Walden University

I graduated with my DBA-Marketing and had a great experience. It took me a little longer than expected, but overall enjoyed my experience. I had a great Chair and Committee reviewing my Doc Study. The revisions they require were sometimes frustrating, but it’s just part of the process to make sure my study was top notch. Follow the DBA rubric closely and use the resources Walden offers.

I had completed my Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration at Walden University. The course work required at Walden is quite substantial, but you can learn a lot from the course material, academic research, professor feedback, and class discussions. I am uncertain about the motive behind the criticism written by some students against Walden, but I presumed that they were expecting an easy degree and became frustrated when they needed to work for it. Walden requires hard work. Anyone who thinks that Walden would be an easy route to obtain a degree is misguided. During my study at Walden, my professors were very supportive and the academic office was also very responsive; however, I still had to work my butt off in order to graduate. As a result of my Walden degree, I have been able to work as a senior executive both in the government and the private sector. Because of the credibility that my Walden degree offers, I have also been able to teach at a highly respected brick and mortar university. In conclusion, if you are looking for an easy degree, go elsewhere. If you are self-motivated, will not engage in procrastination, and willing to work hard and succeed, then the flexibility of the Walden online program is a perfect option for you. Good luck to you!

I've read a lot of negative reviews about Walden, but I have to say that wasn't my experience at all. I'd also like to start by saying my B.S. degree is in Physics, so clearly I'm no stranger to rigorous, difficult, and challenging school experiences. This is a career switch for me, and I expected it to be easy, especially compared to my physics degree. Imagine my surprise to find out it was quite challenging! My classes required a lot of work- typically, for my two classes per quarter (this is how much work I had for both classes combined): I'd have two discussion posts (like a 1-2 page paper, with references), responses to 4 classmates (also with references), two application papers (3-5 pages, with references), 17 articles and 5 chapters to read. It was a lot of work. And my research and methodology class (the format changed after I took it, so this would be the older format) was easily as hard as my Optics class had been in physics, lol. My professors provided good and helpful feedback, and truly cared about whether we were able to apply the material. I finished the degree in 29 months; I did an extra class for two quarters to put me a quarter ahead. I did not take any breaks. I did have a challenge finding a site to do my internship, because most places didn't have the volume of couples/ families I needed to see. It took awhile but I found one about 40 minutes from my house- it was a sacrifice, but sometimes that's what's required. A lot of colleagues complained that the school wasn't doing enough to help them find placements; I see both sides of that argument. On the one hand, they could develop relationships with agencies in all 50 states so that there are places students can go, but that's highly subjective, because it depends on each student's concentration. On the other hand, it's a bit like "how bad do you want it?"... because it's my responsibility to put forth the effort to find the placement that fits best for me. I considered it the equivalent of me searching for a job. Overall, I am very pleased with the education I received at Walden, and this has been reflected by my site supervisors as well, who found me to be well-educated and prepared to see clients and run groups. Because the faculty are practicing counselors, their expertise and experience were invaluable, and helped make for a richer experience. I took the NCE before I graduated because my program is CACREP accredited; I passed on the first try- and I owe a lot to the rigor with which I was trained through my classes to this success. I was offered a job before I even graduated! I had no problem with financial aid, registration, residency (now called ore-practicum), or any of the nuts and bolts of the school. I'd highly recommend Walden to anyone looking for an online experience who is willing to work hard (hard!), be accountable, and remain diligent.

BEWARE!! THIS UNIVERSITY WILL PROLONG YOUR DEGREE FOR YEARS, PUT YOU IN SERIOUS STUDENT LOAN DEBT AND NEVER COME THROUGH IN THE END TO GRADUATE. HOW THIS UNIVERSITY HAS MANAGED TO STAY IN BUSINESS IS BEYOND ME. WITH THOSE SENATORS WHO ARE ASSOCIATED WITH LAURETTE AND CAPITALIZING ON SERIOUSLY RIPPING STUDENTS OFF FOR MILLIONS AND MILLIONS OF DOLLARS ARE KEEPING THIS UNIVERSITY AFLOAT. TAKE IT FROM ME, DO NOT BE A SUCKER AND FALL FOR ALL OF WALDEN'S PROMISES OF SUCCESS. ALL YOU WILL GET IS WASTED YEARS, AND ASTRONOMICAL DEBT THAT WILL TAKE YOU NO WHERE. HOPEFULLY SOMEONE GOVERNMENT AGENCY THAT IS LOOKING OUT FOR THE PEOPLE, WILL FINALLY GET THE MESSAGE, AND CLOSE THIS MONEY MACHINE DOWN, SOONER OR LATER IT WILL HAPPEN, HOPEFULLY SOONER THAN LATER BEFORE THERE ARE MORE VICTIMS!!

I have read mixed reviews for several weeks before I finally decided to put in the work at Walden to decide for myself simply because I like the idea of finishing my degree at my own discretion, taking as little or as much time as I need. The tuition seemed favorable as well, although I did find several institutions that were the same price or a couple hundred dollars more or less. It is my first day of "class", and login information has not yet been given to me. I did reach out to the university last week and over the weekend. I was sent an email that stated your Walden email address is: " " (thats right, BLANK). Today when I called, my adviser was unavailable and the other adviser I spoke with was unable to help me. When I asked if there was tech support available, I was told "no, not yet". Since you pay for 3 month periods, I asked if the number of days I was unable to log in would be "credited" to me to extend the number of days I technically paid for so I wouldn't be ripped off. The answer was, "Thats a great question, but im not exactly sure". I took off work today and tomorrow to really dedicate myself and get familiar with online learning and the student portal, just to find out that I am unable to access my classes, for a reason noone can seem to help me with. I am getting the feeling that this is a scam. The adviser I spoke with to get started in all of this was professional and nice- everyone else, not so much. The mentor i'm supposed to construct my learning plan with and be able to use a resource is not even available to conference with me for 30 minutes until Thursday (today is Monday). I have no resources here, meaning nobody is able to answer any of my questions or available to help me get started. I'm afraid that if I wait and continue on, I will run into the same roadblocks when i have actual questions about the curriculum. If I were you, I would stick with a traditional style learning at a respected university. It sounds good in theory to be able to finish your degree quickly at an affordable cost, but as many other reviews have stated and as I am already experiencing on my "first day" of the semester, it seems too good to be true. I honestly wouldn't waste your time. Definitely call around and do your research, you can get the feeling even over the phone that the quality of education you will receive will serve you better pursuing higher quality elsewhere. For the record, this program is not approved for financial aid via fafsa, so be prepared to pay upfront.

At Walden, you truly get out of it what you put into it. This is true in all courses but especially so in Walden because the material each week is generally nothing but a list of readings from books you are assigned and some supplementary papers that you have to find and read. Don't expect recorded or webcasted lectures, you're going to be reading textbooks and papers. This is probably my biggest disappointment regarding the program, I wish we got more out of the money we are paying. You are paying a bunch of money to read books and papers that are easily accessible and to write a significant amount about topics. And to then have a professor give you a passing grade if you do the work in a timely fashion. There's not much challenge, it's just a matter of grinding out a significant amount of writing. On top of that, the topics each week are somewhat disjointed so it feels like you're bouncing all over the place. Professor interaction is minimal. They'll answer questions and sometimes respond to discussion threads. I don't feel like the professors actually teach anything, they're more like administrators. Each week you have to post a discussion and two responses. These contribute very little value to the courses as the posts are often just source spam. The discussion typically requires three sources and the responses require two. This requirement for sources makes for very awkward responses as most students just write something that cites two sources. There is not much organic, natural discussion that happens in the courses. I feel like Walden is trying hard to overcome its poor reputation by pushing sources so hard. The quality and content of your writing doesn't matter, as long as you make an effort to discuss relevant topics and include sources in proper APA format you will get an A. Finding preceptors can be a challenge as a lot of organizations will NOT accept students from Walden. If you don't live in a major metro area or don't live in an area where medical workers are in high demand I suspect it might be very challenging to find preceptors. You are on your own when it comes to finding preceptors, Walden will not assist you. I was fortunate enough to have contacts to utilize for most of my preceptors. Overall, I'm happy with the program because it was a cheaper, easier way to get a MSN. It checked my checkbox to become a NP, which is what I wanted. If I actually needed to learn the course material I'd be extremely angry about the poor quality of delivery and content. If you're looking to check off that MSN requirement to become a NP, Walden should be considered. If you want more out of a program, I'd look elsewhere.

I am a current MSN FNP student at Walden and I absolutely love this school. I would agree with some that some of the professsorsnare very slow to grade, which can be frustrating, but I have only had a couple that were slow. Walden has many resources available to assist students with succeeding and frequently have webinars that provide additional support as well. I currently have a 4.0 and I have worked hard for my grades, spending anywhere from 15 - 20 hours a week on my schoolwork. Walden is a very fast paced and if you don’t put in the time and effort, you’ not going to learn the material. I am a member of Facebook groups and it never ceases to amaze me at how many students ask on the forum about procedures or assignments, which is proof that they apparently are not reading the information, whether it be on the weekly information or from the catalog. As a graduate student, iif you don’t have enough interest in your own personal growth to read the material, don’t blame the school or the professor for you’re own failures. I think it is an excellent school and I feel like I am being prepared for my future, but I am working for it. Walden is the 2nd online program that I have attended and it is by far the most supportive school.

I will be completing the Walden MSN-FNP program in 5 months and would like to offer an honest opinion on this school. First off, as far as flexibility- this school is on point! I was able to continue working full-time during the first few quarters (with plenty of late nights/early mornings) but had to drop to part-time once clinicals began. The school does not decrease coursework while you are in clinical rotations, it may even be more in my opinion. However, I am overall pleased with the didactic portion of each course I have taken thus far. I underestimated this program initially from the scattered online reviews, but I am glad I chose this university. You do interactive things like filming online assessments and participating in discussion posts with your peers. I have worked my tail off and have been studying like I should be at a grad level and some people do not. This is why I think people have bad things to say. With all of this being said I have already had interviews and have already been called back for 2nd interviews with shadowing opportunities. For the cons of the program.... Finding preceptors are horrible and stressful! I have been successful being placed, however, I did have a run in with the field office due to potential delays that they tried to throw my way. I will be honest, I was not very happy with the whole situation, as they said there were not enough instructors for the online course. EVEN THOUGH I HAD A PRECEPTOR!!!! How is this possible? I am not sure, but was able to speak directly with the director of the entire program and was shortly approved thereafter. My advice get your ducks together from day 1! I did this, with the exception of my current practicum and have had no issue. The only other negative thing I would comment on is a simple one... The ped's book is awful, but this has been the only complaint so far regarding materials. Best of luck!

I graduated from Walden’s FNP program with a 4.0 (in 2017) and just had recently passed my board exam (AANP) with no issues at all. I’ve had eclectic learning experiences that incorporated university classes taken in different countries and the USA. I have attended both brick and mortar and online schools and have several degrees. My experience with Walden University’s FNP program was positive. The program is rigorous and intense, but with proficient study habits and time management skills a self-directed student can do well. I live in a rural isolated area in Colorado and a brick and mortar school was not an option for me. There are three practicing NP’s in my town who all have graduated from Walden’s FNP program. All have been successful with their education, clinical rotations and in their current careers. None of us had issues finding preceptors for our clinical rotations, and most of us had used the same preceptors! My preceptors were thrilled to take me, a Walden “local student” because I knew the idiosyncrasies of my patients and was able to relate and connect to them. Because I had to find my own preceptors for my clinical rotations I was given the gift/opportunity tailor my experience. I was able to do my clinical rotations with highly respected providers who practice in the realm of holistic/alternative and regular medicine. If you want the opportunity to tailor your clinical education to suit your ideal future practice Walden University offers this! Choose Walden, you won’t regret it!

You will see great fluctuations in Walden reviews because, honestly, it's hard work. Not everyone can keep up and it's easier to blame the school for your shortcomings. If you're a traditional student and accustomed to being spoon fed in brick and mortar lectures or if you are a nurse practitioner student and are not able to network and use your own professional demeanor to acquire clinical sites, you're going to struggle. Not everybody gets a trophy. But if you are disciplined and can read and comprehend extensively and write critically using very strict APA format and scholarly resources, Walden is incredibly organized and well established in online learning. I have been impressed and my other two degrees are from top tier universities. I am in the MSN NP program, my last year. There are some super smart people in the program with me and there have been many before us graduating with a high NP board pass rates first time out. Not all the people that started the program with me are still with us. It is rigorous and you will wash out if you can't hang and do the work. The wash outs are the ones writing a lot of these negative reviews because Walden didn't hand hold them enough. News flash - the world won't hold your hand or go find jobs for you either. I've gotten three NP job offers while establishing my clinical sites. It's all in how you sell yourself. Walden expects you to be self sufficient and teaches you how to do it. In fact there are numerous seminars, workshops, and resources to do just that. Way more than I got in a brick and mortar school. But you have to self motivate. And do the work. It's just like the real world. I have a 4.0 GPA working full time and attending full time (have 2 other honors degrees) and have found eight clinical preceptors on my own. It's completely doable but you need to own the challenge and the process. It is not a cake walk. I am graduating with some extremely intelligent people but most of all, they are work ethic lions.

I am very pleased with Walden University. I got a graduate degree in Higher Education (2016) and the program was very organized and structured with knowledgeable professors. The professors are of good quality and very helpful. I have been working for a college 15 years and used the degree to advance my career. If I do have a concern, it is that Walden's program are very rigorous compared to other institutions. I have taken courses at Harvard and the University of Texas where I got my undergrad and I must say that Walden is more strenuous, in some courses, unnecessarily strenuous. Other than that, I give Walden an A+ especially. Just be prepared to work hard on the doctorate level.

Upon first entering Walden, I thought from reviews on Facebook that it would be a great school - NOT! Not only are the professors inconsistent with assignments and interpretation of APA, but when you disagree with a professor, you are then subject to having a poor grade. And the Program Director is not any better! No matter what, there not looking out for the student, they are looking out for themselves! And like other reviewers have pointed out, the people that are suppose to help, don't or can't! I wish I had read these reviews prior to beginning at this school. I regret the day that I accepted the offer. But I will not continue to make this mistake and I would advise anyone and everyone DON'T attend this school, it is a nightmare. You may get a true professional professor, and you may not, and you should play Russian rue-let with your education. It is not worth it! RUN, stay away! You will be the better for it!

I'm in the final review of my dissertation and will graduate by the end of the current quarter. I have been enrolled in Walden's PhD-Management program for 5 years. I completed the coursework with a 4.0 GPA. The coursework is rigorous with a lot of writing in every course. Deadlines are pretty non-negotiable as the courses move fairly quickly. My wife experienced a health crisis shortly after I finished my coursework and I lost a few quarters of productivity in my dissertation work. That lost time, however, was my choice and not reflective of any person, procedure, or policy at Walden University. Having now successfully completed the program, I can attest that, just like B&M schools, there are good and back instructors at Walden. I initially had a dissertation mentor/chair who couldn't have cared less about my research or supporting it. I quickly ditched her (a fairly easy, straight-forward process), sought out another chair who was one of my best course instructors, and got on with my program. From Prospectus approval to final Dissertation oral defense took me 18 months. Yes, Walden allows reviewers 14 days to return work, but my Chair and Committee Member, without exception, returned draft with workable, constructive comments, within 2-3 calendar days. My URR and Form & Style reviewers both took around 9-10 days, but at those levels of review outside of the Committee domain, there is a confluence of a number of Chairs submitting work to that one person or office for review, so "personal" attention is going to take a backseat to the volume of work happening at that review-level, as would be the case in a B&M school. The communication between me and my Chair was almost daily via both the required discussion forum, and in direct, private email. He nearly always replied same-day, unless I sent a late night email. Communications between my Chair and my Committee Member (my stats guru) were professional and supportive. On the rare occasion I needed input from my Committee Member during the development of my dissertation (twice), my Chair allowed us to communicate directly with cc to him, and accepted the opinion and direction given by my Committee Member. During both the oral defense of my Proposal and of my final Dissertation, my Chair and Committee complimented one another in terms of the review, insight, and suggestions they provided to me, and their respective input made my Dissertation better. I never felt at a loss for support or assistance when I needed it. In general, my experience at Walden has been rigorous, challenging, and enjoyable. I had mostly great instructors in my coursework, found a very knowledgeable, supportive Committee Chair and Committee Member, and have completed a quality quantitative study in my Dissertation. My only caveats for those considering Walden are: If you are a procrastinator don't enroll at Walden University. You'll be eaten alive. I've seen it happen to others. If you are a person who looks to blame all your woes and pitfalls on someone or something else instead of taking responsibility for what you did or didn't do, don't enroll in Walden University. I have had some of the best instructors in my academic career at Walden. Nearly all are accomplished researchers and practitioners and they don't seem to have much patience or sympathy for those less serious who are just looking for a social program to join. You're expected to produce and to do it within the time prescribed. If you don't like being told that what you're doing isn't acceptable or on par with a doctoral-level program, don't enroll at Walden University. If you don't like, are not familiar with, on do not want to learn the APA Publication Manual, don't enroll at Walden University. Everyone from your course instructors to your dissertation Committee members eats, sleeps, and breathes APA. You will, too. If you are an ESL student, make sure you have the English language skills and resources you need to sharpen your academic writing and discussions to a doctoral-level of discourse or you will struggle. If you're not sure why you're pursuing a Ph.D., don't enroll at Walden University. You'll spend a lot of money (probably someone else's), have a hard time keeping up, not be very happy and, ultimately, probably not finish your degree. Bottom line: There are a lot of online programs that will sell you a diploma. Walden is not one of them. And from what I have seen over the past year they are moving forward with more aggressive policies, procedures, and direct student support, to make sure their students do the work, do it well, and complete their programs within a reasonable period of time. Walden isn't perfect (yet), but it is serious, challenging, demanding, and expensive. If you can't handle that, don't enroll at Walden University.

I graduated from Walden earning my MSN for FNP in November of 2016. I took my certification in December of 2016 and passed on the first try. I now work in my dream job making a very competitive salary as a nurse practitioner. I had clinical rotations with FNP students from all the schools in my area as well as other online schools, we had the same books, and many of the same topics week to week. All the students in my clinical rotations with me had to find their own preceptors, whether they were online students or brick and mortar students. Not one of my clinical instructors cared where I was going to school. They just cared that I worked hard to understand the specialty, and they cared that I cared about what I was doing and about learning. I am not a 4.0 student. I did this with 5 kids and a full time job. Walden more than prepared me for my practice. It is competitive to get in. It is not inexpensive. It is definitely not easy (that last year of clinical rotations is a doozy!)! However, if you are willing to put in the work, you will get there!

In the past I have always been a high achieving student. In my past I possess many accolades and accomplishments. Walden University SON has much to be desired. Even in the face of obvious instructor behavior that is demeaning and embarrassing to students - they will defend their instructors. They have a 20% off for grammar and apa policy that will give your instructors the leeway to take your B and turn it into an instant F if they tend to not like to be confronted. They will not be required to articulate what they are taking the points off for. They will just say "grammar and APA" 20% off and fail your major projects. You will then be forced to take the class over (more money in their pockets) and be placed on "academic warning". You will be assigned a "tutor" and treated like you are stupid. Even if your weighted grade is a C they will make it an F. It will screw up your financial aid, your track record as a scholar - and the school will back it up. I have never been treated so demeaning in a professional environment in my entire career. I was humiliated on open board with all of the consequences mine for daring to stand up and say it's not right. In a doctoral program at this level Walden will treat you like you are in diapers. Save yourself money, time and trouble.... RUN.... there are too many online programs that cost much less and will be fair in their policies. If you ask for help you will be pointed toward technology - the instructors will not make it easy to speak with them. My personal information was disclosed on open forum as well. Really... this school will screw up your life with no conscience.

I enrolled in the EdD program in 2011, and was told that it would take 12-15 semesters to complete. For the most part, I enjoyed the actual coursework, but no program is perfect for everyone. When it came to the dissertation/project study phase, everything changed. My committee chair would tell me at the end of each semester that my work needed 3 or 4 tweaks, but then, after I paid for the next semester, the 4 tweaks became 4 pages of rewrite. After more than 6 semesters of this nonsense, I had to give up, as I was already $75K in the hole. When I expressed my frustration to the school, I was essentially told I was exaggerating in order to get out of paying. This school is the epitome of why private colleges have bad reputations. You can only graduate if you can afford it. I strongly recommend you think again before you enroll in a doctoral program through this joke of a university. After reading other commentary, it seems that most doctoral students had the same issues.

Very disappointed in Walden University. They led me to believe that tuition would cost $10,000 total. Well...I am going into the third quarter and have paid more than that amount already. The spring quarter is costing me over $5,000. I am working full-time and paying out-of-pocket. It would have been nice for them to be honest and not mislead me into believing something that's not true. On top of that, the instructors are constantly changing the assignment requirements last minute. You can see all of the 8 weeks assignments and discussion boards ahead of time, so why do they wait to change them as you're currently working, or have finished, the assignment? Ridiculous. I have so many friends that will be getting their Masters and I will not refer them to Walden.

I will be finished with my master's in 3 months. I have put a lot of work into this program as it is online and a graduate degree. Anyone not prepared to do the work will not succeed. Because you lack a professor lecturing, it does take more work on the student's part. You get out what you put in. All the help is there with Walden so don't get frustrated. Many complain about having to find preceptors. Guess what? All schools require this. You have to go out and market yourself to get them, and it is a pain. I have seen other students within my program and others that are skating by and they will not pass their boards and do not represent their school well. If you do the work, you'll pass your boards and do well.

I enrolled in Walden's PhD program in 2008. It was supposedly a specialized technical program created specifically for me as the college does not have an Information Technology (IT) department. The problem was Walden didn't have qualified staff. There was no one on the faculty with a computer or IT degree. I never received ANY study material. Four professors called me a total of a dozen times admitting they were not qualified to teach a doctoral program in my selected subject. It was a nightmare scenario. I finally was dismissed as a result of contacting their governing agency and complaining. The school agreed not to bill me if I dropped my complaint. I was so relieved to get away from them I did what they asked. 5 years later I graduated from a respectable PhD program and found out that Walden had billed me through the Stafford loan program. They refuse to admit their failure and sent a $3200 bill to a collection agency once I contacted the Minnesota Attorney General's office. These are by far the worst people on the planet. If you would like to hear specifics you can reach me at kammlergroup@gmail.com. Whatever you end up doing please don't fall for the bogus postings claiming the school is trustworthy. They are a den of thieves.

Stay away from Walden if you're looking to complete a Ph.D. without going broke. I began my program in 2008, thinking I would be able to complete my studies in five years. It is now 2016 and I'm still not finished because of the exceptionally long time it takes to get any writing reviewed. Any time I turn in an assignment, instructors have 14 days to review. While working with my dissertation committee, this means that each person has two weeks to review my work and return it. They do not do this concurrently, but consecutively. I've wasted numerous quarters (12-weeks) simply waiting for work to come back to me. I almost always complete my revisions within a few days, but each committee member then has two additional weeks to review. I have no choice but the finish this (I'm finally within two quarters of completing my dissertation), but I would strongly advise students to find another school. In addition to the wait times, I've also had my entire dissertation committee changed since I started it in 2012. I don't know why the first committee member quit. The second committee member to quit was my Dissertation Chair. She decided to retire in the middle of a quarter without telling anyone. Took me almost six weeks (1/2 of a quarter) to find a replacement. Then the new Chair had to have time to review my work. This summer, my methodologist quit due to health reasons. I've spend the last two weeks trying to find another methodologist who specializes in quantitative data analysis. During my phone conference with him, he stated that he doesn't agree with the methodology I'm using, so now I'm going to have to change that. It seems to just go on and on. None of my committee members seem to talk to each other, and they certainly don't agree with each other on how I'm conducting my study. I'm very frustrated and will never recommend Walden to anyone.

I started in this program as the second class (December 2012), and took my time through nearly three years as a part time student. With these years I watched the program changed and evolve. Walden as on online program allowed me to work while going to school and was one of the few options that I found worked for me with both financially and flexibility. This program is rigorous. I worked hard in my classes, putting in at least 35-40 hours of reading/studying and online coursework, in addition to countless hours researching after practicum hours. This is not a school that will hold your hand. I found the lack of help with finding preceptors disconcerting, although I have found that this is now the norm for many schools, including ivy league as I have several friends also in programs. The problem is that Walden does not pay a stipend for preceptors, which is helpful in areas that are saturated in NP/PA students. I felt prepared to take my boards and passed on my first attempt and was hired into a NP position within the first 6 months of my job search. I also went to school with several other women whom this was also the case for them. However, online schooling requires a strong work ethic and the ability to work alone and figure out things on your own. I learned the most in practicum sites and secured excellent sites. The help from my advisor and staff was minimal and sometimes required multiple phone calls to multiple departments. I found my professors engaging and helpful with the exception of one, and found pharmacology professor especially invigorating/passionate. I believe that I received an education through Walden that prepared me well for this career and would recommend it with the caution that this program requires self discipline and tenacity as well as self advocacy. I cant stress this enough: I would not attempt this program without already lining up preceptors, without practicum sites and quality preceptors this would be an expensive waste of time and resources. Expect to find those without assistance. This is also not a program for new nurses. A broad knowledge of nursing fundamentals is expected. I do feel that I received an education that was on par with other institutions in my area, and better than my private brick and mortar college BSN program.

I love Walden, and I do not understand all of the negative reviews. I have a bachelor's and Master's from a brick-and-mortar university, and Walden is definitely meeting my expectations for an online PhD. I won't lie: this school is very difficult. Their expectations and standards are very high for their students, but for good reason. I have published several times since starting this doctorate, which is exactly what I set out to do. If you are expecting to "coast" through school, and if you expect it to be easy, think again. Online degrees are what you make of them. I love every person I have worked with here: the instructors are fantastic. Some of them are more difficult than others, but once again, for good reason. The advisors are always helpful, and the library is excellent! I have finished all my PhD coursework in 3 years and am currently working on chapters 2 and 3 of my dissertation. The process is going very well. I have a wonderful committee, and they are very dedicated to helping me progress. Additionally, every time I have interviewed for teaching and administration jobs, the employers are always impressed by my education and credentials. I highly recommend this school in all aspects, especially for the education programs.

I am finishing up my PhD this quarter and it has taken me five years to complete it, when I thought it would only take three. Face it, online learning is difficult but it's not impossible. You get out of it what you put into it. Yes, I was often highly frustrated, particularly in the dissertation process. I even had to employ a consultant for help with my statistical analysis, That said, now more than ever Walden provides all types of resources to help students out. Those resources were not available to me when I first started the program. Yes, there are delays in the process but you know that going into it. The faculty have deadlines to turn your work around and if they don't meet them then report it. The PhD is hard work but I have learned ALOT and am a much better writer and critical thinker now. I don't care what co-workers or employers think of the Walden degree. Walden is an accredited university and at the end of the day, I'll be a PhD. To be clear, no one paid me to endorse Walden and I'm not faculty (as someone suggested in another review).

I attended this school from June 2013 and just graduated with a master's in nursing in November of last year. The program classes and instructors were not an issue for me. Enrollment was easy, books were sent without issues....I will say that I think the class material could have been more challenging. It's like they want everyone to pass so they can keep your money coming. My problem is with administration, specifically, financial aid. I don't think the financial aid office, bursar's office or any of the support departments talk to each other. They are also rude, especially in financial aid. Financial aid representatives will give you varying answers depending on who is answering your question. There is no consistency, no professionalism, especially when your financial aid runs out. They are argumentative and write emails in red font. Awful. Rude. You don't get much for your $550/credit hour here folks. Also, finding clinical sites is a joke and this was something I was most certainly lied to about as I was told the school will help you find preceptors. They don't. They do provide you with a generic list of "approved sites" in your area - the problem is, most of these sites have never even heard of Walden University and many in my area will not accept students from Walden. When you finally find a preceptor, it takes forever for the field site office to approve anything and again, if you have any issues and questions, you may get different answers to your questions depending on who is answering. If I had it to do over again, I wouldn't waste my time or money here. Seems everyone knew Walden was a joke except me and by the time I found out, it was too late. My final advice regarding Walden University is simple: GO ELSEWHERE!!!!!

It is difficult to explain my ratings because some things were excellent and some very poor. It took me 7 years to complete an EdD and I took two leaves of absence. Things started out wonderfully, I enjoyed the teachers and classes, the idea that you work on your study all along and I liked the cohort sharing. As I got into the final phase I had three deaths in the family, moved and began a new job. I was given five different mentors when you should have only one and once I had to request a change because she made several costly errors. Since I moved I had to change my topic as it was supposed to be a local problem but I was not informed of this until later since my advisor did not catch that. I had plans to use my old school for the study but that was not acceptable. I should have fought for it but I did not think to do so at the time. Finally I was assigned a perfectly wonderful advisor who got me through everything. It was all quite traumatic for me and it got so I hated doing the work. Once I began the writing part of the study I took the same course over and over until I finished paying the full tuition for each time. Other graduate schools only charge half tuition since your contact with the advisor is less frequent, also the tuition was raised almost every term and in the last years they added some additional fee as well. The cost was killing me but by then I was trapped as I had invested so much already and needed to finish. When I began the tuition was about $3000 a semester but by the time I finished it was close to $5000. I know that walden has expenses too but most of the mentors are adjuncts, some latitude should have been given for that final writing course and tutti ion could have been grandfathered in so that I would not have had to pay the full tuition since I was not prepared for such rate increases. They offer writing retreats and annual workshops and while I went to one and it was great I could not afford the terribly high cost of another even though at one point I was told that you did not have to pay for the second one. The library resources are wonderful as is the continued access and I know that these research access fees are expensive for the university. I suppose overall the experience left a bad taste in my mouth and I often wished I had gone elsewhere. My overall impression is that the company is out to make money on the backs of their hardworking teachers and mentors as well as their students. All of my teachers were wonderful except for a few in the final stage and one in particular but the final advisor was terrific.

After devoting years on a Ed.D Degree program and countless student loans, I had to settle for something less. The ongoing guidance wasn't there. We were basically going thru the motions and completing semesters. When the {financial aid} was running out, then I was informed that my study was {not} going to pass!! Where was the critique before that point? Due to the fact that work was being submitted. I felt if you did a bad teacher review it would harm my grade, so I didn't do a bad teacher review. I'm totally not recommending this school. It was not worth the financial investment. I was told that actually less than 10% graduate with Doctorates awarded by the school.

Walden in NOT an excellent school. They could be but they are not. The programs are not well structured and very rarely if at all provide experiential learning opportunities. When I think about the wealth of knowledge that I walked away with when I earned my master’s and undergrad degree, I am very disappointed with my Walden experience. I can only think of two courses that have provided me with knowledge that is useful or applicable. I am four courses shy of completing an EdS degree with Walden which makes my previous statement sad. I am now at the crossroads of deciding is it even worth it to go back and finish this degree or is it better to transfer somewhere else and basically start over(few or no transfer credits and incurring more debt). Do not be misled and believe that all of the poor reviews are written by students that are undisciplined. That is so far from the truth. While I cannot speak for all degree programs offered at this university, I can say that the Education program needs improvement. What is true is that the courses and the online modules are so unorganized that the information presented can be very difficult to follow and understand. I’ve taken on line courses at other institutions and there was no guessing about what needed to be done. Everything was clear and well laid out. When I logged on, I clearly knew and understood the expectations of the course. I cannot say the same about my experience at Walden. Yes, there were weekly discussions that required students to respond to at least two of their classmates. Sounds easy enough right? Oftentimes, there was a lack of continuity between the topic, the reading materials, and the actual assignments. Some modules had two discussions and sometimes there were two assignments. Oftentimes, the discussions and assignments within the modules did not connect. There was also a lack of scaffolding from module to module and from course to course. While there were some interesting reading assignments provided, how those reading assignments connected to what we were learning about never materialized. I can say that I have only had two professors that were truly available to answer my questions and clarify any misconceptions that I had. Being able to connect with and talk with the professor is a necessity in an on line learning environment. The other professors appeared to know very little about the concepts they were teaching. They often provided answers that were so vague that it appeared that they would respond to simply respond or had no idea how to respond. It appears that most of the advanced degree programs are catered towards working individuals. Individuals who are already working in their fields, seeking to advance their knowledge and/ or advance their careers. My issue with Walden did not stem from not having enough time to log on and work around my job schedule or being unorganized. My issue did stem from finding hours to decipher what needed to be done before spending more time to actually complete the assignment. I also had an issue with trying to understand how or if the material connected with the concepts presented. No one should have to waste their time doing this. When I log on, I’m logging on to learn and not clean up someone else’s mistake. I’m paying to be educated. I want a quality education. Please choose another institution. I wish I had researched the reviews before I invested this much time and money.

My undergraduate and graduate work were both completed with traditional universities. Walden compared favorably across the board and my personal learning experience was outstanding. The truth is, in higher education, the value achieved will be directly proportionate to the effort you invest. I found the Walden learning experience was to be exceptional because students came from around the world. Exposure to worldwide students was invaluable in both the classroom and in person residencies. Originally, I chose Walden because some of the foremost leadership researchers on the planet also attended Walden. I look to follow in their footsteps and Walden was instrumental in both my personal growth and career advancement so my goals are becoming a reality. If you have dreams to make a social impact, this could be a great place for you.

Please do not make my mistake, I should be proud to graduate with Ph.D in management and logically should be complementing Walden since it was my selection and my choice. Although I do not like to admit making a mistake.. selecting Walden university was one I will always regret. Working for an international organization (United Nations) while having Ph.D degree is a plus, but, Walden was not recognized as one of the good universities and it had a very bad reputation in my surrounding. During my studies, the university recommended a number of courses and when I was registered they started adding more and more courses. They were looking for the money and financial.. and there were no real advisors...

Walden is an excellent online school that has a well structured program for experiential learners who want to broaden their knowledge.If you are a devoted and self-disciplined learner this is one of the best institutions to apply to and pursue your education degree.Additionally, the textbooks and online articles were excellent learning materials. I have learned a lot from Walden. However, the only problem that I had with Walden is the fact that they have too many repeated assignments, and one can get frustrated and lost if one does not know how to build upon the existing knowledge meaning by that if one does not how to reference any previous materials to avoid plagiarism. What does that to a student? In fact, this lets one believe that half of the program is repetition, and one pays 100% of his or her money for half of the enrolled and earned degree. Walden University Curriculum Designer and Instructional Planner needs to reevaluate the MS program and wipe out the repeated assignments. If they can do this change, the MS program in education at Walden will be one of the best ever educational programs to subscribe to. I got a very good experience with Walden apart those repeated assignments, and though I am living Walden University now, but I still could refer other students to Walden University because it is one of the best ever online universities in the U.S. and across the globe. I thank Walden for the education that I have received from its university and I promise to be a social change agent in the world to fulfill Walden's mission. Thanks Walden!

I can't give a full review because I stated the program this August. I'm not doing as well as I expected because I didn't take it as seriously as my advisor told me. I am getting better now that I'm learning the ropes but it is definitely not a program to take lightly which is probably why the retention rate is low. Maybe they do accept a lot of students other universities won't but if those students graduate then they deserve the degree. You see, I'm one that couldn't get in to some other universities because I wasn't born with a silver spoon. I had to work my way through nursing school and had a family. I buried a child and went through a divorce during the time as well but that doesn't make me less educated or experienced even though my gpa is a 2.5. They give people like me a chance. As far as the amount of clinical hours, they don't offer as many as Duke offers but then again they don't charge $90,000 either when the minimum for licensure is only 500 hours. Most universities only offer 500 but walden requires 576. Do more research before just reading reviews and forming opinions from them. The states not listed are states that clinical a haven't been applied to and doesn't mean you can't get a license there. I'm from Louisiana and I spoke with bon who stated they look at each individual case not the schools. They only guarantee their state universities. Research people. Walden is a good school and my advisor is calling me ever other week to check on me.

Avoid Walden for Ph.D. programs. If you have other options you should not be at Walden. They have little regard for students after they have drained them of all their student loans. There is no format for completing the dissertation in a reasonable time frame. They could care less if you graduate or not. They have your money and you have plenty of debt, many loss professional years and... more debt.

This is an outstanding school with a wide range of curriculum, and most importantly in my case, very well educated faculty. My experience is that both in the coursework and the residencies, the faculty are interested in seeing the student succeed, willing and able to communicate both by email and telephone, and have excellent academic qualifications from some the finest, most reputable "brick and mortar" public and private institutions in the country. This is not your typical so called "for profit". It is very professionally run, with first class advisors, an excellent and very expansive library to include peer-reviewed publications, and specialists for every phase of the instruction and learning process. I am proud to have received my Ph.D. from this institution and have received feedback from several schools regarding teaching/ research opportunities. I suggest that students work hard to do the research and writing and don't be hesitant in seeking advice, assistance and feedback from the faculty. It is essential to take the initiative in communicating. I personally received more feedback from faculty from Walden than attending any of my "brick and mortar" schools, at times sitting in a room or auditorium with 100 plus students listening to a lecture. Also making the postings to the instructor and fellow students of relative small class size keeps you involved in discussions regarding the coursework. You definitely earn your degree. I frequently asked myself, why do such excellent faculty, with great credentials teach at this institution? My answer is that they too are proud to have their name and reputation associated with Walden University (Walden Pond of Henry David Thoreau fame), and the Laureate Universities International organization. I would not let the words "for profit" deter you from investigating this school. It is unique, well run, and in my estimation, very competitive with many highly rated public and private, also very expensive institutions in the country, many of whom have for many years begun offering on-line advanced degrees as well. Good luck!

There is no consistency among the professors which is intentional as it keeps you from finishing your degree. There is no guidance and you are left to figure everything out on your own. From the library staff, tutors, academic advisers, no body cares or gives you what you need to succeed because the goal is for you to get so in debt that you have no choice but to stay until you have no source of paying. They hide the fact that their Public Health program is not accredited which means that you cant get a federal job once you complete their PhD program. Walden is only concerned about getting your money and should be shut down.

I m one course away from graduating and everything is going smoothly. The eportfolio prooved to be harder and longer than I expected but still doable. I had nothing but great support, the program is well developed and the work load is heavy and challenging. I dont know what others are complaining about!

The MS and EdD (Doctor of Education)curriculum are very challenging and worthwhile. The teaching is minimal, and instructors will not help you when you ask them directly for help. I actually laughed at some of the creative and inane, non-answers I got from teachers at Walden. The message "you are on your own" comes through loud and clear, and seems at odds with the idea of social justice, but I digress. I was appalled to observe that Walden apparently admits people who are barely literate, and nails them with after they have completed a couple of classes. The process of approving a completed research study (dissertation) included a 1 1/2 year delay while my dissertation went through committees, was "misplaced", you name it. The doctorate took 5 years total. I was warned by former students about the antics of the dissertation committees; in particular, that they will hijack your dissertation to insert their pet theory and drag their feet when you got to IRB. These students recommended that I just go along with any changes the committee members make, as they will force me to anyway. Good advice. Right off the bat I was informed by the member of my committee suggesting I use his technique for statistics that he "would not feel comfortable moving forward" unless I did what he asked (i.e., I would have to go try to find another committee member). Later, he asked me to put his name with mine as an author of my study (nope). A colleague in my cohort believed Walden's statements that his research would be a collaborative effort, and they made his life miserable until he switched out of the program to get a certificate (at the price of a doctorate). Importantly, no one is mentioning the unbelievable stress caused to an entire family by paying through the nose for over a year while waiting on the whims of God knows who to approve your work.

Within the next few weeks, I will not be a student at Walden University. As an institution of advance learning their administrative business practices are inefficient and unprofessional. I have always thought that once an educational institution's main focus is on increasing profit margins and less so on the welfare of its students, and the quality of its pedagogy then there is bound to be a conflict of interest. The university's "unethical" practice to recruit as many students with a failure to explain the financial aid process in details prior to and even during enrollment is deceptive. This is particularly so for international students whose country of origin financials aid's practices and rules differ from that of the United States. Upon self-discovery of the latter, rather than the university trying to help me in a professional manner, I was made to feel ignorant and the blame was cast solely on me for not having the initial detailed information from the university. This is despite my many attempts to obtain the same. Each time I attempted, I am transferred to another department of which people are either unaware of what I am relating or I am told my information lacks credibility. Then there are the insensitive, rude undertone emails and telephone conversations that reflect the "after the fact" limited information. If I was that ignorant, would I have become a student of higher learning in the first replace as suggested by the reactions of the university's staff? At one point I was not given an academic advisor because the university was not aware that they had not given me one following the departure of the previous academic advisor. Who incidentally had lacked advising and professionalism skills, small wonder she departed from the university. As if to punish me for some unknown crime, fate caused me to self-appoint a new an equally ineffective academic advisor. What behooves me is that these people have master's and doctoral degrees, many from Walden university. Yet they lack basic common sense as well as advanced thinking skills that ought to be reflective of their educational attainment and maturity. Did I also mentioned that when a person telephones the university, you are advised and reminded that calls are monitored for "quality [guarantee]purposes, " a script that is embedded in the psychic of the university's staff and that is all there is to that action. Also, the university request that you complete these survey so that "we can improve the delivery of our services," really,? That is so ironic! An educational institution cannot be teaching its students how to act professionally responsible while its administrative and academic support staff are being inefficient, incompetent, and unprofessional. This spells, hypocrisy and deception, therefore I do not want to be connected with an institution that engages in not only such practices but also bias and discrimination. I believe that good reputation is still important so PLEASE, PLEASE reconsider carefully before choosing Walden University, I had to learn the hard way after receiving initial warnings. Please do not make the same mistake as I did.

Walden University is the best online college someone can ever attend. Students you must apply yourself in order to learn and stop thinking college work suppose to be easy. In addition, this school deliver students books on time before classes starts and yes I am a student, who very satisfied with Walden University. How can someone complain? students have one or two discussion post per week, just depends on what you or me attend. 2. discussion post and a paper is due at the end of the week, oh! a 2,3 or 4 page paper due every other week. Week 11 a 13 or 15 page paper is due on week 7. I really can't understand why students complaining when the school is easy! I believe students just don't want to do there work and want the teacher to their hand. Sorry this is not the school for you. This was pretty quick for me to write but anyway P.S NO test or quizzes at this school.. YES YES! for me and you, so give it a try.

This "school" is a joke. If you have any writing capabilities at all, GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. If you want to actually get what you pay for, GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. If you expect accountability of "professors" from school administration (I use the term loosely, because many of them got their doctoral degrees from equally poor online schools. Anyone can get a Doctorate these days, apparently), GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. One would expect at the graduate level of education, a student's ability to write in above-standard English, using scholarly (peer reviewed) sources, and demonstrating an attention to detail not found at the undergraduate level. And I suppose that expectation is held of students in higher-quality institutions; however, such is not the case at Walden. The administration does not provide oversight of their professors. If an instructor deducts points from a discussion post, there is no real feedback on how to improve--the only feedback received is failure against the rubric. If an instructor deducts points from an assignment, there is no correction within the submitted paper--again, only how you measured against the rubric, in terms of numbers. When I first started at this "school," the profs actually made comments within the papers, so students were able to garner specific feedback and improve on writing errors. Now, students make the same mistakes throughout their time at Walden, looking like morons "who is getting they masters degree." <---- that is a REAL example of the type of writing I've seen in discussion posts. ARE YOU WILLING TO PAY FOR THIS??? If you quit in the middle, which is something I'd looked into, not all of the credits transfer to other schools. Also, NONE of the credits transfer to collegiate universities (e.g., Colorado State, UPenn, Boston College); you can only transfer to other online-only schools that are accredited the same way that Walden is. Not all accreditation is equal, mind you-- online schools are in their own realm of accreditation, which is why credits won't transfer to traditional, reputable schools (whether brick and mortar or online). In six weeks, I will have a degree that really amounts to an expensive means of putting letters behind my name. Some of the classes were challenging, most were tedious. The texts are outdated (yes, they use TEXTS at the graduate level), as are the learning resources for the classes. For example, while Walden strongly recommends using current literature (within 5 years), the material they have you read for a class is at least 6 years old, or older (one class used articles from the 1980s). If you complain to administration about any of the issues that I've mentioned, you will get passed around from department to department, with no one taking ownership. For those of you who are slackers and just want an easy means to a "degree" (again, I use the term loosely), this is the school for you. In most classes, you will receive an A no matter how little you work. You will not be challenged to perform better, as the "professors" do the bare minimum to look like they are participating, and no higher rank oversees their neglect. Beware, though-- you may actually get a prof who cares about the influence that he/she has upon students, and holds them to a higher standard. Also, you may have to demonstrate your knowledge in the workplace. Your easy A will be of no use to you at that point, and your failing grammar skills will make moot the letters behind your name. Seriously, GO SOMEWHERE ELSE. If I had taken the time to read reviews prior to enrolling, I would have attended a different school.

THIS IS THE WORST UNIVERSITY EVER. I WASTED 5 YEARS ON DIFFERENT OPINIONS AND GOT ALL THE WAY TO THE END JUST TO SAY THERE WAS AN ERROR. MY DISSERTATION AND INTERVIEWS WAS COMPLETE AND THEY SAID THERE WAS A WORD MISSPELLED IN PART 1. REALLY DUDE - I HAVEN'T TOUCHED PART 1 IN OVER A YEAR AND NOW I RAN OUT OF MONEY. THIS UNIVERSITY HOLDS YOU JUST TO KEEP YOUR MONEY WHAT A JOKE AND A BAD EXPERIENCE

I am currently in the PhD Health Services program with a focus in HCA. I thankfully had a transfer credit for an organizational development and leadership course due to the group work involved. Apparently Walden has A LOT of group oriented courses where you must depend on others to complete an assignment. I have asked too many times for syllabi on electives to avoid these courses and have been met with "Group work enhances your education and ability to work with others, blah blah blah." They refuse to give me this information, WHY!? It is my education and if I choose not to take a group work course, that is up to me. I have simply hit walls. It seems that many on top do not care..and that is frustrating when you are putting your heart, soul and money into an your work. I am currently looking over other institutions to see if my credits would transfer. Apparently Capella does not have group coursework.

I am not a Walden student, I am a Nurse Practitioner currently precepting a Walden student who is in her final clinical rotation and near graduation. I am extremely concerned about the relatively few clinical hours required of the students. Based on a general review of clinical hours required to graduate from a number of schools, including Duke University, where I received my MSN, Walden had the lowest requirements. And, sadly, it shows. My student is intelligent and motivated, and I expect that she will pass nursing boards on her first attempt, but she will have more difficulty in her first year of practice than she would have, if Walden required more clinical precepted hours. There simply is no substitute for this time. She will have only 288 total clinical hours in a family practice setting, and an additional 288 hours divided between pediatrics and women's health (ob/gyn). This is, very simply, not enough hands-on, precepted, clinical time.

I completed my degree and I can relate with many of the good and bad reviews. I feel like I earned a real degree but that it was over priced. I live in the middle of Wyoming and have few options. There were some classes that were challenging and some that were not, I think that happens most places, same as my experience at the U of U. I feel knowledgeable and am a licensed therapist now. If there are cheaper options by all means go for it, but this has worked for me in my circumstances.

Walden University is an excellent choice for the any student who is willing to be disciplined to study and take her or his academic pursuits seriously. Professors at Walden are willing to guide, support, and mentor you. Walden faculty and administration will not hold your hand or coddle you. If you are not willing to study with integrity and apply yourself to every assignment, discussion post, and peer interaction, you should not apply to Walden University. The degree will be equal to the quality of time you are willing to invest in your education. Some of my classmates at Walden have been frustrating to interact because they appeared to be putting little effort into the class. I trust the grades received highlight the effort. During my time at Walden University, I have been challenged, supported, and enlightened. Unfortunately, the financial aid and billing departments are weak and are difficult to deal with. Academically, I am very pleased with the education that I am receiving at Walden University. I recommend Walden University.

I attended Walden University (WU) from 2013 unitl January 2015 when I withdrew from the class, nursing program, and university. I was in the MSN-FNP program. I have 15 years nursing experience with extensive bedside and management experience.I possess excellent writing and people skills and use rhetoric to make valid, clear points. I was 2 classes away from graduation and had rerouted by life and career in order to complete my MSN degree. I received permission from my instructor to use some parts of a previously submitted assignment in a current assignment for her class. On New Year's Day I received an email falsely accusing me of "academic dishonesty" and "self-plagiarism". They told me I had to do some remedial on-line modules and explain my actions. I completed the modules to discover blantant contradictions in their studnet code of conduct and the modules as well as information on the univeristy's writing center site regarding both topics I have been wrongly accused of. Why would I get permisison to cheat? How do you plagiarize yourself? Why did you grant me permission to do something you were going to punish me for doing? About 2 weeks of back and forth emails, attempted telephone conferences to bully me into seeing it their way, and threats of failure and I withdrew rather than look at by diploma and regret conceding my values. I have $40,000 in debt without any degree and a balance on my account to prevent me from event investigating transferrability of credits. This is the most glaring problem I had with WU; I had other issues with trying to contact academic advising, the MSN application departments, and a practicum field advisor. DO NOT ATTENT THIS UNIVERISTY, if you can even give it that name!!! Attend your local university at night or through online classes. At least with a traditional brick and mortar school, there is a person at a building in an office you can look at face to face when you have a problem.

I enrolled in the Fall of 2012 for the MSN-FNP program. I was hesitant at first because it was a new program, but many schools are just now or have recently started 100% online programs, such as Georgetown. If you have 80-90K to go to Georgetown then by all means go for it. Yes, it is a internationally known school but the cost is just too high. The program at Walden is very rigorous, so be prepared to spend a great deal of time in your coursework. I spent on average 20-30 hours per week writing papers, reading, and studying and that was before I started my clinical rotations. I did find my own preceptors(course 1-NP, course 2-NP, course 3-MD, course 4-DO) which was a hassle, but definitely doable. When I began my rotations, which I doubled up on, I spent 40 hours per week at my rotation and then most every night and weekend tackling the actual coursework. It was brutal, but I completed the program with honors, Sigma Theta Tau international. I have taken the live in-person Barkley review course and I am currently studying for the AANP certification. I will be taking this in a few weeks. I have already submitted my licensure paperwork for my state and all they are waiting for is my certification in order to issue my license. I have had offers for employment in both acute and primary care. I do not regret completing my degree at Walden. I am currently enrolled in a brick and mortar DNP program and there was no issue with my MSN from Walden. I feel like most people who write reviews are those people who have had a negative experience, but I really feel like it is necessary to portray the positive experience I had. Good luck to all.

I'm not going to write a bias or judgmental opinion because I haven't been there long enough to do so, however I am going to write about my experience thus far and I'm anonymous because I am currently a student and fear repercussions for my review. Here goes... Having transferred from my local community college, I expected most of my credit to transfer because I took mostly general education to get it out of the way. This was not the case, as only 5 credits transferred. I was also an online student at my community college so I have knowledge of the blackboard software Walden uses. I find the required "readings and notes" do not always coincide with the subject of study, but yet you are expected to implement these in all your writings whether discussions or papers. I take pride in my writing, I tested out of lower English and Writing courses and this shows in my writing. For my very first paper, I wrote a college level short essay as required, however I did not receive full points because apparently this is not a college level education, but instead grade school. Instead of incorporating the question into your writing, you must start your paragraph with the question; this is more like 5th grade writing. Also, there is no formal writing structure or format required; their only concern is citing your resources. At this point, I am on the fence whether or not to continue with Walden or transfer to another online college. The field I am studying, seems to be hard to find in an online university and unfortunately I am disabled and cannot sit in a traditional classroom all day. I have researched a multitude of colleges and also read hundreds of reviews, even researched online colleges and their accreditations via the institute of higher learning website, this has not been an easy task. This is my education and it's of the utmost importance I attend a school that I will gain the knowledge and experience needed to succeed in my career choice. At this point, the only thing I'm getting from Walden is a headache and empty pockets!

New Rubrics Cause Delay of Degree Walden DBA Student Beware of Changing Rubrics! Walden University DBA methodologists release a new rubric every two years with new more strict criteria that keeps the student enrolled past expected graduation. Students are NOT GRANDFATHERED for the previous rubric. This is a breach of trust between the university and the student. For instance, my prospectus was approved in 2011. When my chair decided to step down, I had to submit a prospectus to gain a new chair in 2014. I used the same approved prospectus from 2011, and the methodologist deemed the prospectus unsuitable. He suggested that I make changes to the prospectus or start over. This information was three years and $60,000 too late. If you applied the new 2014 rubric to those DBA students who published their dissertation prior to 2014, most would fail. Does this mean that their dissertations are no longer scholarly? Should their doctor degrees be revoked? Of course not, because they are grandfathered. Walden University is supposed to make a positive social change. However, the decision makers are guilty of causing a social problem. The social problem is causing minority students to accumulate debt that may take a decade or more to pay because of poor policies. Once a student starts a program, the program in place should be considered a contract between the student and the university. When the program changes, the contract changes. If the student has to take additional classes because of the changes, a breach of contract occurs. Not only is there a delay of graduation, second and third effects occur. The student can experience anxiety, depression, loss of sleep, and loss of appetite. This experience can influence job performance. Family members can also experience the setback such as time away from the student. Years can be wasted. Because Walden University is an accredited for-profit college that has been around for year, taking action can be intimidating. What can action lead to? First, Walden may change their policy to grandfather students on graduation criteria. Second, a lawsuit may hurt Walden financially. Third, the Department of Education may launch an investigation that threatens Walden's accreditation. Fourth, negative social media may deter potential and current students from attending Walden University. One of the policy changes that could help students to know more about the doctoral chairs. Would you like to know the success rate of graduating students that your chair is responsible for? If you found out that your chair has never graduated anyone, wouldn't you want someone who was more proven. I suspect that there are many doctors who want students to go through unnecessary pain, because the professor had pain when going through his or her doctoral process. This perception would help explain why only 1% of the U.S. population has a doctorate. To make a positive social change, Walden University DBA program needs to change its policy on changing its program and grandfathering students. If Walden University decision makers are not willing to make a positive change for students, then students need to take action against Walden University for positive change.

I am an experienced, certified, cardiac registered nurse who works in a hospital. My first online experience with continuing my education with nursing school was with a local brick and mortar school that had an "online" program that was a mess, very disorganized, instructors were not experienced. I ended up taking a break for a year, and many times thinking I may never go back. I began to explore various online programs for my FNP. My grades have always been high, I am a member of Phi Theta Kappa and Sigma Theta Tau, and entry to FNP school is competitive. I applied everywhere, and I was accepted at several public programs with wait lists for the following year. I went to a seminar for the FNP program at Walden where I spoke to advisors and other nursing students. I applied, and I was accepted for six months out. They called me two months later and said they would like to offer me a spot that opened up. I began one quarter earlier than promised. I chose them because I wanted to get started, the cost was not as low as a public university, but it was less than many of the other online programs. I want to say that if you are not accustomed to or even prepared for taking rigorous online courses, Walden is not for you. If you do not like to write in strict APA format, you do not want to learn to write well using research, or you feel it is not for you to have to learn to discuss things in writing on a scholarly, evidenced-based level, Walden is not for you. If you are not prepared to spend 15-20 hours per week at a minimum on your classwork, do not waste your money by going to Walden. I am an A-B student, I do not have a 4.0. I have three children, two of which are school age. I work full time. It is difficult. Most of the instructors are not only experienced, they are currently working in a full time position outside of their instructional position, so they are well versed in current clinical issues. We take two 5 hour classes at a time for which we post 1 main post (350 words minimum, with references) and a minimum of 3 discussion posts (150 word minimum, with references). We write one paper every other week in each class, they are usually staggered between the two classes. Those papers are sometimes 3-5 page papers, but there is usually a large project or a longer paper due once per quarter per class towards the end. I am currently in my Advanced Pathophysiology class, and, very much like RN school, it is like taking a sip out of a fire hydrant. It is a ton of information, and it takes a lot of time to sort out. Last week we had 15 chapters of reading assigned and a 3-5 page paper with a mind map. There were two discussions so we had to post the two 350 word posts and then have 4 responses with APA format by the end of the week. My instructor has her DNP and she is an experienced, practicing nurse practitioner. Each nursing instructor I have had has either had her Doctorate or her PhD. On a side note, I live in Texas, and the Board of Nursing does accept practicums from Walden. I work with many nurses who are in graduate school and taking online courses from several different schools, and it is a given that you have to find your own preceptors. I am not shocked that people are not happy with the program, because I think that people go into these programs without realizing how disciplined you must be to earn a clinical degree online. For the lady who thought the program was "boring," all I have to say is that graduate school is not for your entertainment. For the ones who did not get their paperwork in on time, I am sorry to hear it. I think that Walden does a great job with the organization because they have been an online school for a long time. The classes have consistency across the board. The rules are the same, it is only the subjects and assignments that change for the course content. The advisors do take some time to get ahold of at times, but it is still better than most brick and mortar schools I have attended where the advisors are almost impossible to talk to. However, my instructors are readily available and believe in what they do. I cannot finish this review without talking about the people who I attend graduate school with. They are from all over the country. They have all levels of experience. They work in all kinds of specialties. The discussions we have are enlightening. We all support each other and often discuss solutions for issues in our workplace. I feel so satisfied with my experience at Walden because it is a great education for the people who take the time to really interact. Online classes are not for everyone. Graduate school is not for everyone either. It is really important to be realistic about what your strengths are, and how you learn, before you choose a place to prepare to become an Advanced Practice Nurse. For me, Walden has been a great experience so far, well worth the money, and well worth the time investment in myself.

I'm currently enrolled at Walden University in their MPH program. I am in my 9th quarter with them (a little over a year) and I have had a great experience. Enrolling into Walden was very easy with their rolling enrollment. I didn't have to take any of the standardized tests that many U.S. Graduate programs require. I have noticed a growth in myself professionally and knowledge through the courses I have taken. I love that Walden is completely online and they include your books in tuition. They have a great IT program that will help with any technical problems at any time of day. I would reccommend Walden to anyone looking for an online degree.

The MPH program is a waste of time. The school is not CEPH accredited. Since the school is not accredited cannot sit for any certification nor can you participate in any fellowships or internships. I did contact CEPH to find out what I must do to obtain accreditation. I found it I will have to repeat the first 5 courses or the core requirement from a CEPH accredited school. Employers do not view Walden's MPH program as acceptable for employment. Please prior to enrollment look at other options for online MPH programs. There are many schools that offer online programs that are CEPH accredited.

My husband is enrolled in the Bachelor's for IT/IA Security and has taken a few courses so far. I am noticing it seems like he is earning an English degree and not an IT/IA degree. What is the deal with all the reading and writing papers and posting blogs and crap? This is an IT/IA degree, that is what you should be teaching; not having students write papers. Also, what is up with all the touchy-feely posts this University has their students write? They always want you to reflect about what you've learned this week... reflect about how you feel. Are you kidding me? Before he started, we read a ton of reviews how this was the University for you if you were an older student, already established in a career field and were a self motivated student. I agree one should be self motivated for these classes, but some of the coursework requirements seems to treat the students like they are just out of high school. The instructors always ask what are your career goals in each class. My husband is already in his career and has been for over 20 years, as I'm sure many of these adult leaners are... already in their careers. They are not right out of high school! HELLO!?? I am not even sure if my husband will continue his education at Walden, as they seem to treat the ADULT learner like adolescents. Let me add how the instructors really don't teach. They give you the course material, expect postings and projects in by their deadlines and that's about it. They don't actually teach, they just grade your work, but then again, that is part of a complete online education. Walden could do better with their curriculum and it would be nice if their tailored it around the ADULT learner!

Getting into school is relatively easy. The advisers were very friendly and helpful in completing all documentation for enrollment. I started having medical problems, serious medical problems with a brain infection and spinal cord damage and neck problems in my class. I am going through a tremendous amount of medical examinations and tests along with taking a lot of medication. Some medication I take are muscle relaxants and painkillers which make me sleep in incoherent. I tried to withdraw from the University and the University told me I could not. They informed me I would have to fail the class and I could petition for a withdrawal grade of W but as I mentioned would have to fail the class 1st. I informed them I don't remember what I'm reading or what I am submitting in paperwork due to the medication. I informed them I'm paying for the education but I don't know I'm being educated on because of the medicine. They simply said were sorry but you have to fail first. Be warned.

I've been a student at Walden for 3 years, previously a community college student. I'm receiving a Bachelor's in Early Childhood Development with a concentration in Psychology. Most of my curriculum has been on par with my community college experience. Yes, it is an expensive school, but you are paying for time. You are paying for the experience of an accelerated program that is convenient for a busy lifestyle. I feel like I have learned quite a bit. And I'm a busy mom in addition to being a student, so just think what I could learn if I weren't as distracted! I'm always envious of the younger students who are able to dedicate much more to the learning process. Many of the classes feel repetitive, but I'm guessing that's how most upper coursework feels, at any college. However, I'm on this page, reading reviews, because I'm nervous about how my degree will be perceived.

I've been at Walden University online now for about a year and it has been a great experience thus far. I'm a father and husband, and full-time employee, so finding the right place online was tough. But I think Walden has everything you need. Great intuitive online platform. Tons of resources available to their students online, and at a fair price. I will only speak to my major and the curriculum and staff surrounding those courses, as I feel those are the most valuable to a working adult looking to complete their degree in a specific field. Of course you want a well-rounded education, but computer programming and database/infrastructure courses are the ones that are going to propel me from where I am at currently in my job, to the more technical and lucrative roles. The teachers are great. I've had one 'meh' experience with one instructor, but the support of the class more than made up for it. When you get to these techie courses, the University, by default, has already weeded out the students who do not belong. So having said that, my technical classes have been awesome. The online discussions are very valuable, the books and materials are great, and the resources (Java discussion groups in the online campus) are fantastic. It's very challenging, however (in a good way). Don't expect to come in and breeze through X years and get your degree. It definitely takes time and hard work here, but you'll learn a lot and enjoy the experience if you commit yourself. The admissions process was smooth; very friendly. My ongoing support of academic advising is superior to other online colleges and universities. There's even an online chat option for instant response.

I am just about finished with my degree. It has been about 6 years of work. Most of it has helped broaden my educational skill sets. There have been some delays but overall I have consistently moved forward towards completion. I have just finished my form and style review and am in the process of constructing my power point for my final orals. I have had overall a good experience and I am hopeful that the degree will help elevate my professional status. I understand that there are others that have had some challenges and personally know of one that had to get a new chairperson. The concept of finishing in three years my not be true because many have to work a full time job while attending this university. I have another friend earning his PhD from another online university that completed it in 7 years. It really depends on the type of study you will do and what is involved in getting it approved. Online work is much more difficult than brick and mortar because of the impersonal nature and the fact that there are some delays in communication. So if you sign on don't be dissillusioned into thinking that it will be a piece of cake. It is not and the workload is comparable to a doctor's degree at any major university. I thought the residencies were just OK. I really think the residencies are for those people that need personal contact. This university is an accredited school that offers an alternative path towards higher education. GOOD LUCK in your pursuit of higher education.

Avoid this school at all costs. After five classes, I called it quits. Four classes of no interaction with instructors and perfect scores on every assignment which led my to believe nothing was being graded as long as they were getting paid. I expected a level of academic integrity and would rather had feedback based upon my work not just being handed out grades. The fifth class that ended my tenure there was finally instructor involvement but very highly unprofessional involvement and then I started to notice that I might actually have been the only real student in the class because everyone else had to same writing style on the discussion board, every post was formatted the exact same way. It made me believe I was interacting with phony students or just names to fill up the class. I tried to drop this class and was told I must complete 60% of the class or my financial aid would be returned leaving a balance so I completed 75% of the class and then tried to drop the class and they refused so I stopped participating the rest of the way and withdrew from the University on the last day of the term. But, two weeks later, I now have a 1400 balance on my account for money that they claim they returned to the lender and are trying to collect on it. But when I contacted the lender, they said no money was returned so they are trying to scam 1400 extra dollars out of me.Stay away from the university at all costs

OKAY, TWO YEARS HAVE GONE BY. IT IS NOW 2014!!! AND STILL NO CHAIR ADVISOR OR COMMITTEE. THE INSTRUCTORS ARE NOT AT FAULT. THE PROGRAM ADMINISTRATORS ARE. EMPLOYERS ARE FROWNING ON WALDEN'S MASTERS DIPLOMAS?? THE SO-CALLED PH.D PUBLIC HEALTH PROGRAM SHOULD BE CALLED THE APA PROGRAM. A REAL WASTE OF $$$

I graduated from ASU with Honors and chose Walden over ASU's MBA program. ASU lacks innovation, commitment to their students, knowledge checks, and forward progress. At ASU students are numbers in a large pool of academic brick and mortar learning methods that have not made forward progress. At Walden, I have learned so much more than I ever could have hoped for thus far (a year into my MBA work) and am ever more pleased with each passing course. The literature is straight from Harvard Business Journals, and today's CEO's. ASU is so in love with themselves that they have forgotten to love their students; Walden pays close attention to the delivery of your course materials, timeliness of responses, instructor feedback, and all areas of communication. I spend 30 hours a week easily on my MBA readings alone. I suppose I could skim some material (similar to ASU) and it would go unnoticed; however, I would feel cheated. I am engaged with the material provided and look forward to my readings, discussion postings, and course assignments. Walden's ability to keep me engaged is certainly no accidental pathway; they are an "excellent" University! Thank You Walden, Rachel Kova

i am enrolled in the MSN Leadership and management program! I was a bit skeptical about Walden when I first started. Some people have had bad experiences, but online schooling is what you make of it. Also, you know about your practicum from day 1 so you should start looking for preceptors in your area as soon as school starts so when it is time for your practicum you are not stuck and have to transfer to another school. THEY DO NOT HOLD YOUR HAND!!! The teachers have been amazing, the course work has been great! Some of the course work has been challenging. My academic adviser is wonderful. You can get help from the writing center, library, academic adviser, and your teacher! They also have a program where you can submit your papers before turning them in and it will tell you what you need to correct to make it the right APA format and your grammar errors. I can not say enough good things about Walden! When you first start, not a lot of things are explained so you have to dig in and ask the questions that you need answered! Like I said, they will not hold your hand. My experience has been Awesome and I can not wait to graduate. I would recommend this program to everyone. You MUST be able to manage your time and outside activities. You can spend anywhere from 10-20 hours a week on school work due to the required readings and assignments. It's not a walk in the park but it can be done if you really want to succeed. DEFINITELY COME TO WALDEN IF YOU WANT A CHALLENGING, YET REWARDING PROGRAM!!!

I attended Walden for 3 years, with a 4.0 GPA. All coursework is done but I cannot graduate with my MSN-FNP because Walden cannot find any placements for internships where I live. I have called over 140 different places and NOBODY takes Walden students. Only way is if your employer will take you - otherwise you are done after 3 years, $50K. If you transfer, you have to start over with a new college. This is a scam and the worst decision that I ever made.

Agree with All Negative Reviews (AVOID TO EVERY EXTENT) Walden University doesn't value their students to no degree. There is absolutely no support system for students. Many of these instructions give whatever grade they see fit. It’s useless far as filing grade appeal. Basically, it works against the student. Faculty is all part of this behavior. Mind, you my grade weight percentage was at 95.00 percent, and then email the instructor asking to give me few hours to complete the assignment, her reply was sure thing. The instructor stated it would be a small penalty. Like you won’t believe, thereafter, I receive a zero grade, which drop my weight percentage down to lower 80% range, attempted to email her along with her original email explaining why you would tell me a small penalty, then do the unthinkable. This instructor reply was sent back to me in bold italic with a sarcastic tone. I also, attach a copy to the Associate Dean, School of Psychology department and waited 3 months for a reply, my grade was never change. Encounter 2 majors’ issues with this institutions and neither concern was not address accordingly. The financial Aid department is unprofessional and has no telephone etiquette. The reviewer was right, can’t hardly ever reach anyone in that department. However, now in my last course, the discussions post are due on 4th day which is Thursdays, no later than midnight eastern standard time; the written assignments are due on the Sunday by midnight. The grades suppose to be posted no later than Monday and Tuesday within that week. This instructor is posting grades at the very end of the second week. According, to Walden’s guidelines all grades are posted that follow Monday, no later than Tuesday. What is going on here? When I approach the instructor in reference to grading scale, reply was grades are not posted until the end of the second week. I attach the grade posting guidelines, to provide differently. I never receive a follow-up reply regarding matter. This only goes to show, these instructor’s do exactly what they want with no regards for anyone but themselves. A few of my associate’s were interested in the Public Policy and Administration program. I clearly explain don’t waste your time; you will experience nothing but nightmares for the most part. I told each and everyone them to look elsewhere. There are a range of problems and wrong doing that is going-on at Walden University.

Received a Master's degree--fine! Completed all required courses for the Ph.D. in Public Health program--fine!!! AND THEN I HIT THE BRICK WALL; NO CHAIR PERSON OR COMMITTEE AVAILABLE. Since 2012 to the current, NO CHAIR ADVISOR!!! ??? This is unbelievable and embarrassing.

I have taken 3 classes from Walden so far in the DBA program. The program is difficult and not something to take lightly. Taking one class at a time is definitely a must. I have seen professors with lots of experience both in the online campus and in the two residencies I have attended. I cannot speak on how the program was before but it is worth a look if you are trying to find a school with an online doctorate program. I had a total of 6 classes transferred in four from my MBA and two from another doctoral program (Columbia Southern University). I left CSU because there was little rigor in most of the classes and I would have felt like my Doctorate meant nothing after it was completed. The total opposite has been proven true with Walden. It is expensive but when you add transfer credits that many other schools will not give you it is not too bad about $36-38K (depending on how long it takes you to complete your Doctoral Study. My job is paying for mine so I am not hurt by the high cost as others maybe. Books are included in the price of tuition a plus for me.

Previous comments about Walden University and their support is true. I never felt supported and had to ask numerous times to get questions answered. They told me they would assist with clinical placements and they did not. I am currently 3/4 done with the program and am now going to have to transfer to another program and repeat classes because I could not find a clinical placement. And the Walden staff could care less! Thousands of dollars spent on this degree and now I will have to transfer and spend more money to complete it. The instructors were marginal at best. Do not waste your money on this school!

I really enjoyed most of my experiences and had some great instructors. But, I had a few issues with delayed books/cds. And a financial class that was made tougher by the the European text but questions from U.S. terminology and poor support from the instructor. Also, I had all A's until my last instructor. Dr. Heller was a harsh grader and was poorly skilled at communicating how to improve at anything. We had a text that was all about empowering people and I felt like he made a clear divide: he was not to be questioned. It would not change anything nor would it lead to enlightenment.

I recently graduated from Walden's FNP program. 10 days after I finished school I took the AANP certification examination, without taking a review course. I only studying about 3 weeks for the exam, a few hours per day, and passed it easily. Walden is not for everyone, they will not hold your hand in this program, but they will teach you everything you need to know to be successful You can make your experience at Walden as good as you choose it to be. I had a great experience, and learned an immense amount. I am now working at a rural health clinic Monday through Friday, with a fantastic salary. I am well respected by my colleagues, who have never once been concerned about my education. I have even been told that I seem very well prepared for the job. Walden is a great school!

I learned at lot at walden and met students from all over the world at the residencies. Sadly, once I started the dissertation process, I was ignored and on my own, no help from anyone. Very neglected, hired another instructor privately to critique my dissertation and statistical analysis. I was told this degree would cost 48,000 to get my PhD and I took a class every semester and now am up to over $125,000 and still not done. How did that happen???

I am amazed by the number of people that enter into a PhD program and then get angry when they don't measure up. In my opinion the biggest difference between Walden and the Brick and Mortar School where I completed my Masters Degree is the Walden Graduate Students were of a slightly lower caliber. If you want your Doctorate expect to pay in lost sleep, broken relationships, and a healthy does of misery. That is why so few people have the degree. Is Walden a for profit? Absolutely! Does that mean they are mercenary? Not at all, unless you are a quitter who thought that acceptance into a PhD program somehow meant you were promised a degree in the future irrespective of your perseverance.

I have just completed my Ph.D. in Public Policy and Administration at Walden University after 6.5 years studying part-time. I had previously earned my Bachelor and Master degrees in a traditional state university. I can attest that the course work at Walden University is just as demanding, if not more demanding, than a traditional and reputable university. The fact that it is an online institution requires the student to be more self-motivated because there are no professors and other classmates to remind you on a daily basis in a face-to-face setting to complete your assignments. Further, in an online environment, you cannot hide in the back of the class and not participate in class discussions and debates because every word is posted online in the classroom forum and you simply cannot hide or only pretend to participate. The course work and requirements at Walden are quite rigorous, and demanded substantial self-motivation to complete, although support from the professors and others from the university is always available. Online universities are still a new phenomenon to many students and at times scare them because of the uncertainty of how an online learning environment compare with a traditional classroom setting. I have seen some of the negative comments posted about Walden, and I speculate that these negative comments are from students who had expected an easy ride from an online university, but only to find that they had to work hard to earn a degree from Walden. In the end, these students are either expelled, dropped out, or given low grades for not being able to keep up with the rest of the class, and they turned to writing negative comments about Walden to vent. I must say that it is sad to see students who do not want to invest the time and hard work into earning a degree at Walden, but who can only invest time into badmouthing a school that refused to give them an easy ride in earning a college degree or high GPA. Overall, I am very happy that I had attended Walden, which provided me with the knowledge and skills to continue my academic and professional endeavors.

This school is out to get your money. I am in the MSN program everything was great until it came to my practicum. They lie to get in the school. My advisor told me the school will help find preceptors but they do not. Once they got you in they got you. I should have known something was wrong when it was too easy to get in the program. The quality of the curriculum is awful I feel as though I am teaching myself. This school does not prepare student nurse practitioners to be confident or competent enough to go out into the field and make accurate diagnoses. When I talk to people in the field, they say Walden University where is that school located then they frown when they realize it is an online program. In fact, some preceptors told me they won't even touch Walden students. Buyer beware I would look for another school. I wished someone warned me before I spent money. I am leaving this school and going to a real school that will teach real hands on skills.

Last term I was diagnosed with ovarian cancer. I kept in communication with my instructors about treatment and so forth. I was told that during my surgery and treatment that I would be given extensions on my assignments but they needed completed by the end of the term. One instructor followed through, while the other instructor for my research class did not. She stated that I needed to go through disability services to get the extra time (after I was told she would). Disability services said that because it was a past illness (they surgically removed the cancer) I did not qualify. I ended up failing the research class which devastated my GPA. Now my GPA is lower than required, I’m losing my financial aid and will more than likely be expelled for not meeting academic standards for the school. I received a failing grade for having cancer and now will be expelled and lose my financial aid for the same reason.

Walden University is what you make of it. Do not forget the goal you set for yourself. Having obtained my AA, BS, and Master's online from four different schools, I find WU just as challenging. It has also allowed me to take a deeper look at public policy and administration. I will agree that the school is more liberal than I would like, but have never been faulted for my point of view supported by researched facts. In regards to financial experience, it is the students responsibility to know what money they are spending. In regards to advisors, it is the students responsibility to obtain their education and ask the right questions. You don't buy a house or car without reading the contract of sale. In regards to instructor feedback, how much feedback do you need if you are meeting the standards of the rubric, besides a grade. In regards to the dissertation, which I will begin soon, it is my responsibility with mentorship from the chair and committee to complete. Choose wisely. In regards to accreditations and recognition from potential employers, if the organization does not equally consider the degree obtained, it is that organizations loss and a place I would not care to work. Lastly, I do understand each and every bad review; but what I see is a reaction to what could have been avoided with more prior in-depth research. Walden is a good school, which complements those with on the job experience future self betterment, while at the same time allowing the student to give back to the community in some way by producing a published document highlighting a social change issue.

I left Walden University when I finally realized that I wasn’t earning a graduate degree, I was buying one. When I applied at Walden and saw how easy it was to get in, it should have been a huge red flag for me. And looking back, I guess there was something in the pit of my stomach that just didn’t feel right. It wasn’t until I started taking classes that I began to realize that this program is not focused on learning, but rather on money. You pay thousands of dollars for courses that are high school level. If you can read a book chapter or an article and summarize it in three paragraphs, and occasionally write a longer paper, you’ll get A’s. That’s fine if that’s the type of “education” you want. But if you are really looking to be challenged to develop critical thinking skills and be able to analyze information and engage in the type of discussions with peers and coursework that fosters the type of learning that should be taking place at the graduate level, you won’t find it at this school. Mediocre work is acceptable, so you don’t have to work very hard. Sure there is a lot of reading and weekly discussion post (often just a simple 200-300 word responses to basic questions about the assigned readings), but it’s not very challenging work and you won’t learn much doing it. Many of the “positive” comments mention that to succeed at Walden you need to be willing to ‘”work hard” … but that refers to being able to read a lot and summarize the information for weekly discussion posts in two classes over a 12 week period. In other words, this is “busy work” that may take some people a lot of time to do. The problem is, it is not learning. It is not the type of work that really allows you to think for yourself and engage in meaningful dialogue with the instructors and fellow students. Everyone answers the same questions and basically writes the same summaries of the information. It’s dull, boring, uninspiring work. And you pay $2500 per class to do this! I thought the introductory started like this but expected the higher level courses to be more of what you’d expect in a PhD program. But even the 5 credit “advanced” courses are the same. What finally got me to leave the school was the fact that in my last class at Walden, my teacher waited until the last week to grade 5 assignments. This included my final paper which was 21 pages long. The electronic classroom tracks when you submit assignments and when they are received, viewed, and graded by the instructor. These 5 assignments were all graded within a 2 minute time period. In other words, the teacher did not read them. So what pride can I take in getting an A in the course if my assignments weren’t even read? The content of what you write, and therefore the content of what you actually learn in the classes at Walden, does not matter. Just pay your bill and submit something that can be graded so it can appear that actual learning is taking place. It really is a shame. I am actually embarrassed that I was a student at Walden for over a year before I finally woke up and asked myself “what am I actually learning?” … I don’t want to buy a graduate degree. I want to earn one.

Walden is an online school and they all have there pros and cons. I have a 4.0 in my Masters program and I have worked my tail off for it at Walden. It is NO cakewalk! If there is anything I dislike about Walden's online programs it is this: You are enrolled in classes by the academic advising department. They do not desire or respond to your input. They select the professor for you, order your books, and basically have the control to do it without your input. I recently was enrolled in two nursing practicums at once and received a bill for both. It was an error or oversight on the part of the academic advising department. The issue is having to undo what is done. Many phone calls, waiting, hoping, and nailbiting while they fixed the problem. Then, I was enrolled in a practicum before my preceptor had been approved and began receiving strict guidelines from the instructor early in the morning on the weekend, a week before the class was to start. I immediately decided this was an over-zealous, micro-managing type of person who did not care that students were intently studying for their final tests in the classes that were ending. She just decided to save some time and work ahead and invade our email with detailed restrictive guidelines that she wanted students to follow for her class a week off. When I requested to be moved from her class to another, it was like an act of Congress. It's a very powerless feeling. She had no clinical experience in Nursing but instead had completed her undergraduate degree and then worked straight through for her Doctorate. My parents were both teachers. Their moto was, "Those that can, do. Those who can't, teach." That is why it is important to read the instructor's qualifications first and select someone who has Nursing experience and has actually been a nurse. Education is great. But we all know that Experience is a Great teacher!! Walden would be a better school if they would give students the opportunity to have input into their educational experience and not dictate the process. Just my opinion.

I graduated with a PhD in AMDS (Operations Research) in the summer of 2012 after spending over six years at Walden University. As with many other students, due to commitments and responsibilities of work and family from a time management perspective, Walden happened to be one of only a few "accredited" options (online) that were available to me for a terminal degree. After reading many of the comments left here my personal observation is that many, if not most people writing their praises or complaints, are writing them from a far too short-sighted perspective; cost, bad teachers, bad communication, hard classes, easy classes, etc. These are problems and issues that will likely happen anywhere, regardless of the school, so are all short-term considerations in your education. So taking a step back, I would suggest you look at the long-term payoff (or lack thereof) from an online institution like Walden. And herein, to me, lies the real rub. From my six years at Walden which included meeting and talking to many students I had met at residencies, in various courses, from talking to many different instructors and teachers and from association with students and faculty outside of the virtual classroom, I have come up with this conclusion; if you are currently on the job, especially in such professions as nursing or education, Walden will at least “minimally” provide the academic experience necessary to allow the student (who is employed) to "check the box" that the employers deem appropriate for whatever the current or next level of accreditation or certification might be (Need a masters for the next pay level in education? Online has it! Need to qualify to get in the running for a master’s prepared nursing position? Online has it! etc.). Even my wife who is a nursing director at a major hospital here in SE Michigan agrees with this from the nursing point-of-view. The minimum “can” be met at an online institution. However, for most “unemployed” Walden students, the true litmus test will come from the potential employer who must look at Walden students and compared them to the very large number of students coming out of “known” brick and mortar schools. And it is here, unfortunately, that Walden graduates (and probably most of the other online school graduates) will fall miserably short. Walden, like other online schools sells the “dream” that it provides the same level of academic excellence, same rigor, and same acceptance as other “known” schools. Whether valid or not, the perception (and the key word here is “perception”) is that Walden, and other online schools, do not measure up to the standards and rigors of most, if not all traditional brick and mortar schools. So IMHO, take this into consideration when making your decision where to attend school, accordingly!

I finished 8/30/2013. A good experience, teacher were supportive, the writing center, the student support and the student adviser. There were challenging time but at the end of it all the whole journey was worth every penny.

A living educational nightmare! That's right, it's for profit all the way. I initially boasted about Walden on a daily basis. I have experienced 2 excellent professors out of 12. How did this world come to the point when teachers do not instruct, guide, answer questions and explain? There are incompetent teachers nationally (not globally), but this is a disgrace! They only give assignments and most do not want to be questioned by any means. One told me where to go( not Hades) and in return I told him/her what he/she needed to hear. I do not pay tuition to hear their crap, I actually do pay tuition to learn, to improve, to grow and to be able to offer and to provide to my students quality instruction and to prepare them for real-life experiences in the real world. I am well pleased to read all of the negative reviews because my review falls into the same category. It's an educational nightmare! There is little or no communication. The hypocrisy there is "dominate"! We are taught to be the "finest" in education. Well, I am here to tell you that it takes the finest to instruct one to become the finest. Who instructs us? There is no instruction. As a teacher, I ask questions, answer questions, instruct according to the need of the students, promote engagement in learning, reward and above all, as a lifelong learner, whatever it takes for me to improve my strategies in learning, I may every attempt to fulfill it. Certain departments will detain you as long as you will allow it. The other departments (except administration and academic advising)have been positive. At least the public school administrators work for their salaries and I have seen them fulfill this throughout multiple years in education. The high caliber administrators don't care at all and the academic advisers are rotten to the core. This school has an ongoing interest in "feedback". Why insult yourself!! You know what you represent! Just in case you don't know, you are incompetent in most categories. I would never take away from the few who are doing an excellent job. I wish that I had not ever had anything to do with Walden.

I am currently enrolled in the doctoral program for public heath epidemiology tract. This school is not CEPH accredited for MPH or PhD in public health(epidemiology). Every job posting I have looked at will only interview you if you graduate from a CEPH accredited program. I have read on other blogs that people could not get jobs because no one wanted the degree from a school from a non-CEPH accredited program. I guess you could get a job i some remote area of the world or area where there are limited applicants but I am hugely concerned as I am paying huge amounts of money for this school. No don't get me wrong- I am doing well in the program but very concerned about the marketability of this program. I have twice requested to be put in contact with an alumni from this school with this degree that is gainfully employed and have gotten no response when they told me they would. What does everyone else think? The jobs I have looked at want extensive research experience from their grad school experience and you don't get that here and publishing is not an encouraged task. What does everyone else out there think? I am basically in this program because I cannot quit my job and go to a brick and mortar school full time. I am considering changing my major and going to another school with fully accredited programs in their area of expertise.

Shortly after enrolling at Walden I was attacked by my neighbor with a hammer to my head. I suffered physically and mentally. I filled out all the paperwork that the school claimed would fix this problem. I had to leave Walden because of this and now Walden is demanding money from me for a class I never took and/or for loans I declined but that Walden excepted anyways. I cannot find anyone who can give me an explanation for this or anyone that can fix this problem.

I earned my PhD from Walden in 3.5 years. My goal was to finish in 3 years. I am pleased with the education received at Walden. It was a roller coaster ride and one of the toughest challenges in my life. You can expect any PhD program to be challenging and even frustrating. Would you want to attend a university for a PhD that wasn't rigorous?? You can expect any PhD program to have some instructors who care and others who seemingly do not. Just as there were some classes I liked and others that I did not. But I pressed on and kept my eyes on my goals. As a working parent, the program and accessibility at Walden was exactly what I needed. The dissertation process was long and grueling but I was relentless and faced every obstacle with the notion that those issues would not last forever and there is a solution for everything. Completing my program was a test of every skill I could muster up from pacing to collaborations. I lost my entire dissertation committee and had to seek out a brand new committee, Walden IRB and the community organization for my research were at odds about procedure (putting me square in the middle to figure out how to fix the issue), my research seemed endless, the stress was at an all time high, and I was nervous about the presentations and expectations of me as the "expert". But these are not unique issues to Walden and I suspect they are not unique to me. During the same time I went through my Walden doctoral program, a friend of mine went through a PhD program through our local large brick-and-mortar university where I obtained my undergraduate degree. Our doctoral program stories, concerns, frustrations, triumphs, and educational process were the same. We leaned on each other constantly for support and guidance. The only exception was she did comps for candidacy and I did not. However, I consider the difference between her passively sitting in her graduate classes versus me actively researching and writing weekly in scholarly online discussions to be huge variants but valuable. I don't concern myself with how many people have heard of Walden. There are thousands of colleges which folks have never heard of. I'm still Dr. P and I worked hard for it. After numerous applications, I was hired at a local college to teach in my field of study. Graduate studies is not easy but most things worth having are not easy feats. Best wishes to all, wherever you choose to attend, on your future goals. Excuse any typos, it happens :-)

As a teacher at Walden I found that the course materials were very poor with no clear behavioral objectives. There was a strong hierarchical structure which was inappropriate in dissertation supervision, where a consensual structure is generally acceptable elsewhere. The IRB was just an empire-building unit which stifled important topics related to disability. The URR was capricious and contradictory, headed and staffed by people who were often un-qualified in statistics. If Einstein had gone to Walden University he would not have been allowed creativity or relativity. Some students left unqualified and broke.

In 2013, I completed the PPPA PhD program at Walden. I found the academic rigor of the program comparable to brick and mortar schools. Many of the professors also work in industry, bringing their non-academic knowledge and experience into the classroom. Fellow students reside throughout the United States and the World, bringing with them points of views that, combined with the professors, stretches your thinking, developing you into a more critical and strategic thinker. During the KAM and Dissertation phases of the program, I used the scholar/practitioner skills further developed while completing coursework. The faculty and staff at Walden University are not hand-holders. Successful completion requires self-motivation, self-regulation, independence of thought, and a willingness to independently investigate and find solutions to your questions and challenges. That being said, the support services at Walden, ie Financial Aid, Student Support, Writing Center, Advising are all excellent. Whenever I had a questions, I usually received a response within 24 hours. The Walden Library is wonderful, and I miss having access to the wonderful journals and other information it provides. I highly recommend Walden.

I am currently doing some research on various online Ed.d Leadership doctoral programs. I have graduated from Walden with my Masters in Reading and Literacy in April 2011. I am a single working mother of one and have teaching for 12 years now. When I first began the program, I was a little rusty with APA style of writing, but I was able to get help from my peers, advisors, and instructors. The course load consisted of weekly papers (sometimes two) depending upon the topic at hand. Along with weekly discussions. I do not work for Walden or have anything to gain from this review. After reading several reviews, I have decided to just weigh in and share my experience because it was a really great experience. I cannot speak for others, but it was a good experience being able to meet my colleagues in person at graduation time. I found that I just had to have a balance between working full time and being a parent. Once I got my stride together, everything flowed smoothly. In addition, I never had a problem with the administration or financial aid departments. Good luck to all on your decisions. I would not change a thing!

I am from Europe and studying at Walden University is my first online university experience. It is a very different system from the one I had in my home country. It is better! They emphasizes the importance of becoming a scholar-practitioner. It means that they don't train you to be a simple counselor...they train you to be prepared and make a real change in your community. Some professors are strict, but fair. If you are not ready to make changes and improvements they suggest...you will not go too far in the program. You need to be open-minded, creative, serious, and humble. English is only my second language but I have straight As so far. Not because I am a genius, but because I am following the rules. I admit, that the residency fees are not low, but there are other online universities (Phoenix for example) that cost a lot more than Walden. I also admit that after the first 2 semesters I did not receive a call from academic advisers who would check my achievements. However, any time I need to contact one of the departments, I got excellent service.

Online learning presents a unique set of challenges as opposed to in the seat brick and mortar. If you are one who needs the F2F social aspect of learning, Walden should not be your choice (nor any online format for that matter). If you are highly independent and have the time to figure much of the detail out on your own, Walden MAY be a place where you can do well. I am in the final semester of year two (DBA program)with year three on the horizon in the fall of 2013. Academically, I am doing great. I have found that some of the professors are much better than others, which is likely the case mose everywhere. I am very interested in seeing how the final phase plays out and whether I encounter any of the horror stories written with getting the doctoral study completed and approved per schedule. I am truly not interested in personally financing the first brick library in Walden history so I am looking to follow the direction of my committee without getting caught up in the maze of confusion that so many have described. I've done brick and mortar for undergrad and master's level work so this is a new experience. It has not been a negative experience, however it has been very different one. I am being stretched, which is expected. Think of it like this...at the doctoral/Ph.D. level....this is the only time in your educational life when you become a peer of those placing the degree into your hands. With that said, you knew it was not going to be a cake-walk and to have any respect around it, it should not be one. I will be sure to check back and place a second posting as i have more experience in getting my doctoral study through URR and IRB. At that time, I may have a different story to tell. For now, all is well.

I am a first year PhD student at Walden and when I first started, I thought I earned the grades just to obtain the money(financial aid). However, as I went on with the program, I notice my writing style changed, my perception had changed as well as my view point on how I was learning. Walden is not nor should it be a handholding school. You are attempting to join the elitist group and your hands will not be held...Walden provides you the opportunity to complete your program within an allotted time based on your skills you entered and gained as a scholarly practitioner....I am learning the prior style of writing from academic, business writing to scholarly writing. It is baed on what I intend to put into this program will determine what I obtain from the program. I have owned my business in Child Care, however, I am crossing the lines to Management since I enjoy the leadership role...everyone is not a leader, nor can handle the role as a leader...So, like the old saying...What you put into a recipe determines the best results of the rise of the cake....lol That's my saying...lol ..I am starting my second year with a 4.0..I hold a MSM-Leadership from Troy State University which is a brick and mortar however, I obtained my BS and MSM online from Troy....

I transferred to this University from another in my senior year because they promised I could shave months off of finishing my degree and offered me a semester free. When I transferred last year I was not alerted that I was enrolled in classes earlier than I was supposed to be and the classes I was offered "free" I got all F's in! This placed in on Academic and financial aide probation... I had a 3.6 GPA at the previous university. When I finally got my official review of my transfer credits they were completely different from my unofficial evaluation and I was now not a senior with less months taken off of my degree time as promised... I was a sophomore at Walden. BEFORE I received this official evaluation I had already started my classes (that i actually knew about this time) ....I was absolutely disgusted with the my math lab instructions that were given in the math class. There were steps of the problem that could not be explained in any portion of the help areas or in the text book....so I had to google how to do actually do the problems. I ended up with an A in the class but it was because of google and ALL of my free time being dedicated to trying to find out how to properly do the problems. The cost of this school is also outrageous. Their classes are 5 credit hours as opposed to 3 as most universities are, for the human services program it is 300.00 per credit hour so $1500P00 for one class. The net price calculator on the web site for rates is still on the 2010 school year, so it is reflecting much lower rates that what are currently being charged. The support staff are always in a hurry just to get you off the phone and don't always give you accurate information....at all. So calling for help is completely useless. I have transferred back to my old school and I am having difficulty getting transcripts from Walden to be applied at my school so that I can graduate......please do not waste your time or money on this school....they are very dishonest and your degree will pull no weight in the market place.

Wanted a change from one psychology program to another. It took six-weeks to get a response; and it was not a very professional one, then the dept. head of psychology wrote me a nasty-gram. Following the change which took the full of 3 months my grades dropped through the floor. I went from an a average to C- and Ds immediately following the change from one program to another. I wrote the letter to withdraw, I was ignored, wrote another, ignored. I finally called - was given the phone run-around and ignored. I finally got a response more than 3 weeks later, and was "allowed" to withdraw. I found another online school who wanted to take me but Walden messed with my refund for the last semester I was there - they were stringing me along. 7 weeks after I requested my refund and after I had withdrawn completely from the school I wrote to the Department of Education's [Veteran's] Ombudsman. 36 hours after I wrote everything had been taken care of, refund was transmitted etc. Just so folks know who are here; they list themselves as a "for-profit" which means they are required to help place you in a job until you get one - insist on it, or report them to the Department of Education. Do not waste your time with the state functions; seems they have those organizations hoodwinked.

My dissertation committee approved my dissertation. Then the IRB Board rejected it and refused to allow me to complete the study I worked for 4 years to develope, design and obtain approval from a committee of experienced faculty members. The problem was, the IRB does not want students to use instruments that assess difficult topics such as suicidal ideation, gender issues, LGBT issues. There is no coordination or communication in this institution. One set of faculty approves a student's work, yet another set of university administrators rejects the students work and tells them they must go back to the drawing board, after 4 years of arduous work and $100,000 of tuition passing into Walden University's coffers. This institution should be unaccredited and I will make my complaint appropriately.

I have attended Walden University as a full-time student enrolled in the clinical psychology program since Dec. 2009. I have completed all of the coursework and I'm now writing my dissertation. While I was very hesitant to enroll in a program that offered an online forum, attending Walden is the best decision I have ever made. Not only are the faculty and the instructors readily available to assist students at all times, but I have found that the courses are much more challenging that my undergraduate degrees and my Masters degree I obtained from private "brick-and-mortar" universities. I also feel that I have learned much more as a result of attending such a hybrid program, as Academic-Year-in-Residency also allows students to network, perform assessments, meet in person with faculty and their advisor, etc. Walden is ahead of the game with regard to the future of offering an academically challenging forum for professionals who want to learn in a manner that allows them to still work. In light of the current economy and the lack of adequate funding for educational benefits offered by various corporations (to include government entities, such as the military), it is nearly impossible to attend a brick-an-mortar school while also continuing to work so that one can pay for their education and day-to-day living. The traditional focus of APA accreditation should be revised, as it is archaic and very biased. I commonly train APA credentialed psychologists and mental health professionals as a requirement of my military position. These professionals are very eager to work with me; however, once they ask me where I attend school they become very defensive and biased in the assumptions they make about non-APA accredited schools. These "professionals" should be more open-minded and willing to hear what APA equivalency schools (such as Walden) can offer.

I am not sure about these reviews. I hold an MS, and soon and Ed.S and an Ed.D from Walden. I have been challenged, my work has had me selected to participate in research programs, and I have had nothing but great, high-level profesors. You have to call during business hours, just like any other college/university. If you stay the course, you will have success. I do not like the new blackboard system they use, but it is OK :)

I have loved Walden from the day I applied. I am nearing completion of my M.S in Mental Health Counseling and have a G.P.A of 3.93. Walden is for students who are willing to work hard, and for that I am glad. Do not fear residencies, they are so enjoyable! The instructors at Walden have impressive experience and knowledge (great mentors). Walden is building professionals, expect high standards.