An Honest Review of the University of Phoenix Online

The University of Phoenix Online has been in existence for over a decade and a half. Established in 1989, it was the first accredited online university and today with over 57,000 enrolments to its credit, it has become the largest private, accredited, ‘for-profit’, online university in the United States. Because of its tenure and name recognition, the University of Phoenix is often the first name that comes to peoples mind when they consider an online University. This reputation is not without merit, as the University offers students a great deal that the other online universities simply cannot compete with. That said, not everything about this school is ideal.

Because of the length of time the University has been in operation, it has perfected the art of serious online teaching. The curriculum has been tailored to meet the requirement of working adults who seek to supplement their working knowledge with theory and practical skills while earning a degree for themselves to a degree that other online schools do not.

Virtual classrooms with trained online instructors and flexible but strict classroom participation and assignment submissions make learning comfortable. So much so, that the students are able to complete almost 27 credits in a year as against 15 credits completed by regular on site campus learning students. With only 11 students in a class, the student to instructor ratio is low, facilitating greater one on one interaction. The instructors themselves are CIOs, CEOs and CFOs of reputed companies when they are not mentoring students in the classrooms.

But then like every thing in this universe, negatives do exist and this University is no exception. Sometimes students complain about below average quality of instructors who do not participate in the discussion or evaluation to the extent that has been promised. Lack of communication skills in some cases and at others complete or partial silence towards questions posted has been observed. This is a serious allegation considering that the good communication and prompt interactions with the students of the class are very vital for any online course. Add to this, students often complain that when a grievance or concern is addressed to the deputed ‘advisor’ an endless string of communication follows with little or no action actually taken.

There are some ex-instructors who have come up and indicated that their pay is quite pitiful relative to other universities and as a consequence the motivation levels and drive to excel is low. This often results in a high turnover of instructors. It seems that the primary complaint, substandard teaching quality is directly tied to the level of pay provided these professors.

Another negative pertains to the technology itself. The university boasts that the online software platform has been developed in collaboration with Microsoft. One would expect that the mail receiving and disseminating platform also be much evolved and sophisticated. Instead there is confirmed evidence that they actually use the notoriously lacking Outlook Express for the purpose. Another problem is that the servers are quite slow sometimes. These two problems are worth a mention since online teaching requires quick and reliable interface with minimum downtime. Therefore a slack in this area can have serious implications for the university as a whole.

A final concern pertains to ‘high’ fees being charged. It might be comparable with the several outer online universities of its genre. But when viewed in the light of students who are already disgruntled with the quality of education being imparted, can snowball into bigger packets of unhappiness.

All this might sound as the doomsday for online education and especially for the University of Phoenix. But remember when you handle thousands of students, there are bound to be a handful that are going to be dissatisfied. And life depends on changes and improvements. That said, by and large the students of the University of Phoenix have and continue to express satisfaction with the school. While it is certainly clear that it has some limitations, the opportunity to attain a degree swiftly and cheaply from a well known and accredited University makes the offer very attractive for a great many.

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Comments on this article:

» left by Anonymous from ATL (212 days 15 hours ago.)

As with anything, you must experience a situation for yourself. There are some people on here who have left some terrible about the U of P...and one was a pofessor! He/She sounds like there might have been other things going on PERSONALLY and NOT professionally. If you want to attend the U of P, attend. Don't let anyone else's experience deter you from following your dreams. As far as getting a job or starting a career is concerned, if employers are judging your work ethic or your skills by the university that you attended, then they can kick rocks! That's definitely NOT the kind of people you want to be around...especially in the workplace.

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» left by Catt from VA (151 days 18 hours ago.)

I couldn't agree with you more.  I definitely would not want to work for a company that skips over any possible talent because of the school that they attended.  These businesses would probably be the same ones that don't offer tuition assistance.

I attend UoP.  I'm working on a certificate.  I have a 3.5 GPA and I've worked hard for every last bit of it, nothing was handed to me.  This is coming from a person who was not interested in attending college ever again after finishing two semesters.

However, when I obtain MY certificate I will more than likely choose another school for my Bachelor's degree.

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» left by LGM (106 days 22 hours ago.)

The problem I have with the University of Phoenix is that the commercials show single mothers, or people who have jobs that require them to work 50 hours a week as the typical person who attends. This is not the case. The University doesn't want to admit that a large portion of their student body is just lazy. I have 3 friends who attend this school and quite frankly I wouldn't hire any of them. 

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» left by Rachael Woods from Detroit, MI (72 days 21 hours ago.)

I am a student at the University of Phoenix and yes, there are lazy students, but there are lazy students at EVERY school! Eventually they will either get academically disqualified for low grades or drop out once they get tired of doing poorly.  There were unqualified, lazy students in my first few classes, but they usually get weeded out early on in their programs.  The further along you get in your degree program, the more serious and focused the students become.  I appreciate that the University of Phoenix gives everybody a chance, but it's up to the individual to determine his/her own success.  It's really a sink or swim situation. 

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» left by Michael from Arizona (199 days 16 hours ago.)

I received my Bachelor's Degree from Colorado State University in the 80's. After working in a profession for 20 years, I finally signed on with UOP to work on my M.A. in Education. To be completely honest, I have put more time into studying at UOP than I ever did on the ground at CSU (and I carried a 3.7 GPA as a History major). I believe the instructors have been quite professional thus far in the course. It is expensive, but in contrast to what one of the posters said, it is nationally credited and my "corporation" has a Tuition Assistance Program that accepts UOP. I work for the federal government. Several teacher in my area have earned their Master's at UOP or other on-line schools, such as Grand Canyon. I believe school today is much simpler than it was 25 years ago anyway, as the computers nor the internet were not available to do the spelling, grammar and research for the students. I was part of the "library" generation where we had to look for sources through the card files in the early 80's.

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» left by alana from california (166 days 20 hours ago.)

Is there any way to communicate with this poster? I am considering U of P for a master's degree in education.
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» left by Dr. Chase from Springfield, MO (196 days 11 hours ago.)

I am currently in the Faculty certification program at UofP. In addition, I teach graduate/undergraduate courses at local universities - private and state.

 

My perception of UofP is quite positive. They are very thorough, highly organized, and do a super job of preparing instructors. In fact, they are more thorough than the large state university here in town.

 

I understand there is an overall negative attitude (especially by those in academia) toward UofP. I, too, had that attitude.

 

But part of that mind thought is the old school mentality that "brick and mortar" schools are the only real schools, the ones with the brightest faculty and students.

 

But times are changing; the online delivery is the way all schools are moving. It just so happens that UofP is about 20 years ahead of most institutions.

 

For all of you who sneer at UofP, you are probably caught up in the old school mentality. But this is the way of the future; we're never going back.

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» left by Educator from Mid-West (174 days 22 hours ago.)

What you call the "wave of the future" is actually already here and now.  Prestigious schools such as Columbia, Georgetown,etc. have online programs, as well as the  majority of state schools have online programs as well. 

 

This issue isn't a bricks & mortar one, but one of educational quality.  You're just completing the IFC so you're not there yet, but please report after teaching for 2 years.  There is a HUGE difference between teaching at UofP versus a university with a traditional history. 

 

Just remember the saying "the customer is always right".

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» left by Anonymous (109 days 23 hours ago.)

Funny you say that about "customer is always right."  You are absolutely correct!  I attended a brick and mortar school 10 years ago and over all the experience was positive.  I had to work full time, however, to afford the tuition and housing bills, but it wasn't too bad.  My last year, I encountered one professor with whom I discussed 3 months in advance, the need to reschedule an exam because I was a manager at a hotel and was required to be on duty one evening for a major event the hotel was hosting.  I had an overall 3.9 GPA and had an A- in this class.  The professor initially agreed that since I had provided ample time to reschedule that we could work details out closer to exam time.  Fast forward to that week and I discovered that the professor had no intention of rescheduling my exam.  I had to miss work to take the test, and I did earn a solid a on the exam and for the entire class, but I was forced to sacrifice my job in order to submit to the whims of one guy who seemed to have forgotten that it was people like me with jobs like mine that paid his salary.  So, yes, in the case of higher learning, the customer is always right. 

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» left by John Hancock from Slidell, LA (192 days 19 hours ago.)

I was contacted by a representative of U of P and set up a meeting to discuss enrollment. Afterwards, I took the liberty to do a little online research and was overwhealmed with negative reviews from current students, graduates, drop-outs, and prior employees of the university. I decided to be decent and call Sean Penn, the admissions counselor that had contacted me, and cancell our scheduled appointment. He got upset, and told me,"call me in 4 or 5 years and let me know if you have graduated yet, but I doubt it." among other tacky, used car-salesmen tactics. I was expecting that response based off of the reviews I read though. What a "first rate" and "accredited" organization!

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» left by none from none (191 days 17 hours ago.)

Just remember, all schools are for profit......think about it ....when has school been free? when is anything free? If it wasn't for financial aid, pell grants and etc. there would be no Dr's or technichians or any scholars....SCHOOL ISN'T FREE!!!! whether it is, UCLA, USC, YALE OR UOP...IT'S NOT FREE NOR CHEAP!!! Education comes with a price.

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» left by Me from USA (174 days 22 hours ago.)

In 2009, almost every FULLY accredited university has an online/evening/adult courses. People, having a college degree no longer seperates you from the next candidate, hence why WHERE is more important now than ever (including if your degree is nationally accredited). In my company, a college degree and an MBA is required (oops, make that a nationally acreditted MBA).

 

Hey, if degree mills like UofP are so great because they do everything they can to fit you schedule/preferences, ask what it is you are giving up in return because it isn't just money (tuition). An earlier poster is reight - NOTHING is for free....

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» left by Lisa from NJ (148 days 22 hours ago.)

I think some are confused and should review the difference between National Accrediation and Regional. U of P is Regionally accredited, which is considered stronger than National. Yale and Harvard are regionally accredited by the New England Association of Schools and Colleges, Commission on Institutions of Higher Education.

 

 

You can access the US Government's database of accredited institutions. I can't put a URL link here but it's search for this database..

 

 

U of P is accredited by the exact same regional agency as Arizona State University, which is the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools, The Higher Learning Commission.

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» left by Anonymous (76 days 16 hours ago.)

While this might be true, even stronger than a regional approval is program level approval. For example, UOP's education program is NOT appoved by NCATE, the national body for education programs, unlike many universities.

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» left by Rich from Tempe, AZ (135 days 17 hours ago.)

HI Jean, 

 

Good article but there is one thing I would like to correct. University of Phoenix has been around since 1976 and got its accreditation in 1978 then they created the online modality in 1989.

 

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» left by Al from Dyess AFB, TX (100 days 11 hours ago.)

I am on active duty in the US Air Force. I am debating on whether or not to pursue an education with UoP. The opportunity is that I will be able to pursue a degree with the same school whether I am at home station, deployed, or PCSed (moved to a new base). There is an overwhelming number of people who have posted negative reviews, however the positive reviews seem to be more affluently worded, thought out, and honest than the negative ones. Which leads me to my point:

 

In short, don't trash talk the university because you don't have the drive and discipline to succeed, as it may ruin a good opportunity for someone who could cut it. I get the impression that this university expects a lot of its students, mainly the ability to be self motivated and resourceful. These are qualities that will be lacking in most of the 400,000 students attending the university, and as usual a very vocal minority will ruin something great for the silent majority.

 

In closing, if you are an ADULT who has the ability to DISCIPLINE yourself and the DRIVE to succeed, then why not give it a shot. I will reply to my own post with my experience once I have completed my first class.

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» left by Anonymous from Kansas City, MO (89 days 14 hours ago.)

I am a student at the University of Phoenix with 4 classes left. I have attended community college and spent a year at the University of Missouri Kansas City. (I left UMKC because it wasn't working with my work schedule) I think all three schools I have attended have been great. Of course there is going to be a bad teacher somewhere within 4 years of schooling and I have experienced that at each school.

 

The University of Phoenix is not a school for any working adult. What you learn from your classes strictly depends on you ust like any other school. There is a lot of individual reading required(at least 4 hrs a wk for me) and the teachers will answer any question students post. Also, just because it is an online school doesn't mean id doesn't consume your time. It takes a lot of time to complete the classes. The advantage is you get to decide when and where you do the work. (saved me some gas money)

 

Two downsides I have with the UOP are price and the amount of group work. Sometimes the group work can get overwhelming since there are several assignments due. I have friends who attend other Universities and their workloads seem to be smaller and they don't do as much group work. The University of Phoenix stresses teams because they feel that is important to most employers.

 

Yes, the counselors are sales people, but nothing like car salesmen. My counselor has never been rude or pushy.

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» left by Anonymous (80 days 11 hours ago.)

I am currently an on-line student at UoP.  It can be hard, but that should be the case for any college class you take.  I'm taking my 4th class right now after returning to school from a 10 yr hiates.  I started taking classes at a UoP satellite office in 1998 (not on-line) and really enjoyed it then, too.  I will fnally have my degree in less than a yr.

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» left by Ricardo from Palo Alto (57 days 11 hours ago.)

I've been working on my M.S. in the University of Phoenix for almost 17 months. All I can say is that, no matter how many degrees you have or school you attend, knowledge always depends on your interest, how much time you put on diversify your skills and personal talent, and not just on a diploma/degree from X university. I have taken classes online at Stanford University and all I can say is that everyone is capable to succeed; interest, motivation, consistency, happiness! and time are the important things to succeed not just in the professional arena but also in life.

 

Ricardo

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» left by Me (48 days 21 hours ago.)

Don't attend here, PLEASE! As a previous poster mentioned, the majority of nationally accreditted colleges and universities have online/evening degree programs. In this day and age where undergraduate degrees are than a dime a dozen, where you go (ex. the school's reputation) means more than ever now. University of Phoenix and its counterparts such as Capella or National American University are KNOWN degree mills throughout academia and the corporate world. You are wasting your money. Many posters in here are correct - it takes drive and discipline to do well in college...and part of that discipline may also mean that you as the student may actually have to make a sacrifice (*gasp*) of your time and schedule in order to attend classes at a nationally accreditted university. Geesh, everything can't be handed to you just as you want it, how you want it, and when you want it.   College is a priviledge, not a right.

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» left by Stacey from New Port Richey, Fl (30 days 14 hours ago.)

What I want to know is, Has anyone who graduated actually gotten jobs in their field? Is the degree worth anything on my resume? Will I be hired with this degree????

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» left by Anonymous (5 days 13 hours ago.)

Sure you willbe hired and having UOP on your resume will make a difference. The question is how bad do you want the job, present your best attitude, reference what you have learned, and as always, be most porfessional at all times as well as in your response to employer questions. I have a Masters in Psychology from Phoenix, and I am working as a school psychologist (3rd year) and I personally know that an education at UOP can land you an excellent employment opportunity.

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» left by Anonymous (9 days 10 hours ago.)

No...the THOUSANDS of UoP graduates throughout the country each year don't get jobs in their fields...ever...duh. what kind of question is that? In the real world, it's hardly WHERE you attain your degree anymore...instead its whether or not you attain a masters or a doctorate....employers look at the letters behind the name first, before ever finding out where the letters came from. They don't care where you studied for so many years...just that you were willing to put forth the effort...the extra years of valuable learning and experience.

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