Walden University Reviews

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PhD in Finance at Walden? Not Ready for Prime Time.

PhD AMDS - Finance
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on January 13, 2012

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I have a brick and mortar MBA and work full time, so I explored the Walden program.  The first quarter is about writing skills at the PhD level and is ok for that purpose.  Now for the bad part.  As you go through the first quarter and begin to determine how you will actually complete your PhD it hit me like a brick... the school has no resources other than a library (a good library).  That's about it. Where are the foundation courses that are in the "big boy" doctoral programs?  Forget about those.  You are on your own.  Look at the negative reviews on Walden. They are almost 100% doctoral students who are far into their dissertation and the reviewers are now asking questions that should have been covered before this point or are not responding because because they know the questions should have been asked before it came to this. This is a prescription for academic disaster. 

Top this off with the lack of respect the degree has in the academic community and I am out of this place after the first quarter and will move on to real alternatives. Chalk this one off to a learning experience in what not to do.

I have had a good experience

Bachelor of Science - Business Administration
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on January 6, 2012

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Good school with good professors.  If you are looking for someone to hold your hand through college, then go elsewhere.

Great content ... poor licensure

Education
Reviewer: Anonymous (Graduate) on January 3, 2012

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I completed my MA in Educational Leadership a few years ago.  I was not able to get a principal's certificate with it and needed to take two extra courses elsewhere.  Then I was fine.  Now I am applying for the supervisor's certificate and having the same problem.  Except now it is four more courses.  So essentially, I am needed to take 18 additional credits.  I got my original MA degree from Walden a few years ago.  When I checked back recently I saw all of the expanded options for degrees and I noticed they now list my degree as non-licensure.  I wish they would have made that clear a few years ago.  It would have saved me a lot.  The content of all of the courses was excellent, above and beyond.  I do not know why they just don;t amend their courses a bit to fix this problem.

Walden sucks

Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on November 17, 2011

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Walden accepts anyone with a pulse who can qualify for a loan. When it comes to graduation, then the standards become like Harvard's. They won't let you graduate until they milk you out of every penny. It is a scam and online degrees are worthless. Not even Walden would give me a position as an assistant. They turned me down repeatedly as soon as i applied.

I LOVE Walden

MSN in Nursing
Reviewer: jenaye.lisbon (Degree In Progress) on November 12, 2011

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I am currently a Walden student in the MSN-education prograam, and I love it. This has been a wonderful experience and oppurtunity to advance my self and career. The program is intense but so is life, the instructors will prepare you to teach others the wonderful art and science of nursing upon completon. I am off to realize my dreams come Spring 2012, 
Thanks walden

PhD in Org Psych

Psychology
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on November 10, 2011

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Current PhD Student
If you are considering enrolling at Walden, please read all the reviews. They are helpful, and for the most part very accurate.

Walden's strengths- the I/O programs and content. Some of the faculty are excellent. My chair is superb. He is not easy, he is demanding, but he is top notch. Choose committee members that have positions at Walden other than just being an adjunct as there tends to be turnover. 

Walden's weaknesses are their administrators. They refuse to assign advanced graduate students academic advisors, they do not return e-mails or phone calls, they will not give you their name when you call, and they even sigh on the phone. This is unacceptable given the cost of tuition. I applied for scholarship money and it is been like pulling teeth to get even the smallest amount of assistance. They would not verify information for the organization, and each department tells you it is another department's responsibility. 

I am glad I am close to being done, but I am sorry that I have spent so much money. I live in an area of the country that has a lot of colleges, but few doctoral programs. When I coach undergrad students, I have stopped having them consider Walden as a choice.

Bad Experience - Dissertation Nightmare and More

Psychology
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on October 26, 2011

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My experience at Walden has been anything but wonderful.  I would have left Walden for another university, but by the time I realized I had made a big mistake it was too late.  It was too late because the laws in my state regarding accreditation and licensure changed.  If Walden had been up front and honest about the changes in the licensure I would not have enrolled there.  While it is not their job to keep me abreast of the laws, it would have been nice if they had shared information which they were privy to way before I and other student like me could have known.  Once confronted on the matter, they started telling other students about the licensure changes.  I should mention, because Walden is not APA accredited, my state would no longer accept the doctorate degree as eligible for full licensure status.  I am aware of five students who begin to tell student in their classes about the changes so that anyone who had not already invested too much time would be able to enroll in a program that would lead to licensure.  We were completely mortified at the fact that Walden knew, admitted it (I still have the email of conversation between administration and myself), and did not tell enrolling students.  

In all honesty, I believe the education at Walden is comparable to any brick and mortar university.  There are also some excellent instructors.  However, the turnover rate was high.  It seemed many of the instructors that were good ended up leaving. Overall, my experience with instructors has been good.  It is not the good experiences that make me want to pull my hair out, it is all of the bad experiences at Walden.

If finding out that I would need to take way too many classes per quarter to get done in time to meet the licensure requirements of my state weren't enough, the administration at Walden and the dissertation process was enough to drive me crazy.  The only comfort I have in that comment is that I heard the same thing from several other students without soliciting negative feedback.  

Administration seems to have varying different answers to questions; it simply depends on which person talked to on what day. My advice, always, always, always get it in writing.  It is amazing how forgetful administration is there.  Apparently, their ability to keep notes on the computer does not work very well.  

As for my dissertation, well I have been working on it for over two years now.  One might think presume I am a bit slow for it to take so long.  However, the truth of the matter is that I believe Walden wants as much of my money as possible before I graduate.  I went an entire quarter without a methodologist.  I had one, a very good one; he resigned from Walden after a year being on my committee.  He agreed to continue to help.  Walden would not allow it!  Walden also had not one single faculty member who was willing to be on the committee.  The interim department head eventually found someone, someone who up to that point had not responded to one of my emails requesting her to be on my committee.  It took the interim department head about eight weeks before he finally had the time to find someone.  I guess it did not matter to him the laws changed in my state and I had a limited amount of time to complete my dissertation.  
It also does not matter to my Chair that my time is limited. She has asked me at several different times where we left off in the process.  What?  She also asks me what the IRB said needed to be changed.  I am confused.  Did she read the email the IRB sent her?  Did she read the comments I posted in the document I sent her (which was what the IRB said).  I have been waiting since July 1st for IRB approval.  The IRB is a pain, but the real hold up is my committee at this point.

Jamel D. Walden University

Bachelor of Science - Business Administration
Reviewer: (Degree In Progress) on October 3, 2011

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Maybe it is just me but this school seems to be a really hard if you were taught to do school assignments differently.  It's like this.  The way I was taught to do papers is totally different from what these instructors want.  Every paper that I was taught how to do is to make sure most of it is in your own words just like the school material is, but I have recieved a person's paper from an instructor on how a paper should be.  People, this paper was almost all citations.  The instructors do not even go by the mandatory DQ assignments, they want it their own way.  As a matter of fact they are not even the one's that give the assignments.  They have someone else make up the assignments for the class.  They ask questions on tests that aren't even the book or the person that made the assignments, got them from the wrong book.  For example a test that I took for my Leadership class.  There were a few questions that was on chapter 29 of the book and the course material is only chapters 1 through 12.

If I could do things over I would prefer to go to an on campus college.  I went to a 2 year college and was acing my classes, the only thing that sucked is that they did not like the fect that I never went to class.  They told me it was not my grades, because the instructors informed them that when I did go to class, I helped the other people, it was my lack of showing up to class.

That was my fault totally.  I figured hell if i can pass tests and papers with A's and B's I wouldnt need to go, boy was I wrong.  I guess it is my own stupidity.  

Last night I talked to one of my classmates and he said he is passing with a 3.2 and he puts his paper through a website that does everything for you from grammar and what you should have as citations.  Now I'm like damn, if only I would have known that the teachers like that better.  Oh he also informed me that they use a specfic Word format and if you send them a paper and do not have that program you will get a deducted grade.  How f'ed up is that.  Well if I don't graduate from there, I at least hope there is a school that will accept a 1.9.

Dissertation Nightmare and More

Psychology
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on September 25, 2011

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I had some positive experiences with a few instructors and administration at Walden.  However, I believe the majority of my experience has been negative.  Information was withheld from me when I enrolled at Walden.  By the time I received the information, it would have been finacially too late for me to leave the program. If I were to list all of the issues with "miscommunication" or lack of communication it would be a nightmare.  Actually it was a nightmare.  More students than not who started when I did were in the same boat... lot of tears literally during this process.

The dissertation process is enough to make you lose your mind. I had a committee member leave Walden, a wonderful instructor and very committed to helping me.  It took 12 weeks to find someone else after sending emails to the entire department requesting someone.  Walden charged me for the quarter and said it was not their responsibility.  I filed two appeals. They still said they would not refund my money for the quarter.  What? Even the interim department head was obnoxious and mean about it and made me wait to schedule with him because he was at residency for two weeks.  So, I guess he has not access to his calendar while at the school's residency weeks. Furthermore, my chair needed me to tell her what she had already approved and bring her up to date every quarter.  What?  My methods person very seldom returned my emails, even when I asked for help.

I could go on and on with reasons for disliking Walden and even being embarrassed to say I attended there. I will never recommend Walden to anyone.  I believe the education was good, but all the problems that go along with it, is simply not worth it.

God Help Us If This Is True

Ed. D. Educational Leadership
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on September 22, 2011

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I sincerely hope that what I've read about Walden's delay practices is not true. I'm ABD right now (in the EdD program) and suddenly my 4.0 gpa has found me in jeopardy of academic dismissal because I earned a "u" in 1 non-credit course. I understand the work required, but if things continue as others have experienced them, I will transfer before I go down with this horrible practice.

Beware and do research on all online programs first.

Mental Health Counseling
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on September 16, 2011

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I am incredibly dissapointed with Walden University.  In my first week alone I had three courses with one instructor who had highly punitive values.  In the discussion board, she chastized students making it very embarrassing for everyone.  I was also notified that the cost of the residencies had increased to a phenominal rate.  This was not the rate I was quoted before I was admitted.  I chose to drop out of the program, but when I contacted my admissions advisor twice to find out the procedure, I never received a response.  I would not recommend this school.  It is not student friendly.

Walden's unfairness

Mental Health Counseling
Reviewer: loveablecockers (Degree In Progress) on August 19, 2011

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I cannot say anything against the instructors at Walden, however I can say that for a university that is as highly rated as Walden and teaches psychology this school is heartless to the students. My husband became terminally ill forcing me to withdraw from classes. He passed away two months later. I did return to classes but unfortunately had to take a leave of absence during the summer because I have a 4 year old and no child care. I was dropped from Walden, most universities would have had me show proof to the dean and excused my absence, not Walden

Great Online School

MSN in Nursing
Reviewer: kteer77 (Graduate) on August 17, 2011

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I recently graduated in the MSN-nurse educator program, and I absolutely loved it! I felt like i was in traditional classes because its semester based and you take one class every 8 weeks with week or 2 break in between semesters. The text book are included in the tuition and they are delivered before classes begin. The intructors were very attentive and available. Student support services always available, never had any problems with advising. Great School!

Dissertation Nightmare

Psychology
Reviewer: Anonymous (Graduate) on August 5, 2011

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Texts are a higher rating because they are the same texts in other doctoral programs.

Half the teachers care and the other half don't.

Institution, Support, Value, and Use of Technology are poor in all respects.  The Dissertation process is dragged out for every student for a reason-money.  It felt very strange that I had many professors drop midstream from their roles as a chair, university research reviewers, and methodologists (no kidding lots dropped the university midstream or could not fulfill a role because not completing Walden driven courses).  I had an IRB nightmare of failed communication delays that led to an additional 3 quarters despite immediate turn arounds of drafts and revision requests with the support of my committee.

bad reviews are from whiners

Education
Reviewer: amoalf (Degree In Progress) on July 27, 2011

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If you read the negative reviews they're from students that every teacher knows well.....the whiner. Nothing is ever their fault and every teacher is bad. They want the work done for them. Walden is only for the motivated person. I am proud of my phd work and how hard I worked to do it. The money complaints are ludicrous. Obviously those whiners never put children through a brick and mortar college. Warden is cheap compared to them and there are no hidden costs. There are so many people like me who work hard in their job and do not have the Time to return to regular college classes. Thank goodness for walden.

Walden - If you coast you will languish

Ed. D. Educational Leadership
Reviewer: Anonymous (Graduate) on July 23, 2011

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I am a PhD (Educational Leadership) 2006 graduate of Walden. The university is designed for the adult learner--meaning any individual who attends and expects to earn a degree must be self-directed.  Many times I encountered other students who were still working on their first KAM or had not even begun it.  From my perspective, Walden becomes a filter in the sense that those who can and will do the work move forward and earn the degree while others--again from my perspective--simply languish by not doing the required work either because they thought it would be much easier or simply are not capable of doing it. If you are thinking of Walden, the convenience of a vitrual school is a true advantage.  At the same time, if you are not self- directed and need a "face to face" environment to motivate you, Walden is not a good match. The "delays" that other individuals refer to happen at most schools and to most doctoral candidates. There are few folks with a doctorate who do not have some kind of horror story about revisions, the committee, etc.  This is all part of the process. Overall, I found Walden to be a good experience for me and would recommend it.

MBA - All the information is there, its what you make of it

MBA
Reviewer: lahartley84 (Degree In Progress) on July 16, 2011

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Materials and books are shipped to you.  Extensive online library.  Courses and well outlined with clearly stated objectives. Some real time lectures would make this a 10/10. 

I enjoy a tough instructor, and mostly that's what I have found at Walden.  They encourage independent learning, meaning one must search for one's answers.  The overall expectation has been that a strong base must have been established in the undergraduate work.  

Institution is perhaps the let down here. I really had hoped that it is better known and was more accredited.  I believe students want to feel in some ways secure about the school they attend and am still unsure about how it truly compares to other MBA programs.  For instance, banks in Canada where I'm from could not grant me a student loan because they have not recognised the school yet (its still too new).

Support:  In spite of my doubts, the accounts receivable office has been unbelievably understanding that I am paying as I go and have worked with me to make payments incrementally.  My academic advisor responds back to me within hours, as do my instructors.

The value of the program has been worth my effort.  I work full-time as I take my course, and in the last year my work has improved.  I feel more confident and competent within my field.  The program has taught me to take the initiative. I have an interview with one of the company leaders next week! 2 years ago, I didn't believe it would happen.

Technology - so far so good.  No major crisis. Suggest a portable computer and back-up drives.

Another Money Hungry Online School...

Walden University
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on July 15, 2011

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Walden University
I am currently attending Walden University. After leaving the University of Phoenix, Walden was a breath of fresh air…well I thought it was. I am currently enrolled in a B.S. Information Systems – Self Design. The enrollment process was a breeze and the enrollment staff was extremely helpful. This online college seemed very different than the previous institution I was enrolled in. Well, a few months pass and once again I am faced with poor communications from Walden advisors and staff. Many Walden advisors and instructors take more than 3 days to respond to e-mails and frequently do not answer their phone calls. The quality of education seems very easy and not challenging. The cost of each class is through the roof and you also have to purchase your own materials on top of it but, I knew this going into this institution. I feel that Walden is more organized than my previous online school but, I still feel that this institution’s number one goal is profit. There is so much potential when it comes to online schooling but, many “for-profit” online schools are creating a terrible name for online schooling across the board. Steer clear of schools such as this and do a ton of research before pouring money into the degree of your choice.

Yes - its Bad if you're not just after a piece of paper.

Walden University
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on July 13, 2011

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First, the interface is goofy and overabundant; there is a syllabus 1, 2, course instructions, calendar and application. All of which have different specifics on how the work is to be done, but you also have the instructors putting out their own rubrics.

The teachers are not bright, they encourage groupthink, do not grade by the syllabus, and are educational in their approach with the students. It's more like a social gathering in the discussions and, in several instances, I've had to correct the instructors on items they had wrong. It is very clear that the instructors are not very educated themselves and are not familiar with theories that are taught.

The books are expensive, and they require multiple editions to be order. For example, one class was three books, but we only need about 1/4 of it to complete the course. The rest of the course, we never talk about anything out of the other books, which cost well over $150 dollar for three, but that's because I bought at discount prices. If you purchase at full price, well, goodluck. They said "oh yeah," you can download the books for less, but that's not true. The downloads are the same price as regular books.

They told me that I could take classes where I would work alone, but that's not true. My very first class, I am stuck in groups with mandatory weekly meetings that I could not attend.

Anyway, it's just been an awful, awful experience. I am in my second class, but I will be leaving as soon as it's done.

Rip Off Big Time

PhD Public Health
Reviewer: musamansa11 (Degree In Progress) on April 30, 2011

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I am currently attending Walden's purported PhD Public Health program and I have to tell you, it's a major joke on the students. 

The professor, who also earned his doctoral degree from Walden, does not disseminate any  useful information, and forget about lectures as there are none, not even PowerPoint presentations.  He makes very casual comments in response to the students' posts and never offers anything substantial.  He grades the assignments but it is clear that he does not read them as he offers no feedback.  His only focus is that we use APA  formatting.  There is absolutely no way that anyone will learn anything about public health in this type of setting.  And while Walden boasts about having instructors who are experienced, what's the point if the intructors are not sharing that experience or expertise in the classroom.  I am a 12 year public health veteran and could definitely teach or should I say manage the activity in the classroom as there is absolutely no teaching. It claims that it is a student centered environment wherein students teach each other.  The problem with that argument is students are not qualified and nor should they be expected to teach their fellow doctoral classmates.  Many of them are simply paraphrasing information for the sake of answering a question. A significant number do not have a background in public health.

Anyone claiming to learn from this setup is actually lying or is too ignorant to realize that she/he is being exploited.   You will learn more from reading books and scientific articles than this university.  

They also exploit their students by requiring them to attend 4 so-called residences out of state and usually in large metropolitan cities like Atlanta.  The students have to pay an additional registration fee, plus housing and transportation all for the sake of hanging out with their faculty and fellow students.  In addition, the guest speaker is never someone in the public health field.  This year Eric Michael Dyson will speak.  While I have his books, he has no experience in my area, hence, why would I pay money to hear him speak, and how is this experience considered a residency.  During a residency, the student usually works at an external organization in h/his area of study; these are not residences, rather social gatherings that fill Walden's pockets.

Therefore, if you merely want a worthless degree, and expensive one, this is the place for you. If you want to truly learn about public health, I strongly advise you to attend a traditional public health program at a state university.  I realize that sitting in a classroom is so yesterday and an inconvenience but you will learn a lot more and establish real relationships with your faculty and public health community. This will be my first and last course at Walden.

up ste, mislead, lied to by walden

Education
Reviewer: supastar424 (Degree In Progress) on April 21, 2011

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I started at Walden last June after I transferred from Cappella with the belief that I could graduate in a year because of degree needs for my job. They helped me to map out my course to aid me completing the course in the year which convinced me to transfer. I was told to do a course petition to double my course loads to get the desired result of 1 year completion of the program. This was successful until now. I have two classes left and thought I could take them in this next set of 8 weeks so that I could have my degree before the next school year(which was needed to keep my job) IN STEAD  I have to sit out the term and take one class starting in July and the other in September. I will not finish until October. I WAS COMPLETELY DECIEVED, MISLEAD, LIED TO AND TRANSFERRED AND ENROLLED UNDER FALSE PRETENSES. I am beyond up set. Why was I not told until it was time to register for my last two classes that were not even offered. They said that i was ahead and the courses were not finished being developed!!!! They should have told me my desired graduation was not feasible bc the program was not completed yet. Now I will lose my job- thanks to Walden who knew my situation and choose to use my livelihood to get their numbers up!

NOT AN EASY ROAD

Psychology
Reviewer: Jimdunne250 (Degree In Progress) on April 19, 2011

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I received my BS and MS from a traditional school.  Currently, I'm enrolled in the Health Psychology (PhD) program and hear me on this:  IF YOU EXPECT AN EASY ROAD BECAUSE YOU PAID YOUR MONEY, GO SOMEWHERE ELSE.  This is by far the hardest thing I've ever done school wise.  The professors are helpful, but remember, this is a PhD program.  You'll find support, but no hand holding and no excuses.  I want to choke people when I hear distant learning is easy.

Bachelors

Psychology
Reviewer: jcbmack (Graduate) on April 18, 2011

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Induction into Psi Chi, a chance to work in an NSF funded program, respect of my peers from brick and mortar universities, and a chance once I complete an MS in mental health (and internship hours) to practice in the real world.These are just some of the benefits of attending Walden University. I am conducting research and broadening my skill sets. These are the same goals many other students have, irrespective of the university they attend. Some brick and mortars do a great job in such development and some do not. The same is true of some online institutions. Maybe Walden is not for everyone, based upon temperament and the Big 5 personality traits, but for me it is has been and continues to be a very rewarding experience.

untitled

Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on April 7, 2011

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I began the process of completing my Doctoral degreeat Walden University. During my second quarter, I was advised by a very reliable source that Walden along with a few other online universities allow individuals without a Bachelors degree to enroll in the Doctoral program. I called Walden and asked if this were indeed the case. I was told that an individual need only be able to prove they have a Masters degree. In my opinion, one should have to show that they have completed both a Bachelors and Masters before pursuing a Doctoratal degree. I was troubled by this and decided to pursue my degree elsewhere.

1st Semester M.S., Mental Health Counseling, Forensic Counseling

Mental Health Counseling
Reviewer: verondab (Degree In Progress) on March 26, 2011

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I am in my 1st semester of M.S., Mental Health Counseling, Forensic Counseling with Walden University. I must say, I was very doubtful to say the least in obtaining a Master's degree online, specifically regarding my area of expertise. As of right now, I am sooooo thrilled that I chose Walden U. There is a Student Support Group on Facebook, started by other students, that offers great advice, work arounds, and support. 
My instructor is phenomenal and the course work required is right inline with preparation for a Clinical Practice and even sets the tone for Ph.D. 
If you are second guessing yourself about Walden U., please rethink the process. Sure, there is not a perfect school, even the traditional brick and mortar, but the quality of education that I am receiving is surpassing my expectations, which are usually held in very high regard. I already have made some connections for possible internships and am looking forward to completing my first residency in the next few months. 
Come aboard with an open mind, focused, and ready to achieve your goals and you will not fail!!!!

Rising Tuition / Fees

Mental Health Counseling
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on March 11, 2011

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Attending the on-line program for one year. 

After the first quarter the credit hours for the graduate classes increased from 3 credits to 5 credits, therefore, a higher cost per class. Then - a tuition increase the following quarter to further increase the bill. Then - each quarter since the start the 'technology fee' increased from $20/class to $40/class and now is $60/class.

Then add in the high cost of Text Books, required DVD's and required Study Guides/Workbooks each quarter and it comes to roughly $2,200 to $2.600 per class.

Multiply this by the 18-20 courses needed to attain a degree and you are looking at $45,000 - $52,000. Student Loans or out of pocket costs ? 

Walden University has taken all the enjoyment out of higher education with their avarice, unethical, practice all in the name of PROFIT. They need to rewrite their Mission Statement to state the true message; HYPOCRISY & GREED

Beware before admission ! - research other options before you agree to take on this ever increasing debt.

Not Accomodating At All

Education
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on February 23, 2011

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Walden University is NOT flexible or helpful for working adults. I was less than 1 week into my first class when my teaching position was switched from part time to full time. My superintendent told me that he would no longer allow me time off to student teach. Walden WOULD NOT accomodate any other time to student teach NOR waive my fee for the class that I had only been in for 6 days, even with documentation from my superintendent. Rip Off!!!

Walden University - Accreditation

Walden University
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on February 16, 2011

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I'm writing to inform any one who is considering Walden to obtain a degree in Public Health:  None of its programs are accredited by the Council on Education for Public Health (CEPH). Employers recognize CEPH accreditation and will expect that your degree comes from a program that his this professional accreditation. Walden did submit an application a couple of years ago but withdrew and has not resubmitted.  

Walden does have regional accreditation but not professional.  These are distinct types of accreditation and offer different benefits.

In addition, it boasts of having a faculty who has terminal degrees and are experts in the field of public health, these purported experts are not required to actually lecture.  This is a self-taught environment; you are on your own.  Finally, the residencies are a rip off in that they are an additional cost to attend and students also incur travel and lodging expenses.  The residencies do not focu on public health issues rather they are social gatherings at your expense and another way for Walden to screw you.

VERY DIFFERENT LEARNING EXPERIENCE

Mental Health Counseling
Reviewer: MarkRS68 (Degree In Progress) on February 4, 2011

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I was honestly thinking of transferring to a traditional bricks and mortar school until returned recently from my first Residency (two are required for this program)
I finally was able to put a name with a face to students who I have only interacted with via the online classroom. In addition, I met some very intelligent members of faculty and was impressed by almost all of them. (joking aside, there were a few that I did not enjoy the experience of coming it contact with), but that goes with the territory and of course with any college, regardless of the format. Walden has really impressed me and the first residency afforded me new friendships and networking opportunities that I hope will last a lifetime.  Think outside of the traditional classroom and think about Walden.  You will not regret your decision.  One caveat, the course work is not easy or trivial, and it actually will require you to work very diligently and force you to rethink your abilities.

BSBA

Walden University
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on February 2, 2011

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After starting with another online university, I chose to enroll with Walden University based on recommendations from collegues and my employer.  I have not been disappointed.  Class tuition is not inexpensive but I have been very pleased with BSBS program overall.  The courses are challenging and most professors expect quality work.  Online courses are not for everyone so please ensure you are a good fit for schools of this type.

Excellent program!

Mental Health Counseling
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on January 22, 2011

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I am in my third semester with Walden in the Master's of Science Counseling program. Before choosing Walden I conducted research on the school and read other Walden students' reviews and decided to take a chance on it. I will abmit, I was a little worried, because it is an online program and I wanted to make sure that I was going to prepare me to take on a new career in the counseling profession. As it turns out, the professionals are VERY professional, knowledgable and friendly. I have only great things to say about this school. If you are thinking that this program is going to be easy, you might want to re-consider. The professors hold high standards (which should be expected in a graduate program), they expect you to produce quality material, whether for weekly discussions or weekly papers or final projects in APA style format. You are required to attend and participate in two residencies over the duration of the program which are very intense; especually the last residency which you will engage in 10 hours of group counseling sessions. The professors are very supportive and helpful in enhancing your skills to help you complete the residencies and master skills that will make you an effective future counselor. I have yet to have one instructor I did not feel cared about my success. In addition, the program is very focused on making sure you understand your state's requirements toward attaining licensure before you complete the program. 

I would argue that about this program is about 70% online. The other 30% would consist of residency and internship practicum hours that you must complete prior to graduation. Keep in mind, this program is CACREP accreddited, which means that this program is internationally recognized and will take dedication, the degree will be just be handed to you, you have to actually work for it. If I could give you advice it would be being very familar with APA style format, be self-motivated, computer savy, dedicated, and possess good time management abilities and you will succeed. As of 2009, was able to introduce a new Chapter to Sigma Chi Iota Honors Society, which means that if you possess a 3.5 or higher after your first residency or third semester you would be invited by the Director of the program's Chapter to become a member of the program's Chapter and join the Sigma Chi Iota. This school genuinely cares about their students and their success. Don't think that because it is "online" that you will not recieve a quality education. It is an EXCELLENT program! This is coming from a student who recieved an undergraduate degree from a traditional university (UNLV) and I have been very impressed!!

Ed.D. Warning

Ed. D. Educational Leadership
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on January 17, 2011

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As so many others have written regarding the Ed.D. Educational Leadership degree program; do not waste your time and money. I sailed through my coursework with all "A's" and great encouragement from all my instructors. They told me my dissertation topic and research was great and I was right on track to move ahead. Then I got get kicked in the face by my almost non-existent doctoral committee.

Having also been an employee with Walden during my program I can assure you that the speculation regarding a planned strategy to delay your doctoral graduation is real. Unlike most universities, Walden's profits drive the Ed.D. programs; instructors do as they are told. 

And I was also unfortunate enough to have my review committee  assigned from both Ph.D. and Ed.D. programs. I experienced professional warfare I would never have imagined. 

This review only pertains to the Ed.D. Educational Leadership program and not the MST programs. I am very biased against Walden's overall treatment of customers which is why I chose to leave the university, but my experiences on the Ed.D. program are very real and unbiased.

PhD in public health

PhD Public Health
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on January 17, 2011

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Overall, my experience at Walden has been good. The only thing I don't like is that not every staff is knowlegeable and consistent in answering our questions. For example, I have asked different enrollment and academic advisors regarding the PhD in Public Health accreditation and when we can start our dessertation. My enrollment advisor told me she didn't know about public health program accreditation, and my academic advisor told me it is not accredited. So then I emailed the program coordinator, who told me that the PhD program in Public Health is not accredited by CEPH because the lack of CEPH accreditation on this program will not adversly affect students in the long run, since a PhD degree is an academic degree and not a professional degree. MPH degree, on the other hand, is important to be accredited. Other than some staff not knowing answers to our questions, I liking my courses thus far; things are flexible at Walden and enables me to complete my assignment whenever I want throughout the week. There is a lot of reading and writing in the PhD in public health program so I take note on this; at least one assignment a week per course. At the end of the day, I am learning a lot from my courses at Walden so I am satisfied.

Great in the beginning, now so frustrated and disappointed

EdD Teacher Leadership
Reviewer: jordizzy (Degree In Progress) on January 14, 2011

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I received my Masters from Walden and was very impressed with the program.  I learned a great deal and that is why I decided to pursue my doctorate from Walden as well.  I have been in the program since May 2007.  The classes in the beginning were challenging and informative and I was excited about getting to the dissertation and research stage of the process.  I have been at the stage of waiting to be approve for research for two years! My first three chapters have been written for two years.   I have had several committee changes and chair resignations.  I have never missed a deadline and have never received anything but an A in my courses, except the one time my chair made a mistake and gave me an unsatisfactory grade because she got me confused with someone else and I have had for for my chair for two years!!!  It was a headache to get it corrected and I had to provide numerous forms of documentation to prove it. The hold up is not me, they drag everything out, email responses, returning of paper submissions, assigning of committee members, everything!  I do not normally complain but I wanted anyone who is contemplating getting their Doctorate Degree from Walden to know their practices.  I am stuck.  I have paid Walden thousands of dollars and do not want to give up on attaining my goal but I am running out of money and the excitement of conducting valid research is gone.  It is so frustrating. Potential Walden students BEWARE!

PhD Education K-12 Leadership

Walden University
Reviewer: william.molnar (Degree In Progress) on January 12, 2011

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My experience with Walden University has been nothing but great. My first contact with Walden was with a representative who was extremely knowledgeable and very understanding of my needs and goals. After steering me in the right direction, I was accepted to the school of Education and given a mentor. I could not have asked for a better person!! He is available to me at all times. I can contact him by phone when necessary and if I e-mail him, he respons within 24 hours. Every class I have taken has been very helpful to my career. I have found myself applying a lot of what I have learned from my courses at Walden to my job. I think the classes can be challenging but one only gets out of it what one puts into it. Many students feel the courses are too easy and professors do not care but I find the complete opposite. The professors are very good in their fields and every tiime they respond to my discussions, they always leave me with something to think about that helps me in my occupation. I find the materials to be very helpful. I always purchase the suggested texts for reference and use them frequently when working on various class projects. With regards to the library, I have had nothing but wonderful experiences. If I need help, I can always reach someone on the phone and if I leave a message, they always call back. If I e-mail them, they always e-mail back within 24 hours. My only concern is the finances. I do feel $20,000 a year is steep. I am $65,000 in the hole as of now and I expect it to reach $100,000. I must keep in mind that this PhD is going to advance me in my career and allow me to follow my dreams which would be impossible without the degree.

MS in General Psychology

Psychology
Reviewer: angelaknight1971 (Degree In Progress) on January 9, 2011

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I have been delightfully surprised and pleased with Walden. In truth, this school was last on my list but I am so glad I enrolled. This school is not to be snubbed because it is online. The course work is challenging and I have learned quite a bit. There is a lot of writing and reading. I am in classes with some very intelligent individuals and have learned as much from them as I have the materials and in doing my own research for discussions and essays.

Great MBA Program

MBA
Reviewer: timwright07 (Graduate) on January 6, 2011

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I received my MBA in the spring of 2010 and was very pleased with the quality of the program.  I went to a traditional university for undergrad and decided to go back and earn my MBA for professional development.  I needed a program that offered online courses due to the unpredictable nature of my work schedule; I couldn't commit to a class room type of environment not even on the weekends as sometimes I had to work.  

I received excellent support from my professors and classmates.  Accounting has always been my least favorite subject and while struggling in class I contacted my professor and she scheduled a phone call with me to discuss the subject. We proceeded to speak for 45 minutes until I finally understood.  You can't get that type of quality time with professors at many large brick and mortar institutions; usually it's with a TA.  The coursework is not as easy as you may think.  My first year in the program was about as challenging as I expected meaning that I didn’t really stress out much.  My second year in the program was much more demanding, rigorous and challenging.  I had to work hard to earn every good grade I received.  As a matter of fact, to add credibility to the program, I went to a presentation with an association I belong to at SMU in Dallas which is well known academically.  The speaker was one of the professors from their MBA program who taught their HR Management course.  He presented a topic he was currently covering with his students.  It was the very same topic I was studying at the time at Walden which made me feel very good and secure with the quality of education I was receiving.  

An added plus – they deliver your materials to your front door.  For the busy professional this is priceless!!  Good luck and I hope my review helps.

Two Classes From Finishing

Education
Reviewer: bldwalker (Degree In Progress) on December 29, 2010

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I was in the Masters of Science in Education with a Special Education No-Liscenure. I fell below my required GPA and lost my financial aid. I filed an appeal and I was also denied an extension of my financial aid for onemore semester. I was two classes from receiving my degree. I was backed against a wall and had to withdrw from the university because I can not afford to pay the classes out of my pocket. It is very unfair that students that are in a financial need are denied something that would help them better their lives and futures. I am a single parent and live on a very limited income. I worked very hard to get and complete what I did at Walden University. I made many ajustments in my life just so that I could get my Masters Degree. I am very unhappy with outcome of this university's answer to resolving student GPA problems.

The worst mistake I've ever made

Walden University
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on December 19, 2010

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I began the PhD in Sepcial Education program at Walden in the Fall of 2006. Since that time, Walden has changed several aspects of the program, adding to the length of time for me to complete my degree (so far, 3 quarters have been added at a cost of approximately $4200.00 per quarter). Even though I was Accepted under the 2005/2006 catelogue, Walden did not "Grandfather" myself or other students when these changes were made. I am too close to finishing, so now I am stuck with ever changing and conflicting rules. My current personal favorite is that after completing and accpetance of my proposal, and subsequent data collect, the Univeristy Research Reviewer has changed her mind about my proposal and now wants signifcant portions of the proposal re-written along with the research questions. This is totally inapropriate, vilotas Walden's stated policy, yet I have been told to "jump through the hoop" (yes, that is an exact quote).

I urge you to save yourself time, money, frustration and aggravation. Do not go to Walden. FYI, I currently have a 4.0 GPA and have never missed a deadline. The delays are on Walden's part. Work is reviewed by their staff on a consecutive time frame instead of concurrent; on other words, if 3 people need to review your writing, they each take a turn, one after the other. 

Run, don't waste your time like I have.

Signed,
Stuck at ABD

I find it to be pretty decent for an online school

Mental Health Counseling
Reviewer: msjackson87 (Degree In Progress) on December 9, 2010

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I am currently a student in the 5th quarter of this program and my honest opinion is that this is a pretty decent school. I enrolled in the school after I graduated from a top University, University of Michigan(Ann Arbor). I liked the idea that I would have a chance to earn money as well as pursue my graduate degree. What first intrigued me was the support and information that I received from the enrollment advisor as well as the academic advisor. I can also vouch for the support of the administrative staff and faculty. During my first residency the very first day I had an emergency situation which required me to go to the hospital. I spoke with staff about my situation and they were there for me. They sat with me comforted me and even called a cab for me to go to the hospital. I know what you may be thinking at this point "wow that's not alot that's the least" and I agree. But do to policy and conflict dual-relationship contact they couldn't ride with me to the hospital. So I was alone in Texas(I'm from Michigan) at the hospital. As I layed in the hospital bed I had a knock on my door. To my surprise there were 3 faculty members at my door. One was my current professor, one a facilitator of the residency and the other administrative staff. It blew my mind that they came (they found a loop hole in the policy they couldn't ride with me but they could come separately). They stayed the entire night until 4am! Never would I have had this type of support from any faculty at the University of Michigan. Along with this I receive valuable feedback from my professors in a timely manner. I now know that I cannot slack in this program and expect the professor to give out A's because I have received C's in the past. The residency reassured me about enrolling in the program because of the opportunity to actually meet my professors and advisors. Like others I do believe that the program is quite expensive as well as the books needed. But mind you I attended the most expensive public school and experienced the same costs for books. The only difference is then I had scholarships and grants to cover the majority of the expenses. There are some bad reviews here but I have also heard bad reviews for UofM. But yet it's still a good school. I look forward to completing this program and hopefully things get even better.

PhD in Organizational Psychology

Psychology
Reviewer: mctempemail (Degree In Progress) on November 4, 2010

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The lack of support, systems and competent instruction is appalling. Faculty and staff do not return emails nor are they concerned about anything but the tuition. The faculty are not competent, no feedback, faculty unavailable, emails go unanswered, classroom posting go ignored, tons of admin problems, every one blaming the other department and no one helping to solve problems...total disorganization...it was a joke. I would not recommend walden university. My experience there in the past several years has been very disappointing. There is no motivation to support graduation...in fact they have employed systems to make graduation impossible or difficult and expensive at best. The departments do not collaborate or back up their promises... Save yourself the headache.

Walden Science Education K-8

Education
Reviewer: Anonymous (Graduate) on November 3, 2010

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I am writing this review so you  might know some of my experience.  If you are a science educator and like me feel strongly about getting a masters in science, this is probably the best bet out there.  Unlike when I took teaching methods courses, the Walden course program doesn't just tell you things like 'use inquiry,' it actually has you participate in inquiry.  Clearly as a science specialist you get far more depth out of experiences than your students would, but the course really helped me jump start ideas in my classroom.  I also got a few lab ideas, although the supplies needed may sometimes be too expensive for a typical classroom.  A drawback was that if you didn't have as much understanding in a particular area, it was more difficult to discuss with peers.  While you would still learn about the topic, there wasn't as much richness without learning the theories behind the lab experiences first.  Some of the professors are fabulous at feedback; some are not.  I suppose just as with any masters, the level of difficulty steps up quite a bit over time.  You definiately feel this and by the last couple courses, it's a time crunch.  I was glad it was summer, and the courses accomodate you for that.  There's little flexibility with due dates however.  It's asking to move mountains to get your assignments early.  I tried twice, once with luck.  I'm not sure why they're so strict about that.  I know the courses progress, but I would have thought that GETTING MARRIED would have been a good reason to get an assignment one week ahead of time.  If you can make due with the rigid due dates, the courses are varied and interesting.   The company Walden uses to ship materials is deplorable in it's service.  The first few shipments they had a slip that said, "Everyone makes mistakes," so you could tell them what broke or wasn't sent. Initially, it seemed okay. After the first few shipments, that slip stopped coming, but the mistakes sure didn't!  You may need to do some shopping and scramble to get the equipment to work at times because of this.  I do think I learned more than I expected.  It was easy to match with my schedule (most of the time).  Overall, I'm happy with what I've learned.

See Comments of ToGraduate2013 Below

Psychology
Reviewer: exstkbme (Degree In Progress) on October 30, 2010

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No more remarkable than most on-campus programs except it's online.  I think it is more scholarly than other online programs based on discussions with other classmates who transferred in.  The classmates I know that transferred, did so because the other programs required less statistics, and had less requirements. That tells you something about the difference in online schools.

Simply people get what they put into it. Read my comments at the bottom of the page under "ToGraduate2013" I left details to consider before attending this or any online school.

Was skeptic, but I am impressed and happy

Psychology
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on October 11, 2010

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I have always studied in the traditional class-room univeristy. I was skeptic about studying a PhD on line. I am so pleased to be a Walden student. I like to study and I have to wrok very hard to get good grades. This is no degree mill and I am happy to see that becase, although it has been hard work, I am learnin a lot. I recommend Walden. It is not cheap but you get the best student support and I have had fabuolous instructors.The residencies are immaculately organized.You are always guided through the information. I am an MD and have a Masters in Science in Immunology and I am very happy to be a Walden Student!

Think twice before attending this "university"

Ed. D. Educational Leadership
Reviewer: Anonymous (Graduate) on September 26, 2010

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Think twice before attending. I did finish the program but it took over 6 years and the Ed.D was advertised as a 3 year program. 
There are a few good instructors but overall I have to agree with previous comments that the faculty is trained in stalling as long as possible. It is all about the money and instructors wait until the last possible moment to edit, review, etc.  

I strongly advise anyone considering this program to look at other programs as Walden is only concerned about taking your money.

registration for classes

Walden University
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on September 7, 2010

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They can't even get you registered for classes in time before your course starts. They make excuses about how they are going to send your paper work in and then you have to chase after them to get the work done. Then just when you think you are registered you can't sign in on the day of classes. I started the registration process at least a month before classes. I have never had so many problems just starting an online course. They can't even send you your course materials before the start date.

Loved Walden

Psychology
Reviewer: cavitrii (Graduate) on September 3, 2010

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I graduated with an MS in General Psychology in December 2007. Overall, my experience at Walden was rigorous. Courses were in-depth and challenging and expectations were exceptionally high.  Some students interpret this as "rude" or "unsupportive"; however, it is meant to raise the students' academic performance. Profs were accessible via email and offered contact via phone. Most of my profs provided useful feedback on coursework in a timely fashion. Walden offered a survey at the end of each course to allow students to rate their course experience.

Coursework at Walden is self-directed. You MUST actively participate in the on-line forum in order to gleen anything from the course. The 30 page research papers due at the end of each course are no joke; profs will hold students to APA (or MLA) criteria as well as academic honesty (plagiarism).

I had one course that required I fly to MN for a week. I found that experience to be very professional. The lecturers were relevant and willing to assist in my learning. Fellow students were serious about their education and were hard working. I did not find the in-person experience to be "a joke" as some reviewers have stated.

Reviewers have indicated that Walden allows the "bottom of the barrel" who are desperate into their degree programs; I found the opposite. I had to speak with an advisor at length, provide a résumé as well as a detailed essay about why I wanted to be in the program, provide my GRE scores AND then interview with the Board of Regents of the university. Also, I knew of several students who were asked to leave the program because of poor work quality. I also knew of one student who had submitted her thesis and was denied her degree because of academic dishonesty.


The only low area was that the thesis process was confusing and disorganized. I had difficulty reaching my  Chair; however, when we were able to communicate, her expertise was valuable! But, my thesis turned out to be the best work I had ever done at 125 pages, which included an innovative research project. Everyone I have ever shown my thesis to has been impressed with its subject and content.

I NEVER experienced any Walden staff to be discourteous or simply trying to "get more money" out of me. I never experienced Walden changing my degree program on a whim and holding me to the new standards. As a matter of fact, the thesis process for my degree was changed while I was well into writing my thesis, but I was informed that the changes would not affect me. 
 
It My degree has allowed me upward mobility in the Human Services sector, and I highly recommend that if you are an over-achiever, who is unafraid of high standards and aggressive learning and are a self-motivated self-starter, then Walden is the place to get your higher education.

Current Student

Mental Health Counseling
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on August 29, 2010

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I am in my 6th term at Walden University and have participated in one of the academic residencies that are required for graduation.  I have found this learning enviroment one that encourages free expression of different points of view and facilitates a solid discussion of the weekly topics.  I have had the opportunity to interact with some of the professors during residency and have found them to be both professional and knowledgable but approachable as well.  I encourage anyone interested to request information about the school and this program.

Also I am in no way affiliated with the university other than as a student and my review is based only upon my own personal experience.  This learning enviroment is like any other you get out what you put in and going this route with the assumption that it will be easier because its online is only setting yourself up for failure.

Thesis and Dissertation students BEWARE

Psychology
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on August 27, 2010

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If you are considering taking a master's or doctoral program that requires a thesis or dissertation......you might want to think again. I experienced all of the following:


• Committee members, Academic Reviewers, IRB reviewers, and URR personnel have clearly been schooled in the "stall as long as you can so we can get more money" department. You receive very little guidance and there is always something else to hold up progress. 
• Walden will stall your completing the program to get more money from you, 
• ANY ASSISTANCE WAS SUPERFICIAL AND WHEN YOU GET TO THE DISSERTATION NO ONE WILL HELP YOU AND THE CHAIRS ARE UNAVAILABLE. 
• Some instructors are good, some are terrible - most do not contribute anything but grading. Financial Aid and Academic Advising departments are NOTHING like they are described by the school: Do not expect them to pay attention, know the facts you need, or call you back. Do not rely on information given to you, even about your own records, without speaking with at least three different people from the same department. 
• Professors do not help their students pursue their degrees. They often give very limited or vague information that provides no help to the students. They constantly change their policies. There is no consistency in the courses. If it was done correctly, students would be able to finish without any or little difficulty. 
• Other instructors never post to the discussion board and provide no feedback on your papers. Whenever there is a policy change they do not keep former students on the plan they came in on but they make you change to the new plan (i.e., more money for laureate corporation). Students are a source of income to the school and nothing else. 
• The instructors and faculty have been known to be unethical and rude if you point out their mistakes. Their tone can be unprofessional as they urge you to stop complaining and get back to the process. However, you will come to many stops because what is satisfactory for one member of your committee may have to be changed to satisfy another. You are caught in a cycle and won't finish until they say so despite the quality of your work. 
• Instructors are lying to students and are not meeting the 7-10 business day requirement for returning papers with comments, which prolongs students' abilities to move forward and ultimately complete the program. There is no instruction provided. 
• If you have struggled they are not like most normal universities that care or are concerned about retention... they just kick you to the curb even though you have spent a lot of time and a LOT of money and have done well in the actual courses.

No one cared enough to answer me

MSN in Nursing
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on August 21, 2010

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I attended Walden university from May of 2005 until April 2008 when my world crashed.  In my final course, the school claimed that they never received the paperwork necessary for my practicum and thus refused to accept anymore of my work. my grade resulted in a zero. I spent countless hours trying to communicate someone at the school with no success.  My advice to any potential student or existing student is to save all paperwork, emails, etc; have a back up plan and have multiple contact folks who can help you.  My advisor never called me, the professor simply wrote an email and told me to stop sending her work. Needless to say, I am currently paying the student loan for a degree I never received. I have since moved on and have earned my degree from another reputable online school and I am currently pursuing my doctoral degree. The experiences have been great and I am so sorry for all of the students who are being ripped off. Once these folks have your money, no one answers the phone, email, letter, or any other form of communication.  Buyer beware!!!!!

Completed the Walden MISM

MISM
Reviewer: jbc94087 (Graduate) on August 12, 2010

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It was a hard degree but worth it.  Four of us graduated in the inaugural MISM class in April, 2010.  Commencement was in July.  The two year effort was clearly not for everyone and many chose to not complete the program for one reason or another or to repeat certain classes and extend the length of the program.

I learned far more than I expected from the program and apply it to work and my career regularly.  I expect the degree curriculum will evolve based on feedback from our class and other of the early groups.  I would recommend this degree program to others with the warning that it is not a mail order degree.  It requires real work.  Also be sure to have a powerful PC/server with a lot of available hard drive space.  You will be installing and learning about many different DB, visualization, Web, Java and other application servers and clients during your two years.

PhD Bait and Switch

Walden University
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on August 3, 2010

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Walden fails to deliver on promises. They assure you of one thing to get you enrolled (bait), and once you are involved in the program, they tell you it cannot be done (switch).    
   When speaking with the enrollment advisor at the outset, I specifically said that I wanted a PhD in Creative Writing. he assured me that I could do that at Walden. During my first online course, my instructor brusquely told me that "This is not a creative writing course. Go take a class somewhere else." I contacted an advisor who called me, went over my goals in great detail, assured me that I could get my PhD in Creative Writing through the Education Department. The advisor even found a mentor for me who was a published author and working in the same venue as I.  He has been great! However, he as well as my second course instructor warned me that Walden may not honor the creative writing degree that I had been assured of. And, in fact, when I went to residency and met with the Dean of the Education Dept, his response was "Absolutely not."
   I was put in the Education: Self-Design program, but there was nothing self-designed about it. The required courses were the same as any other education PhD degree.
   I kept pursuing the idea, trying to get clarification. I was a retired teacher of thirty years so knew what I wanted. My goals were clearly stated from the outset--a PhD in creative writing. In the meantime, I maintained a 4.0 in the education courses.
   I will say that the technical support and library support were very good. Most instructors were responsive, and my mentor was great. If I had been a teacher in midst of my career, I may have found the program worthwhile. But I am now in debt to the tune of just under $30,000 for one year, and I am not getting what I wanted nor what I was promised. I do feel the process was a bait and switch. I was promised one thing, given assurances, and once in the program, was told "No way." I have withdrawn from the university, filed a petition for return of at least part of my tuition, and have had to contact an Ombudsperson in order to even get a response from the Dean of Education. My petition has been denied. Walden is not taking any responsibility for having promised something they had no intention of delivering.

Very Upset

Education
Reviewer: Anonymous (Graduate) on July 19, 2010

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I just received my Masters in Elementary Reading and Literacy in hopes of receiving my Reading Specialist certification.  Little did I know, but Walden has not submitted this program to the Minnesotta Dept. of Education for licensure.  So, I am not able to use this degree for anything other than a pay increase.  What a waste of time and money.  What's the hold up Walden?  It doesn't seem like it would be that difficult to submit the programs for approval.  Many people in several states are waiting on this.

waste of money and time

Psychology
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on June 11, 2010

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PLEASE I would not recommend Walden University to anyone. Everyone tells one lie after the other about what it means not to be accredited by APA. Basically there is no talk about APA for clinical psychology majors some jobs and employment agencies and teaching opporunties are limited  without APA accrediation from schools. Walden University never informs their students that they must travel and be out of their jobs 7 weeks during the year for a residencies. Within the state of New York no residencies are required yet Walden University can still force all students to pay for residencies they do not need for licensure.  Some of the professors are very rude and disrespectful. Yes if you have any problems issues are concerns you will be ignored and disrespected. I had a STAT professor tell me to call the President with my concerns and she is claiming to be a clinical psychologist. Please do not waste your time and money. I regret not paying attention to the reviews and I have to pay back money to the government for loans. I have not gained anything from this school but disrespect. Also there is another women who teaches HISTORY And Systems I thought she might have been on drugs, but she was not appropriate for the classrooms. Please waste your time and money with this program or school. Walden University is one big JOKE.

Beware

Walden University
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on June 8, 2010

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I was enrolled in Walden's PhD Clinical Psychology program, everything was going fine, got A's in two classes including a very tough statistics class.  I found that when I had questions the teachers would only answere one question and when I wanted more clarification there was none.  Then there was an instructor in History and Systems who was horrible. Stated that I did not follow APA (she was wrong) and wanted documentation of the original ideas I came up with.  Many students I met at the residency also complained of this instructor.  Out of the 15 people I met at residency all have left Walden's PhD program to go to brick and mortar schools.  If you're going for licensure in psychology Walden is not for you.  Too much money and not a good reputation in the psychology world.

Walden is great!

Walden University
Reviewer: ssmith (Degree In Progress) on May 25, 2010

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Walden is not for the unmotivated individual!  You have to work hard for your accomplishments.  The key is finding a chair who is supportive, helpful, and available.  I have one, and my experience has been amazing.  I am in the final stage of getting my dissertation approved.  It's all about being motivated and doing what is asked of you.  The analysis of my work was critical, and that's what I expected.  You will get out of Walden's doctoral program what you put into it, and that includes the length of time that it takes you to complete.

Better than I expected

Bachelor of Science - Business Administration
Reviewer: vanthemustangman (Graduate) on May 25, 2010

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I have just completed my BSBA at Walden after transferring from a city college.  I was hesitant of going to an online university because of the "open enrollment" policy.  It is very true that some of your classmates will be wholly unprepared for the coursework, especially in 1000-2000 level classes.  Most classes require some kind of group project, and this is where your grade can be affected.  If you are a diligent student, expect to carry a few group projects.  Academic advising is not thorough at times, and deciphering the program progress record is not easy.  Aside from this, I want to say that my experience at Walden has been outstanding.  Most of the instructors were very down to earth and not stuck in the "academic clouds".  Discussions and projects center around real world applications and scenarios.  The program is a little more expensive than some, but well worth the price in my opinion.  If it werent for the fact that HR departments view a BS and MS from different schools favorably, I would be attending Walden for my MBA as well.

Recruitment: harassing phone calls only follow-up

Walden University
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on May 2, 2010

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Attended a lovely presentation and dinner regarding Walden University and spoke with some very nice staff and alumni who spoke favorably of the University.  However, the follow-up has been a nightmare. I made the mistake I guess, by giving them my cell phone#. The only approach they seem to use is a barrage of telephone calls at anytime night and day.  One night was after 9:00pm and was already in bed asleep so did not answer.  A number of other calls came from out of state when I was not available with no messages so assumed several may have been from Walden staff.  The one call I did receive a young woman was on the line and identified herself from Walden and came to my cell phone while I was driving and had some urgency to take care of at the hospital.  I requested she phone me back later in the week or preferably by mail and she just barreled through totally disregarding my urgent situation.  She wanted to know which of the two programs, I had indicated interest, was the one I wanted to know about.  I told her both and requested if any materials could be mailed to me about the two programs and told her I had to go as was not a time for me to be on the phone given my urgent situation.  She kept going on that I needed to just choose one program and I finally had to just hang up on her given my own urgent situation and driving while on the cell phone. 

Several weeks have passed and I have never received any written materials describing the two programs of my interest but still just more phone calls at times I could not answer the phone with often no messages left. 

You would think that they would consider contacting prospective students by respectful methods of either Email or Postal Mail rather than a barrage of calls anytime day or night that amounts to harassment.  Times when I was up on the ladder pruning trees, driving in the car, Friday or Saturday evenings, Sunday dinner time, etc. 

Their recruiting staff's contact strategies of only using the phone call method at any time of day or night or even on Sundays, disrespecting anyone's time or schedule, etc has given me a negative impression of their program.... and am now leary that they are only interested in their money/profit making potential.   

NOTE: I appreciate the opportunity for this review posting site as a last contact and feedback resort: When I tried to locate a Customer Service site there was no where to email nor telephone anyone to let them know of my desire to receive further program information by either postal mail or Email, and my displeasure with their harassing "telephone only" recruiting tactics.

Worth It

Ed. D. Educational Leadership
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on April 22, 2010

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I attended Walden for their Master's program for Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment, and am now working on my Dissertation  for the Education Doctorate in Teacher Leadership.  An honest, fair assessment of this school is that they are constantly updating, and changing whatever it is that needs to be changed to stay at the forefront of education research and practices.  The Walden Library is vast and extensive, and definitely gives you access to materials you need to complete all of your assignments, and complete research projects. The Writing Center staff is one of the best ones out there, who bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to our community of learners.  They are also personally available during residences to meet the needs of students.  The residency allows you to connect with academic advisors, meet with various faculty on topics of that you are interested in, as well as walk you through all of the steps you will need to meet rigourous IRB standards for ethics.  My professors have cumulatively ranged from Harvard graduates to state universities, all holding their own doctorate degrees.  Walden has put in a lot of time and effort to build and maintain their education standards.  My salary has increased rapidly along teacher paycharts in CA, as well as allowing me to meet requirements for professional development to maintain my CA credential.  Walden is associated with Canter and Associates and Laureate International.  It is only one school in many in this huge network of colleges and universities.  I took the time to write this review because I am tired of seeing my school blasted from students who are blaming the entire school for a few poor experiences they may have had.  You have to work to earn your grades, and you have to be self-sufficient to complete your work. There is no hand-holding at Walden, but there are several dedicated professionals who understand working adults' schedule.  Walden does very much run its school as a business, but this allows room to have ivy league and state professors alike.  It is a very diverse environment.  Check out Walden for yourself, and make your own decision.  I am biased, because I have had good experiences with this school, and my professors.  It is a quality education at a competitive rate.  Books and materials are included in your fees. If there are others who have had good experiences with Walden, please write so we can drown out these poor experiences. Walden is not a 1 or 2 star school, and deserves better!

Disappointed, Disallusioned, Debt Ridden

MISM
Reviewer: melleed (Degree In Progress) on April 15, 2010

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After extensively researching online schools for a graduate level program offering classes in current technologies to upgrade my skillset and compete in a tough market, I enrolled in Walden University.  Walden appeared to offer most, if not all, of the courses I needed.  The curriculum included Java, HTML programming, object-oriented design, SOA, network and website design and development with few unrelated management and general education type courses that clutter up many other online universities' advanced degree programs.  I had high hopes but they soon were dashed. 

Walden's program follows a progressive schedule with each class leading into the next and where eliminating one class can effect a student down the line.  This happened with a critical class in UML and Java. Our class and others on the same schedule could not access or deploy the resources and the class was changed in midstream to pure research.  No programming. Current classes now require us to code and many, myself (have a programming background - just not the time to teach myself)included are lost.  Instructor support and feedback in all my classes so far has been minimal or non-existant. Now we have a major development project due in two weeks requiring apps built using, guess what - UML and Java. Moreover, the instructor just posted he will be off until after the class ends. My experience echoes what many others have posted here.  Thus far:

Poor resources (One book, 2005- a lifetime in IT) 
Little or no instructor support/feedback (We have an instructors?)
Just turn it in - you will get an A (Buying a degree?)
Poor writing skills of degree seekers and blatant plagarism (Buying a degree, maybe?)

I have 3 degrees from traditional colleges. I am not a whiner nor do I shirk hard work. While education and psychology pursuers may fare better as those courses require mainly research papers, technology seekers beware.  Without instruction/resources/tools, IST is darned near impossible online and I agree with the sentiments of many posters here -- If you want to pay over $2,400 to teach yourself, try Walden.

Outstanding!

Psychology
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on April 11, 2010

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I have no idea what other people are talking about!  I think Walden University is an exceptional univeristy.  As a member of the military, I had to find a school online and Walden was a perfect match.  Not only did my degree require completion of 61 credits, but it also required a thesis to graduate.  Very few other online schools provide such a demanding program.  

The professors are also great.  They are easy to talk to and available on demand.  I have enjoyed every minute at this university and recommend it for those who want a quality education from an online school.

Thanks.

Good curriculum

Master of Public Administration (M.P.A.)
Reviewer: edie.thomas (Graduate) on April 3, 2010

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I felt that the resources that Walden gave me were unsurpassed.  Their online library was filled with complete papers and books so I could complete my research for my papers online.  They also had an online writing center where I could submit a paper and have it critiqued and reviewed.  Once I completed my masters, I contacted the employment center and they helped me fine tune my resume and gave me suggestions for networking to help me with my job search.  I have not yet found a job in my field, but with the economic climate today, I am happy to have a job and I continue to pursue a position in my degree field.  Overall, I am very happy with my degree and the education I received at Walden.  
My highest recommendation for Walden is if you start a degree at Walden and then decide to continue your studies at a brick and mortar university, your classes will transfer.  Some of these other schools have accelerated degree programs where they create their own curriculum and their credits will not transfer.

Ed.D Program

Ed. D. Educational Leadership
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on March 30, 2010

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I have finished my first year. This is a rigorous program, and I am getting alot out of it. I am a lifelong learner who has  completed degrees and programs at three other brick and mortar universities. This is on par with those other universities.If you are thinking about an online program,  I highly recommend Walden!

In ABD status

Ed. D. Educational Leadership
Reviewer: anarmyfamily2000 (Degree In Progress) on March 20, 2010

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I am a current student in EDUC 8090 - The Doctoral Study Intensive which means you are ABD and working on your dissertation. I do feel similarly to the other posts about no one supporting me through the dissertation process. The Chair does nothing yet gets extra money being my assigned committee chair. Now, I must disagree with the others regarding the work. I attended the University of Phoenix and felt like it was a diploma mill. At Walden, I believe I have gained a great deal. Yes, it is a lot more self-directed learning, but that is to be expected from an online learning program. Academic advisement has been helpful, though not perfect, yet my financial aid has been seamless. The academic residencies, which you only have to attend 1 of, yet I elected to attend 2, were beneficial if you made the effort to get all you could. My 2nd residency was almost entirely the library sessions, by choice, so I could learn all their hints, tips, and tricks for research. I videotaped sessions with my Flip camera and have them with me to refer to again. Did I find it some great, networking event? No. Did I gain valuable information? I certainly did. No school is perfect, but I have been pleased for the most part. I had 2 duds as "facilitators" (what they refer to their professors as), but some amazing ones, too.

Excellent program!

MSN in Nursing
Reviewer: brestivo (Graduate) on March 18, 2010

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I completed the MSN in Nursing Education with Walden, and I am glad I did. The faculty was excellent, the coursework was challenging and the program was organized so I could plan my work and family life around it. I am considering a post masters certificate, and I am coming right back to Walden. I would recommend this school to anyone!

A long way to go

Doctorate of Business Administration
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on February 24, 2010

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The DBA is still a new program and I'm hoping that many of the kinks will be worked out.  Unfortunately, the program is lacking in experienced instructors with significant qualifications within the fields they teach, lacking appropriate course materials and course development, and lacking the databases essential to a proper DBA program.

First the instruction: In Business Strategy and Sustainability & Writing the Doctoral Prospectus students would fair better buying their own books in support of writing a high level literature review and developing the prospectus and dissertation (check Sage publishing).  The only qualification for the instructors seems to be that they wrote a dissertation once.

Second the course material/development: Walden has not really supported the courses with appropriate texts nor have they discovered the benefit of e-books.  For Business Strategy and Sustainability, there were numerous research articles and two books.  Senge's Necessary Revolution and a Harvard Publishing primer on strategy.  In a doctoral program, I take great exception to receiving a review manual--to me it is like being a PhD candidate in English lit and receiving a "See Dick and Jane" book.  The discussion questions in both classes were banal and elementary--it was a struggle to stay engaged because the question were not thought provoking.  

Finally the available resources: I was fully aware that Walden was far from being AACSB accredited but I was extremely agitated that a business administration or accounting program would not provide access to a database of publicly traded firms such as Compustat, I/B/E/S, or other databases that enable sampling.  What they do provide is the same version of Hoover's online to which most have access through your broker.  Given that Walden claims to support a DBA and PhD in finance and a MS in accounting, it seems implausible that they would have no database to support the quantitative methods that generally frame both subjects.  If you are a certified professional, use your personal and professional access to these databases if possible.  If you are not, find another program that can properly support your continued educational efforts in finance and accounting.  This is important because I have been told by one professional organization that I cannot substitute any of Walden's classes for CPE because there is a lack of rigor and support (they were willing to take credits from a non AACSB institution provided the instructors were professionally certified-none of them are certified).

I'm still pulling for the Walden model and recently they appointed a permanent DBA program director--I am hoping she will bring stability and improvements to this program.

MSN In Nursing Informatics

MSN in Nursing
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on December 20, 2009

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Walden is an excellent place to advance my career. My classes have taught me a great deal about informatics. I have more knowledge than my directors! The classes are very hard and time consuming. I am getting all A's. I am learning relevant and current information. I am one step ahead of everyone at work because of this program. I can see myself advancing very quickly with this degree. I have already been asked to sit on the executive committee board.

I feel so sorry for those who did not have a good experience at Walden. They probably just didn't get it. Walden is an accredited university, equal to other brick and mortar state colleges.

I recommend Walden highly. The professors must have a PhD. Many professors have certifications, publications, and years of experience.
The only con of Walden is the cost. I paid far too much per credit. It is outrageous. It's close to 1800 per class now. It is ridiculous.

Walden AMDS PhD actually more socially-relevant

PhD AMDS - Finance
Reviewer: robin.cheung (Degree In Progress) on September 20, 2009

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Having completed my MBA at a traditional AACSB-accredited brick-and-mortar university, I was at first skeptical about the marketability of Walden's online PhD in Applied Management and Decision Sciences. Having attended my first academic residency in St. Charles, IL, last year I am confident Walden was the right choice.

One criticism of PhDs in a discipline is that they can sometimes be too focused on esoteric theoretical matters and there is often a disconnect between scholars and practitioners. Walden University has addressed this concern by formulating from the ground up a distance learning scholar-practitioner model that constantly encourages doctoral students to discuss and refine their goals, motivations, and future applications so that their research remains both academically relevant and congruent with the real world. That the majority of Walden doctoral students are already successful executives in their own fields and continue as practitioners throughout their academic careers only serves to reinforce this model. 

Walden doesn't simply admit students into a doctoral program and leave them alone to complete their research without regard for the real world outside academics--all students before beginning research work complete a Doctoral Foundations course which involves several discussions per week with a professor and other doctoral students discussing and helping each other refine goals and research interests and strategies for success.

The Walden University PhD program comprises a series of formal research papers--Knowledge Area Modules--each focusing on a standard facet of a student's chosen research interests, eventually leading to a formal published dissertation. A series of four- and six-day residencies along the way, averaging about one a year, complement the online learning process by providing opportunities to meet students and faculty from all doctoral programs and participate in seminars. With approximately one residency per month in locations across the country and internationally, there are tremendous opportunities for networking and face-to-face interaction.

Walden provides comprehensive online access to academic journals and references through a combination of its own licenced resources and document delivery agreements. Its student support, including financial aid, writing centre to assist with the APA Style in place for all doctoral work, and disability and other services are available in an accesible and timely manner.

I am confident that Walden, built as a distance-oriented program from its inception, has a winning model for its doctoral programs. If there are any specific questions you have before enrolling, I would be happy to discuss them personally! Please visit http://robincheung.info for contact information!

Excellent Detailed Program

MS, Nursing Education
Reviewer: roxann0601 (Graduate) on August 30, 2009

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I completed the MSN in Nursing Education in June 2008. I've since been promoted. I thought an online degree would look bad compared to the conventional college or university program. It looks better because it requires more time, effort, and some actual computer knowledge.  Employers look for those qualities. 
It was a wonderful program. The courses were intense and current. The capstone project was harder than the local MSN programs. My site supervisor works with other MSN candidates. She stated Walden was the hardest and most thorough.
 I learned a lot that can be put into practice immediately though out the program. The teachers were fantastic. They require a PhD for all teachers. I was inspired.
The local colleges cannot compare to Walden. Walden is the best. The textbooks are current and helpful for practice today. The DVD's are excellent learning tools. The class discussions are exciting and challenging. The applications are detailed and organized. The teachers were very involved and gave great feedback on everything! 
I liked it so much I am going back for a Post Master's in IT. It's expensive. It's time consuming. It's just plain hard. But going to Walden will improve your practice and take you to the next level in nursing. I strongly recommend Walden as your first choice.

Walden U - MSN Nursing Education

MSN in Nursing
Reviewer: rnpatl (Graduate) on August 30, 2009

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I am reading some of these reviews about Walden and I wonder what school these people really attended.  I recently graduated from the MSN - Nursing Education Specialization and my experience was exceptional. I learned to be a leader and scholar. I learned information about adult learning principles that are current and up-to-date. I never once had a facilitator that was poor - never once!  I will admit that at times I felt financial aid or advising could have been more receptive or a little more helpful on the phone, but any issues I ever had were resolved timely. To say that Walden's programs offer diploma mill pieces of paper is an insult to people like myself that have worked hard, in a rigorous program.  I am proud of my masters degree and Walden University!

PhD in Adm/Mag excellent program

Psychology
Reviewer: Anonymous (Graduate) on August 7, 2009

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Walden is excellent school but within Academia 
Traditional colleges and universities most faculty and administration are bias from hiring graduates from Walden and other online schools due to online graduates competitive edge both experience and professional experience.

Lisa Featherston

Psychology
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on July 25, 2009

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The general staff at Walden do not value you as a student and it shows in the way they talk to you.  They are nice enough but you hear a faint "I don't care" attitude that comes through rather than the "You can do it" attitude that should come through.

What are you complaining about??

MS, Nursing Education
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on July 23, 2009

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I am completing my first year of the program and am loving it! I am learning so much and definately on my way as a scholar. The program is time consuming, thought proking and very current. Most of my textbooks have a publishing year of 2008 or 2009. The teachers are involved and helpful. The registration process each term is idiot proof as I do nothing but open the front door to the UPS delivey of my books each term. I had a problem with one of my videos for the week and when I contacted the support desk, a new one was overnighted to me.
The online environment isn't for everyone. One must be motivated and active in the discussion boards. Advanced education is not easy.

So Far, So Good

Psychology
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on July 21, 2009

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I am a PhD. student in my second class at Walden  and I have been to Milestone 1. So far, I like Walden. I find it challenging, and the instructors have been good. Like anything else , you have to be motivated and a good self-starter. There is lots of reading and writing. I find it annoying when people tell me that it's not a good school. Well...EXCUSE ME ! It is NOT a diploma mill. I work on school work almost everyday for several hours. It is expensive, I won't argue that. It isn't Harvard or Yale, but I'm not a young person going to college either. For older, working students, online is the only way to go.If not for online schools, many people would not be afforded a higher education. I have found the Walden staff to be very good, They always call back. The writing center is helpful too. I can honestly say that I met some very intelligent and educated people at the Residency(Milestone 1 ). There were people from all over the world amd in various fields. I would recommend Walden at this point. According to the information; Walden has some excellent instructors, but just like any other university(online or not), there will be some bad ones. The books are expensive too, so I buy mine on Ebay if possible. Once again, it comes down to being a good self advocate. You make your education, not the university ! 
I would say if you're  in your early twenties, go to a regular university for the social contact as well as the education. But if you're like me,  middle aged , and you want a higher education, Walden is a good place.

What is all the complaining about???

Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on July 8, 2009

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I have to sit here and laugh at some of the reviews that I have seen on this post. For those that probably have the biggest complaints  I seen one post where someone complained that the professor wanted the student to actually do a few citations; how dare they! I have been going to this school for the past 4 years and have had my ups and downs just like most but for the most part it has been a very good experience.  I am pretty sure that most of the complainers on here got their first wakeup call when they read the syllabus and seen that there was a 25-30 page paper due at the end of each class and that didn’t count the title page, abstract, or the references. If you are really lazy and don’t want to have to work to achieve something go ahead and look else ware. The professors are top notch and all have years, and years in the field and are there for the students. I find it funny that the biggest complainers about Walden are the ones who thought the degree was just going to be given to you. I wish it was just given to me as well but they actually make you do some work for it. I did notice that some professors spend more time than others but isn’t it the same way at a normal institute? Not everyone is the same. I had one professor write a 3 page critique on a 25 page paper; I wondered if he did that for everyone? Online school is not for everyone, you don’t get a babysitter to explain when things are do. Now the bad! The Residencies suck! The KAM's really REALLY suck, and I am in the initial part of my Dissertation. The school is EXPENSIVE!!! I kind of look at it as you are getting what you pay for. The research Seminar classes were helpful but in reality they did not help me all that much when it came time to do the actual Learning Agreement for my KAMI had to switch my mentor because the first one was taking 10 days to get back submissions from my KAM; my current mentor takes 2-3 days depending on the size of the submission. Did I happen to mention that the KAM's suck! Basically they are a Thesis on steroids that take 3-4 months to complete and they suck. For anyone who actually thought that you could get a PhD in less than three years needs to take the back of your hand and slap yourself a few times because where did you actually hear that this could be done? The residencies are "OK" the thing that I disliked the most about it is having to listen to what everyone was doing their Dissertation on even though they just started the program. There is different milestones and it seems that they need to keep the milestone 3 and 4 together and let the newbie’s hang out and talk about how much they still have to go. All in all I really don’t mind Walden, I HATE SCHOOL and cannot wait to be completed and have some free time to myself without having to write all the time. There is no way you will succeed in this school if you cannot dedicate at least 8-10 hours a week for normal classes and 14-16 a week while you are in your KAM phase.

An Absolute Joke!!!

Ed. D. Educational Leadership
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on July 2, 2009

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Do not waste your money!!!  My "Walden Experience"(which is their motto) has been has been nothing but a massive headache, and a VERY expensive one. Committee members, Academic Reviewers, IRB reviewers, and URR personal have clearly been schooled in the "stall as long as you can so we can get more money" department.  You receive very little guidance and there is always something else to hold up progress.  Walden advertises the Ed.D program as a 3 year program then tells you at the residency (1/3 of the way through your classes) that to be completed in 3 years is rare.  I will graduate in December 2009 and refuse to even attend the ceremony because of the disgust I have for the way my peers and I have been treated.  Again, save yourself the time, money, and stress- do NOT waste a minute on this university.

Horrible Experience

EdD Teacher Leadership
Reviewer: Anonymous (Graduate) on June 29, 2009

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Some of these people who are posting positive reviews of Walden may likely change their minds when they get to the dissertation phase. I loved it too for the first year, but then I began working on my dissertation. The documents on the website say that you will be guided through the process, but that did not happen for me. I have been bullied and essentially hazed by my chairperson as if I were trying to get into an elite fraternity. I have worked extremely hard for over a year on my dissertation, and my chair has not read past page 20 yet (out of 100+). I was told to hire an outside editor because Walden will only edit your chapters twice. Requirements have changed at least 5 times during my work, forcing me to try to hit a moving target. The Ed.D. program is a scam. They put you in a neverending cycle and keep taking your money.

You can do better

Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration
Reviewer: constitution_hugger (Graduate) on June 25, 2009

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As someone who received their Masters from Walden in 2005, I can say with all honesty that it is not worth the paper it is written on. Sure I received the promotion and salary bump that originally inspired me to get this degree, but there is no way that this degree compares to almost any others school. The classes were easy and obviously written by an outside company and were definitely not of graduate level standards. 

I wish now that I had not decided to go for convenience over quality in selecting a school. Walden University is a poor choice for anyone who can get into any other school.

MS in Educational Leadership

Walden University
Reviewer: Anonymous (Graduate) on June 12, 2009

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I just completed the MS in Educational Leadership and found the program very challenging. It does take self disipline to stay current on the reading, assignments, and projects and is not for someone whom likes to wait till the last hour to do their work. Online education is fast approaching as most public and private schools are offering online courses even to students attending a brick and mortar location.

Difficult Program

Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration
Reviewer: crimson71477 (Degree In Progress) on June 10, 2009

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Walden University's school of Public Policy is comprehensive and competitive.  There may be a number of students who start the program but not all of them finish the program.  I find that classmates who entered the program with me left because the program required a lot more time, energy, writing, and challenges that they were not expecting.

The School of Public Policy requires A LOT of reading, writing, and critical thinking.  This is certainly not a program that you can just do minimal work and get by.  It requires all the same expectations that traditional universities require except you can do it on your own time.  The professors come from universities all over the country and have diverse backgrounds that add to the dynamics of the program.  You can not enter Walden as a poor writer and leave the same way. The school is very challenging with regards to writing. If you can't read or write, you will never make it through the program.  The PhD program tends to be 4-5 years.  You can't possibly do it less than 3.

Fire Chief

MBA
Reviewer: ctomfly (Graduate) on June 8, 2009

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Two of my buddies and I were going to start a traditional nights weekend MBA program. However after doing traditional colleges for my AA and BSA, and having a growing family, I tried Walden for on-line ease and hopefully not being too difficult. Boy I was wrong. I spend three (years) Christmas days doing homework and almost failed statistics. For those bashing the school it’s probably because somebody they know went there and they are trying to discredit it. My two buddies had their degrees in just over two years. I had mine in three. I am Walden Proud!

EdD Dont Waste your $$$

Ed. D. Educational Leadership
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on June 5, 2009

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My Dr Chair did NOT know I was in the class, even though I submitted work.

Walden will stall your completing the program to get more money from you,

ANY ASSISTANCE WAS SUPERFICIAL AND WHEN YOU GET TO THE DISSERTATION NO ONE WILL HELP YOU AND THE CHAIRS ARE UNAVAILABLE.

Not a diploma mill this is a MONEY mill for Walden and no one else!

Tough Program, Great Education

MISM
Reviewer: caldwelljeff (Degree In Progress) on May 18, 2009

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The MISM program at Walden University is a tough but rewarding program. I am an R&D director in Silicon Valley and chose this program after exhaustive analysis of reviews and reports of the comparative Universities. 

I knew this would be a tough, time consuming endeavor coming in. I was not wrong. However, I have learned even more than I expected.  Hands on applications with Web 2.0 technologies, examinations into globalization cultural implications and a host of other considerations I was not aware of are but of a few of the areas I have been opened to.

It is not an easy degree.  However, it is a rewarding and useful degree.

Walden MBA

MBA
Reviewer: Anonymous (Graduate) on May 11, 2009

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Walden's MBA program by far exceeded my expectations.  I was able to create a business plan throughout the life of the program that will actually go into use.  The instructor and peer support were very helpful.  Great balance of challenging work with flexibility for full time working commitments.  Highly recommended.

frustrating, but not all bad

Psychology
Reviewer: Anonymous (Graduate) on May 8, 2009

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I recently graduated and my overall experience in learning has been positive. I have worked hard and learned a great deal. I have become a better writer and researcher and learned to be objective and more organized. All but one of my professors has been exceptional. I was challenged by most of the material, but they often required "packages" that could be bought through them and were much more expensive than if you bought it used at an online site, such as half.com. However, in all other departments I have been greatly disappointed. The financial aid department is a nightmare and it is close to impossible to get a response or satisfactory answer from any department regarding any type of question or problem. It was a nightmare getting my thesis reviews back in a remotely reasonable time period and everyone "in charge" had the attitude that is was no big deal if it dragged on for another quarter (at my expense, of course), even though I finished ahead of their recommended time line. I was also misled about the program requirements by recruiting. 
Still, I feel it was worth the money, but not worth the frustration. I did learn a great deal and I am glad I did it and am also glad it is over with.

NOT RECOMMENDED

Psychology
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on April 26, 2009

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This school might suffice for those who are secure in their jobs and need a higher degree to get promoted.  If you are serious about your higher education experience, find another way.  I can only speak about the psychology program AND the administration/support services.
Walden was a very costly mistake for me.
Some instructors are good, some are terrible - most do not contribute anything but grading.  Financial Aid and Academic Advising departments are NOTHING like they are described by the school:  Do not expect them to pay attention, know the facts you need, or call you back.  Do not rely on information given to you, even about your own records, without speaking with at least three different people from the same department.  Walden is essentially teaching yourself, which you can do without paying so much and being subjected to so much distracting frustration.  To reach the graduate level, you must be hardworking and dedicated enough to deserve better than this.

ED.D Walden University

Ed. D. Educational Leadership
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on April 24, 2009

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This has been a very unpleasant experience in the Teacher Leadership Program. Professors do not help their students to pursue their degrees. They often give very limited or vague information that provides no help to the students. They constantly change their policies. There is no consistency in the courses. If it was done correctly, students would be able to finish without any or little difficulty. It is hard to contact someone for help. Again, the WORST EXPERIENCE EVER!

Good school

Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on April 18, 2009

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Walden University's PhD program in public policy and administration has been challenging and indeed I have developed as a scholar. I'm currently entering my 3rd year of the program and I'm finally starting to see the light at the end of the tunnel.

Folks, if you're looking for a degree that has snob appeal or you want be a senior professor at State U, this isn't your school. Whether you like it or not, there is still significant institutional resistance to these types of learning modes. But institutional resistance is not the same as institutional quality. Walden University delivers on its mission: to provide a quality doctoral learning program via the web with some short-term residencies to supplement the learning instruction (as well as develop a live network).

Walden University is excellent at teaching the skills of scholarship via the web. The biggest difference between this type of program and a traditional one is the intimacy of the small and shared experience that occurs in that format. So clearly you need to know what and WHY you are pursuing the degree before you enroll. 

Finally, online learning isn't for everyone. You have to truly do a self-assessment of your motivation and individual learning style before taking courses in this format. If you're lazy or lack self-motivation or disorganized, then move on. There is no easy road to the PhD and you should look elsewhere if you think WU is your quick path to doctoral land. It's isn't. Also, just because it is online and therefore more "convenient" (no parking problems), don't think for a second that the program is completely flexible to your needs. Classes are packed into 12-week sessions and the agenda is quite aggressive. If you have "real life" issues like too much work or parenting responsibilities et al, then move on. WU will roll over you like a truck doing 85 at 2am on I-85.

The best parts of WU include an extensive online library, fast response time from librarians and excellent academic counselors. The residencies are also a strong point, as you get to network and form learning communities with other scholar-practitioners.  

My primary problems with WU include non-academic factors such as having a more coherent branding strategy. I would also like to see WU establish an online student lounge for students with facilitating the connection with fellow students from the same state, program, etc. This can still be accomplished through Facebook, but it's not the same (in my view). 

Finally, I would also like to see WU establish regional learning centers (or campuses) like Argosy, as I believe that would quicken the pace to which students would meet their residential requirements. 

Overall, WU is a very good school if you are motivated to learn and have the time to fully commit to the take of doctoral work. 

I hope my assessment has been helpful, as I tried to be honest and not a "homer".

Go somewhere else... anywhere else!

MBA
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on April 18, 2009

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What an incredible waste of time and money.  I have three previous degrees from traditional universities and decided to try the online experience.  It was awful.  After two full semesters I have a 4.0, but am switching to another university, and eating about $9,000.  But, it's worth it for me to have a degree from a school that is respected.  The students I had to work with were incredibly lazy. I honestly question the school's admission criteria.  Some of the other student's work is abysmal, yet they still make it from class to class.  If you want a valuable degree go elsewhere.  If you can’t write and have zero work ethic, Walden is for you.  I should have bought $9,000 worth of Cracker Jacks and hoped to find a degree there.  It'd likely be worth more.

poor sales techniques

Psychology
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on April 17, 2009

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I received a call from Walden University to give me information about their school psychology program. I was already hesitant about even considering Walden due to the reviews I have read, however I decided to do my own research.  The school psychology program Walden offers is not APA certified. The woman I spoke to told me they did not spring to have their program APA certified because it basically is more work and they have stricter standards. I told her I would have to speak to her later on and set up an appointment. She called me back within 20 minutes telling me that APA accredited schools need a 4.0 GPA on Masters degree and do not accept many students so I probably wouldn't want to try get into an APA program.  She called back at our appointed time and sounded almost disbelieving that I wanted to try to get into an APA program and again stated that I needed a 4.0 on my Masters (which I have not yet earned). I told her that I thought I was up to the challenge and she told me "well if you don't make it you can come back here."  She also told me I should consider pursuing my doctorate in clinicial psychology so I have more opportunities and then admitted that not many people that call look into school psychology - she was uneducated in my field of interest, tried to direct me in a new path that I am not interested in and then assumed that I am not either capable of or motivated enough to achieve a 4.0.  I strongly recommend Walden get a different sales tactic than presuming potential students would not work to their full potential and would take the easy way to get their DOCTORATE.  Very disappointed and slightly insulted by this sales woman - I'm sure there are competent sales people, I unfortunately did not have the pleasure of speaking with one and it has solidified my decision to not enroll in Walden University. I rated each 10-point scale item a 5 because I have not experienced them and would not want to alter the rating one way or the other.

Disappointed

Psychology
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on April 10, 2009

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I am currently a PhD student at Walden and the only thing I am disappointed in is how long it takes for some people to be weeded out (and how much they complain about it when it happens). In order to be successful here you have to do something and be a self-starter. Having attending two other well known and well respected universities prior to enrolling here (and turning down admission to APA accredited programs) I am satisfied. Education is a business no matter what school you go to..people complain no matter what school you go to..people refuse to buy and read the books and brag about it when they graduate no matter what school you go to..and this place is no different. When you can REALLY see the difference is in the workplace when the true test of competence is revealed. I think this is not a school for everyone (especially the whiners, the lazy, those who don't ask questions before enrolling, those looking for an easy degree, and those interested in snobbery). As with anything in life it is all about what you make of it! Pretty soon all colleges and universities will move to offering online courses and degrees and then maybe the attitude will come out of the dark ages.

I have had a great experience at Walden

PhD Public Health
Reviewer: anaya1211 (Degree In Progress) on April 10, 2009

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I have had a great experience at Walden. This is my second year at Walden and I am in the PHD in Public Health/Epidemiology program. So far I have had excellent support, the teachers that I have had have responded to questions in a timely manner. Academic advising and financial aide have been outstanding in their response to my problems/issues. Walden is not just a diploma mill the materials are rigorous and you actually have to work for your grade which is contradictory to the popular assumption that online degrees are easy to get. If you can work independently you can excel at Walden. I would not have had the opportunity to pursue my PHD were it not for Walden. I am not able to attend a traditional "brick and mortar school" because it simply is not feasible for me as I work full time and am a single mother. Walden has been a Godsend for me.

Waste of Money

Psychology
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on April 10, 2009

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This is a waste of of money. If you have any question, each person you reach after going through a pick a number phone system will give you a different answer. The people that work there have no idea what the policies are. They say they will reply in 10 days and you will wait 3 months for an answer. Some of the instructors are horrid. I paid a fortune to attend a seminar in Dallas. The instructor spoke for an hour and then just gave us the whole time off. Other instructors never post to the discussion board and provide no feedback on your papers. Whenever there is a policy change they do not keep former students on the plan they came in on but they make you change to the new plan (i.e., more money for laureate corporation). Students are a source of income to the school and nothing else. Save your money and do anything else with it.

Walden University Doctoral Program

PhD Public Health
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on April 9, 2009

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I am a student in the Education Specialist program at Walden University. I thought I was making progress and doing well. But when I began my final class, problems begin to plague me. I have no idea if or when I will finish. They added a new clause which lets future students know you could be in the program indefinetly:

 Neither the provisions of this guide, nor the acceptance of students to the University through the admission, enrollment, and registration processes, constitutes a contract or an offer of a contract. The College of Education reserves the right to change any provision, offering, requirement, or fee at any time within the student’s enrollment period.  Regular updates are made to this guide; students are encouraged to routinely check the Ed.D. Web page for new or supplemental information. Students should contact their academic advisors, faculty advisors/mentors, or instructors for clarification of specific academic program requirements.

The instructors and faculty have been known to be unethical and rude if you point out their mistakes. Their tone can be unprofessional as they urge you to stop complaining and get back to the process. However, you will come to many stops because what is satisfactory for one member of your committee may have to be changed to satisfy another. You are caught is a cycle and won't finish until they say so despite the quality of your work. I think Walden is trying to improve their reputation as a "paper mill" but the work is not rigorous or hard, it is getting someone to agree that you have met the requirements of the rubric that is difficult. If you are considering an online university and Walden is your choice right now, I would not recommend it for the above reasons. I am an anonymous reviewer because Walden has punished some students by making them redo completed requirements that they already passed as a punishment for what they see as complaining and being resistent to the process. It is the worst educational experience I have ever had. Say no to Walden.

Torture

Ed. D. Educational Leadership
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on April 8, 2009

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This has been the worst graduate experience I've ever had and heard of! Walden's Ed.D Teacher Leadership program is very unorganized. Faculty members change requirements whenever they desire to do so. This university is not fulfilling its mission of positive social change when the faculty is being cruel and unfair to students. Instructors are lying to students and are not meeting the 7-10 business day requirement for returning papers with comments, which prolongs students' abilities to move forward and ultimately complete the program. There is no instruction provided. Everything I learned came from reading the course textbooks and from my editor. If you express your opinion about any of this, you are penalized by having to make even more revisions to your paper,including revisions to parts that were never problem areas before. There is no support. This was marketed as a three year program; however, Walden faculty members now state that it is impossible to finish in three years. Talk about false advertising! I would not recommend anyone to attend Walden University. This experience has been nothing but torture!

awful

PhD AMDS - Finance
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on April 3, 2009

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All you are is a number and if you have a problem all they do is send a standard letter back.  If you have stuggled they are not like most normal universities that care or concerned about rentention... they just kick you to the kirb even though you have spent a lot of time and a LOT of money and have done well in the actual courses.  All they want is your money.  
The teachers are okay however it is very confusing with the PhD thing because you are in the class thing throughout the time you are there and paying over 4,000 a quarter for not a lot of helpful info.

Walden U - You get what you pay for.

Bachelor of Science - Business Administration
Reviewer: twykke (Degree In Progress) on March 3, 2009

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Materials:  I gave this a five since I never bought any materials.

Teachers:  Staff may possibly have been well-qualified, but they made up for it by being uninterested.  Most responses obviously copy/pasted.

Institution:  Emails were not responded to in a timely fashion, if ever.  Account frequently frozen because of poor communication between financial aid and accounting departments.  Lots of institutional spam.

Support:  Again, I gave a five just because I did make use of this service.

Value:  At the time I enrolled, Walden was the cheapest online program on the market.  I have never bought any course materials, further saving quite a bit.

Use of technology:  Software for the web-based courses was somewhat outdated and clunky, but usable.  No major usability issues, just could have been a lot better.  Outside resources, however, were mainly for-pay, and not worth using even if they had been free.


'Pro':  The pros of this school are that it is one of the cheapest country-wide institutions (go to a state or country school if possible).  Also, they will give a degree to anyone, and I mean anyone who can string several words of questionable English together.  If you are developmentally disabled or English is neither your first, nor indeed second language, Walden may be for you (this is unfortunately not a joke).

'Con':  In general, poor quality of online materials (need to buy lots of books, despite nominally being an 'online' university).  Also, poor quality of classmates.  Amazingly, many students could not spell despite there being a spell-checking tool built in to the posting form.  Some students would fail completely to understand the assignment, basically just do whatever they felt like, and receive an 'A' anyway.  Teachers were probably qualified, judging from their bios, but generally disinterested and would only send canned responses.  Back on the 'pro' side, that means they are easy to game.


Summary:
If you live out of the country like me, or there are no good local choices in your area, Walden may be a good choice.  If you want to get a degree with little-to-no work and little-to-no actual learning, Walden may be a good choice.  If you are on a budget but cannot find anything cheaper, Walden might be a good choice.  If these three considerations are not foremost for you, or if you really want to learn business administration, do not choose Walden as it is little better than a degree mill.

Education program

Education
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on March 3, 2009

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I've almost finished my degree with Walden and it is like any other program. You get out of it what you put into it.  If you're willing to work hard (as you would expect in a Ph.D. program), then you'll gain knowledge and experiences beyond belief.  The support is incredible throughout the departments at the University.  All you have to do is ask.  There are even live chats that you can initiate and get an answer almost any time of day or night.  I have never had a problem with Walden and would recommend it to anyone willing to be motivated to take responsibility for their own learning because the level of independence is not for someone who needs to be lead around.

Education Reform

Education
Reviewer: Anonymous (Graduate) on February 28, 2009

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I finally graduated a month ago and I must say that the program (Master's of Science in Education with Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment specialization) has been worth my time and money. I know that generally people are very skeptical about on-line learning and I do not blame them. As an educator, I concede that people have different learning styles and as adult learners, they are free to choose the method that benefits them the most.  

Quality of instruction: There is a wonderful balance of teacher centered learning and student centered learning through out the whole program. Those who are familiar with the world of education know that the ultimate goal of the learning process is to develop self-directedness, self-monitoring, and self-adjustment. For me, Walden's program gave me an excellent opportunity to further enhance my attribute as a life-long learner. I graduated with a 4.0 GPA but let me tell you, it was not as "easy" as many people would have assumed. I loved the challenge! My writing got better and my whole insight about  education had changed. The professors were supportive, excellently credentialed, and have authored books on education. 

Cohort learning: Online learning brought educators from multiple states together. Different states have different standards and via the online discussion forum, we learned from each other. That is the most invaluable experience for me. As we educators try to promote learning outside the classroom, online learners at Walden experience it first hand. Truthfully, there were colleagues who did the minimum but this phenomenon is not unique to online learning. I remember my friends in Pharmacy school who just got by and graduated with minimum requirements. 

Assignments: There were clear expectations on how assignments should look like and how there would be graded. Basically, you will get what you put in. The rubric was clear and if you want to get an A, just follow the guidelines. The assignments were were very thought provoking and helped me exercise the much needed critical thinking skills in today's classrooms. My having difference of opinion with my professors was never viewed as a negative element. In fact, it was celebrated and brought into discussions for further analysis. 

Student support: English is not my first language. I grew up in an ESL environment. Therefore, I struggled in my writing but the Writing Center was extremely helpful and supportive. My essays were constantly 2000 words or more due the depth that I chose to discuss the topics in and the writing center staff gave inputs and suggestions on how to improve the essay. It's a lot of work but one should not expect just to "breeze" through graduate school. 

I highly recommend this program for teachers who wish to pursue a higher degree in education.

Backup ALL your emails & get everything in writing

MBA
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on February 24, 2009

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My experience at Walden U was not as I had originally anticipated. At Walden, I think most of the instructors try to work with and have more patience with hardworking adults, who have children and other major responsibilities.  However, from my experience, there are a few that do not.  For instance, I had a family crisis and one of the teachers, who I thought,  would allow me to complete my work and grade it did not.  She let me do all the work and did not grade it, so I did not pass that course.  When I attempted to find the email that I sent her and she responded to, Walden University had purged the email system; thus not allowing me to appeal the grade.  I usually saved everything, but I did not get a chance to save that email to an external email.  When I first started the degree program, I used my hotmail account to receive email correspondence, but later they changed it where all of the student's email addresses were through Walden.  Now, I can see why.

Its not that bad!

Walden University
Reviewer: carmencita100 (Degree In Progress) on February 24, 2009

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I am going into my 3rd quarter at Walden, Ph.D. in Health Psychology. So far I have had excellent responses from financial aid and advising, less than 48 hour wait. 

After attending Capella for 2 years, Walden is a breath of fresh air. Amazingly, I prefer to work on my own and have teacher feedback. Capella had this constant discussion element that forced me to read terrible posts with serious intellectual deficits. So far at Walden I have found my colleagues to be well read and professional.

As many of you have stated, you get what you give and I have been lazy to an extent getting B's so far, thus, no A's are given away. At Capella I got A's for doing next to nothing. At Walden I feel like the material is relevant and challenging.

So like any institution Walden has its good and its not so good but I do not feel like its a diploma mill and customer service with me has been great. Faculty input is limited but I gauge my progress by grades. Obviously, C's or D's would indicate I am not keeping up. The B's I have tell me I could do better.

Everyone has a unique experience in their educational life. I recall as an undergraduate and graduate in B&M schools, students would complain about everything too. As with any venture one undertakes, effort and disposition make all the difference.

There is a tendency for people to be critical of online programs. There certainly are diploma mills out there and shoddy programs, but there are good ones as well. Just to be sure I called the Board of Regents of Ohio to verify if a Walden degree would be recognized and this was the response:

"Walden is accredited by NCA (North Central Association)
Walden is fine by this board".

That cemented my decision to attend.

Carmen

Satisfied Customer

Education
Reviewer: techr329 (Graduate) on February 16, 2009

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Great school for people who are capable of working independently and for teachers looking to expand their repertoire of teaching strategies.  Do your homework BEFORE you enroll (which is where most of the negative comments come from...people who ABSOLUTELY did not and NOW they want to blame Walden for the misfortunes!)to see if it is what you are looking for.  Don't go by misguided, bitter comments from people who clearly are to blame for their own troubles! 
My master's has put me into a new salary lane, not to mention prepared me for my endorsement as a reading specialist.  Walden is not a one-size-fits-all university, but it is for people who know what they are looking to accomplish before they get their degree...NOT AFTER!! Thanks Walden U!

You choose

Walden University
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on February 15, 2009

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If you are looking for a fairly simple, easy and straight forward program for getting a degree, Walden may be for you. If, however, you are looking for quality instruction, and consistency from one instructor to the next, I would suggest that you look elsewhere.

Don't waste your money!!!

Education
Reviewer: Anonymous (Graduate) on February 4, 2009

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I earned my master's in Elementary Reading and Literacy K-6 back in 2005 and now they will not endorse their program so that I can get the title of my master's degree on my teaching certificate!  It means nothing unless they endorse their program.  All that money and time for nothing!  I might as well not have even earned a master's degree!  I am so upset with them about this.  Why will you not endorse your master's program so that someone can get it put on their teaching certificate? Believe you me...do not go here unless you want to waste your time and money on a pointless degree that doesn't matter to them.

Opinion only

PhD AMDS - Finance
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on January 28, 2009

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Perhaps being there a year, I should not be rendering a review.  However, while there are some technical email hurdles, I can say that I am thrilled with my interaction with Walden.  

A Walden education is what you make of it.  You have to put the work in and be diligent about it.  The faculty I have been exposed to really care and are helpful if you ask.  It has been extremely challenging and not easy, but worthwhile efforts usually are.

The PhD Program requires focus, tenacity and the dedication of a saint.  But what you will learn is incredible.  The tools and thinking you develop are invaluable.  Walden is what you put into it.

NIGHTMARE

Ed. D. Educational Leadership
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on January 28, 2009

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Walden changes requirements, went up on tuition 105% one semester, after orals I was told we have changed the project study rubric, you will need to redo your dissertation with the new rubric and redo orals.......
the 3 year program has been a 5 year nightmare that doesn't end!

a new opinion

Psychology
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on January 26, 2009

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Contrary to popular belief, not everyone who says positive things about Walden works for the company, or receives a benefit for saying something positive. I am writing this of my own volition. 
After reading the reviews on this site I felt compelled to share my opinions. I would first like to say that I am not “bottom of the barrel”. I hold my BA and my MA from traditional universities, both with a cumulative GPA well over 3.7 and received many offers from traditional PhD programs. I chose Walden for the flexibility.
It boggles my mind that those who seem to have the harshest comments also have posts that are riddled with spelling, grammar, and typing errors. I cannot help but feel you had a difficult time because your work lacked the focus and skill required of a graduate student.  You may have presumed that because this was an online program that it would be easy. This was proven to not be the case, so it makes sense to place the blame on the school for not bending and allowing subpar work to be submitted. 
I am working on my PhD in clinical psychology and have found the courses thought provoking and challenging. I admit I have had one professor that left a lot to be desired, but when I brought this to the attention of the program heads, they promptly handled the situation. They did not however just go on a witch hunt. Documentation of the situation needed to be offered, and after supplying this documentation they worked very quickly to rectify the problem. My professors have been great, and have pushed me to further explore ideas beyond the course presentation and requirements.
I have met quite a few graduates of this program in the workforce all practicing in the field of psychology and all holding licensure. The school is not considered a diploma mill by those who actually have the ability to make such a decision. I have found in my experience that those individuals who feel the school is not worth their organization, generally also have no clue what the school is actually about when you probe the issue further.
The residencies’ were great experiences, if you participated. The school was not chasing you around to make sure you were participating. There were many opportunities for learning, exploration and discussion with not only your peers, but the professors as well. This however required initiative.
I would urge anyone looking at the school to ensure that your state will offer you licensure if your field requires it. I know in psychology many states require APA accreditation. This however does not mean a lot. To put it into perspective, NUY recently voluntarily dropped their APA accreditation. I can say for myself that if a state will deny a talented psychologist over something so ridiculous, I am happy I do not reside there.
If you are serious about learning, have the skills necessary to explore and research without being hand held, and have a desire to go further I would urge you to look into this fine school.

Diploma

Walden University
Reviewer: RJGutierrez1 (Graduate) on January 23, 2009

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I completed my BSBA degree at Walden.  My first issue with Walden was the surprise of finding I needed 3 additonal classes after I completed my Capstone and was set to graduate.  I petitioned this issue for months and ultimately had to take the courses.  I completed my degree in May of 2008 and have yet to receive my diploma.  Every six weeks I am told the same story...please confirm your address...no one advised the graduation department...etc.  I wish I had never attended...yet again..maybe I did not since I don't have diploma.  It has been eight months and I am being told wait 8 more weeks.

Stay away!

You get back what you put in!

Psychology
Reviewer: Anonymous (Graduate) on January 21, 2009

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I just finished my PhD in Psychology (Clinical & Academic) and I found Walden to be wonderful!

My Masters degree is from the University of Florida (Gainesville) and I found that I got much more out of my program at Walden than I did at the traditional brick and mortar universities that I attended.  

Let's face it--online education is not for everyone. You only get as much out of it as you put into it and some people's learning style preferences just don't meld well with an online environment.  The best things that I got out of my education at Walden are 1) my writing skills have reached professional levels (I was an English major in undergrad and learned more about writing here); 2) I am now a wiz at researching.  

For those who complain that they didn't get enough attention from faculty and staff, question how you approached them.  Obviously you couldn't talk to them face to fact but I have found that the majority of them will help you--they just won't hold your had throughout your educational career.  However, at the level of Masters and PhD programs, faculty and staff should not have to do this.  If you need help have your thoughts and questions well organized and make sure that you are willing to come up with a plan with those that you are asking for help.

As far as the value of the degree...I was hired at a Big 10 school because I was getting the degree from Walden.

My experiences with Walden

Walden University
Reviewer: Anonymous (Graduate) on January 4, 2009

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I am currently ABD in Educational Psychology from Walden. I received my MS from them as well in general psych. I have two undergraduate degrees from traditional schools. Before entering my master's program I had the same concerns as everyone else.

Online education is facing a crossroads. On the one hand, the move to online education is growing rapidly with new programs being implemented by online schools and traditional schools offering more online courses. On the other hand, there is still a general consensus by the public that online education is a cake-walk, and surely commercials stressing the ability to take classes in your pj's doesn't help that image. 

Consulting literature, however, there is a growing number of studies being done supporting online education for several reasons. Cognitively, adults learn better through application. Following the constructivist theory, one can identify several benefits to online education: it requires personal accountability for learning, it provides the opportunity for personal control over their learning, and it requires one to use critical thinking to apply learning to useful and desired skills. 

With any university you are looking at, there will be pros and cons with all of them, traditional or online, so it is best to know what you want out of your education, recognize your situation, then make the right choice FOR YOU. Second, after attending traditional universities, I can say that Walden has been much more challenging in it's requirements and therefore, more benficial...IF YOU USE IT! Walden will provide you with the tools but you have to apply yourself. Walden is NOT a cake-walk university or a diploma mill! 

I can say that I feel Walden has given me a far superior opportunity for critical understanding of my education topics as opposed to the basic retention I got from traditional universities. Now, for those of you considering a liscensing specialization in psychology, while Walden is an accredited university, it does not have an APA approved program in psychology (no strictly online school does). Make sure you know your state's requirements.  I know though that Walden graduates are being licensed so do what is right for you.

Just because a school is traditional doesn't make them good. Likewise, just because a school is online doesn't make it bad. Think about what you need, what you want, and examine both online and traditional schools. Find the one that works best for you. The degrees from Walden are legit, not from a diploma mill. You have to work hard to get it, and a lot don't make it. YOU make the degree. YOU set the value on it through your own hard work and what you take from it. YOU have to sell yourself, your talent, your skills, and your dedication to employers regardless of where you got the degree. Finally, no matter what you read here follow your own instinct. You know what's best for you, not us!
Good luck!

A REAL Former Student

Ed. D. Educational Leadership
Reviewer: Anonymous (Graduate) on December 29, 2008

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Walden University generally does not allow individuals to post anything negative about their school anywhere online. If you do so, they either lobby the site to have it removed or a couple dozen "students" all show up at once, using the exact same language, to tell you how wrong you are. So here is an unvarnished review of my Ed. degree, for as long as it lasts:

Walden University is the community college of online schools. It is the bottom of the barrel. Can't go any lower. Couldn't get accepted into anywhere else, so you had to go here. That should be understood at the onset. I feel into this category. 

I ended up at Walden University because I needed the piece of paper in order to advance in my career. Nothing more, nothing less. What I got was a fight from my employer that still rages to this day. They do not want to accept Walden University as anything more then a diploma mill. And I can't say that I blame them. The "residencies" are a joke. All of the classes are canned (prepared classes where the "teacher" does nothing but facilitate and grades on Walden's parameters). This is not education by any stretch of the imagination. It is the equivalent of you sitting down with a reading list and teaching yourself - except that they charge you 40K+ for that privilege. 

Since receiving my Ed. from Walden University I have had nothing but problems. The school system where I work looks at it as if it were a foreign degree from a third world nation - and it might as well be. Walden gives nothing back to the academic world as a whole, publishes only when it must, and strives to cover up the fact that they are more of a marketing company then a institution of higher learning. 

I understand the appeal of Walden University. Sitting at home in your spare time, working on a degree to further your career... ...but reality just doesn't work that way. Trust me, find a different school and you'll be happy you did. I wish someone had talked me out of going to Walden, it would have saved me years of frustration and misery. 

Now, "anonymous" users in no way paid by Walden University, have at me.

Don't believe poor reviews

PhD Public Health
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on December 27, 2008

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I am quite surprised that people call Walden a "diploma mill" and must argue that Walden has provided a challenging program, among very competitive students and professionals. It is absolutely false that Walden professors hand-out A's and allow students to plagiarize. I am in my 2nd year of the PhD Public Health program, and maintain a 3.8 GPA. This has been earned by spending ~20 hours a week in each class, on challenging assignments that interface with current professional, research, and scholarly issues. Walden upholds very high standards, and students will never be allowed to plagiarize. The professors all use software to detect plagiarism, and will reprimand, reduce grades, and even place students on academic suspension for this behavior. It makes me wonder if the people who posted such poor reviews about Walden, were scathed by trying to get a diploma-mill degree, while plagiarizing, and not dedicating themselves to an intense, comprehensive program. I guess I would write a poor review too, if I had these expectations, but was unable to simply be handed a college degree.

The Walden support has been very good. I have attended brick-and-mortar institutions for 14 years, and find that Walden even surpasses the support experiences I have had from other colleges. I have used Walden's technical writing, financial aid, residency, academic advising support, and have been pleased by it all. My professors have all had 15-20 years experience in our field, have been highly interactive, and have provided good instruction. I criticised on-line degree programs for years, and still believe that an on-line program is what you make of it, and you must be a self-motivated, dedicated, and astute scholar-practitioner to interface with superiors, colleagues, and peers in this academic setting. With that said, I have always used great discretion while evaluating other's personal comments and reviews of on-line institutions-consider the source!

Poor service

Education
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on December 21, 2008

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I enrolled and had nothing but problems. Make sure you have a PC and not an Apple. Many of my problems were probably due to my computer, but considering I was paying dearly for a complete lack of support bothers me.
The loss hurts, but there are times in life you just have to give up and move on.

My experience at Walden

PhD AMDS - Finance
Reviewer: Anonymous (Graduate) on December 19, 2008

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I graduated with a PhD in Applied Management and Decision Sciences, Accounting in November, 2008. I started the program in October, 2005. This type of educational experience is not for everyone. It requires a self starter that is focused and committed. You have a faculty mentor assigned to you when you start the program. This is a resource available to you, but not pushed on you. The degree of interaction is up to the student. The mentor can be a valuable source of guidance and structure if used proactively by the student. 

Like all experiences in life, you get out of it what you put into it. There is a rigorous amount of work assigned and there is a required amount of posting in the form of classroom discussions. Both require time and effort. 

I did not experience any teacher that would just "pass" you on. You earned your grade. The teachers all seemed concerned and ready to help, but again, you had to be the adult and initiate the contact. Students need to understand this is not a baby sitting service....it is graduate school.

The technology was outstanding. Three years without a problem. 

The cost of the program was expensive and Walden does not miss a chance to charge you, but than again, this is no different from traditional schools.

I found that any questions I had were generally answered with quick turnaround times. I was very disappointed, however, in the academic advisors and the lack of coordination between the various support departments. Again, however, this seems to be typical of all universities.

I was very unhappy with the approval process for the dissertation. There are several layers of approval. Your committee, academic review, and finally provost. This a very fustrating process with little support for the student. I don't know if this is typical of all PhD programs or not. Finally, it seemed that once the PhD was approved and accepeted, you fall into a black hole and have to jump through hoops to find out your status and the graduation details.

Bottom line. It was expensive. I thought the residencies were a waste of my time (the first three were fine and useful, by the fourth, you have already taken all relevant courses). The faculty was dedicated, knowledgeable, and helpful. Academic advising needs to have more interaction with the student. The technology was great. 

I found the experience to be rewarding, stimulating, and well worth my time and effort. I would have preferred a traditional, on campus approach, but life's responsibilites did not allow it. Walden was a great alternative.

Well Worth The Money and Time

M Sc Ed: Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment
Reviewer: Anonymous (Graduate) on December 15, 2008

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I have just completed my masters of science degree in Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment K-12. I must say that I was leary of obtaining my degree online because of the stigma of online degrees. I found that the courses, assignments, and curriculum were of the highest quality.

The course material reflects all of the leading researchers and ideas that are on the frontlines of education today. While some of the coursework can seem overwhelming at times, all of it has practical application in the classroom. I found all of the readings to be relevant and useful.

As with any university, some professors are better than others, but I found the majority to be extremely helpful and challenging. I found that I spent about 15-20 hours per week on coursework, discussions, and applications. When I experienced some difficulties in my life, one professor was very accomodating in allowing me to complete the missed work in a timely manner without penalty to my grade.(Communication with potential problems is KEY if you are asking for extensions).

Stay away from Walden!

Walden University
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on December 13, 2008

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I am presently in Walden's PhD program.  I am so sorry to say that Walden does not live up to its claims.  Faculty mentoring mentoring is extremely poor and uninvovled.  If you are absolutely sure that you want to spend loads of money for a solo-education, go ahead.  But don't be fooled by Walden's claims.  If I hadn't spent so much money already, I'd be in anothe program.

A great experience

Psychology
Reviewer: Anonymous (Graduate) on December 2, 2008

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I have just completed my doctoral degree in health psychology and couldn't be more pleased with my experience. A lot of the complaints of my fellow reviewers also are expressed by people attending B&M schools. I know, as my husband recently completed his master's at a B&M school and sometimes it was a real nightmare to register, pay bills, apply for financial aid, get calls back on questions, etc.

We compared level of effort required for our respective Master's degrees and he really viewed my coursework as far more intensive and demanding. As noted by others here, writing skills are vital if you are to succeed at Walden. I have no doubt some people will look down on my degree, but so do people look down on community college and state college degrees, depending on their own educational experiences. Yet, I do sincerely believe I have received a quality education, well worth the pending student loans!

Avoid if Possible

PhD AMS Engineering Management
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on November 30, 2008

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After reading several reviews about Walden University, I decided to join this university in September 2008. I wanted to pursue my PhD in management,on line was a good fit for me because it doesn’t require the complete one year residency as brick and mortar universities generally require. It was not going to be new experience for me, since I already took several of my master classes on line from a conventional state university. Walden seemed to have what I was looking for and it was listed as one of the approved universities by my employer, so I was going to be able to apply for educational assistance.
Well, here is my story: If you can, stay away from Walden. Take this advice from someone that has taken on line classes from a brick and mortar university and knows what bad and good both service and education are. Walden is a business, thy will try to get as much money fro you as possible, regardless of what you do academically. They will task you with homework, lots and lots, whose value is more than doubtful. If you submit it on time, you got points. The feedback you get from the instructor is useless, and they force you to participate in nonsense discussions with no value whatsoever. Unless you really what to learn something from this, this is just a waste of time. For those of you that think that customer service is bad, you are right. Customer service is terrible. They treat you very well when they are trying to hook you up. After that, forget about it. But, this is not much different from my experience in my state university.
Now for the worst part: It is expensive. They tell you that a quarter is $ 4,1700.00, but what they do not tell you is that depending in the time of the year you register, there will be bridge course until the new quarter begins. They register in this type a course during the first quarter, but they tell you not to do anything on it until the 12 week. Then at this time, they automatically register for this class again for an additional $ 1,500.00! When I complained about it, I was told that this is the way the university works, so I told them that unless the charge was removed from my account, I would not register again. I am still waiting for an answer. The most fantastic thing was that I did not submit any work or participated in any discussions for this class and still got a satisfactory as final grade! In top of this, you have to pay for residencies (6 of them with a cost of $800.00 to $ 1200.00) and books, even a simple $ 10.00 DVD (Please let me know how your textbooks were included, mine were not).
Bottom line: This school has to be considered as a last resort. I am out of it and registering for a local, in state and well-known university. It is a business, and they will treat you like that. And believe me, I can distinguish between meaningful work and just work.

Walden MBA is Competitive

MBA
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on November 21, 2008

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I would have to flat out disagree with the last person's assessment of the Walden MBA program.  Most of his issues seemed to be with the University--not the program.

I have two more courses before I complete my MBA in Project Management and have had only one professor that just gave me an "A" regardless of what I submitted. In my Business Finance course, I had the best professor (Dr. Jong Yi) that spent upwards of two hours *every week* explaining to me the lessons for that week because I had trouble.  I received an "A" in that course as I have in all my courses so far, but I worked *very* hard to do so. 

Listen, there are people who will throw together an assignment and not care how it comes out. Some people cheat and plagerize.  I did thorough research, worked in teams, and worked with my professors to get through each course (2-eight week courses per semester). That is why I thought I got a lot out of it.  The one course that I got the most out of was a Marketing class where we fought a lot due to conflicting ideas regarding our team assignment.  But let's face it--isn't that what the work place going to be like anyway?

I gave Walden University a "9" overall because I have enjoyed my experience. Plan on getting the "Walden U" shirts, coffee mugs and stickers for my cars.  I found the reading materials, course texts, articles, etc. top-notch and updated to reflect current trends.  The PowerPoint presentations with the live videos were refreshing and took the place of the instructor lectures.  Never had any measurable issue with support and I have been able to work on my school work while traveling numerous times for work and while on vacation at Disney World (not something I loved to do--I had to do it!).  How else can you do that and attend a brick and mortar?  Very impressed with the use of technology--definately got exposed to technologies I hadn't previously known about. 

It would have been ideal to attend an accredited school locally such as Georgia State, Emory or Kennesaw State here in Atlanta, but let's face it. Unless, I leased a private helicopter, how would I be able to make the weeknight courses with all our traffic?  And Weekends? I am a parent, those are for piano lessons, laundry and karate.  An at-home program works just fine for me.  I schedule the time, and I control my learning.  I also like the principle of social change that is the undercurrent of each course.  The school is accredited and I know people who have gotten MBA's from Emory who many have the fancy paper, but still don't have a clue in the work place.  

So like everything else, your experience at Walden will be what you make of it.  It is not perfect and your mileage will vary.  But please know there are way more people that love the school than hate it.

Keep looking for another school!

MSN in Nursing
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on November 17, 2008

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I have been attending Walden for a year now, and I want out. I chose Walden because it is all on-line and I have kids, but I wish I wouldn't have wasted my time. The classes are boring and a waste of time. I have received A's in all of my classes, but I feel I have not learned anything useful to my career. Advising is VERY unhelpful and rude. I don't have much nice to say about this program. I am getting out and starting over, take my advise, don't get in!!!!!!!!!

Good School

Psychology
Reviewer: Amira717 (Degree In Progress) on November 17, 2008

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This is a very good school. I have two more course to go before I start my dissertation. The experience has been great. The coursework is challenging and the student-student interaction have been wonderful. The professors are professional and engaging. I can say with the courses I have taken only two professors were terrible and I believe that is because they just didn't give a damn. 

I am proud to tell people I am going for my PhD at Walden. Walden is changing. They now offer student services in which you can be involved with the school. They hold conferences on different topics from career counseling to disaster response from professional people. Their residencies are filled with people who are there for you. to encourage you and to listen to you.

Anyone tells you that this is a diploma mill is wrong. For my last class I not only had to do my weekly assignments and respond to fellow students. I also had to do a article summary for all to read, and take a topic for one of the weekly discussion, and finally a annotated bibliography. I am working my butt off and I know when I am I will be proud to have my PhD in Psychology. :)

Challenging Study

MSN in Nursing
Reviewer: sicurn0222 (Degree In Progress) on November 14, 2008

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I was a bit skeptical when I began the Walden MSN program, but I am impressed with not only its quality, but the fact that the textbooks are current, the information is NOW, and the price includes the cost of textbooks. I am being challenged, but I am also being respected for my knowledge obtained from experience. I highly recommend this program. It's not for anyone needing hand-holding, or anyone needing constant reassurance and direction. You must be adult enough to be able to know what is expected of you as a professional, and an adult learner, and deliver it without requiring an explanation.

Walden Was a Waste

EdD Teacher Leadership
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on November 6, 2008

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At first I was very pleased with the EdD in Teacher Leadership program at Walden. Then I took EDUC 8015, the first of the Research courses, and we had to read the same two articles over and over for nearly every module.
Nevertheless, I was earning an "A."  

After the third week, I became so sick that I had to ask for an extended deadline. The instructor suggested I contact Disability Services, which I did, and I was given the extended deadline. However, a week later I became so sick that I could not even complete the work by the extended deadline. By this time I had also missed the deadline to withdraw from the course. When I pleaded with the instructor to allow me to submit my missing work beyond the extended deadline she had given me, she refused. 

I contacted the advising team and was told that I could petition for a change of grade to No Credit and a waive of the tuition. Since the course was now half over, the Director of Disability Services intervened with the instructor for me and asked what grade I would receive if I completed the course without the missing work.  The instructor said I "might" be able to earn a "C" at best.  Since I did not want a "C" on my transcript, 

I petitioned, and given what the advisors had told me, I felt confident my petition would be granted.  However, I was shocked when the director of EdD programs and the associate dean both agreed with the instructor and denied my petition!  Even the director of disability services, who had said she would stand by whatever decision I made, agreed with the denial!  I appealed the decision, sending along 51 pages of supporting medical documentation, but my appeal was denied! 

I was devastated, and watched helplessly as I received an "F" in the course. I contacted the advisors again and was told I could pay another $4000.00 and retake the course to improve my GPA with a better grade, but that the "F" would always be on my transcript.  Although I only had two more years in the program, I decided to leave because of the unfair treatment I received.  BTW, I'm a full-time professor of Education and had received all A's in a doc program at a B&M University prior to attending Walden. I made the mistake of leaving the B&M for Walden because of convenience.

Be careful!

Psychology
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on October 21, 2008

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This applies to Clinical Psychology:

Beware!  Many of the people from Michigan recently found out that since the degree is no longer accepted for their state, they will not even be grandfathered into the system.  Basically, all of their work has been a waste of time.  This could happen to any of the other students from other states also.  If you want to become licensed, I highly suggest that you do not attend this school!  If you can, attend a school that is APA accredited!

It has also been expressed by faculty and students that even after you get the degree others in the field consider the school a paper mill, and the lack of respect is apparent.  

Do your research, be careful, and make the decision for yourself!  

Good Luck!

Support at Walden University is a JOKE!!!

MBA
Reviewer: bakernc03 (Graduate) on October 2, 2008

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I completed my undergraduate degree at Walden University in Business Administration. The administrative support I received was absolutely terrible. This problem wasn't limited to one department either. I had trouble with the Financial Aid department, the Bursars office, the Academic Advisors, the "Graduation Team", etc. Every issue I encountered required me to e-mail and call at least ten times (and this is not an exaggeration and I have the e-mail chains to prove it for anyone doubting me on this). Nobody would ever handle any of my problems, and I was constantly pushed off on other people. I have never received this poor of customer service from any other organization (and I've had to deal with a lot of notoriously poor organizations like the VA, DoD Records Offices, State Unemployment Office, and Credit Card companies).

I have been done with the Walden program for two months now, and of course I still can't get anyone to respond to me and tell me if they are even working on processing/issuing my degree. Also, I still haven't received my Financial Aid award (Pell Grant and Stafford Loan) from 4 months ago. In fact, I was actually told today that I will not receive it, because the school didn't process it on time. Apparently the Financial Aid has to be processed during the term it is to be awarded for (although I submitted it two weeks prior to the term's end date, apparently it takes three months to process like everything else at Walden).

Other than the administrative support, the program was ok. The courses were easy and you received a 100 on pretty much any assignment as long as you submitted it. Everything I learned in the program came from reading the text books, as the teachers provide little to no lecture.

The program price is a little costly, but the convenience of doing your degree quickly (easily handled 3 six-week courses at a time to complete 19 classes in a little over a year of course time) and at your own time added to the value.

Walden sucks; no ceph accreditation

PhD Public Health
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on September 29, 2008

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They are very misleading.  They are not CePH accredited so the degree is worthless.

The Good, the Bad, the Ugly (oops that's me!)

Psychology
Reviewer: jpaulshirley (Degree In Progress) on July 11, 2008

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 	Emotions run so hot both ways on this topic that I'm hard-pressed to say anything I think will matter to anyone.  Is Walden rigorous?  Without a doubt.  Are there good faculty?  I have met faculty who have my utmost respect and personal affection.  Are there bad faculty?  You would not believe my first professor there, except that several of us with professional experience in Addictions Counseling suspected that instructor of TUI -- "Teaching Under the Influence."  It was as bad as it could possibly get.  In my experience, that one rotten apple was fortunately an exception to the rule of good faculty.  Are there others who are a tad temperamental, touchy, and who react emotionally, making it fairly clear there are students who can do no wrong, and others who can do no right?  I'd have to say yeah, but not noticeably more so than were in my traditional B.A. or masters programs, at two different state universities.  
 	I hate to say this, but as much good as I have to say about Walden, I recently recommended two individuals to steer clear of it.  One is a male with disabilities, like me.  The Disability Office took 4 months to process my application and “lost” countless emails, phone calls, and faxes in the process- some containing sensitive personal medical information.  If I told the whole story, the Believers here would probably accuse me of being an Infidel and lying about it.  I recently saw a different forum that described Walden in terms of "academic excellence" but "administrative incompetence."  I am not so worried about the incompetence.  What worries me is the denial, coverups, and bullying that take place when I try to work through the problems.  An administrator, admonishing me about my "attitude?"  Nope, sorry, that's outa line, that's the purview of a behavioral health consultant, if I choose to hire one.  Walden administrators are supposed to handle paperwork, and any who lecture me about my "attitude" or otherwise attempt to get overly personal with me in any other way, are engaging in harassment.  The problem with harassment?  It's slightly illegal in 2008, and that's because it is so destructive.  
 	That's my best effort at being objective.  There is opportunity at Walden.  There are also things at Walden that can damage a person.  You can to walk through a minefield in hopes of getting awarded a Congressional Medal of Honor after it's all over.  Just don't go there with your eyes closed assuming you'll be OK because Sergeant Audie Murphy did it.

BUYER BEWARE

Psychology
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on June 19, 2008

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I cannot express how much you should not attend this school. Anyone who says that this school is better than merely good enough either works there (remember it is a for profit school and the admissions people or like salesmen) or has never been to a school where students are treated with respect and given a curriculum that is actually set in place to assist them in the future. I have talked to fellow students in the psychology program. Many of them are worried about licensure in their states as Walden U cannot make the guarantee that you will be licensed after graduation. The advising....well let's say they too act as sales people who constantly give students the run around and incorrect information. The professors are not held up to any kind of standard and after meeting a few of them I wonder how they graduated and are employed. BUYER BEWARE. DO NOT WASTE YOUR MONEY OR TIME. I know traditional schools are inconvenient but as far as education is concerned you will get your money's worth. Take this from a PhD student who has been to both types of school.

Walden PhD Student

Walden University
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on June 17, 2008

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Walden is not Harvard or Princeton, but can be in the future and there is a good chance for it to become an on-line Harvard. I’ve seen a lot of positive changes in Walden, and enjoy using the on-line library provided by Walden.

Walden is a great expensive experience

Psychology
Reviewer: carpengo (Degree In Progress) on June 10, 2008

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Walden is a great way to pursue an advanced degree. If you are studying to get a license you need to check first if your degree will be accepted for license in your state. Walden's Psychology degrees are accepted by more than 25 states. However, there are at least 18 states and 3 territories that will not even allow online learners to take their licensure exams.  One thing that you can see of the Walden alumni and is that they are already employed as psychologists, or doing similar work. Some are working in other areas and study a PhD just to obtain more knowledge or to have another diploma on their wall. There are few students like me that would like to obtain a PhD in Psychology to be licensed and practice this profession, without previous or current employment or training  in the area or similar area. I live in Texas, where state and private agencies are recruiting psychologists; even doctoral students of Psychology in their last year! And they have enough time to finish their degrees and get licensed. And their  salaries and incentives are not bad at all.
Walden is my opportunity to make a difference, obtain a doctoral degree and work as a psychologists. This journey is expensive, and sometimes demoralizing. You find many obstacles(low grades, family problems, financial problems, academic progress problem, etc), but overpass them and continue to the finish line. Walden's costs of study are still  low compared to a traditional campus based PhD!

Ph.D. Clinical Psychology

Psychology
Reviewer: rtrkrswfe (Degree In Progress) on June 2, 2008

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First of all, Walden (nor any other online school) is for everyone.  If you are unmotivated and waiting for someone to "hand you" something, you will not do well.  I have just finished my last academic class at Walden and will be starting my practicum in Clinical Psychology soon.  I am doing my practicum and internship at a very prestigous medical school and feel that Walden prepared me for my upcoming duties as an intern.  I have enjoyed the support that I have received from professors and administrators.  As for licensure, there has never been any secret that Walden is not APA-approved.  They highly stress that potential students check with their individual states regarding licensure requirements before they enter the program and before it is too late to make changes.  Engaging in an online program is the only way that I could have obtained a Ph.D. since I worked full-time as a teacher.  There are no Ph.D. programs available in my town (one was just added in the Educational Field but....) and I could not uproot my family and relocate to an area that offered a program, not to mention quit my job for 6 years to attend school full-time.  I will be very happy to display my Walden Ph.D. and feel that the education I have received is just as good, if not better, than any brick and mortar school!

Walden master's in education, you decide??

Education
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on May 23, 2008

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Based on a very good friend’s recommendation I enrolled in Walden’s online (e college) master’s in education program (curriculum, design, and assessment).  My friend told me that she had a great experience with the program, I valued her thoughts and opinions.  She also told me it was tough, but very doable. Without really looking around too much, I dove right into program. I am set to finish my masters at Walden in 2008.

My experience at Walden has been mixed. Though some of the videos and material was interesting, the workload was extreme, and filled with too much busy work. As a full time teacher, I found it difficult to keep up with and inapplicable to my teaching situation. Due to the space limitations in this blog, I am not able to describe my experience fully.  However, if you follow the link below, it will take you to another online college review website where I have explained in detail all of the good, bad, and ugly about my experience at Walden. Please note that I have tried to be objective, and will leave it to you to decide if you want to take this route to get your master’s in education or not.

M.S. in Education Very Useful

Education
Reviewer: Anonymous (Graduate) on May 21, 2008

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I enjoyed earning my master's degree at Walden University. The big advantages over a traditional program were two:
1)the discussions via an online board which allowed much more time for reflection, so the discussion was more substantive than in a traditional class, and
2) the students were in a variety of locations and settings, so we were able to get a wide variety of insights.
The group work was, as is often the case, problematic, but other than that, it was a great experience. One professor even made himself available to one of my colleague's classes to share his Native American heritage with students studying that in their social studies class. 
The only regret I have is that Walden does not set up some convenient way for alumni to stay in touch. We exchanged email addresses, but it would be nice to have a central place to find each other.

Great School

Ed. D. Educational Leadership
Reviewer: mscoronak (Degree In Progress) on May 16, 2008

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Walden is a wonderful university.  I am a current student.  I found the classes to be challenging and the information timely.  The classes are not a cake walk, but you do learn a lot of important information realated to your field of study.  Walden is not for individuals who are not self-directed.

Deceptive Enrollment

Psychology
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on May 2, 2008

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Please be very careful when choosing this school for the clinical PhD in applied psychology if you have any hope of becoming licensed to practice. Note: Walden is NOT APA accredited.

During consultation with the enrollment counselor, I was given a list of approximately 12 states that I was told "look favorably" at Walden graduates and permit students to take licensure exams, including two which I am interested in, namely Florida and New Jersey. I was even told that NJ State Board of Psychological Examiners was “highly impressed” with the quality of Walden graduates.

First a little background information about what you can expect from the time you inquire online. You WILL receive a phone call in 24 hours. You WILL have a difficult time making direct calls back. You WILL be contacted several times a week, for at least two weeks. Once you submit your application you WILL be pressured to enroll at the next quarter.

Part of the sales methodology of Walden is to push a person to commit to beginning studies quickly. The process from time of first consultation to when they first asked for a commitment, in my case, was two weeks. The enrollment "advisory" personnel will NOT provide any information about faculty, research interests, or allow any form of contact outside of the sales department. Also, they like to speak in terms of states ultimately "having" to accept online learning schools credentials, citing a lack of human services professionals in the future. 

I wrote to two State Licensing Boards and received the following responses:

Florida Department of Health writes, "I am unaware of any instance in which the Board has looked favorably upon an applicant, outside of the above exceptions, who did not graduate from an APA-accredited program." The exceptions are listed on the website and do not pertain to Walden University.

The Executive Director of the NJ State Board writes, "to be honest, very few graduates of Walden University have obtained a license to practice psychology in the State of New Jersey." I shared with the Executive Director my intention to STAY AWAY from Walden and was given the following response, “I'm glad you have been so diligent in exploring the possibilities. Would that others had been so careful.” Although the door is not closed to Walden students, it is not exactly common, or even likely. 

Don't even get me started on what I was able to uncover about the faculty turnover at Walden.

Great experience

Psychology
Reviewer: john.fueston (Degree In Progress) on April 28, 2008

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I am one year into my PhD in clinical psych. Walden is extraordinarily up-front with regard to the process of licensure. One of our first assignments was to go through our state licensure requirements step-by-step and show how the Walden program met or didn't meet state requirements. No surprises. The teachers have been great, if a little brutal. The rigor of the program is about the same as law school. My only real complaint is with the bursar's office. Working with them is like working with a lump of rock.

I do feel I was soft-sold with regard to the number of hours per week I would have to devote to the program. Plan on a minimum of 30 if you want to succeed. 

The response of professionals in my geographical has been generally good. I know many therapists and psychologists from my days of practicing law. One of them recommended me to the program.

PhD Public Health Walden University Beware!

PhD Public Health
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on April 21, 2008

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I am presently attending Walden University, PhD Public Health, and I have to say that I am deeply disappointed. I am presently working on my dissertation and this has been a horrible experience and huge mistake (financially) on my part. First, for PhD Public Health students the lack of faculty available to fill the mandatory dissertation committee (3 faculty) is a problem that must be changed ASAP if Walden wishes to continue with this program. It appears to me that Walden has set public health PhD student's up for failure because most students find themselves without a full committee and cannot finish the dissertation process. The enrollment advisor and the academic advisors never say at the start that the student is responsible for finding their dissertation committee and if the student cannot then oh well, too bad you are without a PhD and without several thousands of dollars, but hey thanks for the money while you were here. In the PhD Public Health program there are not enough "approved" faculty to take on the number of students who must have dissertation committees in order to complete the PhD requirements. I have never heard of a "real" University not providing the appropriate faculty in order for the students to meet dissertation criteria so that one might complete the requirements to graduate. If I had known from the start what the final stage (dissertation) was in details, I would not have wasted my time and money at Walden. Walden University is private and corporate owned, thus a business. However, I am going to write a letter to the Better Business Bureau and The Higher Learning Commission, North Central Association of Colleges and Schools (NCA), www.ncahlc.org. regarding poor business practice and lack of providing students with the BASIC necessities (like faculty) in order to complete the degree. To me I feel I have been lied to, set up for failure, and about 60 thousand dollars stolen from me because the university knew they did not have enough faculty for the PhD Public Health students to complete the dissertation according to their own policies and mandatory dissertation committee. I received my bachelors and masters from a traditional university and I am in the process of transfering back to the traditional university setting in hopes that I finish my PhD. I have maintained a 3.7 GPA during my doctoral studies at Walden and I am really angry to see all that money and time count for absolutely nothing.

Hard work and worth every minute

Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on April 5, 2008

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First, some of the negative reviews are just plain silly.  A professor asking for citations? What was the reviewer expecting?  An online education is not for everyone, if you need hand holding, this is not for you.  If you need a professor that you can talk to for several hours for guidance, this is not for you.  Read the program descriptions and research your field licensing requirements (if applicable). 

Walden requires course work and participation, it is NOT a degree mill.  Support is actually great for my program.  I have called academic advising with general questions and quickly got a person to talk to 9 out of 10 times.  The tenth time I left a message with a question and I got an email response with the answer in about a day.

Walden Is Beyond Bad!

Psychology
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on April 2, 2008

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I started at Walden hoping to complete a PhD. I have been constantly disappointed with my professors. Over half of my professors have been hard nosed, arrogant, wanna be intellectuals who have no ability to teach and no interpersonal skills. The students who provide little to no intelligent work earn high marks, while others who attempt to be innovative (or God forbid inspirational) get attacked. It is an incredible thing to behold. The good professors are excellent and make you wonder why they can't get a better job. The bad professors are the worst, and most of them are Walden alum. 

Academic Advising is a joke, there is none. You are not even assigned a personal academic adviser. If you need to ask a question your email goes into a general box and it is a crap shoot about who will answer and what kind of information you will receive.

Now I am stuck with half a degree in a non-accredited program and about $45,000 in student loan debt to show for my effort. By-the-way, be sure to check the programs. Neither the Masters or the PhD program in Psychology meet most state licensing requirements in coursework. If you follow the degree plan without first knowing your state's course requirements, you will not get licensed when you are finished. 

Walden is totally all about making money with no thought for the welfare of the students. The services and the professors SUCK (for lack of a better word). The only thing good to say is the online classroom form is better than others I have seen.

Great school

Education
Reviewer: Anonymous (Graduate) on April 1, 2008

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It was a great experience and has dramatically improved my teaching! It was not only accepted by my district but also the state, and I got a nice pay increase. I have also been commended for my teaching by administration, and I truly believe it is through the knowledge I have obtained from Walden! I think Walden is great for educators! And as I CONTINUALLY read about all the wonderful achievements others have experienced at Walden, I know it is strictly the INDIVIDUAL that makes things happen for themselves, NOT just the degree! Thanks Walden U!

Walden University is a Degree Mill

Walden University
Reviewer: Anonymous (Graduate) on March 25, 2008

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I received my Masters from Walden University and can tell you first hand that they are a diploma mill. I just paid my money, did little to no work (most of the test and homework are pirated online and never change), and got my degree in about a year. The University is a joke and I have no idea how in the hell they are accredited.

Some Advice for Would-Be Learners

Psychology
Reviewer: awilber3 (Degree In Progress) on March 16, 2008

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I have utilized online education to obtain all of my degrees and have to say that I completely disagree with the assessment of some of the naysayers who have written sardonic reviews.  I have always enjoyed complimentary reviews and comments from potential employers toward my online degrees.  They are accredited, so why wouldn't they be?

And while we are on the topic of accreditation, lets address a problem which seems to be running rampant through these reviews.  Walden has it plastered all over their website that their Psychology programs are not accredited for licensure.   So, if the state of Florida demands that you be licensed and you you expect that from your program, then transfer to a Florida-based school.  They will probably take most, if not all of your credits.  The classes and courses are accredited through one of the six accrediting authorities which are accepted worldwide, so guess what?  They are, kind of, obliged to, in general terms.  So, you may have to take an extra course or two...big deal.  At least you will be licensed upon graduation, right?

Here's some unsolicited advice for the would-be online learner: self-discipline is the key.  If you are a person who has great self-discipline and can subject themselves to the rigors of an online program, then great!  Online learning may be just the thing for you!  However, if you are a procrastinator who has trouble with deadlines, cheated your way through high school, or even college, to some extent, then guess what?  You are probably going to waste your time and money.

Online learning takes a constructivist approach, whereby the learner acts as their own agent in constructing their own learning.  You will get out of learning, whatever you put into it.  If you apply yourself and give it your all, you will be the benefactor for it.  If you give it a half-hearted effort, you'll be quickly discovered and exploited for your efforts.  Not publicly, as ethical practices would encourage you to do better.  But, the grades you received will be emblematic of the effort that you provide.

Keep looking, you can do better

Walden University
Reviewer: Anonymous (Graduate) on March 13, 2008

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The classes are all canned, the teachers just moonlight from other schools, and the degree is laughed at by almost all employers. My Masters from Walden is worthless. All potential employers do is ask if the school is A) accredited or B) a real school. It's hard to take any school seriously when their main source of advertising is spam email messages and junk snail mail. Keep looking, you can do better than Walden University

Hindsight is 20/20

Walden University
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on March 13, 2008

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 Walden University has afforded me the opportunity to complete all coursework for the MS Psychology Degree, finishing all but the thesis with a 3.8 GPA. I began the course of study in 2003 taking one course at a time. A few quarters I was not able to attend, but because I had such poor advising no notice was given that a four year time line would cut me short of graduation. An extension was granted until Spring 08 to complete the thesis, however the Chair selection process is a gamble that in my case resulted in a poor choice. Letters to the Advising Group were met with responses asking me to discuss with my mentor(Chair). The poor responses from the Chair and the Dean created time delays that pushed my thesis to the point that it can not successfully meet the time line. 
 Walden University is a money sham which should be investigated for fraud. I have 30k dollars in student loans to repay, no degree, and contempt for Walden University.

 Buyer beware- Online schools are not for everybody. If you want poor feedback, high costs, and a general lack of respect for student's, Walden is the place to waste your time and money.
This post is one student's opinion and does not reflect the qaulity of other Online schools, nor other departments at Walden. The school of Psychology is specifically where my experience is drawn from.
For the working professional, Walden School of Psychology, is a poor choice for a quality education. What does one do with the faceless, relationless, entity that is the online educational venue for Walden?
I am sick over the whole experience! Without the degree my work with adolescent addicts will remain as a volunteer rather than as a paid counselor. Shame on me for being naive about Walden, shame on Walden for caring so little about it's student's pleas for assistance.

AC

Walden is a great program for educators

Education
Reviewer: Anonymous (Graduate) on February 24, 2008

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Walden University exceeded my expectations. I just finished my MS in Education - Integrating Technology. I have a BS in Aerospace Engineering from WPI and started a MS in Management at Fairfield Univ. before switching to Education. Walden's program was rigorous, thought provoking, and well worth it. The work, resources and professors really gave me an terrific education. I recommend it for all educators.

Walden Ph.D Clinical Psychology track

Psychology
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on February 10, 2008

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A very disciplined and outlined framework for achieving a doctorate. A full time student can expect to spend roughly 30 hours a week on research and papers. 

There are Walden professors teaching at other top university sites as well as campuses in the United States. My classmates sometimes originate as far away as Iran, China, and Africa to name a few. 

We are all coordinated on mountain standard time. I would suggest any other institution if you cannot put your best effort into this university. I am telling you, it takes some work...and you will never look at someone on the naster's or doctorate level the same after being in this program a couple of years.

There is a difference.

Very Rigorous Education

Walden University
Reviewer: forevergloria (Graduate) on February 7, 2008

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At first I was skeptical about Walden U. But I soon saw that the professors and administration meant business. They all set a very high standard and expected each student to meet that standard. Sad to say, many in my cohort did not make it out as hoped. But I believe that they were not cut out for it anyway. Distance learning is definitely NOT for everyone!

Walden University has pushed me forward in so many ways. The residencies were extremely rewarding and I met some very valuable people. I now have a full time, tenured position at a state university that is 135 years old! I highly recommend Walden to anyone who id self-determined!

Not the whole truth

Walden University
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on February 1, 2008

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I was enrolled in Walden's  clinical psychology PhD program. First of all the so called admissions advisors constantly call you to get you to enroll. They casually tell you that you have three residencies to attend within a 13 month span.(That is if you are going for licensure.  What they fail to mention is that these three residencies are two weeks long.  That means you have to take of 6 weeks in a year, in addition to that you must attend two conferences that are at least 3-4 days in length.  Like Northcentral University the instructors rarely get back to you if you have a question.  Though they have a grading system like anyother school it can be arbitrary.  I left Walden because a teacher wanted me to have citations after everyother sentence, giving me a very low grade.  We tried to resolve the issue but I felt it was useless.  I felt is was basically busy work and though I received all A's in my courses I felt as if I wasn't learning anything.  What is most time consuming are the posts.  In some classes you have to post papers, projects 2-3 times in a week.  The interaction with the other students in the online classroom was interesting, yet I felt it didn't offer anything extra.

I am hearing varios comments and concerns from many people concerning online education. Hopefully, when people write more of these reviews the colleges will get the message and try to change.

A Very Pleasant Experience

Walden University
Reviewer: lowkeygent (Degree In Progress) on January 18, 2008

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I am a working adult and have been in my Ph.D. program for about 2 years. The program has been great and the faculty has been extremely supportive. I have had the opportunity to meet so many people as well as broaden my professional and academic network.

Walden University is a great place to be. Residencies are great! Administration is great! The only major difference is that there is not hierarchy to break through like at B & M schools. 

The educational delivery is excellent. And because of my rewarding experience, four of my friends have since begun their doctoral programs at Walden.

PhD Health Sciences

Walden University
Reviewer: Anonymous (Graduate) on January 15, 2008

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Walden's KAM-based PhD programs put the responsibility on the student to obtain the texts and resource materials pertinent to the area of study. Of course, these materials must be approved by the faculty mentor, but I was able to choose key texts and resource materials that were available from the medical center where I worked and local (major) universities. A Walden degree is only worth what the individual has put into it. I had to select 5 major textbooks and 10 contemporary peer-reviewed articles per module component. That means I read 15 major textbooks and 30 peer-reviewed articles for each completed quarter. In addition, I was required to submit 3 research papers based on the texts and readings for each quarter. 2 of those papers were 50 pages in length and the third was at least 30. One quarter's worth of work more than equated to the thesis requirement for my 2nd Master's degree.

The key to a successful Walden experience is to find a faculty mentor with whom you can build a strong relationship.

Bachelors Program

Walden University
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on January 8, 2008

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Anyone who is looking for a bachelors degree in business needs to look no further!!!  Don't be fooled by the other online schools and their BSBA programs!  Once I spoke with a counselor at Walden they really helped me understand the online process.  Group work is minimal and you will not be penalized if someone in your group does not do what they are suppose to do.  I love Walden so far!  Its a great program with great instructors and it is a very easy system to use.  I was at UoP for a couple classes and this system here is way more user friendly!  The bachelors program is great!  I highly recommend it to anyone!!!!

Accreditation at Walden

Psychology
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on November 14, 2007

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From time to time I have read various posts about concerns about Walden’s accreditation.  

For Psychology students the biggest confusion centers on accreditation with The Higher Learning Commission and a member of the North Central Association and accreditation with American Psychological Association (APA) or designation by the Association of State and Provincial Psychology Boards/National Register (ASPPB/NR).  These last two are requirements for licensure in some states, but not all.  There is a history at Walden of the decisions around pursuing APA accreditation or not.  This does not make Walden a “bad school”. Not all schools, and not all Psychology specializations within a school, will have these accreditations.  Walden makes it explicitly clear in several places on their website and in the program guides what accreditations it holds and what it does not.  I realize that this is easy to get confused about at the beginning of a program, but come on – this is grad school, and by now you really should be able to ask questions.  It really is up to you to understand the licensing requirements for your state before you enroll anywhere.  There are several practicing, licensed psychologists from Walden – again, depending on the state.   Walden’s general psych program is geared either to the educational arena or research.  If you want to be a counselor don’t pick this program.

I am almost finished with my doctoral program at Walden and have to say that overall it has been a good experience.  Many people like myself, with full time jobs and life demands could never pursue higher education if we were limited to traveling to and from a regular institution.  So many traditional universities are now offering several courses online, if not full degree programs.  Being among the first to tap into technology at the accredited graduate school level, does not make Walden a diploma mill, nor make the degrees awarded useless.

Not Satisfied

Psychology
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on November 9, 2007

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I am currently completing my thesis to obtain a MS in Psychology.  I agree with recent reviews, Walden uses the term "accredidated" very loosely.  Although the psychology program is accredited, the MS in Psych is basically a generic degree.  You cannot use this degree toward getting any type of licenses in the Psychology field.  Basically, I would need to do another program that is geared toward licensure.  Also, I have found the staff to be lack-luster and the program to be thesis based.  I wish I would have taken my money to a traditional university that would grant me a more respected degree.

Not A Diploma Mill

Psychology
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on October 26, 2007

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I am working on my PhD in psychology and have found the program to be wonderful.  The instructors are top notch and the support is very good.  I attended a traditional college for my BA and MS and find the level of work and interaction comparable if not superior to my brick and mortar experience.  In online education you must participate, you cannot sit in the back of the classroom quietly.  At Walden the expectation is to be a scholar practitioner.  The only caution I can advise is to be sure that you are dedicated to learning and excellence as the expectations of the university are higher than one would presume.

Watch OUT!

Walden University
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on October 16, 2007

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 I have been attending Walden University since 2004, and the reason I have not graduated is because the degree for MPH is not accredited. I have spoken with CEPH, and APHS, and Walden has no affliation with them. Here in the state of Florida accreditation from a Masters and a PHD should have their own accreditation which supports the program.

I have found out that at the beginning, in 2004, the school told many students that they were accredited, but failed to mention that some of their programs were not individually recognized by organizations such as Council of Public Health Education, and Association of Public Health Schools. For this reason over 500 students have left the institution to seek programs that are accredited outside of this university
Numerous complaints have been filed. I had a hard time reaching the school and at the beginning of the year I lost 2 internship sites, due to no telephone calls returned or emails responses, that lasted over 6weeks. I could not fund anyone at the school. I reached viocemails for that length of time. I received communication once I complained to the DOE in Minnesota.
I am now working with the Vice President, the Dean, and the academic advisor to find an internship in my area. Unfortunately I am subjected to conference calls  that have 4 plus people on the line. The four plus people are all Walden Staff, and then myself. I am not allowed to talk to any of these individuals without the presence of the other 3 or 4 people on the line. 
In all they are still seeking an internship in the area I live in. 4 months and 4 conference calls later I am no where near graduating as I was in January 2007. Agencies here are concern with program accreditation, and online education issues. I cannot change this. 
Please do the research for the school, Make sure that you can use the degree within your state. Unfortunately I may never graduate but I will have the student loans to remind me that not all school have your best interest. 
I wish many of you luck, and I hope that I can graduate someday and use this degree.

Review of Master of Science in education program

Education
Reviewer: Anonymous (Graduate) on August 29, 2007

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I just graduated with a master of science degree in elementary reading.  

The program was very challenging.  I think I worked harder than I would have in a more traditional program.  This program afforded me the luxury of being able to sit in front of my computer wearing pajamas, for example.  

However, the program consisted of mostly writing papers.  You must be a decent/good writer to do well in this program.

Brian

PhD AMDS - Finance
Reviewer: bgrizzell (Degree In Progress) on July 26, 2007

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In the beginning, I had insecurities about earning my Ph.D. online, but over 3 years, I have had many opportunities afforded to me because of it. 

Because of our elite, well published faculty, my research and writing skills have made a 100% turn around.

Master's in Reading/Literacy

Education
Reviewer: skyy-taylor (Graduate) on June 14, 2007

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Great school for educators! Just completed Master's in Reading also, rigorous curriculum, had papers due every week(sometimes two), everyone very friendly and helpful, answers email in a timely manner ( usually within 24 hours) great, helpful faculty---most had their PhD's (from traditional universities no less!) plus a professional portfolio to complete BEFORE they even give you your degree! So this is no fluff online school!  It is a lot of hard work but DEFINITELY worth it! They include everything in your tuition (books, lectures,)and send it to you before your classes even begin which is extremely helpful! 

Everything you learn  can be immediately applied to whatever you are doing in your classroom! My students learned SO much more than I ever could have taught them had I not pursued my advanced degree!  I also did extensive research before I chose Walden..and from what I have read about the other online schools (Univers. of Phx and others)I'm glad I chose Walden..not to mention it helped me go up in salary. Thanks Walden U!!

Walden PhD Program

PhD AMDS - Finance
Reviewer: mcmwalden (Degree In Progress) on June 8, 2007

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I am approaching the dissertation phase of my PhD.  I have been very pleased with the school and program (although there was a brief period of time that school and technological upgrades caused student support to falter...good news is, things are so much better now).  This has been a very enriching program for me, the face to face residencies are a wonderful component of the program that really help to appreciate the caliber of the staff and the validity and rigor of the program.

This is a for-profit university, almost anyone with a master's degree of at least a 3.0 can get accepted, but one thing that is VERY APPARENT is that as you move through the program, it is so demanding and rigorous enough to filter true PhD quality students, that only a small percentage of those who enroll actually make it through to completion.  There is no way to skate through this program.

My experiences have been positive.

Recommended

Psychology
Reviewer: Anonymous (Degree In Progress) on October 26, 2006

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I am a Walden PhD student in the Psychology program and can not say enough good things about the school. The professors are great and knowledgable. (Having attended Capella and UoP, I can not say the same).

I would and do recommend Walden to anyone and eCollege is a standand learning environment much like BlackBoard or WebCT. All of which UoP and Capella do not use, while other Brick and Mortar Colleges/Universities do.

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