I have been wanting to go back to school. I have started the process and now just need to figure out which school I am going to go to. I have a friend that will be attending University of Phoenix online and this could be a good option for me. Do you have any likes/dislikes about this school? Anyone attended and had success/failure? Anything you can tell me about this school is MUCH appreciated! Thanks, S.
I have not attended but I have know some who have. They feel that for the money, that are better choices.
I work with adult students as an admission rep for a school in St. Louis. I think it's wise to cast a wide net and investigate several different schools to find the program that suits your needs and--very importantly--your learning style well. But I also think you should think carefully about online vs. on-ground programs.
The ideal online learner has the following characteristics: Highly organized and able to schedule time efficiently. Very self-disciplined and self-directed. Visual learner. Efficient communicator via written language. Self-sufficient and able to solve problems independently. Avoids procrastination.
Some people are motivated more by collaborative learning and the social aspect of interacting with other students. Talking through concepts helps them deepen knowedge. Some students are auditory, learn-by-doing types. These types of learners tend to do better in an on-ground classroom environment.
Good luck to you! Going after your degree is a wonderful goal with many rewards.
S.,
My husband got his MBA degree from University of Phoenix when he was in the military & had no other options. He's heard from employers that they think from all of the online schools, Phoenix is one of the better ones. Additionally, after your first job, most employers don't really care where you went to school, so you can save quite a bit of money by taking advantage of this options.
On the other hand, depending on what you want to do, it may be worth the extra money to go to a more reputable school, at least for an advanced degree. Now my husband wants to work as a CIO (chief info officer) & is looking at going to Northwestern University in Chicago for an executive MBA (Wash U is #26), which is considered to be the best in the country. This is b/c he knows he'd never get such a high profile job without a degree from a high profile university.
Not an easy choice, but worth looking into. My best friend saved a lot of money commuting to school for the first 2 years of college before going to the main campus. She missed out on mostly immature stuff but in the meantime has 1/2 the amount of debt than the rest of us have. It can be a smart alternative.
AJ
S.,
My husband got a PHD in Phoenix University. He studied online late at nights and during weekends. He liked a lot because he could organize himself with work and family at the same time, but it is hard work. He is happy about it!! He is Mechanical Engineer, but he needed something more to get better opportunities.....After he got the Phd, he got a new and great job which took us over H. to St Louis.
Good luck with your decision!
Alejandra
Online courses are somewhat difficult because they are completely dependant on your motivation. Also some employers look at an online degree with less regard to others. You might want to check out Lindenwood University's LCIE program. It is designed for working adults. You graduate from a respected name, and this program has you only going to school one day a week. The schedule is so that you can do a lot outside of class and the classroom experience is a group of working professionals. Their tuition is about half of other Universities, and they have expanded to offer classes at several remote locations, besides for their main campus in St. Charles they have a south county, downtown, north county, west port, IL, Wentzville location and more. It would be worth your time to talk to an advisor before you commit to any program and put some thought in what is going to be the best learning method for you.
Warranted or not -- I know nothing about the quality of the education at University of Phoenix -- some business people see this as a third-class degree ... and perception is huge. There are also some who feel that without a shared learning (classroom) experience, you will not get the range of opinions and ideas which are part of an excellent education and which also mirror a facet of the workplace.
So while the convenience and cost may rise high in the pro/con list, if it were me, and if I were looking to become employed as a result of this new degree, I'd investigate some other options first.
