Grand Canyon University : ED in TESOL Reviews

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Anonymous (In Progress) on June 22, 2011 (email verified)

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GCU FOR VET This is a great school. I really like it a lot. I have been going here for a little over a year. Here is the deal with the tuition. You can drop a class in the first week and you pay half the cost of that class, but after that you pay the full amount. It is in their academic handbook they put out every year. If you drop a class before it starts there is no cost to you. Okay, for veterans they offer a 40% tuition discount for their online program. E-books are included for the majority of the classes. You can always buy the books if you want to, but I would invest in a tablet instead. The tuition cost itself is 450.00 per credit hour before any discounts. For different degree programs this varies 10-15 dollars. Anyway, I have to say the school is good. I am not a fan of the clc, but at a certain point you get clc's where people are really trying. As far as the lectures go, GCU needs to use more technology to make this school what it could be. There needs to be more video and powerpoint used. They also need to think about setting up some sort of voip system. I think considering that they are new to the online school that they are pretty good. So far all of my instructors have been great except for one. I dropped the class and retook it. I know and talk to my academic counselor frequently he is great. The biggest issue this school has is the technology is not nearly as good as it should be for an online school. The other problem I ran into because they had such a boom at this school. They did not have the staff to support their students at first in the financial aid department. I think they have resolved this. The financial aid seems to be posting quicker. All in all I like this school and find it to be a good school.

Anonymous (In Progress) on June 11, 2011 (email verified)

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Greedy for money & hypocritical Christian values After only 2 weeks into the course and receiving 2 As on papers, my 87 year old father ended up seriously ill and almost dying in the hospital. I'm a teacher and a mother, and couldn't keep up with all the demands on me during this crisis. I asked to be able to continue with the class during the summer break. By then my father will have been moved in with my family, and I will have more breathing room. They denied my request, so I wrote an appeals letter. After 8 months of no resolution, they informed me they would allow me to take the course, but I would essentially have to pay twice for the same class- saying that I could use the stipend I receive from my financial aid to pay for the class I had to drop in the Fall. When I wasn't pleased with this offer, they threatened to send me to collections if I didn't agree to this, and charge me 33% interest for the unpaid $1900.00 balance-for only 2 WEEKS of online class time. They showed no interest in helping me during my crisis, no compassion, no offer of an incomplete, no reasonable resolution, no communications or answers to my many questions via email. The appeals process was never clearly articulated. This continues to be a very frustrating source of stress in my life. Grand Canyon University is a money hungry, greedy bureaucratic establishment. They don't deserve your hard earned money! They don't care about you - only their bottom line!!! Do not attend this school.

Johnathan.clayborn (In Progress) on April 30, 2011 (email verified)

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GCU gets good marks in my book I am currently 10 classes away from graduating with my Bachelor's of Science in Secondary Education. I love this school. Are they perfect? No. Do you get the occasional faculty member that could be doing more? ...I had one, out of 30. The long and the short of it is that the program is a good program. The school may make mistakes, but if you bring it to their attention and give them a chance, they fix it. I have not had any issues that they left unresolved. Do the counselors change? In the 18 months that I've been here I've had 3, but that's to be expected no matter which school you choose. Ultimately, in the end, the only person whom you can hold accountable for your degree and your education is yourself. Your counselors aren't there to do the work for you, they're there as a resource to help you along the way. You, the student, need to be proactive and ask questions, understand the process. Going to college, any college is a long, drawn out process involving significant amounts of time and money. Be prepared for what you are about to endeavor. If you dont like the teachers or you believe the teacher is treating you unfairly, request to be transferred to another class. If the teacher isn't doing their job, hold them accountable and report them. If your academic adviser is busy, push the button and talk to whomever is available (someone is always available). If that doesn't work, contact the Student Resolution Specialist, or ask for help through the GCU homepage. Or email the Dean directly. Too many people have one issue, expect other people to handle it and then get upset when things don't work out like they wanted. It's your life, your education. Be responsible and take what you want, you only take away what you put into it. I am so impressed with GCU to this point that I plan to complete my Masters degree and two doctorates at GCU.

Anonymous (In Progress) on January 31, 2011 (email verified)

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Grand Canyon Univ--Don't do this unless you can pay cash! Teachers are very good. The administration is horrible. Counselors are sales people filling the quotas that the administration pressures them to fill. This was a nightmare experience.

Anonymous (Graduate) on November 13, 2010 (email verified)

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Why I love GCU!!! I loved my master's degree program at GCU! There are a number of reasons why I feel GCU is a great university. To begin with I really liked the low student to faculty ratio. You get personal attention which is so refreshing from the 'you are only a number' approach at many state institutions. I am a UCLA alum so I know of what I speak concerning state universities! The academics were very challenging. I wrote approximately 90 papers during the program averaging 15 pages (single spaced) each. The capstone project was almost 90 pages in length. The average week was required reading both in the textbook and academic articles relating to the topic at hand of over 100 pages. The paper was typically 15 pages in length as well as a 2-3 page journal relating the reading to classroom application (not merely a summary of the reading). In addition there were two discussion boards. Required was to post 6 times to each and make significant comments about other students' posts. All in all the week's time commitment stood at about 15-20 hours per week. The master's in education requires a great deal of hard work but is worth it!!! You will get a great education at GCU!!!!

Anonymous (Graduate) on October 18, 2010

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More than happy! I received my Masters in Education almost two and a half years ago. Generally your work load will look like this: 1. Read approximately 80-100 pages per week in the text. 2. Write a 5-8 pages paper on a given topic. 3. Write a 1-2 page reading log (which is not just a summary of the reading rather how you would apply the theory/information presented in your classroom. 4. Participate in discussion. This usually means 5-6 posts of your own answering the professor's questions plus commenting on 5-6 posts from others in the classroom. These must be substantive answer (not just "good post. I agree". 5. Any other reading/research that the professor might want you to do (i.e. reading journal articles etc.) I am an organized person that works accurately, professionally and quickly. I earned a 4.0 GPA in the program. However, I must also tell you that I averaged between 15-20 hours a week to accomplish all of the above every week for 21 months. It is DEMANDING! No doubt. I have never regretted the experience and what I learned at GCU for anything. It was great! You will love it!

Anonymous (Graduate) on September 10, 2010 (email verified)

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This is the Program for You!!!! If you want an outstanding experience in a master's program this is a great MEd program. I had to laugh a bit when I read the previous review complaining about the large work load! There is a great deal of work associated with GCU programs. Be aware of that. It is very rigorous!!! However, it was worth it!!! You will really enjoy GCU!

Anonymous (In Progress) on August 29, 2010 (email verified)

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Super!!! I found GCU to be super!!! The workload was heavy and some couldn't keep pace or handle the rigor! If you are as motivated as I was and can devote 25 hours per week per grad class you could make it as well. The professors were outstanding! The office staff was caring!! I always had my phone calls returned as well as my e-mails in a timely manner. I love GCU!!

Lcalder (In Progress) on August 28, 2010 (email verified)

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waste of time and rip off This school started out on a good note and as time went on I was horrified. I am due three scholarships and now being told I can't receive until they see my grade from the 12th credit class. A new student scholarship and course material has nothing to do with my grade. They are so far behind in issuing out stipends its notfunny. When you ask them they don't no or they give you an answer of in two-three weeks. Now I can't transfer until I finish third class, another way to keep my money. To bad they have no clue what Christianity really is. TERRIBLE SCHOOL

Alexapz (In Progress) on August 27, 2010 (email verified)

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It is the right fit for me! I am half way done with my M.Ed in TESOL. I have a really great experience so far with GCU. The classes are not easy, I put in my effort and work hard for my assignments and they pay off. One class at a time helps me concentrate more in one subject and pay attention to important details. I love the online setting due to its flexibility with schedules NOT due to its easiness. If anything I can say that getting a degree online is even more difficult than the traditional route. I completed my Associates and B.A going to the campus of a university. I usually had to take classes at night or weekends since I have always worked and study at the same time. The act of sitting in a classroom for three hours after work was horrible for me as I was not able to stay awake and pay attention. I started taking some online classes when I was finishing my B.A just to try them and see if it was a good fit for me and I discovered that I actually work better by doing one hour here and there, than by actually going to a class for hours on end. I am sure that the M.Ed I will earn at GCU is very competitive and well obtained. I've had great teachers and not so good ones, but there are teachers like that in other Universities as well even in those "higher" ones. The materials and education alone are very good in fact and I feel great by knowing that I am really learning a good deal of information in this program.

Anonymous (Graduate) on August 20, 2010 (email verified)

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Follow Up This is a follow up review. I can only say that my experience was terrific. The university's support staff was great as were the professors. Does everyone have the same experience? No! Some people do not 'take care of business'. They do not put in the required time (frequently 25 hours per week for graduate studies) in order to succeed. Are there problems with the financial aid office? Apparently so. I must stress that I never had any problems but apparently some people are. GCU has doubled their enrollment in the past 4-5 years. Obviously, there office staffing has not kept up. However, I will also say that after having completed a graduate program at a large California state university, office staffing problems are very common regardless if we are talking profit or non-profit, state or private university. My advice is the following; if you have the work ethic to handle 20-25 hours per week of rigorous academic work and are a self disciplined student, then you will really enjoy the excellent professors at GCU. If you are looking for an 'easy A' or like to point fingers at people when you do not fulfill your obligations, then you will fail regardless of where you go. Good luck!

Anonymous (In Progress) on July 29, 2010 (email verified)

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Below Average GCU could be so much better than it is!! The material itself is good but the interaction among the facilitators leaves one to wonder how easy it must be to do this job. There are no professors at GCU, only those who "facilitate". The instructors too often have communication to students that rivals that of my 12 year-old niece, except my niece can put together more than a 5 word sentence. When you need support, most times it falls on deaf ears. GCU placed me in the wrong classes and let me tell you, you do not get the support you need. Although the mistake was theirs, they never once made me feel as though my time mattered. I would say if there are other options for school, try one that values its students, not GCU. Once they have your money, it's all over.

Anonymous (Graduate) on March 15, 2010 (email verified)

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It just goes to show you! It just goes to show you! It just goes to show you how different the experience of a successful student can be from one that 'couldn’t hack it'. I finished my MEd in TESOL at GCU but found it to be a wonderful experience. The reviewer on March 9 said that GCU wants your money. Really??? Why did I get an award letter from them if that were the case? He/she said that they drop you like a rock in the river. Really??? Why did I get constant help when needed from my professors, office staff etc.? He/she said that their EDU practicum was a nightmare. Really??? Well, this is a very competitive university and the demands are high. My practicum (capstone) was very, very difficult. Besides the usual readings and written assignments, there was an eighty page practicum paper due by the end of the term. Could it be a nightmare? I guess it could be if you are not willing to put in the effort and time. The bottom line is simple. If you are wiling to work hard, you can accomplish the degree. If you are not, you won’t. It is as simple as that. The whining that I am reading in some of these reviews has to do with not dropping courses on time and there being too much work. If you want an ‘easy degree’ then go somewhere else. GCU is not the place for those who want to ‘slide through’.

Anonymous (In Progress) on March 9, 2010 (email verified)

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Worst Experience I agree with all the other negative reviews. All GCU wants is your $$$$ !! Once they get you in, you're dropped like a rock in a river; good luck swimming to shore to get your degree. My last EDU practicum was a LIVING NIGHTMARE!! The instructor, my advisor, the practicum specialist and even the dept chair refused to help me. It truly is a SELF-SERVICE education. The instructors are hit or miss; one can be great, and another can be the worst ever—they don’t even write their own material. It's true that the advisors don't stay in touch with you. My enrollment "counselor" claimed to be knowledgeable about my state's requirements, but obviously that was a LIE just to get me in. GCU knows nothing about other states. As soon as I was enrolled, she stopped taking my calls or answering my emails. Another thing: what's up with its obsession with clcs???? I dread every one of them! They're a complete waste of time and effort. I hate them. I dread them. Frankly, I hate that someone else who has no clue what they're doing can screw up my gpa, which I've worked hard for. Does GCU care??? Fat chance. Now they've just taken off the clc portion of the end-of-course surveys. Clearly, GCU doesn't want to hear any more negative about its beloved pet. That's just wrong. For GCU to claim that it's a Christian school is almost blasphemy! Its horrid mis-treatment of its students is absolutely SHAMEFUL. I spent a whole summer researching online schools, and chose GCU, and I don't make decisions lightly. I'm in the process of yet another research project: finding another school. PLEASE-PLEASE-PLEASE heed my warning! If you're considering GCU, don't do it!!!! Run the other way!

Anonymous (Graduate) on February 18, 2010 (email verified)

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Best Online Colleges for 2010 List My degree program was great! I tell everyone I know that GCU is wonderful! I am not the only one that feels this way. I encourage you to read the reviews. There are 26 ( out of 34) positive reviews. In addition, according to this website, GCU makes the Best Online Colleges for 2010 List (ranked 6th).

Anonymous (Graduate) on February 12, 2010 (email verified)

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Great Program!!!!!! I took the time to stop by the GCU campus when I was in Phoenix this past summer since I wanted to actually see the campus from where I received my Master's degree. I really had no idea what to expect. It was a pleasure to be there. The campus is beautiful and the people were very helpful and friendly. The campus visit matched perfectly to the experience that I had online with this university. The professors were outstanding and always helpful and showed concern for the students. They participated in the discussions (discussion board) and answered questions and e-mails promptly (within 24 hours). About half way through my program, they changed from the Blackboard to the Angel delivery platform. Even that went quite smoothly. I was really impressed all around. If anyone in teaching is looking for a real solid master in education program, I feel that this is the one!

Anonymous (Graduate) on February 9, 2010 (email verified)

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Don't waste your money! I recently finished my M'Ed at GCU and am extrememly disappointed in the entire experience. The professors do not actively take an interest in their students or their course work. Many professors could not even answer questions about assignments in the classes because the syllabi are created by some higher power. Also, I brought it to the attention of a professor that one of my classmates was copying and pasting directly from other articles on the internet for her discussion posting (without any sort of citation); nothing happened to this classmate and the behavior continued. This was a Master's program for crying out loud! I don't even let my high school students get away with this! If you care about your education and have any sort of standards, this is NOT the school for you.

Anonymous (Graduate) on November 21, 2009 (email verified)

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GCU is for YOU! GCU is for anyone thinking about a graduate program in education. I found it to be outstanding in every aspect. The curriculum is great and the professors were very good. The university is a traditional B & M university with an online option. This is very different from other programs out there like UoP etc. The beautiful campus is in Phoenix, Arizona encompassing 90 acres and has dozens of buildings. Anyone who tries to tell you that this is just a virtual university is not telling you the truth. I notice one reviewer from the University of Missouri referred to it as "Mickey Mouse University" yet the rating experts (Barron's Profiles of American Colleges 2009; 28th Edition) have GCU and Mizzou ranked exactly the same (very competitive). I cannot speak for business programs at GCU. However, I will say that the education programs are outstanding! Go Lopes!

Anonymous (Graduate) on July 1, 2009 (email verified)

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Update A bit more than a year ago I finished my MEd at GCU. My intention was to better serve my current students as well as open new doors to teaching college level classes. Well, I am happy to say that I have achieved both. I recently received a position to teach college level classes. It is very satisfying to know that my program at GCU has done so much for me. Without hesitation, I have recommended GCU all of my colleagues and friends in the field of education. If you do your research on B & M universities with online programs, you will find GCU to have an outstanding program as well as reasonable tuition. After looking at numerous universities in my field of study, I found GCU to be $5,000-$9,000 less as far as tuition costs go. Take a close look at GCU. You will be glad you did.

Anonymous (Graduate) on May 17, 2009 (email verified)

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Great Program! Heavy Work Load I loved the program and learned a great deal. I will also say this; if you are looking for an "easy degree", this is not it. You will find yourself putting in a great deal of time (15-20 hours a week). Overall, the instructors were wonderful, support (technical) was good and the office staff helpful. I can recommend the program; just get ready to work!

Anonymous (Graduate) on November 6, 2008 (email verified)

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Outstanding!!! I can't say enough about this program. It was the only way that I could have finished a master in education given my busy schedule. Everything about the program was great from the classes to the technical help. The professors were easily reached and responded very quickly. The level and quality of the program was high. This program gets "two thumbs up" from me!

Anonymous (Graduate) on October 28, 2008 (email verified)

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Shopped Around I shopped around for almost an entire year and found GCU to offer the best program for the money. The average tuition for my particular online program (MEd) was around $20,500. My total tuition came to approximately $14,500. In addition, the quality of the program itself was great! I believe it was a great educational value.

Donalddds (Graduate) on September 30, 2008 (email verified)

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Just finished! I am updating a previous review since I just finished my Master's at GCU. Overall, I am very pleased. It was a great experience. I have taken Master's classes before (at Penn State University in a different major)with great success. However, I must say that these classes at GCU were more challenging and required more work than my previous master's program. It is intense; make no mistake about it. You take one course at a time and you'll work hard (15-20 hours per week). The level of training I received is very high and the professors were outstanding. They responded quickly and professionally. I would highly recommend the program to any teacher thinking of completing a master's.

Anonymous (In Progress) on September 19, 2008 (email verified)

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So Glad I Tried It I only have two more classes and the internship to go, and I'm so glad I decided to try this program. I compared the curriculum to brick and mortar schools nearby, and it was so much better. I really wanted a program that focused more on second language theory rather than simply educational theory, though I did learn a little of that here, plus I found the foundational class reviewing the history of second language instruction in the US really interesting and enlightening. The classes require a paper a week with a few discussion questions to answer and talk over with the other students, and two of the papers every class are group papers. Surprisingly, group projects with other students across the globe works better than you might think. Classes also require a journal discussion of the readings, some of which can be really heavy. I took some in person classes at a local university about 5 years ago, and I did so much more work at GCU in comparison. The textbooks were superb, and classes gave lots of other resources we could use for further reading on the subject. The class website was really great, though tech support wasn't too hot. I also had trouble getting email responses to my questions to the advising department, but calling worked better. Registration is streamlined so students don't have to do anything except check the start date and the reading list. Definitely a great deal for the price and the future of online education.

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