Capella University Reviews

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Let's be clear: This is INDEPENDENT study.

Psychology
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Degree In Progress) on January 29, 2012

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I am in the last class of my master's degree in psychology. This degree will end up costing me almost 40,000. I agree with the other poster who said that the "professor" do not teach. It is an INDEPENDENT study course. Capella brags that only Ph.D's are allowed to be instructors, but that is meaningless because they don't share knowledge and experience with you anyway. It truly is the fast food of college degrees....at a very high premium price. I would not do it again. If you want to try it, make a decision early on...because soon you will not be able to afford not to finish.

Recommended with Reservations

Public Service Leadership
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Degree In Progress) on January 20, 2012

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I have finished my coursework and comprehensive examination and am currently writing my dissertation. 

My sole purpose for obtaining a PhD is to be able to teach at a university at the professorial level (versus instructor) after a 20+ year career as a federal law enforcement officer. My agency offered to pay tuition for any personnel who could justify the need for advanced education; it provided a list of about 30 online schools to choose from. That being said, I cannot comment on value for the money since I’m not paying for my degree.

Before entering the LE field, I was a high school science teacher.  I earned both my BS and MSc in Biology from traditional brick and mortar universities. I was expecting Capella to be a bit more challenging than it was but that may be due to my science background. Advanced degrees in hard sciences are traditionally more difficult to obtain than other fields.

I have nothing but positive things to say about my instructors at Capella. Most are professors at traditional brick and mortar universities and are simply teaching additional classes online in their spare time. With the exception of one, all of them were of high standards and knew the material very well.

My biggest complaint with Capella is not so much with the school, but with the students. Capella adheres to an open enrollment policy. This means that they accept pretty much everyone that applies and weeds them out in the end. This is contrary to the traditional method of having to apply to grad school where you are required to pass the GRE (both general and subject), submit an application essay, and network with a professor so you have a research topic already in mind when you apply. Capella students are not subjected to this so there is no entrance standard of writing skills.

I would estimate that at least 80% of my classmates were writing at a junior high level. I spent more time trying to decipher what they were writing than actually answering their discussion posts. For the most part, there was absolutely no evidence of critical thinking or advanced writing skills. There would be no way you would encounter this issue in a traditional university as they would’ve not survived the application process. Additionally, whenever you question their writings about theory or sources (most of these people have no concept of citing sources), you’re met with defensive answers and criticism. Spellcheck is a foreign concept to most Capella students.

All in all, Capella is a good university. Just be prepared to have to deal with illiterate classmates who end up being weeded out at the end of the process.

Capella University General Psychology PhD program

Clinical psychology
Reviewer: thinktankster (Degree In Progress) on January 15, 2012

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Near completing a General Psychology PhD.  Capella's program is superior to my brick and mortar undergrad and MA at traditional schools.  This is due to the well designed and thorough syllabus driven, research oriented classes.

three semesters in...

Ph.D. in Education in Postsecondary and Adult Ed.
Reviewer: safescent (Degree In Progress) on November 16, 2011

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I realized from the faculty's comments during the first course that she had not ever actually read my papers. I brushed it off as a bad instructor. You find them everywhere, right? Then the next quarter same thing. I realized that the faculty basically award the grade based on phrasing within the document that matches the ruberic they are using. I tested this theory and scored better with a 50 word document than when I wrote expansively. Expensive and not really worth that much.

Great school

Master of Science
Reviewer: Anonymous (Graduate) on November 3, 2011

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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.

Great if you want a high priced correspondence school...

MBA
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Graduate) on October 13, 2011

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Nothing more than read the materials and answer questions in short paragraph form of small subsets of information (just to see if you read the material). Write a paper based on material and experience...

Not impressed. Teachers are uninvoled and uninterested in helping you or seeing you succeed. They are looking for an easy paycheck at the expense of your education.

I would not recommend this school for anyone! Beware, you get what you pay for, and the quality of the education will be revealed the first time you are asked to demonstrate your education.

BSIT is a good program

Information Technology/Networking Technology
Reviewer: Jeff-007 email verified (Degree In Progress) on October 2, 2011

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Capella review

I have been at Capella since December 2009. It is a good school in my view. As of this writing I have seven classes to go for my   BS in IT.  In a ten week course I think is just long enough to get what I need out of the course before mental fatigue kicks in. The instructors so far have been challenging and engaging. I am  doing well, but I do put in a lot of time for my part time situation. Capella technical support has been quick to answer my issues or questions.

There are a sea of on-line schools out here so I don't have a lot to compare to but the school being accredited as this one is is very important to me. Capella just received ABET accreditation. I am an IT manager and getting my Undergraduate  degree would help solidify my position.

A Dream Come True

PhD Organization & Management/General Business
Reviewer: melcheck1972 (Degree In Progress) on October 1, 2011

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I am a Capella learner and an ambassador for the school. I am enrolled in their program for the degree of Master of business administration an ambassador for their programs and their standards are very high, I have aways enjoyed my learning. I can honestly say that although I am almost finished with their Master of Business Administration degree, I have had a wonderful experience. The professors are awesome. The professors are very committed to the success of their students.

I am not just saying the commitment of the professors is great. It really is great. I had a professor who challenged me to improve my business writing skills by critiquing my papers and giving me "lessons" in graduate level mechanics.

I had another professor who conferred with me over the phone and very generously helped me with the writing skills with respect to the citation process and even gave me a link to several books and a writing lab.

Capella is a pioneer in the field of online education I have done several in-depth studies in my Master of Business Administration career at Capella this far, one of s=which is on Capella Education, the organization that owns and operates Capella University. I can say with confidence that although Capella University is online and the programs are project based, they are accredited and their accreditation standards are under annual review.

Capella University is an excellent school that caters to the adult working professionals with a busy home and working life. I come from a family of school teachers, college and university professors and business professionals. I am very familiar with the quality of education and the need for quality education in today's world.

Capella University is proud to display their degree and career outcomes. In their oxide to display these outcomes, they allow learners the opportunity to post comments about their experiences in programs. I have never attended a school where I have had so much fun learning while working so hard at the same time.

Do your research before complaining

Psychology
Reviewer: lostkeysintro (Degree In Progress) on August 18, 2011

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First off Capella is a great school.  But before you attend any college you have to make sure that the degree you are going for fits your states regulations. NOW Capella's masters degree program in Psychology DOES offer a license.  They are cacrep certified meaning that after obtaining the Masters in psychology you can get certified to be a Licensed counselor.  BUT you have to actually take a specialization through there school.  Either drug rehab, Marriage counseling, Mental health ect ect.  Obviously EVERYONE knows that to be an actual Psychologist you have to get A PhD. But you can become a licensed Counselor. 

There is so much misinformation out there from bitter students who couldn't cut it at online colleges.  They give out false information and infect the rest of us..

IT PhD's and technical abilities...

PhD Organization & Management/Information Technology Management
Reviewer: lyle.sharp email verified (Degree In Progress) on August 13, 2011

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Any IT PhD earner should at the very least be capable of using the Capella online learning environment. I personally have used non-compliant software (Linux, Chromium, Libre Office) and have completed all assignments and DQs on time. If you can't figure out how to use your primary tool in the IT field, you should change career tracks as well as schools. Anyway, 5 classes in and I am fairly well pleased with the courses and environment.

MS in Child and Adolescent Development with a second specialization in Psychology and a concentration in Family Psychology

Master of Science
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on August 8, 2011

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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.

The Independent traveler

Master of Science
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Degree In Progress) on August 2, 2011

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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.

Awesome Experience

Master of Science
Reviewer: sontaylor2001 email verified (Graduate) on July 11, 2011

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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!

PhD very successful!

Educational Psychology
Reviewer: vwlw (Graduate) on July 4, 2011

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Earned my PhD in Educational Psychology in 2008. Quickly was hired as an associate professor for a state university. If you are worried about earning an online degree from Capella- don't! I was hired out of a pool of 215 applicants with doctoral degrees.  It isn't an easy school, but your degree is worth something when you are done.

Rude, no communication, just want your $$$$

Master of Science
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Degree In Progress) on June 28, 2011

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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!

Grateful, yet reserved in my recommendations

Clinical psychology
Reviewer: edcernyec email verified (Graduate) on May 28, 2011

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I was able to obtain an APA accredited pre-doctoral internship as a Capella University Student. The only reservation I have is that Capella University is not APA accredited as an institution and this was a big disappointment. I will say I am a licensed psychologist in California now, but without that accreditation I will have an up hill battle in some areas. I will never be eligible for ABPP certification and may have trouble moving and becoming licensed in other states. The program itself (the years I attended) was excellent overall. What a student gets out of it, is what they put into it. I am also glad they did manage to discourage or dismiss some students that would have been problematic working for the public or would have been dismissed from an internship program. 

For those with life situations where another accredited university is not an option, I recommend Capella as second only to fielding (again as they are an an accredited on line program in clinical psychology). For those who are looking at other programs in psychology and who are not looking to be licensed as a clinical psychologist . Capella would be my first choice for an on-line program.  Depending on the state Capella's degree program may work well for those who wish to be doctoral level licensed professional counselors, marriage and family therapists, or other types of behavioral health professionals. 

Sincerely,

Ed

Excellent choice for an upper level educational experience

PhD Organization & Management/General Business
Reviewer: Timothey.kennedy email verified (Degree In Progress) on May 24, 2011

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I am in my second term with Capella University and am enrolled in the Organization and Managment PhD program. I have also completed Track 1 Colloquium and my overall experience thus far has been exceptional. In the past, I have always attended the traditional "brick & mortar" universities, however, I can state without a doubt the online learning environment adds so much more value and flexibility to the educational experience. I highly recommend Capella to anyone who is seeking to advance themselves forward in their careers or life in general.

Good and Bad-Do your research

Business Administration-Management-Project Management
Reviewer: caffeinejunky6 email verified (Degree In Progress) on May 19, 2011

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This is my 2nd quarter at Capella, but I'm only a little over a year away from finishing my Bachelor's Degree in Business Administration with a focus on Management and Project Management. 

My first was great up until week 10. The Professor Sherwood was fantastic, the coursework was very challenging, and overall the classmates were great. Then out of nowhere, one of the classmates verbally attacked me on the public final discussion, saying inappropriate things, and basically bullying me. I did nothing to warrant this, and even the professor was shocked. She later tried to cover her ass by hinting that she felt intimidated by me, but never apologized. I can't say what she said on the board, but it's almost as bad as being called a racial slur, as well as a few other things. I was so humiliated and hurt, especially since this person was someone I regularly supported in the class. That was almost 6 weeks ago when I demanded Capella do something about this incident. I'm still waiting. Supposedly, they gathered a panel to review what to do.

And guess what happened around the same time? Suddenly my financial aid was only going to cover one class per quarter going forward, when from the beginning I was told taking 2 classes per quarter "should not be a problem" since I'm unemployed.

This quarter is so-so. I'm not impressed too much with one of the instructors (my other one, Dr. Dave, is great though). I'm very disappointed that Capella obviously doesn't care about how that woman made me feel with her attack on a public class board. I'm very disappointed that all of a sudden my financial aid has changed as well, when my situation hasn't, so I find this very fishy. Taking just one class per quarter is not going to work for me, which is what I would have to do starting next quarter.

Another negative is having to deal with classmates that CLEARLY do not belong at this level of schooling. They use improper grammar, their spelling is awful, don't follow the class rules, and don't do their part of team assignments. In other words-lazy and half-ass they belong back in Junior College. Very annoying. I've learned to ignore this type this quarter and it seems to be working for me, thank God.

Overall, while the coursework and assignments are definitely challenging, and the professors are probably mostly good (too soon for me to really tell, but I have had 2 out of 3 being good). But I'm very concerned about how this verbal attack is going to play out, and then potentially have another class with this woman or anyone who saw the post. I also don't trust that they have my best interest in mind pertaining to assisting me with financial aid.

I'm trying to decide what I'm going to do, but think carefully and really do your research and compare before you jump in for sure.

PhD: IT - Information Assurance & Security

PhD Organization & Management/Information Technology Management
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Degree In Progress) on May 11, 2011

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I am currently taking my 6th course for my PhD in IT - Information Assurance and Security. Like many reviews that I have seen for Capella's IT programs, I am very satisfied and feel it is a great value for the money. It is quite challenging. There are two research responses that are due during the week and four responses to other students' posts that are required weekly. In addition, each week typically has at least one paper due. All of the courses that I have taken so far required a larger paper, approximately 20 pages without the cover page and references, due as the last assignment. The instructors are not easy graders. Besides the content of the paper, they are quick to knock off points for APA and any grammatical errors. 

If I did something wrong, I correct it for the next assignment, but I have seen responses from students to instructors that can be belligerent. I have not seen an instructor respond in anything but a professional manner. I have not turned in any assignments late, so I cannot give a review on this, but I have read reviews from others that stated that they have run into issues with this - which is why I turn everything in by the due date!

I do want to state that I have been able to move up in my career due to taking courses towards my PhD. The company is a top Fortune company and they seemed to be more interested in the fact that I am managing to take PhD courses while working rather than where I was taking courses.

IF YOU ONLY READ ONE REVIEW READ THIS ONE!

Psychology
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Degree In Progress) on April 26, 2011

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Capella does not care out you as a student they only care about getting your money.  If you are looking for a school to attend for psychology please go elsewhere.  I have found out, and so have many of my classmates, that their degree is useless.  I sought support from the advising staff at Capella today and was told this "our classes are not designed for licensure".  Why else would some seek a masters degree in psychology if they were not going to see a license?  I was also told my only option was to transfer to another school.  When I spoke with the advising staff about my licensure worries a couple of years ago I was assured I needn't worry.  Now that they have $120K of my money they do not care if I transfer to another school for my last semester.  For your safety and sanity please seek another school.

Excellent School

PhD Organization & Management/Information Technology Management
Reviewer: tenaheff (Degree In Progress) on April 4, 2011

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I have read a number of the reviews. Most of the negative reviews I see seem to have been written by people who either didn't properly research what would be required in their line of work (psychology majors, mainly) or have complaints that would be no different from any other on-line school.

I received an Associates at a brick and mortar, a BS and MSM online (from another school). Capella is most definitely not a diploma mill. Students must work hard if they are to be successful. If I have any complaint at all it is that too much is expected. I thought I was overworked when pursuing my BS and MSM, but at Capella I am working significantly harder (wouldn't have believed it possible).

The courses are tough, but the education is well worth the effort. I love the Colloquia required of all doctoral students. It is a time to meeting others in your program, comparing experiences and bonding with others. Many of the people you meet at these residencies are students in the very classes you are taking. This adds to the bonding experience and makes future classes with these fellow students more enjoyable. In addition, valuable information is gained by attending this residencies. Track one helped me to make the transition from practitioner/scholar to scholar/practitioner, which helped me be a better student. Track two gave me valuable information regarding research methodologies and research in general. I haven't attended track three, but I am sure it will also be well worth the trip. If you attend Capella, be sure to go to the Colloquia as early in the program as possible.

Capella is an excellent school. I do not regret my decision to attend one bit!

Happy

Master of Science
Reviewer: drkristie82 (Degree In Progress) on April 3, 2011

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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.

Capella University is phenomenal

PHD education
Reviewer: einsteinium2009 email verified (Graduate) on January 14, 2011

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As someone who has been on a doctoral committee at the Union Institute and University prior to my PhD at Capella University, I know that the quality of the phenomenal mentors, committee members, and professors at Capella is top notch.  I have taught in the Biology Dept. at Syracuse University and I know that the PhD I received from Capella has been unbelievably worthwhile.  You are treated like an adult and you are not micromanaged at all (unlike what I hear from other PhD candidates at other institutions).  There are so many advantages with online education and specifically Capella, that I only have positive reviews for the education I received with Capella University.

Very disappointing

PHD education
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Graduate) on January 11, 2011

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I enrolled in the directed studies programs at the doctoral level and the work was easy mainly because I was able to work at my own pace, develop my own course completion goals and objectives, and presenting thesis pertaining to my passions health policy and health services research. 

However, I felt sabotaged two years into the program.  I suffered through mentor changes each year thereafter, frequent policy changes, and longer response times from faculty, and faculty whose integrity I still question to this day. Mentor changes during the dissertation period is a death sentence for completing in a timely manner. Compared to my Masters program at Central Michigan University, Capella fails miserably.  As a writer mentioned in this post, I wish I also had known just how bad they were and are.

Great Experience Thus Far...

PHD education
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on December 28, 2010

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This is my third semester with Capella and I must say that I am very pleased with the rigor and relevance of the assignments and classes. As a doctoral student I recognize that my assignments should be challenging and I should be able to work independently and that is exactly the opportunity I am given at Capella. Feedback is immediate and I am able to converse and learn from other professionals in my field. The quarters are pricey but you have the opportunity to take as many classes as you choose for the same rate so it is advantageous to load up with classes if possible. I look forward to completing my studies within the next 2 years and hope my experience continues to be positive.

You get what you give...

Master of Science
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on December 20, 2010

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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.

So so

Master of Science
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on December 17, 2010

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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.

MSIT - Information Assurance and Security

Information Technology/Networking Technology
Reviewer: mhh email verified (Degree In Progress) on November 29, 2010

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I chose Capella University over several others because they were A) accredited B) offered US Gov certifications upon graduation in my field given I took the required courses and C) because there are scholarships available for those in my field.  I have Bachelors degrees from University of Phoenix (UOP)(brick and mortar school in Michigan) and De Vry. Columbus.  I have over 25 years in Information Technology and I felt then and do now, that Capella is my best choice.  I have read complaints about instructors at Capella and I have had a few that were substandard but I have also had instructors that were of the highest caliber. I think the same could be said of any University. At University of Phoenix I had the same experience with the quality of instruction. All of my professors at Capella have been PhD's. I feel that the course work at Capella is very challenging and does indeed pertain to my major. I have a perfect GPA in my masters program so far but, I am only taking one class per quarter. I would and do recommend Capella university to anyone interested in obtaining an advanced degree.

Satisfied

MBA
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Degree In Progress) on November 22, 2010

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After reading a number of reviews, I feel it is fair to give everyone an actual idea of what they might be getting themselves into. 

Heads up, if you are not willing to go the extra mile do not take an online class. I completed my BS at a University where I got the classroom experience. In my opinion it is more difficult in an online environment because face it people, you have to teach yourself and make time to teach yourself.  Yes there are tons of readings per week, yes there are discussions and replies you have to do, yes there are 15 page papers you have write. Reading through the reviews about how "I'm too busy to complete the requirements, this is a bad school blah blah" are all excuses by the individual.  IF you pursue a degree you should know it's not going to be a cake walk, you will actually have to put some effort forth. 

Personally, I find this education to be more fulfilling then the classroom experience I had.  Every teacher I had always got back to me immediately on any questions and actually helped when I needed it. I have 3 classes left and have found this school to be worth the time. Make the decision based on how busy your life is, because I'm here to tell you, you will have to put some time into your degree plan.

Like anything else, YOU have to do your homework!!

Psychology
Reviewer: brenda.l.johnson email verified (Degree In Progress) on November 10, 2010

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Capella is what it is.  Its a for-profit university.  Not quite the same as the tech school that are springing up like wells across the country but not far off.  

I checked them up one side and down the other as my goal is to pursue a PhD or PsyD down the line.  I will not pursue it with Capella unless the boards change their rules.

I am honestly disturbed that students pursuing a PhD did not check into the school any further than they did.  Its not Capella's fault.  They have their limitations, being primarily an on-line university; however, for many students, these limitations DO NOT IMPACT the quality of education they receive.

If you are pursuing an undergraduate degree, rock on at Capella.  If you are pursuing an advanced degree, this is where you need to do your homework.  Anyone in a program that has a governing board or requires certification/licensure after completion of the program, I would recommend looking elsewhere.  I have yet to find an on-line college that the boards will accept, except one and only in California, your on-line education.

I like Capella and so does my employer.  They are paying $15,000 towards the cost of my education.

Thanks Capella.

I will let you know...

Information Technology/Networking Technology
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Degree In Progress) on November 6, 2010

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I am about to attend Capella for my first class in their MS Information Technology program.  So, I can't say a whole lot YET since I haven't started.  What I can say is this- I work for a Fortune 50 company and they highly encourage attendance at this institution.  They provide tuition reimbursement for the program as well.  They employ over 250,000 people.  I would say that has to speak for something.  This company will hire someone with a degree from Capella, and encourages its employees to enhance their careers by obtaining an advanced degree at this institution.

Capella U.

Ph.D. in General Education
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Graduate) on November 5, 2010

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I lived overseas and was looking for a DE Ph.D. program that I could complete with limited required time on campus in the US. I looked into several programs and Capella fit my requirements. I was sold because they let me start immediately, took my 29 year old masters degree, and did not require that I attend a stateside seminar prior to beginning the program. I was also impressed that it was a full blown Ph.D. and not a E.Ed. doctorate, that included emphasis on a complete doctoral dissertation. It wasn't cheap and when I took the program I had to pay full tuition each term, whether I took no courses or loaded up, so I usually loaded up and took extra courses. I was able to take off a term during the degree, which saved some tuition.
Warning. If you require lots of guidance, immediate feedback, and are not self-motivated or disciplined this is not the program for you. You get out of it what you put into it. Most courses were interesting and valuable. I was able to write research papers related to my experiences living in an overseas environment, and that made the experience all the more valuable. I had an excellent mentor to guide my studies, who also acted as the chair of each committee for the comps, proposal and final defense of the dissertation, which was done by phone conference. Most course work included reading, online weekly class discussions and a course paper. Writing these papers helped in gaining experience for the 6 large comp papers required and eventually the dissertation.
It took me three years. One year of taking at least two courses per term, one year plus of writing comps, the dissertation proposal, researching and writing the dissertation, and almost a year to get it approved. The approval process and getting feedback on the comps and dissertation was not always timely and could get frustrating. Some professors were not responsive, but this is not unusual for any graduate program. Most were very good and had a lot of experience in the field.
The most enjoyable and valuable experience was the required two week summer seminar. Meeting other adult learners, professors, and getting lots of guidance for research and writing for the dissertation made it a great two weeks. There were a variety of short seminars to choose from, given by faculty, some of whom I had taken courses with online. Three weekend seminars were also required, but some could be back to back with the required seminar. These were useful in preparing for research. I was also able to do an independent studies class, self-designed, to practice research I would later do for my dissertation topic, and to do an internship, also related to my research.
I finished in 2003, so the program may have evolved since then.

Buyer Beware

PhD Organization & Management/General Business
Reviewer: saffron_skye321 email verified (Degree In Progress) on October 25, 2010

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Buyer beware!  This school is all about the money.  If you're taking the time to read through reviews of Capella (hopefully before you enroll), you'll likely see many that say Capella is a scam.  I'm hear to tell you, from my first-hand point of view, those reviews are true.  If you enroll in a PhD program, here's what you're going to encounter.  First, in whichever quarter you decide to begin, Capella will only allow you to take 1 class that first quarter.  Still, Capella will charge you the full amount, generally around $4,500.  Once the class starts you'll be asked to perform very remedial exercises that you probably never even encountered as an undergraduate: activities like assessing your learning style or picking 2 or 3 learning styles from a book written by a Capella insider that you think will help you.  (Honestly, if you've made it to the PhD level, do you really need to assess your learning style at this point?)  Then the real fun begins.  Tons of mindless busy work, condescending instructors who provide vague feedback but are quick to give you a poor grade with little reasoning, poor communication from faculty and staff, etc. And, here's the kicker, when you finally realize you may have made a mistake with Capella and want to withdraw, good luck finding someone who will call you back.  If you're lucky enough to find withdrawal forms yourself online, go ahead and fill one out.  Just be prepared to receive a bill for the full amount of the quarter if you withdraw after the first week of class, regardless of you have financial aid or are a self-payer.  That's right, Capella will bill you for the ENTIRE cost of the quarter even if you've only completed 3 weeks of class. On the positive side, Capella's online classroom is pretty easy to navigate.

Does not teach

Psychology
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Degree In Progress) on September 30, 2010

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Capella University does not TEACH.  If you are interested in a gloried correspondence school - Capella is for you.  They assign reading then ask you to write on a very specific subset of the reading assignment.  If you are in a hurry to get that degree - just read the portion of the assignment related to the writing assignment. Comprehension or mastery of the topic is not required to pass a course.
I want an education. This does not meet my needs. Looking for a brick and mortar university with lectures, interaction with fellow students and professors and the requirement to master the subject matter.

Excellent

PhD Organization & Management/General Business
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Graduate) on September 13, 2010

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I chose the Capella PhD for their excellent customer service. From day one throught to graduation, my support was excllent. The quality of the professors is high, you can see their CV listed online. I had professors from Harvard, Yale, etc. I wish they were accredited by AACSB. The structure of the courses is excllent I learned more there than my previous 2 degrees combined. I am now a full time teacher at a four year University.

Excellent education

Counseling Education
Reviewer: debyambor (Graduate) on August 29, 2010

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I am presently writing my dissertation in my field of human services and am continuing to find the process fulfilling and expanding.  My experience with the professors at Capella has been positive in most instances.  Capella utilizes faculty from other colleges as adjunct teachers.  I have had professors from Catholic U., U of PA, Berkley, etc., in addition to faculty specific to Capella.  I am very satisfied and have grown a great deal from my time here.

So far so good however........

MBA
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Degree In Progress) on August 18, 2010

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Some of the instructors have been very involved in the classroom and then there are a few that have not. Some instructors provide critical but helpful feedback and then there are some instructors that simply provide a grade.

Excellent Education

PHD education
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Graduate) on August 14, 2010

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I had an excellent experience at Capella University. The PhD program requires the learner to have a strong level of discipline and already enter the university with the appropriate skill set to analyze, synthesis, and write well. I have found that those who are easily frustrated with the program often do not have the skill set or the appropriate tools to be successful. This is a great program for learners who enjoy learning without constant face-to-face interaction or support. I highly recommend this program to others. I have found that other PhD holders are very respectful of my PhD degree and admire the discipline involved in obtaining such a high level degree online.

A wonderful choice!

Information Technology/Networking Technology
Reviewer: jeffriessm email verified (Degree In Progress) on August 5, 2010

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After obtaining my undergraduate degree back in 1990 I decided to go back for my MBA in Human Resources Management and am getting ready to wrap up my first class at Capella. I had orgionally looked into the University of Phoenix and their program.  While the University of Phoenix is a very good intitution, I felt Capella was much better with a fantastic online support system.  The course has been challenging but extremely enrichning.  I am excited about my next class and so far am highly impressed with the quality of learning.  I highly recommend Capella to others.

PhD - General Psychology

Psychology
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Degree In Progress) on July 30, 2010

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Firstly, I cannot for the life of me get the faintest idea where some of these negative reviews are coming from . Before I get into my review I feel you should know some background information on my education. I graduated with a B.S. degree in Accounting from a big ten school in the early 2000s (Penn State to be exact) and earned my master's from a locally accredited university. I wanted to go back to school for a PhD in Psychology, yet I could not devote a fixed time every week for classes due to my work schedule and the fact that I have a life. I did MUCH research on where to find an accredited Psychology PhD and my research lead me to Capella.

So this was me "I can get my PhD online... is that credible?" Look at Capella's accreditation, that are accredited top to bottom (minus APA) and have the same accreditation, if not more, than brick and mortar schools. My enrollment advisor never once pressured me into signing the dotted line and was VERY patient and helpful throughout my entire enrollment process. Let's face it, if I am going to spend nearly 55k on a degree I want to know how well it will hold up and if the school will be there for me when I need them to be, Capella has never let me down yet. Capella is a for-profit university, this means they are in the education business to make money. Their employees work even harder to make sure the student (the customer) is happy because the university does not get nor rely on state funding to operate.

And for those who complain of lack of feedback from your professors, how old are you people? Undergraduate students should have their hand held, graduate students should not! The majority of my teachers have always given me consistent feedback and there have been a few oddball professors who have not. All of my teachers have extremely credible backgrounds and are not some shmucks Capella hired. If people are complaining about hand holding at this level, then you should nut be pursuing an advanced degree. Also, on a side note, Capella mandates that their professors post grades every three weeks so the students can change their studying habit if need be; lets face it - the grade is the bottom line.

If you want a QUALITY education that is flexible to your needs, then go with Capella. I am glad I did!

Buyer Beware

Master of Science
Reviewer: Anonymous (Graduate) on July 22, 2010

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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.

Great Experience!

Master of Science
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Graduate) on July 15, 2010

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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.

Questionable

PHD education
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Degree In Progress) on June 18, 2010

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As someone who once hailed Capella for its Masters program and personal conveniences, I absolutely kick myself for returning to the PhD program.  Throughout this process I have received NO formative feedback and have been constrained by inflexible rules and people.  I hope other learn from my mistakes.

Excellent Experience

Psychology
Reviewer: t.e.burgess email verified (Degree In Progress) on May 20, 2010

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I earned my BS from a large public research university working under some of the brightest minds in psychology. I completed my MHR with a small liberal arts college hearalded for being the best private college in the south. Having taught online and on-site for my alma mater I decided to move online for my PhD. 

Capella's webCT platform is great for an all online program. The courses are relavant and bring together instructors and learners of all backgrounds. While the courses are heavily structured by the University, the instuctors have freedom to adjust and add some content in how they teach the class. 

Capella courses require effort from the learner or else you will not learn anything. This is one of the best attributes of the school. It forces you to think, reserach, extrapolate, and collaborate. I have never written so professionally in my life and am proud of each reasearch item I have submitted. 

I recently changed from PhD to MS program because I cannot meet the requirements for the PhD residencies and will be running out of financial aid. Hopefully, I can return and complete the PhD in the future. 

Capella's open enrollment policy does give any learner with an accredited prior degree the chance to pursue an advanced degree. However, the FirstCourse in the program weeds out those who are not able to make the grade. My FirstCourse instructor was so keen on developing the skills needed at the doctoral level that I am sure some students did not pass. And if you do not pass the first course in the program, designed to acclimate you to online learning and the Capella learning model, you are dismissed from the University. 

My couses past that one have been filled with great professionals that I have really helped me broaden my horizons.

it is what you make it

Ph.D. in Education in Postsecondary and Adult Ed.
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Graduate) on May 5, 2010

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I completed my PhD in October 2009. It took me four years from start to finish, while working full time teaching at the college level (2 years for coursework and comps, two years to write my dissertation). People looking for an easy way out should not consider Capella - it is a high quality school, and can work well for someone who is organized, motivated and self directed (and being able to write well helps). I was hesitant to go on line for my doctorate, having a BS, an MEd, and MS from traditional schools.  But after researching programs for a few years, I chose Capella for a number of reasons that worked for me. Sure, there were frustrations along the way, as there are in any major endeavor, but in the grand scheme of things they were minor and I was always able to work things out. At this level, no one gives you anything - it is what you make it.

This School absolutly STUNK!

Information Technology/Networking Technology
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on March 23, 2010

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To all who are thinking about taking online courses,

Do NOT even bother with Capella. The school is awful. The cost is high! The credit system stinks. And the teachers are only there to collect a check. They do not care about student goals. Be very cautious when looking at this school. I would recommend a University from your local state. It will be much cheaper, and the degree will be more impressive to prospective employers.

Proud of my Capella MBA

MBA
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Graduate) on March 14, 2010

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Education was superior to the highly regarded 'brick and mortar' school I went to for my Bachelor's. Professors were top notch and all had relevant experience. Courses were as challenging as you make them. Grading was relatively easy, although being a proficient writer helped. A lot of writing and discussions and it got 'old' after 10 courses, let alone 16. They only negative is explaining Capella every time someone asks were I got my MBA. Sometimes there is a perception about online schools that does not resonate well with most people. Many will question the validity, especially since 95% have never heard of Capella. At the end of the day, though, it is an accredited school and an MBA so who cares.

Capella University is outstanding!

Information Technology/Networking Technology
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Degree In Progress) on February 26, 2010

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I researched online universities for several weeks before I decided to join Capella University.  In my opinion, Capella University offers the highest quality and most advanced online education available.  My entire learning experience at Capella University has been absolutely superb!  Capella University is fantastic!

PhD Organizational Behavior

PhD Organization & Management/Information Technology Management
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Graduate) on February 13, 2010

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I just completed the PhD and am excited!

Just so people know my background: I earned a Bachelor's and MBA from Southern New Hampshire University, a top ranked business school in New England. Have over 22 years experience in business and adult education and currently work as faculty of a doctoral program at a reputable traditional university with over 100 years of history.

My Capella experience was excellent and I met a network of individuals (both professors and students) who are proving to be a great value personally and professionally. The courses were current and quite rigorous, but the comprehensive exam seemed to have been focused on grammar rather than content. Anyway, once at the dissertation stage the experience became quite candidate friendly as my dissertation committee chair was always available and willing to provide recommendations. The rest of the committee was also helpful and their insights took my dissertation to places I did not foresaw. I have been provided approval to publish an article based on the dissertation from a major academic publication (peer reviewed).

My degree just opened the doors for a tenure track position and several online university offers to teach both as adjunct and core faculty. Capella is a great University and one whose reputation increases on a daily basis!

For those who had a bad experience with Capella you should know that not all universities are appropriate for everyone! Especially, online education is not cut out for anyone! There will always be individuals happy with a university and others very unhappy with the same university.

My recommendation to all: everyone is entitled to their opinions, but attempting to discredit an organization because you had a bad experience with it says a lot about your character. If you work for a world class organization and your boss fires you, is the entire organization bad? Maybe some of the frustration comes out off misunderstandings and lack of good communication skills. Besides, there is a movement towards discrediting all online schools because brick and mortar schools are losing millions to lost tuition dollars. Gain back a lot off those dollars with other strategies, negative publicity to your competitors ia a sure way to fail. Only time will tell!

Lastly, what really matters is what a particular school can do for you and their accreditation being in good standing! Capella is fully accredited and is seeking to do what no other online university has been able to do and what brick and mortar schoold don't want to happen: AACSB Accreditation!

shady

MBA
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on February 3, 2010

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Shady school. Heavy recruiting. Education average. Regional accreditation is under scrutiny.

Use caution with this college

Psychology
Reviewer: hhefner001 email verified (Degree In Progress) on January 29, 2010

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I enrolled several years ago in the Cappella PhD program in School Psychology. I am a Nationally Certified School Psychologist. I wanted to earn a doctorate but needed to find a program that I could complete without quiting my current job as a school psych. After a phone conversation with the Capella school psychology department chair I was assured completing the program while remaining employed in my present position would not be a problem. Additionally, I asked if the university would accept dissertations with a small number of subjects. I was assured that Capella was adult learner friendly and this would not be a problem.

I completed the required classes and comprehensive exams. I submitted a dissertation proposal and completed a conference call with my committee. I was again assured my dissertation was on track. The next step was to have a university reviewer to approve the proposal. This is when the trouble began. I was told I did not have a sufficient number of subjects for my study. Also, the dept that controls internships would not approve a placement in my current position. I contacted the dept chair and my dissertation chair. Both just referred me back to the university reviewer and internship dept. I was very disappointed that my dissertation chair encouraged and approved of my proposal but when the university reviewer rejected it, he provided no help on how to resolve the situation. The PhD advisor was also of no help. Thus in short, I feel I was misled by several staff members. I recommend anyone considering enrolling in a Cappella program to use caution. The promises made to get you to enroll may not be remembered when you are at the end of the program.

IDOL

Master of Science
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Degree In Progress) on January 23, 2010

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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.

Bad Investment

Master of Science
Reviewer: Anonymous (Graduate) on January 23, 2010

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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.

PgD Educational Psychology

Psychology
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on January 22, 2010

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I received my BA and MA from a traditional well-ranked university and am currently in my fifth year with Capella University. In truth, I am pounding away at the third chapter of my dissertation. I have read the various remarks posted to this site, and find I am confused by some and in agreement with others. Online learning is not for the “faint at heart” and doctoral learning in an online venue requires a set of personal characteristics beyond cognitive ability: Conscientiousness, self-regulation, tenacity, a strong sense of self (e.g. weaknesses and strengths), a proactive (rather than reactive) disposition, and self-sacrifice. Of course, all of these characteristics are necessary to success in any doctoral programs. However, in my experience, online study is comparatively more demanding.

Be prepared to hone your writing abilities constantly, and engage in deep critical evaluation of your existing knowledge, skills, and abilities in your selected discipline and beyond. When weighing my educational options, I was most concerned about rigor, and I was not disappointed curricula at Capella. In fact, I found it challenging and intellectually stimulating. In some respects, the secondary research and writing demands were exceptionally challenging.

The real question is, would I make the same decision knowing what I know now?

Yes. My grades, references, and GRE scores were excellent, and I had an opportunity to pursue my degree at three traditional colleges that offered similar degree programs. However, my campus tours uncovered a simple fact: A lack of fit between myself (demographically and otherwise), other doctoral students, and the entire tenor of “traditional college life.” I was, after all, 44 years old, had a wealth of practical experience, and planned to pursue a doctorate to improve my marketability within my field rather than become some newly minted faculty member. Further, such a commitment required I move, leave my husband of 20 years, and move in with a family member in the area. No thanks. It is worthwhile to note that one of the “selling points” of two of the three universities was the ability to complete “some” of the core prerequisite courses online.

General Psychology PhD Program

Psychology
Reviewer: mfurlong email verified (Degree In Progress) on January 16, 2010

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I am adult learner with a full time career as a licensed counselor in higher education and a young family. Up until the last course I had at Capella, the professors were fair when it came to deadlines. Two scholarly research projects and discussions per week in the midst of being an adult learner can be taxing as I set the standards high for myself when it comes to quality. The last course, Research Methods, was one of my 4 courses prior to comprehensive exam and dissertation. Throughout the course, I kept the professor apprised that although my work was late, it was of high quality. On my final course project, I submitted a 25 page qualitative research design which was to be the basis of my dissertation. I received the grade of 'Distinguished' on my final project and, as I have had about 11 courses prior to this, submitted what prudent professionals would consider 'A' work throughout the course. To my dismay, I received my final grade of 59 F for the course and the rationale that the professor gave was that I had earned zero credit for anything that missed a deadline. ZERO CREDIT. I was quite shocked and appalled; I challenged my grade to no avail. I tried to contact the Dean and there was NO response whatsoever. I'm not sure how a professor, the dean who oversees the program, or or the institution who employs them, can justify how a student who SUBMITTED ALL THE WORK has to take the course over when all I missed throughout the 10 weeks were arbitrary deadlines. What Capella was basically saying was that the professor has the final say on the grading and that I would have to take the course over just to submit the work I had already done ON TIME THIS TIME. Give me a break.

I have since transferred to Northcentral University out of Phoenix who are much more flexible when it comes to the adult learner. Avoid the trite discussion forums and colloquia at Capella like the plague; Northcentral is THE option you need to be choosing when it comes to online doctoral pursuit in Psychology.

Goodbye Capella, enjoy the deadlines you set for your discussions.

Matt F., LPC
Former Capella Learner (2006-2009)

Capella was the right choice for me

MBA
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Degree In Progress) on January 5, 2010

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I am in the process of completing my MBA in Marketing and hands down, Capella was the best choice for me, as a fulltime working mom. My employer is very supportive of me purusing my degree and I was very impressed of how many Fortune 500 companies support and even reimburse tuition for their employees that attend Capella. I received my BS from a "traditional" brick and mortar school from a VERY reputable institution and can say I am just as proud to get my MBA from Capella.
Good luck to all that pursue their dreams!

AD/MBA Graduate, Spring 2010

IDOL - No Regrets from Me!!

PHD education
Reviewer: nmoreau email verified (Graduate) on December 24, 2009

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I just finished my PhD in the IDOL - Instructional Design For Online Learners - program at Capella. Online worked for me because I have a full-time position and and live hours aways from a degree granting institution. Online is not for everyone. Go into it with your eyes open. If you want to be a PhD candidate, you should be an independent learner with some level of maturity and the knowledge of how to find help locally if you need it. Capella charges a flat fee per quarter if you take one, two or three courses. During my first and last quarters, I took two courses. All other quarters I took three courses - that was a full-time load. Two of my colleagues are enrolled in PhD programs at on site Universities. We have compared assignments, textbooks, and professors course by course. Capella's professors, textbooks, and courses compare favorably to the brick and mortor universities. The courses were enjoyable, informative and useful. The comprehensive and the dissertation are the areas which seem to separate out students. Your comprehensive is based on four area which are explained to you. The actual questions are related to your proposed dissertation topic. According to my own research over 80% of Capella students pass the comprehensives. The next phase is completely self directed dissertation. Your mentor is assigned to you based on your interests. But it is up to you to finish each milestone within a certain time limit. Extensions are available for emergencies. Beginning with a pre-proposal, the learner works with a mentor and a committee to develop a study. Just like every other PhD, you must go before the IRB, produce a scholarly report and defend your research. It is a planned, focused program. It took me 3 years to complete this program. A number of students finished before me and a number of studens are languishing behind. The journey to a PhD is not usually a smooth road, but rather it is filled with job and family responsibilities, disappointments and frustrations. Its important that you reach deep into yourself to get the inner strength to finish the program. My 2 colleagues are still working on their proposals with at least a year to go once the proposal is approved. This is not an "easy" degree, but it will open doors to you in the future. Most people who don't get the degree fail because "life" gets in the way. Remember, if you don't have at least 20 hours PER WEEK to commit to this program (or any other PhD program), you are not going to be successful. I'm happy I chose an online college. Capella was a good choice for the major I wanted. Choose with your eyes open, allow enough time to study, make sure you are in a supportive environment, and before long your friends will be calling you, "Dr." also.

Love Capella!

Counseling Education
Reviewer: laukeys (Degree In Progress) on October 5, 2009

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I have been with Capella for 5 years. I have had a wonderful experience with all my courses and with every professor. I love to work independently so online courses are for me. Whenever I needed help there was always a friendly and knowledgeable person ready to step in. I feel that I have literally "grown up" with Capella. The scholar practitioner model is perfect because I'm not just an "egghead" with lots of knowledge. I have knowledge and can apply it in my everyday life. I am just about down with my dissertation and will soon have my PhD. It's been a great journey.

Be Careful!!!

Information Technology/Networking Technology
Reviewer: david.unruh email verified (Degree In Progress) on September 25, 2009

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I am a Capella student in their undergraduate program.  I am about 1 year from graduating.  So far, I have to say that the instruction has been good.  The courses aren't too demanding and the online environment is good.  My problem is when I enrolled the admissions counselor stated that a CISSP certification would fulfill 5 course requirements.  After I enrolled, my learning advisor told me the same thing.  Up to this point, there was no mention of any associated fees.  Once I received my certification, I informed my new advisor, now all of a sudden, there are fees involved.  $2250 to be exact.  

My advice, if they say that a certification, license, prior learning, etc., will fulfill some requirements, be sure to ask about associated fees.  They won't tell you until you have no choice but to pay them.  

Overall, my experience has been pretty good, but this latest issue has really disappointed me.  If you are looking at Capella, do yourself a favor and ask a TON of questions.  You don't want a $2250 surprise like I got.

Educational Psychology at Capella

Educational Psychology
Reviewer: statsgrad email verified (Degree In Progress) on August 25, 2009

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I have found the materials and books required for the courses to be well worth the money. The scholarly articles are generally an asset to the readings. Professors tend to respond to questions in a timely manner.  The cost of attending Capella is equivalent to attending a traditional state or private college in Ohio.

Capella provides many tools for student success (e.g., the Assignment Calculator for writing research papers, Smarthinking for paper reviews and constructive feedback, etc.). The only complaint I have, is that sometimes the site is difficult to navigate; however, the tools are available to any students with a mindset for completing their PhD with success.

You get what you put into it

MBA
Reviewer: Anonymous (Graduate) on August 8, 2009

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I think online schools should have much more media-rich content. Much of the work at Capella was reading textbook material, interacting with my classmates in newsgroup-like threaded discussions, and weekly projects.

Traditional brick-and-mortar colleges provide textbooks, some class interaction, and weekly projects. You also get a lecture from the instructor. Capella provides a written lecture in PDF format every week; some courses have a video.

In the MBA programs I was able to take advantage of their MBA Coaching service at no additional cost. Over the course of my degree program I met with my coach quarterly to discuss my professional & personal goals. For this service, I give Capella a gold star.

The Career Center team was also excellent. They were responsive and knowledgeable. They provided seminars on how to use social networking tools in the job hunt, interviewing skills, and a few other topics. The Career Center also helped to map out a personalized career search strategy with me. Much better than my counselors from the brick-and-mortar schools I have attended.

I have attended a few online courses from other colleges. In my time at Capella, I never had a day of system downtime. In my experience, they manage their technology operations well.

They are accredited and sponsored by some major employers. I learned about their corporate alliances program because my employer was one of them - which gave me a tuition discount!

During my time there I also built a number of valuable professional relationships with staff and classmates. I keep in frequent contact with about a dozen people. We help each other solve business problems in the real-world. Whether it is Marketing, Finance, or Human Resources, I know someone who is an expert in their field & willing to help me out because we attended Capella together.

If I choose to go for my Doctorate degree, I would definitely choose Capella again.

But with all these positive remarks, I have to say that the degree is only as good as the effort you put into it. If you go above-and-beyond, use all the resources that Capella offers, go out of the way to form relationships with your classmates, and study hard then you will get a lot of value from attending Capella.

It works

PhD Organization & Management/Information Technology Management
Reviewer: Anonymous (Graduate) on August 7, 2009

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I recently graduated with my PhD.  This program was tougher than my Masters at one of the public universities.  I had some really outstanding instructors, and some poor ones.  It's no different than the people you work with.  I had a wonderful mentor (3rd time was a charm) who really knew the process and helped me through it.  I even ended with a better product as a result. I know people who completed the program in 3 1/2 years - 7 years, which is the same as the local universities.  It all depends on how organized you are, and your life activities.

Loved It!

PhD Organization & Management/Information Technology Management
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on July 27, 2009

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Capella is a great school and I am glad I attended. I am in the post-proposal dissertation phase and should graduate by the end of the year. This is not a 'degree mill' university and students actually earn their degree through hardwork and scholarship. I have learned a lot during this journey and believe it is worth it. I am currently a full-time human resources professor and my appointment was based on my impending PhD from Capella.

Here's my only recommendation for improvement: although Capella is fully accredited, it needs to obtain the Association to Advance Collegiate Schools of Business (AACSB) accreditation that signifies it is a good business school for those of us who are business majors.

Don't do it!

MBA
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Graduate) on July 10, 2009

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There are some fine instructors here, but there are also a lot of poor ones and a few that are truly a danger to society.  The school knows about these bad ones but does nothing despite multiple calls, emails, and conference calls with the General Counsel.  

This place is cheap, but you get what you pay for.

Don't do it

PhD Capella

Psychology
Reviewer: songinheart59 (Graduate) on July 8, 2009

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For those of you who are going to Capella for the doctorate programs or are in the planning stage - beware!  Capella is a rip-off! I completed my phd program while I lived in Florida and then relocated here in Kansas.  When I attempted to apply for licensure here in Kansas, imagine my surprise when I was informed that Kansas does not recognize Capella University due to their residency requirement (no face to face with your professor)! 

I then contacted Florida's Board and they informed me of the same thing! As a matter of fact they went so far as to tell me that no state recognizes their program except Minnesota!

I then contacted Capella and spoke with my advisor (whom I had for four years) and she told me "yes that's true." Why didn't you tell me this prior to my loss of $107,000?

Of course if you want to do nothing but write books, then Capella is the place for you. But if your like me and want to counsel, then you're SOL!!!  I can't believe this! Now in order for me to counsel here in Kansas where I plan to live for quite a while, I need to obtain another masters degree, but one in social work at which time I can obtain a license and practice!

One last thing, when I spoke with the Kansas Board, they were shocked that no-one had told me of this problem, and suggested that I find a really good lawyer. Ya Think???!!!

PhD Graduate- Excellent Reputation!

Psychology
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Graduate) on June 30, 2009

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As a PhD graduate (2008) of Capella, I can say that my experience was fantastic. The professors are leaders in their fields and they are more than willing to work with you. My committee for my dissertation was outstanding! They went above and beyond throughout the process. 

If you are looking for an easy degree, Capella is not the University for you! The course work is demanding and requires a lot of outside work. However, the quality of the program is outstanding.  My degree from Capella has enabled me to obtain a 20k raise!

Capella is great, yet extremely challenging.

Information Technology/Networking Technology
Reviewer: wsu50 email verified (Degree In Progress) on June 7, 2009

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I am not sure why so many reviews are tied to this institution, yet I would like to write a few words about my personal experience in the Ph.D. program in Information Security and Assurance. joining Capella was a personal decision, I though to myself that working and going to school would only be possible by joining a Online Program from an accredited institution, so I choose Capella.

By enrolling in Capella since the beginning I realize that I was doing more work than my previous graduate degree (MBA) at the State University of New York, yet I psychologically set myself to face the challenge. I have been in the program for about 1 year now and I could tell you that the amount of work giving to students is enormous, yet for those of you that like to challenge yourself in getting a excellent education Capella is the only answer. Off course, I evaluate various other online universities prior to making the decision to apply to Capella, yet I do not regret one bit my own judgment.

One word of advise, any student attending any online university should not take more courses than the ones you are capable of doing. I personally started working with 3 courses at Capella and have been doing that until this present quarter, I am planning on doing my last quarter this coming summer with four courses ( The challenge of my life), I know it will be hard I should say extremely hard because I have a full time job and a family to take care of, but I have prepare myself psychologically and physically to face that challenge. I know people that take two courses and struggle all the way to the end of the class and fail, you must be aware of the load of work you can handle. Do not try to take three courses or even four courses if you do not have any experience doing this sort of things, I guarantee you that if you do without a prior self-assessment you are more than likely to fail multiple of those courses.

I feel ready to face those challenges and have assure my mentor and the dean of the school of technology that every course I take will result in a "A" grade, yet if I fail I ensure them that a "B" will be my last option, but failure is out of the question. Again, try to do a self analysis of how much work you can deal with and just register for it, do not try to be a super hero by taking four classes unless you are "READY" to do that.

Capella University is the best thing that ever happen to me as it allows me to have a normal life and help me progress in an academic setting. I guarantee you that joining Capella will be the best decision you will ever make, yet I can't guarantee you how well you will do in your courses, that will be up to you. Remember, in every course you start with an "A" is up to you to stay with that grade. Best of luck to all.

Capella is a good School...

Information Technology/Networking Technology
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Degree In Progress) on April 12, 2009

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I am not sure what the negative hype is all about.  I completed a little over 2 years at Texas A&M in the mid 90's, and a few classes at the University of Houston.   

I recently enrolled at Capella and completed 2 core classes.
I had a great experience and the instructor was very knowledgeable with a wealth of experience. The assignments were actually more intense (in some cases)than my work at A&M and UH.  The student portal is very easy to navigate.  The staff was always helpful and professional.  My wife graduated from the University of Texas.  She regularly made comments on the assignments and how they are just as comprehensive as any assignments at UT.

I recommend Capella University.

Good school

PhD Organization & Management/Leadership
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Degree In Progress) on April 12, 2009

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A good school overall and I would recommend this program to anyone.  I do teach at a traditional B&M campus and I the degree has helped secure a tenure track spot.

Great Job

PHD education
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Degree In Progress) on February 1, 2009

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I have finished all my courses except one and will be starting my comps. I have really enjoyed attending Capella and have had no problems at Capella. What I have really enjoyed is the Residencies that Capella have for the students. The reseidencies are very informative and give great insight for what is ahead for a student working toward their degree.

A first-rate program

Clinical psychology
Reviewer: pdwade email verified (Degree In Progress) on January 19, 2009

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A dilemma I faced after receiving my BS Degree was finding a reputable academic program to pursue a Doctorate in Psychology. I had a previous up-close experience with asynchronous learning and felt it left something to be desired. Primarily, it was a lack of emphasis on student issues. The school staff had become complacent in the asynchronous model, and priorities had shifted away from student needs. I began looking elsewhere and researched Capella University as well as a handful of other programs, which offered similar models compatible with working adults attempting to meld education into their life priorities. In my research, I found Capella University not only offered several degrees in the area of mental health services, but also few schools provided Capella’s level of flexibility and rigorous academic standards I believe necessary to obtain a creditable degree. Additionally, the program Capella offered met the high standards mandated by my state’s licensing board. I enrolled in a Masters Program in Psychology in 2003. I was able to complete my degree in three years while working two jobs. Toward the completion of my Masters Degree I contacted my advisor, he was extremely helpful and not only facilitated my application process for the Doctoral Program in Psychology but also helped me to think through what credits from my masters program were acceptable for enrollment in a doctoral program at Capella. My advisor was also clear that although he was not in a position to make these types of decisions, I was in a good position since I was completing my Masters Degree at the same institution. Capella University accepted me into their Doctoral Program in April 2006. I had to make changes in my life because of the rigors of the program but in many ways Capella’s format made it possible. This journey began in June 2003 at Capella University since beginning the masters program. I am now working on my doctoral dissertation. In this time since 2003 I have only taken one quarter off school, I have worked two jobs most of this time, and Capella University’s format, focus on high curriculum standards, and attentiveness to student needs, have given me the opportunity to balance my life priorities and stay focused on my professional goals. I could not be happier with the decision to enroll at Capella. It is a fully accredited university with exceptional academic rigor and first-rate attentive staff dedicated to student needs.

Red Flag Warning

Counseling Education
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on January 8, 2009

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BEWARE - This university does not have their act together to provide a valuable PhD program. They have a system of minimal connection between people and expectations. I will tell everyone I come into contact with that a PhD program needs to be one where you can interact with your dissertation committee. My mentor gives little or no consideration of me. My 80 page dissertation proposal cost me 20,000 in tuition. That is The cost of my dissertation proposal was 20,000. That is $250 per page. NOT worth it and not a value. Briefly, the program is designed to suck the money out of you and they could care less about you as an individual. Run Run Run Away

Also Scammed

Clinical psychology
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Degree In Progress) on December 30, 2008

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I feel like I was scammed also.  I completed one quarter in the PhD General PSych program, and found the course to be much of the same work as I completed as an undergrad, I was only able to speak to an advisor once, as they kept changing my advisor around.  Once I did get an advisor, he suggested that I add another class, and could drop without penalty within 5 days.  I signed up, couldn't get the books in time and was given a near-impossible alternate assignment to complete in a couple of days.  When I dropped the class in 4 days, they charged me over $500.00!!!!  
This is a corporation whose primary responsibility is to their shareholders.  this, I believe, has resulted in a cheap, canned education that is profitable, and they know how to maximize their profits from both you and the federal student aid loans that they are so very willing to assist you with.  If you just want an expensive degree without any real learning, stay at Capella.
I have moved to Walden, where I will be designing my own course of learning, which will focus on the areas that I want to work in.  I am hoping this will result in a real and applicable education.

Long Island University

MBA
Reviewer: joshwelty email verified (Graduate) on December 22, 2008

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Before attending Capella I was attending Long Island University MBA program (stopped because I moved).  LIU was a joke compared to Capella.   Capella is more work, more intense and much harder.  I also graduated from Cornell University.

Felt Scammed

K–12 Studies in Education Specialization
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Degree In Progress) on December 1, 2008

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I don't think my experience is the norm, but I will say I felt scammed since I am not (nor will I ever be, due to my experience) a student of Capella University. I called Capella University in my efforts to do some school comparisons.

I had a pleasant conversation with the representative. She collected some information about me, and we talked about what Capella had to offer, program options and how the program works. When I hung up I thought it was over.

About a month and a half later I get a bill for $75. I called and let them know I'm not a student of Capella, but I did have a conversation with a representative. They told me it was a non-refundable application fee, and to "go to your student site and click the option to pay it". Since I'm not a student I don't have a student site. When I asked how to appeal the fee, the representative told me I should e-mail the appeal to her, and she would direct it to where it needs to be, "but you'll get the same answer."

I say this to those considering calling Capella as a warning. Do not give your personal information to them unless you are sure you are planning to attend. Even if they ask for it up front DON'T DO IT. Get your information from them with out giving yours to them until you are absolutely sure you want to attend.

Lots of hard work but worth it.

PhD Organization & Management/General Business
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on November 28, 2008

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Capella has made many improvements in the past four years.  I have learned a lot.  Most of the classes are hard.  I learned a lot about the research process and have published several papers since I started the Capella degree.  Once Capella earns AACSB designation, there is no stopping it.  I received 11 offers at colleges and universities and I haven't graduated yet.

This is a Real School!

Master of Science
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Degree In Progress) on November 27, 2008

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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.

Very Good School

Master of Science
Reviewer: determined06grad email verified (Degree In Progress) on November 27, 2008

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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.

Improvements are Big Steps Backwards

PHD education
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Graduate) on November 18, 2008

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I somehow managed to survive this program, but it was not what it was advertised to be.  Completing the coursework was the easy part.  The comps process is, as a fellow-student aptly described it, a crap-shoot due to its subjectivity. The dissertation process turned into a tightly-scripted series of steps that holds the student to a set amount of time for each, but the school and faculty can take a long time to respond, causing delays. I would not recommend this college to anyone. And echoing another review here, I had also heard that the IDOL program was the worst of the education department.

Great Experience

PHD education
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Degree In Progress) on November 16, 2008

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I'm a bit confused by the individuals who state that Capella instructors can not find jobs anywhere else.  I am currently working on my dissertation, and I just put together my committee.  I spent a good deal of time exploring Capella instructors and reading their resumes.  Many have full-time jobs as professors at other institutions and work part-time for Capella.  Many are also full-time Capella professors.  Several are deans or associate deans at universities.

Such feedback is simply ridiculous.  Have you explored the competition for positions in higher education?  There are more than enough Ph.D.s with "brick and mortar" doctorates who are THRILLED to have the opportunity to work at Capella.  There are IVY league Ph.D.s who struggle to find work.

Academics OK - Business Support Poor

Master of Science
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Degree In Progress) on October 17, 2008

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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

Hard work but well worth it!

Educational Psychology
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on October 7, 2008

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This has been a very rigorous and demanding journey but I have learned so much both academically as well as personally. The online environment was extremely interactive and engaging. I felt compelled to keep pushing myself to learn more and I feel that I am a much more well rounded person than I was before I took any courses with Capella.

Capella....what?

PHD education
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Degree In Progress) on October 1, 2008

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I am a Capella Learner and want to be objective about the program, but I am having difficulty as I have now been placed in a position that I am wondering if this is the institution for me. I am in the military so this proved to be a perfect fit or so I thought. My misery starts with the fact that the technology will make you pull your hair out. Be prepared to have to try to post continously more than once or just have the program lock up before you can get your post in. This problem has been the nemesis for my experience at Capella. I have submitted and resubmitted and resubmitted postings only to actually get a facilitator on the phone and have them tell me they still did not get it or it was not visible. The next is the APA format. I have had different classes that seem to change how they want you to reference the information. I have even been told after mimicking the APA reference book that the citation was wrong. Lastly, as I sit here I am feeling truly upset because I received a dual master's in HRDV and HRMG and they transferred ONLY 5 credits, the equivalent of one class. They said in the I/O spec the words have to specifically be in the title of the class, it doesn't depend on the content of the class and whether the descriptive tells that the classes encompass components of what Capella describes as placing emphasis on. I have almost had my fill of Capella and think although I initially was going to another institution (online), I am going to have to go back to the drawing board. By the way, the other institution I considered does have a B&M component, but they are just more expensive. If I had to forego many of these issues I face with Capella, then the money will be spent better and more so worth it.

Students must adapt...

Master of Science
Reviewer: avatar email verified (Graduate) on September 29, 2008

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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.

Excellent Education

MBA
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Graduate) on August 8, 2008

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I don't understand some of these reviews that say Capella was easy.  I completed an MBA degree in Marketing a few months ago, all online, and I can tell you it was NOT easy!  This is no diploma mill.  I chose Capella because it is accredited and it does have a physical campus.  In fact, a few people who were in some of my classes were also day students.

The courses were at a rigorous pace, 6 weeks long.  Although a few times I took a session off for a vacation.  The classes are small, I think the most people in one of my classes was about 23, and you have constant communication with the instructor and the other students.  In fact, discussions among students is required.  Assignments were given on a weekly basis and grades were given very fast, usually within a day or two.  I feel I received a really good education and was able to use a lot of it in my career.

LK

Great School

Master of Science
Reviewer: poneil email verified (Graduate) on June 18, 2008

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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.

The school is outstanding.

Master of Science
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Degree In Progress) on June 13, 2008

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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.

Online PHD

PhD Organization & Management/General Business
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Degree In Progress) on May 19, 2008

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I did undergraduate work online with the University of Maryland for my BS and MS. I started my PhD work a few years ago with Capella. I'm just going into my dissertation phase. Overall the program started off a little unformatted but for the last year or two I have seen a dramatic increase in quality, especially being that most of the class work is now focused of scholarly journals, research studies and book readings. The formatted writeup and understanding for each lesson objective has improved as well and keeps the readers in sync with where they should be when going through the course. It's definitely working out to be one of the best programs. It would be nice to incorporate webinars as well.

Learning Capella style

MBA
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Degree In Progress) on April 17, 2008

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I am in the process of earning my MBA from Capella University and am very impressed with the program!  Even though textbooks are used, real life experiences are applied to each class.  Not only do you learn online but you also have the opportunity to learn more about the organziation you work for.  
You have to work hard to earn that A in class.  I feel that I'm getting a good quality education.
I sincerely believe that the folks leaving bad reviews of Capella have not tried hard enough and are disgruntled students who haven't made the grade.  I just don't see anything wrong with Capella.  The professors I have had so far have been very helpful and my advisor and other staff members I have contacted so far have been very nice and supportive.

Would not recommend

Master of Science
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Degree In Progress) on April 7, 2008

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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.

IDOL

PHD education
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Degree In Progress) on March 21, 2008

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The biggest mistake I made was doing this online degree.  I have never been so upset about the lack of professionalism with the place.  I don't want to get into it now, but not only do they lie (especially in IDOL), they expect you to be dishonest too. They are there for the handout of $$, you are worthless to them otherwise. Good luck trying to get a person on the phone who knows something.  You only get through to a call center, and when on hold you are reminded to be sure you renew your FAFSA.  Absolutely WORTHLESS.  

RUN LIKE THE WIND!

Positive and negative points

Master of Science
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Degree In Progress) on March 18, 2008

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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.

MBA

Master of Science
Reviewer: pattismokefan20 email verified (Degree In Progress) on March 17, 2008

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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.

Garbage In Garbage Out

PHD education
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Graduate) on March 16, 2008

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After going through all of the reviews, all I can say is that you get out of something, that which you put into it. Garbage in, garbage out, as they used to say.

I spent 3.5 years obtaining my PhD and used a Purdue PhD alumnus as one of my dissertation committee members, just to add an element of insurance to the credibility of my program, and I can honestly say that i think I got a quality education. A bit pricey, but quality nonetheless.

The only problem I had with Capella was right at the end (December 2007), when they changed over their LMS and IGuide changed format. I understand that the staff is still learning their new system, but it has become quite a challenge to say the least.

To those other naysayers who have imparted their little pearls of wisdom, via this conduit, I can only say this: either you went into the experience with your eyes shut, or the product you produced (all of you ABD'ers) just wasn't good enough. You cannot just fly through the coursework of any institution of higher learning and think you can throw some words on a piece of paper and pass your Comps. Its just not going to happen. And as far as the quality of instructors at Capella, most of them have obtained their PhD's from other institutions, like Notre Dame, USC, UCLA, Minnesota, Nebraska, Pitt, and the list goes on and on. Is that to say that those schools suck, too? Are these faculty really the dregs of those other schools? I think not.

Capella is a good school that needs to get there act together from a support standpoint, only. It was great from 2004-2007, and has only recently gone sour. I am confident that they will get it together quickly, though, as it seems that a lot of students are already enrolled and having a good experience.

Masters in Curriculum and Instruction

System Design and Development
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on March 4, 2008

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Resources were current and research based. Our county is moving forward with adopting and implementing the new standards for the 21st Century and I am a leader due to my recent coursework.  My entire practicum and portfolio are based on evidences of work I completed during my coursework for the masters of Cuirriculum and Instruction.  All my documents require an understanding of these standards and the ability to implement them within an instructional model.  I have a high regard for the resources and expected assignments from this program.

MS - System Design and Programming

System Design and Development
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Degree In Progress) on January 22, 2008

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I'm in my 5th class in the Systems Design and Programming curriculum.  I find the course work emphasizes individual research with properly referenced papers.  The programming classes are challenging and also encourage a high level of motiviation and research.  My project this semester is to implement a client-server architecture using Java-RMI interacting with a MYSQL database.  Need I say more?

Excellent Experience

Clinical psychology
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Graduate) on December 24, 2007

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I graduated in 2003 from Capella University's Clinical Psychology program. I am now licensed in one state as a psychologist and currently trying for licensure in another state. My overall experience was excellent. I can honestly say that I worked harder in this program than in my two traditional programs, mostly due to the extensive writing requirements. The faculty I worked with both online and in residencies were excellent and gave tremendous support. I do know of other students that had professors who were less than stellar, but I personally never had one.

I currently work in a private practice with psychologists, LPCs, and LCSWs. My doctorate degree has qualified me on numerous times to see patients with insurance that only pays for "PhD level" clinicians, for higher reimbursement from insurance companies, and to do work such as psychological and educational evaluations that LPCs and LCSWs cannot do. I also teach adjunctly in a local master's degree counseling program, a position that I could not have gained without a doctorate degree. (As an aside, I recently discovered another Capella PhD alum is teaching at a different local college's counseling program).

I have found that my degree has been approached by others mostly in a positive fashion. Many colleagues, both clinical and academic, are curious and a few of my patients ask questions, but it seems that more and more online/distributed learning for professional programs are becoming accepted. Several recent academic colleagues have asked if the program I teach in should start offering courses online.

Good Program

PhD Organization & Management/Leadership
Reviewer: pam email verified (Degree In Progress) on December 14, 2007

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I have been with this school for one year and I am happy with the rigors of the program thus far.  Most of the student and teacher interaction is valuable.  Those that do cast a negative shadow on the program likely have not been a part of the program or one like it.  I have a Bachelor degree from University of Wisconsin-Madison and an MBA from the University of Minnesota (both Tier I schools) and I am, at this point, to family oriented to pursue a B&M version of the Ph.D.  However, from discussions with friends and evaluating the criteria, I assure you, the program is much the same as it would be at either of these two schools.

Poor Teaching Quality and Poor Student Support

PhD Organization & Management/General Business
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Degree In Progress) on December 13, 2007

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Capella will ask you to take OM8004 during the first quarter you are admitted.  That course is probably designed to pay for the commissions of the enrollment advisors as it charges a flat fee of over $4,000 per quarter.  Give yourself a break by going to other schools that charges by credit hours.  

Since I started with Capella, I received little to no support from their "academic advisors", many of whom do no even have a Ph.D. themselves.  Their job is to make sure you continue to enroll and pay the quarterly dues.  

In terms of quality of their faculty members, few can be called decent, most of them consider online teaching as an extra income source.  Course assignments are mostly busy work to keep you busy with a lot of nonsense assignments.  Weekly discussions are waste of time if your classmates are a bunch of morons.  Overall, don't waste your hard earned money with this Capella.

Great experience!

Educational Psychology
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Degree In Progress) on November 23, 2007

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I graduated from Capella University in June 2003 with my Master of Science degree in Educational Psychology. Overall, my experience with Capella was outstanding! I do not understand the negative reviews of this school. This school was perfect in every regard. Additionally, I have reaped the rewards of my Master's degree. I have since secured a professorship at a local community college in Tennessee and my degree has been respected by my colleagues and administrators. Capella was truly a rewarding and worthwhile academic experience. I highly recommend this school to anyone considering it. I am now pursuing my PhD at another online school (Northcentral University) and it too has been a wonderful experience thus far. The reason why I chose to attend NCU is because of the non-residential component. I wish that Capella's PhD residency requirement was not so stringent. Nevertheless, I would still recommend Capella's degree programs to anyone.

Big Technology GAP & bigger Administration Egos

PhD Organization & Management/Information Technology Management
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Degree In Progress) on October 30, 2007

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Any University that claims to be a big supporter of it’s students and that dares to offer “Technology” related courses, needs to back that up with clear and proven infrastructures, not just stop at misleading web page tools. After two masters, this PhD folly with Capella had been a complete mess! First, I am an Apple computer user and started my PhD program with an Apple computer system that exceeded the Capella computer requirements for Apple Users.

The problems:
1. From the first class I experienced, “courseroom” freezes and issues that would keep me in a delayed mode for posting assignments. Since Capella uses WebCT (Vista 4.0 currently), there remains a WebCT published “incompatibility” with Apple’s Safari Browser and all other Browsers that are updated in support of Apple’s OS 10.4.X. The Capella program for checking a student’s computer will flag an Apple computer as not being compliant although the Capella system requirements are exceeded. Once assignments are missed and the IT department has been “working on the problem”, Capella will not be flexible enough to ensure student courseroom success vs. telling me to get a PC.
2. Most of the “Professors” seemed concern for the first few weeks of technical problems. However, the inability to perform weekly posts was soon met with notices of failing to meet University “participation” requirements.
3. There is certain hype about the three required Colloquiums and how informational they are. Only after attending the second one was there enough understanding regarding how to best manage the numerous sessions. Track 1 learners are typically at a complete loss and may waste many hours/days attempting to take advantage of a few good sessions.
4. The learners are continually kept in the dark about the real process of dissertation expectations unless they are able to quickly network with students from Track 2 or 3. Some students get the feeling that Capella intentionally keeps a shroud of vagueness around the dissertation process with student elimination as the goal.
5. The mass of students will be and still are forever attempting to determine if Qualitative, Quantitative, or Mixed Method research analysis is what they should focus their main efforts on. Capella offers very little real help in this area and will only discuss related software (i.e., SPSS, etc.) if asked. However, do not expect to see this type of support software offered/mentioned in the Capella Bookstore!

It is hard to see any advanced technology or thinking where the student is left with old or backward focused support technology and individuals that are lead by revenue focused administrators. Capella will drill you on following APA format and ding you hard if you screw it up. However, Capella will not prepare you for how to be a good researcher and how to be prepared to defend your dissertation successfully. If research and or education is inclusive in the basis of your PhD goal(s), look elsewhere.

Pleased with my choice!

PhD Organization & Management/Leadership
Reviewer: egrosenfeld email verified (Degree In Progress) on October 6, 2007

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As with most things in life, you get out of the experience what you put into it. For the almost 3 years that I have been working on my degree, I know I am putting IN a tremendous amount AND I am certaining getting BACK, both from an educational experience. I also believe that the attitude with which you approach your journey makes a big difference. As one of the other posts mentioned, and it is often repeated at Colloquia, you are becoming a PhD - it is not a piece of paper I am given. At this point I have completed my coursework, passed my comps, and I am almost ready to submit my dissertation proposal. The overall experience that I have had has been a very positive one. As I read through the other reviews I find it quite interesting. On one end are individuals claiming Capella is a "diploma mill" and to watch out because the university will fail you for no apparent reason. It sounds as if it is being done TO you. As another learner indicated, if YOU are not able to perform at the required level, then I am pleased to hear that the university will not allow students to continue. I have worked exceptionally hard to reach this point in my studies and as others have said, I feel that I am EARNING my degree.

In my program, many of the learners at Capella are adults who have extensive experience in the business world. I am also at the point in my accademic and professional career that I would not expect an educational institution to hold my hand every step of the way. If I need additional support, I need to stand up and ask for it. When I have done so, I have immediately be assisted. In looking back at the other educational institutions that I went to, I find Capella a refreshing change. Some posts mentioned Capella's focus on money - I hate to break it to you, but this is a business. I'm not sure many institutions that aren't concerned about money? Is the degree I am persuing a good "value"? I can not compare the cost at Capella to other schools, but I imagine that they are quite comparable. The personal and professional satisfaction and opportunities that I am capitalizing on are absolutely worth it!

In life you always have choices. I believe that I made the right choice in selecting Capella.

Not worth it

PhD Organization & Management/General Business
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Degree In Progress) on October 2, 2007

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I'm almost done with all my coursework toward a Ph.D. degree at Capella.  Compared to other online schools, Capella's web site is well structured, but that's the best you can get out of the school.  Few of the instructors at Capella are great, and most of them are losers who cannot find a job anywhere else except doing online teaching at many other online schools.  They don't even call themselves "professors", but course producers or classroom facilitators.  Most of them did not any values to my learning process.  I feel I've been in a Ph.D. program doing mostly MBA-level coursework.  If you are serious about getting a Ph.D., go somewhere else that would help you build up solid research skills.

Indolents need not apply

PhD Organization & Management/Leadership
Reviewer: jbaugh email verified (Degree In Progress) on September 28, 2007

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I am ABD in the School of Business and Technology, but am in the data analysis phase now and I hope to be completed with my dissertation by Thanksgiving. After earning an MBA at the Eller College of Management (a nationally ranked business school) at the University of Arizona, I freely admit that I was a little concerned about the value of an online PhD. However, working full-time and teaching part-time at the University level did not leave time to attend a traditional brick&mortar institution. I did a lot of research into different online programs and evaluated Capella as the best of the lot (I used Saaty's (1980) Analytic Hierarchy Process to do this evaluation, so I am confident in the validity of my procedures). Although expensive, the cost of the program is comparable to other institutions. While I would have liked for the SOBT to hold the AASCB accreditation, that was not a kill-point for me, as I was unable to locate any online school (in 2004) that had that accreditation.

The Capella staff was very helpful in the enrollment process and transferred in the maximum 48 credit hours from my MBA program, which helped me immensely. Once enrolled in the program, I found that, the instructors were always available to me, and the rigor is definitely there. As one of the previous reviewers phrased it, you get out of any program what you put into it. I spent 20-25 hours a week throughout my coursework and maintained a 4.00 GPA in the program. I feel that I earned those marks and did not feel that they were given to me.

I would not classify Capella as a diploma mill by any stretch of the imagination and feel that the argument above that addressed the attrition rate belies this charge. Diploma mills do not reject anyone. I believe the disgruntled reviewers above failed to achieve their goals because they were not fully committed to the rigor required by any credible PhD program. I found the program difficult, but feasible, given good time management skills. The comps process is all about completing a very difficult task in a timed manner. I felt that the Leadership program prepared me adequately for this challenge and I got through it on the expedited plan in 8 weeks. If certain people feel that they were unfairly weeded out at the comps stage, perhaps they should examine their own culpability and lack of commmitment to producing a quality product under strenuous conditions.

My dissertation is taking longer than I orginally projected, but that is due to work and other life pressures that interfered with my educational schedule rather than any lack on the part of Capella itself. The staff, my mentor, and my committee have been very supportive during my dissertation. In fact, other instructors, who are not on my committee, gave freely of their own time to help me locate a suitable study organization. I can't say enough about the value of that support and I hope to carry that model into my own doctoral praxis.

Great School!

PhD Organization & Management/General Business
Reviewer: drjcotter email verified (Graduate) on September 28, 2007

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My Ph.D. was conferred June, 2007, and I must say the process to complete was as strenuous as it was satisfying. This is no diploma mill - one must earn the degree. My paper has been accepted for presentation at the IABE Conference next month in Las Vegas, and for publishing in the International Journal of Business Research. Double-blind peer reviewed and accepted without modification. I also enjoyed the professional help of my Ph.D. committee as we progressed through the work. 

I have no regrets in choosing Capella, and recommend it heartily to others.

A Great Phd Journey

PhD Organization & Management/General Business
Reviewer: gbecker email verified (Degree In Progress) on September 28, 2007

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Capella University should be praised for its standards of excellence, quality of teaching professionals, and commitment to learner support. I have over thirty years of professional experience in business, received my bachelors and masters at standard universities at night while working, and became a Phd at Capella. Make no mistake; Capella expects high standards of learner involvement, but nothing worth pursuing should be easy. In fact, online education is more challenging and required hard work. I am appalled when I see critiques of the university because someone failed; maybe they weren't ready for the challenge? I am proud to be associated with a university with such high standards, quality of teaching professionals, and most learners who wanted to work dilligently for their degrees. At Capella you become a Phd, you don't just get a Phd!

Excellent university-Best choice for you

PhD Organization & Management/General Business
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Graduate) on September 28, 2007

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This experience was beyond my greatest expectations.  It was so invigorating to attend Colloquia and to meet with my peers and professors.  I think the best part was realizing how much the professors all really enjoy each other's company and how well they work together.

Re: some of these reviews, if someone makes it to comps and fails to perform, yes they will not make it through.  Those of us who have worked very hard for this degree do not wish to see it diminished by the university passing people who can't do the work required. 

I found everyone, in every dept across the board, to be sincerely helpful and wanting to help me succeed.  I'm sorry for those who weren't able to meet the standards set by the university.  I, however, feel confident that I am among equals with my fellow alumni.

Capella University Scams

PHD education
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on September 23, 2007

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Capella University is running a scam on PhD learners. After successfully completing all the required coursework and three residencies, the university will subjectively fail you in comps for no apparent reason. Be aware of this educational institution. Their reputation and credibility is severly damaged.

Greatly disappointed

PhD Organization & Management/Leadership
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Degree In Progress) on September 21, 2007

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I started with much enthusiasm at Capella.  I did considerable research about on-line degrees.  My wife, who has a PhD from Columbia cautioned against my undertaking the PhD program, but I pursued it anyway.  I found it to be a disaster in the set up.  I found the administrative organization and the focus on money obscuring the educational experience.  Furthermore, the evaluation of my Master's degree credits was unbelievable in that less than half of my credits were transferred, and I graduated from Boston University.  At work, the school was not recognized.  I would strong urge people to avoid this school.  Perhaps there are some on-line schools that are focused on education.

Capella Ph.D. Programs

PhD Organization & Management/Leadership
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Degree In Progress) on August 26, 2007

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Overall, the program is okay.  They lack AACSB accreditation and if you are looking at pysch, they lack APA accreditation (which is even worse than lacking AACSB accreditation).  The instructors are generally okay, the materials are good, and the use of technology is good.  Honestly though, what you take away is improved writing skills and materials.  You could purchase the materials at a bookstore and the courses are to expensive to walk away with improved writing skills alone.  

I think Capella is average and once more B&M schools decide to go online with at least 75% of a business Ph.D., Capella is likely in big trouble.  I have heard rumblings of Strayer buying out Capella, so that may be in the works.

I-O program was not satisfactory

Clinical psychology
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Degree In Progress) on August 22, 2007

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I attended there for several years and was not happy with the experience. The school is disorganized and while there are good instructors many of them are not available in the classroom. They do not compare well to many other schools in terms of curriculum and have failed to obtain APA status for good reason. They are all about the money and problems are met with abject frustration rather than productive solution. Their technology is good but their status is poor.
They accept everyone who can pay and of those only about half graduate. One has to ask why their attrition rats is so high and why they don't offer national facilities for the cost of the programs they offer. This reduces their credibility as well as their ability to serve students well.

Your experience will be what you make it

Master of Science
Reviewer: lfilla email verified (Graduate) on August 15, 2007

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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.

Capella is Exceptional

System Design and Development
Reviewer: triciamayes email verified (Degree In Progress) on May 18, 2007

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Capella University is by the most exceptional University online that I have found.  They are very upfront about their policies and have never done anything reguarding my degree without my consent.  I attended my undergrad at the University of Illinois, which by in large, was great, however, the staff at U of I was not always helpful, and I ended up doing an extra year of coursework because of the misdirection.  

Since coming to Capella, my roadmap, so to speak, has been clear and consise, and my team of advisors have kept in exceptional contact with me throughout the process.  I will be completing my MBA very soon and hope to obtain my PhD here as well.  I have recommended many collegues and close friends to the school, because I believe in the values this college promotes.

A satisfying experience

Ph.D. in Education in Postsecondary and Adult Ed.
Reviewer: RafeCastillo email verified (Graduate) on April 26, 2007

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I graduated with a PhD in Education and have since landed a tenure-track position; I had a rigorous and satisfying experience at Capella, where some of my instructors guided and mentored me so that my academic experience paid off in terms of publication and networking; the result, I got the job!

Good Online University

System Design and Development
Reviewer: Anonymous email verified (Degree In Progress) on April 7, 2007

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The value comes from the real world experience of the instructors and the "adult" students. Most in the Ph.D. program have brick and mortar graduate and undergraduate degrees and extensive experience in their fields. All I know who have graduated where alike to use their degrees to advance.

A great opportunity

Ph.D. in Education in Postsecondary and Adult Ed.
Reviewer: angela.grabelle email verified (Degree In Progress) on December 27, 2006

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I am enrolled and finish course work this summer. I have had some fabulous instructors, and a few that were mediocre at best (you find this everywhere). Instructors I have met at residencies have been absolutely AMAZING. The comraderie, the knowledge, and support make me feel like I made an excellent decision although I struggled as I did not want to get a "cookie cutter" degree at a diploma mill. However, there are people like me who have the ability, the drive, and the will, but do not have the program availability, the time, nor the money to devote 5-10 years earning a degree. I am a single mother of four young children and this university has given me the chance to earn the degree I have dreamed about.  I love the fact that my peers who learn with me are from all walks of life, from countries all over the world, and my learning experiences have been far richer because of the students with whom I learn.  I think Capella is doing great things and I am happy to be a part of it.

As good as it should be, but ...

Clinical psychology
Reviewer: sphampe email verified (Graduate) on December 10, 2006

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I finshed a teaching certificate online and which opened my eyes to the entire world of online learning, rekindling my desire to pursue a PhD.

The education at Capella was as good as I would have expected at any conventional program. I had mostly good instructors -- diligent, involved, knowledgable, caring. And there were a few duds, but that is no different than one could expect at ANY institution of higher learning.

My bigger concern isn't the quality of the program but its ability to interface with the profession at large. I hear this is diminishing, but I have encountered a pretty strong prejudice against online degrees -- especially in clinical psych. Even though I received high marks for competence and knowledge during my fieldwork, I am hitting a wall post-graduation.

But to be fair, I have also discovered that professional psychology is not a great career potential field, with a lot of infighting and image problems. That is only compounded when you try to join the fight with an online degree.

Bottom line: great program, poor profession.

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