Complaint Review: Grand Canyon University - Phoenix Arizona

This is a warning to all people thinking about attending Grand Canyon University.  Please, please do not do it.  I have experienced so much unneccssary stress by enrolling into this institution.   I hope this letter reaches those thinking about joining this university.

I have a bachelors degree with a double major from a different actual state University.  Also, I started a masters at a state university.  So I do have comparsions with other colleges.  I must say I have never experienced anything like Grand Canyon University.

There have been numerous issues contacting a counselor.  The counselors will pass you around.  If you are not on their caseload it is appareant they do not want to help you.  I was not being helped so I asked for the number of the man who enrolled me at the university.  The counselor said he could not help me.  I asked again for the number and was provided it.  I called him for help about a finance issue.  Which he did say he was going to look further into.  I have not heard back yet but hopefully he is trying to figure it out.

The professors have been a challenge to get a hold of or rude.  When I enrolled I was told it was a work at your own pace.  This is not true.  There are due dates.  Also, as a grad student most of us work full-time.  The reason I chose this program is because I thought it would be more flexible.  And yes I did think it would be slightly easier.  However, there is absolutely no flexibility.  And I found they require you to check in more than any other online course I have taken at two other notable universities.  On top of this you are required research APA papers, endless reading assignments, discussion questions, journal, and group projects on a weekly basis.  WHen you read all articles and text and complete the assignments you are putting in a lot more time than attending a grad class in a university setting.  

You are also required to post a minimum of three days.  At first I was told to respond to the discussion questions and respond to classmates.  I was being marked down because I needed three extensive posts.  Its hard to repeat yourself when you already addressed the issue.  This seems just like busy work rather than valuable experience.

Since you cannot see your professor communication can be a challenge.  There have been issues with grading. One professor refused to grade an assignment that was turned in on time.  When she was responding to me her answers seemed like she was talking to someone else. I had to go to my counselor about it.  Considering it was an assignment over 100 pts and turned in on time I thought it unjust not to be graded.  When I mentioned this to the professor she was very upset and said she would report me for misconduct.  I did nothing wrong and was polite the whole time.  I called the counselor who said the university does allow the professor to file that, it's up to the professors discreation.  So if you speak up for whats right you could be kicked out.  Seems like a policy to put fear into students not justice for the ones supporting the entire university.  I kept a log of our communications.  My counselor told me to put in an appeal which I have but have not heard back from anyone. 

This same professor bashed my writing skills.  I'm not agreeing or disagreeing on my writing skills.  There is always room for improvement.  The issue is when the professor sent me the note she spellied my name wrong, other words were misspelled or missing, and she did not use complete sentences. Now how can I value the input of someone who should be the master in this area when they clearly cannot write?

Grand Canyon makes you pay for and enroll in a class to be a graduate.  This course has nothing to do with your degree but you will be over $1100 and take a month to complete it.  The procedures you learn in this class will not even carry over to your other classes.  I was taught to site a lecture in the course.  There was even a you tube link on how to cite a lecture.  I followed this same format in my next class and was deducted points severly and was given a rude comment by that professor saying she did not write the lecture so I can't site it.  Nothing is consistent. This was another thing not mentioned when I was enrolling.

The person who enrolled me into the university sold it on lies.  I was told how it was run. But once I was in the courses it was nothing like I was told.  I was given a price quote.  This has not stayed the same.  I was enticed with the promise of a TEACH grant.  I filled it out, qualified, called my counselor and said it was complete but it has never posted to my account.  When I tried to call for more information I was told only my actual counselor can see that screen.  However, as usual she was not there and I have not heard back from anyone.  The fill in counselor said if it wasn't done I can never get that money back.  That was $4000!  

They tell you, you can take two week breaks.  My grandmother died and my father had a heart attack two days apart.  I called to take a leave.  When I was enrolled again no one mentioned you have to sign in the first day of class. Things were still very hectic after two weeks.  Once back I planned on working on my assignments saturday which is the day the first assignment is due.  Now, I chose this online university because I was told they have flexible scheduling.  It is online so we can work at our pace.  False.  I received a call Friday one day after the class opened saying I was being dropped because I didn't log in.  I told the counselor I planned on doing the assignment Saturday.  No one mentioned I had to sign in the first day the class starts.  This is not a real class with a time.  This is online.  Well this messed up my loans.  Also, they could not get me into another class so it also extended my time with these people.  The student ends up paying for Grand Canyons lack of communication, disorganization, and faulty unjustice policies.  

These courses are so expensive.  More than most universities and colleges, please do your research on this information.  There are many, many online universities.  This is one of the more expensive ones but they will try to tell you it's cheaper because you don't have to pay for books. These people are not for their students.  They know how hard it is to communicate when your thousands of miles away.  You can't just walk into a office.

Once you are in and have paid so much, you feel trapped. Most universities only transer so many credits.  You know you will not be able to take them all.  I wonder even if they do transfer at all.  This is the worst feeling.  I just keep praying I will make it through this nightmare.  These people have been so disrespectful.  They do not communicate with you either.  So please stay on top of your stuff or they will penalize you finacially.  

There is a lot more going on.  I do not trust this University to make amends.  This letter is more of a hope to save people from the headaches, stress, and hardships I have been through.  Do your research.  I wish I did mine.  Instead I responded to a work email about the university.  As an educator for over ten years I will make sure all of the educators in my district will know these issues.  Hopefully, preventing them from this university and onto a more respectable, honest place.