If you are a University of Phoenix student or graduate, what is your opinion of their classes?

SSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 18:33:48 -0400

What is your opinion on classes and the ever increasing rates?
I start my first class back from taking a break to prepare for WAPS testing (which paid off) and upgrade training. What do you like and what do you dislike? Lessons learned, and advice

Response by SSG Christopher Freeman made Jun 15 at 2015 6:45 PM

SSG Christopher Freeman — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 18:45:25 -0400

It's not bad. Transfer isn't great but the classes are 5 weeks long and you can double up. I dislike the new layout. Navigating it can be a pain at first

Response by CPL Timothy Bell made Jun 15 at 2015 6:45 PM

CPL Timothy Bell — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 18:45:25 -0400

Are you going to an actual campus or online?

Response by SPC Michael Moore made Jun 15 at 2015 6:45 PM

SPC Michael Moore — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 18:45:53 -0400

This is a tough one and has two parts. Part number one is that I believe it provides a good education with a process that allows a working adult to complete a degree in a reasonable amount of time.part two is that the degree does not hold the same gravitas in the marketplace that a degree from a good state school or private school does.

Response by MSG Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 15 at 2015 6:49 PM

MSG Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 18:49:27 -0400

The rates have gotten pretty high...when I was finishing up I paid for my last 3 classes before the next increase. For the most part I liked it though there were a few classes where math was involved that I wish I would've been in a standard class room. My biggest tip is manage your time so you don't get behind.

Response by LTC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 15 at 2015 6:50 PM

LTC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 18:50:27 -0400

Very pricey, as my loans tell me...

Response by CPO Joseph Grant made Jun 15 at 2015 6:51 PM

CPO Joseph Grant — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 18:51:59 -0400

I graduated from Axia (Phoenix's Community College) and almost from Phoenix. I liked it a lot and would have finished but when I became disabled there wasn't any reason to continue. The prices were outrageous though.

Response by Cpl Mario DiPasquale made Jun 15 at 2015 6:54 PM

Cpl Mario DiPasquale — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 18:54:43 -0400

Today is actually my last day of classes at UoPx. I will soon have my BSIT degree with a concentration in Software Engineering.

Team assignments are in every class (for the most part). Don't get to worked up about them. There are a lot of procrastinators. So, just make sure you do your part.

UoPx is not always viewed positively in the professional world. You have to really explain to others that we are getting an excellent education. UoPx requires a lot of discipline. You are essentially teaching yourself.

Participate in discussions. It is such an easy way to lose points on your overall grade.

Good luck!

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 15 at 2015 7:25 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Mon, 15 Jun 2015 19:25:17 -0400

The amount of money you pay for an online or digital text book you cannot keep is outrageous. In my opinion this seems damn near fraudulent. I have a little over a year to go to complete my BA from UOP. Why emoloyers do not give equal value to a degree that takes just as much effort to earn is something which will change over time since most major universities now offer online degrees.

Response by Maj Chris Nelson made Jun 16 at 2015 9:01 AM

Maj Chris Nelson — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 09:01:11 -0400

I got my Masters of Nursing in Nursing and Health Education. Was a bit expensive... Used both TA and conventional loans (and still paying them). Classes were 100% online but you had specific timelines during the class (some schools base your progress on how much you do in a period of time and is completely self paced). I deployed 1x during, so took 6 month break, and took smaller breaks throuout if needed. Seems to have done well for me overall. My program did not include specific coursework that is required by the state of TN, so can't teach there. Have taught in MT. Depends on where I go.

Response by PFC Bruce Lawrence made Jun 16 at 2015 7:20 PM

PFC Bruce Lawrence — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 19:20:21 -0400

As with anything, you get out of it what you put in to it. I did my BSIT degree there and found it rather simple and basic..but that is to be expected for a BS degree. As others have stated, the loans kill you..but when your working there were not many options when I did mine back in 2004-2007. I wanted a BS not an AAS. You will become very comfortable with presentations and public speaking...that is a major plus that some institutions have picked up on and are starting to incorporate, but UOP forces you to be one. The instructors I had were top notch, most worked at Bayer or US Steel here in the Pittsburgh area, a few were mangers at Mellon Bank and JD Edwards. I did not find any issue with my degree getting respect when I started up my MSIT program, I was accepted in to a new track at the private school I attended and found the 4.0 GPA very easy to maintain at that level as well. The big trauma for you will be if you go on to do a MS degree outside of UOP, 4 of the students that moved on to the private school with me found the Thesis was too much to handle at the MS level.

Response by CPO Bernie Penkin made Jun 16 at 2015 9:00 PM

CPO Bernie Penkin — Tue, 16 Jun 2015 21:00:42 -0400

I got my Associates through Phoenix. I enjoyed learning, but did not like the team class projects. My grade for the team project was based on the lowest performing member. When it came time to graduate, I was blond sided by my ever changing counselor and had to take an extra class. I finished that class and was told to take another math class for my degree. I walked away for a while. When I called and explained my situation to a new counselor (retired Army) he told me it was BS and in five weeks I got my degree. Finished my BS in IT at Capella University. Mich better experience.

Response by PO2 John Crutchfield made Jun 17 at 2015 1:53 PM

PO2 John Crutchfield — Wed, 17 Jun 2015 13:53:39 -0400

I am a UOP graduate. I graduated in 1999 with a BS degree in Business Information Systems. At the time, I was working fulltime and couldn't go to a traditional school. I had a great time in the classes. I learned a lot from the team environment. I can't comment on the current costs, however.

Response by SGM Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 18 at 2015 2:21 PM

SGM Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 18 Jun 2015 14:21:16 -0400

I'm both a graduate of UOPX and a faculty member there (for almost 14 years). I earned my doctorate in 2009, and I haven't had any trouble with it being accepted anywhere I go, except by a few snobbish elitists in academia. I found the classes very tough, but really rewarding. I made some great friends in my cohort, although out of the 80 of us who started together, only 11 of us finished the program. It was that tough!

I love teaching at the University, too. I teach in three of the colleges - The School of Business, College of Information Systems and Technology, and the College of Security and Criminal Justice. I'm approved to teach 14 different courses, but I only teach about 4 regularly. Three of those are graduate courses and one undergrad CAPSTONE course that's really interesting. I know not all faculty are the same, but my classes are tough - you have to earn your grade, and earning an A means you did outstanding work. Nobody skates through one of my classes - I want them to feel good about themselves when they are finished with one of my classes.

Response by LT Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 18 at 2015 3:19 PM

LT Private RallyPoint Member — Thu, 18 Jun 2015 15:19:47 -0400

I received both my BS, MS, and a year into my doctoral through Phoenix. Love that everything is online, to include the books. I enjoyed the virtual classroom as well. it's expensive, way I bet the top as my student loans can attest to. Use TA as much as you can. When I started and finished (almost three years from start, then stop, then start again) my BS I didn't have the MGIB from my AD time because I couldn't afford the $100 a month in 1991 when I joined. Part of my MS is student loans and the rest was thankfully through Post 9/11. For perspective, my loans are over 50k. I'd do it again, but wow it's expensive.

Response by SCPO Stephen Ibanez made Jun 19 at 2015 8:59 PM

SCPO Stephen Ibanez — Fri, 19 Jun 2015 20:59:46 -0400

I enjoyed the flexibility of the online classes, although I feel I would have had a better "experience" in a brick-and-mortar classroom. The online option was best for me, starting my program while forward deployed, then finishing it up at night on shore duty.

I understand that now there are online study groups and even mandatory group projects. I graduated in 2001, before that stuff existed. I was literally on my own, unless I reached out to my professors for help.

The UoP degree has helped me in my civilian career and I have never heard any disparaging comments on it from anybody who mattered.

Response by SPC Ciara McDonald made Jun 24 at 2015 10:27 PM

SPC Ciara McDonald — Wed, 24 Jun 2015 22:27:13 -0400

For all military UOP students who have an honorable separation at E4 and above and are looking into UOP ask your advisors about the NCOA discount!! If you are a member which is about 35 dollars a year seeking your undergraduate degree you then qualify for the military rate at 250 a credit hour and the book/resource fee is waived. If you sign up on the website just make sure you list separated and not veteran to be coded correctly.

Response by MSgt Annette Sherman made Jul 13 at 2015 9:12 AM

MSgt Annette Sherman — Mon, 13 Jul 2015 09:12:54 -0400

I did my masters degree with them and found the classes challenging and relevant to my chosen career path. Yes, they were expensive and I paid for them out of my own pocket as my employer at the time was not helping with tuition expenses. It has been worth the expense as I more than made up for it when I moved to my current job. I have not had an issue with people considering UoP less than other schools. I think it's what you bring to the table from what you learned that counts not the name of the school you attended. I've worked with some people who have gone to big name schools but their experience and knowledge are lacking when it comes to job performance.

Response by SSgt Donnavon Smith made Jul 30 at 2015 11:32 AM

SSgt Donnavon Smith — Thu, 30 Jul 2015 11:32:27 -0400

I got my BS from them at the Phoenix campus in '03. maybe because I actually attended physical classes, I felt my education was comparable to any other school I have attended. Continued on and got my masters degree from a different school and had no issues using the UoP degree to enter that program.

Response by SFC Private RallyPoint Member made Aug 16 at 2015 8:01 PM

SFC Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 16 Aug 2015 20:01:49 -0400

I personally like the way that the classes are set up. I HATED taking the math classes through them. It is not because of them though, it is because I am not smart enough to try that on my own. I should have always done those in a classroom setting. I managed to get by though. I LIKE the 5 week course setup though. I start my next to last class on the 15th of next month, and I graduate on November 30th with my BSM-PM. They have done well by me.

Response by SPC Brian Stephens made Jan 22 at 2019 12:55 PM

SPC Brian Stephens — Tue, 22 Jan 2019 12:55:17 -0500

I have an MBA from there. Classes are hard. Hundreds of pages of reading each week and at least one research paper due weekly. Dropout rate is high. The instructors are working professionals and not full time like you will get at a state run degree mill where everybody graduates eventually.

Response by LTC Edward Clark made Jan 26 at 2019 8:31 AM

LTC Edward Clark — Sat, 26 Jan 2019 08:31:45 -0500

I received my Masters of Science from UoPHX and it was a great experience, not cheap, but no college is these days. I had great professors with real world experience and I learned a great deal of information I was trying to learn on my own. My work was reviewed, graded and to my surprise, there were many of my classmates that did not strive for a 4.0 (and resultantly, did not receive them). My experience is now 18 years old, and there have been issues with the current university. All I can say is that it was worth while to me.