Grantham University : Engineering Reviews
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Willisjr24
(Graduate) on May 16, 2012
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Grantham worked for me.
I started with Grantham University a little over two years ago. Here's my run down. I was in the Army for 7 Years and with my AARTS they transferred 16 credits. I have received my Associate of Science in Electronics and Computer Engineering Technology with Honors because I worked hard for it. English was brutal, General Chemistry was tough and Pre-Calculus was a mind-bender. But most of the teacher's helped me when I asked. Some teachers even had a SKYPE™ account to work with me. I'm now re-enrolled in a Bachelor's Degree program for Electronics Engineering Technology. Each Teacher is different. Some go out of their way to help you and some do the minimum...THE SAME THING AT A BRICK AND MORTAR SCHOOL. How do I know, my wife attended an actual college and the teachers were different for each class too. Some classes are easy and some are challenging...well duh, I may know more about one subject (easy) and less about another (challenging). The entire idea behind getting a degree in the first place is not to say you can remember everything you learned in two or four years, but that you studied it and meet the requirements to work in the field or know how to find the answers needed to work that field. That's why you don't sell your textbooks. You may need to reference them in the future. The price is right for me and fits my budget since it is covered by the GIBILL. My student advisor is AWESOME. She calls me all the time and helps me whenever I need it. I work in the Engineering field already and my employer recognizes the degree. Granted it's not ABET accredited but my paycheck increased and it is recognized by some pretty big named companies in engineering. As far as the AARTS, they will transfer based on what the AARTS suggests. It is not absolute. They look at your experience and stuff to see how to properly transfer the credits. I would not transfer all the credits both if you haven’t touched an electronic course since AIT and you just retired from being staff oriented for the last 12 years. You can request an unofficial AARTS copy for yourself and ask why some may not have transferred. I receive real text books that ARE used in other big name universities...I looked. Not many online degrees offer lectures. The idea for online degrees are to not sit in lectures to learn but to learn at your own pace, which could be faster. Of course you have a minimum learning pace. The Terms are perfect with the amount of time needed for the school to assess if you understand the course. And don't think big name colleges or universities don't have multiple choice tests--LOL, they do. I know someone who went to a big name school and they grade the class on a curve, which means if the majority of the class passes, so do you. How fair is that? Grantham grades you on you, not a curve. All in all, Grantham worked for me. I suggest it to my friends all the time and I have seen many success stories. Maybe some people just have bad luck or a crappy advisor...you can always request a different advisor. This is not a diploma mill either, by any means....I earned my degree through some late nights and little sleep. I think with Grantham, you get out of it what you put into it. I’m a proud Grantham Alumni and will continue to better my education through them. And FYI, Grantham is A+ with the BBB.
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Anonymous
(In Progress) on July 3, 2010
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BSEET 5 classes left
There is no hand holding at this school, so if you keep your expectations at a minimum it isn't too bad. It is up to you to follow up, and schedule your classes carefully. Each course has a strict timeline of 8 weeks. For some classes this is not bad, but for the precalculus and calculus classes it was brutal.
There are many complaints regarding the difficulties in transferring credit to other institutions. Having researched transferring to different schools, I would like to post what I found. Generally, some credits would transfer. I found that for similar courses of study, other colleges had slightly different class names. Since the classes were not one for one, less credit would transfer. Transferring to another school would also had required me to take more elective classes. Most colleges require that a certain number of credits be completed at their institution as a requirement for graduation. Most schools have placement exams, and if the courses have been completed then a CLEP or similar would be the most effective way to transfer. For the difference in cost of tuition and books, it isn't a bad trade up. It is best to stay with one school, if possible, because it will result in the quickest route to a degree.
While much is learned while going to school, the purpose of going to school is to establish the knowledge that provides the skillset to be able to research a problem and provide an effective solution. The research that is done, over time, provides experience, and is what most employers ultimately want.
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Sd_fm
(In Progress) on April 25, 2008
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It is a pity Grantham is not Accredited Regionally
I am a lifetime learner that has been attending college for 15 years now in addition to having a very successful career. I have attended 4 colleges/universities so far. I currently have 2 Associate’s, 1 Bachelor’s, and 1 Master’s all from regionally accredited and very respected colleges. With that said, I can say without a doubt that I have learned just as much if not more from my studies at Grantham. You talk about how Grantham is a joke, but I would submit to you that college in general now is a joke. That goes for regionally/nationally accredited degrees. College was never meant for the masses. It was meant for the few that really wanted to learn. To truly do this one must be committed to a lifetime of learning in addition to furthering the body of academic knowledge. Here is the scenario in a tradional degree mill university. You attend class, try a little and graduate. If you don't want to learn, you don't even really have to try. You are just basically paying your dues by enduring hours of lecture that is really not teaching anything. Real learning occurs through self study and through real life of that knowledge.
In addition to my academic experience, I have also taught at the adult level for many years and have found that students who are taught independence in learning make for much better workers. Traditional schools are sorely lacking in this area. You can talk about regionally accredited colleges all day long but it is all a joke if the person attending has no desire to learn. If you attend a class and sell the book immediately afterwards then you fit in to this category.
With that being said, I agree that a degree at Grantham has less value than a degree at a regionally accredited school but only because of tradition and ignorance. It is a pity Grantham is not regionally accredited because I have learned far more from them than I ever did in a traditional college. Because of time constraints in a traditional setting the instructor either does not use the text book at all or skips large sections in the interest of time. Despite skipping sections of the book, you often sit through hours of stories and political crap that add no value to the learning. At least at Grantham I am being tested on ALL the material in the text book and am not being led astray by an instructor that is politically motivated to further their own agenda or even worse by an instructor that really doesn’t even know the material themselves. Sure at Grantham students can take the easy way out and fake their way through the tests but you can also do this in a traditional college. If you don't believe me ask the average college grad to tell you anything they learned from a class 6 months after they finished it. I would be very surprised it they can tell you anything of value. Grantham on the other hand because of its lack of spoon feed learning and heavy reliance on independence a truly motivated Grantham graduate could easily tell you what they learned.
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Anonymous
(In Progress) on March 31, 2008
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Worthwhile
I have been with Grantham for over 2 years now. I have also attended a State University. Grantham allows the flexability for me to attend to school, without that I coud not. Sure, I have had a few problems with Grantham, but I have had the same problems at the State University.(e.g. Poor communication with instructors and administration problems.) No University is without its share of problems.
The classwork is demanding if you put the effort into it. Despite what others say, I say you can not cheat at Calculus I or II. You have to know it. Online schools:"Its not easier, its just more conveniant."
As far as National Accred vs. Regional Accred. I believe in National, it may not be that of Harvard, Penn State, or University of Wisconsin. But then again, I work 40 hours a week and support my family. The closest University to me is 2.5 hours away. B&M University's are not an option anymore, but I have been to one before. I believe the quality to be the same if not better at Grantham.
Grantham offers what they promise. It is up to the student to get his/her degree. Just the same as everyone else.
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Elsupremo1two3
(Graduate) on January 16, 2008
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great school!
Grantham is a very good school.
Overall: I gave them a "9". Always room for improvement but still a great school.
Materials: "9" The materials are new and free!
Teachers: "8" I would like to see teachers particpate more by creating there own webpages for the corses they teach. Once created, it would be nice to visit the site for reference, email address, phone number, frequently asked questions, etc. The teachers are top notch from other top universities holding either masters or PhDs.
Institution: Leadership has revamped the engineering cirricula with new ABET standards. I would like to see a newsletter from them stating what's new or processes they're looking to implement or avenues where I the stident could make suggestions.
Support: "9" Staff is very encouraging, they get a lot of gripe but when i speak with anyone they're always polite and helpful.
Value: It’s valuable indeed! The dept of defense recognizes the school and I could get a GS job tomorrow holding a degree from Grantham Univeristy. I've done my homework and made a very good choice. Many employers including the government realize the importance of an accredited degree and do not discriminate on its type of accreditation. So what its nationally accredited; I would like to see them as both so perhaps one day they will be.
Use of Technology: Grantham uses software technology that interfaces directly with your computer. I've become efficient with many programs e.g. C/C++, MS Project, using multimeters, oscopes, and creating electrical schematics, etc. I would recommend use of videos.
I've read comments about cheating. Cheating is going to and does happen at any college you attend. Is is easy at Grantham-No! The tests are taken online and Granthams policy is you're not allowed to use text, notes, etc.
Remember, you can cheat at any university but you can't cheat yourself or your next job once you're hired and expected to do the job.
I would like Grantham to go ahead for regional accreditation and ABET in 2008. I would like to see GU have more undergraduate (e.g. an Electrical and Computer Engineering, Healthcare Administration, Public/Human Resource Management, Biomedical Engineering, and Biomedical Engineering Technology)and PhD/DBA programs (e.g. Management of Engineering and Technology, Business, IT, Computer/Security, etc.)
GU is #1!
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Pmmcateer
(Graduate) on January 9, 2008
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Not worth your time and effort
First let me say this isn't a "bitter" review. I have recently found(thank god) that my 75 credits I took at Grantham will apply at AMU, so I'm ditching. The coursework is like learning how to pick your nose, all open book testing. At the time I was taking it I was thinking "Cool...this is easy" but you are really getting no educational value out of them. Then as I got into the programming courses, trying to get ahold of an instructor was incredible. My Student Progress Rep ensured me that he has over 150 students, that my problem would be handled when it could be, until it was time to sign a TA request form, then it was all smiles.
They are on the ripoff report for the way they treated their employees after Hurricane Katrina, I encourage all to read that. I've had 4 new student progress representatives in the last year alone, how does that say about their turnover?
National accredidation is nothing compared to Regional accredidation. Don't think "A bachelors degree is a bachelors degree", as I'm finding out employers do research the education you put on your resume. Bottom line, you are only cheating yourself by going to a "college" that gives credit through open book testing. I have written base officials to have Grantham removed from ESO offices as well, and encourage you to do the same.
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Derek.kirkendall
(Graduate) on January 5, 2008
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Not good for inexperienced students
Overall a good tech school. I don't see this as a school that will land a job by itself, as there are too many well-known universities that will do that for you. This is a school for someone that has been in the electronics field for a number of years, has military training (or vocational/on-the-job), and simply is looking to "check the box". Transfer of credit/degree is a real challenge due to the DETC accreditation, but it can be done. The EET Alumni are super helpful, and will offer more support than the instructors have time for. The instructor-to-student ratio is abysmal, so don't expect any special attention. This is a particular problem when attempting to complete C, C++, Calculus I, Calculus II, Control Systems, and Signals & Systems Theory (SDP).
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Anonymous
(Graduate) on October 28, 2007
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Credits in California
Credits will not transfer to california public schools, but will transfer to private schools. WTF? I can get into MIT or Harvard, but not CSUN? Overall, I have applied 70% of what I have learned at Grantham to the real world, but I wish I had more options for graduate studies. At $250/credit hour, I guess that is the trade-off; compatibility for price. If you have the time, or money, go regional and find ABET. If not, Grantham makes for a good, cheap, alternative to others.
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Anonymous
(In Progress) on October 16, 2007
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Challenging, but rewarding
Great value; I picked up 20% on my salary with the AAS EET, and have 30% waiting for me once I finish the BS.
The math courses were tough to beat, but the student body via the forums were extremely helpful.
Some faculty were top-notch, others were absentee-landlords. I wish they had clearer standards to hold the student progress department to. Sometimes it is on auto-pilot, and everything works. Other times (the exception in my case) they aren't as proactive as I would like them to be.
I loved the use of the A86/D86 programs for Microprocessor Engineering. I also like the fully-registered version of Visual Studio 2005 for C and C++. I wish they would offer up a copy of Maple or Mathmatica for precalc, calc, and calc II. I really liked the fully registered version of MATLAB.
The education is top-notch technology wise; I apply everything I have learned to date on a daily basis at work. I truly believe this has made me an effective field engineer/Technologist.
Overall, I am grateful that an institution such as Grantham exists; I would not have been able to get this far in my career without their course of instruction.
I still don't trust the proctored exam process; I have my proctor keep copies of my answers until the classes have cleared; I have heard many horror stories of tests being lost, causing nasty delays.
I would like to see regional & ABET accreditation for GU, I think they are the most qualified candidate as far as distance education is concerned.
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Anonymous
(Graduate) on July 4, 2007
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Needs Improvment
Overall: I couldn’t use my degree for progression in the Air Force. I know I will have problems in the civilian world.
Materials: “GOOD”.
Teachers: Need improvement. They need to be held accountable for not meeting student’s needs (i.e. responding to emails). I had an instructor tell me to hire a tutor. I struggled through math class on my own...no help! BTW...not all instructors were bad. Dr. Sutter was great and there have been other good ones. If you’re out there “thank you!”
Institution: Leadership needs to wake up and smell the coffee. You need to listen to its students, instructors, and staff for advice. It’s called process of improvement!
Support: I gave them a "6". I rated it not for the 3 bad instructors I had but for the majority of the instructors that pushed me, emailed me back to do better, or study harder. Thank you! I did learn a lot from them. Overall, the adjunct instructors I had were very knowledgeable and supporting. Grantham should listen to them and take some advice.
Value: It’s poor! I have not advanced in the Air Force with this degree. I have applied for State Jobs in IL...no luck there. It looks as if the only job I can get is the one I currently have. Wake up Grantham...you students need both Regional and ABET accreditation. I have been told by Grantham, We’re obtaining both since 2001. It isn't going to happen...bad on you for not keeping your word Grantham...shame on you!
Use of Technology: It could use improvement. I t does use very good technology for software via distance learning. I think using some hands-on circuit breadboards, multimeter, and a hand-held o-scope would be very beneficial. Also, use video for instructing students on-line.
My comments about cheating: I want to say I never cheated and for those that did...shame on you! You know Grantham’s "Code of Conduct" and its policy about cheating. It’s like any other school; if you’re caught you get in trouble. That should fall more on the person than Grantham because you can not get through life or your next job if you’re a cheater.
I would like to see from Grantham: Obtain Regional and ABET at the same time. Offer a Master's program for Engineering. Start an undergrad program for Electrical and Computer Engineering, Biomedical Engineering, and Biomedical Engineering Technology.
My final comments: Grantham if you can hear me...you know my thoughts since I constantly email about "what my expectations are from you" so wake up and smell the darn coffee. Also, for current Grantham students if you’re going to complain this is a good place, ripoffreport, and the Better Business Bureau. My advice to students is complaining to Grantham’s President, Dean and Provost and let them know just how you feel about the school. Also, let them know you’re unhappy and if things do not change for the better and soon you will take your money elsewhere. Grantham…its time to act now before it’s too late!
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Anonymous
(Graduate) on June 21, 2007
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Problems and More Problems
I earned the BSEET degree from Grantham in 2006.
Materials: Some of my early classes used the dated Grantham softbound booklets, but later classes used actual college texts.
Teachers: Unlike some of the other reviewers, I had no trouble reaching the instructors, and they were responsive/helpful.
Institution: Administratively, Grantham was absolutely abysmal. Keep copies of everything!
Value: WARNING! It appears most graduate schools and many employers refuse to accept this degree!!! For example, a "technology" degree is not considered a professional engineering degree by the US government, and you'll be told to "start over." I wish I would have known this before I invested the time and money. Also, Grantham claims to be working on ABET accreditation, but I'll believe it when I see it (they've been working on it for years now).
Use of Technology: Used MicroSoft Visual Studio for programming projects, MultiSim to simulate/test circuits, and MathWorks Matlab for higher level math courses. All good!
Bottom line: What a shame! Grantham offers a decent curriculum and a real chance to learn electronics engineering. In fact, a professional electrical engineer from a regionally accredited school was monitoring my Grantham coursework and thought it quite appropriate in both depth and breadth. Too bad it won't count for much. Save yourself some grief by sticking with regionally accredited schools!
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