cum laude) and within a month received a promotion at work. Though I spent many a morning and hours on weekends studying, researching and writing papers, it was all worth it. Quite frankly, I miss the interactions and challenges of the classroom but it is nice to be able to surf in the mornings again! I feel that Ashford U. was a great experience and I am very glad that I chose this school to fulfill my goal of obtaining my BA.
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Ckd_808
(In Progress) on January 13, 2009
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Been a year with no problem
I have been enrolled for a year so far. SO far so good. I have been able to transfer credits from my local community college with no problem. I have also applied for financial aid with no problem and receive my money in a timely manner. I have read how others have had issues with communication, but I have had no issues and live 5,000 miles away from campus. Yes, it is expensive, but my location limits me in my options. Phoenix University was more expensive, less flexible and had a longer program.
Remember, Financial aid is up to you. You have to be the one to apply online at FAFSA.org once you do this and designate your appropriate school, fill out the proper forms for your school, its all good. Unless you missed a deadline, there should be no problems besides possible human error.
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Kaldenbach
(Graduate) on August 26, 2008
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I Understand Some of the Frustration, but...
When it comes to attending college, you get out of it what you put into it; with this I agree. I was initially concerned that some of the people in class did not appear to belong, but as things progressed I noticed that those people tended to drop out and the cumulative competency of the students rose. Isn't this at least part of what college is all about, to weed out the folks that cannot perform?
And to be truthful, administrative support at the school needs work, but the school is growing at a break-neck pace, which may be contributing to the problems people are experiencing.
Another thing that struck me was that a lot of the difficulties communicating had to do with the fact that for a number of students, English was a second language, which probably made conversational postings a little difficult. Just because people have difficulty speaking your language it doesn’t mean that they are stupid.
There have been accusations that Ashford is a degree mill. I believe this to be utterly false. People going through the motions or trying to buy degrees is not unique to an institution like Ashford. I know of students at prestigious traditional schools (I pay through the nose so my son can attend TCU, so I have a frame of reference) that cheat on their assignments and do as little as possible to get through, so you get losers in all kinds of environments, even the high-priced institutions.
Regarding the quality of the program (which should be your primary concern), the curriculum at every regionally accredited school is evaluated and must meet minimum standards to qualify for recognition. Ashford is a regionally accredited school, so if you are willing to put in the time and effort, you'll come out of the experience a better-educated and better-rounded individual.
Anyway, as I moved through the program, my appreciation and respect for Ashford increased; I came to believe that my success was contingent on my effort. I put in the effort, so I succeeded. I am now poised to choose a graduate school and after talking to several admissions counselors, my initial concerns with Ashford have been erased. It is a respected institution, so feel confident in your decision to attend.
And take a few minutes each week to follow your school’s sports teams! I know the school is small and doesn’t compete in Division 1, but it is nice to have a traditional school to identify with and sports teams to cheer for.
Go Saints!!
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Neal.lampi
(In Progress) on May 27, 2008
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Happier Here
I have attend community college in California, University of Phoenix, ground and on-line, and now I am happily enrolled and making good progress toward completing my BA, I have one year left, and will stay for my post graduate work. If I could go to a bricks and mortar campus, I would, it is undoubtedly preferable. My second choice was and is now Ashford; I am enjoying having the same academic advisor as when I started last October, the same financial aid advisor, and most of all I enjoy being liberated from University of Phoenix Learning Teams. No school is perfect I have found fault here as well, but I will earn my education and will be able to proudly announce it on my resume.
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Anonymous
(In Progress) on May 22, 2008
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Outstanding!!!!
I am currently pursuing my BA in Organizational Management through Ashford. I have had a couple hangups with various steps of financial aid (mostly due to my own error, admittedly), but overall I am very satisfied with the convenience and affordability of Ashford. Sure, they are a for-profit school, but any endowed academy is certainly not in the business to lose money, are they?
I've noticed many people have commented on the support system and how it takes so much effort to contact and/or get an advisor to respond to phone calls, emails, or what have you. My advice? Save any and all emails from your advisors. If you have a problem, reply to any one of them, CC to every other advisor you have, and word your complaint strongly (yet tactfully), and you will get a timely response.
Case-in-point, I qualify for the military grant, which means $750 per course instead of $990 for level 200+ courses, and $0 for the tech fee. I noticed after my second class that I was not given the military grant, nor was I discounted the tech fee. I politely responded to my academic advisor's last email detailing the problem. I CC'd my enrollment advisor, Vince, my financial advisor, Daniel, as well as my work email. I received a response at noon eastern the next day (it was midnight when I sent the email). Last week, I found that my account was still not in-line, so without being overly frustrated, I completed the same process, this time also CC'ing Ashford's VA coordinator. My account was credited that same day.
As for the professors, all of mine I've had so far have been extremely insightful, supportive, and knowledgeable. Much more so than the in-person college I attended in 2002.
Go Saints!
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FILHASHOPE
(In Progress) on May 15, 2008
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Good, Maybe needs Improvement
I hae read most of the reviews. I agree with most in some way. I do however think overall, this is a good school. All things considered, it is good. I don't understand how some people are saying they have not bheen able to get in touch with anyone. I never have a problem at all. Email does seem to work the best but even when I have called and left a message, I got a return witin a day.
I will say the financial aid part is VERY vague. I do feel like they are purposely not explaining total cost. I was shocked to get the $990.00 technology fee during my second course. No one explained that to me. I know I am responsible to read my catalog, but really, that should be pointed out.
One other thing is that I had to be very insistant on not wanting to take any outstanding general education courses with them. They just enroll you in courses without any explanation. I am taking those few general education courses at the community college to save money and do not want to pay for them at Ashford!
My degree audit was sent to me and then resent and were different. I called and spoke to my advisor and she said she had no idea what I was looking at, so I emailed her back her original email (that was funny) to show her what she had done. She did not apologize for the error or admit it, she juwt looked and basically said that I didn't understand what the first one said. I then nicely let her have it and only then did she "realize" there was a mistake and she better drop me from my current class because I did not need it.
All in all, here's the thing. Not matter what university y0u attend they will all have their problems. I don't see fraud at any level, just people doing business. As a student, it is our responsibility to keep on top of our paperwork and ASK QUESTIONS. Yes, they will make mistakes. We will make mistakes. Just keep on top of them. We are paying for an education. Being online students, we reallly aren't paying for an experience or we would have done that right after high school!
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Scott534
(In Progress) on March 26, 2008
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Poor feedback from instructors
I am now in my 6th class at Ashford University. I am 42 years old and have been in my current career for 18 years. I was looking for an online environment that was challenging but still allowed me to be flexible.
There has been several issues with ordering books. My last class they actually ran out of the books in the bookstore, and they did not arrive until the 4th week. I now make sure to order the books weeks ahead of time, using ebay or amazon to save money.
The online environment, what they call "blackboard" is extremely confusing and took me several classes to become comfortable with.
My academic advisor, (I was switched to her with no notification) is ok. She will never answer her phone however, so I must always wait for a call back-which can be difficult during the day as I work full time.
My instructors have been great up to my last class. They have been very easy to communicate with, have provided a phone number to call them if needed, and have seemed fair with the grades. I bust my butt to keep an "A" average and my work has paid off.....so far....
My last instructor for a basic computer class-INF 103-was Melanie. She was horrible. She was rude to students in responding to issues (she would cc the entire class when she responded to a student regarding a computer issue-it was completely rude and unprofessional), she was pretty much non existent during the class, I had to ask for a review on one of my projects where she deducted points (she then realized she had screwed up and had to change my grade), she refused to explain her feedback and/or offer assistance with her grading criteria, she refused to allow any communication via telephone, and she was rude and very arrogant in her emails. I would not recommend her for any classes with Ashford.
I realize that not all instructors are like Melanie, just like all bosses and fellow employees in the workplace are not always ethical. But I am paying good money for this education, and she was unacceptable. Although I received an overall B+ for the class, I am lodging a formal complaint against her for her ethics as an instructor. I am not asking for my grade to be changed, but I am asking for action to be taken against her by the University. We'll see......
I am sticking with my schooling for now, as not one bad instructor does a school make-however, one more instructor like Melanie and I will go elsewhere.
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Anonymous
(In Progress) on February 12, 2008
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Not satisfied at all. Poor communication
The enrollment advisors are like car salesmen with tricks up their sleeves. I am sorry - I know there must be some great ones out there, but the joke of an advisor I got has tained my entire experience.
My advisor (initials I.Q.)gave me the whole speech, the pitch, and I was sold, which is fine by me, I want to be excited going to school. Well.. after I enrolled was the day I stopped hearing from him. COMPLETELY. I must have called him up to 5 times a day during my first week of school and he never returned my calls. Left msg's over the weekend. Heard nothing back. Sent up to 4 emails a day (cc'ing everyone, the financial aid people on it to) and NO ONE ever returned my email/call in a timely fashion. I was very disapointed.
I ended up quitting the first week because they pushed me to enroll and get started without figuring out how to pay for it. When I told them my financial information (Very detailed) they claimed I would get nearly everything paid for. When I actually got my Fasfa results, I didn't get JACK. I then was already in my 2nd day of classes, and not knowing how to pay for school, and no one would return my calls. So I finally called a manager of another office (where their brick n' mortar school - their internet/online degree advisors are all in a seperate building located in California) and she told me how to quite without getting charged.
So far I haven't gotten a bill, I quite within 1 week (so no charge as long as you don't sign in more than 3 times). But Financial Aid did call me the other day and left a msg. Who knows what they want now. Now they call, when I don't want them anymore.
Be ill-advised to sign up. My experience has been they are conning you until you enroll, then you really don't hear from your advisor again.
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Carolelittle2000
(Graduate) on February 5, 2008
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Great Way to Complete Your Degree
Ashford made it possible for me to finally complete my degree 30 years after dropping out in my junior year for medical reasons. Although I had attempted to go back many times, I was always told that very few of my credits from Boston University would transfer because it was a private school and because it was so long ago. Ashford accepted more than half of my credits and in addition accepted CLEP and DANTES. As a working mother, taking one full time accelerated course every 6 weeks allowed me to finish my degree so that I can now pursue a graduate degree.
My enrollment counselor, Jessica Abbott, was wonderful as was my advisor, Kami Bear and the registrar's assistant, Renee Farrell.
I found the coursework rigorous and the burden was definitely on me to stay on track, do the reading and complete the assignments by the due dates. I had to order my books for the next course around half way through the current course to be sure to have them in time. Half the time, I could find them on Ebay or Amazon for a fraction of the price and saved a few dollars.
I did have occasion to follow up on a few speed bumps however they were resolved both timely and fairly. As a mother of a 19 year old college student, I can tell you that I have had to advocate and assist my son a few times to navigate the system in a well known, top notch, private institution as things occasionally fall through the cracks.
As with anything in life, you get out of Ashford, what you put in to it. I studied an average of two to three hours daily, sometimes more on the weekends when papers or additional assignments were given and when I slacked off so did my grades.
Some teachers were very engaged, some were so so and some started off very strong and disappeared towards the end but I still was held accountable for the assignments and had to demonstrate knowledge gained from the course content and other sources.
I highly recommend Ashford University as an affordable, good university for any non traditional student wishing to round out their education to match their experience. I am very proud of my Ashford Diploma.
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T.swavely
(In Progress) on September 5, 2007
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Highly recommended
I am currently enrolled in my seventh class at Ashford University, pursuing a bachelor of arts in organizational management online. So far, the program has been wonderful. Classes are five weeks in length, making them fast-paced and intense.
Of course, the student gets out of it what he or she puts into it. Self-discipline, internal motivation, a strong desire to learn, and effective time-management skills are necessary for success. My first class at Ashford covered these personal skills and others, and presented stragies that help strengthen any weaknesses.
Classes at Ashford are competitively priced - a great value. The financial aid process is simple and efficient, and I have found my financial aid advisor very knowledgeable and helpful.
The textbooks for my first two courses were custom editions, available only through the university book store. However, subsequent courses are taught using standard college textbooks widely available for purchase. I have shopped around to compare prices, and have found that the university book store has competitive prices. The only place I have found my textbooks cheaper is on amazon.com, and their prices are only slightly less.
Ashford uses the BlackBoard platform to deliver online classes. Using BlackBoard, students are required to log in to their class two times per week and to complete assignments in the form of at least one, but usually two, discussion posts and replying to at least two fellow students per discussion every week. In addition to weekly discussions, a final reflective paper which makes up 25% of the course grade is required.
Many instructors take part in weekly discussions and make an effort to interact with each student. However, I have had one class in which the instructor seemed apathetic about interacting with the students. Ashford has procedures in place for problems such as these for students to report problems with instructors or classes. Also, students are given an end-of-course survey after each class in which they can rate the instructor and the quality of the course.
Overall, I feel that Ashford University is a great value for those seeking an online degree. I am very happy with my classes, so far. I researched other organizational management programs, both online and on-campus, and the program content seems to be at least standard, if not superior, to others. I have learned so much already, and am confident that once I complete my degree I will be as knowledgeable and prepared in my career field as graduates from other organizational management programs are. Therefore, I highly recommend Ashford University's online degree program.
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