I was minutes from sending in my registration check the day after my appointment with an enrollment counselor when a friend who knew what I was planning to do called and said, "hey, take a look at all this...", directing me to usacomplaints.com's extensive history of allegations against U of Phoenix Online. If I had mailed that check, I would have had to go through a whole lot of headache to get myself UN-involved with them—mainly the financial aid application.
It was clear they were very eager to get my 'financial aid' money, and get all that they could get me to qualify for, as quickly as possible. That should have been adequate warning for me, but I guess I'm gullible. After some research and talking to several people with experience with U of Phoenix Online, I now understand its purpose. They OUGHT TO explain to prospective students the differences between their method of education and the standard or traditional style of university/college education, but, in my case, they DID NOT.
What is more, I left copies of transcripts and CLEP and DANTES test scores (official copies) in the enrollment counselor's office so she could make copies and she stated she would give them back to me the following day when I came in for further orientation and to finish up applying for financial aid—they clearly wanted to get this going as fast as possible, but stressed that it was for my own sake (a bit of a hustle obviously). When I called to let the enrollment counselor know that I had changed my mind, she suddenly needed to take another call and never called me back, as promised. I called several times asking when was a convenient time for me to come by and pick up the transcripts and official records I had left with her, but she never returned my phone calls. I finally went back into their offices, without notice, demanded action from the receptionist; he went and got the paperwork from the enrollment counselor who would not come out to see me. Very slimy, very unprofessional. These people obviously don't like to be called into the light when they get caught. The experience is not unlike dealing with a used car or a Kirby vacuum cleaner salesman.
The University of Phoenix Online program is a very cheesy operation, in my opinion, even if it does benefit some professionals seeking some kind of educational advancement through higher degrees. Higher education should not be a casino-like financial aid gamble from before the very first class. The University of Phoenix should at least inform the uninformed and not try to grab any and all financial aid, without shame or restraint, from the unsuspecting or ignorant student-to-be who is making an honest effort to return to school.
The University of Phoenix route is NOT for most students, since most students require a well structured environment and a level educational playing field, especially for the kind of money U of Phoenix is charging (56K for the average Bachelor's degree is comparable to a real university). It may work for some people, but certainly would not have been a wise investment for me.
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