Organizational Management Reviews

Finish

By: Garzaktown (Graduate) on December 29, 2008

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     I've been an Ashford University student since 2005 and I just graduated. So, I have a lot of knowledge and experience about their classes and instructors. 
     All I can say is that they have treated me very well. My academic adviser and financial adviser, have always treated me well and taken care of my concerns. Technical support has made much more improvements in blackboard over the years, and they are avilable 24/7 if you need help. My professors and instructors are always there to help me and worked with me on any emergencies in my personal life.
     If there is anything negative to say is that I had disagreements with classmates and instructors, but all of that is normal just like any ordinary classroom. On-line courses is not just for anyone, it takes discipline and lots of reading to make it through, and with that you become much more smarter. 
     I will continue my eduction with Ashford University in receiving my MBA.

Much Better Online BA Schools Out There

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on December 1, 2008

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I enrolled at Ashford and quite frankly this was a waste of my time and money.  The classes were VERY expensive.  Every time I tried to find out what the cost to complete my degree would be, I got a run-around.  I withdrew in frustration over the lack of assistance from their administration.  I also was charged $500 for matriculation that never was done, etc.

There are online programs that are MUCH less expensive and are upfront about the costs involved.

Two Thumbs Up for Ashford

By: mickandjulie (In Progress) on November 11, 2008

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I start my 5th class tomorrow.  Ashford has been a challenge, but one that I have enjoyed.  It's frustrating to read negative reviews, because they are so far from the truth.  Ashford's curriculum is NO joke!

Great School

By: clc28rc (In Progress) on October 31, 2008

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Let me first say that you get out of your classes what you put into them.  I enrolled with Ashford in April 2008.  I was quite nervous about signing up without knowing what I would qualify for financially.  I took my enrollment advisor's word that I would qualify for aid.  I knew my income would disqualify me for FSA, however, my enrollment advisor ensured me that there would be no problem with the Stafford. I am glad I believed in him! To date this has been the best educational experience I have had.  Other than being uneasy about finance, the remainder of my enrollment was smooth.  The classes have had a wealth of information, the instructors are top notch, provide feedback, and guidance.  My Stafford was approved by the beginning of my second class and has been seamless since then. 
Some have mentioned a hidden fee of $990 taken with the second class, which is true, but my enrollment advisor informed me of this before I signed anything.  My thought is  that those who claim they were not aware may have overlooked it during enrollment as there is a lot of information to go over with your advisor.
I am proud to be enrolled at Ashford.  Go Saints!!

GREAT SCHOOL

By: Anonymous (Graduate) on October 23, 2008

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So it is interesting and I felt compelled to write a review on my experience at Ashford. I never had any issues getting a hold of individuals to assist me at Ashford University whether it be an enrollment advisor, academic advisor or any of my instructors. My enrollment advisor was extremely knowledgeable and never FORCED me to do anything I didn't want to do and never lied to me. Yes, you may have an instructor that you don't see eye to eye with; Come on People, we meet people like this every day of our lives and it doesn't hold us back. Most of the individuals who had problems with financial aid more than likely didn't have their paperwork in order or on time. I used it and NEVER had any problems in the two years I attended here. Someone had mentioned they were upset that they withdrew from a class and had to pay the university; WAKE UP and smell the coffee, because it is like that in almost every university! They are not going to waste their money on someone who isn't serious about their education or quits when they realize it isn't as easy as they claim it is or was. Someone who has likely been fired or quit from this institution probably isn't going to have anything good to say. If the university's policy says that in order to receive free courses, you must meet the requirements of enrolling so many students, that is meant for motivation to get people into college and is pretty acceptable. That does not mean that all they care about is money, because obviously they are spending a great deal to allow their employees to take classes. If anything you should be grateful for the opportunity because most employers do not offer free education on any circumstance. I always enjoy the comments about how they hand out degrees because I know how hard I worked and how many hours I put into the projects and papers, and I cannot tell you how dissappointed it makes me that someone (who obviously doesn't know what they are talking about) would ridicule it.

Janie

By: jsolano (In Progress) on October 16, 2008

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I attended University of Phoenix and enjoyed it! I was able to get 24 credits right away but I did not have a life. I worked fulltime and sometimes weekend it just was not for me. At the time, they did not offer one class at a time so it was hard. I transferred to Ashford after my 24 hrs. I am enjoying it here as well. I like the 5 weeks and you start another class right away. 
I was disappointed earlier because a co-worker stated, "online degree's are not really earned degrees"
What do you all think?
I feel that it is up to the individual to learn and benefit from learning as much as possible. I enjoy the fact that I don't need to drive. I attend at my own time.
I get fraustrated at times because you do get tired of reading,homework & postings. I just keep pushing myself and I am determined to get that piece of paper. Reality also is that any college now a day especially online you will need to get loans even if you qualify for FAFSA there is no way around it! I am willing to pay for my education at whatever cost. That payment will remind me yes I got my degree. good luck!

Ashford is Regionally Accredited

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on September 30, 2008

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My husband and I attend Ashford and we love it. People need to check their facts before believing what they read. Sometimes the person entering college doesn't listen and research before compulsively joining; then they get upset when they realize they made the mistake. A private school education is not free and if you are looking for a hand out, get some easy certificate, but if you want a real accredited degree that is not an online degree but you can complete online at your convenience, look into Ashford.  As always, think for yourselves.

Ashford is wonderful!

By: fairfield567 (In Progress) on September 26, 2008

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I have read through the reviews and I do have something that I wanted to share.  I have been enrolled at Ashford for a year now and it has been an absolute wonderful experience!  I still communicate with my enrollment advisor at least once a month if not more.  She was never too pushy at the beginning even when I was unsure about enrolling. 

One thing I have learned about any university is that it is your responsibility to ensure your paperwork is in order.  I did a followup on my degree progress and found elective courses which I had transferred in that were eligible to be part of my general ed. requirements.  I notified the registrar and now they are properly applied where they belong and in the process I have opened up electives which I can begin the smart track for my Master's degree.   

As long as you are a dedicated person the professors will work with you.  All of the professors I have had were very responsive..some provide you with phone #'s and some don't, but you will always be able to contact them via email.  

No matter where you go to school you will find professors that you love, like, or hate and honestly I have found I love all of them.  I worked for my grades...raising 3 children, with a home to take care of and a husband who works two jobs.  I am full-time mommy, wife, and homemaker.  This has been the best way for me to obtain my degree and I am loving every minute of it!  

I am not eligible for FASFA so I have Stafford loans which take care of all of the cost except for the books. There is a one time 990.00 tech fee which takes care of the entire degree and it is posted during your second class.  There is no group work...it's all individual.  All homework is either due on Thurs.(typically two discussion posts with APA documentation at least from the book) or Monday (responses to at least two of your classmates in both post and papers).  Every BAOM course has a 3-5 page paper due in the second week of class, a rough draft of the final reflective paper due on the third week of class, and the 8 page reflective paper due on the last day of class during week 5.  I love how it feels to know that in 5 weeks I earn 3 credits.  I never feel that 15 week drag like in traditional programs (and I have taken courses at 4 different colleges in the past 15 years).  I am now 7 courses away from my degree and I feel like I have learned so much and accomplished so much.  I even was able to apply my Spanish credits toward a concentration in Spanish.  (I used to be a Spanish major in the college I obtained the majority of my transferred credits along with a study abroad experience in Mexico which they also accepted).   

If you are a motivated person who is eager to obtain a degree and work hard for it...Ashford is the best online school.  As with anything you want in life you have to give it your all..and I was able to do that while still having a life and a family!

I Love Ashford!

By: vikinggirl88 (In Progress) on September 12, 2008

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I started at Ashford in April, 2008.  At first, I got frustrated with the online thing but the tech support department is great at walking you through the steps to do what you need to do.  The Financial Department is wonderful.  The Academic Advisor I have is so helpful.  I would not change schools now for anything.

I Understand Some of the Frustration, but...

By: Kaldenbach (Graduate) on August 26, 2008

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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!!

Navy Girl LOVES Ashford

By: roro2315 (In Progress) on June 24, 2008

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I have to start off by saying that I've had a pretty great experience so far with Ashford.  I'm currently in my third class (Management 330) and I'm really enjoying myself.  I'm in the Navy and I needed a school that would accept my SMART credits, and work around my ridicules schedule.  Besides the reading, I've really enjoyed the classes.  I have to say that the EXP105 class was way to easy and a bit of a waste.  I actually enjoyed PSY202.  

My enrollment advisor was awesome, so I'm sorry to hear that others have had bad experiences.  She told me what to expect and gave me everything I needed to start my TA and order my books.  She even explained how to get a waiver after my TA runs out.  She did call a lot in the beginning, but at least I never forgot to go to class :). 

I've come to the conclusion that you can have a bad experience anywhere.  You have to know what you are getting yourself into.  Nothing is free in life and you are a fool if you think it is.  On that note, I have to do a huge 3 page paper. :)

A+ for Ashford

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on June 19, 2008

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Ashford offers an excellent program designed to aide the most time-challenged of us, to receive a degree.  I've personally examined a number of on-line programs, and Ashford is, by far, the best.  My advisors have always been responsive and articulate in their discussions with me in reference to any issue I may be having over my time at Ashford.  

There are issues with every on-line program because technology is continually changing, but that is to be expected.  I would recommend Ashford to anyone looking to finish a degree without a huge financial burden at the end.  

Apply yourself to the program, accept the challenge of the information technology environment and you will be successful.  Good luck to all of you who decide to try the Ashford program, you won't be disappointed.

Happier Here

By: neal.lampi (In Progress) on May 27, 2008

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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.

Outstanding!!!!

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on May 22, 2008

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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!

Good, Maybe needs Improvement

By: FILHASHOPE (In Progress) on May 15, 2008

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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!

Overall Satisfied with Asford

By: mizzmax19 (In Progress) on April 27, 2008

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I will be graduating from Ashford in September of this year and have been satisfied with the classes overall.  I always received my books and enjoyed many of the instructors teaching method and instructional feedback.  One thing I can agree on with the negative posts is that it is sometimes hard to get in touch with the advisors and the Financial Aid dept.  My sister just graduated (we both major in Organizational Management) and she still has not been able to get a hold of the advisor regarding a hold placed on her financial record.  

Taking the classes are no different than attending other colleges or universities.  I transferred from ITT and THAT was a horrible experience. That school DID take people with little or no education and I thought I was in the twilight zone.

Overall, I feel that I am truly earning my degree and I look forward to continuting with the Masters program.

Poor feedback from instructors

By: scott534 (In Progress) on March 26, 2008

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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.

Graduation feels good

By: Anonymous (Graduate) on February 20, 2008

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I thought Ashford was a great school.  I got a BS in Org Management with a concentration in Education.  It was challenging but books and starting was easy.  If you want to get your degree, and are organized enough to work from home you can get you degree.  I also noticed that Ashford was ranked in the fourth tier.  I don't think I saw any other online schools on the list.  I have noticed people fall from classes.  Many want a walk in the park and a degree certificate.  If you want it get.  I did. My advisor always answered me within 24 hours and almost always answered the phone (I ask a lot of questions!) 

Slightly annoying items were they changed Blackboard.  Some days now it seems slow but they are fixing it.  They have custom texts.  Some of the text books could have been more learners friendly.  Black and White no index etc.  It would be nice if more instructors used some type of PowerPoint or presentation for lecture.  Some do some don't.  It goes back to you have the same stuff at colleges (brick and mortar)  But, I saved time and got more done from home.

ASHFORD WAS GREAT!!!!!

By: Anonymous (Graduate) on February 18, 2008

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Going to Ashford was the best decision I've ever made!  They accepted all 82 of my transferable units, 30 being from military work experience.  I was able to finish my degree in a year and 7 months and felt that I received an excellent education.  The financial aid process went smoothly and I had great communication with my advisors.  

This is one of the most affordable online Universities out there!!!  I was able to graduate with minimal debt.  As for technology, if you know how to navigate the internet you will have no problem accessing the online classroom.  I am proud to be an Ashford Graduate!

Online students please beware!

By: mrstashaguy (In Progress) on February 14, 2008

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I thought that the bad reviews were from people who did not try or didn't do what needed to be done...I was sadly wrong. I wasted about $3000 at this school, time and the ability to graduate in the timeline I had set for myself. The bad reviews are there for a reason and please consider what these people (as well as myself) have been through. Everything started off fine but, after that first class, there was no communication, it was hard to receive return phone calls and I believe they know they are doing something wrong if they are going to charge you a 990.00 technology fee after you start your second class, when all the other schools will break it down over the course of your enrollment. Proffesors never called back or responded to my emails and your advisor will drop your class and tell you to take it over, as if money grows on trees. I have a lot of concerns with this school and I am very upset not only because of the money but now I have to go through the whole process of finding another school and making sure they will provide me with the financial aid needed. If you are a on-campus student maybe its a good school but for those online PLEASE PLEASE PLEASE BEWARE!

Not satisfied at all. Poor communication

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on February 12, 2008

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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.

A joke to say the least - don't be duped!

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on February 6, 2008

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I enrolled at the college, letting them know that I would not be able to afford to attend without financial aid. They said it would be no problem. They enrolled me before my aid was approved and never told me when I started or how to order books. I received an email from the professor welcoming me to the class that began that day. I had no books! It took twenty phone calls, 30 emails, and 6 months to get my aid, and then it didn't cover very much at all. They also charged me a $990 technical fee that I was never informed of. I'm wasting time and money just trying to get ahold of someone. It takes weeks to hear from advisors, they are heavily understaffed and teachers are not very helpful. The only advantage to taking courses from this school is that they are eager to enroll you. I DO NOT recommend this school to anyone who does not have money to spare!

Great Way to Complete Your Degree

By: carolelittle2000 (Graduate) on February 5, 2008

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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.

Proud to be an Ashford Alum

By: phipsijuice (Graduate) on January 29, 2008

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I don't understand how someone could have a bad experience? The process of enrollment, ordering books and taking classes online is quite simple. If you are computer literate, motivated and disciplined with your time you should have no problems. I recently graduated with a BA in Organizational Management. My experience with Asford has been excellent. I was skeptical at first, but I did plenty of research and decided Ashford fit my needs. I originally transferred 75 credits(the maximim allowed at the time)from a traditional campus university I had attended. Ashford eventually raised the maximum number of transferrable credits to 99 which I took adavantage of, and I graduated sooner than expected. I have made the decision to continue my education with Ashford, enrolling in their MAOM program. I highly recommend Ashford University.

It is still a nightmare

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on January 22, 2008

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I am not happy at all with Ashford.  I took one class, no problem, then the second class I ordered the books well in advance and didn't recieve them until 4 wks into the class.  My advisor told me to drop the class and enroll in the next one coming up.  I wasn't told that they would charge me for the class they told me to drop.  Then while taking the class again I finally got ahold of The Dept of Education in my State and was told that the classes that I was taking would not transfer in my state, so I didn't finish the class.  Now Ashford has had their collection agency trying to collect $2,100 for the two classes.  I had gotten a federal grant and the money went right to them.  I was just trying to better myself and now I have a huge debt that I got nothing out of.  If anyone has any advice or has had any similar situations with Ashford, I would really appreciate hearing from you!!

Ashford is an excellent choice!

By: admin (Graduate) on January 2, 2008

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My overall experience with Ashford was excellent (July 2005 - July 2007).  I was able to transfer in all of my credits which enabled me to finish in two years.  The classes were well organized and required a lot of self discipline and time management to get through. I can't say the content was necessarily difficult but then again, the major I was in - Organizational Management wasn't necessarilly rocket science either. However I did learn new things from each and every class which have been very helpful in carrying over into my career in many aspects. I have to say 90% of the classes I had were awesome and the teachers were attentive, knowlegable and some even inspiring but there were a few where they weren't around much which resulted in the class not being so great.  But keep in mind that you can run into poor professors on campus as well....as I did this past semester at an "excellent" on campus university.  
As far as my advisor, he did an excellent job, returned all of my phone calls and was very helpful.  Additionally, the financial people were well orgainized and did an excellent job as well. So yeah, overall - a great experience and I'm happy to have chosen Ashford! 
Tonya G.

Don't listen to those other fools

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on December 22, 2007

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The individuals who gave their sour grapes opinion probably have a special ax to grind. 

I am a mature learner and have enjoyed every minute of my experience at Ashford U. I am highly educated in another field and Ashford has given me the opportunity to change my vocational plans without disrupting my life. 

The price was right, the loans are easy, the financial department at Ashford has been very supportive.

My counselor calls me often, sends me emails, reminds me of things I need to remember and is very helpful, will always answer the phone. (Thanks G.S.)

The classes are quick paced so you have to organize yourself or you will be behind. Most of my learning comes from reading and internet research. You must like to read! Participation in the discussions can be enlightening with opinions from around the nation. It gives one a taste for how other people think in this country. 

My only complaint is the same complaint I have with other schools...BOOKS ARE TOO EXPENSIVE! But, that isn't Ashford's fault. 

I would say this school meets my needs.

PLEASE listen, this is not a good school!

By: schaaf3 (In Progress) on November 20, 2007

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Being as objective as possible, my review is incredibly poor. I would not send my worst enemy to this 'college.' 

The first class I was told that I had to read EVERY post that was made. There were like 200+. Being an over-achiever, I tried. It was impossible. I asked the professor and he assured me that we were to read them all. I was freaking out. My admissions advisor encouraged me to hang in there. So, I did. However, I did not continue to try to read all the posts.

The grammar as the other reviewer mentioned was horrendous. I could not believe what was going on in those message boards that I had tried to read so desperately. It was embarrassing. I stuck it out for the first class and received an A. 

The second class was ridiculous in another manner. I did all my work. I had good comments on all my posts from the 'instructor.' I thought all was going well. In the second week, I confidently decided to check my grades. To my shock and horror I had received only 3 out of 5 on all my posts that had nice reviews from the instructor. 3 out of 5 is not even passing.

I wrote my instructor to find out why I was receiving such poor grades. I was following the same pattern that gave me an "A" in the first class. He sent back the general post requirements which I was meeting. I challenged him that I was meeting those requirements. He emailed back that I was turning my assignments in late. I copied all of my posts into an email with the dates on them. None were late.

The Dean that I spoke with assured me that my posts would have received a poor grade in her class for various reasons. She would not again tell me specifically what was wrong with my posts. She finally said something about my posts not having citations from the book which was not in any of the guidelines and NO ONE in the class was doing. 

The dean is sure that it is most acceptable for an instructor not to tell a student why they are giving a certain grade and not to have a clue as to why they gave a certain grade. This would not be acceptable at any standard college or university. I have no idea how they are accredited.

After all this, I have a letter from Ashford collections for several hundred dollars payable immediately because they sent back my student loan leaving a balance. I received the letter 5 days before it was due. I have been calling several times a day and get voicemail. No one has returned my calls.

Watch out - they're a for-profit school.

By: Anonymous (In Progress) on November 8, 2007

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I enrolled in Ashford thinking that this would be a good school to finish my degree at. My enrollment adviser was wonderful, very helpful. My academic adviser was just about impossible to get in contact with, and my financial aid adviser forwarded all my questions on to other people to deal with. They messed up the paperwork for my private loan - you know, the one that's supposed to help you pay for life and books while you're taking classes. I submitted all the paperwork in June and today - November 8th - still have not received a penny. Now, because of a rule that no one told me about, I've been dropped from my classes and my program and will have to pay more money. If they could get their act together, I'm sure they would be a good school, but my experience has left me running in the other direction.

Ashford University

By: profmijanovich (Graduate) on November 6, 2007

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I found Ashford University to be a wonderful experience. After recieving my P.h.D in Engineering I found it necessary to change my direction in life to teaching and went back to school at Ashford to recieve a Degree in Management and now finishing up in the MA degree in Teaching.  There are faults with every program, however I have found Ashford to be a traditional school of learning.  On line education is a challange as it puts the responsibility on the student and thus if you need in class room support don't try online education.
                             Dr. Dennis Mijanovich

Highly recommended

By: t.swavely (In Progress) on September 5, 2007

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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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