Walden University

I am very pleased with Walden University. I got a graduate degree in Higher Education (2016) and the program was very organized and structured with knowledgeable professors. The professors are of good quality and very helpful. I have been working for a college 15 years and used the degree to advance my career. If I do have a concern, it is that Walden's program are very rigorous compared to other institutions. I have taken courses at Harvard and the University of Texas where I got my undergrad and I must say that Walden is more strenuous, in some courses, unnecessarily strenuous. Other than that, I give Walden an A+ especially. Just be prepared to work hard on the doctorate level.

I enrolled in the EdD program in 2011, and was told that it would take 12-15 semesters to complete. For the most part, I enjoyed the actual coursework, but no program is perfect for everyone. When it came to the dissertation/project study phase, everything changed. My committee chair would tell me at the end of each semester that my work needed 3 or 4 tweaks, but then, after I paid for the next semester, the 4 tweaks became 4 pages of rewrite. After more than 6 semesters of this nonsense, I had to give up, as I was already $75K in the hole. When I expressed my frustration to the school, I was essentially told I was exaggerating in order to get out of paying. This school is the epitome of why private colleges have bad reputations. You can only graduate if you can afford it. I strongly recommend you think again before you enroll in a doctoral program through this joke of a university. After reading other commentary, it seems that most doctoral students had the same issues.

After devoting years on a Ed.D Degree program and countless student loans, I had to settle for something less. The ongoing guidance wasn't there. We were basically going thru the motions and completing semesters. When the {financial aid} was running out, then I was informed that my study was {not} going to pass!! Where was the critique before that point? Due to the fact that work was being submitted. I felt if you did a bad teacher review it would harm my grade, so I didn't do a bad teacher review. I'm totally not recommending this school. It was not worth the financial investment. I was told that actually less than 10% graduate with Doctorates awarded by the school.

The MS and EdD (Doctor of Education)curriculum are very challenging and worthwhile. The teaching is minimal, and instructors will not help you when you ask them directly for help. I actually laughed at some of the creative and inane, non-answers I got from teachers at Walden. The message "you are on your own" comes through loud and clear, and seems at odds with the idea of social justice, but I digress. I was appalled to observe that Walden apparently admits people who are barely literate, and nails them with after they have completed a couple of classes. The process of approving a completed research study (dissertation) included a 1 1/2 year delay while my dissertation went through committees, was "misplaced", you name it. The doctorate took 5 years total. I was warned by former students about the antics of the dissertation committees; in particular, that they will hijack your dissertation to insert their pet theory and drag their feet when you got to IRB. These students recommended that I just go along with any changes the committee members make, as they will force me to anyway. Good advice. Right off the bat I was informed by the member of my committee suggesting I use his technique for statistics that he "would not feel comfortable moving forward" unless I did what he asked (i.e., I would have to go try to find another committee member). Later, he asked me to put his name with mine as an author of my study (nope). A colleague in my cohort believed Walden's statements that his research would be a collaborative effort, and they made his life miserable until he switched out of the program to get a certificate (at the price of a doctorate). Importantly, no one is mentioning the unbelievable stress caused to an entire family by paying through the nose for over a year while waiting on the whims of God knows who to approve your work.

THIS IS THE WORST UNIVERSITY EVER. I WASTED 5 YEARS ON DIFFERENT OPINIONS AND GOT ALL THE WAY TO THE END JUST TO SAY THERE WAS AN ERROR. MY DISSERTATION AND INTERVIEWS WAS COMPLETE AND THEY SAID THERE WAS A WORD MISSPELLED IN PART 1. REALLY DUDE - I HAVEN'T TOUCHED PART 1 IN OVER A YEAR AND NOW I RAN OUT OF MONEY. THIS UNIVERSITY HOLDS YOU JUST TO KEEP YOUR MONEY WHAT A JOKE AND A BAD EXPERIENCE

I am just about finished with my degree. It has been about 6 years of work. Most of it has helped broaden my educational skill sets. There have been some delays but overall I have consistently moved forward towards completion. I have just finished my form and style review and am in the process of constructing my power point for my final orals. I have had overall a good experience and I am hopeful that the degree will help elevate my professional status. I understand that there are others that have had some challenges and personally know of one that had to get a new chairperson. The concept of finishing in three years my not be true because many have to work a full time job while attending this university. I have another friend earning his PhD from another online university that completed it in 7 years. It really depends on the type of study you will do and what is involved in getting it approved. Online work is much more difficult than brick and mortar because of the impersonal nature and the fact that there are some delays in communication. So if you sign on don't be dissillusioned into thinking that it will be a piece of cake. It is not and the workload is comparable to a doctor's degree at any major university. I thought the residencies were just OK. I really think the residencies are for those people that need personal contact. This university is an accredited school that offers an alternative path towards higher education. GOOD LUCK in your pursuit of higher education.

I am a first year PhD student at Walden and when I first started, I thought I earned the grades just to obtain the money(financial aid). However, as I went on with the program, I notice my writing style changed, my perception had changed as well as my view point on how I was learning. Walden is not nor should it be a handholding school. You are attempting to join the elitist group and your hands will not be held...Walden provides you the opportunity to complete your program within an allotted time based on your skills you entered and gained as a scholarly practitioner....I am learning the prior style of writing from academic, business writing to scholarly writing. It is baed on what I intend to put into this program will determine what I obtain from the program. I have owned my business in Child Care, however, I am crossing the lines to Management since I enjoy the leadership role...everyone is not a leader, nor can handle the role as a leader...So, like the old saying...What you put into a recipe determines the best results of the rise of the cake....lol That's my saying...lol ..I am starting my second year with a 4.0..I hold a MSM-Leadership from Troy State University which is a brick and mortar however, I obtained my BS and MSM online from Troy....

I'm in the 8th or 9th term of my dissertation, and now on the 5th URR revision. The process is that first the chair has two weeks to review a revision. If the chair wants revisions - and we're talking minor changes - most that weren't communicated in earlier revisions, he or she sends it back to the student. The student returns a revised version to the chair perhaps by the next day. Then the chair gets another two weeks to review. On to the URR, and yet another two weeks is added to this one URR review cycle. Count up those weeks. It's half of the term, over $1500. I figure that I've paid probably an additional $15,000 simply due to the delays throughout the six years that I've attended Walden. There is not normal discussion as might take place in a brick or mortar school between faculty members and students toward simple agreement about revisions. Yes, faculty will wait until the last minute to review, edit and return documents. Absolutely, that's been my experience, too. Delay after delay after delay. I hope to graduate soon and end this nightmare. The professors are fine, most very skilled with expertise in their respective fields. Holding students' graduation up is simply not right. Who does support the student? Anyone know?

I just completed my dissertation in May 2012. I can't comment on the experiences of the Ed.D. students, but for the most part, I had a positive experience. Like any Ph.D. program, there were positives and negatives. My chair was excellent, but there are many hoops to jump through, and being patient and persistent is key. There is a reason why everyone who starts a doctoral program does not finish. Life happens, and you have to make decisions as to what is important in your life. Timing is key, so if at first you don't succeed, take some of the blame and try again later. You have to decide how badly you want it and make the commitment over a long period of time.

EdD Program Walden Ed D program DON'T WASTE YOUR MONEY!!!!!!!!!!! I have been w/Walden in Ed.D program since 2006. I have been attempting to get the URR to approve my dissertation, which my chair and co chair OK'd. No Luck! It seems the URR has no clue about my topic and the achievement gap for Latino students. There has been NO MOVEMENT since the first week of October, when my chair submitted the dissertation. Any one else have these issues. I will NEVER RECOMMED WALDEN TO ANYONE. I could have gone to Seton Hall, joined the fast track cohort and been done in 2 years for LESS $$ and not have to defend my doing an Ed.D online. What a mistake! I will never recommend Walden; in fact I will dissuade anyone from taking courses at Walden!

I was very excited when beginning Walden back in December of 2011. I had just completed a master's program at another online university. So, I think that my expectations were based on my prior experience and so far, Walden has not met my expectations. First, at least in my Ph.D. program (education), the initial courses focus on heavily the fundamentals and skills that one should know and have as a post graduate student. Everything is about being a steward of the discipline, plagiarism, APA format, and paraphrasing. The other courses give you work to do in relation to your degree, but it's usually poorly sequenced, chunked, and organized. Many of the assignments greatly mimicked those that I had completed in my undergrad program. Yet another factor that has driven up my frustration level. There is also the lack of differentiation in the assignments and they do not lend the ability to independently, and freely think, most of the assignments tend to sway you in the direction they you want to go. That doesn't sit well with me. My instructors so far have been great with the exception of maybe one who has not given much feedback or tried to connect with me. This has been my experience with Walden. I think that my learning needs have not been met because there is currently no system in place to accelerate those of us who absorb information quickly and keep them advancing.

I sincerely hope that what I've read about Walden's delay practices is not true. I'm ABD right now (in the EdD program) and suddenly my 4.0 gpa has found me in jeopardy of academic dismissal because I earned a "u" in 1 non-credit course. I understand the work required, but if things continue as others have experienced them, I will transfer before I go down with this horrible practice.

I am a PhD (Educational Leadership) 2006 graduate of Walden. The university is designed for the adult learner--meaning any individual who attends and expects to earn a degree must be self-directed. Many times I encountered other students who were still working on their first KAM or had not even begun it. From my perspective, Walden becomes a filter in the sense that those who can and will do the work move forward and earn the degree while others--again from my perspective--simply languish by not doing the required work either because they thought it would be much easier or simply are not capable of doing it. If you are thinking of Walden, the convenience of a vitrual school is a true advantage. At the same time, if you are not self- directed and need a "face to face" environment to motivate you, Walden is not a good match. The "delays" that other individuals refer to happen at most schools and to most doctoral candidates. There are few folks with a doctorate who do not have some kind of horror story about revisions, the committee, etc. This is all part of the process. Overall, I found Walden to be a good experience for me and would recommend it.

As so many others have written regarding the Ed.D. Educational Leadership degree program; do not waste your time and money. I sailed through my coursework with all "A's" and great encouragement from all my instructors. They told me my dissertation topic and research was great and I was right on track to move ahead. Then I got get kicked in the face by my almost non-existent doctoral committee. Having also been an employee with Walden during my program I can assure you that the speculation regarding a planned strategy to delay your doctoral graduation is real. Unlike most universities, Walden's profits drive the Ed.D. programs; instructors do as they are told. And I was also unfortunate enough to have my review committee assigned from both Ph.D. and Ed.D. programs. I experienced professional warfare I would never have imagined. This review only pertains to the Ed.D. Educational Leadership program and not the MST programs. I am very biased against Walden's overall treatment of customers which is why I chose to leave the university, but my experiences on the Ed.D. program are very real and unbiased.

Think twice before attending. I did finish the program but it took over 6 years and the Ed.D was advertised as a 3 year program. There are a few good instructors but overall I have to agree with previous comments that the faculty is trained in stalling as long as possible. It is all about the money and instructors wait until the last possible moment to edit, review, etc. I strongly advise anyone considering this program to look at other programs as Walden is only concerned about taking your money.

I attended Walden for their Master's program for Curriculum, Instruction, and Assessment, and am now working on my Dissertation for the Education Doctorate in Teacher Leadership. An honest, fair assessment of this school is that they are constantly updating, and changing whatever it is that needs to be changed to stay at the forefront of education research and practices. The Walden Library is vast and extensive, and definitely gives you access to materials you need to complete all of your assignments, and complete research projects. The Writing Center staff is one of the best ones out there, who bring a wealth of knowledge and experience to our community of learners. They are also personally available during residences to meet the needs of students. The residency allows you to connect with academic advisors, meet with various faculty on topics of that you are interested in, as well as walk you through all of the steps you will need to meet rigourous IRB standards for ethics. My professors have cumulatively ranged from Harvard graduates to state universities, all holding their own doctorate degrees. Walden has put in a lot of time and effort to build and maintain their education standards. My salary has increased rapidly along teacher paycharts in CA, as well as allowing me to meet requirements for professional development to maintain my CA credential. Walden is associated with Canter and Associates and Laureate International. It is only one school in many in this huge network of colleges and universities. I took the time to write this review because I am tired of seeing my school blasted from students who are blaming the entire school for a few poor experiences they may have had. You have to work to earn your grades, and you have to be self-sufficient to complete your work. There is no hand-holding at Walden, but there are several dedicated professionals who understand working adults' schedule. Walden does very much run its school as a business, but this allows room to have ivy league and state professors alike. It is a very diverse environment. Check out Walden for yourself, and make your own decision. I am biased, because I have had good experiences with this school, and my professors. It is a quality education at a competitive rate. Books and materials are included in your fees. If there are others who have had good experiences with Walden, please write so we can drown out these poor experiences. Walden is not a 1 or 2 star school, and deserves better!

I have finished my first year. This is a rigorous program, and I am getting alot out of it. I am a lifelong learner who has completed degrees and programs at three other brick and mortar universities. This is on par with those other universities.If you are thinking about an online program, I highly recommend Walden!

I am a current student in EDUC 8090 - The Doctoral Study Intensive which means you are ABD and working on your dissertation. I do feel similarly to the other posts about no one supporting me through the dissertation process. The Chair does nothing yet gets extra money being my assigned committee chair. Now, I must disagree with the others regarding the work. I attended the University of Phoenix and felt like it was a diploma mill. At Walden, I believe I have gained a great deal. Yes, it is a lot more self-directed learning, but that is to be expected from an online learning program. Academic advisement has been helpful, though not perfect, yet my financial aid has been seamless. The academic residencies, which you only have to attend 1 of, yet I elected to attend 2, were beneficial if you made the effort to get all you could. My 2nd residency was almost entirely the library sessions, by choice, so I could learn all their hints, tips, and tricks for research. I videotaped sessions with my Flip camera and have them with me to refer to again. Did I find it some great, networking event? No. Did I gain valuable information? I certainly did. No school is perfect, but I have been pleased for the most part. I had 2 duds as "facilitators" (what they refer to their professors as), but some amazing ones, too.

Do not waste your money!!! My "Walden Experience"(which is their motto) has been has been nothing but a massive headache, and a VERY expensive one. Committee members, Academic Reviewers, IRB reviewers, and URR personal have clearly been schooled in the "stall as long as you can so we can get more money" department. You receive very little guidance and there is always something else to hold up progress. Walden advertises the Ed.D program as a 3 year program then tells you at the residency (1/3 of the way through your classes) that to be completed in 3 years is rare. I will graduate in December 2009 and refuse to even attend the ceremony because of the disgust I have for the way my peers and I have been treated. Again, save yourself the time, money, and stress- do NOT waste a minute on this university.

My Dr Chair did NOT know I was in the class, even though I submitted work. Walden will stall your completing the program to get more money from you, ANY ASSISTANCE WAS SUPERFICIAL AND WHEN YOU GET TO THE DISSERTATION NO ONE WILL HELP YOU AND THE CHAIRS ARE UNAVAILABLE. Not a diploma mill this is a MONEY mill for Walden and no one else!

This has been a very unpleasant experience in the Teacher Leadership Program. Professors do not help their students to pursue their degrees. They often give very limited or vague information that provides no help to the students. They constantly change their policies. There is no consistency in the courses. If it was done correctly, students would be able to finish without any or little difficulty. It is hard to contact someone for help. Again, the WORST EXPERIENCE EVER!

This has been the worst graduate experience I've ever had and heard of! Walden's Ed.D Teacher Leadership program is very unorganized. Faculty members change requirements whenever they desire to do so. This university is not fulfilling its mission of positive social change when the faculty is being cruel and unfair to students. Instructors are lying to students and are not meeting the 7-10 business day requirement for returning papers with comments, which prolongs students' abilities to move forward and ultimately complete the program. There is no instruction provided. Everything I learned came from reading the course textbooks and from my editor. If you express your opinion about any of this, you are penalized by having to make even more revisions to your paper,including revisions to parts that were never problem areas before. There is no support. This was marketed as a three year program; however, Walden faculty members now state that it is impossible to finish in three years. Talk about false advertising! I would not recommend anyone to attend Walden University. This experience has been nothing but torture!

Walden changes requirements, went up on tuition 105% one semester, after orals I was told we have changed the project study rubric, you will need to redo your dissertation with the new rubric and redo orals....... the 3 year program has been a 5 year nightmare that doesn't end!

Walden University generally does not allow individuals to post anything negative about their school anywhere online. If you do so, they either lobby the site to have it removed or a couple dozen "students" all show up at once, using the exact same language, to tell you how wrong you are. So here is an unvarnished review of my Ed. degree, for as long as it lasts: Walden University is the community college of online schools. It is the bottom of the barrel. Can't go any lower. Couldn't get accepted into anywhere else, so you had to go here. That should be understood at the onset. I feel into this category. I ended up at Walden University because I needed the piece of paper in order to advance in my career. Nothing more, nothing less. What I got was a fight from my employer that still rages to this day. They do not want to accept Walden University as anything more then a diploma mill. And I can't say that I blame them. The "residencies" are a joke. All of the classes are canned (prepared classes where the "teacher" does nothing but facilitate and grades on Walden's parameters). This is not education by any stretch of the imagination. It is the equivalent of you sitting down with a reading list and teaching yourself - except that they charge you 40K+ for that privilege. Since receiving my Ed. from Walden University I have had nothing but problems. The school system where I work looks at it as if it were a foreign degree from a third world nation - and it might as well be. Walden gives nothing back to the academic world as a whole, publishes only when it must, and strives to cover up the fact that they are more of a marketing company then a institution of higher learning. I understand the appeal of Walden University. Sitting at home in your spare time, working on a degree to further your career... ...but reality just doesn't work that way. Trust me, find a different school and you'll be happy you did. I wish someone had talked me out of going to Walden, it would have saved me years of frustration and misery. Now, "anonymous" users in no way paid by Walden University, have at me.

Walden is a wonderful university. I am a current student. I found the classes to be challenging and the information timely. The classes are not a cake walk, but you do learn a lot of important information realated to your field of study. Walden is not for individuals who are not self-directed.