Capella University

I have been at Capella four weeks. Certainly not a long time. I am so down on this university beyond hope. I have not talked to an academic counselor who knows what they are talking about yet. My professor tells me to be patient with the system which is constantly up and down. I went to SNHU to start my Masters degree and what a difference. They check in with me weekly at least and want to know how I am doing. When I contacted them to see if I could return for the third time they called right away. I am so sorry I did not ask to come back but I was super embarrassed with having to leave twice already. I am trying to transfer back next semester to finish my degree. Capella just does not seem to care and I feel like I am all alone in this venture.

The classes are either so easy it's stealing an easy A or so hard that I spent way too much time and money completing a class. The work load I experienced was far greater than that of the other college I had attended.

My experience at Capella University has been very rewarding and wonderful! I am in my third year of completing my degree and I love everything about the college! The staff is very understanding and extremely compassionate about their students and they do everything they can to provide encouragement and the support each student needs. The courserooms online are very simple and easy to use and comprehend. The only thing I do not really approve of is that Capella makes every student get the books from their bookstore and it gets delivered to us electronically, I am the type of student that needs and actual textbook right in front of me because it is easier for me to learn. As far as everything else I love the University and I look forward to completing my degree here.

It took a lot of research in order to decide what college I'd like to attend and I am happy that I chose Capella. Overall, my decision was based on how long it would take to obtain my degree, the amount of money it would cost to and I wanted to attend a school where myself as an older student didn't have to be bothered with a lot of children. Choosing to achieve my degree online at Capella was a great decision. Because it was my first time, I was so afraid of taking online classes but the staff at Capella was so helpful. In the beginning, I was overwhelmed but there is so much interactive material inside the classroom, that I always manage to figure things out on my own. This surprises me because I have always felt that I was the student who had to have an physical instructor there in order for me to learn- especially because I ask a lot of questions, but Capella makes everything so easy to figure out on your own. I tell everyone I know who is thinking about going back to school and who feel overwhelmed with taking online classes that if they choose Capella, they won't go wrong.

I was going to attended Capella University. I went online and register for a class they sign me up for . I was not able to get on line so the admission office told me to email the teacher. It took the teacher a couple of days to email me back. By that time the classes had started. Capella want me to pay for a class that I never took. They are a RIP OFF. DON'T GO HERE.

My BS-General Psychology is almost complete through Capella and I am pursing the MS Masters-Clinical Psychology Program next. I am currently certified through MCBAP in the State of Michigan with my Development Plan to become a certified alcohol and drug counselor (CADC). My internship hours for the CADC can be completed where I currently work and asubstance abuse detox and residential rehab, but my TLLP (Temporary Limited License Psychologist) practicum hours will need to be completed under a fully licensed psychologist-off site from where I work, in order to meet the criteria for the State of Michigan Licensing Board. The State of Michigan honors a degree from Capella as I have coworkers and collaegues who also obtained their masters degrees from there. Notice anything different with my post as compared to the negative on this site about Capella University?? I DID my research first, I have made sure to check on what is required in my state, and what I need to do in order to get to where I want to be. You cannot expect the University to do that for you. Previously, I had received my Associate's Degree in Criminal Justice from a brick and mortar school, and also attended Wayne State University in Detroit for many of my undergrad studies in psychology. The drive alone was an hour just to get to campus, pay for fuel, wear and tear on my car, pay for parking in the secure parking structures, and sit in classrooms full of young college kids who didn't seem to want to be there anyway. I was a member of Psi Chi, the Honors Society in Psychology, and I was pretty proud of my achievements. However, I decided to switch to Capella because WSU had a Gen Ed requirement of 3-consecutive semesters of a foreign language. Seriously??? I'm not going into foreign language for a career, and at the age of 40 and being a single mom, this was not something my mind could comprehend. The difficulty of trying to learn something like that was too difficult and was not even related to my field, just a way for them to get $$$ in my opinion, the same with the physics class, American Music class, etc. NOT related to clinical psych whatsoever. When I switched to Capella in the spring of 2013, I was immediately impressed with the fact that you HAVE to know what you're talking about in the discussions or you'll make yourself look like an asshat. This requires deep and critical thinking, which I love. I am on the Dean's List, and that isn't just handed to you, you DO have to do the work and know the material. You could easily "get by" during a semester at a brick and mortar college simply by skipping classes and just getting notes from someone, cramming for a test, showing up for it, and that's it. (I watched many young kids do that at Wayne State-most professors do not take attendences at large brick and mortar universities). But what do they really learn by doing that? Nothing. At Capella, you need to be active each week in the discussion forums. Sure, every class has it's students who seem to do the minimal amount possible just to pass, but what college doesn't? (Except for places like Stanford, Yale, Princeton, etc.) As for the cost, it's no more expensive than what I was paying at Wayne State University, by the time I added the cost of tuition, gasoline, car maintence, books, food on the go, etc...it evens out, actually I spent more going to WSU than I do with Capella online. Not to mention, my stress level by not having to drive to Detroit is so much better. I can quietly work in my virtual classroom with other learners who are in similar shoes; has a full time job in their field of interest and also has a family. I am able to incorporate what I learn with what I do for a living with recovering addicts, and that in itself makes Capella a wise investiment for me. Research anything before you make a big move, don't get yourself involved in something until you have research it thoroughly and you have speak to people who have walked that path who can help guide you. YOU make the final decision, if you're not happy, more forward, but don't jump into something with dreams that everything will magically happen for you. YOU have to do the work, before and after attending ANY university.

I have been at Capella for several years now due to the fact that I switched degrees half way through my career. I am going to try to post an honest overall review about the University, as it is my belief that most things are neither all good nor all bad. GOOD: Capella's support system is not as bad as it is being made out to be. Granted, the staff do not "hunt you down" or call you all the time to check in. However, if you call advising they will gladly answer your questions. The material if fairly relevant to the degree being obtained, and the online library has some really good resources. You can do most of the work at your own pace as well, which is good for working adults. BAD: For the clinical programs you are required to attend 2-3 week long programs that are located throughout the country. Though a huge part of the program it is very difficult for a working parent like me to get away for that period of time. In addition it is very expensive with all of the additional costs related to the hotel stay, food and transportation...not to mention if you have to take the time off of work unpaid. In addition, the teachers are not often present in the classroom. Now, this is NOT always the case, but there certainly is not any type of regulating force making sure that the professors are active in their teaching. Finally, the clinical programs are not recognized by all states, including where I just moved. I am not sure what I am going to do at this point, but I will figure it out. As an online school goes Capella is not terrible. I do not feel that I am learning much, but I am not sure if that is due to shortcomings in the school or due to my having some experience in the field. However, I would check into the program you are planning to take as well as any state regulations regarding your degree.

After reading most of the reviews in this website, I find that my case is similar to several. The only thing is that I have hired the best lawyers in my State to help me because Capella does not deliver the services that they offer. And in this State, this is called fraud and a scam. I completed the doctoral studies with a 4.0 GPA and passed the Comprehensive Exam in 2011. This is September of 2013 and the faculty continues to bully me around with iterations keeping me in MP#3 (3 out of 16). This is done intentionally in order to prolong my stay in Capella and thus collect more tuition. My SMR (proposal) was completed in 2011 and I know that there is nothing wrong with the study. The study has been revised by scholars outside Capella and the proposal has been validated. What Capella is doing with me is penalized by the laws of this State. I am withdrawing before spending any more $$. I hope the national media gets a hold of Capella and makes this scam public. I think there are enough learners like me who have been victimized. This is sad. I mean that a scam like this is happening in the United States by "scholars," and that they are getting away with it with no accountability for their actions.

Feel misled, degree is useless and school left me to hang. I did not get good advisement or support. They run a horrible PHD Psychology program and you can't get licensed with online courses. They got a lot of people in due to APA applications but never got the credentials. Waste of money...I am sorry I dint leave when I figured out the we're not honest or legitimate.

I began my PhD with Capella with high hopes and expectations in 2004 and completed in 2009. While the core curriculum progressed nicely and I had no problems with my comprehensive exams, the dissertation phase lasted almost 2 years. I was, I was told, the Guinea Pig for revising the dissertation process. What a nightmare! As a lifelong learner, I have numerous Bachelors and Masters from "Brick and Mortar" schools. I am self-motivated and, throughout all, I have held 3.8-4.0 GPAs. Capella was no exception. After two years, my dissertation was completed and I was granted my PhD. Unfortunately, it is not worth the paper it is printed on. Not only will you not be eligible for licensure in most, if not all states, you are not even eligible for a Licensed Mental Health Practitioner (LMHP) or Licensed Professional Counselor (LPC). To acquire these licenses, I had to complete additional work at a local university, in addition to an additional internship -- all of this for an over $130,000.00 price tag which I am still paying on. As a "for-profit" institution, it was, not only my belief, but also all of my fellow learners, the school protracted my degree program from four to over five years. I even took 3 courses per semester, which is 1 more than Capella recommended, with a 4.0 average. Bottom line: I was making nearly twice with an MS as I do now with a PhD. At nearly 60 years of age with numerous life experiences, including over a quarter-Century in military service as the single worse decision ever, one that I, and my family, will have to live with the remainder of my life. The only benefit of this exercise in futility is having PhD behind my name.

The time it takes to get to class, and all the disruptions in the traditional brick and mortar classrooms, makes online programs highly attractive. So much time is taken up trying to get to class at Boston University. I graduated with a MBA from City University, having spent time sitting in class rooms waiting for lectures. I have MS in Accounting, too. Let me tell you how awesome Capella University compares for me. I say for me, because your priorities may dictate a traditional education, and what is best for me may not be for you. There was concern Capella University would not be rigorous enough. I did not want to go to a school that would pass anyone, and not be concerned about the quality of work students produced. That did not happen. Capella University lends more than enough support to help students produce quality papers and assignments, so more is expected of them than other schools I’ve been to. Brick and mortar does not necessarily mean quality, and certainly not efficiency. Many traditional schools have online programs. Pick any traditional school and chances are you will find a degree offered online. Each of these schools is trying to become better at offering online degree programs. Capella University is leading the way, and many universities are trying to catch up. You can get a very good education at Capella University. Just be prepared to work for it. I am in the Ph.D. program in Psychology. I work at one of the largest brick and mortar universities in the U.S. I also was accepted to an Ivy League school. I absolutely enjoy every minute of learning at Capella. It is challenging, and I’m learning at a pace I did not experience while in a traditional university setting. I will be just as proud to graduate from Capella as anywhere, because I will have worked just has hard as I would have worked anywhere. Pick the school that works for you. If traditional is your thing, then go for it. Capella may not be for you, but it was a perfect fit for me. I work full time, and I don’t have time to travel to and from school waiting for lectures, listening to students conversing about the latest party, or some other bs. Best of success to you.

First of all consider the cost, for this amount of tuition you want to learn something. The course material is very good. With that said you can complete the same work in an independent study format, the instructors are either complacent or bullies, no middle. Consider that some degrees require that you leave your job and/or family for 1 week at least 2 times for residency. The additional out of pocket expense is a challenge without this inconvenience you do not graduate. Consider that other schools offering these same programs give students the option of "Virtual Residency" where the excessive expense, time from work, family and the travel eliminated. Capella does not offer this. Unavailability of necessary technology, if the school is to support people who work, have family's and do not wish to use family vacation time to sit in a residency for 1 week. Consider that Capella's open Courseroom encourages plagiarism. No matter who the information is copied from it is Plagiarism. If you took it from someone else, without citing them it is cheating. If you are a hard worker, go to a traditional school or a school where students are not allowed to view other students work until their work has been posted in the course room. The open course format allows other students who choose to wait for others who have done the research and finished their post first, simply to copy bits and pieces of everyone’s work to complete their work. Sometimes it is not just bits and pieces, sometimes it whole sections or paragraphs. If you find that someone has copied your work as well as others and you report it, it is of no consequence to the cheaters. It has gotten Ridiculous. Suggestions, not to allow students to see other student’s posts until they have posted theirs have been ignored. Consider that the idea of attending an online school is for the convenience of managing life, family, employment and the opportunity for an education. Very important...If you consider Capella be prepared for their administrative changes to cost you some money. If you do all that you believe you need to, to be successful and one of Capella's policies change in mid stream the only options you have of leaving is transferring and losing almost all of your credits. Quitting and wasting all of that tuition, or simply going with the flow and still not being able to graduate because, you decide against the aforementioned. Consider the external resources that you may need to complete the program such as supervised internships. Capella does not actively assist in the REQUIREMENT, so if you are unable to locate the required internship locations, you don’t graduate and time runs out after 3 quarters. Some students have been trying to find internships in their areas for over a year. No help from Capella and this is a graduation requirement. Guess what, while you are in internship status Capella, gets no money, so why should they help. Granted these things could happen anywhere. But before you decide to spend your hard earned money or become buried in loans consider, just how much you are willing to sacrifice by attending Capella. Be strategic in obtaining transferrable credits. Do not stay long if you foresee issues with traveling out of town twice for a week. Consider programs that offer virtual residency to accommodate this inconvenience and expense. If you want to glide through the course content without having to do your own research, then Capella is the school for you. Their open Courseroom encourages students to cheat. However, if you are a dedicated hard worker and want to do the work Do Not, I repeat Do Not attend Capella, to help others glide through the process. Doing this disparages the profession the cheaters are supposedly working to become a member of.

I am in the last class of my master's degree in psychology. This degree will end up costing me almost 40,000. I agree with the other poster who said that the "professor" do not teach. It is an INDEPENDENT study course. Capella brags that only Ph.D's are allowed to be instructors, but that is meaningless because they don't share knowledge and experience with you anyway. It truly is the fast food of college degrees....at a very high premium price. I would not do it again. If you want to try it, make a decision early on...because soon you will not be able to afford not to finish.

First off Capella is a great school. But before you attend any college you have to make sure that the degree you are going for fits your states regulations. NOW Capella's masters degree program in Psychology DOES offer a license. They are cacrep certified meaning that after obtaining the Masters in psychology you can get certified to be a Licensed counselor. BUT you have to actually take a specialization through there school. Either drug rehab, Marriage counseling, Mental health ect ect. Obviously EVERYONE knows that to be an actual Psychologist you have to get A PhD. But you can become a licensed Counselor. There is so much misinformation out there from bitter students who couldn't cut it at online colleges. They give out false information and infect the rest of us..

Capella does not care out you as a student they only care about getting your money. If you are looking for a school to attend for psychology please go elsewhere. I have found out, and so have many of my classmates, that their degree is useless. I sought support from the advising staff at Capella today and was told this "our classes are not designed for licensure". Why else would some seek a masters degree in psychology if they were not going to see a license? I was also told my only option was to transfer to another school. When I spoke with the advising staff about my licensure worries a couple of years ago I was assured I needn't worry. Now that they have $120K of my money they do not care if I transfer to another school for my last semester. For your safety and sanity please seek another school.

Capella University does not TEACH. If you are interested in a gloried correspondence school - Capella is for you. They assign reading then ask you to write on a very specific subset of the reading assignment. If you are in a hurry to get that degree - just read the portion of the assignment related to the writing assignment. Comprehension or mastery of the topic is not required to pass a course. I want an education. This does not meet my needs. Looking for a brick and mortar university with lectures, interaction with fellow students and professors and the requirement to master the subject matter.

I earned my BS from a large public research university working under some of the brightest minds in psychology. I completed my MHR with a small liberal arts college hearalded for being the best private college in the south. Having taught online and on-site for my alma mater I decided to move online for my PhD. Capella's webCT platform is great for an all online program. The courses are relavant and bring together instructors and learners of all backgrounds. While the courses are heavily structured by the University, the instuctors have freedom to adjust and add some content in how they teach the class. Capella courses require effort from the learner or else you will not learn anything. This is one of the best attributes of the school. It forces you to think, reserach, extrapolate, and collaborate. I have never written so professionally in my life and am proud of each reasearch item I have submitted. I recently changed from PhD to MS program because I cannot meet the requirements for the PhD residencies and will be running out of financial aid. Hopefully, I can return and complete the PhD in the future. Capella's open enrollment policy does give any learner with an accredited prior degree the chance to pursue an advanced degree. However, the FirstCourse in the program weeds out those who are not able to make the grade. My FirstCourse instructor was so keen on developing the skills needed at the doctoral level that I am sure some students did not pass. And if you do not pass the first course in the program, designed to acclimate you to online learning and the Capella learning model, you are dismissed from the University. My couses past that one have been filled with great professionals that I have really helped me broaden my horizons.

I am adult learner with a full time career as a licensed counselor in higher education and a young family. Up until the last course I had at Capella, the professors were fair when it came to deadlines. Two scholarly research projects and discussions per week in the midst of being an adult learner can be taxing as I set the standards high for myself when it comes to quality. The last course, Research Methods, was one of my 4 courses prior to comprehensive exam and dissertation. Throughout the course, I kept the professor apprised that although my work was late, it was of high quality. On my final course project, I submitted a 25 page qualitative research design which was to be the basis of my dissertation. I received the grade of 'Distinguished' on my final project and, as I have had about 11 courses prior to this, submitted what prudent professionals would consider 'A' work throughout the course. To my dismay, I received my final grade of 59 F for the course and the rationale that the professor gave was that I had earned zero credit for anything that missed a deadline. ZERO CREDIT. I was quite shocked and appalled; I challenged my grade to no avail. I tried to contact the Dean and there was NO response whatsoever. I'm not sure how a professor, the dean who oversees the program, or or the institution who employs them, can justify how a student who SUBMITTED ALL THE WORK has to take the course over when all I missed throughout the 10 weeks were arbitrary deadlines. What Capella was basically saying was that the professor has the final say on the grading and that I would have to take the course over just to submit the work I had already done ON TIME THIS TIME. Give me a break. I have since transferred to Northcentral University out of Phoenix who are much more flexible when it comes to the adult learner. Avoid the trite discussion forums and colloquia at Capella like the plague; Northcentral is THE option you need to be choosing when it comes to online doctoral pursuit in Psychology. Goodbye Capella, enjoy the deadlines you set for your discussions. Matt F., LPC Former Capella Learner (2006-2009)

As a PhD graduate (2008) of Capella, I can say that my experience was fantastic. The professors are leaders in their fields and they are more than willing to work with you. My committee for my dissertation was outstanding! They went above and beyond throughout the process. If you are looking for an easy degree, Capella is not the University for you! The course work is demanding and requires a lot of outside work. However, the quality of the program is outstanding. My degree from Capella has enabled me to obtain a 20k raise!