Posted on Jul 17, 2015
Would you consider AMU a good school? Would you recommend it?
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Is it a good online school? Would anyone recommend it?
Posted in these groups: 
Education
American Military University
Education American Military University
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 43
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I received my Masters from AMU. The education was excellent, every instructor was not only an academician but a professional in the field of study. Excellent program
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COL (Join to see)
Often, AMU instructors are either serving or retired military. They understand your challenges and will work with you.
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I loved AMU. I have a degree in CJ from there. I got that due to being a Police Officer. I plan on going back for a masters. I really thought it was great. I did Liberty for a while and didn't like. I would recommend AMU to anyone. The US News and World report ranks them pretty high on the list on online schools. They really cater to military also. I was taking classes while I was deployed and the mission got a bit busy for a while. They gave me a two month extension. No hassle at all. I think they are one of the best schools for military.
American Public University System | Online Bachelor's Degree | US News
Get information on undergraduate online programs at American Public University System at US News. Find out what online undergraduate degrees are offered and information on admissions and tuition.
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SFC(P) (Join to see)
CPT (Join to see) - Sir, I have been in FA for all of my 11 years and 2 branches. I am very interested in Armor and Trans.
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CPT (Join to see)
SFC(P) (Join to see) - Both of those would be good. If you went AR you would be in the 30 ABCT. If you go Trans you would most likely 113th SUS.
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CPT (Join to see)
SFC(P) (Join to see) - I have two tours with Old Hickory. I have been in the 30th for about 8 years now and still going.
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I just graduated in May. It took me seven years, through deployments and sometimes my own laziness. I was grateful for my experiences and I enjoyed my time with the institution. It is far and wide the easiest for military members and very forgiving of our schedules. That said, the online experience doesn't work for everyone. I often felt that I wasn't challenged. Each experience is going to be different and I recommend giving it a shot. TA is free and covers the entire cost of a class. What do you have to lose?
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With you being National Guard i would encourage you to look elsewhwere. I graduated from AMU in May with a Management degree...liked the ease of the school and the flexibility and since I will retire from AD it gives me resume fodder to go along with 20+ years of experience. For my situation, it checks the block that many employers are looking for, a BS at a minimum. I won't get hired for my AMU degree but it will get me in the door where my experience can get me hired. For your situation, you probably want to consider a school where the degree might actually get you the job since you don't have as much full time experience. Just my thoughts...
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SPC Robby Robinson
Although this appears to be an old thread, I feel compelled to ask you, "Why would a degree from AMU NOT get someone the job they are looking for? AMU is an accredited school. I will graduate in December of 2015 with a BA in Emergency Management / Disaster Management. AMU has many the alumni in multiple industries. In my case, my goal is to work within one of two agencies:
Two of the aforementioned opportunities can be found under a single agency, DHS. Those opportunities are: FEMA / US Border Patrol. The other is within the Department of Diplomatic Security.
Of course with my SOF experience, I will be a shoe in. I mean I saw the movie American Sniper, so I am pretty much a SEAL......right? (I am kidding brother, I was Never with SOF, I was a nobody in the Army, a plain jane conventional 11B!!!)
But in all seriousness, AMU is a quality school. May I ask why you do not feel the same?
Two of the aforementioned opportunities can be found under a single agency, DHS. Those opportunities are: FEMA / US Border Patrol. The other is within the Department of Diplomatic Security.
Of course with my SOF experience, I will be a shoe in. I mean I saw the movie American Sniper, so I am pretty much a SEAL......right? (I am kidding brother, I was Never with SOF, I was a nobody in the Army, a plain jane conventional 11B!!!)
But in all seriousness, AMU is a quality school. May I ask why you do not feel the same?
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SMSgt (Join to see)
Someone might very well get a job with an AMU degree...I hope to lol...but if I recall the original post was from a young guardsman with very little experience in the field. I will be competitive because of my experience but the AMU degree will get me in the door. If I only had a degree, with no experience, and I was competing for a job with people that graduated from other schools, I would think that a degree from a "military" university would not compete as well.
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I am currently attending AMU and have 4 classes away from my degree. the instructors were more than willing to work with my busy schedule. I recommend this school to anyone who wants a great education.
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I would keep in mind that AMU is a for profit, virtual school. It came into existence in the 90s and lacks the traditional brick and mortar advantage.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Public_University_System
The category of "for profit" as it pertains to universities has carried with it a heavy stigma according to various sources:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/30/for-profit-colleges-military-friendly_n_1392102.html
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/education/educating-sergeant-pantzke/for-profit-colleges-under-scrutiny-again/
For profit colleges/universities are known for the aggressive style of recruiting and in my experience, they do a good job targeting military populations.
On the other hand, I know of plenty of success stories of AMU graduates able to find successful jobs in the private and government sectors. Although, in my personal opinion I wouldn't want to risk it and I would look for more traditional brick and mortar universities that have an online program that TA will cover.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_Public_University_System
The category of "for profit" as it pertains to universities has carried with it a heavy stigma according to various sources:
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2012/03/30/for-profit-colleges-military-friendly_n_1392102.html
http://www.pbs.org/wgbh/pages/frontline/education/educating-sergeant-pantzke/for-profit-colleges-under-scrutiny-again/
For profit colleges/universities are known for the aggressive style of recruiting and in my experience, they do a good job targeting military populations.
On the other hand, I know of plenty of success stories of AMU graduates able to find successful jobs in the private and government sectors. Although, in my personal opinion I wouldn't want to risk it and I would look for more traditional brick and mortar universities that have an online program that TA will cover.
American Public University System - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
American Public University System (APUS) is a for-profit, online learning institution that is composed of American Military University (AMU) and American Public University (APU). APUS is wholly owned by American Public Education, Inc., a publicly traded private-sector corporation (NASDAQ:APEI). APUS maintains corporate and academic offices in Charles Town, West Virginia and administrative offices in Manassas, Virginia. APUS offers associate,...
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LTJG (Join to see)
I completely agree, Daniel. The traditional colleges and universities can no longer deny the impact of online college education, so the "brick and mortar advantage" is just a manufactured notion that if you are going to get an online education, it might as well be from a traditional, established school.
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MSG (Join to see)
I understand that some people like this school, and that is completely fine.
Having said that, a stigma against “for-profit” and relatively new “virtual” schools does exist. I am not saying that it is justified, but it is a real thing. I have heard a couple of hiring managers state that they would not consider a resume that had the name “University of Phoenix” or “DeVry” on it for example. If you conduct research on this topic you will find the same sentiment being echoed by numerous sources.
I would personally recommend selecting a nonprofit public school that has some name recognition and a history of educating students. There are plenty that offer online programs and do not go over the current TA cap.
I am sure there are plenty of people that have “for-profit” degrees and have good paying jobs, especially those with experience. Although, if I were to invest so much time, money, and effort into attaining my degree I would ensure that I have done my research and have selected a school that would provide maximum benefit for me in future careers.
Although, my future human resource manager might not care about what type of school I went to, I rather be safe than sorry.
Having said that, a stigma against “for-profit” and relatively new “virtual” schools does exist. I am not saying that it is justified, but it is a real thing. I have heard a couple of hiring managers state that they would not consider a resume that had the name “University of Phoenix” or “DeVry” on it for example. If you conduct research on this topic you will find the same sentiment being echoed by numerous sources.
I would personally recommend selecting a nonprofit public school that has some name recognition and a history of educating students. There are plenty that offer online programs and do not go over the current TA cap.
I am sure there are plenty of people that have “for-profit” degrees and have good paying jobs, especially those with experience. Although, if I were to invest so much time, money, and effort into attaining my degree I would ensure that I have done my research and have selected a school that would provide maximum benefit for me in future careers.
Although, my future human resource manager might not care about what type of school I went to, I rather be safe than sorry.
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I absolutely recommend AMU. I completed by BS and Master's in Public Health (MPH) at AMU despite the Op-Tempo of the 90's and early 2K (GWOT). It's very military-friendly, especially for those experiencing uncommon tours of duty who cannot attend synchronously according to a traditional schedule. I also offer that those who complete their education this way are looked upon with greater respect by potential employers for having exceptional time-management skills and motivation to complete their studies. We are seeing a shift in traditional thinking from, in some cases, the benefit of traditional "brick and mortar" school graduates to those of us who completed our education whilst gaining real-world experience during deployments. Best of luck to you...
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I got my BA in History from AMU and several of my co workers were enrolled at the same time in different programs. We all had a good experience. For me it was all online so it facilitated my continuing my education while I was deployed. Honestly I preferred actually going to school rather than taking online classes. What I would recommend is looking at your life as a whole. If you dont have the schedule that allows actually going to school then the online program at AMU might be a good fit. If you can fit in a local school I would recommend that, I think you will enjoy the experience much better and get more from it. Good luck to you either way.
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I received my associates from them and am almost done with my bachelors. Some classes are better than others (better student interaction, professors who actually teach vice you teaching yourself from a book). I have heard many say the same about Ashford though. I'd say it depends on what you're getting your degree for (not to be confused with what you're getting your degree in). If you just need a piece of paper for a follow on government job - AMU will do.
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