University of Phoenix

I have read the negative reviews, and the positive reviews. All I have to say is that I am a proud Phoenix alumni and I am continuing with UoP for my Bachelor's degree. I love it at Phoenix and I am honestly considering moving in order to continue with Phoenix for my Masters and possibly Doctoral program. I have had to work to get the grades I have gotten, and trust me I have seen the grades that come about with a lack of effort. I have gotten A's and B's as well as C's. This school is challenging. If you are not in the right program for you, you are not going to enjoy your experience. Yes, I've taken a couple of courses that were a piece of cake, but they were lower level courses. Now I am in higher level coursework and I do have to do research, read the textbook, read the suggested readings, and discuss with other students to get the full value. But isn't that what college is about? For those of you who were not happy, not every school is a good fit for everyone. That is exactly why schools hold open houses, offer appointments to speak with you about what they offer, offer you information for their degree programs, etc. You will not get the same experience out of every single school, and at one time or another you will be frustrated by your school for various reasons. It is about learning from those experiences, and going with what makes YOU happy. If you want something more, you have to go and get it. UoP is an excellent choice for individuals who do not have the option of a brick and mortar school. I would never be ashamed of my degree, I actually have my degree certificate displayed proudly in my home and I cannot wait to get the next one.

I did some research on University of Phoenix and from my general knowledge I enrolled into University Of Phoenix in March of this year. The enrollment process was smooth and was notified of my acceptance few weeks later. Got into my first course Gen/200 I feel that this course should not be required as part of my Psychology program in my opinion because it's simply a course that is mostly common sense for any college individual unless you haven't been in college for awhile. My main concern was the financial aid, now it was disbursement as scheduled which has changed a twice now it wasn't a big deal if my finance adviser would of given me a straight answer when I asked "Why was it changed?". I have respect for the University of Phoenix as an educational institution however, it wasn't for me and that's why I withdrew and enrolled into another university.

I am just finishing up my Associate's in Psychology through the UoPx, preparing to transfer to a traditional university, not because I am dissatisfied, but because certain classes that I require are not possible online in any format. This school truly is about getting what you put in. I have met people who have pored over their studies, earn great marks, and moved on to great career paths. Some, like me, see UoPx as a stepping stone in a line of education that is still very viable. We don't go to Phoenix because it is prestigious, we go because it is convenient. Plain and simple. If you don't read your material, study, and take your time to do things right, you will not get the grades you want. Anywhere. I've had some really remarkable teachers that have impressed me with their dedication, speed, knowledge, and attitudes. I've also had one or two that left something to be desired. This happens with any educational institution. However, I strongly feel that the decision to attend Phoenix was the right choice for me. As I move forward beyond Phoenix, I will not be ashamed of my degree, as some might suggest. It has given me confidence I never had before. I have thoroughly enjoyed the Psychology classes offered through Phoenix and I know that the knowledge I have obtained will be useful as I pursue dual Bachelor's of Science in Psychology and Neuroscience next, and onward into graduate school. I read the material, I took the time, and it's already paying off.

I started towards my BA in elementary education in January 2009. In September 2010, I was in a severe auto accident that left me with a traumatic brain injury (TBI), in a coma for a week, needed to be medi-vaced to San Diego to receive occupational, speech, and physical therapy. After I made a full recovery, I decided to change my program to obtain a BS in psychology. Since I did not have any prior knowledge or experience in the field of psychology, I did not know how my experience would be and if I would even enjoy it. With the help of my amazing finance and academic counselors and instructors, I loved my experience with this online campus. I am actually considering returning for my graduate program.

I have read a few of these posts and can only give insight on my experience within the University of Phoenix. I graduate April 2014 with a BA in psychology and have been really enjoying my educational experience. Except for the couple of instructors I have ran into the others are very helpful, well educated, and take pride in their students academic accomplishments. With that said I have only ran into two instructors who basically expected you to teach yourself and did not like to answer or address questions and concerns properly. When this happens you call your academic advisor and they basically put a complaint in about the teacher (or a ticket so they call it). I have had to do this with one teacher and I did see improvement in her classroom manners so to speak! I never really have any problems with teachers getting back to me or helping me when needed. I carry and 3.7 GPA and deserve every bit of it. This is not an easy, just hand you a diplomas online education, and you really work your butt off to get it. So for anyone who thinks they will go to this school and do classwork 1-2 days a week with little homework is very mistaken and will fail. My instructors have all had Ph.D degrees and work in the field of psychology. They hold students to a high level when concerning their work ethic. Many people have said that you basically teach yourself in these programs and I wonder how that is any different the sitting in class. At a traditional college you still read material and are expected to comprehend it without someone holding your hand! Whether an instructor is in front of you or behind a computer we are the ones who need to teach ourselves. Overall, great school and has so far been a great experience in and out of the classroom!

Hello. My name is Tabitha and I am currently enrolled at University of Phoenix Online (Axia College), working on my Bachelor's Degree in Psychology. I have been a student at University of Phoenix since 2010. I started by getting my Associate's in Human Services Management and when I completed that, I began my Bachelor's in Psychology. Since I started, my experience has been what that of any other school (on campus or online) would be. Some advisors have made mistakes and were not very helpful, but most have been amazing. Some teachers act like they don't care, but the majority of them have wanted to see me succeed. I have maintained a B average since beginning my education, and I have to say it was not easy. In fact, it was challenging-it challenged me in the best possible way. I have learned SO much since becoming a student at UoP and I couldn't be happier. I have learned more at this school (and retained it) than I ever have any where else. In addition to what I've learned relating to my program, the University of Phoenix classes have improved my writing skills dramatically, taught me how to avoid the issue of plagiarism, taught me the importance of team work, and showed me that I can do anything if I put my mind to it. I think that is where the problem lies with many of you who say you have had bad experiences with UoP. I just want to ask you these questions: 1. Did you research schools before you made the choice? (If not, you really should have). 2. Did you read the fine print? 3. Did you ask questions? 4. Did you follow the syllabus' exactly as instructed? 5. Did you read the appropriate materials for your classes? 6. Did you participate fully in classroom discussions? 7. Did you follow the instructor's directions? 8. Did you put forth your best effort in your work? 9. Did you report problems with Learning Teams? 10. Did you take online classes for granted and think that you would get a free ride? 10. Did you take advantage of financial aid? Yes, it's a lot..but it's an education: what do you expect? If you really want something, you have to work for it. Something I find odd is the fact that many of the complaints about UoP are about financial issues. Since I started, I have never had a problem with financial aid. In fact, pell grants paid for my entire Associate's program (but I have a low-income family). Any time I needed extra money, my financial advisors even helped me take out extra loans. I'm sorry to all of you who have had bad experiences..it seems so strange to me, considering it has been one of the best experiences of my life and one of the best choices I've ever made. I think that the bottom line is this: if you want a quality education at University of Phoenix, or at any college for that matter, you have to put full effort into it. It's not easy, just like anything that you have to work for in life. There will always be struggles, things you are not happy with, or issues you run into; that goes with any school, or life in general. I am happy to be a Phoenix, and I will always stand by and support the University of Phoenix.

So I have read several different reviews and I feel that everyone is entitled to their opinions. That being said, you will only get what you deserve as a student. I will say that you will run into the occasional difficult instructor but what institution does not have that? The people that complain about everything this school is about only become dissatisfied because they choose to. The work is not easy and yes it is a lot at times. That is only because it is and if you are also working full time and have a family, it can at times feel overwhelming. The fact is that you must stick to it! For those getting a BS in psychology, this degree will only help in a minimal way. You must go for your Master's as I am about to begin doing today at George Mason University. Sure the UoP name might not look good on paper but it certainly helped me get to where I never thought I would be. If you want it bad enough this school will help you get to where you want to go.

This school was amazing. I would not change anything about it. I graduated with a 3.77 in this program. You give what you get; meaning, you put in effort and get back what you put in. I love this school and WISH they offered a counseling therapy online degree. There was an advisor who really cared about students named Dylan Sternberg, above all, his compassion kept me in the school. The staff calls to check up on you and your progress, they are amazing. Well worth the $

Well I have read these reviews, and I believe that people everywhere rip people off charging to much for what people get. I have two and a half classes left and I will graduate with a degree. My plan is to go further. I am happy that I will finsh, however if I had it all over to do I would not have gone to this school only because I believe that I would have gotten a better foundation. I do believe that the foundation I have recieved is enough to do anything that I want to do. I love this school because they gave me more confindence in my abilities. I am very grateful and proud to be from this school, and I have been though the fire and this school gave me wings to fly. This school was meant for those very busy people in life who work have a family and want to do more. As far as the value, like I said everybody is ripping us off so what if people would pay for what they owe than maybe schools would not have to charge so much. As far as the diversity in the types of students, wow what is your problem saying the things you say and leaving no name. Whatever I hope I was in one of your classes, because I am wierd and thank God this school helped me. I deserve to have a better knowledge base, I am just as good as anyone else and no one is better than anyone else. This school is great the teachers have bent over backwards helping others to achieve their goals.In the fours years I have been with UOP the students I have seen in class many don't want to even be here, than you have those who want to give no effert or pride in the work they turn in. I feel sorry for the teachers having to grade some of our papers, but I know that the grades the teachers give are as deserved as posable. What I mean by that is what can a teacher do if the student does not read anything. In some of the team papers some members do not even know what they are writting about. They either did not bother to read the syllubus, they do not understand what they have read, or they just plan do not care. Communacation gaps with students have many different reasons for the disfunctional issues that arise. Some on the teachers end, but most on the students, which in team work conferences and phone contact is low energy and really has drained my patience. The active enthusism and motavation of most student is very low. Like school is at the bottom of the importence list.

I completed a class and half before the work load wore me out. The first class was easy peasy (introduction to their online program), but then I started a general psychology class. Which I'm good at, understand well, and have studied before. I couldn't keep up with it! 2-3 papers per week, "group projects" (in which you are responsible for other people's work from around the country), 2 discussions, 3 chapters of reading, and numerous responses per week. PER WEEK. I would come home from work and read, write, and "discuss" until it was well past my bed time and I could never do it all. When I disenrolled, they asked why and I told them just that. They said, "Oh, most students don't do all the reading. They just skim through it enough to write their papers." Seriously?! The counselor told me to cheat my way through school! I honestly have NO idea how people with kids do this. It's nuts! They call you multiple times a day until they have your money. They lie to you about whatever they can. The staff I met on campus never looked like they enjoyed their jobs. Just please, pay attention to what you read about this school from those that have been through it already.

I got a great education at UOP and I am now attending USC for a Masters Degree in Information Technology. UOP gives anybody the chance to get an education because they are for profit. A problem arises when people who are not responsible fail at the program and then write negative comments about the school. If you plan on attending UOP it's important to know that it is expensive and if your not prepared then you will fail in your classes and then you will owe a ton of money afterwards. Study's have proven that people never blame themselves for failure and always find a scapegoat. I'm sure if UOP was more specific in their acceptance process it wouldn't have so many failed individuals writing negative comments. Overall, I got a top notch education at UOP and now I am attending USC. The University of Phoenix is a Regionally accredited school and help you start a path to success. UOP is not the best school in the country but it can help you get into some of the best schools in the country if you are responsible.

I made the mistake of going there back in 2002 when I thought I wanted to change careers. I put some thought about going into IT and checked out some of the local schools such as ITT tech and Devry. UOP promised me that they had a great IT program and was better than both of them. What a crock or crooks as the case was!! Their teaching style is a joke and not even worth what you pay for the classes. I dropped out after I realized I wanted to pursue another career in something else. I was left with $15.000 in students loans for a degree I was not ever to use. Mind this was for less than a year of classes. I had unpaid $452.00 which they sent me to collections and will not release my transcripts so I can finish my Masters at a real school. I feel like I have thrown all that money away and had a black mark on my credit all for nothing. Do yourself a favor and avoid this scam school at all cost. Stay away from their building even, who knows they may even screw you over by just walking by!!!

This school is horrible! They will screw you over so many times and not even care. When you have an issue and contact them they take months if at all to return your phone calls. I decided to transfer to DeVry University and I owe Phoenix a balance from not finishing my classes I was currently in. I made payment arrangements with them and everything was agreed on, the idiots turned me in to collection with no notice. I did not miss a payment or anything, I paid them on time for 2 months and they turned me over to collections. This school is horrible and stay away from them.

As a doctoral-level professional staff member and part-time faculty member in the undergraduate and graduate schools of a major public university, I applied and was accepted to teach at UoP. My intention was to establish this as part-time income and activity for my upcoming retirement. After teaching one five-week session of a 200 level psychology course, we have had a parting of the ways. First, I had to go through a long and labor-intensive training and personnel procedures that made conventional university bureaucracy and administration pale by comparison. This is partly justified due to the dramatic differences in instructional philosophy, policies, and especially the use of on-line technology. About midway through the course, I begin to see how certain aspects of the set up that were totally unique to my experience seemed designed to work. First, the instructor does not compose the tests, nor for the most part the written assignments or team assignments. So I was in the position of providing in-class instruction on text material I did not choose, covering objectives I did not develop nor fully understood, for exams that I did not write! Next, I struggled with the fact that students were responsible on the exams for material from the text BEFORE the class covering that material took place! Then it began to make more sense. Since the exams are "open book" and taken directly from the text readings, it became obvious that taking the exam was a matter of going back over the written material to find the answer to the exam question. I admit, the questions were relevant and fair as far as relating to the text, but anyone could take tests like these without reading the text or going to class just by reading the question and retrieving the answer verbatim from the text. And it became obvious to me that was what my students appeared to be doing. This could be deduced from the material submitted in the writing assignments where the student had to do more than just retrieve the correct term but had to demonstrate an understanding of what the material meant. Often students would hand in paragraphs that mentioned concepts from the topics but that too often were just misplaced concepts. For example, I "learned" that Psychoanalytic techniques included dream interpretation, free association, resistance, and transference (the first two are correct, the second two are just terms related to psychoanalysis but NOT techniques). It would be like saying techniques of driving include use of the mirror, use of the brake, tire wear, and oil changes. In short, the students had no idea of the concepts in any meaningful way. And why should they? Given this set up, I am still not sure what the purpose of having a classroom instructional session served. The message of the entire way it's set up is, "don't understand, just find the right answer, get a sufficient grade, and pass the test." And it was extremely difficult, if not impossible to teach these concepts when covering such wide and marginally related areas in one four-hour class (for example the first class included learning, conditioning, ethics, research concepts, and a smattering of neuropsychology. The result? An individual with a passing grade, credit toward a piece of paper saying they had a degree, a healthy payment from the student or throug government financial aid (mainly loans), but no real knowledge gained. Oh, and a nice little sum for the institution. To be fair, the concept of providing upper level education in a manner realistic to the needs of the working adult student is a good one. Many of the faculty were knowledgeable and possessed perhaps more practical knowledge of their field than traditional faculty at a traditional university. And there were remedial programs in place for students who needed attention to basic writing and reading skills (I do not know the substance and quality of them, however). The emphasis on learning teams and group presentations is also appropriate (though I found the emphasis much less tangible in its actual implementation vs. "on paper." I applaud the effort to provide this education in a format that makes sense for the working adult student, but five four-hour crash courses on such broad subjects simply doesn't allow for adequate absorption of the content or the experience necessary to a genuine education. Bottom line - don't go there - don't send your kids there - don't advise anyone to go there. They won't have a degree that is generally recognized by our society and the work world, and they shouldn't because they probably will not have gained the adequate knowledge and skills a degree is supposed to represent. (which sadly is to a lesser degree is true of many legitimate accredited universities as well, but that's another story!)

I find the school online site to be easy to understand, but I am a kind of a computer wiz to begin with. Nonetheless the stringed discussion threads were easy to follow. The facilitators were for the most part helpful and informative, some more so than others and there were a few bad ones from my point of view. Such is the case where ever you go. The main idea is that the work was challenging and you had to earn your mark. I felt I learned, and that's the main idea of going to school. It isn't about good services, easy access to problem resolution, good financial aid and such, althoguh those things are nice. Its about doing the work and learning the material. That's how we learn and that's what our education system is supposed to do. I guess the biggest complaint I would have against any school is the abiltiy of receiving a good grade without actually working for it. And that is not the case with the University of Phoenix. I would recommend this school.

Choosing the University of Phoenix was the very worst mistake I ever made. They don't care at all about the students, only about racking in financial aid and payments. The financial aid team made so many errors in my paperwork it took months to receive any of my financial aid, and then the School itself wouldn't release it until they were damned good and ready. Don't ever expect a return phone call from an "academic advisor" or a "financial counselor", because no one at this University can be bothered at all with actual students and their concerns.

I think many people get into an online school thinking it will be easy. I went in expecting a challenge and that is what I've gotten. Not because of difficult classwork but because of the focus on team learning. Learning teams are great in theory but in practice it is a mess for students. I'll be graduating from my program in September 2011 and I cannot wait to get done and out of this school. My learning team experiences have generally consisted of one to two members myself included working hard and carrying team assignments while other members turn in substandard work if they turn in anything at all to the team. Yes, students can inform the instructor that members did not participate, or take peopel's names off the paper, but that doesn't change the fact that only a few people are doing the work expected of a four to six person team. If I knew how things were going to be before I started my bachelors program with UoP I never would have started. Unless the school restructures their learning team model I would stay away from the UoP bachelors programs.

This school only cares about ONE THING $$$$$$$$ The Teachers are amazing and helpful Unfortunatly their financial aid department only cares about their paycheck. They will throw a stack of docs in front of you and once you sign them you're screwed. They will call you every class and tell you that you owe them more money because you didn't do something right. They're rude, inconciderate, and have no business dealing with people. They seem to forget about the fact that you are paying them. Please save yourself the headache and heartache and find a different school.

I first attended Axia College Online(a part of University of Phoenix)to obtain my AA in Paraprofessional Education. I enjoyed the classes, and the flexibilty to take my computer with me and do my homework anywhere. When I completed that, I moved on the my Bachelors of Science in Psychology. I am more than half way through my program, and I have to say I have no regrets. I slacked off after high school taking a class here and there, and was not getting anywhere. If I had not started attending UoP I still would be nowhere. The classes move fast, but if you read and do the assignments on a regular schedule, it will work fine. Teachers have given some constructive feedback. Also, the support group with the Academic counselor and financial counselor are always readily available. I work full-time and being able to "go to school" late at night or on the weekends is a perfect fit for me.

I received my AA in Criminal Justice from Phoenix and was quite happy with the classes and faculty. My opinion DID NOT remain the same when I started my B.S. in Psychology classes. For the bachelor’s classes students are required to work in teams. However, the reality is that only 1-2 people on a 4-5 person team will put forth the effort needed to earn above average grades while the others ride the coat-tails. Throughout 30 weeks, a total of 6 classes, I had hoped the situation would improve. Instead, it became intolerable so I withdrew and am now searching for a new university to attend. The most common strategy suggested by the academic advisors to deal with this issue is to approach the classes as if I was completing the assignments alone. A workable and tolerable approach if I was also earning the grade alone. The team members work, lack of work, or lack of effort always put my grades in jeopardy and in order to maintain my GPA I had to put an extraordinary amount of effort into completing assignments meant for an entire team. The problem is that the large majority of team members are not actively engaging themselves in the team assignments. Along with the many excuses like a busy work week and last minute personal deadlines the other most commonly posted statement of the rationalization of an individual’s lack of effort on a team assignment is (and this is my favorite!), “Being on a team means that people should work together and help whoever needs it.” ***This is code for - I ignored my assignment until the last minute because I didn't feel like doing it so I pounded on some keys to create several inconsequential sentences for you to rework and make sense of. *** Of course apologies will be dispersed along with the standard, "It won't ever happen again." Of course, it will and repeatedly. This is almost always followed up with the ridiculously insincere question of, "Is there anything else I can do to help out the team?" I have posted to an instructor or two regarding this issue but as far as I know, these people received the exact same grade as I did. I believe this is the case because I have seen these same individuals in the next class. It is a very disheartening experience to pay tuition and, literally, earn grades for others.

If you have ever gone to college you get to pick your classes, Phoenix does not do this. I transfered 140 credits, they took 60. They made me take classes I already took. The teachers did no teaching, they were very slow to respond to questions and if you asked a question you were referred to the book.

Overall, enjoyed the experience. Recently completed my BS/Psych online. While the learning teams often left a lot to be desired - The content was more than adequate. Specific to the Psych program: This is a BS in general psychology. Out of 20 core courses, only 1 facilitator offered real-world, NON-therapeutic experience. For those of us already working in a business environment, and who don't plan to pursue graduate education in counseling/therapy - It would be great to see non-therapeutic applications for psychology.

I PLAYED INTO ALL THE ADVERTISEMENTS. THIS WAS A BAD CHOICE FOR ME. MY MOTIVES MAY HAVE NOT BEEN LOGICAL OR REALISTIC. I WANTED TO EARN (YES EARN NOT BUY) A DEGREE. THIS IS A TERRIBLE WAY OF JACKING OFF FEDERAL FUNDS AND STUDENT LOAN MONEY. I AM VERY HAPPY ABOUT MY DECISION TO QUIT BECAUSE THE DEGREE IS A JOKE ON A RESUME AND A EVEN BIGGER JOKE ON THE WALL. NO ONE TAKES IT SERIOUS. I AM NOW RESEARCHING DISTANT LEARNING PROGRAMS.