Capella University

I never ever write these types of reviews but I wholeheartedly do NOT recommend this university. I am so so disappointed - 2 years of my time and over USD$ 20 K ... GONE. Whether or not there a scam, I don't know - all I know is that I am not able to graduate from this uni. and had to pay an insane amount of money. IF YOU ARE AN INTERNATIONAL STUDENT (as in NOT a US CITIZEN)- AVOID AT ALL COSTS. There is false advertisment on the website saying they accomodate international students - when it's time to do your practicum or internship you receive 0 help. 1. Capella does not have a SEVIS ID because they are not registered as an "international university" 2. the MASTERS OF ADDICTION program is NOT recognized. 3. NO ONE will provide you with help, guidance, or advice. 4. they are unwilling to help accomodate tricky situations. Obviously I did not know all of this at first - they have great marketing and programs - flexible, study from all over the world blablabla. NO. Don't be fooled. I read reviews like the one I wrote and thought to myself those people were just unlucky or whatever, but now I am one of those people and I swear if I had more funds I would sue this university. PS. Check their graduation rate. 17 %. Really?

Capella is a great university; I am so glad that I chose this university to pursue my MSN with a focus in leadership and administration. There is always someone available to help in every department that I have contacted. I would refer this institution to anyone.

I completed my masters in Information Technology concentrating in Project Management at Capella. I was pleasantly surprised with the knowledge I gained via the program! I've been a project manager for a number of years, but I added to my skill set immensely with my Capella degree! I also made some great contacts/friends through the class projects and even after graduation we keep in contact and support each other. My Capella degree allowed me to advance my career goals. I now have an excellent job with upward mobility all because of my Capella degree! In fact, I felt that my masters was so valuable that I continued on with the PhD program!

My degree will ultimately lead to a license in the state I live in. I am fortunate enough to live in a state that aligns with the national guidelines. However, there are some states that have more or less requirements and some that do not even hire for my specific field. I highly recommend Capella University, there help and support throughout this journey has been unparalleled! Land based programs have offered me less but I always feel like I am talking to someone who knows me and understands me. I have had several instructors who are amazing in their knowledge and skill. They are remarkable in their fields and offer so much more insight into the world of work. My experience would not have been the same without them.

I completed my MS in Clinical Psychology at Capella University and am currently pursuing my Psy D for Clinical Psychology through them. I found the programming to be more rewarding than sitting in a class room and have someone regurgitate something from a text book. Having the requirement to find articles that are scholarly to write posts on has only assisted me in strengthening my ability to research for information. I obtained a practicum with the Department of Corrections and have since been hired on and get payed well for what I do. If I were to have a criticism, the college should make more of an effort at developing sites where students can apply for practicums and internships instead of telling students "You're on your own to find a site". Yes, the books are expensive IF you go through their book store. I chose to purchase elsewhere due to the ridiculous costs at their book store. I would recommend, and have recommend, Capella to others for furthering their education, especially non-traditional students.

I am in the marriage and family therapy/counseling program and let me say that when it comes to finding fieldwork the university does a HORRIBLE job in assisting finding a place for students. If you reach out to them for help you will always be refer back to modules and resources on the websites. They have a fieldwork resource tool where it contains lists of places that you can try to do your fieldwork, but when i used it most of those places say they dont accept or offer internship opportunities. I had have some great classes and professors in the past but my whole complaint is the way they go about not helping students find places for internship and charge you a bundle if you drop a course.

I have to have a graduate date to review, but I did not stay with this college. The class I took when I started my master's was easy. The financial aid office messed up my money situation. They did not tell me, I had to find this out after it was too late. I tried multiple times to get it straightened out, and spent countless hours on the phone with different departments. No help. Finally, I quit and enrolled in a normal school with a great support system. I am left owing them money for their mistake and they will not take any responsibility. They want their money (side note: the course I am paying for is not accepted by any other university so it means nothing) and that is that. They sent me a bill, I made a small payment but they sent me to collections anyway. I asked how they can, legally, send someone to collections who is paying and they said the bill was to be paid in full and that I had to set up a formal payment plan with them, but I didn't....no one ever told me that. The business office has very rude people that do not care about the student. I would NEVER recommend Capella for this reason. When the financial aid office doesn't understand what they are doing, it can set you up for financial ruin. And when the university doesn't care about you, except for your money, that is a tragedy.

I have just completed my MS Degree in Human Behavior. I had a wonderful experience at Capella. The work load was very challenging. I have attended a traditional college for my associate, and BA degree so I can honestly say that I have had the experience of both types of colleges. I will say that if you are not the type that has a problem with time management, this may not be the school for you. I had to learn how to pace myself, because of working a full time job while attending. I know my limit so therefore I took one class at a time, in the graduate program 4 hours is part time. I attended every quarter for the three year period and had no problems with registration or with financial aid. A friend of mine who is also a MS graduate of Capella is the one who told me about Capella. I was so impressed that I told a co-worker, and she enrolled and will graduate in June 2016. Neither of us had any problems with our instructors. They all held Phd degrees and everyone of them was most helpful. They graded and responded to questions in a timely manner. I once had to call for technical assistance and they helped me with my problem. My enrollment counselor called and checked on my progress the first year, and told me that if I ever had a problem do not hesitate to call. When it was time for me to take my elective classes I called and was emailed a four page list of classes that I could choose from. I chose, called back and was registered for those classes and my final class. I am sorry for any of you who have had a negative experience, but I really enjoyed my experience at Capella, and I made many friends who were also in class with me from the beginning and we all graduated together March 2016. If you are looking for an online school that is going to challenge you, this school is for you. Thank you Capella!!!!

I am a MS student at Capella one course away from graduation with and undergraduate degree from a brick and mortar college in Ohio. There are some valid criticisms of Capella here that I would like to put into perspective. Financial aid- Capella makes it very easy to get a loan, and if you can possibly pay for the courses on your own then simply make the payments back to your loan with the balances. All the complaining about them being nonresponsive is valid, but I went through the exact same thing at my undergraduate college in Ohio, with the university sometimes not getting back to me fora week or more during course registration. The loan is just like a credit card, if you don’t have the self-discipline to manage your own money, give the responsibility to someone who can (parent relative guardian etc.). College is expensive, finish it up, or start making payments now, but stop complaining to everyone on the blog. Easy courses- Capella is a business, anyone who only took the opening salvo of courses didn’t get much of an education. Just like at traditional schools the first several courses are designed to get you into the next round. The courses get harder, the workload increases to the point where you will be asking yourself what the heck you were thinking when you started the process, and the professors grade much harder. If you cannot solve problems by finding solutions on your own, using the online tools they provide, then please go torture a professor face to face someplace else. This is independent study, if you are not self-motivated, then do yourself a huge favor, and find another college. If you do not you may become one of the unhappy posters listed in this blog. Licensing and Accreditation- Capella is regionally accredited that means they are not a diploma mill. I had the luxury of working with folks who graduated from unaccredited universities. I can verify that you will do more work at Capella in a one week session, than those individuals did for an entire course at unaccredited colleges. Self-study is heavy reading and heavy writing. If you don’t like to write and are not willing to learn how, then Capella is not for you. Next do your research! If the degree you are seeking is not eligible for the license that you are trying to obtain (this happens a lot in my field) then move along to a university who offers the program you need, Capella is not going to change their curriculum just for you. Employment- The job market is still horrible, nobody is going to hire you just because you obtained a graduate degree. More people have graduate educations now, and the value of the education has declined simply because more people have them. Online degrees in general are for people working in their occupation already who just need the piece of paper to advance. Career changes are iffy, especially when you went to college online and have zero experience in the field that you are applying for. The world is full of online degree graduates running successful businesses who hire people with online degrees. Don’t let the elitists snobs complaining about “for profit” universities get you down. They only hire their frat brothers and sisters anyway. Cheating and plagiarism- This one is valid criticism I read on this board. If you are the first one to post on the weekly discussion, all the other people in the course can see your references with page numbers, and possibly cut and paste. So who cares? If you were sitting at lecture in school, and the jerk who was out parting all night looked over at your textbook to see what page you are on, it would be the same thing. Websites like Citefast.com are awesome and do the same thing for you, and you can actually use your own work. Capella claims that all the discussion boards are checked for plagiarism and they may be, I have no idea. Before you turn in any paper in it must be checked by turnitin.com, and the amount of similar material within parameters. Nobody is plagiarizing their way to a degree at Capella. By the way most people’s citations are formatted incorrectly and the professors can tell who cut and pasted citations, simply by the error in the citation. Do your own work and you don’t have to worry about it.

This school is just out for your money and they don't give you the correct information concerning your degree. Most of these majors does not lead to license in your state and therefore its a wasted of time. The school will also charge you a bunch of money if you drop a class. I dropped a class because my mother had surgery and they billed me a big bill and wouldn't work with me. It's just best to sit in the class and get your education.

I finished my Master's in Education Spring of 2012. The ease of enrolling in the program and then courses were one of the many things I enjoyed about Capella. They were helpful with giving advice and gave me the correct information once I answered questions about what it was I was wanting with a Master's degree. I found the teachers to always be prompt with answering questions, very supportive when there were issues at home *my father because sick and died during this time* and the course work was challenging and appropriate for the degree I was receiving. I was able to use my students and the programs to assist with my studies which made things very relevant to the degree program. I have recommended Capella and will continue to recommend Capella for nontraditional learners.

I just started with Capella in April of this year for Graduate school. I started in the Public Safety-Criminal Justice program but switched to Homeland Security due to an interest change. So far, I'm pretty happy with what I have experienced. I was attending another online university (Ashford University) and it is nothing compared to Capella. I chose to switch to Capella because the school is accredited and also it is designated as a national center of academic excellence by the dept of homeland security and the national security agency. I am a full time employee with a non traditional work schedule so the online format for attending class works better for me. I have read reviews of how online schools are so expensive and that they cost more than brick and mortar schools but that isn't always true. I got my Bachelors from a traditional university. That left me in a pretty hefty loan debt situation. I compared the tuition it cost me per class at Capella to the tuiton cost for a Graduate to the same school I got my undergrad degree from and althought it wasn't the exact same, Capella is not costing much more than it would have been to attend the "traditional" school. It all depends on what program you choose, how many classes you take during one quarter, if your books are required and/or included in your class. Obviously MBA classes will cost more than others. Luckily, some of my classes will not require books and if they are required they are included in the tuition price. What money I would spend in books at a traditional school, the gas of driving back and forth, and also probably having to either 1-quit my job or 2-cut back on my work hours is much better spent paying a little more for tuition and having the convenience to work on my school at my time. For those that say it is a simple process to pass the classes, I would disagree. I can't speak for online undergrad classes or other grad classes other than what I have taken, but in the classes I have taken, a considerable amount of research, reading, critical thinking, and writing have came to pass. I may be singing a different tune sometime down the road but from what I have experienced so far, has been very pleasant.

I just graduated with a master's in mental health counseling. The only reason I went to Capella was the Ohio board ONLY accepted Capella and another online school with CACREP certification as acceptable. I found the experience very demanding, but if you can manage your time it is a worthy experience. I also have a doctorate in Oriental Medicine so I just wished to expand my scope of practice. The only reason I can see why Capella might not be acceptable is if a person needs to be spoon-fed information.

I am leaving the settings as default since I have just started at Capella (my first semester just ended). What find funny are some of the comments on this site. People are ranting on here about the issues they have had with their PhD programs, yet in the posts you can see horrid sentence structure, incorrect subject-verb agreements and generally hideous grammar. Wow... These people believe they should be at a doctoral level? Another issue I see is the complaint that all they want is your money and the actual schooling is secondary. If that were the case there would not be people complaining about being kicked out at all, right? One last sticking point is one of the older rants on here that blames the courseroom for his lack of competency. If you profess to having two degrees already, in tech, yet you cannot make your computer act correctly with the courseroom, where is the real fail point? I use Mac almost exclusively and I have no issues with the courserooms at all. I will come back and post after another semester or two about my actual review of the content. I just felt the voice of reason had to be spoken about some of the negative posts I have seen on here.

Do not expect to get any service, responses, help, or courtesy once you have given them your money... cause it's not happening!! They are awful, just awful. RUN, do not walk, away from Capella!

I never took an exam that wasn't open book nor did I need to complete a thesis (or similar) to receive a degree. The degree holds no weight. Their standards are poor.

I am proud to be a Capella Student. I attended a brick and mortar school for undergraduate studies; it is a good school that is nationally ranked in Engineering. However, I must confess that the education that I have received at Capella exceeds that of my undergraduate program. It saddens my heart that so many students have degraded the program at Capella. The instructors are available as you need them my phone, email, or video conference. Most are very engaged in classroom discussions. You will get out of Capella University what you put in to it. It is not an easy program. You will have to spend about 8 hours per week reading and preparing discussion posts for each class. Residency is an AWESOME experience. The instructors, many who attended brick and mortar schools, state that they did not receive the counseling skill development that Capella students aquire during residency.

I completed my MS in Human Services in 2005. I found Capella to be a great school that met my needs and I found the cirriculum comparable to a local brick and mortar offering the same degree. My instructors were all active in their fields, which I felt was a plus. Most of my instructors were good with creating lessons but some just did the minimum to get by. I had instructors that gave a lot of great feedback and some that I had to beg to get feedback. But I saw that as an undergrad in my brick and mortar so I see this more as instructor issue and not a school issue. My degree got me a raise with my last employer and helped me get my current position. Going to Capella was well worth it.

This is an absolutely amazing school. Im half way done with my 1st year here and I couldnt be happier. I got my Bachelors from Ashford University (another amazing online school) and I was skeptical about wether I could find another online college that was as great, and met my needs as perfectly, as Ashford did. Well, not only does Capella meet them, they have far exceeded them. Not only are the classes interesting and challenging, but every instructor I have had thus far has really known their stuff. They have really helped me think outside the box and reach my potential. My advisors have been wonderful. I couldnt ask for anything better. And of course the programs they offer are second to none. I HIGHLY recommend Capella to any and everyone who wants a high quality education without the burden of attending a brick and mortar school for 6-8 hours a day.

I'm currently a 2nd year MBA student concentrating in various fields of business at Capella. Prior to joining, I had several reservations. Specifically, regarding issues such as accreditation, reputation, faculty, and the level of education available. I'm thoroughly convinced that Capella University is an excellent institution to learn, lead, serve and grow. Clearly the process of raising one's level of thinking depends solely on oneself. What you put in, is what you get out. Shockingly enough, you may have heard that many people have trouble writing, reading and/or communicating effectively. This is a problem at every university which includes, Harvard ,Yale, Wharton,etc. To this end, education is the same everywhere. However, dedication, integrity, drive, willingness, etc are all individual traits that take you to next level. The institution simply brings out what's there already.

I just completed my MS in Human Service...I had a great experience at Capella. I am a little upset by the negative comments but it seems as if those are from people who did not complete their degree for various reasons. Once I gave my employer my letter of completion in about 7 days I got a letter from our district payroll department with my pay increase which was from 48,000 to 57,000 yearly. I think before all the negative reviews those people should have researched the program and Capella prior to applying. My degree has not been a waste, nor was it easy or a joke! I hope all the negative people find happiness on their new journey...I would not trade my experience...I never waited on the phone, always got correct information, no issues with billing etc!

I can not believe I have wasted thousands of dollars on this joke of a "university." I should have known that something was wrong when they admitted me over the phone based on my verbal academic history, waved the application fee, etc. The first course is a joke to lure you in to the program, and after that they give you no support and are rude every time you contact the "university." My instructors were arrogant and no one I would take seriously in relation to my abilities. I am transferring to my alma mater and taking my money with me!

I am currently working on my masters with this school and I am very happy with this school. From the beginning I have always had help behind me and always had my questions answered. I have only had one teacher that was very slow to response but otherwise my teachers have always pushed me. I like the school's colloquims because it offers the student to meet some of the teachers and "higher ups" in the school. It is a good way for a psychology student to learn the trade about what they may encounter when they start working in the field. Everything with this school has been outstanding and I am seriously considering them for my PhD.

I am writing this review after having taken three courses in my program. I have too say that Capella has been very good to me. My GPA from my undergraduate studies is not very reflective of my actual abilities because I had some severe illnesses during my college experiences. With that said, this is going to an honest and what I believe to be a fair evaluation of Capella. First things first, Capella's Admission requirements for my program is 2.3 GPA if you're not specializing and 3.0 if you are. I find these requirements to be a little low. I have looked at Brick and Mortar schools and most of them require a GPA of at least 3.0 for admission to graduate programs. Second, I have done well and met all of my requirements. However, I will say this: The major problem with these online programs is that there isn't enough of a "classroom" experience. By that I mean that in a classroom, a Professor can tell if you have not done your reading or did not prepare for a presentation. In this online classroom, students can very easily not read and simply skim the chapter assigned until they get to the part that answers their discussion for the week. Third, the one part of the classes that I find to be challenging are the course projects. A project is assigned for every class. So far, some of them have actually been fun and interesting to do. Finally, let me point out that Capella is what you make of it. I personally have applied to a Brick and Mortar School in my area for the same program I am doing at Capella because I feel that a Brick and Mortar classroom environment would better serve my educational needs. FYI PLEASE READ THIS: One day after requesting transcripts be sent to the University I applied to, my financial aid was reduced. I also called Capella to ask why and they said I had met my budget for the year. NOTHING about my financial status had changed. They are currently reviewing my budget, I think they're trying to punish me for applying somewhere else but then again we shall see when my review is complete.

I just wanted to post this because I have taken three graduate level courses from Capella. I have too say that so far, I have recieved very positive feedback from my instructors, and I have done very well gradewise. However, after careful thought and reasearch I have applied to a graduate program from a local university that is offering a scholarship for the same program I am doing at Capella. Here's the thing that kind of made me mad. They overestimated my cost of attendance by almost 2K per quarter and have been giving me refunds each quarter. Now, I DO NOT expect and DID NOT expect to recieve that kind of money back because first of all I have too pay it back in the end and It's not necessary. Just an FYI, They sent me an email two days after I requested that Transcripts be sent to the University that I applied to. This email said that my financial aid award had been changed. In fact, it was reduced by over 1600 dollars per quarter! They never even called or notified me in any way at all that my award was changed. Just beware, I think that as soon as they knew that I was applying to transfer somewhere else, they magically found a way to reduce my aid. They are all about the money. If you have the money or get tuition reimbursement from work then go for it. BUT, do not go here if you plan on using Financial Aid. P.S. I had an interview for my scholarship application this morning and I can't wait to get an acceptance letter! Goodbye Capella.

Although the support from the Capella staff was very good; the level of education received from this institution was a joke. I have received multiple masters degree from traditional state and private institutions. The level of instruction from these institutions far surpassed what was received from Capella. My undergraduate degree was more difficult to obtain than my masters degree from Capella. Instructors did not have PhDs,; they could not write; and many were out of their league in the classes they taught.

I received my MS in Human Services from Capella in 2005. I am quite puzzled by some of the reviews here. I busted my tail through the program and graduated with a 3.83 GPA. The professors really pushed me and other students. The one thing I liked best about the online format was the requirement to cite sources within our postings, as well as postings to classmates. This really separated the students that were serious about their degree and those who perhaps thought, 'Oh, this is online, it will be easy!' My enrollment counselor is also in the MPH program and she told me to be ready for 20-25 page papers that are due at the end of each course. Anyone that thinks this is easy, step right up. I am returning to Capella for my MPH (Master's of Public Health) and couldn't be more excited! The flexibility it offers is excellent. I've always had immediate response to questions from advisors and professors...which is more than I can about a public university I contemplated attending in my city, for the same degree.

Currently in my third quarter in the MS IDOL program and am very impressed so far. I work for a leading college in online learning and was skeptical about a fully online program at a for-profit but have had nothing but good experiences so far. The textbooks used for every course have been such high quality that I don't intend to resell them - they have become a valued part of my personal library. The lessons have been the best part - they are of higher quality than my undergraduate program at a public university. The instructors are very involved in the classroom discussions and respond in a timely manner. They all seem to be quite experienced in their fields. I am more than satisfied with my experience in the classroom. That said, there are a few areas where I would like to see improvement. The mentoring service is impossible to find on the Capella site - even typing in the word "mentoring" in the search only brings up mentor profiles. The only reason I know mentoring exists is because last quarter Capella emailed me a link which I absentmindedly deleted. Also, my advisor is new and so far very hands-off. He mentioned that he advises several hundred students so no mystery there. For self-motivated, busy, working adults who are disciplined to do the work, Capella is like the ideal graduate experience. If you need to ask questions every 5 minutes and are going to put in only the minimum effort required for an assignment, this isn't the "easy road" you might be looking for. The assignments will challenge you. Regarding the negative reviews, I personally know someone who got bad grades because she can't write a complete sentence and is still blaming Capella for it. Take the bad reviews with a grain of salt. You really DO get out what you put in.

A very bad choice. The quality of education offered and delivered by Capella does not compare with what you stand to gain form an established University. My aspirations to earn an PhD at Capella upon my graduation were quashed when I realized that the time and money invested was truly wasted. A degree from Capella is a liability in the job market, demonstrating to most any employer or recruiter that you couldn't make it anywhere else. Moreover, Capella is eager to sue any critics into silence... now what University advocates restricting free speech, and prefers to sue their student body rather than use the feedback to realize excellence in learning? Think hard... very, very hard, and re-read the real critics that are bold enough to post their sentiment on this site and ask yourself: What is their incentive to risk all that they have invested and damaging their own credential? That takes real heart... My doctorate begins very soon, but not with Capella.

Some people are saying that it is simple to graduate from Capella or an online school in general. That is completely..false. Yes, it is easy to get in, but isn't that a good thing? Now people have NO excuse in regards to furthering their education. None. Secondly, I am by no means dumb, underachiever, or whatever some people "claim" online university students are. The numerous hours searching through peer reviewed journals, writing 10-20 page papers (you see that, plural) for one class in APA format, is not "easy." This should be expected! Even though it can be tough, it teaches you a lot and become increasingly confident about your abilities as a student and as a future professional. I appreciate that Capella cand do this through distance learning! Capella is a real school, with real teachers, and real coursework. I laugh at anyone who thinks Capella is just a breeze.

I am currently pursuing my master's in mental health counseling and the addictions counseling certificate program. My only complaints is the long wait over the phone when you need information. Some days is pretty fast, but other days...be prepared to be put on hold for more than ten minutes! Other than that, I love the way the classroom is structured. The instructors are experienced and actually are supportive. The ones I have had provide very useful resources and answer all of my questions related to my field of study. Financial aid isn't a problem either. Everything falls into place on schedule. So far I have learned so much and I feel like I know just as much or more than a student in a traditional classroom. I do have a little bit of school pride.

I began a Master's Degree program in Adult Education last year but had to withdraw when my son became very ill. I found the classes and instructors adequate, but the business/financial aid support was horrendous. I was repeatedly double billed for one course even after I provided copies of the cancelled check used to pay. Individuals would promise to "reasearch my question and get back to me" and never did. I was so disgusted by the experience that once my son recovered I did not re-enroll

I will break my comments down per category: OVERALL: I recently graduated from Capella with a Master of Science in IT-Security. In addition to this degree I also hold the CISSP and Security+ industry recognized certifications. The IT and Security related course work closely follows both the domains of knowledge around IT Security as well as general business and IT Management topics. Online learning does take a bit to get used to. Capella's paradigm (at least for my program) was essentially, read---->reflect---->write multiple essays weekly---> comment on peer essay postings, interact with other students ----> work on a final course paper or project to be turned in at the end of the quarter. APA style was taught in my first course (called: Technical Writing). Many professors also have students submit the output of 3rd party online citation checking (anti-plagerism) tools. Again, a lot of reading, thinking, and writing. Materials: The course used books, as well as articles from Capella's online library which is more extensive than I will take the time to explain here. The books I purchased through my coursework were outstanding and included: Harris's CISSP book, Hacking Exposed, and the CCNA book from Sybex to name a few. Teachers: The role of the professor is to take the class on a 10 week journey through the material while commenting on essays to challenge student thinking, and providing needed feedback on course projects. The teachers are there to ensure quality and create challening discussions. Institution: In my 2+ years at Capella, I was impressed with how hard the Administration was working to make additional options open to students. For example, mid way through my program in IT-Security, Capella obtained NSA certification and published a course list that would allow students to obtain NSA recognition in addition to their degree. Support: The vast majority of the time Capella's online couserooms worked just fine for me. Towards the end of my program I even used an 'un-supported' version of firefox without any issues. Capella has automated tools that check software versions and configuration settings. If you can pass this automated assessment, you shouldn't have any issues. When I did need support I typically submitted emails which were acknowledged immediately and answered in 1 day. Technology: When looking at online programs (traditional universities would not fit into my work schedule and I honestly dreaded the idea of sitting in 2 hour lectures again) Capella was by far the best. They continue to improve their online courseroom and as an alumni I really hope they keep this edge! Value: I am very happy with the quality of education I received in earning my Masters Degree from Capella University. I would recommend it (and have) to anyone who is willing to challenge themselves create thoughtful writing after some disciplined reading and reflection.

I dont know what school the other reviewers were in that said the program was too easy. I know that in the school of psychology, the program was indeed very rigorous and challenging. This was by far the best college experience I have had. I can only speak for the Harold Abel School of Psychology. Therefore I suspect the other reviewers are talking about either of grad level business or technical offerings. In that case the negative comments are typical for those fields in most colleges. I would expect however the MBA program at a prestigious school would be an exception to those negative comments.

I graduated from a very good private B&M college. After doing extensive study, weighing family and work options, and looking at pertinent factors, Capella was a great choice. I am a Human Services grad student. Hard classes, fantastic instructors, very good staff. I am trying to determine what the source of contention is. I theorize that with some, it is the stigma of an online degree. Fair enough, I can't change that perspective. However, a lot of these reviews have dripped with the frustration of having been unable to fulfill their goals. This can produce alot of resentment that is best moved on from. I am not overly concerned with my comparative cognition and Capella has helped me immensely.

I was enrolled in a graduate program for over a year and dropped out due to financial issues. The classes were decent, but a bit on the easy side. I was very disappointed by the level of work in some of my classmates. I received the GI Bill for assistance which I used for books, tuition and the residency expenses. I rarely heard from my academic counselor and when I did contact her, it took on average of a week for a response. The financial department was TERRIBLE!!!!!!! In addition to my GI Bill I was also receiving aid – according to the invoices they gave me, I had enough to cover all of my expenses. Then after a year and a half I received a bill for $7,000. I talked to several people and after weeks of investigating I still to this day have NO idea where all of my aid and payments were going and how I could still have $7,000 to owe. The support was terrible and they didn’t seem to care about having me as a student. I finally said that I would just get a student loan to cover my outstanding balance. I was approved and it was sent to Capella for verification. After 3 WEEKS of not hearing anything I finally track down someone from support and they say that they denied it because I receive GI benefits so I didn’t need the loan – and then again reminded me how I had to pay the $7,000 before my next class. They claimed that I legally could not receive a private school loan due to the funds I was receiving from the VA. I dropped out and switched school. My new university not only approved me for enough financial aid to cover my costs, but they also said that they can approve a loan for me if for some reason I need one. I am very happy to have switched and now love my new school. But, the story doesn’t end there…… After dropping out I spoke with the financial department and business office about my outstanding loan. BOTH confirmed that they did not have payment plans but as long as I made consistent payments, I would be fine. I then proceeded to pay $250 a month towards my balance thinking that everything was fine. Then 3 months later (after continues payments) I receive a letter from a collection agency. Capella sent me to collections for nonpayment! Capella never responded to voicemails or emails. Whenever I would call they would send me to a generic voicemail box which never was returned. I ended up have to quickly secure a personal loan to pay off collections before it reached my credit report. To this day none of my messages, complaints, or concerns have been addresses and I still have no idea where all of my money went. I cannot recommend this university to anyone unless you are paying cash at each class and can see exactly where your funds are being applied.

I am in my second year at Capella pursuing a MS in Human Services. I have found the program to be quite easy, which is cause for some concern. Sometimes it seems a little too easy and I feel that I have received outstanding grades for substandard work. As an undergrad at a regular college, I struggled just to earn C's & B's. At Capella, I have a straight A average, which is not something I am used to. Then again, maybe I am overly critical of myself. Most of the instructors are excellent, although I have encountered a few who were absent from the courseroom too much, as in weeks would go by without any work being graded or questions being addressed. I am also hearing conflicting reports regarding the accreditation legitimacy of Capella. In New York state, a degree from Capella will not be considered for licensure. The degree basically means nothing, but then, New York is a ridiculous state that few people can actually make a decent living in. I just hope the Capella degree will pull more weight down south which is where I plan to move in the near future. Until then, my options seem to be very limited in NY and there are very few decent jobs for someone with my credentials. The online learning experience, for me, is infinitely better and more effective than sitting in a regular classroom. The input and experience from adult classmates is valuable and I have learned much from the work I have read from fellow students. The Capella library I find to be mediocre. It seems to have many limitations and repeated searches will frequently turn up irrelevant information or none at all. Overall, I am pleased with my progress but don't trust it. I feel that if I was criticized more often, it would feel more appropriate and more like college. I am just not used to being told that I have done great work. I hope it's really true and the instructors are not just being too nice. I want to earn my degree, not have it given to me.

I am just finishing up my MBA with Capella and I could not have enjoyed it more. This is by far the best way to get a quality education without having to be somewhere at a specified time. This allows working individuals the flexibility to learn and grow without sacrificing work or family time. I also appreciate that the program is very writing extensive. This makes the learner to develop opinions and interpret the information more thoroughly than if this were in a typical campus setting. I enjoyed this experience very much and it was worth the cost involved to complete the program.

I've just completed my degree and I had a wonderful experience. It was a lot of hard work but it was all worth it. I think Capella is an exceptional organization - always looking for feedback from learners and working to improve. I felt supported and encouraged throughout my three years as a student. Not all instructors were great, but most were. The technology was excellent and I had very few issues. Tech support was helpful and friendly the two times I needed to contact them. Even the transition from Capella's old proprietary online learning environment to WebCT went smoothly for me. I learned a lot and would not hesitate to recommend Capella to others. Just understand that your experience will be what you make it. This is not high school -- it's up to you to create an excellent graduate school experience, just like it's up to you to create a great career.