Complaint Review: PCDI Ashworth College - Norcross Georgia

First off, I completed PCDI's Professional Forensic Investigation course and had no problems with my course at all. My credits are valid with other schools, and no one wrote off my calls. Any time I had a question someone was always willing to help me sort out my problem. I am not sure why so many people post on here with the grammar and spelling of a 7 year old. Nor do I understand why "Martha" wrote that she was disabled and doesnt want to continue her education now. Being physically disabled has nothing to do with continuing your education. Every school I have spoken with has made it very clear that they will help anyone with a physical disability. So please do not use that as an excuse. I was wounded in Iraq and was recently discharged from the Army because of this, and every school has told me they will provide help for me to carry my books, etc. Do not be a statistic and feel sorry for yourself just because you have a set-back. Look at the elderly woman who just got her degree. Come on people, what is wrong with you? PCDI has also helped me to find a college to transfer my credits to, set up my resume, and set a payment schedule that works for me. Overall, I am very pleased with my experience with PCDI.

I can't believe some of the postings. I am currently enrolled in the Accounting program at Ashworth College. The program includes all basics required at my local community college English, Math, Psychology, and Buisness Communications. Yes, chapter course exams are open book; so were exams I took at online courses at a local Community College. However the final exams are timed with your proctor. Learning guides and workbooks are provided with courses. In some courses such as Math and English a CD is provided to do practice problems. If you are just looking for the answers to chapter exams then you are not reading the material or doing the workbook problems. Were I come from that is called being lazy and a cheater. If you are not learning, maybe it's because your not doing the program correctly.

Asworth College is accredited by the US Dept of Education--check for yourself http://ope.ed.gov/accreditation/Search.asp

I have completed Ashworth College Business Management Degree Program, and would like to share my story. Two things Ashworth College needs improvement in are their shipment of course work and contacting them by telephone. Other than that I had no problem contacting them by e-mail and taking my exams on-line. I thought it was offensive for one of school ex-employee to label students that enrolled with Ashworth as uneducated. If you follow the rules of the college an uneducated person cannot read the text books, answer the questions, and take the proctor exams. I do agree it is easy to cheat by having someone else do your course work, but that means that your proctor candidate also cheated. Ashworth needs to look into getting more suitable proctor candidates. Students can also cheat in traditional schools by having someone write a paper or do their homework. Ashworth has no teachers like traditional schools therefore, their education programs is not for everyone. I choose to obtain a degree by distance education because of convenience and reasonable price. The handbook states that it is up to the individual schools whether or not they would accept Ashworth credits. It is an advantage having an open book proctor exam, but you should not take it for granted that you will pass the exam. You have to read five text books in its entirety. When taking the proctor exam you have three hours to answer 50 multiple choice questions. Some of the questions are straight forward some are not. Using the text book is time consuming, and you need to understand what you are reading. If your proctor candidate help or give you more time both of you have cheated. Maybe Ashworth should look into selecting their own people to proctor exams at the expense of the students. There are students that will be dishonest in obtaining a degree, and because of this the quality of Ashworth degree will always be in question. If you have work experience in the program that you are taking, and would like a degree to show your qualifications then Ashworth College is for you. If you want to obtain credits to enter another college, then make sure that school accept Ashworth credits. I am proud of my degree because I did it the right way by studying, nominating a qualified and honest proctor candidate. Thank you Ashworth College, I am so motivated in continuing my education, I have enrolled in a local college to study for a Bachelor Degree. For the last poster, since she is grading everyone on their spelling and grammar I hope I get a passing grade. In the Bahamas we do speak English but not proper English, but we are thought in school to write proper English. Sometimes people have the tendency to write the way they speak. Now, I can't give any excuse for any misspelled words that don't appear to be a typo. Ashworth do offer a English course in their degree programs, but because the exam is multiple choice, it is hard to detect that a student has a problem with poor grammar. I think Ashworth should give some essay assignments. Mckell Bahamas

I am neither a student, ex-employee, or expert of online education, but after reading this thread, I am appalled by the posts of almost everyone. I am disabled and would love to continue my education online but, after seeing these responses, have decided against it, at least through PCDI. Apparently, they will take anyone with money as a student. The spelling and grammar in this thread is atrocious! These are college students??? When I was in school, we had to learn how to spell and use proper grammar. PCDI apparently does not care if their students can even READ the materials. Accredited or not, PCDI's lack of concern for their students, at least as far as basic understanding goes, tells me that it is a worthless endeavor that only wastes your time and money. All of these 4.0 GPAs with the obvious lack of intelligence/education should be a HUGE red flag for anyone who wants to further their education.

There is a larger issue here than just whether or not PCDI/Ashworth is a valid educational option. I have read through this entire thread, and I think many of you should be ashamed of yourselves. I say this, not because I support one side or the other, but because many on both sides have displayed a great deal of ignorance, immaturity, and an apparent lack of education. I have seen basic words such as "Course" being spelled as "Coarse"... not once, but two or three times within the SAME reply, which proves that the person didn't know how to properly spell this basic word. One argument from a poster included the words "perspective student"... this was done a few times within the same reply. I suppose that poster would never be a PROSPECTIVE student of any College, LOL. In conclusion, many of the people who have replied here shouldn't even be THINKING about ANY College... at least not until they have learned to spell and reason at the Elementary School level. :shakes head... exits left:

I am a current student of Ashworth. I became very distraught over reading many of the complaints listed here, but then I had to look at myself and my own ethics and dealings with Ashworth and they have all been positive. I'm sorry to hear about the lack of support from Student Services, but I've never encountered that problem; I have always had a returned e-mail within 48 hours and I've never been left on hold for long periods of time. As a matter-of-fact, they have a new and improved website that is very userfriendly. Unfortunately, it is very easy to abuse the "independent learning" aspect of Ashworth, but you only get out of it what you put into it and if you are not really studying or taking your studies seriously, then it won't benefit you. As a single, working parent I'm glad to find a school that can provide this low-cost education and know that the credits will transfer. OK, about the Transfer Credits: I too was concerned about who would accept the credits. I found this list of schools that accept Ashworth College Credits (the community college I am simultaneously attending will accept Ashworths credits), I got this information from degreeboard. A Partial Listing of Regional Colleges and Universities that accept DETC credits (listed by state): 1. Athens State University Athens, AL 2. Bevill State Community College Sumiton, AL 3. Central Alabama Community College Alexander City, AL 4. Oakwood College Huntsville, AL 5. Troy State University Troy, AL 6. United States Sports Academy Daphne, AL 7. University Of Alabama Huntsville, AL 8. Alaska Pacific University Anchorage, AK 9. Arizona Western College Yuma, AZ 10. Mohave Community College Kingman, AZ 11. Rio Salado College Tempe, AZ 12. University Of Phoenix Phoenix, AZ 13. Cossatot Technical College De Queen, AR 14. Phillips Community College of the University of Arkansas Helena, AR 15. University of Arkansas at Monticello Monticello, AR 16. University of Arkansas Community College at Hope Hope, AR 17. Allan Hancock College Santa Maria, CA 18. Azusa Pacific University Azusa, CA 19. Bakersfield College Bakersfield, CA 20. California State University ? Long Beach Long Beach, CA 21. California State University ? San Marcos San Marcos, CA 22. Chaffey College Rancho Cucamonga, CA 23. Chapman University Orange, CA 24. College of the Canyons Santa Clarita, CA 25. Cosumnes River College Sacramento, CA 26. Cypress College Cypress, CA 27. Diablo Valley College Pleasant Hill, CA 28. Fielding Institute Santa Barbara, CA 29. Golden State University San Francisco, CA 30. Los Angeles Trade-Technical College Los Angeles, CA 31. Mount St. Mary's College Los Angeles, CA 32. Pacific Graduate School of Psychology Palo Alto, CA 33. Patten College Oakland, CA 34. Simpson College Redding, CA 35. Southwestern College Chula Vista, CA 36. Taft College Taft, CA 37. University of Sarasota ? California Campus Orange, CA 38. West Hills College Coalinga, CA 39. Colorado Technical University Colorado Springs, CO 40. Jones International University Englewood, CO 41. Lamar Community College Lamar, CO 42. University of Southern Colorado ? Division of Continuing Education Pueblo, CO 43. Naugatuck Valley Community College Waterbury, CT 44. Tunxis Community College Farmington, CT 45. University of New Haven West Haven, CT 46. Delaware Technical and Community College Dove, DE 47. Catholic University of America ? Metropolitan College Washington, DC 48. Southeastern University Washington, DC 49. Brevard Community College Cocoa, FL 50. Florida International University Miami, FL 51. Florida National College Hialeah, FL 52. Florida State University ? Panama Canal Branch Tallahassee, FL 53. Gulf Coast Community College Panama City, FL 54. Jacksonville University Jacksonville, FL 55. Lake City Community College Lake City, FL 56. Manatee Community College Bradenton, FL 57. North Florida Community College Madison, FL 58. Nova Southeastern University Fort Lauderdale, FL 59. Okaloosa-Walton Community College Niceville, FL 60. American Inter Continental University Dunwoody, GA 61. Athens Technical College Athens, GA 62. Agusta Technical College Augusta, GA 63. Central Georgia Technical College Macon, GA 64. Columbus Technical College Columbus, GA 65. Covenant College Lookout Moutain, GA 66. Darton College Albany, GA 67. East Georgia College Swainsboro, GA 68. Georgia Perimeter College Decatur, GA 69. Georgia Southwestern State University Americus, GA 70. University of Guam Mangilao, GU 71. College of Southern Idaho Twin Falls, ID 72. Idaho State University Pocatello, ID 73. Northwest Nazarene University Nampa, ID 74. Barat College Lake Forest, IL 75. Carl Sandburg College Galesburg, IL 76. City Colleges of Chicago Harold Washington College Chicago, IL 77. College of Lake County Grayslake, IL 78. Columbia College Chicago Chicago, IL 79. Illinois Valley Community College Oglesby, IL 80. MacMurray College Jacksonville, IL 81. National-Louis University Evanston, IL 82. Southeastern Illinois College Harrisburg, IL 83. Southern Illinois University at Edwardsville Edwardsville, IL 84. Trinity Christian College Palos Heights, IL 85. Bethel College Mishawaka, IN 86. Ivy Tech State College ? Kokomo/Logansport Kokomo, IN 87. Martin University Indianapolis, IN 88. Oakland City University Oakland City, IN 89. University of Saint Francis Fort Wayne, IN 90. Vincennes University Vincennes, IN 91. Briar Cliff College Sioux City, IA 92. Central College Pella, IA 93. Clark College Dubuque, IA 94. Graceland University Lamoni, IA 95. Grand View College Des Moines, IA 96. Hawkeye Community College Waterloo, IA 97. Iowa Central Community College Fort Dodge, IA 98. Maharishi University of Management Fairfield, IA 99. Marycrest International University Davenport, IA 100. Quest College Davenport, IA 101. Upper Iowa University Fayette, IA 102. Baker University ? School of Professional and Graduate Studies Overland Park, KS 103. Barton County Community College Great Bend, KS 104. Dodge City Community College Dodge City, KS 105. Garden City Community College Garden City KS 106. Independence Community College Independence, KS 107. Seward County Community College Liberal, KS 108. Ashland Community College Ashland, KY 109. Kentucky State University Frankfort, KY 110. Madisonville Community College Madisonville, KY 111. Prestonsburg Community College Prestonsburg, KY 112. Western Kentucky University Bowling Green, KY 113. Louisiana State University and Agricultural and Mechanical College Baton Rouge, LA 114. Louisiana State University at Eunice Eunice, LA 115. Our Lady of Holy Cross College New Orleans, LA 116. University of New Orleans New Orleans, LA 117. Kennebec Valley Technical College Fairfield, ME 118. Allegany College of Maryland Cumberland, MD 119. Capitol College Laurel, MD 120. College of Southern Maryland La Plata, MD 121. Columbia Union College Takoma Park, MD 122. Community College of Baltimore County ? Catonsville Campus Catonsville, MD 123. Hagerstown Community College Hagerstown, MD 124. Harford Community College Bel Air, MD 125. Howard Community College Columbia MD 126. Montgomery College Rockville, MD 127. Prince George's Community College Largo, MD 128. Broadwater State College Bridgewater, MA 130. Eastern Nazarene College ? LEAD Program Quincy, MA 131. Fisher College Boston, MA 132. Mount Wachusett Community College Gardner, MA 133. University of Massachusetts Amherst Amherst, MA 134. Baker College Flint, MI 135. Davenport University Grand Rapids, MI 136. Davenport University ? Central Region Midland, MI 137. Delta College University Center, MI 138. Kalamazoo Valley Community College Kalamazoo, MI 139. Kellogg Community College Battle Creek, MI 140. Siena Heights University Adrian, MI 141. Spring Arbor College Spring Arbor, MI 142. Wayne County Community College Detroit, MI 143. Alexandria Technical College Alexandria, MN 144. Bemidji State University Bemidji, MN 145. Concordia University, St. Paul ST Paul, MN 146. Lake Superior College Duluth, MN 147. Northland Community and Technical College Thief River Falls, MN 148. Northwestern College St. Paul, MN 149. Pine Technical College Pine City, MN 150. St. Cloud State University St Cloud, MN 151. St. Cloud Technical College St Cloud, MN 152. St, Paul Technical College Saint Paul, MN 153. Alcorn State University Lorman, MS 154. East Central Community College Decatur, MS 155. Hinds Community College Raymond, MS 156. Mississippi Gulf Coast Community College Perkinston, MS 157. Lindenwood University St Charles, MO 158. Ozarks Technical Community College Springfield, Mo 159. State Fair Community College Sedalia, MO 160. University of Missouri ? Rolla Rolla, MO 161. Westminster College Fulton, MO 162. William Woods University ? College of Graduate and Adult Studies Fulton, MO 163. Miles Community College Miles City, MT 164. Salish Kootenai College Pablo, MT 165. Stone Child College Box Elder, MT 166. University of Montana ? Missoula College of Technology Missoula, MT 167. Bellevue University Bellevue, NE 168. Central Community College ? Columbus Campus Columbus, NE 169. Central Community College ? Grand Island Campus Grand Island, NE 170. Central Community College ? Hastings Campus Grand Island, NE 171. Chadron State College Chadron, NE 172. Clarkson College Omaha, NE 173. Metropolitan Community College Omaha, NE 174. Mid-Plains Community College North Platte, NE 175. Peru State College Peru, NE 176. Southeast Community College Lincoln, NE 177. University of Nebraska ? Lincoln Lincoln, NE 178. Great Basin College Elko, NV 179. University of Nevada-Reno Reno, NV 180. University of Nevada ? Las Vegas Las Vegas, NV 181. College for Lifelong Learning Concord, NH 182. McIntosh College Dover, NH 183. New Hampshire Community Technical College at Laconia Laconia, NH 184. Southern New Hampshire University Manchester, NH 185. Caldwell College Caldwell, NJ 186. Centenary College Hackettstown, NJ 187. Fairleigh Dickinson University Teaneck, NJ 188. Hudson County Community College Jersey City, NJ 189. New Jersey Institute of Technology Newark, NJ 190. Saint Peter's College Jersey City, NJ 191. Sussex County Community College Newton, NJ 192. College of Santa Fe Santa Fe, NM 193. College of the Southwest Hobbs, NM 194. Northern New Mexico Community College Espanola, NM 195. Briarcliffe College Bethpage, NY 196. Canisius College Buffalo, NY 197. Cayuga Community College Auburn, NY 198. Columbia-Greene Community College Hudson, NY 199. Corning Community College Corning, NY 200. D'Youville College Buffalo, NY 201. Daemen College Amherst, NY 202. Dominican College of Blauvelt Orangeburg, NY 203. Elmira College Elmira, NY 204. Genesee Community College Batavia, NY 205. Herkimer County Community College Herkimer, NY 206. Hilbert College Hamburg, NY 207. Houghton College Houghton, NY 208. Jefferson Community College Watertown, NY 209. Mercy College Dobbs Ferry, NY 210. Monroe Community College Rochester, NY 211. Nyack College Nyack, NY 212. Roberts Wesleyan College Rochester, NY 213. Schenectady County Community College Schenectady, NY 214. St. John Fisher College Rochester, NY 215. State University of New York College at Fredonia Fredonia, NY 216. State University of New York College at Oswego Oswego, NY 217. State University of New York College of Agriculture an Technology at Cobleskill, NY 218. State University of New York Maritime College Throggs Neck, NY 219. Touro College New York, NY 220. Ulster County Community College Stone Ridge, NY 221. Costal Carolina Community College Jacksonville, NC 222. Durham Technical Community College Durham, NC 223. Fayetteville State University Fayetteville, NC 224. Guilford Technical Community College Jamestown, NC 225. Mayland Community College Spruce Pine, NC 226. Mitchell Community College Statesville, NC 227. Mount Olive College Mount Olive, NC 228. North Carolina Central University Durham, NC 229. Pitt Community College Winterville, NC 230. Rockingham Community College Wentworth, NC 231. South Piedmont Community College Ansonville, NC 232. Stanly Community College Albemarle, NC 233. Surry Community College Dobson, NC 234. University of North Carolina at Charlotte Charlotte, NC 235. University of North Carolina at Pembroke Pembroke, NC 236. Jamestown College Jamestown, ND 237. University of Mary Bismarck, ND 238. Valley City State University Valley City, ND 239. Ashland University Ashland, OH 240. Columbus State Community College Columbus, OH 241. Davis College Toledo, OH 242. Defiance College Defiance, OH 243. Kent State University Kent, OH 244. Lima Technical College Lima, OH 245. Lourdes College Sylvania, OH 246. Malone College Canton, OH 247. Miami-Jacobs College Dayton, OH 248. Southern State Community College Hillsboro, OH 249. University of Northwestern Ohio Lima, OH 250. University of Rio Grande Rio Grande, OH 251. Youngstown State University Youngstown, OH 252. Connors State College Warner, OK 253. Eastern Oklahoma State College Wilburton, OK 254. Northeastern Oklahoma A & M College Miami, OK 255. Northwestern Oklahoma State University Alva, OK 256. Oklahoma City Community College Oklahoma City, OK 257. Southwestern Oklahoma State University Weatherford, OK 258. St. Gregory's University Shawnee, OK 259. Tulsa Community College Tulsa, OK 260. University of Oklahoma Norman, OK 261. University of Oklahoma ? College of Cont. Ed. And Advanced Programs Norman, Ok 262. University of Science and Arts of Oklahoma Chickasha, OK 263. Western Oklahoma State College Altus, OK 264. Concordia University Portland, OR 265. Northwest Christian College Eugene, OR 266. Portland Community College Portland, OR 267. Southwestern Oregon Community College Coos Bay, OR 268. Umpqua Community College Roseburg, OR 269. Warner Pacific College Portland, OR 270. Cedar Crest College ? Continuing Education Programs Allentown, PA 271. Clarion University of Pennsylvania Clarion, PA 272. DeSales University Center Valley, PA 273. Gannon University Erie, PA 274. Holy Family College Philadelphia, PA 275. Keystone College La Plume, PA 276. La Roche College Pittsburgh, PA 277. La Salle University Philadelphia, PA 278. Lehigh Carbon Community College Schnecksville, PA 279. Neumann College Aston, PA 280. Peirce College Philadelphia, PA 281. Pennsylvania College of Technology Williamsport, PA 282. Pennsylvania Institute of Technology Media, PA 283. Point Park College Pittsburgh, PA 284. Horry-Georgetown Technical College Conway, SC 285. Piedmont Technical College Greenwood, SC 286. University of South Carolina ? Aiken Aiken, SC 287. University of South Carolina Spartanburg Spartanburg, SC 288. Mitchell technical Institute Mitchell, SD 289. Mount Mary College Yankton, SD 290. National American University Rapid City, SD 291. Aquinas College Nashville, TN 292. Bethel College McKenzie TN 293. Chattanooga State Technical Community College Chattanooga, TN 294. Cleveland State Community College Cleveland, TN 295. Crichton College Memphis TN 296. Cumberland University Lebanon, TN 297. East Tennessee State University Johnson City, TN 298. Martin Methodist College Pulaski, TN 299. Middle Tennessee State University Murfreesboro, TN 300. Nashville State Technical Institute Nashville, TN 301. Northeast State Technical Community College Blountville, TN 302. Southern Adventist University Collegedale, TN 303. Tennessee State University Nashville, TN 304. Tennessee Wesleyan College Athens, TN 305. Tusculum College Greenville, TN 306. Angelina College Lufkin, TX 307. College of the Mainland Texas City, TX 308. Dallas Baptist University Dallas, TX 309. Dallas County Community College District Dallas, TX 310. Dallas County Community College District ? Richland College Dallas, TX 311. El Centro College Dallas, TX 312. Hardin-Simmons University Abilene, TX 313. Houston Community College System Houston, TX 314. Lamar University Beaumont, TX 315. Navarro College Corsicana, TX 316. North Lake College Irving, TX 317. Our Lady of the Lake University San Antonio, TX 318. Sam Houston State University Huntsville, TX 319. Southwestern Adventist University Keene, TX 320. St. Mary's University San Antonio, TX 321. Tarleton State University Stephenville, TX 322. University of Texas at El Paso El Paso, TX 323. Vernon Regional Junior College Vernon, TX 324. Champlain College Burlington, VT 325. Southern Vermont College Bennington, VT 326. John Tyler Community College Chester, VA 327. Liberty University ? External Degree Program Lynchburg, VA 328. Rappahannock Community College Glenns, VA 329. Southside Virginia Community College Alberta, VA 330. University of Virginia's College at Wise Wise, VA 331. City University Bellevue, WA 332. Olympic College Bremerton, WA 333. Pacific Lutheran University Tacoma, WA 334. South Puget Sound Community College Olympia, WA 335. Washington State University Pullman, WA 336. Southern West Virginia Community and Technical College Gay, WV 337. West Virginia Wesleyan College Buckhannon, WV 338. Chippewa Valley Technical College Eau Claire, WI 339. Milwaukee Area Technical College Milwaukee, WI 340. Mount Mary College Milwaukee, WI 341. Silver Lake College Manitowoc, WI 342. University of Wisconsin ? La Crosse La Crosse, WI 343. University of Wisconsin ? Oshkosh Oskosh, WI 344. University of Wisconsin ? Platteville Platteville, WI 345. University of Wisconsin ? Stout Menomonie, WI 346. Western Wisconsin Technical College La Crosse, WI 347. Wisconsin Indianhead Technical College Shell Lake, WI 348. Central Wyoming College Riverton, WY 349. Western Wyoming Community College Rock Springs, WY 350. Capella University Minneapolis, MN Tamara - Detroit, Michigan U.S.A.

I too find it funny that every time someone posts a complaint that there is a rebuttal posted almost immediately. What's even funnier is that they all say sort of the same thing. I was blatently lied to by Ashworth about several things. The "real" school I go to now would never do that because they would probably get sued. But Ashworth, on the other had, hides away in a dark basement somewhere expoiting education and getting away with it. Ashworth is not a real school and their credits are absolutely worthless unless you want to transfer them to another worthless school such as the University of Pheonix. And yes, many prestigeous universities offer online classes, but they do not offer entire degrees over the internet. Give me a break can you see the University of Florida giving open book proctored exams? How do you take Comp.I over the internet. Part of what makes the college experiance so valuable to employers is the student's interaction with other people in a working evnviroment. How can you do that by simply answering twenty questions and moving on to the nest lesson? YOU CAN'T!!

********PCDI ALERT!!********** DO NOT ENROLL IN ANY PCDI/ASHWORTH COLLEGE/JAMES MADISON HIGH SCHOOL COURSES. I USED TO WORK THERE IN THE "ADMISSIONS DEPT". IT IS A BOILER ROOM SALES SETTING DESIGNED TO GET POOR, UNEDUCATED FOOLS TO AGREE TO TAKE WORTHLESS COURSES. NO REAL COMPANY OR SCHOOL WILL RECOGNIZE THOSE WORTHLESS DEGREES. WE USED TO GET PAID COMMISSION TO "ENROLL" PEOPLE AND MADE A LOT OF MONEY WHETHER PEOPLE FINISHED THE COURSE OR NOT. IT IS NOT A REAL SCHOOL BUT A BUILDING WITH A WAREHOUSE IN NORCROSS,GA. PEOPLE READ A SCRIPT AND ARE TRAINED TO MAKE YOU STAY ON THE PHONE UNTIL YOU ENROLLED OR HUNG UP ON US.IF YOU GAVE US A CC OR CHECKING ACCT. NUMBER YOU ARE DONE FOR. THE "EDUCATORS" OR "TUTORS THERE WERE NOT MUCH BETTER AND WOULD NOT RETURN YOUR CALLS IF YOU NEEDED COURSE HELP. THIS COMPANY HAS NO USEFULL ACCREDIATION EXCEPT BY "THE DISTANCE EDUCATION TRAINING COUNCIL" WHICH WILL ACCREDIATE ANY "SCHOOL" WITH A ROOM AND 2 BOOKS IN IT. I FELT SO BAD FOR PEOPLE I STARTED TELLING THEM TO GET A GED OR GO TO COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN THEIR TOWN INSTEAD OF US AND WAS FIRED OF COURSE. THE FORMER OWNER WAS RICHARD KRUGER WHO MADE MILLIONS AND THEN SOLD THE BUSINESS TO ANOTHER SHADY COMPANY. THE MAIN VILLIANS STILL THERE ARE MIKE RUTSKY WHO IS A YES MAN TO COMPANY POLICY.... GENE LUPIE WHO IS THE BIGGEST,FATTEST LIAR GOD EVER PUT ON EARTH AND USED TO HAVE AN AFFAIR WITH A DRUG USING l*****n NAMED ARLETTA CRUDUP(WHO USED TO SLEEP WITH WHITE MEN AND BLACK WOMEN FROM WORK ALL THE TIME AND BRAG ABOUT IT).AND MILTON MILLER WHO WEARS GLASSES SO THICK HE CAN SEE ATOMS. REPEAT: DO NOT EVEN CALL THESE PEOPLE OR THEY WILL PUT YOU ON THEIR LIST TO CALL. STAY AWAY FROM THEM!! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!

I was enrolled in ashworth in their early childhood associates degree program. Until my employer told me that the state of Ohio will not accept them as a degree granting facilty.I then went to the Ohio Dept. Of Ed first they wanted to know if they were accredited then i sent her the web site. she then came back with the well i do not see where they issue you a license when you are finished the Ohio board of reagents have not returned my calls on this. when I tried to talk to ashworth about this and they just tried to settle my claim!! at this time i did not know i had a claim!! yeah they would just take 1/2 of what I owed them for the semester. this threw me for a loop. I was Happy with them and wanted to continue with them. I do not have time to play the game with who's who in the accredited world I only have until 2007 to obtain my degree or I will loose my Job. So If anyone knows of where I can find answers to this let me know and if you live in Ohio I would check and check again.

The six regional accreditation bodies are: 1. The Middle States Association of Colleges and Schools. 2. The New England Association of Schools & Colleges. 3. The North Central Association of Colleges and Schools. 4. The Northwest Association Of Schools And Colleges. 5. The Southern Association of Colleges and Schools. 6. The Western Association of Schools and Colleges. I have not seen where Ashworth College is accredited with any of these, so be aware of your future educational choice. If the college degree you choose is not accredited by any of the six listed above, consider it to be Junk. All reputable employers are going to know the difference.

I am currently enrolled in Ashworth College for an Associates in Human Resource Management. I guess my question is if Ashworth Degrees are legitimate, why is everyone transferring their credits to another school? If I get an Associates Degree in HR, and I have no plans on continuing school for a BS or a Masters, am I going to get laughed at when I go out and look for a job and state that my Associates Degree is from Ashworth? I really need to know if this Degree is legitimate or if I am just wasting my money? There is no way I can return to a college classroom setting or even online classes right now as I work two jobs and am raising my kids on my own. But after everything I have read, I am worried that this is going to be a degree that just gets laughed at. Any feedback would be appreciated. Thank you.

Another great response from an Ashworth College spokesperson. As a prospective student, one would believe that any respected school would provide an evaluation upon request. Gathering information to make the correct choice is paramount to any business transaction. When students decide to invest in themselves there has to be by-lateral cooperation at all levels of the negotiation. The student customer is not always right, but with numerous Rip Off claims directed at certain businesses they must be respected for caution when dealing with e-business exchanges of account withdrawals. In many cases when a school becomes popular, the shift in thinking from the school needing students to the students' needing the school, there creates at atmosphere for single-minded directional communication. At the onset, students need an education; they do not need a particular school. The need for a particular school develops as students invest more into classes and the farther into the program they become entrenched. The students should create the dependency, not the school. If the school attempts to create the dependency at the beginning of enrollment, they will cause students to lose faith. By attempting to fast forward student enrollment should be considered a bad method. If any interested party would care to research this controlled mentality, they may discover that most students are smart enough to recognize this type of deception. A caution to all e-business designs: Stuck on Stupid is a receipt for disaster especially when an institution believes that all negotiations are based on Their way or no way. The Signature of Stupid lays within the very policies an institution defends.

The idea that Ashworth is a business and other RA institutions are not, is a bit of a fallacy. No matter what anyone says, all institutions have to operate under basic business principles, (spend less then you bring in), or they will not be around very long. One primary task of any educational institution is not only to get perspective students excited about their school, but to get them to apply AND enroll. I would suspect that there is a significant number of perspective students who get excited about a school but lose that excitement during the application process and never actually start a class, (I have been in that boat several times). By getting students enrolled and started immediately on their first class, would seem to greatly increase the conversion rate of "perspective students" to "students". My point is that from a business stand point, it is a good idea. There is always the possibility that when transcripts are evaluated that there may be a problem. So then the student cancels and pays the $100 or so dollars for the tuition he has used so far. Also, keep in mind that if you apply to a typical RA school and get your transcripts evaluated, you will pay $50-200 just to apply and there usually are additional fees to enroll. That is not applied to tuition, it is just to apply. With Ashworth, there aren't any application or enrollment fees. Everything goes to tuition and if you cancel, you pay for the tuition that you have used. Sounds like a good deal to me! There is no question that Ashworth operates differently than most colleges and universities, but that doesn't make their way bad. Ashworth is probably not a good school for everybody. You just need to be aware of the differences and make sure that they are not a problem for you.

Well, you must be a spokesperson for Ashworth College. Your comments reinforce the suggestion that this college is only in the business for the money. The bottom line of any business is to make profit. Contrary to the Presidents Message that the college is committed to helping students achieve their dreams; time spent helping students only takes away from the revenue. Categorically, no high-level college in this great nation require students to pay first before getting an evaluation to establish the starting point. All regionally accredited colleges first want transcripts before entry. It appears that this nationally accredited college first wants the money and the signed contract before entry. My lengthy conversation with the Registrar indicated that there is no competencies or provisions at Ashworth to evaluate transcripts prior to the student's investment. Their position must be a direct reflection on all the complaints posted on this website. It also suggests that Ashworth does not have a direct communication channel to other colleges in terms of cross-referencing transferred classes. This flaw shows an extreme weakness in their CRM and ERP design, which is a direct link to the success of their e-Business model. So, if any of the readers have a suggestion for improvement maybe suggesting to first hire the right people to manage, provide the correct resources to perform, and disseminate information to the proper individuals to lead. Right now it seems to be out of control.

Having trouble transfering credits into Ashworth College? Here are a couple of pointers. #1 If you did not already pay your downpayment to BE enrolled in Ashworth, then your transcripts will NOT be evaluated. The school enrolls between 600-800 students a day. They have enough on their hands with the enrolled students. #2 There are several courses that will not be transferred no matter what. Some examples; Intro to Business, Business Communication, Micro and macro economics, intro to Psychology. There are several more. #3 You need to take 50% of the Ashword coursework to get their degree, and if the courses that you took, do not match up almost exactly, they wont transfer. Just a couple of things to keep in mind. h*e they help.

I have been trying to enroll in Ashworth's Associates in Criminal Justice program. I have sent all transcripts for each of the universities I have gone to. I am currently completing a Masters Degree in Strategic Management and wanted to study criminal justice to strengthen this degree. For the past month I have emailed and telephoned Ashworth requesting my transcripts be evaluated for transfer. The response I got from the registrar was that none of my Regional Accredited credits would transfer. Go figure. I sent two memos to the Dean of Undergraduate Studies and have not received a response. All I want to do is study criminal justice; many of the courses within the associates degree I have already completed. How complicated can this be.

I want to thank you all for an entertaining evening. Reading all of your posts has been quite entertaining. After reading the posts in this forum, I have finally made a decision, and I will tell you what that is later. When I started researching possible MBA schools, I was quite surprised to see a lot of information that seemed to indicate that DETC accredited schools are reasonably well accepted, especially in the corporate world. I had not heard of DETC and was under the impression that if you are not RA, you are not accredited. I have done a lot of research and read a lot of post in forums like this one. The factual research has shown me that DETC degrees are considered real degrees in general in the corporate world. That is not to say that a degree from Ashworth is equivalent to a degree from Harvard, for example. The vast majority of HR departments use the US Dept. of Ed. Website to validate degrees and DETC schools are included. Reading post in forums like this one has been very entertaining. Post against Ashworth and DETC schools in general fall into two basic categories. The first group are those who are convinced, non-regional accredited = diploma mill. No matter how much research and how many facts are presented to them to the contrary, they will not listen. Typically their posts are, (with a few exception), nothing more then a bunch of ranting from an emotional position with little or no facts. My favorite comment in this forum was that schools like Ashworth try to recruit under educated people. If you have a product to sell, you need to find people who need what you are selling, (marketing 101). If people are under educated, the need education - duh . . . On the flip side of that are those who have been trying to present the facts and research. Their posts are typically well thought out from an intellectual standpoint, and very well presented. If that is any indication what DETC educated people are like, I am impressed! I have a little more sympathy for the second group, (a little . . . ). They are people who have had a bad experience, for one reason or another, from a DETC school. But without realizing it, they usually admit that they didn't really read the info on the website about accreditation or the financial policies, etc. But the logic of most of their arguments is that since they got screwed by a DETC school, all DETC schools suck. I will admit that most of my information is second hand, although I did make a few calls to HR directors. But almost without exception, the arguments from those opposed to DETC schools are nothing more then emotional rants based on anecdotal information. In contrast, the arguments in favor of DETC schools are based on facts. Based on what I have seen, I have decided to enroll in Ashworth's MBA program. By the way, I have taken a Master's level course from Capella University, (a highly respected RA school). No exam, proctored or otherwise.

So far, I have not had any real problems with the school. I was previously enrolled in another online graduate program ,which had many deadlines and pressure. I like the fact that I can put my books down for months at a time if I need to... And if I have a problem in a course, I can take as long as I need to absorb the information. I was wondering if anyone out there has had any experiences with the MBA program? Has anyone had any difficulty with the program, specifically the accounting and financial statement classes? I am trying to make a good decision about whether or not to stay with this school or move to a different program that I have recently discovered...

I work for a Vermont State College that I could go to tuition free. Because of my schedule as a Security Officer and the fact that my college dosen't offer the program I wanted, I opted for Ashworth college. I am just finishing up my second semester of the Criminal Justice Associates Degree program and I have to say I am just thrilled with Ashworth college. I have had zero problems with their service. I am retired from the U.S. Army as a Military Policeman and I also have Civilian L.E experience, and I am here to say that Ashworth's program is tops. For the Money spent, If you are a disciplined individual that will not try and cut corners or are not a "Tire kicker" or "Impulse buyer" (This course takes commitment and ambition) and you want a good education for a very fair price, then I have to say Ashworth college would treat you right. It sure has treated me right.

There is no way anyone that has dealt with PCDI/Ashworth can dare say they're happy with the program. It's nothing more than a joke. You learn nothing and companies do not recognize it as a legit school. Their books are out dated and the course I took I ended up having to go to a "real" college before I could even do medical transcription. So, for all you PCDI employees that post on here pretending to be a satisfied customer.......get a life.

You can learn from the PCDI books but when it comes to finding a job they are not recognized by companies. They're a scam. You learn nothing really. I took the MT course and if I did the work the way PCDI told me to I'd not have a job.

Ashworth College is real. If you are concerned about fake degrees then look at all the dip. mills online. With Ashworth you have to work for your grades they are not just given to you. I have never had any prob's with them and I have been a student since Nov. 04. It may be true that this type of school isn't for everyone but they must be doing something to still be in business. I am glad they are avb. and the prices are very low. Ashworth rocks in my book. The customer svr not the best but they have opened a new website for students that make exams much easyer as well as payments, ect. They have very strict guidelines for admisson and you must send in transcripts to be allowed admisson. Don't just take my word for it. Check out the online http://www.alphaphicom.com Welcome to Alpha Phi Com!We are the first internet fraternity. The college we represent is Ashworth College. These students will set the record straight. But don't take my work for it check it out yourself.

There is NOTHING wrong with open book tests! Traditional colleges have them a lot! You just don't flip through the book without reading the lessons before hand anyway! If you're doing that then of course you will not learn anything! Closed book exams all the time can be a hinderance to learning since you are more focused on MEMORIZING without learning anything! Then after the test, you completely forget what you learned! At least with opened book, there is constant reading and reviewing and that will stick in your head!

By happenstance I found your posts on Ashworth College. I have been going to this college for over two years and have never experienced a problem with them. Although I will say, being behind in one 35$ payment I recieved for the first time a deliquency notice. It says that my payments are SERIOUSLY deliquent. I laughed. In fact the same day I have just paid the term in full. Other than that fact I have not had a reason to complain. I suppose this is something new with them. But what company doesn't send those out if your late on a payment? I have called other institutions that I am thinking of attending for my B.S. in Psychology and I have not run into one yet that will not accept the credits. Of course any college or university has only so many credits that you can transfer. Having a new baby and a household to run, and some physical discomforts this allows me to stay at home and receive a solid education. Regardless of the problems you guys seem to have, if you want to learn, the material is up to date and accredited. Where else are you going to get an A.S. Degree for three thousand dollars? When I contacted my local university, I couldn't afford the first semester let alone an entire degree. Working people with children and a home to pay for should not be ripped out of an education and I am glad to see that someone out here is trying to help that issue. PCDI, Ashworth College and Education Direct have all seemed to do my family justice. My sister just finished getting a degree in Business from Ashworth and was able to increase her salary by almost fourth thousand dollars a year. I think that is a pretty good return for the three she put in. Furthermore, someone in my immediate family is attending UOP. My education seems superior to theirs. Why? Because I actually have to read the material, I choose to follow up with recommended websites and further study, I have to actually take lessons and exams. I have to actually know the material to answer the questions. While this person attends team meetings on a UOPs' newsgroups, cuts and pastes the answers to any questions asked, has no tests to take. The ones that are taken, can be taken on pc over and over until a 100% is accomplished. This person will graduate soon with a B.S. degree and I have to say, after three plus years has learned little to nothing. While I read until 2 am and have learned a great deal. I give credit to Ashworth for their material. And as far as phone calls I have waited a few minutes for a question, but nothing to extensive. I have found them very helpful when I spoke to them. Plus the new website for students allows me to pay the small monthly tuitions online without having to wait for the mail. In contrast, I would rather get my education this way and for a great price than the $1400 a course it costs the other member of my family!(that doesn't even include books!) Best of luck to all of you fellow students. If you are attending Ashworth, continue your studies, it is rewarding, educational, and you can continue your education with many other institutions.

Has anyone ever completed the courses and found a job upon completion? I am looking into many different online courses to obtain my accounting certificate and one day further my education by getting a degree, I just want a start. Many different people have many different views of this School, but has anyone really ever gotten a job with the certificate they provide?

Has anyone ever completed the courses and found a job upon completion? I am looking into many different online courses to obtain my accounting certificate and one day further my education by getting a degree, I just want a start. Many different people have many different views of this School, but has anyone really ever gotten a job with the certificate they provide?

Has anyone ever completed the courses and found a job upon completion? I am looking into many different online courses to obtain my accounting certificate and one day further my education by getting a degree, I just want a start. Many different people have many different views of this School, but has anyone really ever gotten a job with the certificate they provide?

Has anyone ever completed the courses and found a job upon completion? I am looking into many different online courses to obtain my accounting certificate and one day further my education by getting a degree, I just want a start. Many different people have many different views of this School, but has anyone really ever gotten a job with the certificate they provide?

I am a 20 year old mother of a child with a chromosome abnormality. I just got out of the military and am now a stay at home mom. I have looked at the website and would like to get into medical transcription so I can work at home and stay with my son. I was just wondering if anyone has done this course yet, and hwta feedback they have had on getting a job.

I am a 20 year old mother of a child with a chromosome abnormality. I just got out of the military and am now a stay at home mom. I have looked at the website and would like to get into medical transcription so I can work at home and stay with my son. I was just wondering if anyone has done this course yet, and hwta feedback they have had on getting a job.

I am a 20 year old mother of a child with a chromosome abnormality. I just got out of the military and am now a stay at home mom. I have looked at the website and would like to get into medical transcription so I can work at home and stay with my son. I was just wondering if anyone has done this course yet, and hwta feedback they have had on getting a job.

I am a 20 year old mother of a child with a chromosome abnormality. I just got out of the military and am now a stay at home mom. I have looked at the website and would like to get into medical transcription so I can work at home and stay with my son. I was just wondering if anyone has done this course yet, and hwta feedback they have had on getting a job.

I've attended Thomson High School through educationdirect.com because it was more affordable than James Madison through PCDI. However the college at educationdirect.com didn't offer Psychology and Ashworth did... so that is where I am going now. I think it is rediculous that everyone is complaining about a school that is accredited and only charges 789 a semester! - with a NO INTEREST PAYMENT PLAN!!!! Hello?!? Normally you pay up to 250 per credit hour, so if you attend one college class at a regular community college or you attend a college online other than Ashworth or Education Direct you should expect to pay at least 750 for one class... uh hello 789 for 5 classes including books... Not a bad idea! Customer service is average, I have never had a problem that could not be solved through Ashworth. The tests are open book because you are teaching your self. IT also states in there introduction that you need self-discipline ( read the chapters people)! Dont you want to know and understand the material... for the idiot who looks up the answers you need more discipline, you could cheat anywhere even in a class room that doesn't mean you'll never get caught. If you dont get caught by Ashworth you will get caught when someone asks you a question about the subject you are studying and you stand there like beavis and butt-head! I am a stay at home mother Brendalee... and I recommend this school. As for the one class at a time thing... when you have 2 tests left in that subject your other subject is on it's way. :)

I can say that I have had many problems with PCDI. However I have finished my course studies, completing 4 semesters and have transfered to another University. The university accepted all my credits. But, I can say that it is very hard to get in touch with the business office or for a rep. to return my call. It was a waste of time, and the only thing the school is worried about is geting their money. I will never return back or enroll for their master's program. My money was not well spent, however I am glad that it is over with. There is no student help. I am very dissappointed with the program. However before I started with the school, I made sure that the major university in my city would except credits from the school. U of Houston(main campus and dwtn) as well Tx Southern and others. So make sure you do your homework before you start the homework! I am continuing my education and that is the most important thing about the experience! Good luck to all!

After weeks of emailing Asheworth they finally got back to me and had absolutely no problems with my decision on quiting the coarse. At first they did try to talk me out of it but when I told them they don't have my transcript because of an error I made when sending out for it and the financial probs I'm now having thay totally stopped trting to talk me into staying with them. I do believe you have something like 30 days to decide if a college is right for you and if by chence you decide it's not and you cancel before the 30 day period is up then no college gives you a problem with it.It only cost me the startup fee $5.00 and even though the extra 5 bucks would help me out I'm not about to throw a fuss over it. I wish the best for all of you within receiving an education and happy holidays also.

I am an HR Manager for an international company and am currently attending Ashworth College to get my Associates Degree in Human Resources. I have enjoyed every moment of my studies and have to say that the lessons and courses are completely up to date and worth every dollar I have spent. I recently sat (and passed) my PHR Certification and am impressed at how up to date Ashworths text books are. The format Ashworth requires to earn a degree is the wave of the future for education. Many working adults (like myself) cannot attend a local school due to work, family and the time involved. We can though make time to spend the hours needed to study and earn a degree. Ashworth gives us that chance. All this complaining I see here really makes me want to just remind the complainers that Ashworth College is a business, and they expect their students to pay their tuition just like any other college. If you don't like the contract, then don't sign and go spend three times the amount at a local school. As for employment, since I am an HR Manager, I can tell you that Ashworths Degree is 100% accepted in my industry and in most others. I have met other graduates that have moved on to great paying positions with what they learned through Ashworth. Good luck and remember that your success in life is not handed to you from your Degree, but from you own attitude and personal experiences.

The bottom line concerning PCDI is, will it get me a job?! And I can tell you after finishing their Paralegal course not one law firm would even consider me. So bottom line, PCDI sucks.

I must say after reading what everyone had to say about PCDI I personally think that they are a great school and I have never had any problems with them, as for it not being challenging you are wrong on that part, you have to make it a challenge to learn. I am going for the Forensic Science course and I must say that it is very challenging. As for the books being outdated, well my are dated 2004 for i wouldnt say that it is outdated, look at the books that our children learn from in school they are older books but i dont see anyone complaining on that topic. Also as for the problem with money, Maybe you should have read your contract, If you borrow money from a University or other college you still have to pay it back right, well what is the difference. I must say it is very embarrasing to see adults act to childish.

I must say after reading what everyone had to say about PCDI I personally think that they are a great school and I have never had any problems with them, as for it not being challenging you are wrong on that part, you have to make it a challenge to learn. I am going for the Forensic Science course and I must say that it is very challenging. As for the books being outdated, well my are dated 2004 for i wouldnt say that it is outdated, look at the books that our children learn from in school they are older books but i dont see anyone complaining on that topic. Also as for the problem with money, Maybe you should have read your contract, If you borrow money from a University or other college you still have to pay it back right, well what is the difference. I must say it is very embarrasing to see adults act to childish.

Come on people why must you argue? Ashworth finally got in touch with me and of course trying to get me to change my mind but hell it state in the book if the don't receive the transcript within 90 days then the registration will be cancelled and the tuition will forfeit.So if they don't cancel my registration now then they will in the end anyhow. I don't understnd why there'a any arguement's between anyone here.Come on people, we're only giving honest opinions and feedback here.Why can't we work as a team in which some agree to disagree instaed of lowering ourselves to the name callin level.It's just uncool and reminds me of my 9 and 10 yo boys having their little spats.Sorry but it's the truth.I feel there's no need to call names or put someone else down due to a different input. Happy holidays to everyone!

About ashworth college there seems to be a split as to if it is a legitimate school, a decent school or a rip off. I have been a student there for awhile now, and i have many good things to say about them. they have sent my proctored exams out in a very timely manner and the one time i was a little late with the money, they were very understanding and did not pose any threats to me. Some people seem to have a problem with the fees, I am also a current traditional student studying nursing and the school i go to will kick you out if you do not have your tuition paid by a certain date, this is in the contract you sign and any idiot knows that college is not FREE! as far as the accreditation, I contacted the ohio dept of education and they gave ashworth the thumbs up! if you go into this thinking that they are regionally accredited, then you have not done the proper investigation. Ashworth is nationally accredited and they are a good, decent and ligitimate school.. call the ohio dept of education or write to the DETC for further info.

About ashworth college there seems to be a split as to if it is a legitimate school, a decent school or a rip off. I have been a student there for awhile now, and i have many good things to say about them. they have sent my proctored exams out in a very timely manner and the one time i was a little late with the money, they were very understanding and did not pose any threats to me. Some people seem to have a problem with the fees, I am also a current traditional student studying nursing and the school i go to will kick you out if you do not have your tuition paid by a certain date, this is in the contract you sign and any idiot knows that college is not FREE! as far as the accreditation, I contacted the ohio dept of education and they gave ashworth the thumbs up! if you go into this thinking that they are regionally accredited, then you have not done the proper investigation. Ashworth is nationally accredited and they are a good, decent and ligitimate school.. call the ohio dept of education or write to the DETC for further info.

About ashworth college there seems to be a split as to if it is a legitimate school, a decent school or a rip off. I have been a student there for awhile now, and i have many good things to say about them. they have sent my proctored exams out in a very timely manner and the one time i was a little late with the money, they were very understanding and did not pose any threats to me. Some people seem to have a problem with the fees, I am also a current traditional student studying nursing and the school i go to will kick you out if you do not have your tuition paid by a certain date, this is in the contract you sign and any idiot knows that college is not FREE! as far as the accreditation, I contacted the ohio dept of education and they gave ashworth the thumbs up! if you go into this thinking that they are regionally accredited, then you have not done the proper investigation. Ashworth is nationally accredited and they are a good, decent and ligitimate school.. call the ohio dept of education or write to the DETC for further info.

About ashworth college there seems to be a split as to if it is a legitimate school, a decent school or a rip off. I have been a student there for awhile now, and i have many good things to say about them. they have sent my proctored exams out in a very timely manner and the one time i was a little late with the money, they were very understanding and did not pose any threats to me. Some people seem to have a problem with the fees, I am also a current traditional student studying nursing and the school i go to will kick you out if you do not have your tuition paid by a certain date, this is in the contract you sign and any idiot knows that college is not FREE! as far as the accreditation, I contacted the ohio dept of education and they gave ashworth the thumbs up! if you go into this thinking that they are regionally accredited, then you have not done the proper investigation. Ashworth is nationally accredited and they are a good, decent and ligitimate school.. call the ohio dept of education or write to the DETC for further info.

Judge nit-wit: I'm curious as to why you think people should take your word over that of the U.S. Secretary of Education? Why should people trust you with regards to accreditation when you can even properly spell the word? You're a nit-wit, plain and simple. You know nothing about the regional or national accreditation (not accrediation) processes, and you know nothing about what makes an accreditor legitimate. I will say this again, one final time: DETC and SACS have met the EXACT SAME criteria in order to earn CHEA and USDE recognition. If DETC was as weak as you allege, USDE and CHEA would not recognize them. In any event, I am not a racist. I went to overpriced schools because my skin wasn't dark enough to earn me minority scholarship assistance. Giving out money on account of skin color? Now that's racism, my friend. PS: What do you know about the bar exam? How do you know a law library on campus will help someone pass? Are you sure bar review courses, commercial bar-prep materials, and old class notes and outlines aren't the key? Do you really think reading case reporters would be of help for bar exam review?

Judge nit-wit: I'm curious as to why you think people should take your word over that of the U.S. Secretary of Education? Why should people trust you with regards to accreditation when you can even properly spell the word? You're a nit-wit, plain and simple. You know nothing about the regional or national accreditation (not accrediation) processes, and you know nothing about what makes an accreditor legitimate. I will say this again, one final time: DETC and SACS have met the EXACT SAME criteria in order to earn CHEA and USDE recognition. If DETC was as weak as you allege, USDE and CHEA would not recognize them. In any event, I am not a racist. I went to overpriced schools because my skin wasn't dark enough to earn me minority scholarship assistance. Giving out money on account of skin color? Now that's racism, my friend. PS: What do you know about the bar exam? How do you know a law library on campus will help someone pass? Are you sure bar review courses, commercial bar-prep materials, and old class notes and outlines aren't the key? Do you really think reading case reporters would be of help for bar exam review?

Judge nit-wit: I'm curious as to why you think people should take your word over that of the U.S. Secretary of Education? Why should people trust you with regards to accreditation when you can even properly spell the word? You're a nit-wit, plain and simple. You know nothing about the regional or national accreditation (not accrediation) processes, and you know nothing about what makes an accreditor legitimate. I will say this again, one final time: DETC and SACS have met the EXACT SAME criteria in order to earn CHEA and USDE recognition. If DETC was as weak as you allege, USDE and CHEA would not recognize them. In any event, I am not a racist. I went to overpriced schools because my skin wasn't dark enough to earn me minority scholarship assistance. Giving out money on account of skin color? Now that's racism, my friend. PS: What do you know about the bar exam? How do you know a law library on campus will help someone pass? Are you sure bar review courses, commercial bar-prep materials, and old class notes and outlines aren't the key? Do you really think reading case reporters would be of help for bar exam review?

Judge nit-wit: I'm curious as to why you think people should take your word over that of the U.S. Secretary of Education? Why should people trust you with regards to accreditation when you can even properly spell the word? You're a nit-wit, plain and simple. You know nothing about the regional or national accreditation (not accrediation) processes, and you know nothing about what makes an accreditor legitimate. I will say this again, one final time: DETC and SACS have met the EXACT SAME criteria in order to earn CHEA and USDE recognition. If DETC was as weak as you allege, USDE and CHEA would not recognize them. In any event, I am not a racist. I went to overpriced schools because my skin wasn't dark enough to earn me minority scholarship assistance. Giving out money on account of skin color? Now that's racism, my friend. PS: What do you know about the bar exam? How do you know a law library on campus will help someone pass? Are you sure bar review courses, commercial bar-prep materials, and old class notes and outlines aren't the key? Do you really think reading case reporters would be of help for bar exam review?

Hey Exquire, I'll trust the people who worked there rather than you. It sound like your gripe is that you overpaid for a law degree that you don't use. Probably because you cant pass the bar (which a law library WILL help you do). Why don't you complain to the ABA instead of here. PCDI or any school can get DETC accrediation by simply convincing a board they have a valid program. But to get SACS or regional accrediation,you actually have to have a certain percentage of students graduate in a certain amount of time. That doesnt sound the same to me you LOSER! Why don't you shut your racist mouth and open your eyes for a change and let people who know what they're talking about do the posting here.

Well needless to say I emailed Ashworth twice and haven't received any response, not even a phone call! This does tick me off. I emailed them bout my financial problems (like they'd care)and told them straight out if they don't have some sort of financial aid then I have no choice but to cancel.Being I just started I've only paid the $5 startup fee but have received another bill already and get this they don't even have my GED transcript! (Go figure)I made an error when I requested the transcript and it's not being sent to Asheworth, it's being sent back to me to redue.I guess it wasn't an error afterall.Hell I figure they don't have my transcript so it shouldn't be a prob for me to cancel the registration.Hell I've only completed one test in the Business essentials book they sent me.Maybe this should've been my first hint..most colleges would wait til they receive a transcript before sending out any materials muchless a bill! Hell after Asheworth suckered me in the phone kept ringing with all different colleges wanting me to register with them! In the past I took a coarse with an International Correspondence School (ICS) and have my diploma in Journalism (short story/poetry)and well now I wonder if that was an error to do.I tried to call ICS and the number had been disconnected with no further info.I can't even get a transcript from them! That coarse cost me over $500 and I did learn more about writing.I'm a poet (unknown still)but I run three different poetry boars as the Assistant Admin.I'll be very upset if in the end I was ripped off by ICS and this Journalism diploma means nothing but nonsense! As a mother of three precious children I just feel a strong desire to succeed in life and make them aware that an education is a definate need to survive in this world.I regret quiting school but I am proud I now I have my GED and my children are proud of my succeeding as well.They know you have to work on getting an education without taking any shortcuts. How do we stop those whom are ripping off many innocent people whom are trying to build onto their lives but coming upon this dead end? It's so unfair to all of us! I will be more cautious before deciding where to receive an education from now on! TY Tiara and the rest of you polite people for the 411. I really appreciate it and so will my family.

Miss Tee says: Let's get another thing straight.....comparing SACS and DETC are like comparing apples and oranges. Not according to the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation. According to our Secretary of Education, all of the accreditors that these agencies recognize are considered equal. This is because they have met the exact same standards to earn recognition. I'll take their word over yours. Miss Tee also says: As far as the ABA is concerned, a school has to have a law library for students to use to even be considered for approval so that leaves all home study and most other coleges out. This is precisely why I believe that the ABA's policies are arbitrary and discriminatory. It is also why many ABA accredited schools are failing to put up respectable bar pass numbers. I went to law school, kiddo. Did you? At my extremely overpriced ABA approved institution, I needed to use the library for research exactly one time. And that was only because we were not provided with Lexis and Westlaw passwords until the second semester. Even then, I completed most of my case law research at the local courthouse library, rather than at the school library. The existence or non-existence of Law libraries should have no impact on the ABA approval process. With the advent of online legal research, law school libraries are a waste of money. Law schools and the ABA should start focusing on learning outcomes, student satisfaction, and most importantly, bar pass rates. Otherwise, they will continue to get embarrassed by correspondence JD grads on the bar exam. Miss Tee finally says: As far as the [James Madison] high school course is concerned, the military will only take it if you score a certain number of points higher on the ASVAB test. Colleges will only take it if you score higher than average on the SAT test. Otherwise it's only good for community colleges.. where you don't even need a HS diploma to enroll in! Wait! What? James Madison is accredited by DETC under the PCDI umbrella. However, the high school is also regionally accredited by SACS, the very organization you have such a chubby little hard-on for. Are you telling me that SACS is the greatest institutional accreditor ever, except when it applies to James Madison? If colleges accept regionally accredited high school diplomas, James Madison diplomas will qualify. Get the facts, you nit-wit! Also, do you have any evidence that James Madison students are required to score higher on the SAT? I don't think that is the case. In fact, I would argue that the self motivated and highly dedicated grads produced by James Madison (or any accredited distance education high school) would be preferred over the lazy bags of garbage our inner city public schools poop out in to society.

Brendalee, if you can cancel now and get all your money back then do it. Otherwise just take the course,add it to your resume and make the best of it. Local community colleges are a better option. I worked there for a few months and quit. It was the most demeaning job I ever had.I always told people to take these PCDI courses as a hobby but not to seriously try and advance your career. You would be better off working part time or even volunteering at a school or day care center to get the experience and education you need for the day care field. The only way that "degree" will help you is if you are competing against a 18 year old kid with no previous job history. Ashworth is a ripoff. PCDI/James Madison HS is a ripoff. They prey on the emotion of people to get them to say yes. The enrollment fee for all courses is only $5. The salespeople on the phone follow a script and are trained to start high with the price and go lower if necessary. Does that sound like a real school? When I worked there they did not have SACS or DETC accrediation,but they may have it by now. It's in the literature they mail out. If you were in any way lied to by the person on the phone then insist on canceling for a full refund. The salespeople get paid commission based on 4 areas: 1)Total number of enrollments processed 2)Higest average amount of down payment(full payment received at one time which is like hitting the Jackpot) 3)Quality Assurance Monitering 4)Attendence 90% of the calls are recorded and yours could be also.(not for your protection,but to evaluate the employees to make sure they follow the script) Good Luck to you.

I just enrolled in Ashworth's associates degree progam for early childhood education.after reading this I'm unsure if I should continue with them.I can't afford to be ripped off trying to bulid on an education for my future.When Ashworth called me I explained that it wasn't the right time for me (money wise) but the lady just kept lowering the startup fee til she finally hit $5 and needless to say I took it. I did find the proctor fee ($20) a bit odd and they do still charge you for it.I'm 30yo and a single mother of three.I've taken night GED classes and proud to say I passed!I enjoy working with my three (10,9,3) children and I have a strong desire to teach but if Ashworth isn't going to get me anywhere then I can't (won't) continue the coarse.I have three children to provide for and they're more important than me.I need feedback Please! Should I quit Ashworth and try an online coarse through my county community college? TY and goodluck to everyone on receiving an education.

At first I like the course. I called PCDI and asked the lady on the phone how many grads of the Paralegal get jobs. She couldn't/wouldn't answer the question. I did enjoy the materials simplistic though they were. After I finished the course I went around to several law firms looking for work as a paralegal. Each law firm laughed me out of the building.

The University of Phoenix takes Ashworth College transfer credits. I have had a pretty good experience with Ashworth College. However, they did send me the wrong exam for my semester final exam. Other than that, its okay!

Cheryl, I don't think your experience speaks for all of people who attend Ashworth college. Having prepaid legal is nice, and nicer that your employer pays for it for their employees, but think about why he does it? It's PEOPLE LIKE YOU cheryl who have lawyers look over every tiny detail to find loopholes to get out of contracts and to sue, not the ones who can't afford lawyers as the other person wrote. If she/He can't afford a lawyer, it would be illogical to think that this person is suit happy don't you think? No, it's usually the people that have lawyers on retainer that sue or find ways out of contracts. And my dear, contracts are only as good as the paper they were written on. If the law was only in black and white, and no shades of grey then we wouldn't have court systems where we could challenge poorly written contracts, illegal contracts etc. Just because it's a contract, does not mean that it's a legal contract and the signer loses all their rights when they sign it. That is why people go to court. You would make a poor lawyer if you didn't understand that concept. As a matter of fact, the class action lawsuits where all the offended parties get together and sue are the most effective ones. You know why Cheryl? Because they stop companies from illegal practices. Think of Erin Brokovich, and that class action lawsuit that saved lives Cheryl, or the Class action lawsuit that was brought against Paypal, Cross Country bank, Providian Bank and OCWEN Bank. It HELPED the current customers of those companies retain their rights and helped future customers not lose theirs. Ashworth College has had plenty of problems with their new computer system, and the student services department, well, it's basically a call center. They have very limited real student services, although I do think they are trying to improve them. The BBB does have information on them, and they do try to resolve most complaints against them but that is not enough IMO.If someone or a group of students that attend this school feel that they got the wrong end of the stick, and that they lost their rights when they signed the "CONTRACT" that they have now have no legal redress. That's not true at all. I am a student at Ashworth and found that what they advertise and deliver are not the same. I can't get much help from student services when I call, or write and usually their answers come from a script telling the student which page to look on for the answer. But that is not the friendly, helpful student services I was expecting from all the ads on their website. The contract at Ashworth simply states your financial obligation. But if you don't get what you payed for, then you can and should sue them. I am just waiting for this class action lawsuit against Ashworth to come to fruition. I know it will eventually happen,as there are so many complaints against Ashworth , both from this site and the BBB,and once it does they will have to make some serious changes.

Now, wait a minute. I wasn't saying that everyone must use an attorney. Where in my post did I say that "EVERYONE MUST CONSULT A LAWYER?" What I specifically said, was, "I had my lawyer go over EVERY DETAIL in the agreement BEFORE I enrolled." I simply stated what I, myself, have done. I was able to consult a lawyer because I have PrePaid Legal Services, via my employer. If I didn't have their services [which are very affordable], then yes, you're right - it would be unrealistic to hire them. My only point was that people should at least read things thoroughly and ask questions before they sign on the proverbial "dotted line." Isn't it funny how sue-happy this nation is? It's because of *PEOPLE LIKE YOU* that lawyers are getting rich, because when you don't get your way, then you want to SUE, when you should have READ THE CONTRACT BEFORE SIGNING! Did these people go by what they "thought" they were getting and what they "thought" they were promised, or did they read everything in the contract first? Are they making their payments on time, or are they letting payments slip, and maybe *THAT IS WHY* PCDI is on their case, and sending them bills? Also, when these students call, are these students approaching the customer service reps. as though they are there to help them, or are these people calling with their diatribe and acting hostile and rude? You attract more ants with honey, than you do with vinegar. That could be the reason why these people are having such a hard time. If they really are getting such poor customr service, then PCDI should be made aware. However, I've never had a problem with PCDI losing my tests, or with making my payments, or with having people call me back, or with their customer service. I wish nothing but the best of outcomes for those who seem to be having problems. Have a nice day. :o)

Cheryl, how many people do you think can really afford a lawyer to read every document they sign? That's totally unrealistic. Especially for people taking these home study courses that are broke anyway and looking for a job or need more education to get a better job. The courses are only a few hundred to a couple of thousand dollars. How much does a lawyer charge per hour? Using that logic, you should have a lawyer read your cell phone agreement,warranties,etc. Thats why lawyers are getting rich now because of people like you. Besides PCDI has lawyers on staff just to make sure the bullshit they sell is legal. The bottom line is, if you don't get what you paid for and what you were promised then you DON'T have to pay. As far as PCDI is concerned if you can actually use the worthless piece of paper they give you then you are one of the lucky ones.If you want information for your "research" then read the post titled "It's a boiler room setting". Ignore the personal attacks the ex-employee wrote. The rest of it is true. I am an ex-employee also.

Did you read the contract/agreement BEFORE you signed? The contract does cover the topic of reimbursement. Bascially, if you haven't cancelled anything before one week is up (after registering/enrolling), you aren't getting your money back. Full tuition is still due - if you complete the course, or not. It's really important to read things through BEFORE you sign on the line. I had my lawyer go over EVERY DETAIL in the agreement BEFORE I enrolled. I understood what I was getting into BEFORE I enrolled. I also know several people who have studied through PCDI, who have jobs related the field they were studying, so there was proof positive that PCDI is a reputable school, and that their certificates/diplomas/degrees, etc. are valid. I can't stress how important it is to read and re-read contracts and agreements, and also how important it is to do research and find people to talk to who have actually studied with PCDI.

I am feeling ripped off ! I have been being sent one book at a time,I dont get another until I am finished with one? For that reason I would not have chosen this college. Yes I realize you have to pay, but they are wanting money every week. I thought it was once a month? They are coming up with all these reasons for getting it. I have called them over and over and I never get an answer to anything,just a run around. I want to Scream.. I dont know what to do, I dont want to owe this money if I am not getting what I am paying for. Maybe I need a Lawyer.

I am currently a student at Ashworth College and am reaching the end of my third semester in Computer Information Management. I have been enrolled sense 2002 and I have had nothing but pleasant experiences with this educational institution. Final exams are sent to a proctor but as far as the $20.00 fee, they no longer charge for this anymore. As far as it no making any sense that they send the final exams to a proctor even though the lessons and textbook work is open book is not true. You are getting an opportunity to take the lessons and course work open book with no time limit. The final exam is also open book but is assess a time limit. You have to get your mind stimulated someway. Give me a break. A timed final exam is well worth it considering how easy the coursework and material is. Now I do agree that Ashworth College should work on their customer service with hold time on the phones and follow up routine, but this is a very large institution with and enormous amount of advertisements. Ashworth College has to be doing something right because they have just added two more Associates Degree Programs in Marketing and Security. In addition they also have Masters Degree programs in Business Management. Ashworth College does have people who care because I have been contacted directly by the dean of education for this institution to get course work matters resolved.

My response: To Ms. Danielle from L.I. The key word was "research". Do not be mislead like myself that on-line colleges are any less better then attending campus colleges. I see I hit a sore spot Ms. Danielle by all means that was not my intention.

Samantha from Brooklyn in her post entitled "Real College Credits" states: I attended the University of John Jay College in New York and have obtained B.A. in Criminology. -- When I asked about transferring credits I earned on-line the reply I received was no. -- Regardless, the best advice is to do your research before you apply to any college. My response: John Jay College is Part of the City University of New York (CUNY) system. CUNY itself offers online programs. See www.cuny.edu. Does that mean John Jay College, as part of the CUNY system, is not a "real" college? Does this mean that John Jay would refuse to accept online credits earned via CUNY or other properly accredited schools? No on both fronts. Samantha got some bad information. On campus and online CUNY programs are equally legitimate. And so are on campus and online programs offered at other properly accredited schools. But the problem with non-traditional education and higher-ed accreditation is that that people just don't get the facts. The inaccurate posts contained within this report support such an assertion.

Samantha from Brooklyn in her post entitled "Real College Credits" states: I attended the University of John Jay College in New York and have obtained B.A. in Criminology. -- When I asked about transferring credits I earned on-line the reply I received was no. -- Regardless, the best advice is to do your research before you apply to any college. My response: John Jay College is Part of the City University of New York (CUNY) system. CUNY itself offers online programs. See www.cuny.edu. Does that mean John Jay College, as part of the CUNY system, is not a "real" college? Does this mean that John Jay would refuse to accept online credits earned via CUNY or other properly accredited schools? No on both fronts. Samantha got some bad information. On campus and online CUNY programs are equally legitimate. And so are on campus and online programs offered at other properly accredited schools. But the problem with non-traditional education and higher-ed accreditation is that that people just don't get the facts. The inaccurate posts contained within this report support such an assertion.

Samantha from Brooklyn in her post entitled "Real College Credits" states: I attended the University of John Jay College in New York and have obtained B.A. in Criminology. -- When I asked about transferring credits I earned on-line the reply I received was no. -- Regardless, the best advice is to do your research before you apply to any college. My response: John Jay College is Part of the City University of New York (CUNY) system. CUNY itself offers online programs. See www.cuny.edu. Does that mean John Jay College, as part of the CUNY system, is not a "real" college? Does this mean that John Jay would refuse to accept online credits earned via CUNY or other properly accredited schools? No on both fronts. Samantha got some bad information. On campus and online CUNY programs are equally legitimate. And so are on campus and online programs offered at other properly accredited schools. But the problem with non-traditional education and higher-ed accreditation is that that people just don't get the facts. The inaccurate posts contained within this report support such an assertion.

Samantha from Brooklyn in her post entitled "Real College Credits" states: I attended the University of John Jay College in New York and have obtained B.A. in Criminology. -- When I asked about transferring credits I earned on-line the reply I received was no. -- Regardless, the best advice is to do your research before you apply to any college. My response: John Jay College is Part of the City University of New York (CUNY) system. CUNY itself offers online programs. See www.cuny.edu. Does that mean John Jay College, as part of the CUNY system, is not a "real" college? Does this mean that John Jay would refuse to accept online credits earned via CUNY or other properly accredited schools? No on both fronts. Samantha got some bad information. On campus and online CUNY programs are equally legitimate. And so are on campus and online programs offered at other properly accredited schools. But the problem with non-traditional education and higher-ed accreditation is that that people just don't get the facts. The inaccurate posts contained within this report support such an assertion.

I attended the University of John Jay College in New York and have obtained B.A. in Criminology. When I asked about transferring credits I earned on-line the reply I received was no. Regardless, the best advice is to do your research before you apply to any college. Best of luck...

First of all it's MR.T. Secondly, all of you that have done your research on the internet or wherever you got your info are the one's misleading the public. My experience is real world. I've talked to and worked for over 6 years with students,colleges,teachers,etc. that have dealt with PCDI for years. The feeling is if you want to feel good about yourself,have some spare time and money and want to take some classes,then PCDI is ok. But,if you are serious about higher learning,getting a degree or a better career,then PCDI is a joke. Let's get another thing straight.....comparing SACS and DETC are like comparing apples and oranges. You both sound like the people working for PCDI that mix the two in conversation like they are the same which is a trick to confuse potential students into enrolling. As far as the ABA is concerned, a school has to have a law library for students to use to even be considered for approval so that leaves all home study and most other coleges out. As far as the high school course is concerned, the military will only take it if you score a certain number of points higher on the ASVAB test. Colleges will only take it if you score higher than average on the SAT test. Otherwise it's only good for community colleges.. where you don't even need a HS diploma to enroll in! It looks good on a resume to have James Madison HS on it, but studying for and getting a GED is harder and more widely accepted. All the info I've given is accurate and if you doubt it then spend $4000.00 for an Associate Degree or any course from PCDI and see where it will get you. This is my last post on the subject. Everyone can make up their own mind.

PCDI's Ashworth College is accredited by DETC only. SACS will not accredit college level programs that are DL only. HOWEVER, PCDI's James Madison High Schoool IS accredited by SACS: Our accredition: James Madison High School is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). SACS only accredits schools meeting their rigorous academic criteria, including a commitment to continuous improvement. SACS accreditation also ensures that we're recognized nationally by most regional accrediting bodies, and that our students will benefit from an expert teaching staff, comprehensive courses, and quality texts. (http://www.jmhs.com/about/accredited.html). See also: www.sacs.org/pub/elem/web_proceed/CITAaccredited.pdf The gal above also said that "It [PCDI] was created and designed to give the minimun learning for the maximum amount of money." (T from Atlanta, GA). Are you serious? PCDI/Ashworth, good or bad, is by far one of the most affordable properly accredited schools in existence. Get your facts straight, madam!! Come on!

PCDI's Ashworth College is accredited by DETC only. SACS will not accredit college level programs that are DL only. HOWEVER, PCDI's James Madison High Schoool IS accredited by SACS: Our accredition: James Madison High School is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). SACS only accredits schools meeting their rigorous academic criteria, including a commitment to continuous improvement. SACS accreditation also ensures that we're recognized nationally by most regional accrediting bodies, and that our students will benefit from an expert teaching staff, comprehensive courses, and quality texts. (http://www.jmhs.com/about/accredited.html). See also: www.sacs.org/pub/elem/web_proceed/CITAaccredited.pdf The gal above also said that "It [PCDI] was created and designed to give the minimun learning for the maximum amount of money." (T from Atlanta, GA). Are you serious? PCDI/Ashworth, good or bad, is by far one of the most affordable properly accredited schools in existence. Get your facts straight, madam!! Come on!

PCDI's Ashworth College is accredited by DETC only. SACS will not accredit college level programs that are DL only. HOWEVER, PCDI's James Madison High Schoool IS accredited by SACS: Our accredition: James Madison High School is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). SACS only accredits schools meeting their rigorous academic criteria, including a commitment to continuous improvement. SACS accreditation also ensures that we're recognized nationally by most regional accrediting bodies, and that our students will benefit from an expert teaching staff, comprehensive courses, and quality texts. (http://www.jmhs.com/about/accredited.html). See also: www.sacs.org/pub/elem/web_proceed/CITAaccredited.pdf The gal above also said that "It [PCDI] was created and designed to give the minimun learning for the maximum amount of money." (T from Atlanta, GA). Are you serious? PCDI/Ashworth, good or bad, is by far one of the most affordable properly accredited schools in existence. Get your facts straight, madam!! Come on!

PCDI's Ashworth College is accredited by DETC only. SACS will not accredit college level programs that are DL only. HOWEVER, PCDI's James Madison High Schoool IS accredited by SACS: Our accredition: James Madison High School is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). SACS only accredits schools meeting their rigorous academic criteria, including a commitment to continuous improvement. SACS accreditation also ensures that we're recognized nationally by most regional accrediting bodies, and that our students will benefit from an expert teaching staff, comprehensive courses, and quality texts. (http://www.jmhs.com/about/accredited.html). See also: www.sacs.org/pub/elem/web_proceed/CITAaccredited.pdf The gal above also said that "It [PCDI] was created and designed to give the minimun learning for the maximum amount of money." (T from Atlanta, GA). Are you serious? PCDI/Ashworth, good or bad, is by far one of the most affordable properly accredited schools in existence. Get your facts straight, madam!! Come on!

PCDI's Ashworth College is accredited by DETC only. SACS will not accredit college level programs that are DL only. HOWEVER, PCDI's James Madison High Schoool IS accredited by SACS: Our accredition: James Madison High School is accredited by the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools (SACS). SACS only accredits schools meeting their rigorous academic criteria, including a commitment to continuous improvement. SACS accreditation also ensures that we're recognized nationally by most regional accrediting bodies, and that our students will benefit from an expert teaching staff, comprehensive courses, and quality texts. (http://www.jmhs.com/about/accredited.html). The gal above also said that "It [PCDI] was created and designed to give the minimun learning for the maximum amount of money." (T from Atlanta, GA). Are you serious? PCDI/Ashworth, good or bad, is by far one of the most affordable properly accredited schools in existence. Get your facts straight, madam!! Come on! PCDI and DETC should track you down and holds you accountable for your reckless comments!

You are wrong T, and you are misleading the public with you inaccurate posts. My colleagues and I have been dealing with issues regarding national and regional institutional accreditation for over a decade. I am especially concerned with your assertions that DETC standards are in some way lax. My research indicates they are most certainly not.

First, CHEA and the U.S. Dept of Education (USDE) would not recognize DETC or any accreditor if their accreditation criteria were as weak as you allege. SACS and DETC meet the exact same criteria in order to earn CHEA and USDE approval.

Second, contra to what you have implied, many legitimate unaccredited schools have been denied DETC accreditation. Southern California University for Professional Studies (SCUPS) is certainly not a degree mill. In fact, NCU (an RA university) regularly accepts SCUPS credit in transfer. SCUPS was denied DETC accreditation.

California Coast University is certainly not a degree mill. In fact, when they applied for DETC accreditation, many figured them to be a shoe-in. They have been offering legitimate (and purportedly very difficult) distance learning programs for many years. They were NOT accredited by DETC on their first attempt.

DETC and RA (in this case SACS) criteria are different, but neither is really easier to obtain. CHEA and USDE agree. DETC approval isn't really that much faster to obtain, either. You see, DETC either grants or denies full accreditation after a requisite amount of time. In about' the same amount of time, the regionals basically either deny accreditation, or grant provisional approval. Since degrees from provisionally accredited RA schools carry the same weight as if they were fully accredited, there really isn't that much of a difference in terms of time.

Additionally, DETC issues accreditation for a term of FIVE years. The regionals, on the other hand, grant accreditation for terms of up to TEN years at a time. Both agencies require applicant schools to produce graduates prior to becoming accredited. So, is DETC accreditation really easier to obtain and keep? I would argue that it is not.

Do you really know the major differences between DETC and SACS accreditation? Have you reviewed their accreditation standards? I have. And in my opinion, SACS focuses way too much on inputs such as student-faculty ratios, percentage of tenured faculty, fixed facilities, research capabilities, etc.

On the other hand, DETC appears to be concerned with student satisfaction, and more importantly, learning outcomes. I think this is a better approach because it maximizes learning, while keeping costs down.

It should be noted that Ashworth could not obtain SACS approval anyway. This is because SACS is not very fond of distance learning. Unlike other regionals (NCA in particular), they have never (to the best of my knowledge) accredited a pure, distance only university.

The opposite is also true. There are many RA distance education schools that would not qualify for DETC approval. This is not necessarily because they are inferior, but because the standards are a little different.

For example, DETC will only allow a minimum number of life experience and/or test-out credit (CLEP, et al), while some RA schools provide degrees entirely by exam. Therefore, Excelsior, Charter Oak, and Thomas Edison (all RA) would not qualify for DETC approval. And like I said before, the regionals do not require exam proctoring for distance education courses. This would disqualify several distance RA schools.

Many other things demonstrate that RA schools aren't necessarily superior. Just review the education component of this site. Which schools have the most complaints? The last time I checked, the University of Phoenix (RA by NCA) and American Intercontinental University (RA by SACS), are leaders in the complaint department.

Also, take a look at some bar exam statistics. The California Bar exam is one of the toughest in the nation. But somehow, non-RA/ABA students (whom you believe to be inferior) perform well in this area. In fact, many RA/ABA law school graduates were outscored by several non-RA/ABA correspondence graduates.

Oak Brook Law (unaccredited) outscored all but one RA/ABA law school. Their 73% first time pass rate was second only to UCLA's 79%. Non ABA but DETC approved schools scored fairly high as well. For example, Concord and Taft grads performed better on the exam than many RA/ABA graduates. Whittier's bar pass rate was a lowly 24%. Some DETC schools more than doubled this disgraceful number.

RA/ABA tuition can reach 100k or more, while DETC law tuition does not exceed 30k total. Given this, who is more effective? I would argue that DETC is. Unfortunately, the ABA refuses to recognize distance learning work. Only California allows this type of non-traditional legal education.

In any event, this is what I mean when I talk about learning outcomes. DETC member schools (in general) are succeeding in preparing students for their chosen career. RA schools can not say the say the same. They are too concerned with alumni giving rates and U.S. News rankings than they are with student success after graduation. See the bar exam numbers above.

Poor performing RA schools raise tuition almost every year. They are making students pay for their failures. DETC schools keep tuition low and outcomes high. Overall, I think they are doing a better job. Because of these problems, there have been recent legislative proposals. Representative Howard McKeon, a Republican from California, has proposed two key things.

1) Hold schools accountable for outlandish tuition increases via a tuition affordability index, and essentially punish them for repeated violations. 2) Make it illegal for RA schools to discriminate against transfer students with DETC credits. Visit www.mckeon.house.gov to learn more.

Regardless, the bottom line is this: DETC, just like SACS and the other regionals, is a legitimate and fully recognized accreditor. Neither agency is perfect. Both accredit what could be considered less than wonderful schools. But the regionals accredit more questionable institutions than DETC does. Thomas Edison State College, Cheyney University, UoP, and Excelsior, are just a few of many examples.

Finally, Ms. T., you discussed Ashworth's advertising. Let's not forget that they are a for-profit school, and that advertising is not only acceptable, but necessary. Ashworth conducts itself no differently than many for-profit regionally accredited schools. The University of Phoenix, Peirce College, Strayer University, and Devry University, are just a few of examples of for-profit RA schools that advertise via television. Advertising is in no way unique to DETC member schools.

You are wrong T, and you are misleading the public with you inaccurate posts. My colleagues and I have been dealing with issues regarding national and regional institutional accreditation for over a decade. I am especially concerned with your assertions that DETC standards are in some way lax. My research indicates they are most certainly not. First, CHEA and the U.S. Dept of Education (USDE) would not recognize DETC or any accreditor if their accreditation criteria were as weak as you allege. SACS and DETC meet the exact same criteria in order to earn CHEA and USDE approval. Second, contra to what you have implied, many legitimate unaccredited schools have been denied DETC accreditation. Southern California University for Professional Studies (SCUPS) is certainly not a degree mill. In fact, NCU (an RA university) regularly accepts SCUPS credit in transfer. SCUPS was denied DETC accreditation. California Coast University is certainly not a degree mill. In fact, when they applied for DETC accreditation, many figured them to be a shoe-in. They have been offering legitimate (and purportedly very difficult) distance learning programs for many years. They were NOT accredited by DETC on their first attempt. DETC and RA (in this case SACS) criteria are different, but neither is really easier to obtain. CHEA and USDE agree. DETC approval isn't really that much faster to obtain, either. You see, DETC either grants or denies full accreditation after a requisite amount of time. In about' the same amount of time, the regionals basically either deny accreditation, or grant provisional approval. Since degrees from provisionally accredited RA schools carry the same weight as if they were fully accredited, there really isn't that much of a difference in terms of time. Additionally, DETC issues accreditation for a term of FIVE years. The regionals, on the other hand, grant accreditation for terms of up to TEN years at a time. So, is DETC accreditation really easier to obtain and keep? I would argue that it is not. Do you really know the major differences between DETC and SACS accreditation? Have you reviewed their accreditation standards? I have. And in my opinion, SACS focuses way too much on inputs such as student-faculty ratios, percentage of tenured faculty, fixed facilities, research capabilities, etc. On the other hand, DETC appears to be concerned with student satisfaction, and more importantly, learning outcomes. I think this is a better approach because it maximizes learning, while keeping costs down. It should be noted that Ashworth could not obtain SACS approval anyway. This is because SACS is not very fond of distance learning. Unlike other regionals (NCA in particular), they have never (to the best of my knowledge) accredited a pure, distance only university. The opposite is also true. There are many RA distance education schools that would not qualify for DETC approval. This is not necessarily because they are inferior, but because the standards are a little different. For example, DETC will only allow a minimum number of life experience and/or test-out credit (CLEP, et al), while some RA schools provide degrees entirely by exam. Therefore, Excelsior, Charter Oak, and Thomas Edison (all RA) would not qualify for DETC approval. And like I said before, the regionals do not require exam proctoring for distance education courses. This would disqualify several distance RA schools. Many other things demonstrate that RA schools aren't necessarily superior. Just review the education component of this site. Which schools have the most complaints? The last time I checked, the University of Phoenix (RA by NCA) and American Intercontinental University (RA by SACS), are leaders in the complaint department. Also, take a look at some bar exam statistics. The California Bar exam is one of the toughest in the nation. But somehow, non-RA/ABA students (whom you believe to be inferior) perform well in this area. In fact, many RA/ABA law school graduates were outscored by several non-RA/ABA correspondence graduates. Oak Brook Law (unaccredited) outscored all but one RA/ABA law school. Their 73% first time pass rate was second only to UCLA's 79%. Non ABA but DETC approved schools scored fairly high as well. For example, Concord and Taft grads performed better on the exam than many RA/ABA graduates. Whittier's bar pass rate was a lowly 24%. Some DETC schools more than doubled this disgraceful number. RA/ABA tuition can reach 100k or more, while DETC law tuition does not exceed 30k total. Given this, who is more effective? I would argue that DETC is. Unfortunately, the ABA refuses to recognize distance learning work. Only California allows this type of non-traditional legal education. In any event, this is what I mean when I talk about learning outcomes. DETC member schools (in general) are succeeding in preparing students for their chosen career. RA schools can not say the say the same. are too concerned with alumni giving rates and U.S. News rankings than they are with student success after graduation. See the bar exam numbers above. Poor performing RA schools raise tuition almost every year. They are making students pay for their failures. DETC schools keep tuition low and outcomes high. Overall, I think they are doing a better job. Because of these problems, there have been recent legislative proposals. Representative Howard McKeon, a Republican from California, has proposed two key things. 1) Hold schools accountable for outlandish tuition increases via a tuition affordability index, and essentially punish them for repeated violations. 2) Make it illegal for RA schools to discriminate against transfer students with DETC credits. Visit www.mckeon.house.gov to learn more. Regardless, the bottom line is this: DETC, just like SACS and the other regionals, is a legitimate and fully recognized accreditor. Neither agency is perfect. Both accredit what could be considered less than wonderful schools. But the regionals accredit more questionable institutions than DETC does. Thomas Edison State College, Cheney University, UoP, and Excelsior, are just a few of many examples.

To Nick....DETC will accrediate ANY school that gives a tour of its facilities and can show they are a "school" with a program for learning.

The accrediting body are local businessmen/teachers that usually know the school officers personally so it's really just a "good ole boys network".

HOWEVER...to get SACS accrediation you have to first show a certain numbers of graduates from your program with a huge list of other criteria.

It is not the same and much harder to get,takes years to qualify for and is more valued by "real" schools.. which is why PCDI does not have it.

They actually had it and lost it for their James Madison HS courses. I was one of the longest tenured and most productive employees they ever had. They wished they had more like me until I started valuing morals over money..which they don't.

Don't be mislead by the tone or form of my first letter.I KNOW WHAT I AM TALKING ABOUT!! PCDI is only a call center. Employees come and go daily.

It was created and designed to give the minimun learning for the maximum amount of money. Look at the commercials on TV. Those are PAID actresses and actors talking about the school. PCDI is only useful if you have time and money to waste. PERIOD.

Jamie says: The actual work is very easy, compared to RA schools and I know because I attended an RA school.

Jamie, if you don't mind me asking, which RA school do you attend? If you'd rather not respond in an open forum, feel free to email me.

T States: THIS COMPANY HAS NO USEFULL ACCREDIATION EXCEPT BY "THE DISTANCE EDUCATION TRAINING COUNCIL" WHICH WILL ACCREDIATE ANY "SCHOOL" WITH A ROOM AND 2 BOOKS IN IT.

Your post is neither impressive, nor convincing. It seems to me that you are quite illiterate, to say the least.

In any event, what proof do you have to support your outlandish accreditation allegations? Is DETC accreditation really that easy to obtain? I don't think so. Did you know that SACS schools are not required to administer proctored examinations? Did you know that SCUPS, the sister school of regionally accredited Northcentral University, was recently denied DETC accreditation? Two schools with similar courses and delivery methods; one deemed worthy of RA, and the other denied DETC accreditation. Hmmm!

Ashworth may or may not be a good school, but your assertions regarding DETC are blatantly false and unfounded. According to CHEA and the U.S. Department of Education, DETC is equal to SACS in every measurable way.

I am so glad that finally an employee at Ashworth has responded to these posts. I belong to an email list at Yahoo groups, and if anyone has any doubts about their customer service problems, you should just join the group and read the posts.

Seems they have lots of problems in losing the proctored exams, not sending them out in a timely mannter etc. They do have terrible customer service, and this is because it is a call center.

I posted 4 times now under my own name, and will continue to do so so and let others know that I am not the only one who has had problems with Ashworth.

Ashworth now says that they now installed a new computer system, and there have been some minor gliches, but it will improve things. We all know that Ashworth is DETC accredited, and some RA schools will take Ashworth credits , but not all. Just check around to see who will take them..I hear from a fellow studnet that Kaplan will accept their unofficial record towards credits at kaplan, so you don't even need the official transcript to get into Kaplan.

The actual work is very easy, compared to RA schools and I know because I attended an RA school. They have had a few problems in the CIM program with incorrect answer sheets and marking things wrong when they were correct, but they have responded and corrected these errors.

It's just that we are not really dealing with a typical school and only a call center which causes us so many problems. And as you know, people come and go in call centers like water flows. The pay is poor, and having to take face jobs all day over the phone is discouraging to those who work there. Not an easy job.

But , it's a school and I am finishing up in my third semester with an A average. I will finish this school , and pay for it and get my diploma for whatever it's worth. And If anyone asks me if they should go to Ashworth, I won't tell them either way, but I will direct them to the email posts and let them decide for themselves.

********PCDI ALERT!!***************
DO NOT ENROLL IN ANY PCDI/ASHWORTH COLLEGE/JAMES MADISON HIGH SCHOOL COURSES. I USED TO WORK THERE IN THE "ADMISSIONS DEPT".

IT IS A BOILER ROOM SALES SETTING DESIGNED TO GET POOR, UNDER EDUCATED FOOLS TO AGREE TO TAKE WORTHLESS COURSES. NO REAL COMPANY OR SCHOOL WILL RECOGNIZE THOSE WORTHLESS DEGREES OR DIPLOMAS.
WE USED TO GET PAID COMMISSION TO "ENROLL" PEOPLE AND MADE A LOT OF MONEY WHETHER PEOPLE FINISHED THE COURSE OR NOT.

IT IS NOT A REAL SCHOOL BUT A BUILDING WITH A WAREHOUSE IN NORCROSS,GA.

PEOPLE READ A SCRIPT AND ARE TRAINED TO MAKE YOU STAY ON THE PHONE UNTIL YOU ENROLLED OR HUNG UP ON US.IF YOU GAVE US A CC OR CHECKING ACCT.

NUMBER YOU ARE DONE FOR. THE "EDUCATORS" OR "TUTORS THERE WERE NOT MUCH BETTER AND WOULD NOT RETURN YOUR CALLS IF YOU NEEDED COURSE HELP.

THIS COMPANY HAS NO USEFULL ACCREDIATION EXCEPT BY "THE DISTANCE EDUCATION TRAINING COUNCIL" WHICH WILL ACCREDIATE ANY "SCHOOL" WITH A ROOM AND 2 BOOKS IN IT. ASHWORTH COLLEGE DOES NOT HAVE "SACS" ACCREDIATION BUT THEY WILL LIE AND TELL YOU IT DOES. SOMETIMES WHEN YOU CALL YOU WILL EVEN REACH A CALL CENTER IN UTAH THAT HANDLES OVERFLOW CALLS AND WILL DEMAND YOUR PHONE NUMBER BEFORE IT WILL ANSWER EVEN ONE QUESTION.

I FELT SO BAD FOR PEOPLE I STARTED TELLING THEM TO GET A GED OR GO TO COMMUNITY COLLEGE IN THEIR TOWN INSTEAD OF US AND WAS FIRED OF COURSE.
THE FORMER OWNER WAS RICHARD KRUGER WHO MADE MILLIONS AND SOLD THE BUSINESS TO ANOTHER COMPANY.

THE MAIN VILLIANS STILL THERE ARE:
MIKE RUTSKY WHO IS A YES MAN TO COMPANY POLICY....
GENE LUPIE WHO IS THE BIGGEST,FATTEST LIAR GOD EVER PUT ON EARTH AND USED TO HAVE AN AFFAIR WITH A DRUG USING l*****n NAMED ARLETTA CRUDUP(WHO USED TO SLEEP WITH WHITE MEN AND BLACK WOMEN FROM WORK ALL THE TIME AND BRAG ABOUT IT).. AND "EDUCATION DIRECTOR" MILTON MILLER WHO WEARS GLASSES SO THICK HE CAN SEE ATOMS.

REPEAT: DO NOT EVEN CALL THESE PEOPLE OR THEY WILL PUT YOU ON THEIR CALL LIST AND SELL IT TO OTHER COMPANIES. STAY AWAY FROM THEM!! YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED!!

I have read all the other posts regarding Ashworth College (PCDI), and I must say that I am completely satisfied with this college.

I was even contacted by a University of Phoenix representative recently who said that I could transfer my credits with them.

I am currently pursuing my Human Resources Management A.A.S. degree from Ashworth and when my employer found out about it they began training me for human resource duties.

As for Jamie "Tampa-FL", you seem to be a bitter person, because you have posted at least 3 times. Get over it! So you didn't like Ashworth, just go to another college!!!

I would definitely recommend this school to individuals who have to work a 8-5 shift and are too busy/tired to go sit in a classroom after they get off of work.

As for myself, I am attending Ashworth because I did not go to college right out of high school and I was behind. I figured this was the best way to catch up!!!

As an active duty soldier i dont have a lot of time for a traditional drive to and sit for 3 hour school. It allowed me to CLEP in 4 subjects and i have completed a years worth of college in around 4 months, I work at my own pace, not the teachers or other students. The army pays 100% of the tutition because of its low cost. It is accreidated so you know your going to have something worth while when your done. Yes the credits are transferable but it depends on the college you select. Colleges are in it for the money, so expect to loose credits when going to other colleges. You when some and loose some, there are other schools you can transfer to for a 4 yr degree when your done. If you want to pay big money, stay away from home and be frustrated for 2 years then this is not the school for you.

Now the negative, yes its a pain to get anyone at the school, and the wait on the phone is very long at times. And no one every calls you back and yes they have messed up my tutiton and proctor documents and forms before, but all in all its not any different than any other large organization, Remember i work for the US ARMY and so therfore im used to fixing problems that could of been avoided with a little attention the first time. This just gives me the force to hurry up, graduate and move on. all in all i give it a 80% satisfaction rate. Theres always problems, just which kind do you prefer.

I am currently a student with PCDI, and I have never had a problem with their staff or with making payments. If you enroll in a course, having to make a payment should be no big surprise, come that time every month! As for canceling and being "stuck" with paying anyway, you should have read the terms before signing. It clearly states that if you cancel after a certain period, you will still owe the tuition for the course, regardless.

As for the open book thing: I take offense when people accuse me of using the book while testing. Yes, I DO have a 4.0 GPA. But I got it the honest way. I studied my butt off, and quizzed myself until I was blue in the face! I took my book over to a friends' house and let them keep it overnight until I was done taking the test, to avoid the temptation.

While I'm waiting for my test results to post, I go ahead and study the next set of lessons. If I'm waiting for my next shipment, I go back and review what I've already studied, and quiz myself some more. Then there's always the practice disk that you can use, also. I mean, what's the sense in enrolling in a course, and spending $800+ on a course if you're going to skim through the work and not learn anything, nor know what the heck you're doing when you graduate and get a job?

You'd have to be pretty stupid to waste money like that. It takes a disciplined person to study from home and get an honest grade. Just because you can't succeed, doesn't mean others are in the same boat you're in. Stop whining and blaming others for your lack of research. If you had doubts about your ability to succeed, then maybe you should have never enrolled to begin with!

Hi,

I am a current ashworth student in computer information management.I agree with all with the customer service part,it is very horrable.Ashworth is slow to respond on any questions or concerns.I have had many problems with them sending exams,proctors,and other information incorrectly and take months to correct.My take is that they think profit not service.They dont have enough workers to do the job,but yet are quick to call if payment has not arrived when infact was sent weeks ago?In the end because of payments not getting there i ended up using the automatic monthly credit card payment so my payments would get there ontime.For the person who said people dont pay and that could be the reason dont no what the hell he is even talking about that is not the case beleive me!!

The problem is MONEY!!They are hiring less people to assist thier students because of profit,WAKE UP AMERICA!!Nothing is done that is not about money.Less workers means more profit.People just dont understand that people dont care,every thing is in the name of money.The school would not be there if not,Also RA NA is a joke.RA schools dont except DETC program credits because these online schools that are DETC are its rival in business.If Ra schools aprove these credits then that means less MONEY for them.Colleges in this day in age are about money not education WAKE UP!!

In the end RA students who have left negative feedback about online schools is because they are guided by RA schools to do so,ask anyone.Its like norton vs mcafee its a money game.

If you think about it, online degrees should be honored more than a RA school degree for the simple fact that you are teaching your self.You have no teachers to answer questions or any things that a RA school has.In the business world a business really wants a person who can basicly learn on there own and not have to be trained from scatch.Online schools teach you just that,learn on your own with little help.That to me spells SMART.To me RA schools A.k.a. adult kindergarden schools are for rich kids who live off their parents and want to live like they are still kids thats my opinion.

Hi,

I am a current ashworth student in computer information management.I agree with all with the customer service part,it is very horrable.Ashworth is slow to respond on any questions or concerns.I have had many problems with them sending exams,proctors,and other information incorrectly and take months to correct.My take is that they think profit not service.They dont have enough workers to do the job,but yet are quick to call if payment has not arrived when infact was sent weeks ago?In the end because of payments not getting there i ended up using the automatic monthly credit card payment so my payments would get there ontime.For the person who said people dont pay and that could be the reason dont no what the hell he is even talking about that is not the case beleive me!!

The problem is MONEY!!They are hiring less people to assist thier students because of profit,WAKE UP AMERICA!!Nothing is done that is not about money.Less workers means more profit.People just dont understand that people dont care,every thing is in the name of money.The school would not be there if not,Also RA NA is a joke.RA schools dont except DETC program credits because these online schools that are DETC are its rival in business.If Ra schools aprove these credits then that means less MONEY for them.Colleges in this day in age are about money not education WAKE UP!!

In the end RA students who have left negative feedback about online schools is because they are guided by RA schools to do so,ask anyone.Its like norton vs mcafee its a money game.

If you think about it, online degrees should be honored more than a RA school degree for the simple fact that you are teaching your self.You have no teachers to answer questions or any things that a RA school has.In the business world a business really wants a person who can basicly learn on there own and not have to be trained from scatch.Online schools teach you just that,learn on your own with little help.That to me spells SMART.To me RA schools A.k.a. adult kindergarden schools are for rich kids who live off their parents and want to live like they are still kids thats my opinion.

Hi,

I am a current ashworth student in computer information management.I agree with all with the customer service part,it is very horrable.Ashworth is slow to respond on any questions or concerns.I have had many problems with them sending exams,proctors,and other information incorrectly and take months to correct.My take is that they think profit not service.They dont have enough workers to do the job,but yet are quick to call if payment has not arrived when infact was sent weeks ago?In the end because of payments not getting there i ended up using the automatic monthly credit card payment so my payments would get there ontime.For the person who said people dont pay and that could be the reason dont no what the hell he is even talking about that is not the case beleive me!!

The problem is MONEY!!They are hiring less people to assist thier students because of profit,WAKE UP AMERICA!!Nothing is done that is not about money.Less workers means more profit.People just dont understand that people dont care,every thing is in the name of money.The school would not be there if not,Also RA NA is a joke.RA schools dont except DETC program credits because these online schools that are DETC are its rival in business.If Ra schools aprove these credits then that means less MONEY for them.Colleges in this day in age are about money not education WAKE UP!!

In the end RA students who have left negative feedback about online schools is because they are guided by RA schools to do so,ask anyone.Its like norton vs mcafee its a money game.

If you think about it, online degrees should be honored more than a RA school degree for the simple fact that you are teaching your self.You have no teachers to answer questions or any things that a RA school has.In the business world a business really wants a person who can basicly learn on there own and not have to be trained from scatch.Online schools teach you just that,learn on your own with little help.That to me spells SMART.To me RA schools A.k.a. adult kindergarden schools are for rich kids who live off their parents and want to live like they are still kids thats my opinion.

Hello, past and current Ashworth students. I'd like to say that I've had no problems at all with this school. Retired and living some distance from traditional schools that I would have chosen, Ashworth suits my needs at this time. I find that if you follow the directions that the school puts forth upon enrollment, do your part to see that payments are made on time and lesson exams are submitted in a timely manner, the school does its part to see that you are treated fairly and respectfully.

I believe that many people see distance learning as a sort of "easy way out" and do not take it seriously. In my study of Psychology at Ashworth, I've learned a lot about what motivates people to succeed, or NOT to succeed. It takes a sincere determination to succeed at distance learning. It is not for everyone, as some students need the structure of a traditional classroom. The open-book format is not as simple as it sounds, and is not always easy. You must know or learn how to read and interpret, and this is not a skill that everyone possesses. It can be challenging.

In regard to Student Services, I've had excellent assistance when I've had a question or any kind of glitch along the way. I've challenged an incorrect answer and been given credit for my answer when I could prove I was right. I've been given a second opportunity to submit an exam online when my lesson number "changed" because of an unfortunate mouse click in the wrong place. I believe I've been treated fairly. Ashworth has, so far, provided a pleasurable learning experience.

My advice to anyone considering distance learning at Ashworth College is simply this -- take it seriously, follow the rules, do your best work and expect to be treated fairly and with respect. The effort you put forth will determine your overall satisfaction with your learning experience.

Good luck to all of you who are determined to succeed!

I've been reading all the slams against ashworth college. Some of you are complaining about the college hounding you for their money.WHAAAAAAAAAA did you think it was gonna be free? And for those of you who thought it was a RA college read ashworths websight it says NA. I am a traditional college student as well as an ashworth student. Let me tell all you money complainers something about my home college, they kick you out if your late with your tuition! These schools are businesses and they need the money to run the show. If you dont have the bucks to pay, dont b***h about it if they hound you for the money that you "said" you would pay. Ashworth has been awesome to me, my exams are graded in a very timely manner, I have had NO problems with communication, and they have been more then glad to help me out. Perhaps the reason "some" of you are having trouble is because your not paying your bills. I would recommend Ashworth to anyone!

First, Charter Oak is not a top tier school by any stretch. In fact, if I recall correctly, they are not even a bottom tier school because U.S. News did not rank them.

In my humble opinion, Charter Oak is one of the worst schools -- accredited or otherwise -- in the entire nation. They are a credit bank (test-out) school that refuses to accept DETC work for arbitrary reasons. They will accept DETC credits only if they have been ACE reviewed. I believe this to be a very bad policy. I strongly feel that there are far better options out there.

Now, to your main question... As I have stated before, quite a few regionally accredited colleges will accept DETC approved credits. Like I said before, there are several lists posted here at RoR. A rebuttal in this very report even contains a small list.

However, since you did not see any of these lists, I will post another one for you. The list below contains names of regionally accredited colleges and universities that reportedly accept DETC credits. Note that the list is by no means exhaustive.

Several of the schools listed are fairly prestigious, and many of the schools offer distance education degree programs.

1-University of Phoenix
2-Walden University
3-Oral Roberts University
4-Capella University
5-Jones International University
6-University of Alabama
7-Colorado State University
8-Everett Community College
9-Mount Ida College
10-Lesley University
11-Cheyney University
12-Fox Valley Technical College
13-Western Governors University
14-Bellevue University, Nebraska
15-Chattahooche Technical College
16-British American College
17-Mount Aloysius College
18-Winona State College
19-George C. Wallace Community College
20-Sterling College
21-Indiana State College
22-Kansas State University
23-DePauw University
24-Northcentral University (Arizona)
25-Northwest Christian College
26-University of Wisconsin, Platteville
27 Charter Oak (only if ACE approved)
28-Harvard University, (DL ALB program only)
29-Liberty University
30-University of North Alabama
31-University of West Alabama
32-American Indian University
33-Cleveland State University
34-South Dakota State University
35-Upper Iowa University
36-Union College, NE
37-Ohio University
38-York College
39-Sul Ross State University
40-Stayer University
41-Trinity College
42-Elon University
43-Brigham Young University
44-Oklahoma State University
45-Baker College
46-Touro College and TUI
47-Argosy University
48-Neumann College (liberal studies program)
49-Roger Williams University (University College)
50-Ottawa University (Kansas)
51-American Military University (RA Candidate)
52-American InterContinental University

After conducting thorough research, some knowledgeable folks over at CollegeHints.com were kind enough to create much of this list. I recently made a few additions. It is estimated that nearly 60% of regionally accredited colleges will accept DETC approved credits. This number seems to be steadily increasing. Credit banks like Charter Oak will likely be the last to change their anti-competitive policies.

In any event, if you wish to transfer your DETC credits, contact one of the schools listed above. If you want help narrowing the list down, post a message at over CollegeHints. Someone there will be able to help you find a school that best suits your needs.

A little research goes a long way and so does persistence! Don't give up; there are many options available to you. Remember, just like the regionals, DETC is approved by the U.S. Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (www.chea.org). This means that your credits are just as legal and legitimate as those earned at traditional regionally accredited schools.

If you need additional assistance, email the editor here at Rip-off Report.

I contacted Charter Oak and was told that they will NOT accept DETC credits at all.
What top tiered RA school accepted your DETC credits may I ask? I am very interested in this.

So far Asworth College has been good for me. I of course get to learn at my own pace, help take care of my little brother, and make sure nothing happens to my sick mother and of course work. Now I just recently started im finishing my Business class now, even though they exams are easy and the answers are right there you have to want to read the material so it will stick with you. For those people who just did the exams without reading thats exactly why you didnt learn anything.

I encourage people to give them a try who dont have much time and cant afford to go to a major college or univerisity.

DETC to RA transfer....

You stated: "Most RA schools will not take DETC credits. It's not fair, and it's not a good policy, but it seems to be the norm."

My response: I agree that denials of DETC course work are based on arbitrary and discriminatory policies. Such policies are horrid and unfair. We are in complete agreement here.

However, your allegation regarding credit transfer is simply false. Nothing could be further from the truth. Many believe that DETC courses can never be transferred, but these beliefs are based on false assumptions. I stated that Ashworth credits can be transferred with some minimal effort, and I stand by that statement.

I am living proof that DETC credits can be easily transferred. I went from a DETC program to a top tier RA program. All of my DETC credits transferred with ease. After earning an undergrad degree, I entered and completed a Master's degree program. Now I am attending a law school JD program. The DETC course work I completed laid the foundation for my success.

My transfer success is not just an anomaly. Comprehensive surveys done by CollegeHints.com reveal that approx 60% of RA schools will accept DETC credits. DETC's own survey yields a 66% level acceptance. I found, after conducting a fairly informal survey, that about 80% (maybe more) of ABA approved law schools will accept DETC BA/BS degrees as meeting their admissions requirements.

From these numbers, I infer that course work completed at virtual RA and DETC schools carry substantially similar levels of acceptance. Test out (credit bank) RA programs such as Thomas Edison, Charter Oak, and Excelsior, may even have lower acceptance rates. This is because, in my experience, graduate schools (especially professional doctorate programs); prefer completed course work over test out credit.

Massive amounts of test-out credit may help one to earn a legitimate degree fast. However, several standardized tests carry P grades only, and thus, can not be converted into a GPA. Therefore, entry into graduate school could be made more difficult.

In any event, the schools that do refuse DETC credits are no longer in the majority. By refusing DETC work, they are acting with complete disregard for CHEA's equity in credit transfer statement. All accredited schools are CHEA members, so by ignoring the statement (which can be found at chea.org) they are demonstrating their hypocrisy.

The CHEA statement does not carry with it the force of law, but it may someday. Republican Representative, Howard McKeon (R-CA), has proposed, inter alia, the following...

mckeon.house.gov/Issues/Issue/?IssueID=174
"Transfer of Credits Provision: Denials and deterrents to credit transfers are unfair to students, inhibit student completion and drive up the cost of postsecondary education by forcing students to take and pay for the same courses twice. -- The proposal would prohibit the denial of transfers of credit based solely on the accreditation of the institution from which the student is transferring."

Open and Closed book exams....

You stated: Every single online college that I looked up which is accredited requires proctored exams.

My response: Which schools? And who were they accredited by? Were their exam requirements school-wide? Course by course? Since there are so many schools that offer DL courses, I can only make general comments based on my years of experience.

Generally, I have found that online RA schools require proctored finals for some courses, but not all. In fact, RA schools are not even required to administer proctored finals. Basically, rather than administer off-line proctored finals, many online RA schools require cohort group assignments, research papers, and/or real-time online exams instead.

I was a student at a traditional RA school during my undergrad years. However, while there, I took a few DL courses. Only once was I required to take a proctored final. I am a fairly recent graduate, so I doubt the policies have changed.

In stark contrast to RA schools, every degree granting DETC school has always been required to administer proctored final exams. With very few exceptions, almost every single DETC course concludes with a proctored final; most of which are timed.

I know for a fact that many of the RA schools listed here, on this very website, do not require proctored finals for many of their courses. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, but it is a fact. Just take a minute to call the RA schools listed to learn more about their differing testing policies.

Either way, good luck with your studies. If you need assistance transferring you Ashworth credits, please visit CollegeHints.com or contact the EDitor of this website. This site has a rich history of helping to ensure students and consumers are treated fairly.

You posted: "Unlike Ashworth, many online colleges do not even require proctored final exams."

Every single online college that I looked up which is accredited requires proctored exams. Most of the other schools exams have more stringent testing criteria. If you know of ones that are accredited and do not require proctored exams, please post this to the list. It's a great FYI for those looking into DL schools.

You also posted:
"Students who wish to transfer their Ashworth credits can do so with minimal effort."
This is not always the case. Most RA schools will not take DETC credits. It's not fair, and it's not a good policy, but it seems to be the norm.
While some schools will take DETC credits, those are usually DETC schools themselves.

You posted: "Unlike Ashworth, many online colleges do not even require proctored final exams."

Every single online college that I looked up which is accredited requires proctored exams. Most of the other schools exams have more stringent testing criteria. If you know of ones that are accredited and do not require proctored exams, please post this to the list. It's a great FYI for those looking into DL schools.

You also posted:
"Students who wish to transfer their Ashworth credits can do so with minimal effort."
This is not always the case. Most RA schools will not take DETC credits. It's not fair, and it's not a good policy, but it seems to be the norm.
While some schools will take DETC credits, those are usually DETC schools themselves.

You posted: "Unlike Ashworth, many online colleges do not even require proctored final exams."

Every single online college that I looked up which is accredited requires proctored exams. Most of the other schools exams have more stringent testing criteria. If you know of ones that are accredited and do not require proctored exams, please post this to the list. It's a great FYI for those looking into DL schools.

You also posted:
"Students who wish to transfer their Ashworth credits can do so with minimal effort."
This is not always the case. Most RA schools will not take DETC credits. It's not fair, and it's not a good policy, but it seems to be the norm.
While some schools will take DETC credits, those are usually DETC schools themselves.

You posted: "Unlike Ashworth, many online colleges do not even require proctored final exams."

Every single online college that I looked up which is accredited requires proctored exams. Most of the other schools exams have more stringent testing criteria. If you know of ones that are accredited and do not require proctored exams, please post this to the list. It's a great FYI for those looking into DL schools.

You also posted:
"Students who wish to transfer their Ashworth credits can do so with minimal effort."
This is not always the case. Most RA schools will not take DETC credits. It's not fair, and it's not a good policy, but it seems to be the norm.
While some schools will take DETC credits, those are usually DETC schools themselves.

The open book exams help students to prepare for the closed book final exams. If students do not put forth sufficient effort into their open book exams, they will fail the proctored final. Unlike Ashworth, many online colleges do not even require proctored final exams.

The rationale behind the open book policy is sound. Open book exams are not all that uncommon. Even law schools and medical schools utilize open book exams on occassion. For instance, law students are often permitted to bring their Federal Rules of Civil Procedure code books into their Civ-Pro finals.

Ashworth may not be the best school in the world, but it is fully accredited and totally legitimate institution. The degrees students earn there are every bit as valid as degrees earned on campus. Students who wish to transfer their Ashworth credits can do so with minimal effort. The lists posted here at RipoffReport are a great starting point for transfer student.

Finally, while multiple choice exams are common at the Associate degree level, they are not used as often at the Master's degree level. According to Ashworth, their Master's programs require far more in terms of research papers, essays, etc.

I agree with Danielle to a point,
Ashworth is very easy for most reasonably intelligent people. You don't have to submit much work by paper, and most of the tests are very easy. There are some though, who are not doing as well with Ashworth. It could be that they are non native english speaking persons, or have other learning disabilities or bad prior experiences with schooling in general. Some programs at Ashworth are a bit more difficult than others as well. I am in the CIM program, and while most of the general studies are easy, there are a few things in the CIM program that are a bit more complicated and require thought, such as programming.

It's also relatively inexpensive to go to Aswhworth. Education Direct is also inexpensive, but has better programs in general and is more responsive to students.

I have heard some support Ashworth and tell others how it's "their problem" that they need help with the courses. They tell everyone how "they" are so great at independent study, and they want you to think if you need help that you must be deficient in some way. Others, take any postings about Ashworth so personally and IMO irrationally that they flame you on the email list. Of course, when it happens to them a few weeks down the road, they suddenly realize that maybe Ashworth does have a problem or two.

It turns out that quite a few on the Yahoo Ashworth college groups have had problems with Ashworth's student services. From losing proctored exams,never sending the results via postal mail of the proctored exams, sending the wrong exams and taking months to send the right ones out, and grading tests answers wrong when they are right.

It's not OK for Ashworth to lose the results of your proctored exam from the second semester when you are now finishing the last of 4 semesters. This has allegedly happened to someone on the Yahoo Ashworth college list. Ashworth now wants this person to take the exam over. It's NOT OK to have to wait 2 months for Ashworth to look over a question on one of their tests, when you KNOW that your right and they are wrong...BTW, they did give me the credit for this exam question, but it took 2 months of emails and faxes to get it taken care of.

I am a great student, with a 4.0 GPA at Ashworth ( what else could I be).
I don't need or want a traditional classroom, and I do think that DL schools offer some advantages. But Ashworth needs some work on their student services department.

I am happy for all of you who find Ashworth to be good for you. I was a 23 year old who was sick of making $10/hr. Without a degree I was getting no where, so I turned to Ashworth-convenient and I could still work.

When I got the materials-I was so excited. Then as time moved on, I realized what a joke this was! Come on- every test is open book-proctored exams-why?? They are OPEN BOOK!! I wasn't learning anything! I would get the test and just look up the answers-HOW BORING! I needed a challenge-what ever happened to reports-10 page long essays-homework-labs??

Of course you all are happy with your 4.0 GPA- ALL THE TESTS ARE OPEN BOOK! You can't FAIL!! Sure why not sit home and get a degree that a 12 year could have done!!

Not only were the materials a joke, customer service?? The only time they contacted me was for money! And forget it when I spoke to someone about cancelling!!

They said I had to pay over a thousand dollars for one course!! LOL-these people are crazy-after talking to about 6 different teenagers (yes teenagers) and a so-called supervisor I paid my balance (the corrected)and have been trying to get some of my so-called credits trnasferred since.

I can now say I am attending a REAL University-and I am sooo happy! Believe me-you get what you pay for,and if you actually want to learn something and bring valuable knowledge and experience to a graduate school-don't waste your time here!

If you just want an easy way to earn that piece of paer-then by all means-go ahead!
Key information-read ALL the information in the contract.

I have been a student of Ashworth College for two years, studying for my criminal justice degree.

The reading materials are extensive and some of the questions for the online exams can be downright challenging not to mention the end-of-semester proctored exam.

In the beginning I too had some frustration with contacting the college. There were times when I was on hold for more than 40 minutes and then the system hung up on me!

This has been greatly improved over the last year and I have had no problems at all contacting the college.

The online exam results have ALWAYS arrived within 24 hours and with minor exception my course materials have also been prompt.

I was glad to see that there are varying options to transfer Ashworth credits after graduation, this cements my support of the college.

Finally I wish to add that I have never learned as much in my life as I have from my criminal justice degree. It has been most inciteful and has made me determined to continue my college ambitions.

Hello to fellow students!

I am a current and satisfied student and will be finishing a Criminal Justice Degree this month. With being a self paced course, I was a little uneasy starting off but I new determination would pay off to finish in the perscribed time frame. The way the program is set up is great and has not been a problem. I have been late on a couple of payments and Ashworth College is quick to call and remind me of this but the last time I checked they were not listed as a Non Profit Org. Finishing this degree with everything else going on in my life has given me a great sense of satisfaction. I did not expect to be babied through this degree and no one certianly held my hand or looked over my shoulder.

"I believe that Ashworth has now started an email list group at Yahoo groups to try to recruit potential students. Everytime I post anything negative about Ashworth, sure enough , someone posts a quick rebuttal to my post. But that's just my feeling about what is happening, and I can't be positive that they just don't have a lot of really happy people on the list. Maybe it's just me."

What a crock, the people have been supportive of you, are we reading the same posts?
They have offered their suggestions, as you were asking when you post on a PUBLIC forum!
You are not reading the post, but only galncing and reading what you want to hear.....negativism.
I thought Suzi & Monica have given you excellent advise. You seem very difficult to please.

I am just getting a run around trying to get answers from Ashworth college's student services.
I posted a complaint about them, and hope others read my complaint.

I believe that Ashworth has now started an email list group at Yahoo groups to try to recruit potential students. Everytime I post anything negative about Ashworth, sure enough , someone posts a quick rebuttal to my post. But that's just my feeling about what is happening, and I can't be positive that they just don't have a lot of really happy people on the list. Maybe it's just me.

But that's not the main issue here. I then called their admissions toll free number and asked them a few questions. I wanted to know if I am earning actual credits for each class I take, since they don't post this on their program outline. The man I spoke with on the phone said I am earning credits per course. Then , without me asking him he said Ashworth is SACS accredited. For those who do not know what SACS is, I have it posted below. Perhaps their James Madison PCDI earn your HS diploma is RA accredited, but certainly not Ashworth.

Can someone check this out to see if this is a new sell tactic or was this just a fluke by some over eager sales rep trying to gain my business....

------------------------------------------------
The Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is the recognized regional accrediting body in the eleven U.S. Southern states (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia) and in Latin America for those institutions of higher education that award associate, baccalaureate, master's or doctoral degrees. The Commission on Colleges is the representative body of the College Delegate Assembly and is charged with carrying out the accreditation process.

I am just getting a run around trying to get answers from Ashworth college's student services.
I posted a complaint about them, and hope others read my complaint.

I believe that Ashworth has now started an email list group at Yahoo groups to try to recruit potential students. Everytime I post anything negative about Ashworth, sure enough , someone posts a quick rebuttal to my post. But that's just my feeling about what is happening, and I can't be positive that they just don't have a lot of really happy people on the list. Maybe it's just me.

But that's not the main issue here. I then called their admissions toll free number and asked them a few questions. I wanted to know if I am earning actual credits for each class I take, since they don't post this on their program outline. The man I spoke with on the phone said I am earning credits per course. Then , without me asking him he said Ashworth is SACS accredited. For those who do not know what SACS is, I have it posted below. Perhaps their James Madison PCDI earn your HS diploma is RA accredited, but certainly not Ashworth.

Can someone check this out to see if this is a new sell tactic or was this just a fluke by some over eager sales rep trying to gain my business....

------------------------------------------------
The Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is the recognized regional accrediting body in the eleven U.S. Southern states (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia) and in Latin America for those institutions of higher education that award associate, baccalaureate, master's or doctoral degrees. The Commission on Colleges is the representative body of the College Delegate Assembly and is charged with carrying out the accreditation process.

I am just getting a run around trying to get answers from Ashworth college's student services.
I posted a complaint about them, and hope others read my complaint.

I believe that Ashworth has now started an email list group at Yahoo groups to try to recruit potential students. Everytime I post anything negative about Ashworth, sure enough , someone posts a quick rebuttal to my post. But that's just my feeling about what is happening, and I can't be positive that they just don't have a lot of really happy people on the list. Maybe it's just me.

But that's not the main issue here. I then called their admissions toll free number and asked them a few questions. I wanted to know if I am earning actual credits for each class I take, since they don't post this on their program outline. The man I spoke with on the phone said I am earning credits per course. Then , without me asking him he said Ashworth is SACS accredited. For those who do not know what SACS is, I have it posted below. Perhaps their James Madison PCDI earn your HS diploma is RA accredited, but certainly not Ashworth.

Can someone check this out to see if this is a new sell tactic or was this just a fluke by some over eager sales rep trying to gain my business....

------------------------------------------------
The Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is the recognized regional accrediting body in the eleven U.S. Southern states (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia) and in Latin America for those institutions of higher education that award associate, baccalaureate, master's or doctoral degrees. The Commission on Colleges is the representative body of the College Delegate Assembly and is charged with carrying out the accreditation process.

I am just getting a run around trying to get answers from Ashworth college's student services.
I posted a complaint about them, and hope others read my complaint.

I believe that Ashworth has now started an email list group at Yahoo groups to try to recruit potential students. Everytime I post anything negative about Ashworth, sure enough , someone posts a quick rebuttal to my post. But that's just my feeling about what is happening, and I can't be positive that they just don't have a lot of really happy people on the list. Maybe it's just me.

But that's not the main issue here. I then called their admissions toll free number and asked them a few questions. I wanted to know if I am earning actual credits for each class I take, since they don't post this on their program outline. The man I spoke with on the phone said I am earning credits per course. Then , without me asking him he said Ashworth is SACS accredited. For those who do not know what SACS is, I have it posted below. Perhaps their James Madison PCDI earn your HS diploma is RA accredited, but certainly not Ashworth.

Can someone check this out to see if this is a new sell tactic or was this just a fluke by some over eager sales rep trying to gain my business....

------------------------------------------------
The Commission on Colleges of the Southern Association of Colleges and Schools is the recognized regional accrediting body in the eleven U.S. Southern states (Alabama, Florida, Georgia, Kentucky, Louisiana, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina, Tennessee, Texas and Virginia) and in Latin America for those institutions of higher education that award associate, baccalaureate, master's or doctoral degrees. The Commission on Colleges is the representative body of the College Delegate Assembly and is charged with carrying out the accreditation process.

I am a student of Ashworth College and my eperience with the school has been very professional and helpful. I have checked with the school I plan to transfer to upon completion and all of the credit hours I will have taken to receive the associate degree are transferrable. I hope that you too can find a school as effective and efficient in furthering your education, as Ashworth College has for me.

I also am a current student of Ashworth College in Norcross, Georgia. I haven't learned so much in years. I am getting a 84% average. Better than in high school. Ashworth College is the best decision I have made in a long time. They make learning fun. You learn at your own pace. Their open book tests are great for someone like myself. My test results are always back in 48 hours or less. They give you 30 days to decide whether you think yhey are right for you. And you pick your own proctor. I can't wait to graduate and have my Associates Degree. I'm actually having fun going back to school after all these years. I will be a college graduate in less than 2 years.

I am currently a student of Ashworth College and have never had any problems with them at all. I take my exams online and the results are emailed to me the very next day! When I do have any questions, I either email or phone them and either way I have gotten immediate responses. As of right now I am very pleased with them and love the fact that I can earn my degree at home while being with my children.

I enrolled in a degree program with Ashworth College. I sent in my 1st exam and heard nothing. I called inquiring what my grade was, still no response. I called approximately 10 times. I decided not to send in that month's payment until I received my results. Well, they finally called, only to inform me I was late with my payment! I will be sending them a letter ending my enrollment The program materials seemed quite good.

My husband is also enrolled in a PCDI course and is enjoying it. I can't say the same for Ashworth College.

If they had a better way of contacting students I would have gladly finished the course. My money now goes to a local college.

Ashworth College is nationally accredited by the Distance Education and Training Council (DETC). The only PCDI program that holds regional accreditation is their James Madison High School. This is definitely explained within the PCDI literature. Unfortunately however, since accreditation is a very confusing issue, many do not fully understand what it means. Regardless, like the regional accreditors, the DETC accrediting agency is completely valid. In fact, as far as the United States Secretary of Education is concerned, this accreditor is equal to all of the regional bodies.

Things become trickier when professional licensure requirements are involved. This is because in situations that have such requirements, accreditation is sometimes not enough. In addition to becoming accredited, schools that offer professional programs which require licensure will also need to meet additional state and federal requirements. Furthermore, gaining membership to the field of study's applicable governing board is often necessary for the school to accomplish. For instance, respiratory care or law students who wish to become licensed will usually need to do more than just enroll in an accredited school. The schools they choose to enroll with must also be members of professional boards such as the American Bar Association in the case of law.

Students wishing to enter professional fields with licensure requirements should be sure to make sure that their school meets the proper standards. This is true for all schools; whether they are distance education or campus based.

[email protected]

I enrolled with Ashworth with the understanding that they are accredited regionally but recently learned that this is not correct. I enrolled in the Early Childhood Education since there is a new law stating that all Paraprofessinals are required to have 2 years or higher education, associate degree or take a state test. I decided I wanted my degree in education since this my field of work. I had to call the Ohio Board of Regions to make sure that would be accepted by Ohio as meeting the requirements for the present law.

My credits may transfer or I may have to take more classes. For now this programs meet my needs and I'm happy with it. I do however, recommend that any that is considering enrollering in this degree program that you check with your your Board of Regions to make sure that your state will accept it.

Especially if you're in education field and are looking for a degree program that will help you acheive the requirements stated in the law for Paraprofeesionals. Ashworth College to me is a great program and I'm looking forward to receiving my Early Childhood Education degree!

Studies have shown that credits earned at Ashworth College and other DETC accredited schools will often transfer. According to the surveys, DETC credits will transfer to traditional schools about 40-50% of the time. What's more is that these numbers are increasing yearly. This is mainly due to the increasing number of distance learning institutions. However, recent statements made by the United States Department of Education and the Council for Higher Education Accreditation (CHEA) have also played a role.

When traditional schools discriminate against prospective transfer students on the basis of accreditation only, especially when that accreditation is recognized and valid, they are ignoring CHEA, and engaging in anti-competitive practice. Hopefully congress will address this issue again when higher education is reauthorized.

In any event, if you are a graduate of a DETC school and wish to transfer, try one of the following schools; all of which are regionally accredited, and internationally recognized:

-Touro College and Touro University
-Capella University
-Argosy University
-University of Phoenix
-Strayer University
-Jones International University
-American Intercontinental University

Since there are so many schools that do accept Ashworth credits, I listed only those that offer distance degree programs. If you wish to continue your education at a traditional school, make sure you have a copy of CHEA's credit transfer statement on hand. After all, every school in the U.S. that is institutionally accredited by a regional or national agency is also a recognized member of CHEA. Therefore, all accredited schools should seriously consider the equity in credit transfer recommendations made by CHEA. So far, nationally accredited schools seem to be doing just that, but the regionally accredited schools have been slow to follow.

Even if the credits didn't transfer though, DETC credentials are legally just as valid as those earned at traditional regionally accredited schools. Therefore, DETC students can easily just continue their education at other DETC institutions.

**To learn more about this topic, and get a copy of CHEA's statement, visit the DETC and CHEA websites listed below. There, you will also find a complete list of all recognized U.S. accrediting agencies, as well as a complete list of DETC schools.

Visit:
www.DETC.org
www.CHEA.org

If you still can't find what you are looking for contact Mike Lambert at the DETC.

In any event, a story regarding the regional accreditation transfer discrimination scam, may be forthcoming shortly.

Finally, DETC students that have been discriminated against, and denied transfer credit by traditional schools, should immediately file a Rip-off Report. Don't let them get away with it!

[email protected]

I have completed a full certificate program as well as speciality courses with PCDI in Paralegal Studies. I found the school to be very helpful whenever I needed. Upon completion of my studies (with honors) I received an excellent letter of recommendation from the school's president as well as copies of my transcripts. This education has proved valuable in my career.

Additionally, with the inception of Ashworth College, students who have completed certain certificate programs with PCDI can transfer those credits toward an Associates Degree with Ashworth. I would recommend the school to those who need to further their education but do not have the time to go to a community college.

The downside of the program is that the credits are not ususally transferable to any other college.

I am a student of Ashworth college. And I take my degree program very seriously. Before I even consider the college I made sure they had full GAAP, listed with the US Department of Education. So far they have been helpful, and very nice. I have had very bad times with other long distance education. But this college has offered all to me, and I am happy with them. But even the best schools, people, etc... always have someone not happy. So, I hope others will give Asworth a try.

Thank You, :-)

I have to agree with the POSTER. Ashworth College is definitely a fraud. The only interest they have is collecting their fee. They advertise Instructors (even show their names in their College Material) but I don't believe they have Instructors. I believe the names are just someone they paid to write the material.

When you need to talk to someone, no one ever calls and this is something they advertise.

I strongly believe that Ashworth College is a Fraduently institition. I want nothing to do with this Instituation at all