Is University of Phoenix really that bad?

sensei wrote:

I have been admitted to Northeastern University (Boston) for an Ed.D. (doctorate in Education). This is mostly an online course, with mandatory summer attendance, but it is a 'real bricks and mortar' University. Northeastern is not Ivy League, but I don't think it is 'diploma mill' either.

How would my future degree (Doctorate in Education) compare with University of Phoenix?

sensei

I don't think it matters; Ed.D. degrees are crap in general.

easy Metric wrote:

one easy way to tell is ask the question :

how many Olympic T&F, IAAF Outdoor WC, and Top/Major Marathon medals have their student-athletes and alum won in the past 10 years ?

While I think that U of Phoenix is basically a giant scam, I don't think that this is a very good metric. How many medals have been collected by Ivy League grads or top liberal arts colleges? I mean by your standard there would be what, 30 schools in the U.S. worth attending?

Of course your comment was probably tongue-in-cheek.

MBArules wrote:

I'm also a graduate of UOP and a 4.0 at UOP is equiv to a 4.0 at any university. I was accepted to Harvard and Yale for my MBA, but decided to go with University of Phoenix. I'm now bringing home 85k per year. Plus I get to show off my U of P degree at work (corner office)

Please, please tell me you aren't the loser who frames his diploma and displays it in his office.

For Profit schools are just that - "for profit".

They can't afford ANY of their students failing.

A lot of your assignments/credits is based on teamwork...having a group of students working on one project.

A totally Mickey Mouse organization.

Also, in trouble with US Dept. of Education for gouging students on loans.

Signing up homeless people for their precious school; knowing these homeless won't pay back Govt. backed financial aid, and they have pocketed all that tuition $$$$.

You and me (taxpayers) are the real suckers.

Downright criminal in my opinion.

Skewed data.

What happens, is most people who register for an on line degree, think they can coast. They realize they have to do actual work and drop out. The very little that remain, graudate.

You skewed the data.

You are a Phoenix graduate.

runmg143 wrote:

-market operations governing the school promote profitable decision- and policy-making

fixed

Wrong.

The problem with the for profit schools is that in many cases they admit very marginal students. Worse yet, like many of their not for profit counteparts who admit marginal students (see e.g. Boise State, with a 6% 4 year graduation rates), they are incredibly reliant on federal funds and programs, the collection of which recklessly provide students with up to $150,000 in non-collateralized loans, all in the hope that this non-dischargeable debt will pay off some day. It is a business model that only makes sense if supported by reckless policies and the all too burdened taxpayer. And the problem is deeper than for profit schools - many of the not-for-profit schools are in the same group. Ahh, the education bubble. Just what we need as a follow-on to the real estate and mortgage bubble.

Troll.

I just saw the Frontline report on for-profit schools. They showed that University of Phoenix settled a case last year for $67.5 million based in part on their incentivized recruiting practices. All of the arguments brought up in this thread were discused in the show, namely the admission of marginal students, worthless degrees upon interview/application stage post-graduation, and potential burst of the education debt bubble.

Isn't the whole American university system somewhat of a scam (traditional universities also) anyway.

Do I really need to pass racquetball to get a degree in accounting?

And don't give me that "rounded individual" crap....you should be "rounded" coming out of high school.

If you take an "undeclared/undecided" major, should you even be in college?????

I skewed the data? What are you talking about? I am a Williams graduate.

That comment about the 4.0 "at" Phoenix is a 4.0 everywhere was pretty damn funny. Frankly, a C at an elite school is worth an A or A plus at a weak school, and a A in an online course is worth nothing at all, since writing answers down from a book is not taking a test.

Actually, a C plus at a great school is the same as a C at a weaker school. The only difference is having a C average at a better school can make you president of the United States.

That's a buch of academia nonsense. The UoP grads are probably making 1.5x the salary of the rest of those "high brow" attendees.

Online degrees are OK if your goal is only to improve your knowledge and skills. You will get out of it whatever you put into it. If you work hard you will learn and improve. I would only pursue this route if you already have a job in your field and you only want to improve your own performance in hopes of getting a better raise / promotion. They are not OK if your goal is to impress a potential employer. Online degrees are viewed negatively because it is very easy to cheat. You could be looking at your notes / text book while taking a test and nobody would ever know. You could even have your friend take all the tests for you. My sister took her roommate's math tests so she could complete her online degree.

Due to the lack of schools in my area offering a masters degree in my field, I'm currently considering pursuing a hybrid distance education masters degree. It is a brick & mortar school in Montana (I live in PA) that also offers an online option. All of the classes would take place online via Blackboard however I think the exams would be proctored at a local college. I would also have to fly out there a couple times to complete lab assignments.

Frontline program on PBS has a good piece on For-profit U's called "College Inc. (http://video.pbs.org/program/979358040/)

These school are just ripping off poor not so bright people at the tax payers' expense.

A man without education is like a building without foundation.

Education trains your mind to think even if that education comes from an expensive for profit college.

You don't want to pass out on education and be illiterate.

A degree from UOP might be harder to sell in the market, but it is even harder to succeed in life if you decide not to train your mind.

Education will help the economy, society, and the system with brighter minds to repurpose a country.

Be grateful you had the means to attend college and train your mind and hopefully influence others to get an education.

Education will help you change your life for good even if it is from UOP.

Basically, yes, Univ. of Phoenix gets a bad rap. They are pretty transparent about what's offered...pay us, get some skills, move on to better job. Sure most people don't graduate and are out the cash. Then go to the media with sour grapes.

But there is still value there if you are smart about it. Not to mention, online learning and the like is going to become a big thing in the near future. I think it's great. The "little guy" will have a chance against "I went to Yale and my name is George Bush" types. The reality is, you don't need a Harvard degree to learn 21st century skills. Many can be learned online, in trade schools, on places like....gasp... University of Phoenix.

With the cost of college skyrocketing (with ever dubious ROI, esp with liberal arts degrees), personally I'm looking forward to the collapse of the "ivory tower" and a whole new paradigm emerging. Sure you won't get rid of all the nepotism or perception based on reputation, but a merit-based economy is a better economy.

That's because it's not a real school.I'm not going to do your googling for you, but read the wikipedia....

Ellis Wyatt wrote:

Research opportunities at state schools are much better. I am not even sure if there is research conducted at University of Phoenix, but personally I've never seen any academic paper or study put out by someone employed there.