Capella University : Master of Science Reviews
10
10
Anonymous
(In Progress) on August 2, 2011
(email verified)
| Materials: |
 |
Teachers: |
|
| Institution: |
|
Support: |
|
| Value: |
|
Technology: |
|
The Independent traveler
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.
6
10
Anonymous
(In Progress) on December 20, 2010
| Materials: |
 |
Teachers: |
 |
| Institution: |
 |
Support: |
 |
| Value: |
 |
Technology: |
|
You get what you give...
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.
7
10
Anonymous
(In Progress) on December 17, 2010
| Materials: |
|
Teachers: |
|
| Institution: |
|
Support: |
|
| Value: |
|
Technology: |
|
So so
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.
9
10
Anonymous
(In Progress) on November 27, 2008
(email verified)
| Materials: |
|
Teachers: |
|
| Institution: |
|
Support: |
|
| Value: |
|
Technology: |
|
This is a Real School!
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.
10
10
Avatar
(Graduate) on September 29, 2008
(email verified)
| Materials: |
|
Teachers: |
|
| Institution: |
|
Support: |
|
| Value: |
|
Technology: |
|
Students must adapt...
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.
4
10
Anonymous
(In Progress) on April 7, 2008
(email verified)
| Materials: |
|
Teachers: |
|
| Institution: |
|
Support: |
|
| Value: |
|
Technology: |
|
Would not recommend
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.
7
10
Anonymous
(In Progress) on March 18, 2008
(email verified)
| Materials: |
|
Teachers: |
|
| Institution: |
|
Support: |
|
| Value: |
|
Technology: |
|
Positive and negative points
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.
You can help by Writing a review
