Baker College

Really not sure what to say. Do your own research and ask specific questions before enrolling in any school. If you get one bad professor from hell. It does not mean they are all that way. Most of the instructors at Baker are really good. I really like the staff too.

Well, I've read through the comments here and can agree with a few, but disagree with most.  I attended Texas A&M for 3 years in EE, but was unable to finish because of family issues.  20 years later, I've gone back to Bake to complete my degree (BS in Computer Science/Database Technologies).  I've been enrolled at Baker for a year and have about a year to go.

First, most colleges were very stingy with taking my prior credits.  One actually told me that I needed to take a core lab science class (I guess the 4 semesters of engineering level chemistry and physics didn't count).  This was not a problem at Baker.  They gave me as much credit towards my degree as they could, I think they were very fair in evaluating my transcripts.

Second, the six week class schedule can be grueling, but no more grueling than taking a summer class in residence.  I do think that the posting requirements can be tough, but I understand the need to make sure that students are participating with each other and not learning in a vacuum. For the most part, there are about 3 assignments each week, equivalent to 1 1/2 assignments per week for a class that is a full quarter long.  I find that the work is challenging, reinforces the information that I am supposed to be learning and is rewarding when you do finally "get" it.

Third, the professors are very, very good at what they do.  I've taken online classes from traditional colleges before and the professors are only doing the online classes for the extra money.  I have found that Baker's professors are all dedicated to the classes that they are teaching, they offer assistance and feedback in a timely manner.  I have absolutely no complaints about the level of attention that I receive from my instructors.

The only complaints that I would have is that there are some classes that should not be required for students who can provide a resume with work experience.  For instance, workplace communication was a waste of time and money for me as I've been in the workplace for 20 years.  Another minor complaint is that you can get an A- in a class, but you can't get an A+.  It would also be helpful to have some decent online tutors.

Overall, my experience at Baker has been great.  I am a student, not employed by Baker in any form.

Kim,
I am interested in studying B.Sc. Computer Science/Database Technology. is it possible to get in touch with you via e-mail? I have a couple of questions regarding the program.

Regards,
Ammar

I teach for Baker Online and I am delighted to see some of these comments. It is obvious that some people want things handed to them on a golden plate. My favorite comments were the complaints that students must work too hard and must participate too often. Gosh, that is what an education entails! You have to work for it. A real education is hard. It is supposed to be hard. Yes, there are a lot of assignments to be turned in and we move rather quickly. Students must do real college level work and keep up with the readings. Unlike other online programs, we actually expect you to learn and perform. That is why our online program is respected while most programs are not. 

I am absolutely amazed, though, at the students who complain that they had to go get their own job. Really? College is not an employment agency. Go to a major university and ask them to find you a job. When they stop laughing they will direct you to the library where you can check out a book on how to write a resume and send it out. Baker, on the other hand, goes the extra step and tries to help students. But some people want the world to give them everything. Though Baker Online makes the effort to help these people, it obviously isn't good enough for a few. That is a shame. 

If you come to Baker Online you will get a great education. You will have the skills to advance in a career while other people, who went to easy colleges, are left behind wondering what happened. If you enroll in one of my classes you will find that I am very tough, that I expect students to be able to write and participate at the university level, and that I am obsessed with catching cases of plagiarism (because it cheapens the value of an education and is an insult to the value of every degree.) You will also find that I (and my fellow instructors) care, very deeply, about your learning the material. We will take the extra step, give you more feedback, and offer more advice and encouragement than you will find anywhere else. But you will have to work for it.

Baker Online is much more respected than most online degrees. But there is a reason for this. If you want a excellent education that you can be proud to note on your resume and brag to your friends and coworkers about, that teaches you how to think and write and research and explore, please come to Baker Online. We would be happy to have you. You will have a wonderful experience, will work with many interesting people, and you will truly change your life. Take a look at Baker Online. See why it is different than every other online program. Decide if it is right for you. If it is please come join us. 

I speak for myself and don't represent the college. But I am proud to have taught at Baker Online for a few years and I am very proud of our students.

Dennis, this is the problem with Baker instructors.  While I am not a kid like many of the students at Baker, I do agree with you about life not being a free ride.  However, YOU are an instructor. how could you possibly know what experiences the students are having?  You are biased.

On another note, you have a warped sense of reasoning when you say kids shouldnt gripe about getting their own jobs- Baker advertises a 98% success rate for getting their grads a job in their field. Believe it or not, it is why a LOT of students choose Baker.  Finding out later its a crock, would irritate most people (like 98% probably).

I have attended 3 colleges for different things and you need to get out more, because the curriculum at Baker is barely above a ghetto public school, which appears to be where they go shopping for instructors.

It is not your place to judge the students like you do- you are an example of how Baker looks at its students like lesser beings with no rights to have their own opinions.  I hate ignorance too, I find myself impatient quite often- however, the blame falls directly on the teachers that have spent so much time dumbing down America.  Not your fault either, because you were taught by other idiots.  You degrees ONLY prove that you absorbed some other goof-ball's ignorance.

I have worked many years in different fields, the reason only 30% of college graduates have careers is probably because in the "field" they suck!  Universities and colleges- well, teachers anyway, teach students to theorize and not to reason.  Reality kicks the hell out of theories all the time.  When you rob the students of their ability to think for themselves, and fail to teach them HOW to think- but instead, insist on teaching them WHAT to think- you are the reason their ignorance comes back and bites you in the ass.

I am currently attending Baker College Online and I don't think it's anything like the other negative comments I've seen on here. I quite enjoy the fast pace and my instructor is always participating with us and responds to every PrivateFeedback question I have. The first year adviser is very polite and helpful, 100% of the time. Although you're not working with as bright students, but it still doesn't take away from that fact that I completely recommend Baker College Online. They also really helped me with my financial aid.

What an awful school. For example the class participation requirements are totally absurd. And some of the professors I had were so ridiculously demanding I thought I was at Harvard or something and not a budget online college. Maybe some of the others would have been more reasonable but I transferred out to a much better school after 2 semesters, with the same accreditation. Oh and the student service is dismal, and the online system is horrible too.

Baker College Online has a serious consistency problem. Quality of work is completely subjective based on the professor teaching the course. Participation, which is required by the college in an online forum, is also extremely subjective. There are professors that will fail students for not following proper posting "formats" correctly. Baker is extremely concerned about plagiarism--and at times seems more concerned about that than the quality of students' work. Most instructors are helpful and fair. The workload is intensive and some classes require a lot more work than others. Complaints about professors go unheeded, and the blame is placed solely back on the student, regardless of the grade achieved in the class with the problem professor. I have attended Baker for two years and am planning on transferring due to the consistency problems and lack of resolutions when problems are encountered. If you're willing to put up with these issues, Baker is a good school, with mostly good staff and classes.

I went to Baker for Medical Billing in Port Huron.  I do not recommend it.  There was so much wasted time in the classroom.  Had to listen to long, boring lectures when  should have been on a computer program learning how to send in billing information -- but did none of this.  It was just a horrible, waste of time, waste of money experience.  They do not even find you a job.  You have to send out your resume and try to find one which is not going to happen as everyone wants you to have lots of experience.  The work experience they sent me to was a hospital who had you do data entry and crap work no one wanted to do.  It has been over 2 years since I received my certificate and still working at the same old place I have been for the last 14 years.

The only complaint that I have about Baker’s Online program is that if you are currently not employed in your field of study you have to find your own internship at the end of your program. The school will NOT help you. Depending upon the area you live in will depend upon the success of your search. Keep this in mind because if you complete all of your classes successfully, the only thing preventing you from graduating may be a lack of internship because you cannot force any company to take you as an intern.

I completed my BBA through and accelerated program and yes it was a lot of work but that is the only way to learn. They ask a lot from their students online and on ground courses are equally tough, I attended both. I just started my MBA in Finance and I don't expect it to be easy. I don't understand why people are complaining about the work load that's what school is all about. Baker is a great school, and I would definitely recommend it!!!

I am graduating in 4 weeks (BBA) and must say that Baker has been an excellent experience though it is not for everyone.

I'm doing the online/asynchronous study path.  The classes are short and challenging.  I find that those who have the hardest time are those who are not best suited for the online environment.  While it is online, it isn’t Facebook.  You have to think, you have to work, and you have to manage your time.  It requires a high level of self-discipline and you will be giving up a lot of free time, especially if you do it as I have – while employed full time with a family.

From most of the negative comments I’ve read it appears that many people want to place the responsibility of learning on the institution.  It is the college’s responsibility to *teach*, but it is the student’s responsibility to *learn*.

Public schools systems have pressure to ensure that students pass, make it to the next grade, and graduate at an appropriate age.  Higher education systems have a responsibility to maintain their reputation.  If this means that a student did not do the work to pass a class then the school has a responsibility to other students to maintain itself as a reputable institution so that the degree of student who succeeds does not become diluted.  Frankly, I like hearing someone had a hard time with the school I attended.  If everyone who attended passed with flying colors I would feel my degree had little validity.  College isn’t for everyone.

Similarly the online environment isn’t for everyone.  It requires more work than on-campus.  Rather than listening to a lecture, you are reading a lecture.  Rather than discussing points verbally in class, you are participating in writing (often nightly) in an online forum.  This takes more work and more sacrifice.  However, I took on-campus classes prior to coming to Baker and I think the retention of information, for me, has been much higher in this format.  It is more a point of one’s personal learning style than right or wrong.  If you know yourself and know that you are an auditory learner neither Baker nor any online college will be right for you.

I started my online education at another college (think of a resurrected bird) and must say that the instructors at Baker were outstanding in comparison.  Most of students – my peers – were also exceptional as compared to my other experience.  Having classmates who seem to really want to learn adds a little extra drive.  At ‘the bird’ most students I encountered wanted someone else to do the work and virtually everything was team-based so people were passing and moving forward on the work of others.  This did not sit well with me and was the primary reason I began looking elsewhere.

Bottom line: if you dedicate yourself to learning and not to just getting by with doing some school work then Baker is an excellent place to spend your education dollars.

This website is monitored by Baker College employees who are instructed to write high-quality reviews to counter the unpleasant experiences of students for the advantage of the college. Please do not post to this site.

Hi there Insider!  Thanks for helping me to get my refund for the classes they charged me for that I didnt have!  You are the only "staff" that has been worth a damn at Baker.  

I'm currently a student at Baker College in the Web Design program.   I have two other degrees from a brick-and-mortar institution.   First, let me touch on two things from the other posts.   One is that sure, anyone could graduate with strait A's if they cheat - but why would anyone want to do that?   Two, I absolutely agree that you get out of it what you put into it.   I'm working 50 hours a week and taking classes 48 weeks a year (on top of having a family and active social life) and I find most of the classes fit right in as long as I'm willing to put in the time (some of the advanced classes like C++ and Java, I'll admit did take around 30 hours a week each to attain an 'A' grade).   Yes, I could have learned the same on my own - but anyone could learn anything on their own (that's not something relegated to on-line classes).   Baker College is doing a great job of teaching me, giving my education a format and providing both feedback to me and confirmation of what I have learned to prospective employers.   This is, of course, given that I WANT to learn and am willing to do what it takes to get there (I'm NOT looking for a quick degree without doing the work).   Nothing but praise for Baker.

The students do teach each other (I learn a lot from helping the others in my classes) and many of the teachers are, I would agree, less than active participants.   BUT, this has not seriously held me back - I'm very motivated, and I learn what I need to learn using whatever means necessary (the teacher, other students, Google, the book, other books, etc.).

Paul Holstein paul@disc-or-die.com.

Paul dont lie...with the work load at baker, if you work 50 hours a week elsewhere and have a family, you do NOT have an active social life.  Unless you consider facebook a social life.

Tell the truth.

I would not recommend Baker College Online. I am familiar with the college back when it was Muskegon Business College. Today it has turned into nothing but big business. The art of teaching and keeping student’s best interest in mind has been totally lost. I finished an MBA online and was absolutely appalled at the teaching skills of the instructors. Instructors do not read the papers for each class and have no grading policy to follow pertaining to papers. As long as the paper is 12 pages long it is basically graded as an A. The content and value of the paper has no worth whatsoever.
 
After working in the program for 2 ½ years and receiving A’s and A- for every class I took a last class for fun. My grade in the class was a straight A until I turned in the final paper. Using APA style format, a paper can be in New Times Roman font or Courier. My paper was 11 ½ pages long in New Times Roman and 17 pages long in Courier. I turned the paper in using the New Times Roman font. The instructor took ½ of the total points off the paper because of it being ½ pages short. Content and educational value meant nothing. The instructor would not respond to e-mails addressing the problem and the college would not send me the formal papers to fill out to protest the grade. I attempted to contact the dean Dr. Julianne Princinsky with no response. I did not except the MBA or attend the graduation. The MBA was sent back to the college dean Dr. Julianne Princinsky in disgrace. I am in the process of suing the college. I lost a job because of what the grade did to my grade point average and transcripts. What you will find at Baker College Online are people in positions that they should not be in and hiding behind computers like hiding behind raincoats. Furthermore, anyone can graduate with straight A’s because all tests are from the books. The instructor manuals for every class can be bought online. Don’t waste your time or money with Baker College Online especially the MBA program.

I attended Baker and graduated with a Bachelor of Computer Science in 2007.  I thought it was a great experience - but learning in an online environment is definitely not for everyone.  You get out of it what you put in.  Due to the way the quarters work and the way the classes are structured, you really have to be dedicated in order to make it through.  The rewards are really worth all the effort.

Baker college online is one of the worst schools I have ever attended. They have no set of standards that all teachers follow. Instead every teacher is allowed to conduct their class as they see fit. My wife just got done with a class that had no teacher for 4 weeks because the school failed to replace an underqualified teacher. When they finally did replace the teacher it was not until the last week of the class. I take web design classes through Baker. I could learn more just by buying a book and reading it than to take classes at Baker. They rush you through classes and you retain nothing from the class. I would not recommend them if they were free let alone at the prices they charge for inferior classes.

Excellent point!  They freely admit how jam-packed their courses are for such short periods- so far, in my two years I have got by on basic common sense.  Retaining anything from their classes is tough because they jump around too much or just move on whether the students are following or not.

You are not educating anyone if they do not retain the knowledge.  I intimidate most of my instructors because they can tell I am much brighter than they are, all I need to prove it to the world is a piece of paper like they have.  To me, their degrees are nothing more than kindling for the fireplace.  Unfortunately, they cost too much just to burn.

Don't listen to these whiners/quiters. I'm about to graduate with my bachelors degree from Baker College of Flint with a degree in Accounting and a Minor is computer information systems. This is a great college with alot of professors that are highly experienced both academically and real-world. I have been to a university and I can tell you that you do not get nearly as much real-world experience from professors of most universitys as you do from this college in particular. I have talked to people in the field I am planning to work in and I have been happy to find out that this college is taken seriously and the curriculum is respected. I take about 20% of my classes online and its a great system, but you HAVE to be a hard worker. All of these people that left reviews previous to me basically just did not have what it takes, thats the bottom line, trust me.

Why would anyone trust you?  You went from a University to Baker!  DUHHH!!!

I am wondering if i go to baker college if i must live on campus and if i have to be 21 or older to live off campus? Do i have to be a specific age to live off campus at baker college. And also do i have to be a specific age to live in one of the town houses at baker college? 
Please answer my question i really need help thank you. :)

First of all Baker's participation is two posts five days a week, not six!  I will be graduating from Baker with bachelors in health care administration at the end of this year. Yes, I have a family and yes, I work full time.  I still manage to have a 3.8 GPA.  You should be prepared to work hard, harder than a traditional university.  There is tons of writing, so expect that.  I have learned more in my online classes than I ever did at the traditional university I went to.  Baker is convenient and much cheaper than other online schools.  I don't understand these negative posts...honestly.

Hello,
I am interested int the B.Sc. Computer Science/Database Technology. Has anyone here studied that program? If yes, could you please tell me how is the quality of this program and is it worth the money? Do you get a job with an online degree in Database Technology after finishing the program?

Thanks in advance.

Bakers college change my opinion when one of the instructors cursed out my daughter and the rest of the class. This is not professional at all for a instructor or anyone. Baker needs to be aware of what their instructors are doing and saying to their students.When we do things to cause someone hurt feelings or you don't give a .... that a student passes or not SHAME ON YOU.

Please excuse any errors it's early in morning and if my Comp teacher knew about my errors she would've advise a revision.. Lol Good luck every1

I just wanted to post to give my feedback I personal enjoy Baker College I don't have any online classes but, on campus has it's rewarding moments. Their very flexible with you and they help make the time go by. Yes there is a lot of work but, can you name one college that does not have massive amount of school. We are in college not high school or preschool. But I honestly wish everyone good luck just think this school may not work for you but it does workout for next person. It all depends on your study habits.

@Jane Lee -

I am sorry to hear about your bad experiences with this school. You should look into Fort Hays State University. They have several great virtual degree programs and I have been attending their virtual school for three years. Undergraduate classes are only $500 each and graduate classes are only $675. They also use BlackBoard and the teachers know how to use it too! They are regionally accredited and have been around for over a hundred years. They also have a very generous CLEP policy and transfer policy too. 

Baker college has some good teachers, and some not so smart ones. One of my teachers just told me she will be handwriting everything because she is not good with computers, another says they have no clue on how to use Blackboard or the internet..its like, What?? In order to be a teacher in this day and age, you should be able to work the Microsoft programs! I am mostly upset with their financial aid/student loans scams. I owe them so much money and have been going there for a little over a year, with pell grants...why do I need to go get another student loan? Why did you tell me I had 3500 dollars in financial aide? Why are the classes almost 1000 dollars for ten weeks with rushed lectures? Im sorry, but community college for two classed is around $600, not $2000! Plus books that you cant buy from anywhere but Baker. i am so sorry that I left community to go to a place where the administration office is rude, as is the financial aide office, academic office. It is a rip off. Mistake. I had several wonderful teachers, but this semester I am aggravated with all of mine. Im sick of being treated poorly by some counseler who gives me grief If i can only take 2 classes certain semesters. I would not recommend unless you like being sent to the financial aide office 5 minutes before you take your final exam to be told you owe tuition still, and you are not allowed to take the final until you work it out., and really the financial aide office doesnt know what they are talking about. 

This is what I get for applying to this school and ignoring the negative reviews.  I deserve being screwed over for not paying attention and hopefully if there's people out there who are trying to begin an education in this school, please think twice.  There's no such thing as opinions in this school and you can't disagree in the discussion board or else you wont get a high grade and even fail! A very unorganized financial aid office.  These teachers have a Masters? Doctors degrees?  Had they never have said so on their profile I'd think I was talking to an 8th grader.  They have no idea what they are teaching. Do these "instructors" really get paid? They don't even TEACH! Are you serious? And if you don't believe me, do go right ahead and apply here.  My credits from this school aren't acceptable anywhere. 

Baker certainly isn't the place if you want an easy degree.  Their classes can be demanding sometimes and posting 5 out of 7 days isn't really daunting, you just need to spend some time 3 weekdays and weekends.  Most assignments are due around the weekend.  Besides this the biggest issue is that they are predominately known in Michigan and you will never receive job leads from the college.  Their is so much crap on the Internet today that many employers like names they can recognize.

This school is good for adults who want an education online and do not have the time to travel to a local school. The schools near me in TN do not offer a Security in IT degree that is worth taking. I looked at probably 50 to 100 different schools to find a security program that was not programing with a little security. I do not want to be a programer. I want to be security. Baker gives me the classes needed to form a solid foundation to do that job. As for all the crying about posting, give it a rest. It is the same idea as going to class 5 days a week. How is that any different then what you would do anyway if you were in school and parents flipping the bill?

Support is close to zero.

I am just going to give my two cents. Please note that this is not a shot at anyone. I have been attending Baker on-line for almost two years. If you know anything about the military, I am a First Sergeant for a medical company that was deployed in Afghanistan from Mar 2010 to Mar 2011. Yes, there is a lot of work, but lets not forget it is college and if you want more time to do your assignments, maybe you need to attend a school that allows more than six weeks to complete a course. Anyway, while I was deployed in a combat zone, during the evenings, I was able to complete all required assignments and never missed a beat performing my duties taking care of my younger Soldiers. In addition, my Soldier noticing that I was able to continue on with my education which inspired 42% of my company to include my Company Command (Supervisor)  to start taking classes as well. I attended Franklin University in Columbus, OH and there course/requirements for Undergrad was the same as Baker Grad School program. As for myself, there was no difference. Best of luck to everyone in continuing with their education.

My Baker, might be because of where I live, I can't stand. Most of the people who do well, seem to have failed C.College. I was an ALL A student, and for all their "hardwork" have learned little. My teachers seem to know less than I do, and often make mistakes. They are behind in technology, and in classes. I find it too easy, instead of too hard. I wager Baker is right for some, but not for me. A creative degree...without creativity? Huh.

Not a school for working adults, more like a full-time b&m without the respect, so why would you go here?

Ha! Peter, that is just bad! I do know of a police chief who obtained his MBA through Baker Online a few years ago. This degree helped get his first interview for the chief of police position he has now. So, Baker did pay off for him. I don't know about Baker personally, as the cost of tuition really pushed me away from applying. Cost is everything in this economy and I have discovered that cost and quality do not always go together within the realm of higher education.  

Jake, bakers don't really need to know how to spell very well, just "salt", "sugar", and "flour".

Julie,

I am happy to see Baker has worked for you and your career. The only thing that scares me, and please don't take this personal, is the fact that you do not know how to spell "resume." A person with a BBA degree from a regionally accredited college should know this word and how to spell it without question! 

Hello Jake, It's called a "typo", give the girl a break!

I have attended Baker and have earned my BBA and I currently work at an office downtown from where I live.  I had no trouble finding a job and they were quite impressed with my resmay.  It's been almost 3 years since I graduated and been working here for 2 years.  It was well worth the time and wait.  I was planning on getting my masters but I would would need more time because I'm always busy.  I'm happy where I'm at and I thank this school.

If you're a working adult looking for an online degree, this is not the place. I would say this is the place only if you have 40 extra hours a week to spend "chatting" incessantly with other students in order to satisfy their insane "class participation" rules. Advisor support is non-existant, they gave me next to zero help as to even what classes I should take. Transfer policy awful. Then there is the actual work you have to do which is so demanding as to be nearly impossible if you don't have another extra 40 hours a week to do it. In fact, I would say that only if you don't work and are willing to dedicate all your free time to this nutplace, then maybe. But if that is the case then why not just attend a regular brick and mortar? At least you will have interaction with the teachers and advisors and not have a crappy online system to put up with while you sit in your dark room year after year trying to satisfy this nutjob of a school's demands. And for what in the end? A diploma that says "Baker College"? A potential employer will probably ask if you can bake him a cupcake.

I have attended Baker College Online since Spring of 2008.  Before that I was at my local community college.  If you have ever taken courses on a University campus during the summer you would know classes only last a few weeks instead of months.  Summer courses are designed for students who can absorb information quick.  Most of Baker online classes consumes of 6 weeks for one class.  Thats a lot of information to absorb in just 6 weeks depending on how much classes you take.  Personally I have a lot of time on my hands and can do it, unlike 2008 I was busy and couldn't do it.  I think people here are complaining from a bad grade just like frat or sorority students do when they drink and forget they have an exam the next day.  Any student would complain whether if it's online or in person that will never change.  People assume college would be easy online, it's not.  No college is easy.  This isn't high school where cheating is everlasting.  This is no high school when some teachers round up your grade, Baker gives you the grade you deserve.  I believe people complain too much and those who do are not yet ready for college of any sort.

I came across these reviews and felt the need to comment. I accept the fact that everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but after reviewing some of these comments I am outraged. I have attended Baker College online for two years now with my sights set on a BS in Information Technology and Security.
   First off, online schooling in general is not for everyone. The education you receive is nearly completely dependent on what you decide to invest in it. If you are looking for a free diploma that holds absolutely no value this college is NOT for you. In fact, send your tuition costs to me I can design a diploma and print one off for you rather cheaply. If you are motivated however, this college has a great deal of benefits. I can attest to the great deal I have learned so far. I will admit, some teachers are not very interactive with their students. But I do know that they are weeding out most of these teachers through careful review of not only faculty reviews, but also student reviews.
    Remember folks, Baker is a non-profit college. Tuition costs are extremely low and all the money seems to be reinvested in their academics. What other online colleges can attest to that? Most online colleges that I have researched charge anywhere from two to three times the amount for tuition and guess where a good majority of that money goes? 
     In summary, don't listen to these ridiculous claims from students who (after not applying themselves) likely received a bad grade and are venting their frustrations here. The problem in almost everyone of these reviews seems to come from immature, non-motivated students who did not get what they wanted. A free paper printed degree that holds absolutely no value. If you are serious about your education, are somewhat limited in attending regular brick and mortar schools, and would like to receive a quality education. I can say that I am impressed with what Baker Online College has offered so far.

I think it is interesting that most people who complain are complaining that it is too difficult, too time intensive, or that you the instructors aren't helping enough.  There are no safety nets once you leave high school.  Your life is in your own hands.

If everyone was saying the school was too easy or that they had been carried along then I would be concerned that my degree wasn't worth as much.

I do agree that the time zone thing was a major pain but I generally don't wait until the due date to complete an assignment anyway.  I've been in business for 20+ years and know that something can always crop up at the last minute so I treated school like work - I did it when I could so it would be ready and right when I needed it done.

I also agree that the technology could be more integrated and that some instructors could be more interactive with students.  However, I have yet to find perfection anywhere, in anything.

Anyway, I did complete my BBA and I've signed on for the MBA.  Baker has provided me with a quality education.  As I said earlier, I've been in business for a while and just decided to get the degree taken care of.  I'm glad I did and now I have a greater body of knowledge to draw on that I simply would not have had without returning to school.  Baker facilitated this learning quite effectively.

(BTW: I started at University of Phoenix and quit because it was too easy and too many people were riding on the work of others in team-based assignments.  There was no challenge and I wanted to work for a degree not just get passed class to class, year to year.)

I have been attending Baker College online and on campus sometimes and I have found that the college is NOT helpful at all.  I am a very full time employee and it is hard for me to get what I am looking for from Baker.  For example, when I need financial aid assistance or have several questions I cannot setup a appointment or phone call.  It is "walk-in" only and this does not accomodate me with my work situation at all.  I cannot just walk-in and sit there for hours waiting to talk to someone.  They sure in the hell will take your money but they will not accomodate speaking to you.  Another issue I encountered was when I was registered for a course that was requiring a webcam.  Ok, I have one alreay on my computer but my required books list indicated  that I need to purchase a $200.00 webcam.  I contacted my academic advisor to inquire if I need to purchase this product or not and she told me to call the bookstore!  I thought she was my "academic advisor"?!  Thanks for the great assistance and customer service Baker College!  Lastly, if you take classes at Baker and decide to transfer to another college--your credits will NOT transfer to the other college.  Baker doesn't advertise this to you either.  I would not recommend attending Baker College.  

okay so i am all signed up to attend baker next fall but i keep hearing so much bad stuff about baker college i will not be taking online classes but is it a good school?

Coming from a student that does both ground and online classes at Baker, I'd say go for it. I am a full time student, in the dorms, and I couldn't be happier. The classes are challenging depending what you do, nursing at most are extremely hard by most. You cannot fail more than once per class and you must have a B average. I'm in technology, and while some classes I breeze through, I have met challenges. Go for it in all honestly; it works better for the students just getting out of highschool. 
College isn't supposed to be easy, it's supposed to be challenging to prepare you for the real world. Thats what they do.

I find Baker Online classes very difficult and time consuming.  I was there was a little less intensity.   I also found ground classes intense but not the way that the online classes are.  Once you find your fit in the class everything goes well.  I had one teacher contact me several times at home to help me through some difficulties.  On the other hand I could not get any help from another teacher but she did not grade you down she gave you effort points.   I went to another online school and was unable to complete the program.  Baker is giving me the chance to finish and add some of those credits in.  I do wish they would transfer all credits.  I could maybe work on a minor.

I agree with the disgruntled students here, and not the obvious "plants" leaving the excellent reviews- I might buy it if they were at least realistic, but nothing about Baker (at least in Owosso) would even get above a decent C rating.

The 98% employment rate for Baker alumni is a crock.  That would amount to just about ALL college graduates with a career coming from Baker- lets be real.  (ok, I exaggerated too)

Seriously though, the teachers at Baker Owosso as a group absolutely suck.  Morons.  There ARE a few decent teachers and maybe a couple great teachers, but the rest are impotent to the worst degree.

This is the first college I have ever went to that treats the students like they are privileged to be there, and NOT like the students are paying to be there.  The teachers make the rules, administration appears to be a bunch of bumbling buffoons.  

Baker also scams the students.  They print their own books that the student is required to purchase, which cannot be returned later, and some of those books will not even be looked at in the class.  Some of the teachers refuse to teach what is in the books- but offer no alternative.

Other teachers there live with grandiose delusions about themselves and if they do not like you, or if you vocally disagree with any of the politics and ideology they try to indoctrinate you with- a C is the best you can hope for in their class, and that is if you are lucky enough to pass.  I have never seen a school with teachers that grade according to their fragile egos.

They do not have any standard for the amount of homework and barely even for grading.  The teachers scale doesn't have to match up with the school's grading scale.  Some classes cut down a forest to hand you a ton of homework, without any regards to the rest of your schedule.  If you have more than 2 classes, be prepared to work at least 4 hours 7 days a week on homework- which they will probably just throw you a 10/10 without even checking it.

So far, in my 2 years at Baker of Owosso, I have found that your final grade for each class is determined by 3 assignments, of which they grade as harshly as they can.  One tiny error drops you a whole letter grade for the assignment.  Perfection is not allowed at Baker; it is one thing to push a student to do better, but at Baker, they want to discourage you and make you feel insecure in your ability, so you will become a slave to their politics. I had a teacher, whose grammar skills were so horrendous that some of the questions on her tests would be answered correctly- but marked wrong because she didn't know how to form a sentence well enough to ask the question properly.  Her poor grammar would completely change the question she was supposed to be asking.  But then, maybe she just marked them wrong because our politics differed from one another.  Who knows, as I said, they do that too.

Community college is a better option for those that are looking for a school. Stay away from Baker, it sucks.  

Baker Online is so pathetic, not even BAKER college will accept the credits!  Of 38 credits of online Accelerated BBA credits, one class would transfer to the on campus Accelerated BBA program.

This would be laughable if I hadn't paid THOUSANDS of dollars for the classes.

I dont know what Baker college you have been going to but in all honesty, Baker will rob you blind and I'll bet you get screwed over before you get anywhere near your degree... this college is a joke, sells you false hopes and LIARS!

I'm currently a student at baker college and I can say that the online classes are great you have great instructors who help you when you need help also the class is straight forward and gives you the assignment for the entire week or some professor will give you the class work for the entire semester. I'm also take classes at the main building and I can say baker has great professor although baker lacks diversity in it's teaching staff and overall employees. I would like to see more diversity in the baker workforce but overall you get an great education for the price. 

I know this forum is about Baker Online, but I would like to post my opinion about the on-ground campus itself. I've been attending Baker of Clinton Township since October of 2008. It is the best experience I've ever had due to what I've learned. They have great instructors that graduated from prestigious schools with their Masters and Ph.D.s, I just resent people who says Baker is an easy school that just hands out degrees. It's a very fair school that is equivalent to any other colleges. I went to Wayne State University for one year and found that it was an inconvenience to park anywhere. They charge way too much for tuition and books. Furthermore, I learned nothing during that one year. I also went to Macomb Community College and found that the classes there were way too easy. At least at Baker they make you earn your grade. Then I went to the Art Institute of Michigan for culinary and they charged over $7000 a semester for full-time "that's ridiculous". Their English and Math classes were a joke. No proofreading on my English papers, just a check mark to show that I did it. I passed the math class with flying colors and I only attended the class half of the time. They focused more on the culinary aspect. I do admit that some classes at Baker are easy, but it all depends on what your concentration is. My major is in business and it's a very tough course to get a degree in, especially maintaining a high GPA. Some people say it's easy because they are just aiming to get by with a C average. Being on the President's list or Dean's list is tough to be in and I think all students at Baker should be proud to be on that list. In addition, all the instructors I've had were all nice and outgoing. The staff are all cordial and it's easy to talk to any counselors, unlike other schools, you have to wait hours or even make an appointment. It's a no brainer, Baker only requires you to attend for 10 weeks of school versus going for 15 weeks. You don't really learn anymore than what you would learn at Baker in those 5 extra weeks. It's just a waist of your time. I'm just stating all of this from my own experience. All in all, I just wanted to assert that Baker College is an excellent school and I've learned a lot attending there. I've never taken an online class before but I can definitely vouch for Baker's on-ground campus to be one of the finest I've ever seen.  ~Mel

I must have gotten really unlucky or else this really is the awful school everybody says it is. One of my "professors" seemed to think she was teaching a Ph.D program at an Ivy League school. The entire class dropped out because her demands were so outrageous as to be impossible to satisfy. There is a difference between demanding and absurd. I am no stranger to hard work believe me, but this one was just nuts. And their support is dismal at best, usually they never respond at all. Online system is crud. Class participation requirements totally ridiculous. Transfer policy awful. The only plus is that it's incredibly cheap to go here.

I switched to Baker College when the online courses at my school required a lot of work that required travel.  I have been very happy so far.  The instructor I've had have responded to questions I have in a timely fashion and actually my you earn your grade.  Some of those online schools would pass any idiot just to boost their numbers.  I like to feel like I'm being taught and I do.  So far I'm thrilled!

If you are over 30 years old do not waste your time, money, or savings attending Baker College!  Their claims of 98% post graduation employment are unfounded. Their internship programs are nothing more than welfare for the businesses that take advantage of the displaced scholar. 

Baker's employment service is grossly inadaquate given the number of grads they are supposed find jobs for.  Prior to Baker's involvement, grads are required to sign a legal document releiving Baker of any obligation to find employment for grads. Baker counselors grossly exagerate both wages and employment prospects to prospective students. 

 Business do not want to hire older workers forced to retrain to meet the "challanges" of the "New Economy."

  How do I know all this, I attended Baker College for two years, cashed in my retirement savings, worked 70 hours a week studing to meet the rigerous assignments, graduated with honors, in 2006, sent out 1000's of resumes, got 0 interviews, lost my home, burdened my family members, many of whom have now shunned me, found no social safety net, blamed and ostricized by society, at 50 years old I have no options left, and wish I was dead.  Disblaced worker retraining is a mith purpetuated by educational institutions like Baker collage Thanks Allot Baker!

AMEN BROTHER!!!  But, dont give up man- you can do better for yourself than anyone else can GIVE you.  I started over late too, you would be amazed at how easy it is to make money if you just find the right niche.  Low overhead, high yield.  Are you a do-it-yourself kinda guy?  Lots of businesses to be started doing things that only pay if you own the business.  hint!

I have never attended Baker Online, but I did call them and the representative I spoke with was very polite, informative and not pushy in attempting to enroll me. I was contemplating Baker for completing a BA in Psychology, but the cost per class was way expensive (about $1,400 plus books). I scoured the internet and was fortunate enough to find a Brick and Mortar school in Kansas with an on-line program that suited my needs. It is Fort Hays State University and they are accredited regionally by the exact same agency as Baker. The best part is the cost is only $500 per class for undergrads and $675 for graduate courses. They are state assisted, which keeps their costs low and they have been around for almost 100 years. Like Baker, they do use BlackBoard but I have never had any technical issues or problems. There is one difference that may matter to folks, which concerns transfer credit. Baker will accept nationally accredited DETC college credits for transfer in moderation. Ft. Hays will not accept nationally accredited transfer credit AT ALL. This made me re-take some courses and pay for courses I had previously taken, but that is just life.

I decided to try Baker in their medical field. I already have two degrees, but wanted to get another one in one of the programs they offered. This is competitive and you need to get a B- in the classes to be able to apply to the medical programs. Needless to say a C is not acceptable. Overall their teaching is hurry hurry hurry to get the lectures done. The tests were all trick questions and when over half the class drops and the remaining is averaging 66% on the test scores, it makes you think what is wrong with this picture? The final exam was more easier than the whole ten weeks. Baker is out to defeat and weed out the average students. They do not help students grow. You get points taken away from you for repeating a class you already passed but have to take again for that B-. The less points you have, the harder it is getting into the program, you might be waiting awhile. This college has its pros and cons, but who has time to dink around with all the crap, when you just want to go get an education, graduate, get a job, and get on with life. Baker is not that school. Tuition is reasonable, but the drive, time, gas, books, etc...all adds up and better off going to a school with a little higher tuition and prospering guranteed.

I am a current Baker Online student working towards my BBA in HR Management. I realize that everyone has their own opinions about Baker College, but I have truly enjoyed my experience with them. I have had a 100% positive experience with Baker from the very beginning, from Admissions to Financial Aid to Registration. Yes, the courses are challenging, and the instructors expect you to actually work hard to obtain your degree. If the courses were not challenging, then they would not be worth taking. I like that the instructors expect you to put a lot of thought and creativity into your work. I feel that Baker College prepares their students for "real world" situations. I would recommend Baker to anyone and will also apply for their Graduate MBA program. Way to go, Baker!

I was buying it, until you got to the 100% satisfied- unless you are a sucker for abuse.

To say you didnt have ANY problems with admission, registration or financial aid makes you unbelievable.  Make it look like you work in the offices of Baker.  It is highly doubtful that ANY student could get through that beginning process without a single snag- Baker is well known for their terribly inept administration staff.

Here is my review of Baker,
Well I am a student who already holds a Bachelors Degree in Engineering and went back to school via Baker for a Bachelors in Web Development because I wanted to learn, now that is where the irony comes in. I didn't need this degree, because an Engineering Degree qualifies me for jobs in this area as long as I can show a portfolio. The first thing that surprised me is that all there is to Baker College is that you read textbooks, homework is from the same text book and that's it. First, to succeed online you have to be motivated and dedicated, so if you have that motivation why cant you learn on your own? What I find is that during the six weeks, you are too busy completing homework that you may not learn much. I can see how other programs may work out but in Technology classes its not easy to grasp the full concept if you have to keep worrying about turning homework in, answering discussion questions, participation etc. So, that's where the joke is on me, I enrolled to learn but spend less time learning and more time just getting homework in. Many of the teachers they have are not proficient in the classes they instruct and this comes out in the way they respond to class questions. As a result many of them are not active in the participation and depend on the students to teach each other and answer other students questions, and ironically these are the instructors that grade the hardest and have no grace period with assignments. its like they are trying to make up for their lack of credentials by being overly difficult in grading. Also the textbooks that Baker College uses are out to date and that's a no-no with programming classes. They have you buy current software and then have you buy a textbook for the outdated version of the software and now you have a mismatched book, and still no sympathy from the instructor.  Now, why do I need to attend Baker College when I can buy a more up to date and current text book, one that has a good market feedback and join one of those free programming communities. Now, I can focus on learning and stop killing myself to meet Baker College ridiculous schedule. After all you have to teach yourself at Baker College and many instructors are not conscientious of that. Instead they tell you that if you cant learn that way then taking classes online is not for you. I mean come on!! My advice to you, if you don't need a degree don't attend Baker College. The forced assignments will not make you learn as that is what I thought. If you are thinking about Web Development you only need a good portfolio anyway which Baker College will not make you get. You should have seen the crappy website that I made after one class that they wanted me to add to my portfolio, what a joke. You ca do better than Baker, expect little help and expect that 50% of the instructors are probably less knowledgeable than YOU in the subject that they instruct. Free online communities, here I come!

I just graduated from Baker Online with my bachelor degree. It as a very grueling period of time for me, but I did the work and got it done. Did I stick around for the Master's Degree? No way! I go to a new school now which is superior because the participation requirements for discussion boards are more reasonable. No, I am not learning less I am learning more because I am not stressed out. Oh, and I am now able to have time to actually do the reading instead of doing countless written assignments. That equals more value from the cost of my textbooks. The financial aid is also better at my new school, as Baker often puts their students through a little too much in my opinion. I also immediately got a scholarship at my new online school, something Baker NEVER did for me no matter how high my GPA was. I am just glad I found a graduate school that set me up for success and not failure. Baker was a good stepping stone, and I got a good quality education; but I would advise anyone to move on after the BBA.

I am in my fifties and working on my Bacherlor's Degree at Baker. I took my first online class this summer and loved it. Too many people want the rewards and are not willing to do the work!  Daily postings were not a big deal, to post takes 19 to 15 minutes of your day, and as far as I know we all get 24 hrs. I am glad it requires hard work and I believe you get what you pay for. As far as assistance, I find that everyone has been extremely helpful. Many of my teachers have provided their personal cell phone no. for any extra assistance required.

I am graduating next month (9/09) with my online MBA in Marketing.  I have found the experience challenging and rewarding.  Don't let Baker's bargain tuition fool you:  it's as tough as on-ground schools and requires a great degree of time management skill, discipline and resolve.  

A testament to the quality:  Most of the classes contributed something to my work like.  Whether it was designing some metrics as a result of accounting, or doing strategic analysis due to the capstone course, my employer benefitted greatly from the program (which they paid for).

I love Baker. This school does not get the credit it deserves. I graduated from Baker in 2008 and I had no problem getting into grad school... which school you ask? Try Michigan State. Baker is a great school with a great reputation. Most of the negative reviews you read will be from students who flunked out and did not want to do the work. The Baker curriculum is HARD and many people don't anticipate that before attending. So what if you had issues with financial aid? Or your mad that you had to particpate more than you wanted, seriously what is the quality of the school? That is what people want to know. I got a great education at Baker. I enjoyed every bit of it. It was well worth the time, effort and money spent.

I just finished the Baker Online MBA program in June of 2009. My experience with Baker has been a very positive one. Although the MBA program is very time consuming, I really expected nothing less. I appreciated the intensity, education quality, and instructors (who all have PHD’s). I've read some of the other posts and frankly I'm surprised by some of the comments. What did you expect?  The idea is for an MBA program to push students to succeed, and Baker College does this exceedingly well with a organized and respected program.  My congratulations to the college and faculty for a very good online MBA program.

I'm about three classes away from my BBA and frankly, I'm very pleased with the experience.  Yes, it's a concentrated program, but the semesters are short.  I think this program may be better received by people like myself - computer-friendly professionals who have a bit of life experience under their belts and are able to focus on intense, quick courses.

I enrolled when I was living in a rural area that was not served by a traditional college, but stayed with it even after I moved to a more populated area.

You write a LOT in a Baker online course.  So if that's a problem, it may not be the right choice for you.  Personally the writing is fine with me, so it was a perfect fit.

I'm happy with it.

While I have nor problem with the intensity or the quantity of work for their online classes.  When I first looked for information on this school there was not a lot out there to go on.  I wish there was.  It would have saved me a lot of grief. 

But I didn't like that there was no interaction whatsoever between the professors and students when it came to discussion questions.  There is no meaningful exchange of ideas, there is no way to know if you are on track until after everything has been graded.

Their administration is a joke - particularly financial aid.  Beware if you are in the grad program that your first class is not covered by aid [it is not even considered a full class and yet it is mandatory] and they will send all monies back to the originator forcing you to carry a balance that you are personally responsible for. This will also cause any other loans in deferment to come due during the class and they won't be placed in deferment until you are in the second "full time" class.  

Their platforms are supposed to be compatible with a variety of computers, but beware - professors will require software for certain classes that are only compatible with PC's.  So if you are on a MAC or Linux you are out of luck. 

If you need assistance.  Good luck.  You will get passed around 4-5 times to people who are clueless and have no problem saying that they are clueless and can't help you.  Not only that, but you get the privilege of having people be mean, rude, and disrespectful when you are in need of help. 


So think twice, three times, before thinking of going to this school. 


They are even being sued: 

w-w-w [dot]   //dockets.justia.com/docket/court-miedce/case_no-5:2008cv13061/case_id-231972/

I don't know the particulars, but research before you get involved with any school.  Truly better safe than sorry.  And I am sorry I ever dealt with these people.

I recently completed a B.B.A. in Finance after 2.5 years of full-time study while holding down a full-time job simultaneously. Baker has a lot going for it: 

1. If you are willing to burn the candle at both ends, you can graduate in a reasonable amount of time, even with work and family commitments.
2. Tuition is cheap.
3. The academic rigor was comparable to that of a Big Ten University I originally enrolled in (I am dead serious).
4. The online content was easy to access and utilize.
5. I have found that my degree is looked upon as being the same as an on-the-ground degree by my Fortune 500 employer. It is helpful that Baker College is a not-for-profit institution with an original presence as an on-the-ground college, unlike University of Phoenix, Cappella, etc.

There are a few other points to consider:

1. If you are not comfortable with browsing the web or checking your email, this form of education is not for you.
2. Online education in general requires the learner to be self-motivated and organized, and Baker is no exception.
3. The relatively wide-open admissions policy of this institution can result in a few classmates who are not up to snuff in the lower-level courses. I did not find this to be seriously detrimental, just a minor annoyance.
4. The program is non-stop unless you schedule a term off. There is no provision for missing a day of posting because your family reunion stretches over the three-day Memorial Day Weekend,for instance. If you choose to attend both terms of all four quarters then you will be in class for 48 weeks of the year.
5. The vast majority of evaluations come from writing papers, rather than from taking tests.

I recommend Baker College Online without hesitation.

Excellent education - it's not easy at all. If you can manage your time and really commit to the stringent posting and participation requirements, you will learn a great deal. The classes are fast-paced. Be prepared to spend quite a bit of time with the assignments and you will do well at Baker.

I recommend Baker without hesitation. Good Luck!!

I have attended Baker College since 2002 and am only graduating this spring with my B.B.A. in Business Management, because life circumstances have forced me to postpone my education. However, I had no doubt of returning because Baker College has given me a rewarding experience. 

Prior to registering for an online college, I have done a lot of research and felt that Baker College was a good fit for me. All the classes are done exclusively online, which allowed me to continue working and traveling as I often did. I was able to log in from any Internet enabled computer and continue my work. Baker College offered a lot of flexibility. There quarter semesters allowed me to take a break when necessary, and continue when I was ready without delaying my progress too much. 

At Baker College we are required to post at least 2 discussion threads 5 days out of 7 to count as participation. This allowed me to manage my time better and post sufficiently to add to the classroom discussion and not lose participation points. I’ve also had many great professors that I have learned a lot from, and many do give some up some of their time to talk on the phone to clarify the lessons. I have had courses where my classmates were great, participated every day and had a lot to share with the rest of the class. The best courses were the ones with classmates that really participated with everyone else. I have called Baker College’s Business office and Academic office, and they have always been very helpful. For example, I have often bothered the Academic office regarding the CLEP exams, and they politely sent me an email with all the CLEP exams that they accept and the corresponding courses. This has saved me a lot of money and time. The online bookstore has always given me all the information I needed regarding the required textbooks, and was able to buy it for cheaper from Amazon. I never had the feeling that they would withhold information from me just to make more money. Baker College really does seem genuinely interest in helping their students and helping them succeed. Another huge benefit is that Baker College is a relatively inexpensive college who is also regionally accredited. In today’s times, low cost and accreditation is very important,

Remember that Baker College may not have all the bells and whistles, but it has the most important thing that students need. It has the commitment, desire, experience, and low cost to help their students achieve their degree and succeed in the real world. Also remember that regardless of the school that we all choose to go to, the most important ingredient is the students themselves. What we put into our education is what we will eventually get out of out of our education.

I would recommend Baker College.

If you are looking for an easy school that will award you a degree without hard work Baker is NOT for you. I have been an online student @ Baker for the past two years and I love every moment of it. The classes are face paced, and they are time consuming, but I have learned more through Baker than I did at 2 traditional Universities. Most of my professors have held a Phd, and in addition to this they can offer real world experience because they often work in their field of study and teach. Others work at major Universities around the country and teach online classes. Baker is affordable and it is  definitely worth checking into!

Stay away from Baker College Online. The benefits of online education are completely lost on this institution because they have an unflexible timeline and extreme participation requirements. 

Timeline: Everything is due by Midinight EST no exceptions. That means that students on the west coast, which I was, had to complete their assignments by 9 PM. When I made this point to an instructor and a dean, their responses were identically absurd: "East Coast students may have more time at the end of their day, but you have more time at the beginning." I guess their logic was that I should wake up at three in the morning to get started on my coursework. This is a ridiculous way of doing business because it wouldn't cost them anything but a little understanding to make the exception. It's not like any of the instructors waited until midnight to grade papers anyways. 

Participation: To get full credit for participation, students have to log into their online classes and make two 'substantial posts' twice a day, 6 days per week. This equates to a traditional brick and morter student going to class 6 days a week and actually participating each time; it just doesn't happen. Imagine, if you were like me and took 2 - 3 classes at a time, you had to make 24 to 36 participation posts per week! All before midnight EST! The instructors sure held the students to this requirement, but typically never adequately facilitated enough discussion to make that many substantial posts. 

They are also really stingy with transfer credit. They only gave me about 8 credits for all of my military training and experience. The bottom line is, don't go to this school for any reason. The only real benefit they provided me was that the classes were only 6 weeks long; a feat which is duplicated by other online universities

The whole purpose for online classes was to make college more flexible for students.  After all, it is the student that keeps the schools in business.

Online courses are supposed to have flexible schedules to meet everyone's individual schedule.  People laugh at Baker's online degrees because they KNOW the students didnt have time to learn anything.