Fort Hays State University

I completed my bachelors degree online after having my associates degree in nursing. While the cost was definitely affordable and the classes were structured in a way that was appropriate, I do not feel I received adequate support. The online advisor was a general advisor and did not know the answers to the questions I asked as far as which courses to take together. I felt that the classes were not taught by upper level professors as I had hoped. Lastly, I had issues with getting into the classes I needed and getting them approved. I am glad I have my bachelors degree but now that I am returning for my masters degree, I am not attending Fort Hays.

I obtained a graduate degree from FHSU IN 2016. The degree was in human resources. There was lack of support from the staff in particular the department chair. The organization of the job fairs was very poor. You would think with all the Phds in Management they could organize a job fair for the school? There were no major employers from aircraft at job fairs. Wichita being in range it seems odd. Non of the major corporations in the area at job fairs. You would think with the PHds there they could offer good internships. They do not have the connections available to assist in this venture. They will tell students to look for internships and the employers will take few students from here. Sad to say two years later no job in HR despite being an graduate and a member of Wichita SHRM. Being a member of Wichita SHRM did not help one bit. After obtaining my masters here I had to go to a technical school for IT. The employers wanted experience over this degree. With the lack of practicums and internships, it's a dead end street. I tried everything with the degree nothing works. There were problems getting in classes to. The employers view them as cheap drive up degrees this is my honest personal experience.

I chose this program because I get $3,000 per year from my employer to spend on school and I wanted to squeeze every credit I could out of it. I still haven't managed to find cheaper tuition in any accredited University. I dare you to try. The program itself was disappointing. There were a few good instructors (my stats and bioethics instructors were good), but mostly not in the nursing program. Part of what annoyed me was that they didn't seem familiar with technology and video making. They certainly didn't use interactive content or any use of technology that I would call advanced. They didn't even do online study groups or video conferencing. Come on people, it's the age of the internet and you're a virtual school! Most of the time instructors posted reading assignments, had quizzes or tests (often from textbook companies, mostly not proctored), and assigned people to write papers. Of course, this is not unusual for any school. Even as I say that FHSU sucks, I'd have to say that most schools suck and for the same reasons. At least FHSU was cheap. If you want to spend less money, get slightly better at writing papers and power point presentations, and come out with an accredited degree at the end, I guess you're in the right place.

I completed the Bachelor of General Studies degree after attending Fort Hays State for several years virtually, as I live 1,500 miles away from the campus. I always took a part-time load, which took longer but also helped me learn more with just two courses to focus upon instead of four or five per semester. FHSU does not do the accelerated class format you see commonly with other online programs. Classes are the traditional 16 weeks in length just the same as if you are on-campus. I can tell you I enjoyed the online format much more in the beginning of my degree program than I did towards the end. Some classes were way better than others depending upon the interest and passion of the teacher. It seemed that the longer I was in the BGS program, the less and less interested my teachers became in actually "teaching" rather than just assigning papers, discussion posts, and quizes. The school has grown tremendously and I think many of the teachers are just too overwhelmed with students to really care like they should (and it does show). The advisors are also very overworked due to high student numbers and this also translates to lack of interest and meaningful communication between student and mentor. I love that this school offered me an opportunity to earn a regionally-accredited, four year degree that did not require any math courses. The Bachelor of General Studies does not require math, but does require twelve hours of science instead to make up for the lack of math. I did originally try taking math online for a Bachelor of Arts degree, but algebra was just too difficult for me without the help of a face-to-face teacher. The tuition is affordable and I was able to graduate debt free from FHSU. My end goal was to obtain a Bachelor's degree in order to enroll in a graduate degree program locally in my hometown and this goal has become a reality. This is a silly thing to complain about, but I have to mention that when my diploma arrived that I was disappointed with how it was packaged and printed. The school uses a very cheap diploma sleeve compared to most other colleges and high schools. I also graduated with honors, but the honors designation is printed on the diploma in tiny little letters in the lower right-hand corner of the diploma just above the signatures of the president and the registrar. This is totally the opposite of what I have seen with other colleges, as the honors designation is usually front and center on the diploma right above or below the graduate's name. It would be very difficult for anyone to notice I have an honor's designation on my FHSU diploma. I worked hard on my degree to achieve honors and I feel as if this belittles my hard work. All in all, I would do it all over again despite these negative points I have mentioned. Tuition goes up a tad bit every year, but is still extremely affordable at about $525 for undergraduate courses and $725 for graduate courses. Despite the serious lack of involvement from some of the instructors, you still learn a lot because the assignments, quizes, and exams do require you to read the text and commit yourself to the material. I have found that the younger the instructor, the easier the course will be. Some of the harder and more dedicated professors are those who have been teaching over twenty-five years. Blackboard is a popular computer program FHSU uses for the courses and this is also used by many other colleges here and abroad. It is easy program to learn on your own, thankfully, because a lack of genuine support and assistance is perhaps the biggest complaint I have with the university. Otherwise, if you are a serious student with lots of ambition and motivation, then FHSU will be a good fit for you; especially if you want a degree that will be recognized by employers and other schools, is affordable, and will give you the knowledge you need to succeed in the real world.

I have a lot of experience writing research and some of my research has been published. During a research class at this university I had a very hard time getting a simple Problem Statement approved. My professor did absolutely nothing to help me out or lead me to what he exactly was looking for. In the end he changed ONE word and approved it. Really? So I researched him. Never published any research, EVER. His history and credentials state he is approved to advise grades K-12. This is a Master's Program. Did I miss something here? I will be transferring to another school next semester.

Although the FHSU RN-to-BSN program has the benefits of being affordable, flexible, and online there are some SERIOUS drawbacks.The courses so far have been moderately effective, but with errors/grammar issues in some of the course materials and definite issues with many instructors being organized and/or available for questions/support. This can be overlooked and one can still learn the material and do well. However, the worst issue, by far, is that there are legal differences between Kansas, and at least the state of Colorado, making it very difficult to attain an internship needed for my final semester. After making numerous calls and sending even more emails, trying possible outside-the-box types of locations, and also pursuing current and former places of employment I had to drop the final semester's classes because all of the Colorado locations I contacted need the school to provide worker's comp insurance. But, FHSU states Kansas has a law preventing them from doing so. This might not be a deal breaker, but the lack of support to find a workable solution is horrible. After repeatedly contacting my Advisor, Instructor, and the Chair of the Program, I have received the run-around and the most recent outcome being literally told it is my responsibility to find an internship. The extent of support from the school has been a statement of possible other types of nursing employers to try, that may not demand a contract (that includes the worker's comp clauses), but that is it. Considering that this legal issue is far beyond my realm of control, I would have hoped for a bit more collaboration, from the school, on finding a reasonable and viable solution; not being told I'm on my own and that they can call to let me know how to be successful in the course. Considering I have a 4.0, thus far, I don't think managing online coursework is the issue. The manner in which this has been handled and the lack of support has been frustrating at best. Had I known this would be the case going in, I would have definitely chosen to attend a different program. Make sure, prior to investing your time and money, that you will be able to complete the internship in this program.

I am pursing my BSN online through Fort Hays. I find the classes very organized and the content engaging. I am not overwhelmed, and I am learning a lot of advanced nursing knowledge I didn't get in with my ADN. If I've missed a deadline due to family or work, the teachers have been very flexible and understanding when I've communicated with them. I would recommend this college to any ADN pursuing the BSN. It's affordable and achievable for a busy mom of 6 six, who also works full time. Don't let the negative reviews scare you. It's a great college and a great value as well.

I am a working parent of three (9,6,6) who has 24+ years in my line of work. I have attended tons of brick and mortar and online classes to complete my undergraduate degrees, so I was ready for full-time grad school at FHSU. I took 9 units my first semester, and man did I work my tail off! (I finished with 97%, 91%, 90% for the three.)Sometimes instructors were a bit slow to respond, and the class-opening dates to sign up for the next semester aren't clearly communicated, but otherwise there have been no issues. Read your syllabus and mark the due dates for every assignment in a daily calendar you'll see, because if you miss a deadline for a discussion room post or response the lost points can be costly! (I went from a 255/260 pts to a 235/260 pts...that's a 98% to 90% final grade, because I missed two 10-point weekly responses when I was out of town and was stuck with a work laptop with a firewall that refused the hotel's public WiFi.) I have two work associates who went to on-line buy-a-degree programs for their masters, and it's evident because they've contributed little to our work environment. Get ready to work at FHSU, but when you're done you'll be proud to know you put forth a lot of effort and actually learned something from your classes rather than just paid $25-30k to buy a master's degree elsewhere.

I chose this school because it was affordable and I need the most amount of student loan reimbursement. I am taking the entry level courses such as IDS801, ISD802, and IDS803, and failing two of them. I have never in my life failed courses that I have put this much effort into. I wish I had read these reviews before I wasted my time with this school. The professors are so full of themselves, taking more than 50% of your grade on an assignment away for things like, "you didn't respond to one other classmate" when they did not make it clear how many times you need to respond. They also take 25% of a grade off because you used a spelling of something they did not thing was right, even if it is grammatically correct. Be prepared to not be able to continue a degree that you just wasted a ton of time on because if you don't get a B average you get booted out. That's a bit harsh, and I have never in my life failed a class, and am failing two entry-level courses. I think that's them not me, because I answer all their questions and still fail the assignments. Also if you take Joelle Spotswood for IDS802 be prepared to fail every quiz, 50% of the class does. She asks inane questions from essays within a textbook that you would have to memorize every single word to be able to answer. All in all, not sure what I will do, maybe withdrawal, but just be forewarned, and do your homework. I have been to four different schools now with three degrees and have never had discussions that are only worth 8 points where you are expected to write 300-500 words.

Overall, I love the education I am getting from FHSU Virtual classes. They are thorough, well planned, and intriguing. The classes are sometimes incredibly time consuming, but I would not expect anything less of a graduate school program. My only two complaints are with my advisor whom in 1.5 years of my education there has only responded to one of my many messages to this person. Second is with the MLS program with an emphasis in Art. They have not provided enough classes to support my degree to be completed in two years. I am very disappointed about this and can't get my advisor to return emails or phone calls to try to find a solution to this problem, if there even is one. Who knows I may need to wait another 1+ semesters before they offer another lectured online class or move to Hays to take my last class in person.

1. Virtual school means, almost universally: You get a list of what you are supposed to do: read the book, take the test, write the paper, post on a discussion board - and you get a grade and never know why your grade is less than good - if it's not good - because your teacher will post 7/20 and not tell you anything. 2. Virtual will overload you and if you do not understand every last drop of the book - be prepared - because they will ask you a question formulated by a test archive about pg 10 the last sentence about was it 5.1% or 7.2% on rainy or sunny day in bermuda - and then ask you about the pink rain in bermuda on - was it 11.815% or 12.698% in 1976? Do we need to know this? Does my teacher care if I know it? 3. Running out of good classes to take. Look at the campus classes and you wonder why there are so few online classes. 4. Blackboard is forcing you to cut and paste with keys - you can't use the mouse anymore. The new grading system is bulk - you can't find the courses you are taking now.

I have attended both traditional (brick and mortar campuses) and nontraditional (online, night and weekend) during my educational career. I learned that different programs suit different learning styles. Some people do very well with online learning, others need the structure of the classroom setting, some can thrive in almost any environment. This is not necessarily indicative of a program's quality or a student's aptitude. Fort Hays' Virtual College provides an enriching curriculum with engaging instructors who genuinely care about about the subjects they teach. For students who do learn well in this type of program, there are many excellent teachers available. Just like any other school there may be a few duds, but by and large, you will find that the instructors are dedicated and involved. Additionally, I found the support staff to be helpful and responsive on every occasion (admissions, financial aid, financial services, advising, technical support, library services). In fact, I was so pleased with the school that after being accepted to another university for graduate school I declined the acceptance and applied to Fort Hays, where I will begin attending again this fall.

Prior to choosing and subsequently enrolling at FHSU, I conducted thorough research into schools, various online programs offered, associative costs and accredidation and found FSHU to be among the top of the list. As a working adult with numerous responsibilities, I found the MLS program offered by FHSU to be both practical, economical and able to meet my individual needs.Overall I found the program/classes to be both challenging and enlightening and the online discussions/student participation were very engaging and thought provoking. In those instances when I did have an issue, question or inquiry for either my instructors,Advisor, Student Fiscal Services, the Book store or the technical staff,my inquiries were always answered in a timely and professional manner. My only negative comment would that some classes required several text books which as it turned out, were not always used during semester thus unecessarily adding to the semester cost. Overall,in my opinion, the online MLS program at FHSU is a quality program which engages and challenges students. I would highly recommend the program to any working adult who desires to attain or complete a quality college education from a reputable and accredited school. Although it met my needs, I recommend that you do your research and compare schools, accredidation, costs and programs offered before making a decision.

This is my final semester (I hope) at FHSU as a Virtual College student. It has been an up and down experience. On the positive side, there is the lower tuition. On the negative side, there are the mediocre classes. In short, most of the classes are self-taught through reading books and supplements handed out by the instructors. Some classes may have pre-recorded lectures for you to view. Those are usually at the least two years old--some quite much older. As for testing, please check your results after the tests are completed. I have found numerous errors in the grading where my answers were marked wrong when they were actually correct. The excuses I received were that the exams or quizzes are new and not edited. I suppose the students were used as guinea pigs for those. Those who complained were consoled with revised grades. Some instructors seem to talk you out of taking their classes. I inquired about a class that had one opening left. The instructor replied back that the textbooks were out of stock, so I couldn't enroll. After asking the bookstore about this, I was told they had plenty of books. I decided not to pursue it any further because, after getting a reply from the instructor like that, I lost my interest in the class. If you do decide to attend FHSU, please question everything. If you don't ask for help, you will flounder. No one will care to help you, even if they know your academics are poor.

I am nearing the end of my first year @ FHSU and so far I would characterize the experience as good. The admissions staff was helpful. Getting accepted and filling out the paperwork wasn't that hard. It is a good school for the price and if your grades are less than stellar you can still get accepted. The classes vary in difficulty as does your required level of participation, as well as the instructors. A couple of classes were basically "read the chapter, take the test" type things. A similar freshman level class required to not only read 4-5 chapters a week, but watch the corresponding lectures and submit 3 exams which consisted of 7-10, 1 pg essay questions with topic identifications. Some classes are work at your own pace, and submit all work by the end of semester, some you do week by week (which seems to be the preferred format with instructors). Mostly the instructors have always been helpful with questions and answered back in a timely matter. I am a little irked writing this though, as the semester started a few days ago and I am having problems in a particular class. I ordered the required materials only to find out that I have the wrong lab kit. I was not able to determine this until about 3 days into the class because the instructor posted the syllabus and assignments late(usually the teachers post this a day or two prior to semester starting). I e-mailed him and he didn't really help with telling me what I need because I had to go to some website and didn't have the code I am apparently supposed to have. Dropped the class. Other than this I have found the teachers and faculty to be helpful and have learned a lot my first year! Don't be discouraged with what some others have written, overall if you want affordability and a challenging curriculum where you feel as if you have actually accomplished something, go FHSU!

I am in my 4th year at FHSU through the virtual college program. The positive side is that the online classes are convenient if you live far from the university. The negative is that the teachers are a joke, usually you will wonder if the class even has a teacher. They have the class set-up to function without them being involved and that is the way it stays. If you do have a professor who corresponds to your questions they always go on and on about how many classes and students they have. Seems like they are stretched to thin to do a good job. The classes are hard, with tons of assignments. If you have a job or family good luck. I have taken classes at ESU in the classroom and they did not have near the busy work assignments that the online classes have. It is like they wish to punish the online student because they do not have to come to class. Out of four full time years I would say that I have had 3 good teachers. I also had to take tons of worthless classes as my electives because they have so little to offer for the online student. If I had to do it all over I wish I would never have heard of FHSU. I would never recommend it to anyone.

This school was okay. Would I recommend it to a friend? No. The course work is solid, I never had a proctored test and the the classes are cheap, but those were the only positives. There were many technical difficulties in the online classroom and the teachers were MIA a majority of the time. The syllabi were confusing and vague. I had to ask my teachers so many questions. They took a few days to reply. Before this school I was going to a California State University, so I have college experience. At CSU, the expectations are clear. At FHSU, not so much.

I only just enrolled in FHSU for the online virtual program. I really enjoy the semester by semester rather than the type of schedule schools like University of Phoenix offers (6 weeks per class). I can't give any advice to teachers and quality of coursework just yet, but as soon as I can I will come back and comment. So far the transition to the college is smooth. All my emails although take one to two days to reply they still answer back as fully informed as possible. With a school at 10,000 students I don't see why so many people are complaining about delayed responses. A huge school such as this and an added virtual program I would only assume the staff is a little over loaded. Perhaps you should plan as much of your course related work ahead of time to give the instructors and staff some more time to aide you. I'm sure there is a syllabus included and you can note ahead of time that you may need some more material covering specific topics. As for the blackboard I have experienced some issues but nothing as extreme as people are mentioning. Hosting a server cradling over 10,000 students can be hard on software. I have experienced much worse with University of Phoenix and Ashford University both school I WILL NEVER ATTEND AGAIN. Until next time. Go TIGERS!

Completed the MLS in 2009; the coursework was relevant, and as it's a lot of guided study is what you make of it. The degree has paid for itself several times over in 3 years; helped win a promotion at work, and have since landed a new Exec-level job, though having to explain what MLS from the "presitigious FHSU" (wink wink) was to an interview panel of VPs was interesting. If you're looking for a Masters Degree from an accredited, bricks-and-mortar school (vs. an online mill or for-profit mill), if you're paying for it on your own, or if don't have the GPA for a highly selective school, FHSU may be a good fit. If you need spoon-fed courses and prefer the cachet of a bigger school, look elsewhere.

I had applied, enrolled and accepted to attend online, received everything I needed to become a student here. when time came to get set up and all that fun stuff, I had no staff support to help me walk through the process. They seem to behind with technology and when I called for help, they had no idea on how to help me. This helped my decision in withdrawaling from the University. all because they didn't have the time to help me get set up and get rolling so i could learn. I believe that the staff doesn't care or have the time to get new students going.

I have previously been enrolled with Park University and Central Texas College. While they were both good schools, I found the 8 week format to be too fast for me to truly absorb the information. Both schools required a proctored midterm and final for every class. As a result, I spent many lunches at work taking exams. Most classes at FHSU do not require a proctor. This is because they usually have essay exams. You can't just peek in a book to completely answer an essay question. To get full credit, you have to have a good grasp of the material. Another thing I like about this school is how understanding the teachers are. I was admitted to the hospital for a week and was unable to complete my assignments. Both of my professors understood and I was still able to complete the work that I missed. I am only halfway through two classes, but so far this is a good school.

I completed my Master’s degree in Information Assurance at Fort Hays State in the Fall of 2010. I looked at a number of different programs, but as a full-time employee chose Fort Hays because it was affordable, allowed for a flexible schedule, and most importantly to me, is certified by the NSA as a National Center of Academic Excellence in Information Assurance. While attending, I was able to earn my CISSP—a goal I had long sought but could not have attained without the education I received from my Information Assurance coursework. There were two Linux classes I wish I wouldn't have taken because they weren't challenging enough, but all the other coursework was plenty demanding. By the end I was so tired of writing papers and reading textbooks I swore I was done with school for good. Anyone who says it's a diploma mill must have had very different professors in a different program because that certainly isn't the case with Information Assurance. The Liberal Arts requirements themselves are quite demanding, and me thinks the people who complain about there insignificance are the same people that complain about the insignificance of History, English, and any other Liberal Arts discipline. For what it's worth, most of my classes started with 10-15 students, but slowly dwindled as the semester wore on. There were only three Information Assurance students in my graduating class. Make no mistake, you will have to earn your degree!

I have taken several courses here but no more. Was taking the test and somehow I lost the page. Could not get back in. I called the help desk they said there was a program that if you left the page it locked you out. I conntacted the teacher several times finally got a response days later. She said I failed the test and there was nothing I could do. Insane.

I am a graduate of FHSU. I am very pleased with the program and would advise anyone interested in furthering their education to consider FHSU. It is a fine university. The campus in Hays, Kansas is beautiful. This is a good a school, if you do not the like the program, go somewhere else, but don't bash it.

You get what you pay for. The program is inexpensive, but it is full of courses that will prove useless and unrelated to your field. The core requires ten credits, which is a third of your coursework. These courses are often odd, and definitely worthless. There is no academic freedom, you have to get approval to write a sentence. Very little emphasis on research. If you are looking for an academic degree, look elsewhere.

I applied online to Fort Hays university 2 months ago and up till today I have not heard back from the admission staff. I contacted the transfer students admission rep and she has rec'd my paper but too lazy to do anything about it. I have no intention of pursing anything with this college. The admission staff so far is a joke. I have since started classes else where. Good you to you all!

Stay away from the Fort Hays State University's Master of Liberal Studies degree at all cost. I am in the program worst mistake of my life. The course content is worthless and the workload is sometimes three times what it should. The instructors are the worst I have ever had

Earned my MLS at FHSU in 2001. I had no scholarship, tuition assistance, or other financel aid, so I searched far and wide for the least expensive regionally accredited Master's degree and found FHSU's Virtual College. Northwest KS low cost of living may be the reason but down-to-earth teachers who must like the rural life are a bonus. The Blackboard on-line experience supplemented by DVD's and email worked well. Ideal for independent learners who thrive on self-study with the added benefit of limited class interaction. The overall value is paramount.

I've been at FHSU since 2006 and I'll be finishing the BGS degree this December 2009. I've already been excepted on a conditional basis(full admittance once I'm done at FHSU) to several tier 1 university master's programs. All in all, I've really only had one awful professor. I encourage anyone interested in attending FHSU to go to rate my professor.com and check out reviews of profs of classes you're interested in taking. If a prof has a really lousy review, don't take a class with them! Simple as that. Classes were no walk in the park. All of the upper division courses I took required research papers, short essays, exams, quizzes and discussions of the text material or current events. If you're looking for an easy degree, try the University of Phoenix or some other rip off school. If you're looking for a quality education that will serve as a bridge into a new career or graduate program, go here. Go tigers!

I have written a review in the past, and I feel it's time to update it. I have been attending FHSU Virtual since 2007. It has only went down hill from there. If you consider yourself really smart, then maybe this is great for you. But when you run into courses like Statistics, Economics, College Algebra, etc. Be prepared to learn and grasp all that information/concept on your own. For the last 4 semesters, my instructors have had little to no contact with us as students. Most of the time they don't grade your work until the last minute so you will have no idea where you stand in the class until they do so. They will not be considerate to the fact that you are teaching yourself this material so don't look for any sympathy come time for you grades to be turned in. There is nothing worst than giving your all for 4 months straight only to turn around and receive a D by missing the mark by a couple of percent points. This has happen to me in several of my classes, and the teachers aren't the least bit concerned. I think most of them are annoyed by the whole "virtual" thing in the first place.

Fort Hays State University has strengths and weaknesses. The strengths are that the courses are more inexpensive than most university courses. Online courses can be a great way for someone to get their degree who works fulltime and has a family. Like a lot of things, you get out of it what you put into it. If you just want to get a master's degree for advancement and are a very independent learner, FHSU may suit your needs. If you're looking for quality, to learn something, and be in a supportive academic environment -- I'd give FHSU a pass. FHSU is a "real" university and accredited and it has gone into online education in a big way. It has increased it's online degree programs and it's online courses. Course sizes are often large, especially for a master's degree program--with 25 to 35 students. Do not expect quality feedback from your professors or your phone calls or emails returned. For Fall 2009 courses, it is typical of FHSU. Course schedules are not fully posted and it is May and pre-registration has been going on for some time. Fall 2009 core courses are still being approved. I am not talking about FHSU approving extra sections after the first ones were full -- they did not list initial core courses! If you wish to register for classes that you need you will find that they are not listed. You cannot ask your adviser (who has a truckload of students to advise) because they do not know any more than you do. The courses may or may not be added. Since FHSU is also closing it's campus doors during summer 2009, it seems that FHSU is more concerned with cutting costs rather than helping out students or even making it easy for students to sign up for the courses they need. Courses may be taught by someone who is an adjunct/visiting instructor (without a Ph.D.) who is not actually at FHSU because FHSU farms out it's courses. Although FHSU gives little support, it's computer system Blackboard may be down for days at a time, and you may not be able to get answers from anyone (FHSU unlike most "real" universities is closing this summer though it's online courses will still be available) -- the student is still expected to turn in assignments on time, dot every "i" and cross every "t" --this can be very frustrating.

I have been attending FHSU for the last 3 semesters, and I must say it could be better. The con's to this school is majority of the teachers don't interact with students enough, the advisors ignore you, they release your financial aid 3 days before the classes start so forget about using it for books, if you drop a class you can't replace it because all courses fill up before the semester even starts, and there is a huge load of work per course. The pro's to this school is that you do EARN your degree through quality work and if you have technical issues they do all they can to help. There is nothing fake about this school!

I will graduate Spring 09. This college took all of my hours from another school 90+ which helped me out a lot. I have enjoyed my experience for the most part. However, I did have one course Personal Wellness in which I am still waiting on a reply from the teacher(last semester) and in a few days the spring semester starts and still no reply!!! The tech support gave a systems upgrade a day or so before an exam which made several students computers nonfunctional with respects to opening and closing exams: even after the IT dept sent emails explaining how to correct the problem the teacher still failed to reset the exam therefore several students including myself had to take a very low exam grade for an exam that we could not complete. This has been my only bad experience, but I am almost OUT OF THERE so I suppose I will be satisfied with the college.

I really want to let people know about FHSU. Fort Hays offers this virtual degree program. Most of the teachers are very comprehensive, BUT, there are few so far very complicated. COMPLICATED teachers will not care if blackboard went down, or if you have a late assigment. I had an experience with a tutor of lab that mailed the experiment materials to the students like 2 weeks late. When I received my kit, some deadlines where gone. He did not allowed me to send my work, eventhough was his fault. I e-mailed the tutor, the counselor, the Director of the Departmend and I got no help. I had to widraw from this class. The same happened with another course last semester. I would not recomend people taking classes in this Institution. It is not worth to pass only in 75 percent of the classes each semester because some of the faculty is really careless.

This institution accepted all of my credits from 30+ years ago and allowed me to apply them to a General Studies degree. I took my last 45 hours from FHSU and really enjoyed most of the classes. Online is not for everyone and requires a substantial amount of self motivation and discipline. I would as an older person with 5 grandchildren probably not wished to attend college face to face. But I realized my dream of a college education finally at FHSU.

For the most part I love the university because the price is very reasonble. However, getting contact with support is difficult in the extreme. I work at a University and the Academic Operations and Student Life folks here bend over backwards to help our students, and I just am not seeing that kind of support here at Fort Hays where it can be difficult to get in touch with your advisor or get information or help with where to go and what to do next. Many of the teachers are fantastic, so far in my sociology classes the professors have been exemplary. Both of the two ladies I've had the pleasure with interacting with have had wonderful course outlines with detailed syllabus of events, outlined times and dates for deadlines and communicated freely and openly and in a very punctual manner. The English class I took was the same. Excellent guidance from those three teachers. However, I am currently taking a Jazz Appreciation class from a contract teacher who is providing absolutely no support. There are no deadlines, no discussion. I don't necessarily mind a do it at your own pace class but I find I work better if I have at a minimum some communication, discussion and guidelines and deadlines at the very least to give me some momentum and motivation. My Modern History class was merely ok, and I was disappointed that the teacher made no comments on our essay papers to help us know what we did or didn't get right and simply provided a grading system that told us little or nothing other than the grade we got. However he at least had a good structure set up for the class and was somewhat communicative as well as had deadlines which was good. Only class disappointing to me so far is the Jazz class with the contracted Professor who seems not to care as long as he hasn't got to do anything.

Very supportive academic and technical staff.Issues I had were immidiately addressed and feedback was prompt and professional which made my trasition back to school as a returning adult student more enjoyable. Conduct your own research into schools which offer online programs and I am sure that you would find that when you compare accreditation, quality,support, convenience and cost, that FHSU comparable to many major universities.I would strongly recommend FHSU to any adult or distant learner who is seeking a quality education at an affordable price.

I really think the online program requires students to organize themselves, most teachers are very comprehensive, although you should ask other students thru blackboard before enrolling in a course because there are some teacher that are not so flexible, I had to withraw from 1 class this semmester since one of my teachers was not willing to receive late work.(My fault, ofcourse) Other teachers understand that the online program is for people that lacks time and they give you more flexibility. It really depends on the teacher. Overall I give it a 9/10

I only recently started the program at Fort Hays State University and while it's true that there are problems with Blackboard, I find that the instructors have been more than helpful. Those that I have are quick to respond to emails and are very accommodating and always helpful. Deadlines have been extended as needed when Blackboard went down. The Help Desk generally gets back to me in a timely manner whether it be via email or by phone. For the money, I am very satisfied with the program overall.

Although FHSU Virtual College is affordable, the technology is extremely problematic. The Blackboard online lecture system is constantly down, exams cut off in the middle and then you must wait days for an instructor to reset the exam. Instructions for assignments are often unavailable and grading criteria is frequently unclear. Although they will extend deadlines due to the frequent computer system failures, this does not present a feasible solution to the problem since uncompleted assignments just stack up while one is waiting for the Blackboard system to be repaired. The computer help desk is not available during the hours when working students need assistance. Administration frequently fails to respond to emails. One instructor, by means of web postings to students, seems quite uncaring. I really don't want to do this program but since I've already invested so much money in it, I just don't have a choice. I would not recommend this program to others until the technological systems are fixed.

I was able to finish from FHSU while living over seas. They took all of my credits from other community colleges and universities. I found the staff very pleasant and easy to work with. The courses were challenging. I benefited from all the courses. I would recommend this university to anyone.

I just started with FHSU this summer. *Support: Enrolling had to be the hardest task of all. Since I'm no very familiar with the college scene, let alone the virtual part. I found it very hard to know what I was suppose to do and what was going on. No one contacted me to explain the process, and my phone calls seemed to just get me caught up in the transferring process. When I finally reached the person in charge of the Virtural Business portion of the program, she was the least bit helpful. The only way to contact her was thru email, and I specified questions, that I was expecting an answer for, but I didn't. I had to write her again and outline my question once again. Just the whole enrolling and getting started portion was a big headache. With VERY little support. *Technology: Here lately there seems to alway be a problem with their Blackboard. What actually prompted me to come and writ this review is, I'm in the middle of a test and the site has just went capoot. I have no idea what my test result are. I have studied for 2 chapters and I'm ready to take my test while the info is still fresh, but the site doesn't work. This isn't the first time this had occured either. Cost: I guess the cost of attending is pretty good. My biggest issues are the cost of books. I'm only taking 2 classes for the summer and spent over $400 for the books and video's needed. Teachers: My teachers thus far has been GREAT, really prompt with emails and their lectures are very well put together. The only problem is their technology (videos) are very old and choppy. Overall, I still intend on continuing to graduate from this school. Also a good resource of picking your instructors is on Myspace. Myspace has a network where you can grade your teachers. I'm really PO'd at the advisor though, for allowing me to take these classes that I'm taken for summer, because there is too much material to be covered in a short summer semester

I am in the military and have been with FHSU for 3 years. I do not agree with the poster about no structure to the courses. Every class I have taken has been well-structured with expectations given in written detail. Teacher are active participants and the tuition prices are very fair. I was even able to take classes during a recent Middle-East deployment. I have researched a lot of schools before choosing FHSU. I am extremely happy with all aspects of the college and look forward to starting a Master's program with FHSU next spring.

The Virtual College was a good fit for me. I was able to easily transfer credits from another school and graduate with a B.S. Degree in two years. The staff was supportive and friendly. Most of the instructors are easily accessible by e-mail and many respond even on nights and weekends. Fort Hays State University is a school with an established reputation and carries substantial weight with employers.

I have found most of my professors to be responsive and interactive with the class-- more so, perhaps, than in a traditional classroom setting at a large school. Some are better than others, of course, but that would be the case anywhere, and in any program. HOWEVER, I would greatly caution anyone about this program because of persistent problems with the school's distance education delivery system (Blackboard). The site is down at least 50 percent of the time during the evening hours (when I, like most distance students, need to do my work). This has caused me countless headaches during my two years at FHSU, and the problem only seems to be getting worse. Fortunately, my instructors so far have been understanding of the problems caused by this issue, but more than once I've had to turn work in late because of the school's technical problems. FHSU is certainly a good value, and I like that it is an accredited public institution. But, the virtual college can be VERY frustrating because of the technical shortcomings.

This degree was a perfect fit for me. The concentration in English will allow me to teach (my goal), and the instruction was top-notch. An online graduate program is not for the faint of heart, and the coursework proved time-consuming and challenging. The professors are professional and easily-accessible. This was a valuable experience for me (I would do it over again), and I would recommend this program to anyone.

FHSU's motto is "affordable success." That's what I was looking for, and that's what I got. An online degree isn't for everybody, but for the student who is self-motivated and self-directed, FHSU's program makes a lot of sense. Like many people in midlife, I wanted to start a new career in a field I loved. I wanted to be a website developer. I knew I needed to sharpen my skills, and I thought that having a masters degree would help me land contracts when I was ready to work full-time in my new field. My mentor told me about how she earned her advanced degree in an affordable, outstanding, online program. Her positive experience at FHSU sounded perfect for me. The University's Master of Liberal Studies program offered an emphasis in information technology, with plenty of options in the area of website design and development. Most importantly, the faculty showed great flexibility in letting me select projects to fulfill some of the advanced courses. That way I could concentrate on areas that I was sure would be practical, well-suited to my interests, and complementary to my growing skill set. Being able to fulfill course requirements online made the program even more affordable and allowed me to stay in my home town and continue working. Not only did I get the practical education I sought; I also got a fuller appreciation of the ways that information and knowledge management are revolutionizing society in every respect. FHSU gave me a way to achieve a life goal: an advanced degree in a field I love, with a start in a new profession, and a credential that opens doors.

I'm not sure what the first reviewer was thinking. They must not have put much work into their coursework. Online programs aren't for the disorganized. You have to be organized and above that, disciplined. If you're not that, don't sign up for any online tasks. It just won't work. I found FHSU to be one of the friendliest communities I've ever come into contact with. The instructors were not only approachable, online, but also extremely knowledgeable. Twenty years ago when I got out of high school I'd have not gone to FHSU but the current president of the university has made a vow to produce some great content and it's evident as at my graduation ceremony last year, there were more graduates then ever before and they were going to give two more graduations overseas! Not only was the education a great feather in my cap, but the value was unbelievable. This university is one of the least expensive that I researched out of the eight schools I cconsidered. You won't lose at this school UNLESS you allow yourself to do so.

My juncture at FHSU while majoring in INT & Web D. was a very valuable one. In the end I chose a different career path than the one this curriculum was leading towards. However, the instructors at FHSU had many different career experiences, as opposed to the typical instructor who has only taught during their career span. Many of the instructors had different past experiences and views that only helped develop the curriculum. This surrounding of diversified instructors deep-rooted many of the skills I use every day in my career. I would not have escalated to the level I am now with my current company if it wasn’t for the diversified Cisco Curriculum, general education extensions required by the degree, company tours arranged by the department twice a year, and networking hardware, which is usually only available only at much more expensive schools.

There is no structure to the classes. By week 4 (of 16 weeks) of one class, I did not feel that any substantial information has been covered, it had been mostly review. My second class is set up to be pretty much a self-paced class with little to no guidance from the instructor. Instructors did not participate in discussion boards in a timely manner, including answering questions to that were directed to them. There was very little student interaction. Emails to FSHU staff (other than instructors) are not well responded to. I emailed my academic advisor and finally had to call a week later because I never received a response. The financial aid office took 72 hours to respond to my email. All in all, I was very disappointed in the program. I dropped out after 4 weeks becuase I felt it was a waste of my time.