University of Phoenix

If you intend to teach at University of Phoenix to earn 10 dollars an hour, forget about it. McDonald's is much better place to make the same amount of money. After all you donot deal with tens of students in the class and all those troubles you have to deal with to earn 1160 dollars in the US. This Salary is good if you teach somewhere in Africa and may be China or India but not the USA. This is not really a university for learning new stuffs that would give you your favorite job. It is a place for making huge profits for stockholders like in Wall-Street. So the bottom line is if you decide to teach at this place, think about working in a fast food restaurant first. After all, you will get free food at the end of the night shift and your 10 dollars an hour salary.  

They offered me 1160 dollars per course, 5 weeks, 20 hrs in-class and much more on line at home, office hrs and administrative work too. This is a new British-style slavary for money. Now neocolonialism has invaded academia for making huge profits. Thanks to the brain behind this so-called University of Getting-No-Where fir students by making money for profeteers. I used to teach at a university in Canada and the average salary for lab instructor for a semester was 7000 Canadian.

The school has a bad reputation with employers, and really doesn't care about anything but your money. They are right on par with ITT.

Hi,

Why are people so negative.  I have not had
any bad experiences and scheduled to graduate
in Jan.

School is awful - bottom line. People make fun of my degree so I don't advertise it. BTW I'm in huge debt. Should have gone to a state school.

non-profit does not mean the school is free to attend. The difference is for-profit schools pay out much of their profits to investors/share holders, and not much goes into the teaching of their students, whereas all the money earned goes back into the university for non-profit institution.

The fact that you don't know the difference shows much about your education at UofP. Calling hiring managers racist for not hiring UofP grads is just plain stupid.

People compare for-profit school to Wal-Mart but I feel that its unfair to WalMart. WalMart does not fancy itself anything other than a discount merchant. For-Profit schools on the other hand love to sell you the idea that their school are as good as any. 

To those who attended these schools, I have only this to say...just because you overpaid for your Ford, does not make it a BMW.

If you graduate from an for-profit school, people will not look at you as a college grad. Employer will pass you over for someone with a state or private university background. Even if you get hired because you have more experience or did better on the interview, the subject of college will always be a sore subject for you. 

People love to talk about their college experience, and how proud they are of their school. Around my office people hang their diploma proudly with coffee mug to boot. One kid foolishly hung up his University of Phoenix diploma and the next day someone wrote "novelty item" on it.

I felt bad for the kid but he needed a reality check. His so called degree just isn't on par with one from a State University or Private College. I blame the for-profit schools for pumping their student's head with these dumb ideas.

If you want to attend these schools I am not one to stop you, but please realize you're not really a college grad, you hold the equivalent of College G.E.D

Me I graduated from another school and am taking my masters at the campus in tigard oregon. Lots of professors from portland state are there which is nice. However the dumbass team assignments piss me off. I had this one girl who was a horrible procrastinator finally she dropped. I hope this is all worth it in the end. I am almost done with my MBA. Either way a couple years ago I never thought I would even have an associates im suprised I made it this far.

Notice how all these UofP graduates or attendee always start out by telling us a sob story? "I have five kids, a dog with two bad legs, an elderly mother to take care of, and I do all that while getting my PhD at UofP". They all have 3.6+ GPA as if it were that easy to get.

These for-profit schools are passing out B.A, B.S and even PhD like candy. This seriously diminishes the value of real degrees earned by those who went through years of hard work to earn it.

Every degree issued from for profit schools are like counterfeit money. It robs the value from those who hold real degrees. Don't stay silent anymore, speak out before its too late.

You've hit the nail on the head with this one. Producing more doesn't mean a thing if the quality is low. The Chinese produces tons more than American, but I doubt anyone would say their goods are better then our. 

It's about time people who earned real degree stand up and say enough is enough. We can't have these sub par schools push out their worthless degrees into the market place and expect the rest of us to value it. To those of you who went to for-profit, I'm sorry but you've been ripped off. You should not be mad at us for looking down on your degrees, and calling us snobs. 

Truth is you should have done your homework, and not buy into a easy degree route. An education is more than a piece of paper at the end. It's the interaction, contacts you make during those years that matter. 

A 3.96 GPA sounds impressive till one realize you went to U of P. Sorry but you are highly delusional if you think your U of P degree is on par with traditional University. Many of which have been around for 70 years or more with long list of successful alumi's. 

I speak from experience, see my ex girlfriend attended UofP and graduated with a degree in Business Admin (3.5 GPA). Funny thing is she barely got through high school with C's and D's, and UofP want us to believe out of nowhere she became an honor student graduating college with honors? Give me a break, I was there many times when she was logged in to class, and their group format was a joke. Most of her teammate was as clueless as she was, and she often asked me for help. 

I've seen first hand the quality of work they put in, and let me assure you it was not honor student caliber. In the end we parted ways because she was saddled with 40k worth of student loans, and could not find work in her field because her degree did not hold any weight in the real world. I tried to be supportive, but with my own student loans, mortgage, car note and other living expenses it got to be too much. 

I had not planed on commenting, but after reading your post I felt like I needed to. Not because I wanted to bash your degree or put you in your place, but to alert others who are just looking to attend UofP or any of the for profit colleges. 

You know, it baffles me.  I am currently an Axia student in my second year, working on getting my AA in Human Services Management.  I have straight A's so far except for one B.  I have never ever had any problems with Axia ever.

When I decided to take online classes, one of my first choices was University of Phoenix.  I had seen their commercials and thought that to put that much effort into their image that they must have something to offer.  I requested information on the website.  About two days later, I received a call from an enrollment counselor.  She was one of the nicest people I had ever talked to in my life.  She asked me about what my goals were, what my plans were, and what do I look to acheive for not only my career in the future but for myself.  She has been there for me since that day.  She calls me at least once ever two weeks.  My financial advisor and my academic advisor either call me or email me about once every month or two to see how I am doing and ask me if I need anything.  

I have seen something very repetitive with many of the complaints about Axia College of the University of Phoenix: A lot of the complaints involove financial aid.  In my honest opinion, I think that if students went into the experience of Axia motivated by a need and want to truly LEARN, rather than being motivated by the large financial aid loans they plan to request, they would have a much more successful and fulfilling experience.

A lot of people choose online learning because they think they will get a free ride.  They think that because it's online, it will be easier.  Or because it's online, they can cheat.  Or becuase it's online, they  can get lots of money and not have to pay it back.  

Axia College of the University of Phoenix is an accredited school with a rich learning experience that has provided me with more knowledge than I ever anticipated it would.  I have learned more through Axia than I ever did in high school.  For the record, and since it seems to be the initial reason people are unhappy (rather than being concerned about their education), my financial aid has only been late once and that was because there was a mistake on my part.  The staff at UoP have treated me wonderfully, and my experience here at Axia has been amazing thus far.  

A word of advice to those who have so many complaints about Axia-if you actually read every material provided  in the materials, read the syllabus' from beginning to end as you are required, follow all directions, do the work, and turn it in on time, you might see that Axia is a real school in which what we learn and the benefits we get depend on the decisions we make as students.  One last thing: if you don't have faith in Axia College of the University of Phoenix as a school, then you obviously didn't have faith in yourself as a student or else you would have did your research and sought out a school that lived up to your standards.

Sincerely,
A happy Axia Student   

To everyone complaining about student debt, no degree, no job placement, etc... You would be in the same position if you were in any other school. You are irresponsible and lack motivation. I have been a UoP student for a few years and absolutely love the online learning experience. If you have found yourself in a pickle it is your own doing. Log in every day, participate in the discussions, turn in assignments on time, and study hard. UoP requires effort and dedication to graduate. Quit complaining and get back on track. You have no one to blame except yourself. Whining on the internet about how you never graduated and have a ton of debt accomplishes only one thing; it tells the world you're a fool.

I'm currently attending their Masters program for General Psychology, and I must say I have found the quality of several professors lacking. Last week I performed a little experiment, sending in a vastly sub-par paper which was clearly (at least 150-200 words) below the minimum word count, and received a perfect score. Not all classes have been like this, but anyone attending the college should beware that the vast majority of learning will be done by yourself. There have been mostly two forms of evaluation for your work taking the online courses: discussion questions and papers. I have not "participated" throughout this course, which means commenting on others' discussion questions and posts, and still have an A-. It's not what I expected out of a Masters program, but it is far from being a worthless experience. You have access to any number of possible workshops which act as mini-courses in the subject matter of your choice, as well as helpful writing tools and an online university library which contains just about anything you could hope to look up. Whether this is worth the price of college tuition, however, I am not so sure. It doesn't feel like a real college, more of a business that happens to give its clients coursework and a diploma at the end of the contract. 

I am almost done with my degree and one thing I noticed in the software engineering upper level programming classes (vb.net)is that while the assignments were difficult and challenging, students who I did not even turn in half of the programs (or who did not know the difference between HTML and a programming language, forget the fact there were two web classes, and two java classes already) still apparently appeared in the 2nd vb.net classes (obviously they passed the first vb.net class).  How?  There is no way to tell how the university is grading their students.  So far all I have seen is completion rates from their reports.  What they really need is grade averages per course.

I know its not easy to get an A.  But to get a C (which if I am not mistaken is needed to pass the class) must be beyond easy.

Wow!  That's super crazy!  If you don't mind me asking where were you attending?  I'm actually looking into doing some online courses cus my husband and I move so often.  We're a military family also.

Sorry to hear such a horrible experience.  Hopefully you're having a better time with another school.

I would not recommend UOP to anyone. The Instructors really don't care about you. No matter how hard you try it's never enough for them. When I first started everything was fine....then low and behold, I had the Instructor from HELL. Anyway, I withdrew and I'm applying somewhere else to further my education.  

HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE! To all military BEWARE! The dean of my program made it well known that she did not like military! I graduated with honors from a state university but got the boot here?????????? The dean of my program was seriously lacking in ethics as she told me I did not make it in of other students! The finance dept told me however that I made it. Serious problems here! I do not want to be taught ethics from someone who has none! I paid money just to get away from University of Phoenix! The dean also decided to try to argue with me and tell me that the ship that I was re-enlisting on was sinking. Really a dean who does not know about water displacement???????? She said, "Why would anyone want to re-enlist on that ship it is sinking! It is halfway under water!" All the military in my class were kicked out after they got our money. That says a lot doesn't it?

#1. I love the UOP-online learning experience. They have excellent database access for research and many wonderful tools to help you succeed with your education.
2# I have advanced as a student with my education here.
#3. Way to expensive, and they just sent out e-mails about a price increase! I will be paying over $1500.00 for a 5 week course and almost $2000.00 for 7 weeks.
#4. I have often felt I was actually paying to obtain this degree and would earn it regardless of academic performance. What I mean by that is I would receive excellent scores for work I knew was far from excellent. I am not even certain the facilitators read half the assignments submitted.
#5. The team aspect is excellent.

So, all in all...if you are not concerned about price, UOP is an excellent school. If you are not concerned with learning all the material because there are no tests, only projects and busy work...then UOP is an excellent school. IF you want a quality education at an affordable rate, go elsewhere!

UOP is a rip off.  I say if you want to spend this kind of money go get an education at Heald or other programs in your area.  They instructors are a joke.  What they offer you after you have paid thousands of dollars is a position to be an online instructor.....I don't have a desire to be a teacher.  Not only that, I had suffered a heart attack and was in the hospital for over a week.  They threatened to exspell me for abscenses, they didn't care that it was a medical emergency.  They don't care about you as a person, the only thing they care about is the money they get from you.  Then when they have it you are just a student that made them rich, no job placement, no nothing.  Don't waste your money.

Military members do not attend this school. They are not conducive to our work schedules and if you withdrawal early for military commitments, not only do they say it's okay, they charge you a tuition fee for withdrawing early even though you have no control over your work schedule. Again military members, stick to the classes that are offered on your bases and stay away from these crooks. Thank you for ripping me off UOP!!

I am at $28,000 in school loan debt and have nothing to show for it, I finsihed all my undergrad credits at the UOP and a few classes into the education program, however im questioning why we dont recieve a AA. I am actually more lost then ever on what to do next, I want to see if some credits can be transfered and how much loans I will need to actually recieve a degree..Not fun! I think they should charge less and give at least one more class a week.

I agree, you can not come out of school expecting favor simply because you attended an Ivy League institution. It is the experience and your willingness to learn and prove yourself, as you have indicated, that makes the difference. I have met many individuals who have received their degrees from B & M schools. I do not see them getting exposure to real world experiences, only book learning.  I have a lot of marketing experience and the simulations at UOPX really bring the text to life. You get to make decisions that have impact on a business situation, and you get to see the result. To me, that has great value.

I have just completed my master in administration of justice and security.....my professor's were well established and had an abundance of knowledge about numerous topics in criminal justice...I would agree that U of P is a little high , but each class was very informative....My advisors were great!!!

If you are a University of Phoenix student. Go checkout ace your college classes. com it is a site that allows you to post your homework questions and earn money answering questions!

I have been with the UofP since March 2009, and due to my crazy work schedule, I typically take a class and then take about a month off, so this has pushed my graduation date to July, 2012. If I had to do it over again, I probably wouldn't choose UofP again, only fore the fact that they are very expensive, and I am looking at a $30,000 loan to pay back when I am done. Other than that, I do feel like most of the classes have been challenging (working towards a BS in Business in Human Resources Management), although I do not care for the learning teams as well. But as far as being able to work on assignments and access the site whenever I need to really fits with my work/life schedule. 

This school scammed me (I mean the Federal Govt Student Loan system) for more than 20K. I am now bankrupt, don't have a degree to show for it, no job placement from UOP, and I'm about to sell this computer so I don't go homeless. I wish this school never existed.

I am currently UOP Axia online student, I am very seriously thinking about transferring to a different college. I am currently in comp 2 now, and so want to just quit. After reading all of the complaints about the school itself, I am actually wondering where all of my financial aid is going myself. help

I'm a year into it and I really enjoy this school. I'm a stay at home mom. UOP makes it easy for me to pursue my degree. It's also the easiest school that I've ever been to. I know some people might think that is a bad thing, but I like that everything is laid out and easy to follow. If you miss something you can just go over the material again (unlike a live lecture)  

This school was designed by a business. Give the easy grades so the customer will buy more classes. This school SUX!!!!!!

Hi, I'm a reporter with an investigative reporting institute in San Diego. I'm writing a story about for-profit colleges and universities such as the University of Phoenix. I'm interested in talking to anyone who has attended or taught at a school like this. 
I'm looking for both positive and negatives experiences and would be very grateful for any assistance or tips you may be able to give me. 

You can contact me at sandycoronilla@watchdoginstitute.org or 619-594-5318. 

Thanks!
Sandy

I have been going to UoP for over a year now and I have never had trouble. I read through these comments and the school does not say the "instructor is always correct" I have filed a complaint against one of mine and that was taken care of right away. Also, I have had two academic counselors(the first one moved to another state) and the same finical aide adviser. They are knowledgeable and get back to me in a timely matter. I still hear from my enrollment counselor and she asks how I am doing and how are my classes. Instructors do grade papers, I will admit I am not always good in grammar and every single one has corrected my grammar so far. I start my Criminal Justice classes in August and I work hard for my 3.5 GPA. I read the material, take the time to write my papers and always finish the group projects early. I used to be a nanny and the mother went to UoP and obtain her masters and after she graduated she was made LEAD CASE MANAGER for private education school. If businesses did not take UoP degrees seriously why would have a lead case manager position? In my current class there is an officer who is pursing a Psychology degree and he said many other officers go to UoP as well. 

They lied to me too , Was trying to switch my major and my adviser told me to stop posting in my classes . I faxed all the paper work in and come to find out the sent all my loan money back and trying to charge me over 3,000 . Stay away from the school.

Hi Mark, I agree this school takes anyone whom can not get into a real University willing to pay for a piece of paper.

@Patricia:  I feel not threatened at all from UoP students, I attended a real University and by the way we don't hire anyone from UoP due to bad experiences.

@Old School:  Your comment " the likelihood of your credits transferring are great!", tell me that you are not sure about that, now did UoP teach critical thinking????

Correct an employer looks for lab work, co-ops completed, in class assignments and reputation of a school.  I WOULD NOT hire anyone from that school.

I am a University of Florida alumni, my girlfriend is taking classes at UoP and I am stunned about the online program.  What a joke.  You posters here stating how hard your degree was, go to a real University with class meetings.  Most of you would not make it.

This is a problem that we have. It is only peer based learning for the most part. Right ?  So would a employer want someone who has done more than that ?  Good for you if it works out.  Have a good day.

What the problem may be is no labs, no co-op.  It is only peer based learning.  So why would a employer chose a person who has done less legitimate work over someone who has ?

Please do not go to University of Phoenix. The staff and instructors are NOT good. They don't care about the students, the staff are not helpful at all. They cannot keep up with student counselors. They accuse students of plagiarism falsely and put student in academic probation if you have a B- in the MBA program. The prices are extremelly high. I was not learning because I was writing papers all the time and doing DQ only. They don't give you time to read the material and they don't provide the books but you get charge for the reading materials online. The setting is horrible. If you work, don't go to Phoenix. You will have to make a decision between work or go to college because you will be STRESS. I used to have chest pain all the time. No one wants to accept any credit hour from University of Phoenix. That college is a big JOKE...don't go there if you don't want to be in debt and don't learn anything....Trust me!!!!

Can someone comment on the actual onlin courses
they took. Did you like the stucture of how 
the classes were taught? If anyone haas already
taken a Business Admin. course, please comment.
I'm interested in getting feedback. Thanks

Wow...this is pretty interesting stuff. I've been reading up about online schools because I am interested in doing a little bit of teaching, but cannot commit (nor want) a full time teaching job right now.  I can say that what I see here is very similar to comments about Northcentral's Online school...which is also regionally accredited.  I have 3 degrees in Business from AACSB accredited universities (BSB to Doctorate)...all respected in the NYC metro area, but not top tier Ivy leagues. So, I can say that, yes, bias exists no matter what your situation may be! I've seen college grads from Ivy's get to the top of the interviewing schedule simply because of that reason. But, I've worked alongside many Ivy grads in various capacities, and I've interviewed a good number of them.  Many are smart, yes.  But at the end of the day, you make your own success...it's just a matter of getting in there and proving yourself.  I'm much more eager to hire someone who wants to work hard and learn their profession as opposed to someone who comes in thinking they are "entitled"...which is silly, I feel.  

Re: online vs. B&M style, most B&M colleges are offering online courses...a LOT of online courses.  Both private and public not for profits; let's face it, school is a business...people can successfully learn in a variety of ways.  Some do better in a class format, others do not.  Working online may work better for some, groups may work better (or not) vs. independent learning.  A lot of this is what you make of it.  But, I would be concerned w/any graduate program that is open admissions...I do find that a little troubling.  And, even online schools can find ways to beef up their staff ....so, I'd advise everyone to shop carefully.  Many MBA programs offer flexible learning now (online, saturdays, etc.), so it's best to shop carefully and wisely!. 

UOP is a REAL school, and operates through the Higher Learning Commission and the North Central Association of Schools and Colleges. Regional accreditation is very important for several reasons. Even though there are never solid guarantees, the likelihood of your credits transferring are great!

I am proud to say that I am a future graduate of University of Phoenix. I am a 55+ female who has felt challenged during the entire Bachelor of Science Management degree program. I will be walking across the stage to graduate in July after many grueling hours of work to maintain my 3.83 GPA. What I find is that most of the complainers on this website have one of three issues: (1)could not pass the classes due to lack of effort or intelligence, (2)possibly could not accept the constructive feedback from one of their instructors, or (3)enjoy feeding off the negativity of the other posts!

If you are unhappy with your situation at UOP, first speak with your enrollment counselor who enrolled you, then go to your academic counselor, and definitely speak with the directors, managers, and the instructors. You are paying for your education and have every right to take compaints to the top. 

UOP is recognized by multitudes of employers who often hire graduates from UOP.

By the way, I do not work for UOP. Actually, I work for another school!

The only degree you get from this place is one in BS. 

A University is only allowed to be accredited by one
of six regional education institutions that exist in the USA by law. There is also national accrediting for some universities outside of the six agencies. Who the accrediting council is for a university depends on where in the United states its main location is that handles education credit issues. A school cannot recieve 
financial aid unless it is in complience with federal
regulations and the U.S. department of education.
UOP is recognized by the U.S. dept. of Education.
Yale and Harvard charge a lot of money so are they
also bad Universities. Brown and Princeton University 
now offer online degrees. You have to take some courses 
on campus to complete your degree there though.
I am a UOP student and my brother works with police officers who are earning their degrees from UOP.
Many government and military personel earn their education at UOP. I feel that most people who say 
bad things about UOP are the people who could not survive the courses so the quit. The programs are
demanding for an online degree. I say have some self respect for yourself. Be proud of the credits you have earned and stop putting down the UOP because you could not keep up with courses. The U.S. Department of 
Education has the UOP listed as a legitimate University.

I agree with Mary. I think that you are education snobs. I graduated in June from UOP with a masters in health care administration; and I'm considering returning this year for my MSN. I work full time and I'm in my 50s. I've been an RN for 33 years; and I do not consider UOP an easy degree. There are pretty hefty writing assignments and research every week. I don't know how old you are or how much experience you have; but I think that many of you are ignorant of the facts. You just grab on to what you hear from the media and do not research what you hear. I know the work I put forth. I have always been an excellent student and this degree was a challenge for me. I enjoyed it so much that I would like to return. I do not have the time to sit with young adults and collegiate snobs to know I received a worthy education. I graduated with a 3.96 GPA; and I am focused. I would be interested in researching your transcripts. Just because you received your degree from a traditional college or university, it doesn't mean you are more worthy of a future than me. It is dependent upon what you put into your education. Don't label us. I'm proud of who I am.

University of Phoenix's quality is no more or less than other universities. I find it amusing that others in traditional institutions are so threatened by UOP that they must constantly berate its quality and try to chip away at its relevance. The University of Arizona actually copied UOP's cohort learning model, which is ironic since UA and its Eller faculty members are some of the loudest UOP protestors.

The more relevant question, in my humble opinion, are the caliber of indiduals graduating from these institutions. Having interviewed, hired, and fired numerous employees over the past decade, I can tell you that some of the best employees I've ever had were one's with a UOP degree. I've fired two UA employees, and regretted hiring many others. If employee value is any measure of a university program, then UA is a failure.

Traditional business programs like that offered at the UA are overrated. The faculty members are and administration at UA are so full of themselves, they can't see beyond their own bloated sense of self-admiration. Online learning now offers numerous choices for those seeking a college degree. Do your homework, and choose a university that is student centered and meets your needs instead of the needs of its pompous faculty and administration.

RESPONSES LIKE THIS IS WHAT MAKES ME WANT TO TRANSFER. THIS IS ABSOLUTELY RIDICULOUS, AND THE GRAMMAR AND SPELLING ARE ATROCIOUS. AFTER READING THIS I AM DEFINITELY TRANSFERRING. I WANT A CHALLENGE,NOT TO DO "SHEET" AND GET AN A. 

Taking distance learning classes has many advantages.  The student however needs to be a bit more focused and disciplined University of Phoenix  offers a wide range of curriculums to pursue. But may mot be for everyone.

For-profits tend to offer more short-term certificate programs, while community colleges focus more on two-year degree programs, said Susan Lehr, a lobbyist for Florida Community College in Jacksonville. She said 70 percent of students at community colleges also start out in non-credit remedial classes, which puts them behind in their pursuit of a degree. She said for-profit colleges don't require struggling students to take remedial classes.

"You'll often hear them brag that they produce way more graduates in health care professions, and that may be true, because they're pumping out these six-week certified nursing aide programs that we don't offer," Lehr said.

Aloha Dear Faculty

I regret to tell you that the we have had to cancel the Holiday party for the staff and faculty this year due to budget constraints. The Hawaii Directors team is very sorry to have to do this, but we really had no choice. Fortunately, we were able to hold our grand opening for the downtown SRC earlier this month because the funds for this came from the region’s marketing budget set at an earlier date.


The Academic Affairs team at the campus is quite sad about this, and we consulted with the directors team to see if we could hold an alternate type of event to enjoy the company of our faculty and their guests. So, I would like to see if you would be interested in participating in a “pot-luck pupu” party at an open house at the downtown SRC. We would host this on Friday, December 10th beginning at 5:30 p.m. If everyone brought a pupu plate and a guest, we could put on some music and still enjoy each other’s company for some holiday cheer. 

If this is of interest to you, could you please respond to this email and let me know. We would love to see you and spend some relaxed time with you. I will let everyone know if the party will be a “go.”

We appreciate all that you do for the university, and we are sorry that the times do not allow for the usual display of our gratitude for your dedication to our students and the Hawaii campus.


Sincerely

Gene

Any of you who believe the Yo Doggy Dogg guy talking in ebonics about the P is real, aren't smart enough to be in college so you shouldn't even be here talking. The fact that anyone can leave as many anonymous comments as they want here completely invalidates the credibility of all the comments.

I think people resent UoP because when you graduate from there, you can claim to have the same credentials as someone from MIT or Harvard.  Having a BS, MS, or PhD is the same credential regardless of where it comes from.  At least that is what people think in general.  This is certainly not true.  The quality of the education is something that is usually overlooked.  As someone who has an earned PhD, I can say I resent people from UoP who are self proclaimed Doctors.  I went through a long process of high quality education to get a PhD and I am prepared to defend what it stands for.  The PhD from UoP is weak and the saturation of these degrees cheapens my own.  With no admissions requirements and the most basic accreditation behind them, UoP has been able to make millions of dollars at the expense of the US taxpayer and reputation of the US education system.

My posting 11/17/10
I meant to say "Yea....I don't know who advertises more UoP, Kaplan or Devry."

agreed. Unfortunately UOP probably has so much PAC money flowing into congress, that this kind of 'education' will never stop. Dumbed down college for the really dumb willing to pay a lot. I feel bad for the suckers that have degrees from this business (they might as well change the name to Apollo U)

Public popular opinion thinks UoP is a fake degree.  The school accepts 100% of people who are willing to pay and is a drain on the taxpayers.

Yea....I don't know ho advertises more UoP, Kaplan or Devry.

grinds on. I love the UOP employees that post on this site. They must make like an extra $2 an hour to post good things about this school. damn shame.

Well, your opinion is, your opinion.  I am not a genius, by any means.  However, I consider myself to be of at the least "normal intelligence".  That being said, while I have been attending UoP, I have been homeschooling my 10 year old daughter, taking care of a four bedroom home, tending to four animals, and one extremely supportive husband.  Even if I will (in the end) have obtained a worthless degree ( as some call it), the fact remains that I worked my rear end off for it.  And if it makes me feel better, then I see no reason why I should not go for it.  I have been to a "traditional school".  The instructor ignored all of the students, he just passed me without having actually passed the final.  I did not have the opportunity to go to a "better" school.  The one thing that bothers me about all of the ripping that UoP is receiving.......I have a friend who is employed by the state in which I live, and they are paying for her to go to UoP to further her career.  I wonder....if UoP is so bad, why on earth would they pay for her tuition and support her in going to UoP to further her career?

Furthermore, the instructors have degrees from all sorts of colleges!  They also work IN THE FIELD in which they teach!  This has to count for something!  I'm sorry if *most* of you feel as if this school is a major rip off.  However, I feel differently.  Not to mention the fact that I have job prospects already lined up and they are very well aware of where I have been attending school!  Now, I have my opinions, you have yours.  I am very respectful of your opinions.  They are, afterall, YOUR opinions.  :)  I just believe one way, you believe another.  No harm no foul.  I was just here to represent my school in a positive manner.  Good day to you all!

Here here. UOP is a sham. Snake-oil salesmen doing what a normal business does : make money, or save money. DONE. UOP is the master of this.

The degree is a joke, and only institutions like govt jobs take worthless degrees like this. Pitiful.

Mary, you are just pushing the bad reputation.  "Most have at least one degree from UoP."  Yes, because nobody else will take the degree as a qualified one to teach with.  Nobody said the people at the school are stupid or worthless, the school itself is, as well as the degrees it grants.  I have a few friends who attended UoP and they are good people, but the degree does not help them.  I can think of much better things to spend $40K on than a Bachelors degree from UoP.  Like going to a state public school with a way better reputation and costs half as much.  UoP advertises and screws people.

Glad you feel that way. Unfortunately the reputation of this school already discounts your degree to worthless. I'm sorry you're wasting your time. UOP has deceived and screwed you.

Wow!  I am utterly amazed at the negative comments here and the hateful remarks I see people posting towards one another.  Are we not all adults?  If the answer is "yes", then act like it!  Yes, I am attending UoP.  Quite frankly, I have absolutely nothing negative to say about it.  My enrollment counselor was extremely helpful.  She was never pushy.  I have had 2 academic counselors and 2 different financial counselors.  Each one has been positive, informative, and very understanding in the amount of calls and emails I send his or her way.  I have never had to dispute grants, aid, or anything else.  My instructors have all held degrees in the fields in which he or she teaches.  Most have at least one degree from UoP.  Each instructor responds to me in a timely manner.  The classroom work is very difficult at times.  I currently hold a GPA of 3.7 and rest assured, I have worked my butt off for it!  I have spend countless hours reading, writing essays, working on presentations, etc.  I also home school my daughter of 10 years old.  Not to mention, my child is currently being tested for ADHD, ODD, and anxiety disorders.  Teaching her has NOT been easy.  I have a 4 bedroom home, 4 dogs, and a husband.  I am NOT lazy, I work very hard in my home and for my child and for myself.  I will be very proud to be a University of Phoenix graduate.  Incidentally, I finish my course load in April.  I have already spoken to many prospective employers and they are very well aware of my up and coming degree and are more than willing to hire me once I graduate.  I did my homework.  I did the research regarding UoP.  I am not a "normal" student by any means.  I am 36.  I will be the first to graduate in my family and am very proud to say I will be  UoP graduate.  Education is really what you put into it.  I have worked my butt off to get where I am.  
All of those who continually bad-mouth UoP may have legitimate excuses.  However, for me, my experience has been wonderful.  Especially compared to my experience with a local community college with an instructor who did not respond to my questions in a timely manner and who did not show a personal interest in my passing.  
I'm done!  Stepping off my soap box now.  Thx for listening!  :-)

Last year.3/10 leading dissertations came from UoP? And what do you have to say to those Ivy-asses who crashed the stockmarket! Goodbye...you are lucky you had 10 minutes of my time.

Yeah, I agree, Micronesia needs some graduates to help.  Too bad you could not find a job in the US to use your degree at, but then again, nobody here respects Phoenix, so I suppose it was inevitable.

Stop worrying about adults seeking education...spend your time worrying about our high-school-aged children seeking their education on-line. I have worked my butt off for you people (as a nurse) for 40 years. America is full of snobs and our economy status shows it. As I move to a third world country to serve medicine to the locals, I will remember you snobs. All of you need to get a life, and I WILL finish my UOP dissertation in Micronesia.

They lied to me. I have a lot of debt. They keep calling me to get my friends to sign up

why does UOP have an advertisement on every single website I surf. What is the desperation all about? This school is shady. You don't see normal schools doing this.

Do not attend this school. First I have had five to six Academic Counselors and almost as many Financial Aid Counselors; I attended for a few months over two years. Well the scholarship/grant they say they give you was never awarded until I pushed the issue. Now I have been dealing with for over a month they returned funds to my lender after a month plus of communications more on my part than theirs and no response from the FA manager. I have been told the funds was sent back due to ineligibility I asked why I was ineligible for the funds two days later no response they have to do more research. In the process of them claiming to resolve what initially they stated was an error on their part which has turned into ineligibility I received several letters stating that I have had a withdrawal or break in attendance greater than 29 days and that my account will be sent to collections. I was told that the letters are generated through a system but they could not tell me why since I have not had a break or withdrawal or any attendance issue for that matter.  These are just the most recent issue not mentioning the other number of problems I had to deal with. Although they told me my issues have never happened before in speaking with some other attends of U OF P has determined that not to be true.

If you are a current or former student of the University of Phoenix - Axia college, whom enrolled on or after 2/01/10 - please check out my report at  hubpages.com/hub/firstyearsequence.  You may be a victim.

UOP sucks. Nuff said...

I am currently attending UOP and I've been hearing negative comments about it.  I am looking into attending a community school where I live and pay for my tution instead.  What's the deal with UOP?

Apollo’s poor data gives for-profit colleges chills
By Andrew Edgecliffe-Johnson in New York
Published: October 15 2010 00:13 | Last updated: October 15 2010 00:13
News of plunging enrolments at America’s biggest for-profit college group sent shares diving across a sector that is already under pressure from growing regulatory scrutiny of high dropout and loan-default rates.

Apollo Group, which offers online and on-campus degrees through the University of Phoenix, withdrew its previous outlook for its 2011 fiscal year late on Wednesday, and said that new student enrolments, which fell by 10 per cent in its latest quarterly results, could drop more than 40 per cent year on year in the coming quarter.

Shares in Apollo closed down 23 per cent at a four-year low of $38, while shares in Career Education, Education Management and Strayer Education fell 15 per cent, 23 per cent and 13 per cent, respectively.

Investor fears spilt over to the Washington Post, where losses at its flagship newspaper have been balanced in the past by its highly profitable Kaplan education arm. The company, in which Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway holds a 22 per cent stake, ended down 9 per cent at $390.25.

The sector had already been targeted by short-sellers in recent months, after government warnings that for-profit colleges could risk losing federal funds if they cannot demonstrate that their courses lead to “gainful employment”.

Apollo highlighted “ongoing regulatory and other scrutiny, which has led to heightened media attention, much of which has portrayed the sector in an unflattering light”.

For-profit colleges, which made profits of $2.7bn last year, have been fighting back against allegations that they have encouraged students to enrol who are ill-equipped to see through their courses or to pay back loans.

Such institutions teach almost one in 10 college students in the US, but receive almost a quarter of the $89bn of the “Title IV” loans and grants, making them heavily dependent on federal funding.

Apollo said in 2011 it would “approach but not exceed” a limit that no more than 90 per cent of a for-profit college operator’s revenues can come from the federal student loan programme.

The industry has launched an intense lobbying effort, and Apollo said it had made changes in its evaluation and compensation systems for admissions personnel, including eliminating enrolment results as a component of their pay.

Apollo said the steps it was taking would affect its results.

Looks like everyone's degree from UOP is about to be null and void ---

money.cnn.com/2010/10/14/news/companies/education_stocks/index.htm

I teach their, and I must say UOP is awesome. Tjhey's take care of me, and I teach the student. Good to go.

ht tp://w ww.geteducated.com/online-education-facts-and-statistics/latest-online-learning-news-and-research/369-for-profit-online-colleges-named-in-government-investigation-of-education-fraud-deceptive-marketing

htt p://abcnews.go.com/GMA/video/profit-education-investigation-11435587&tab=9482930&section=1206853

htt p://w ww.gao.gov/products/GAO-10-948T

I have absolutely nothing to say good about this school. On one of my last assignments, I placed 'easter eggs' throughout my paper. What I mean by that is I deliberately put spelling / grammar / fact mistakes throughout just to see... Yes you guessed it, I got an "A - great Job!". I don't think that flies in most normal schools....

UOP is what it is, a for profit corporation. Like any for-profit it needs money to survive. That is how capitalism works. The first five years I taught there I thought it was a great place. I felt like I worked at a school that was striving to be world class. I highly recommended the school to potential students. And, I recommended its graduates for jobs. 

The last five years I taught there I changed my tune. I stopped recommending the school to anyone and I stopped recommending its graduates for jobs or to graduate schools.  Why? Something isn't right. I am not sure what it is. I just know somethings wrong.  Did it grow too fast and too big? I think so. I really liked the concept. I think they placed profits in front of people and that is sad.

This school is nothing but bad news. It lies, cheats, and steals from the public and the government. For-Profit has ruined online education.

Don't dismiss me as just another irate consumer that was mistreated.  I know certain things you don't.  Without adequate federal funding UOP would not stand a chance.  You must encourage your subscribers to call the Department of Educationand demand the Gainful Employment Act become law.  You and your subscribers must demand it!! In case you are not literate to the law if the gainful employment act because law this school would not be able to increase tuition probably ever again and would probably be forced to cut its tuition in half which will snow ball into a layoff and launch its downfall.  

You have to understand the dynamics of the way the school works in order to understand this so you would have to just trust me on it.

I attended UOP a few years ago. During the sign-up process I was directed to use financial aid until my GI Bill was received from the Military. Unfortunately, Veterans Affairs never received my application from UOP because my enrollment counselor failed to refer me to a military counselor. Instead, she used me to meet her enrollment quota and gave willingly gave me false information. As a result, I now owe money to financial aid which is ridiculous since I receive free education benefits as a military veteran. UOP SUCKS and

Zero communication. When I do, it's like "I could of told myself what they just said to me". I have a sneaky suspicion the scum that rope you into the school, and sell shady financial aid packages to you, also teach you. They probably all have degree mill paper on their walls from UoP so UoP can say they're graduates, when they're just minimum wage workers teaching people. What a joke. No wonder this school has to be reevaluated every single year for its Regional Accreditation. Most decent schools only need that look every 10 years. WHAT A SCAM THIS SCHOOL IS.

I have been a student at the U of P for 25 weeks. In this time I have had 3 financial advisors. I was told by the first one I would need a certain amount for an academic year. Now I am trying to enter my third block in three weeks and was told I have to paY $1950 OUT OF POCKET in order to start in three weeks. Most instructors are not helpful, my new financial advisor is as rude as could be and I have not received a good reason why I have to pay $1950. I have received $5500 in loans and grants and have been told I need to pay more after only 25 weeks.

I obtained my Masters from Uop.  There were a few bumps in the road. I did not take heed.  I have 44 hours completed on my DBA and I am getting my "asks" out of that school.  They have serious problems and disputes are not settled.  The instructor is always right according to the school.  What is the use of dispute reconcilation if the teacher is always right.  I am out of there even if I lose credits.  I am not going to risk going off on another employee of this dubious institution.  I also taught there and trust me, many of the people I taught at Axia needed to be in junior high school.  It is not worth the time money and trouble.

This school is a scam. If you pay, you pass. Simply put. the fat cat CEOs want your money. They want you coming back all the way for your joke of a UoP Phd. They are the tick on the educationally crippled populace's a-ss. They suck you dry, and ruin your resume to boot. 

BUYER BEWARE. This school will give your resume less credibility.

University of Phoenix ruined my life! I'm $40,000 in debt with nothing to show for it...thanks a lot. I knew I shoulda attended University of Maryland!

Venture Capalists,
I don't wanna buy an accreditation, that is something that must be earned. I would not pay the professors or staff minimum wage.....trust me they would get paid good. As far as recruiting goes they wouldn't have to get pressured or harrassed for signing up. If its something the individual wants to do then ok, if not no biggy. Its sad how UoP, Kaplan, ITT, CTU, WIU, AIU, etc try to push people into signing up for their bullsh*t degree. I'm just tired of people getting ripped off from crappy schools. Hopefully one day these crappy schools will get shut down.

I would regard online universities as the absolute last resort for someone seeking higher education.
The quality of education these programs offer is minimal – there is simply no substitute for the kind of dynamic interactions and discussions that commonly occur in face-to-face college courses. Also, the quality of educator is significantly less at online universities – the best faculty choose to teach at real colleges and universities. Both the pay and work environments are far superior to online universities. So, for great classes from great instructors, go to a real college or university.
Also, because of the minimal training they offer, employers and graduate institutions place little value in degrees earned from online programs. Many of these programs lack even basic accreditation for the degree programs they offer.
Bottom line – you will receive little if any personal or professional benefit from online universities relative to what you could have received from a real college or university.

Gucci,
just get a bunch of venture capitalists to give you $10 mill, and you can buy your Regional Accreditation just like UoP did. Then you can pay Masters degree holders less than minimum wage to teach your classes. However, I recommend against the slimy recruiting UoP endorses.

I honestly think we can start our own online college....pick out majors, have a solid mission statement, fair tuition, qualified instructors, not lie, cheat, or steal, etc. Who's in?

the recruiters of this crap school are so slimy and corrupt, they will enroll anything that qualifies for financial aid. They will lie cheat and steal to get you approved. It is a scummy situation encouraged by the thieving CEOs that pay off congress to look the other way. Apparently they're not paying congress enough because of the recent Dept of Education investigation...

ROTFLMAO at the dog got enrolled in UoP!!!

Whats his major....barkology?

htt p://video.pbs.org/video/1485280975/

This school doesn't care what it lets in, as long as it can pay. My friend actually enrolled his dog (somehow the student aid got approved). UoP will do anything for money.

I keep reading....For-Profit and Non-For-Profit Education; and UOP is a For-Profit. Please let me know where the non-for-profit school are located; because I would love to go to school for FREE. (I'm sorry we are in the USA...higher education is not free.) All colleges and universities are for-profit and community colleges and major universities that have been around since the early 1900's are offer classes online. 

Someone made a comment about how their community collage only took 6 out of 12 credit hours. That's is common amount all colleges and university. No school is going transfer all credit hours accumulated at different school. 


To prove UOP is accredited, the community college accepted part of the credit. I known a few people that have receive the BA at UOP, and receive the MA at a different university...such as Washington University. 

The people that did not have a good experience at UOP it wasn't the best school for you. Far as making all A's....Adults tend to take education more serious.

Finally, UOP has a ground Campus in AZ and employees that refuse to hire graduates from UOP...shame on you. Your are no different then people that want hire someone because of their race.

This school lies to you, lets people who barely got their Master's teach you, and then charges you way too much. In the real world, businesses scoff at UoP, because they know what kind of crap it is. BE - FRICKING - WARE. Go anywhere but here.

It isn't AASCB... it is AACSB

Do not go to this school. Go to ANY other online school (except Grantham is probably worse). You will waste your money, time, and look like a jerk.

An impartial response - the ONLY online school attempting to gain its AASCB accreditation is TUI University. Just the facts. They don't have it, and it doesn't mean they'll ever get it, however at least they're making an attempt, unlike the gigantic cash register that UoP is. I think UoP is working on sharpening its lying techniques to get new suckers to enroll. What an absolute horror story.

@AASCB so which online schools are similar to Nordstrom or Macys?

Well said!!!!

No, UOP is not AASCB accredited. That means its business degrees are not accepted in the business world. Plain and simple, go ahead, look it up. The .99 cent store of business schools.

@Accreditation I don't want a 'Walmart' education, I want a Nordstrom education!

To the nasty negative people here. Go to the US Dept of Education OR the Education Connection so see the information posted. This is real information and not simply made up. I am not lying...

The above information came from the US Department of Education, SO the UOP IS accredited,  just NOT for business degrees, information technology or even psychology. You must DO your homework BEFORE you choose to go to college. The fit  must be right. No one will tell you this data, you must be the adult, and look for yourself...I can not post websites here so look it up for yourself at Education Connection of the US Dept of Ed...

Regional accreditation, on the other hand, is the standard recognized by most traditional colleges and universities, and is therefore more widely accepted. Both national and regional accreditation is recognized by the U.S. Department of Education, but regional accreditation makes it easier to transfer college credits to other regionally accredited institutions.
Why is Accreditation Important?
According to the US Department of Education, college accreditation is used by both students and universities to: 
•	verify that a college or university meets established standards. 
•	help students identify acceptable colleges or universities. 
•	help colleges and universities determine the acceptability of transfer credits. 
•	establish goals to raise the standards among educational institutions. 
•	establish criteria for professional certification and licensure and for upgrading courses offering such preparation. 
•	establish a basis and criteria for receiving federal financial assistance and student aid. 
You can check your school's accreditation by visiting the following:
•	Middle States Commission of Higher Education 
•	Northwest Commission of Schools & Colleges 
•	North Central Association of Colleges & Schools 
•	New England Association of Schools & Colleges 
•	Southern Association of Colleges & Schools 
•	Western Association of Schools & Colleges 
To check distance learning accreditation, visit:
•	The Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges & Schools 
•	The Distance Education & Training Council 

Institution: University of Phoenix
General Information
4635 East Elwood Street
Phoenix, AZ  85040-1958
Phone: 480-804-7600

Institutional Accreditation	* denotes an estimated date
Agency Name	 	 	 	 	 	 	 
North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, The Higher Learning Commission 
Accredited 	* 	01/01/1978 	- 		  	


 
Specialized Accreditation	* denotes an estimated date
 
Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education 
Nursing (CNURED) - Nursing education programs at the baccalaureate degree levels	Accredited	 	09/29/2005	-		 	

Nursing (CNURED) - Nursing education programs at the graduate degree levels	Accredited	 	09/29/2005	-		 	

Teacher Education Accreditation Council, Accreditation Committee
Graduate Teacher Education Accreditation Council (GTEAC) - Graduate programs	Pre-Accredited	*	12/01/2007

The university is not accredited for business or IT. DO the homework. It is accredited for nursing specialties and education...	-

Well, I think the nasty people on here could not make it in online education, and this is the root of their angerand angst. I know many people who have gone to this school, AND who are very successful. Many nurses, military peronnel, teachers etc...I have been to both B & M and asynchronous environments...I have a masters degree and am on my way to an EDD. I received my root based education from a prestigious B&M university , and worked hard for that too. UOP has never given me a bit of trouble. I admit the sneaky practices have ruined the reputation of the university, and this is simply a shame.I am NOT happy with them for this...To the people who state the UOP ruines online education:  UOP was the FIRST online university so...the belief they are ruining online education is stupid at best...I feel sorry for some of you on here whose funds have been tampered with, stolen or confiscated by the UOP.I am sorry for those of you who have failed classes and not made the grade. Taking your money is WRONG unfortunately however; this is capitalistic AMERICA people, and this crap happens everywhere.Grow up or quit school. No one is going to give you a break, even a college. Teachers stand in front of the class and lecture, I know, I am one of those teachers. Which do I prefer? I prefer online because I can do a better job at teaching myself. I do not need to be taught. Give me the syllabus, someone to grade the work, guide me through the program, and I'll make it through..Do your homework because this university is solid, and you are simply pissed because they stole your money..I would be angry too if they stole my money , BUT do not bash the education the UOP delivers, because it is good.

UoP is accredited every year by the North central association of colleges. All other good schools (normal) are accredited by North Central Assoc of colleges every TEN YEARS. If you have to be looked at yearly, it means you are on the fringe of losing your accreditation (ask any academic this question). If you are only accredited every 10 years, it means you have a solid foundation, and can be trusted to be a true academic institution. UoP is on the verge of losing big time. It sucks, and its accreditation is always teetering, with the sword of Damocles waiting to fall on its head. UoP is a business to make money, plain and simple. It sucks.

Accreditation is Quality; a school cannot be accredited without meeting certain standards (quality) so, if a school is accredited it means that it is at least meeting the standards of the agency that is providing the requirements.  In this case it is the Higher Learning Commission, and they are a member of the North Central Association of Colleges.  There is really no argument after this.  University of Phoenix is a recognized school that is offering what needs to be offered or better.  Most state schools have this exact same accreditation, If UOP was able to get it then that means they are meeting the requirements.

Beware, this UoP business school is not AASCB accredited. UoP is not a member, nor in the process of obtaining this accreditation, that would make their curriculum harder, and cost them millions. Your MBA from here is laughed at.

Don't insult Wal-Mart! UoP is a pot-smokers dream of getting an "education"

UoP is truly dangerous to all Universities, not just the other online ones. It is a bad experiment gone wrong, however good for the Congressmen and UoP CEOs, bad for the "prison rape pounded" students. Sad.

Please do not get accreditation and quality mixed up.  Accreditation means you are doing what you say you are doing, not validating the quality of the education.  It is no different than Walmart saying they are selling cases of beer made by Budweiser.  It is validated that Bud made the beer Walmart sells, but that says nothing of the quality of the product.  Quality comes from professional accreditation like AACSB, ABET, etc. (which UoP has none).  Why does UoP not have these?  Argue all you want that "it is not what they set out to do," but in reality, they would never meet the number of full time professors required to make the accreditation.  The school is really the Walmart of education.

I agree with you completely! There are numerous online programs at really excellent schools (even traditional B & M universities are offering degree programs online that are outstanding). UoP's reputation is ruining online education!!!!

UoP is ruining other online schools good reputation like TUI, Capella, and the likes. I really do hate UoP. Everywhere I look, there's an ad for that crap school. "Hey, go to school here, where our minimum wage adjunct professors will give half a damn about you, and give you a horrible education why our fat cat Apollo group CEOs rake it in" What a freaking joke. BUYER BEWARE.

Most are accredited by Northcentral region; they have a two tier system, one for the normal schools and one for the bottom feeders.  the former is usually a rigorous thing with ten year accreditation. the latter is a year by year thing.  Northcentral is being investigated by the department of education and I'm betting on a comeuppance soon; there will be a big shake up in the for profit and adult learning market; remember, it has grown SO quickly and it is so astronomically large in potential; there is always a development in quality with occassional shake out periods; at first all you have is the first entrant, in this case Phoenix; they get away with anything as they are the only game in town. then lots of quick entrants to the market as it is such a rich field, most will be crap; then big shake outs; what happens when Northcentral is forced to require that regionally accredited schools have mostly PhD faculty?  Phoenix will fold or radically change. It is a bad thing for all that attend, because its open acceptance policy cheapens the degree. Employers scoff at UoP degrees. They are a laughing stock. Its like wearing a kick me sign in the business world. Ironic, how all these businesses actually invest in the Apollo group, because it used to be a great money maker (but they won't hire its crap product). Funny.

University of Phoenix is a legitimate school that makes itself available to anyone who wants to pursue a higher education.  How is that a bad thing?  If someone wants to learn, why not give them the opportunity?  There are requirements that students need to fulfill, such as a 2.0 GPA for undergraduates and a 3.0 for graduate students.  If you fall below that GPA you will be put on academic probation, just like you would at a traditional brick and mortar state school.  I was reading above that the teachers at University of Phoenix are pressured to have their students pass.  All I have to say about that is - what teacher isn’t?  Every teacher who is passionate about what they do want to teach their students more information.  They want their students to succeed; they want their students to learn.  When I got my bachelors degree from Arizona State University, I came to the conclusion that teachers are more of a mediator, you really learn from everyone.  Your teacher leads the class but you really learn from your classmates, that’s why I believe the learning teams are put into University of Phoenix.  They want you to have contact with your peers.   
    Any education is a valuable one, and just because University of Phoenix will accept almost anyone that doesn’t mean that it is a bad thing.  They are still a regionally accredited school (which is the highest accreditation that any school can get by the way).  They have their accreditation through the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) and are a member of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.  University of Arizona and Harvard have their regional accreditation through the same commission, to give a quick example.

to be honest, schools like that tend to treat teachers like cattle; Univ of Phoenix is notorious for giving you a class, then not telling you anything and not assigning you anything for another year; adjuct faculty at these bottom of the food chain schools are not treated like real professors, as they are not real professors.  Just how these schools can be regionally accredited is beyond me in a way; WASC would never allow it.  Most are accredited by Northcentral region; they have a two tier system, one for the normal schools and one for the bottom feeders.  the former is usually a rigorous thing with ten year accreditation. the latter is a year by year thing.  Northcentral is being investigated by the department of education and I'm betting on a comeuppance soon; there will be a big shake up in the for profit and adult learning market; remember, it has grown SO quickly and it is so astronomically large in potential; there is always a development in quality with occassional shake out periods; at first all you have is the first entrant, in this case phoenix; they get away with anything as they are the only game in town. then lots of quick entrants to the market as it is such a rich field, most will be crap; then big shake outs; what happens when Northcentral is forced to require that regionally accredited schools have mostly PhD faculty?  Many will fold, others will radically change.  Univ of Phoenix is equvolent to a clown college, good luck to all the poor souls that waste their time and money
 

I can not beleive people still go to this school. What is wrong with the world. And you are defending it. To everyone that has gone here and received a good job congrats! You are lucky and prob have a great work history. Tips for find a good school. Online is ok if it is AACSB approved and if you contact your locate University not community college and ask if they would accept the Undergrade degree for their masters program. Gasp! No they wouldnt no if that was aceptable would they Gasp! No University is going to accept a crap school. And if you are going for your Masters or PHD...... Contact locate business and colleges and ask them if they would employ someone with your work history and education when completed form this aacsb onlin school.

As a PhD in Education, I can tell you a UOP teaching degree is not guaranteed accepted.  If the state requires NCATE, you are out of luck. As a former employee, I can tell you the contract does not say your accreditation requirements are guaranteed.  If you don't check it yourself before you apply, tough luck.  As the GAO investigation found, UOP is more then ready to lie to your face.

this school is a money grubbing suck heap. any one can get in if they can pay. too bad, what a waste of human energy.

To the aspiring teacher: YES the degree is valid. I am a nursing instructor, and nurse educator for a busy trauma center and community college. I liked the school and found I got out of the education what I put into it.I received my associates and baccalaureate degrees from traditional schools, but I attained my masters degree from the UOP. Online is the wave of the future BUT you must have discipline and self drive. I am testimony the degree is not a piece of trash. I worked hard for the degree. There are certain areas at the university where the degree is less valid HOWEVER; this goes with any college or university. You must do your homework as to what college is best suited for your degree and needs. Not all colleges are accredited for business or IT, you have to understand this...UOP is not fully accredited for all domains, especially business and IT.

My friend just graduated from there and since they contract out their professors, when my friend tried to get a letter of rec to apply at Cal State LA, they wouldn't give her one on letterhead. The professor didn't have access to the letterhead. So she didn't get into the program at CalState for that reason alone. 

Her employers told her the degree was a joke and they would even take a CSUN degree over that one. She was really torn up about it! :(

I agree that UoP is only out for the tuition and my mom is looking to apply with them and I'm making sure SHE DOESN'T!!!

Brandon, 
Suggestion, learn to spell!  
I must agree with some of the peoples posts, that the lack of basic writing and spelling skills with a lot of the students is far higher than I anticipated. It is frustrating and annoying on some level knowing that I am in the same program. I really apply myself and try hard to write clearly and spell precisely. I think UoP should have some sort of standardized test that you must pass before you can be accepted. 
However, I must say that I am learning a lot. I just started my AA in Psychology 3 weeks ago. And I don't know if its just a lack of basic education that a lot of students have(or don't have), or if it is just pure laziness and lack of motivation to make the most of it, but I know what I am putting into it and that is all I can control at this point.
Just apply youself and make the most of it. I never would have gone to college had it not been for the state of this economy. So I view this as an opportunity to better myself and my career aspirations. I am 34yrs old and Hope that when I am finished with this to move on to get a B.S. and hopefully find a career that is aligned with my passions. I am pro-online education, and believe it is a great stepping stone to the next tier. Good luck buddy.

I am going to the university, and I have already applied for several postions. All applications were accepted and are waiting for further credits. I only need a few before I will be accepted to teach where I want to. For me as a full time mom, student and employee, I do not have the time to go to a traditional school because I dont qualify for funding for childcare. I can only hope my degree takes me somewhere. If it does not, and in the contract that i signed, it states that if my degree is not recognized, then all my money will be refunded. I had this taken up to tigard and notarized while my financial counselor signed it as well. 
Point being, legally, cover your butts. Education is what you make it. I fully inted to teach once i graduate. Life is all about making mistakes to learn new stuff. Those are MY mistakes, and not one has the right to tell me I told you so.
For all of you being mean about the subject, you all have your own opinions. However I dont think pushing them onto other people is what we should all be doing. Lend your experience and respect will follow. 
If there are any teachers out there who attended U of P please reply so we can all see if the proof is in the pudding.

HI, I WORK OVER 200 HUNDRED HOURS A MONTH, I CANT FIND TIME TO ACTUALLY GO SIT IN A RGULAR CLASS FOR A FEW HRS, BECAUSE OF MY WORK. SO I REGISTERED FOR UOP. I HAD HEARD SO MANY POSITIVES ABOUT UOP, AND VERY FEW NEGATIVES. MY MOM WENT THERE SHE HAD A POSITIVE EXPERIENCE. AND I START AUG.30 WITH MY BAHELORS IN PSYCHOLOGY, DO U GUYS HAVE ANY SIGGESTIONS FOR ME?

I agree, not every school (for-profit or not-for-profit) has all of the programmatic accreditations out there.

Well, I suppose my experience is different. I went to both and am a different level of learning. Again, I had no problems with the school. I could NOT start without my transcripts; in fact, they called me several times when they did not get my transcripts telling me I could not start until they had them. I know other nurses who have also attended and they have had a similar positive experiences. Perhaps it has to do with the degree one is pursuing? I hear bad things about the IT program and Business degrees but the university is not accredited for those programs. Some traditional profit and not-for-profit universities also suffer a lack of accreditation. I know not every school is created equal. Some colleges are business oriented, some are liberal arts, some are science...I did my homework and am not unhappy at where I am today.

I can only speak from personal experience about the schools I attended (UoP, WIU, CTU, and CTC). I just got tired of seeing people say they had no other choice. In most cases, not only were there plenty of other for-profit colleges that were much cheaper, but there were also plenty of traditional colleges with online programs. There are even traditional schools that have been providing distance education programs longer than UoP and do a much better job at it.

In don't know about now, but in 2005/2006, UoP's math classes were on the middle school level. When I complained, they boasted about the classes being at the community college level. 

Legal issues Apollo Group has faced or is facing:

Apollo Group is now required to post a letter of credit with the government because of loan return rates.

Apollo Group lost a lawsuit over them paying commission to admissions counselors which is in violation of the Higher Education Act.

A lawsuit was reinstated claiming that the Apollo Group lied to stockholders by withholding information about the violation of the Higher Education Act. Apollo could go bankrupt if they have to pay back the money lost by stockholders.

UoP paid a fine for not meeting instructional hour requirements.

UoP was fined for not promptly returning loans and grants.

UoP  is lucky that the plaintiffs in a class action lawsuit decided not to go through with it, but another one is pending. The lawsuit is concerning the wrongful return of student loans in order to keep their default rates down. The school would rather force the students to pay out of pocket when they withdraw instead of having them possibly default on the loans. Default rates beyond a certain point disqualifies a school from receiving Title IV funding.

UoP settled with the Department of Labor for EEOC violations. 

Did I mention that UoP admitted me without asking for a high school or GED transcript? Schools with open enrollment also admit people with mental disabilities, but they don't care, because the government is paying for it. 

My coworker who is almost finished with his information technology program has learned very little about the subject because all he does is write papers about irrelevant topics. I had a coworker who graduated from Kaplan and got a job at AT&T that doesn't even require a degree.

I have had no trouble with the university. I am teaching, and also am enrolled in the EDD program. My employer values the education. No one has said anything bad except here, and a few nasty online forums. I too have attended both traditional university ( well respected university in Pa) and online from the UOP. I have learned more from the UOP...I had to work, study, and do well on my papers. Teamwork can be trying at times but you are only as good as your team. I hated traditional classroom, boring and unstimulating. At least with the UOP, I can do my class work when I am able, on days off, and at night. To me, this is far better than sitting in a classroom listening to a teacher lecture didactic on information I am simply not absorbing at the time.... That is forced learning, and when you are forced, you sometimes shut down. With online, I can learn more because I am ready to absorb the information. This is the flexible part. You simply get out of it, what you put into it. Traditional classroom was a joke to me. I learned nothing, and was tired from sitting in class until 10 pm , then having to drive home only to get up again in the morning AND tired from lack of sleep... I respect my instructors from UOP especially in the master's degree in nursing programs. Nursing seems to be the respected component of the UOP degree system.I do not know about other programs of study there however; I have learned and have had no trouble getting jobs anywhere. I teach and I love it!

Tammy, You put the same postings on reviews to Strayer University.  Are you posting about all the online schools?  I'm just curious.

I complained to UoP about the curriculum being less difficult at Western International University (also owned by Apollo) and Axia College of University of Phoenix than the curriculum I had in high school. The "adviser" bragged about the curriculum being at the community college level. So let me get this straight.......UoP charges $365 per credit in the associates program plus an $80 rEsource fee per course right? Um...the community colleges in my city have the same degree program completely online and they only charge $53 per credit plus $60-$100 per course for textbooks. I'll even have enough money after the free grant money is paid out to reimburse me for the books and I won't have to take out student loans. That is why I transferred. I'm already paying taxes to subsidize the tuitions at public schools in Texas, so I might as well take advantage of those lower tuitions.

This school has an awful reputation. It advertises like its Coke or Tide or McDonalds. The business world laughs at this school (half of them invest in UoP to make money). 

The education is a joke. It is a slaughter house mentality. It wants you to enroll in it's crap education to make money, that's it. Why doesn't this school apply for the gold standard business accreditation (AASCB)? Because that would cost money, and the shareholders wouldn't here of it. 

Buyer beware. BTW it's being investigated by the Dept of Education and Congress for unethical practices (this of course will end when the lobbyists hired by UoP pay off everyone to stop the investigation)

what happens if i have a scholarship? i am not doing so well in my ETH/125 CLASS. i didnt turn in two assignments and my grade went to like an F. what happens then>

Obviously, this is just the South, so just imagine how many non-profit schools across the country offer online courses and/or programs.

Even more traditional schools with online courses and/or programs.

Texas
Alvin Community College
Amberton University
Central Texas College
Dallas Baptist University
Dallas TeleCollege
Grayson County College
Lamar University
Midwestern State University
Northwest Vista College
Odessa College
Palo Alto College
Panola College
Prairie View A&M University
Sam Houston State University
St. Philip's College
Stephen F. Austin State University
Tarleton State University
Texas A&M University, College Station
Texas A&M University, Commerce
Texas A&M University, Kingsville
Texas Wesleyan University
University of Houston, Clear Lake
University of Houston, Victoria
University of North Texas
University of Texas, Brownsville and Texas Southmost College
University of Texas, Dallas
University of Texas, El Paso
University of Texas, Health Science Center at Houston
University of Texas, Permian Basin
University of Texas, San Antonio
Wayland Baptist University
West Texas A & M University
Western Texas College

Virginia
Blue Ridge Community College, Virginia
Central Virginia Community College
Dabney Lancaster Community College
Danville Community College
Eastern Shore Community College
Germanna Community College
J. Sargeant Reynolds Community College
John Tyler Community College
Longwood University
Lord Fairfax Community College
Mountain Empire Community College
New River Community College (Virginia)
Northern Virginia Community College
Old Dominion University
Patrick Henry Community College
Paul D. Camp Community College
Piedmont Virginia Community College
Rappahannock Community College
Southside Virginia Community College
Southwest Virginia Community College
Thomas Nelson Community College
Tidewater Community College
Virginia Commonwealth University
Virginia Highlands Community College
Virginia Polytechnic Institute and State University (Virginia Tech)
Virginia Western Community College
Wytheville Community College

West Virginia
Blue Ridge Community and Technical College (West Virginia)
Bluefield State College (West Virginia)
Bridgemont Community & Technical College (previously Community & Technical College at WVU Tech)
Concord University
Eastern WV Community and Technical College
Fairmont State University
Marshall University
Mountwest Community & Technical College
West Liberty University
West Virginia Northern Community College
West Virginia University
West Virginia University at Parkersburg
West Virginia University Institute of Technology

More traditional schools with online courses and/or programs.

Louisiana
Baton Rouge Community College
Bossier Parish Community College
CALL
Delgado Community College
Grambling State University
Louisiana State University and A & M College
Louisiana State University, Alexandria
Louisiana State University, Eunice
Louisiana State University, Health Sciences Center, New Orleans
Louisiana State University, Shreveport
Louisiana Tech University
McNeese State University
Nicholls State University
Northwestern State University
Nunez Community College
River Parishes Community College
South Louisiana Community College
Southeastern Louisiana University
Southern University and A&M College
Southern University at New Orleans
Southern University at Shreveport
University of Louisiana at Lafayette
University of Louisiana at Monroe
University of New Orleans

Maryland
Anne Arundel Community College
Capitol College
College of Southern Maryland
Morgan State University
Towson University
University of Baltimore
University of Maryland Baltimore
University of Maryland Baltimore County

Mississippi
Alcorn State University, Natchez Campus
Coahoma Community College
Mississippi State University
Mississippi University for Women
Mississippi Valley State University
University of Southern Mississippi

North Carolina
Alamance Community College
Central Carolina Community College
Cleveland Community College
Coastal Carolina Community College, NC
Durham Technical Community College
East Carolina University
Elizabeth City State University
Fayetteville Technical Community College
Haywood Community College
North Carolina State University
Pitt Community College
Randolph Community College
University of North Carolina, Charlotte
University of North Carolina, Pembroke
Western Carolina University

Oklahoma
Cameron University
Northwestern Oklahoma State University
Oklahoma Panhandle State University
Oklahoma State University, Oklahoma City
Oklahoma State University, Stillwater
Rogers State University
Southeastern Oklahoma State University
University of Central Oklahoma

South Carolina
Clemson University
Limestone College
Medical University of South Carolina
Piedmont Technical College
University of South Carolina, Aiken
University of South Carolina, Columbia
University of South Carolina, Upstate
York Technical College

Tennessee
Austin Peay State University
East Tennessee State University
Middle Tennessee State University
Pellissippi State Community College
Tennessee Regents Online Degree Programs
Tennessee State University
Tennessee Technological University
The University of Memphis
University of Tennessee, Health Science Center, Memphis
University of Tennessee, Knoxville
University of Tennessee, Martin
University of Tennessee, Space Institute

All of these tradition schools offer online degree courses and/or programs.

Alabama
Amridge University
Auburn University
Calhoun Community College
Enterprise State Community College
Jacksonville State University (Alabama)
Lurleen B. Wallace Community College
Northwest-Shoals Community College
Troy University
Troy University, Montgomery Campus
United States Sports Academy
University of Alabama
University of Alabama, Birmingham
University of Alabama, Huntsville
University of North Alabama

Arkansas
Arkansas State University, Beebe
Arkansas State University, Jonesboro
Arkansas State University, Mountain Home
Arkansas State University, Newport
Arkansas Tech University
Cossatot Community College of the University of Arkansas
East Arkansas Community College
Henderson State University
North Arkansas College
NorthWest Arkansas Community College
Ozarka College
Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas
Pulaski Technical College
Southeast Arkansas College
Southern Arkansas University
Southern Arkansas University Tech
University of Arkansas, Community College Hope
University of Arkansas, Fayetteville
University of Arkansas, Fort Smith
University of Arkansas, Little Rock
University of Arkansas, Monticello
University of Arkansas, Pine Bluff
University of Central Arkansas

Delaware
Delaware Technical & Community College
University of Delaware

Florida
Brevard Community College
Broward College
Daytona State College
Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University
Florida Agricultural & Mechanical University
Florida Atlantic University
Florida Gulf Coast University
Florida Institute of Technology
Florida State College at Jacksonville
Florida State University
Gulf Coast Community College
Indian River State College
Northwest Florida State College
Nova Southeastern University
Palm Beach Community College
Pensacola Junior College
Saint Leo University
Santa Fe College
St. Johns River Community College
St. Petersburg College
Tallahassee Community College
University of Central Florida
University of Florida
University of South Florida
University of West Florida

Georgia
Albany State University
Armstrong Atlantic State University
Brenau University
Columbus State University
Darton College
Georgia College & State University
Georgia Institute of Technology
Georgia Southern University
Georgia Southwestern State University
Georgia State University
Georgia Virtual Technical College
Gwinnett Technical College
Kennesaw State University
Middle Georgia College
North Georgia College & State University
Southern Polytechnic State University
Southwest Georgia Technical College
University of Georgia
University of West Georgia
Valdosta State University

Kentucky
Eastern Kentucky University
Midway College
Morehead State University
Murray State University, Kentucky
University of Louisville
Western Kentucky University

HA HA, just add the ww w to the link.

forbes.com/2010/08/01/higher-education-student-debt-opinions-best-colleges-10-harkin.html

I agree with you concerning what UoP Instructor had to say. My friend applied for a job with UoP and they clearly stated that 20 hours per week were required. It is a slap in the face that an individual with a Master's or PhD be paid $9.50/hr. as expected by UoP

$950/100 hours (5 weeks x 20 hrs. per week) 

They make that at my neighborhood In-N-Out Burger!!!!!!

"Anyone get a chance to read the GAO report and findings concerning Apollo (UoP) among others (namely Kaplan U. and Corinthian/Everest)? It is an eye opener!!!"

I didn't read it, but I watched the GAO videos of their undercover operation.  Now that was an eye opener... talk about FRAUD!

10 hours for a 5 week course... I don't think so.  It is accelerated so you have to cram more work, you will spend 7-10 hours grading as large as UoP classes are.  If you have to make content. adding that takes over 15 hours.  Once you do all your correspondence you are hitting 20 hours.  The only way to cut back on time is if you already have all of your course materials ready and have MC grading software but you will still have 15 hours into a week.  Anything less is just lazy which is exactly the problem with UoP.  Adjuncts do not have the time to devote to it and they are not paid enough to motivate them to care.

Regarding the pay for UOP faculty: The expectation is NOT 20 hours per week. The expectation is about 10 hours per week. I know...I'm an instructor and have been for 9 years.

Therefore, for a beginning instructor of a 5-week course:

$950 \5 weeks = 190 per week \ 10 hours = $19 per hour. 

Perhaps not a great income, but it is part-time work. Instructors are required to have full-time jobs in their field of expertise. 

If you get into teaching for money, you are going to be sadly disappointed no matter where you go.

Anyone get a chance to read the GAO report and findings concerning Apollo (UoP) among others (namely Kaplan U. and Corinthian/Everest)? It is an eye opener!!!

I have taught at many online schools, but UoP is not one to consider.  Apollo is all about making money, people be damned.  That includes students and faculty.  Adjuncts get paid nothing while students are charged out the ass.  98% of all UoP faculty are adjuncts and 95% of those have full time jobs.  Most of those with families to deal with.  They do not have time to deal with students nor do they get paid enough to care.  Apollo spends more money on advertising than they do on the students of UoP and the other plethora of schools they run.  They even offer campuses in third world countries.  Seriously avoid this money pit at all costs, you do not need the stain of UoP on your CV.

It is 2010. Many traditional schools offer degree programs completely online. There are several community colleges in my state of Texas that cost me $50 or less per credit and my credits are guaranteed to transfer to any 4 year university in Texas. There are also several 4 year universities in Texas that offer degree programs completely online and people don't have to worry about the reputation of the degree amongst employers. Why do you think most online schools set up shop in the north central region? It's so that they can become regionally accredited by the Higher Learning Commission. AIU even moved from the Southern Association to HLC. HLC is now under scrutiny from the government because they granted AIU accreditation even though an investigator found a serious problem with their disproportionate awarding of credits for certain courses.

I have attended school online with a for-profit school and a traditional school. I would recommend the traditional school over the for-profit school any day. Please everyone, do your research; it can save you money and many other troubles.

Here is what a former UoP instructor wrote a year ago:

dd July 25, 2009 at 2:52 a.m.

"I was teaching graduate students and getting $1200 for a 6 week course. Again, UoP expects their instructors to spend 20 hours each week working for them. So here we go

6 weeks*20 hours= 120 hours/$1200-----so I was getting paid $10/hour for teaching a class with 23 grad students when I have an MS degree."

This university pays the absolute lowest of any of the universities that I have researched. Even Grantham pays $15/hr.

DECIEDED NOT TO ENROLL BECAUSE ADMISSIONS PEOPLE DO NOT KNOW WHAT JOB TITLES ARE YOU ARE WORKING WITH PEOPLE AT THE SCHOOL DEPARTMENT

School is something that has to be able to fit into your lifestyle. Fortunately or unfortunately, some people have a lot more in their lives to juggle school into than others. I commend anyone who tries to better themselves no matter where they find that success from. I agree with Ms. Gucci that there are some schools that are not worthy of the accreditation that they have been granted and that goes for both online and traditional schools. It's the same concept as someone dealing with a car or a house. When looking for a good fit as far as schools go, you have to do your reasearch. I seriously think that there are good schools on both sides of the spectrum but just like with anything, sometimes you have to weed out the bad to get to the good. As for this school, I've sure there are horror stories as well as successes, but ultimately the potential student has to be willing to do the reasearch on the school to get a truly unbiased opinion. Only then will you get the specific answer you are looking for as to whether or not this or any other school is for you. Best of luck to everyone and getting to their goals and dreams and whatever paths they may lead you on!

@Army Chic I totally understand what you're saying as I am an online student myself. I can not attend campus based degree programs at this time because I work 2 jobs and I'm also doing an internship so I have little time to run to NSU or FAU. I am for online education I am not against it. It's just that we have schools that aren't serving up to their purpose and/or mission of educating students to succeed and accomplish their life goals. I will not do any name dropping but, those of you who know ya already know. Most of the individuals that are anti-online education are the ones who never did it before so I guess they feel that are better than us by attending a traditional school,  not saying that there's anything wrong with it but, some traditional schools are trying to offer distance education and/or continuing education so that it's convenient. For some people I guess it's not convienent enough for them. With the many education options that are available one thing may work for Sarah and one thing may work for Dennis, however it may not work Ashley. 

As for my experience, I would rather be in a classroom interacting with my fellow students, able to have the professor right there, and have many other resources available. But, unfortunately right now I can't. Does this make me a bad person? No. With that said, choose what is right for you. Because it's your life, your future.

There are many things on this post that make sense and a lot of things that are completely unfair. I suppose I am the type that really is not biased to either side but rather the type that thinks that education in general is truly what you and you alone make of it. I know of people who never went past high school who are leading comfortable and some more than comfortable lifestyles. Then there are a couple people that I know who both have recently acquired Master's degrees and one is working at a Wal-Mart, and the other is a proud employee at a local Exxon. I'm not saying that I'm the smartest girl in the world or that I have all the answers, but I will say that in my personal experience that no one thing should be talked down about unless you are the one with the bad experience from it. Even then, that is YOUR experience, not every one's. And as for the people who seem to think that if you didn't go to a traditional brick and mortar school that you have an I.Q. of 3 and and have no right to breathe, I say, you made you fit to judge? If your revered school that you came from taught you that then that is not an education that I want. I feel that fairness is necessary in a forum such as this. Maybe not everyone can fit that tradition mold that some of you speak of. Personally, I can relate to both sides. I am a young sergeant in the Army with a small at-home design business all of which I attained with only a school education and a few online classes under my belt. However I am currently attending a community college, not because I believe in so much of what anyone has said on here, but because my ultimate goal is to become an LPN which is more geared toward the type of learner I am. Truly I am not biased even if it may come across like I am. The focus of my message is basically directed at the people who seem to be so anti-online education because I really haven't seen any biased posts for people who are pro-online education. But to all of you I say, make the most out of whatever you decide to do and know that NONE of us are fit to judge since people seem to want to take it there.

This is "Save Your Financial Life". I have seen you post in several forums and I know you have reacted to my 'educational posts' favorably. I am trying to make potential students aware of the financial impact of taking out huge student loans to attend some of these FOR-PROFITS. I am concentrating my efforts on several schools which have, in my opinion, exorbitantly high tuitions! According to government studies, these students are more than twice as likely to default on their loans. In addition, I believe that the money they have spent on their educations are simply not worth it!!! There are cheaper and better alternatives. In any case, I will keep up my efforts and you do the same. I am in agreement with what you are posting and together we can make a difference in warning and educating potential students.

What I am about to tell you will save your financial life. No need to thank me. Just make sure to think things over very well before making a mistake.

I would like to introduce a little financial reality into the discussion. Let’s say you owed $58,000 in loans. For illustration purposes, let's assume a 6.5% interest rate (which is the average). In addition, let's say that you wanted to pay-off the loan in 10 years (120 months). You would pay:

$658/month for 120 months
Interest: $21,000
Final pay-off amount with interest: $79,000 !!!!!!!!

Many people simply cannot pay back their loans; especially if they are getting a degree from a 'university' which will not make them competitive enough to get the excellent job paying big money.

Think it over carefully. I would do the prudent thing and go to a community college for a tiny fraction of the tuition cost at a 'university' like this one. You can also transfer to a public university at a fraction of the cost as well. Good Luck!!!!!

There are many fake comments on here glorifying UoP.

The accreditation for which the business degrees at UoP fall under is quasi at best. Degrees earned at UoP are not regarded as real degrees by industry leaders throughout the country. 

Do not take my word for it. Contact recruiters and HR departments for the leaders of the industry in which you plan to enter after you earn a degree. Make sure those business leaders will consider you alongside of other individuals that graduated from other universities that are properly accredited. Please do not blindly waste your time and money without doing a little research yourself. Whether I am right or wrong, you will learn the truth. 

Do not take my word of the word of anyone that has commented here. Do the research yourself!

What I am about to tell you will save your financial life. No need to thank me. Just make sure to think things over very well before making a mistake.

I would like to introduce a little financial reality into the discussion. Let’s say you owed $58,000 in loans. For illustration purposes, let's assume a 6.5% interest rate (which is the average). In addition, let's say that you wanted to pay-off the loan in 10 years (120 months). You would pay:

$658/month for 120 months
Interest: $21,000
Final pay-off amount with interest: $79,000 !!!!!!!!

Many people simply cannot pay back their loans; especially if they are getting a degree from a 'university' which will not make them competitive enough to get the excellent job paying big money.

Think it over carefully. I would do the prudent thing and go to a community college for a tiny fraction of the tuition cost at a 'university' like this one. You can also transfer to a public university at a fraction of the cost as well. Good Luck!!!!!

I had a very positive undergraduate experience at the university.  I completed my degree in Human Service Management in 2009 and I would gladly recommend this school to anyone.

@Mr. Debt,
I will have my loans paid off within 4 years. I will have to postpone a new BMW for a few years though. My new job is great and I am earning 3 times as much now with my degree from UoP. Eduacation is a wonderful investment and I am so much more happier with my new career. I'm glad I went for it and was not deterred.

I am a professional earning above median salary. I went to a traditional college and recently transferred to UoP. I am so glad I did. My job pays for my tuition and I will get a promotion with my degree. The CEO went to a traditional school but she prefers UoP over traditional schools because UoP has current information and trends. The other benefits are; I don't have to commute to school several times a week, pay for parking or drive around searching for parking spaces either. Good luck on your education pursuits.

Liz,

The format is not unique to UOP.  It's all the new rage in education.  It isn't that the teachers are lazy, it's a philosophy that students learning through discussions and projects among themselves develop better than traditional lecture students.  My Gonzaga MA is run very much the same way, except without the groups allowing students who shouldn't be there sucking grades off the ones who are really puttng themselves into it.  

Where UOP falls off is that their grading standard for what you've learned is laughably lenient.

If you don't mind me asking, what is the tuition at UoP for the Masters in Counseling? I believe it is about $30,000 or so. I am not interested in UoP at all since I already hold a MEd from a traditional B & M university. I just want to know what they expect to get for the Masters as far as tuition goes.

I was shocked at how easy most of the classes were. I did not agree with "study groups" giving presentations each week in place of the teacher earning his or her keep so to speak. Several of us questioned this among ourselves. I had last been in a college class back in the 1970's and it was not easy. Now I was going for a Masters in Counseling. I was told that there are jobs out there and could make $40,000 a year and easily pay back my loans. Now 2 years after graduation and the beginning of the recession there are no jobs, I am working in dorms and fighting with Salle Mae because they think we can live on air and don't need non-essentials such as food, shelter, and clothing much less transportation (my car is a 1987), insurance (reqired by the state for cars), communication (can't afford internet so go to the library), and other "unnecesary expenses." After deductions for taxes, health insurance,and all the other deductions they take off paychecks I have a total of around $1500 to live on in San Diego. By the way I am 57 years old, widowed, and live in a garage conversion studio apartment. All they cared about was the tuition you or rather Sallie Mae was paying. When a teacher asked us what the criteria was to be admitted to the Masters Program we all agreed that the sole criteria was to be breathing since there were no tests involved and very few if any standards we had to meet. I don't know if they even checked my transcripts from the other 3 colleges I had gone to in pursuit of my AA,BA, and teaching credential, all state colleges.University of Phoenix? It got me an additional $1.35 an hour on my paycheck and that is it. I also got a lot of headaches over the rush job they did. The counselors are not advisors rather they are salesmen!

thank you, so much for the facts about the university

@Save Your Financial Life you are totally correct. Your best bet is to attend a community college then a 'reputable' college/university. UoP is complete garbage. If you guys absolutely need an online school check these out:
Western Governors University
Florida Tech University Online
Hodges University
Nova Southeastern University
University of Maryland University College
Troy State University
Bellevue University
Arizona State University
Utica College
Saint Leo University
These are the only ones off the top of my head. Please stay away from these for-profit schools. They DO NOT care about you. All they care about are their pockets. Have you noticed everytime you call your academic advisor, financial aid rep., professor, etc. they are always busy or not around for calls/emails? You know why their not around? They are out having fun with your money, taking trips to islands, going on cruises, buying jewelry that are worth more than our houses and many other unimaginable things. Before enrolling into a school PLEASE do your research first, you will save yourself some trouble.

While I believe you have an excellent point about UoP, I don't agree with you that all For-Profits are the same. Some For-Profits have recently changed to this model in order to survive the economic times. They are traditional B & M universities that have been around for decades and are in fact highly rated by several sources such as Barron's Profiles of American Colleges (2009 edition), The Princeton Review (2010 edition) and U.S. News and World Report to mention a few. Your point is well made about UoP, I just wouldn't generalize.

Add UMass, Gonzaga and Drexell to your list.  UMass and Gonzaga are less expnsive than UOP (although they don't have mil discounts that I know of)

There are so many BM schools offering online classes now that the UoP and any other 'for profit' school should shortly become a thing of the past. Univ of Maryland, Troy Univ, Florida State Univ, Georgetown Univ, Auburn for an MBA...I could go on and on. When I see my fellow military members wasting their, and the taxpayers, hard-earned dollars on a joke of a degree it makes me sick. Many have no experience in the civilian world, and think a degree is just a piece of paper, but unfortunately, they don't learn anything until it's too late.

BS in Bus Admin '10, Florida State University
MBA Candidate '12

Hi James;

What about the Debt you incurred? Will you be able to pay it back? As you know the rate of default on student loans for individuals attending 'non-traditional' universities is more than twice the number for those attending traditional universities.

UOP was an excellent experience for me. My instructors were professional. I learned alot. Nothing wrong with attending UOP. It is accredited. The degree gave me a competitive edge to change careers. My classmates liked it too. It's hard work though and takes perseverance.

What I am about to tell you will save your financial life. No need to thank me. Just make sure to think things over very well before making a mistake.

I would like to introduce a little financial reality into the discussion. Let’s say you owed $58,000 in loans. For illustration purposes, let's assume a 6.5% interest rate (which is the average). In addition, let's say that you wanted to pay-off the loan in 10 years (120 months). You would pay:

$658/month for 120 months
Interest: $21,000
Final pay-off amount with interest: $79,000 !!!!!!!!

Many people simply cannot pay back their loans; especially if they are getting a degree from a 'university' which will not make them competitive enough to get the excellent job paying big money.

Think it over carefully. I would do the prudent thing and go to a community college for a tiny fraction of the tuition cost at a 'university' like this one. You can also transfer to a public university at a fraction of the cost as well. Good Luck!!!!!

Low Pay = Low Quality???

Does the extremely low instructor pay equal a lower quality of instruction at UoP???

I pursued my masters program in business administration with the U of Phx in a classroom setting. The experience was great. I had great instructors. One month in my course, my job required me to be out on travel several nights when class occurred. I did opt for the online course due to that circumstance. I enjoy the in class setting because I remained with a great learning team and learn best when my resources are right there. If you're looking for easy, then online should be your choice.

U of P does however have everchanging advisors during your program. My academic advisors have all been helpful and kept in touch with me whenever I requested help or updates on my next course. Of my financial aid advisors, one was horrible. Their responses were delayed in days. It was frustrating to get a hold of the person. With financial assistance, the department does give great workshops on where to look for scholarships that are helpful. I received a $10,000 scholarship to help pay part of my program. When it comes to loans, you need to make sure what you're signing up for.  I work full-time, have a newborn, a demanding husband and I managed to pull off a 3.8 GPA. If you're able to cover your expenses without assistance, do it that way. If not, only request what you need to get you through your program. Do not opt for the maximum because that will just mean more money you have to pay back.

Copy and paste that. vaerhdf6 said it all. I salute thee.

moneywatch.bnet.com/saving-money/blog/college-solution/is-the-university-of-phoenix-good-for-students-or-investors/1478/#comments

You said:

"I just want to make sure that these grads have a fighting chance of actually paying off $30K-$60K of Title IV loans and maintain a quality of life that accompanies the obtainment of a degree. If they cannot land work, and default, then we all pay (with interest)."

I agree with you completely. As the PBS special nicely explained, there are too many 'graduates' from some of these schools that cannot and probably will never be able to secure work in their 'field'. The academically unqualified individuals are being turned away. You are right; we will all have to pay when they default on their loans. As you know, the default rate for students in some of these schools is double the national average compared with students attending non-profit universities. There are some For-profits (recently converted) that are B&M universities that have been around for decades. They are in my estimation very good schools. I use sources such as U.S. News and World Report, Barron's Profiles of American Colleges, OEDb etc. as well as personal experience and interviews of graduates from some of these schools. I have come to the conclusion that they are nothing like UoP!  
In closing I want to wish you all the best with your short position, I truly do. I have never had the 'nerve' to go that route! :-)

Well crap, the lobbyists win again:
reuters.com/article/idCNSGE64H0JO20100518?rpc=44

It's not that I believe all for-forits are the same, I just think they have all spawned from the same business model that has made Apollo Group so successful: consumer-oriented delivery vs. acedemic oversight. 

I've seen too many online grads that pass through the testing (myself included) without actually putting their hands on the materials required for the "field". Although the delivery appeals to professionals in need of a degree, those that are looking for a career change are difficult to take seriously. Essentially, they are paying state-college tuition without the benefit of internships (engineering) or rotations (nursing). 

The 6% rule should fix this; the only flaw that I see is the classification of "occupation". Is a BSEET major expected to land an engineering job after graduation? If he winds up a bench-tech is he not included in the count? If a guy studies Criminal Justice and winds up a bouncer at a "gentlemen's club", will he be counted?

Also, it's not that I want the education bubble to burst; I profited greatly from another For-Profit, and have done very well inside of the career field. I just want to make sure that these grads have a fighting chance of actually paying off $30K-$60K of Title IV loans and maintain a quality of life that accompanies the obtainment of a degree. If they cannot land work, and default, then we all pay (with interest). 

Also, I want to see academically unqualified individuals get turned away. This is why we invented the SAT. We tell our kids their whole lives they can grow up to be astronauts, and the SAT gives the appropriate reality check: No, sorry, you are going to make meth with Scooter in the trailer park. Some people just don't have the aptitude for collegiate work, and need to push mops.

You said:
"The 6% "gainful employment" rule, in my opinion, is a great step towards regulating the curriculums and depth of content offered to the students." 

I agree with you completely. This is absolutely needed! I believe where we disagree is simple: you believe that there will be a 'collapse' or 'demise'. I do not agree. I do believe that they will have to 'scale back' however. I just don't think this will impact the company enough so that you
".... can at least profit from their demise." The more likely scenario is that they will simply make what ever adjustments are necessary. As I said above "The'Education Bubble' will never burst. There may be an insignificant decline in the per share price when the regulations are passed but there will never be a 'demise'." As an experienced investor I can only tell you that short positions are very risky. Be careful please! You also believe that all For-Profits are the same. I also disagree with that notion but that is a separate issue.

The 6% "gainful employment" rule, in my opinion, is a great step towards regulating the curriculums and depth of content offered to the students. As stated in College Inc. by UOP's former VP, these curriculums were created in a matter of a weekend.

Granted, UOP will find a way to the money, but with more stringent guidelines the sheer volume of loans granted (and ultimately tuition yielded) will ultimately decline. With those factors in place, I believe (and the reasoning behind my "greedy" short position) that many of the programs offered by the for-profits simply won't measure up as they stand today. Inevitably, the company will either have to scale back due to the reduced profits, or it will collapse under it's own weight.

Shorty:

You said:

"Maybe you can make your tuition money back when this education bubble bursts."

The Problem: 

The problem with your logic is that the 'education bubble' will never burst. If anything, more people will have to get an education in our society to get a decent job. The reason why this industry has been growing at an incredible rate is because people recognize this fact. What will certainly happen, in my opinion, is that the Obama Administration will try to regulate the For-Profits more closely. This means they will attach certain regulations and requirements that will need to be met before Federal Loans will be granted for use at a particular university (possibly such as UoP). I believe the PBS Show, 'College, Inc.' explains it very well.

The Bottom Line:

The Bottom Line is that you have taken a risky position that has been motivated by 'greed'. Greed and fear are two very dangerous motivations when investing. The 'Education Bubble' will never burst. There may be an insignificant decline in the per share price when the regulations are passed but there will never be a 'demise'. Think over your position. I have known many that have taken 'short positions' and have failed miserably. 

By the way, I am no fan of UoP! However, there is a huge difference in the For-Profits. Some are very highly rated.

Put everything you've got into a short position against Apollo Group. Maybe you can make your tuition money back when this education bubble bursts. I'm taking shorts against all For Profit, publicly-traded educators at this point. Perhaps if we cannot get rich with their degrees, we can at least profit from their demise.

Did anyone see the PBS show on TV the other night? The negative focus seemed to be on UoP. What did you think?

If I were you I would just forget about reading the posts here or in any forum/blog. They are filed with haters and fools for the most part. I would go with what the experts and independent investigators say. Go to Barron's Profiles of American Colleges, U.S. News and World Report, to the PBS website and view the video 'College, Inc.' (for profit universities). Who knows who is posting here. Don't take the comments here or on any website like this seriously.

LMAO @ Deepthroat. 







LMFAO @ UoP.

With a name like Ray Ray and talking like that I wouldn't eat nothin from Hardees'.

I have just started, but I think "Hold on a Minute" said it  best!!!!! make the most of your education no matter where you get it from! I enjoy UoP it is all what you make it.

If I were you I would just forget about reading the posts here or in any forum/blog. They are filed with haters and fools for the most part. I would go with what the experts and independent investigators say. Go to Barron's Profiles of American Colleges, U.S. News and World Report, to the PBS website and view the video 'College, Inc.' (for profit universities). Who knows who is posting here. Don't take the comments here or on any website like this seriously.

I am having a real hard time deciding here!  Like everyone on this post I have a very busy schedule but Online University degrees are not worth of any value these days.  UOP was ideal I thought 10 years ago but now everyone including the guy who sells bananas on the street have a degree at UOP.  I'm starting to question its value.  What's more frustrating is it's really difficult to decipher which online schools are legitimate and have integrity.  All online search results seem to come up with bogus sites that pretend to be authoritative, non biased but in reality they're just selling leads to their sponsored universities (should I even call them universities anymore?).  Will someone in education please post which online schools that you'd put your sons and daughters to.  Thank you.

Did anyone see the PBS show on TV the other night? The negative focus seemed to be on UoP. What did you think?

Um....was Ray Ray's comment a parody of sorts or am I looking at the real byproduct?

Did anyone see the PBS show on TV last night? The negative focus seemed to be on UoP. What did you think?

I will be taking MS Applied Information Management from University of Oregon. The MS is strictly online. How is this different from UOP?

Yo ma peeps. I scooped up the mad skillz by going to da P. Yall can hate da P all ya wantz but the realz is like dis.I came on the set and busted out dat joint wit like a 4.0. Dats why yall be hatin cuz we P grads be like 50,000 strong. Chek it, I be writin like 500 word pappas and I be gettin da A ery time up in dat joint. Yo, da P has dun me lots of good and I be gettin mad intaviews cuz I got the learn on at da P. Now I be da managa at da Hardees on fif street. Stop hatin on da P for realz. I be right up in dere gettin da intaviews jest like all da otha grads from da bigga mo popula schoolz. Yall some hatas fo realz. Just chek wut I say and stop da hatin. I be a Phoenix fo life!

hit=head :p

AV hit the nail on the hit.

And....

Low pay doesn't make it low quality.  What makes it low quality is the refusal to enforce academic standards because it would cost UOP tuition revenue.

Low Pay = Low Quality???

Does the extremely low instructor pay equal a lower quality of instruction at UoP???

EVERYONE! Just click on Colleges at the top of the screen and up will come a HUGE list of REAL colleges with online degrees! Including Penn State, UMass, UMaryland, ASU, GWU, etc. No need to attend online-only schools if employers will just laugh at you n have your money gone to waste!

Low Pay = Low Quality???

Does the extremely low instructor pay equal a lower quality of instruction at UoP???

Indeed I agree. Any school that has to advertise their school isn't a school, it's a marketing ploy.

I like your name. Anyway UoP sucks.

Stacey February 16, 2010 at 10:14 p.m.

"You all have such strong opinions,yet earning a degree online does not make said degree any less of a degree earned at the end of the day. When the end of the day comes, and I get my paycheck, all I care about is that I earned my degree, got a good job and am earning PAY."

And THAT'S the reason why you'll never fully succeed. In you're mind, its a "good job and good pay". In it for a better paycheck is a lackluster reason at best and it shows in their performance once in their field. Following and troubleshooting everything from memory in their text book will surely end in disaster. We all know, not everything in a specific field is in their "cure all" text reference. The point is, LOVE what you do. Have some passion. A calling. ANYTHING but the mere fact of getting more green. This way, you can take a lot more pride in your work and want to flourish to be the best. Think I want a doctor that was only in it for the money without a LITTLE sense of self worth in their field who didn't care about the quality of his work? That money hungry ignoramus will have me dead within the hour stunning my family and devastating my wife. But hey, he gets paid right? Case and point, love what you do, or your co workers will eventually smell a layoff in your direction when they're downsizing. Don't walk around with a number on your head or your wasting money and corrupting the future.