Complaint Review: University Of Phoenix - Phoenix Arkansas

I graduated from the university of Phoenix online program six months ago. I must say that my experience there was exceptional, and one of the most challenging education programs I have enrolled in to date. My decision to attend the university , was based on the fact that the traditional setting simply no longer worked for me, after the birth of my two children. Before attending UOP, I was enrolled at a traditional brick and mortar institution for the first semester of my masters program. It was very stressful for me to go from work at 6pm to school, two hours a day, for four days a week everyday, and then come home about 9pm every evening because of the commute. It affected my family life, and I found I did not have the time to spend with my children. I was under so much pressure, that I decided there had to be a better way for me to be able to do this. I was so excited when the possiblity for me to be able to do it online presented itself. Needless to say I jumped at the opportunity. I carefully researched all the online universities, and settled on the UOP based on its ranking and reputation gathered from US news and World Report, which to me is a very reputable publication. However as I read the various negative response to the university I was terribly dissapointed. I have always stated to those I know, that this university gave me a very thorough education, and one that was very informative, and competitive. I enjoyed learning from my classmates who were professionals at their organizations, as well as the professors who gave me a real world perspective of the course. I was very impressed by the professors who taught the courses because of the degree of experience they possessed and the wealth of business sucess that some had achieved. As a small business owner, I learned a great deal from some, and was able to apply some of the information learned,toward the running of my establishment. One person stated that the organization was all about making quotas, or numbers. What organization isn't? I worked for a financial company for years, and we were worried about getting new customers to join our plans also. In todays society, no matter where you work, there are always going to be instances where the health and continued success of the company would be the bottom line. Every company is interested in growth, because in the long run, that is what determines if they are a success or failure. We have to ask ourselves, what would happen if any university or college did not increase its enrollment? They would of course fail to thrive and would be in trouble. That happens in public and private universities all across our country. They are interested in increasing their enrollment, so what makes UOP any different? IF UOP was all about the money, I did not care, because I knew going in, that I was going to pay for an education that suited my lifestyle, rather than settling for the city university that would have been cheaper but less convenient. Besides, UOP have always made it known publically that they are a for profit university so I don't understand why some thought any different. The bottom line is that people are free to make their decisions and if they feel they don't mind paying the high amount so be it. I did, and I was very satisfied with the service, the degree, the counselors, the level of professionalism, the convenience, and I would not have had it any other way.

Apparently you didn't have to pay them. You had tuition reimbursement, I however, did not. I applied for a Pell Grant and got one, God only knows what they did with the money because they did NOT put it toward the $1370.00 I owe them. Before I even got started with UoPX I told the Admissions Counselor (salesperson) that I could not afford to go to college, I just wanted information. He kept hounding me day and night and finally he told me that I qualified for Financial Aid and everything would be paid for "not to worry about it, he'd be there to wipe the happy tears from my eyes when I graduate". I stupidly took his word and started, took one class and my son got really sick and was hospitalized so I told them to withdraw me as I can't afford the time that was needed for me to learn. I actually enjoyed my class, I met some classmates, and the instructor was very kind. When I withdrew it was like pulling teeth. Now, my credit is ruined, I can't pay them and I ask if I could make payments and was told NO!! I would be glad to make payments as I am a responsible human being with my debt. The jest of this reply is, if your company is paying for your college, you get treated very differently than poor people trying to better themselves.

I attended University of Phoenix Online between 2000 and 2004. As I have been directly impacted by this university and have obtained a degree through this school, I would like to share my personal thoughts and experiences, as well as how having this degree has affected my personal and professional life. But first, a little background on my educational and professional experiences prior to attending UOP. I graduated from a technical high school here in Delaware in 1992. While I did receive my diploma, I did not receive a certificate in my chosen shop as I struggled in science and math. Upon graduating from high school, I enrolled at a state community college (traditional, in-class format), where I took classes off and on for 8 years before finishing the required courses to get my associates degree in electronics. After I graduated with my A.A.S. degree, I chose to continue my education at UOP Online for a couple of reasons. First, I work full time and have a wife and two children so almost none of the traditional universities around here were an option (unless I chose to quit my job, work night shift, or leave my family). Second, UOP was regionally accredited which meant that they had been given a seal of approval by the US Department of Education. Third, my company included UOP in its tuition reimbursement program so I could participate in that program. Now, about my experiences. I found the staff at UOP to be very friendly and knowledgeable. I was able to get enrolled and started in about 4-5 weeks. When I had questions about the process, my enrollment advisor, financial advisor, or academic advisor were available to help me. I found my classes to be very challenging but rewarding at the same time. Most of my instructors were very knowledgeable about the classes they were teaching and all of them worked in the fields they were teaching (some were high-ranking managers in well-respected companies) so the information I received from them was extremely valuable to me. I spent an average of 2-3 hours a night, 5-6 days each week learning, studying, and preparing assignments. The material was very relevant not only in a theoretical construct but in practice as well. I was able to apply much of the material right away to my job so the education became very valuable very quickly (unlike many theory-only programs). There were times when I struggled. At one point, I had a medical problem that caused me to drop a class and take a month off. The format at UOP (5 week classes, one or two weeks off) allowed me to pick right back up when I was well. After twenty two classes ad about three years, I finished my degree program with a 3.8 GPA. At times while I was working on my degree, I would sign onto sites like this and worry that my degree would not be valuable. But then I would look at myself, my classmates, my teachers, and the work I was doing to complete the program, and I knew that this would be one of my proudest (and toughest) achievements. I was right. Since graduating, I have a renewed sense of confidence in myself and my ability to achieve. I have become (in the words of my manager, a Senior VP for JP Morgan Chase), a much more valuable, knowledgeable employee who has a confidence that was lacking before. My communication skills have improved, both written and verbal (believe it or not). I am also slated to be promoted to Assistant Vice President next month. I would like to believe that without my UOP Online degree, this would not have been possible. Now, one comment on quality of education. As stated earlier, I first received my associate degree in a traditional on-site college. I found that the level of participation at UOP and the knowledge level of the instructors were generally greater (often far greater) at UOP than at the traditional school. Also, the assignments at UOP caused me to really think and learn about the subjects, not just memorize test questions as in many test-based classes or programs. I have taken classes at traditional colleges, training classes provided by professional corporations, and other on-line learning programs and UOP has, by-far, been the experience that has had the most positive impact on my life and career. If I could do it all over again, I absolutely would not change a thing. I will soon be starting my MBA at Arizona State University (yes, I am moving to AZ) and I hope that the quality of my education there is as good as that I have received at UOP Online. In summary, I would highly recommend University of Phoenix Online to anyone who is a working adult and who is thinking about getting a degree. If you are worried about the quality of the program, don't be. If you are anything like me (a working dad with a growing family) you will likely find the program to be extremely useful in your life. It is well worth the time and money. If you would like to talk personally about my experiences as a student at UOP, feel free to contact me at my e-mail address below and I would be happy to call or write you. By the way, my degree is a B.S. in Information Technology.