American Military University AMU Degree mill - setting the bar low Internet

The negative comments written about AMU are baseless and without merit. They are clearly written by someone with an agenda against the school. I have experience in the world of higher education and as someone who was ripped off by a different "brick and mortar" institution (the school's name is not pertinent to this case), my experience with AMU was wonderful by comparison. I highly recommend APUS/AMU for anyone considering the difficult task of going back to school as an adult.

    I am an AMU Senior Level Accounting Major. The latter said, I wish to say that the course work at AMU is anything but easy and requires about 25 to 30 hrs. per week on the part of the student, per course. My current GPA is a 3.978 and even at that, its not enough to gain me Magna c*m Laude or above, tough school to earn honors at. My GPA is where it is, due to an immense amount of work and dedication to studies, on my part.

   The latter said, this is where I will issue a warning on one fault APU/AMU does have. If you plan on attending the school, always take screen-shots of your grade-book, at the beginning or each course, throughout the course and again at the end of each course. During one of my intermediate accounting courses at AMU, in week six of the eight week course, a quiz grade from week two suddenly became two quiz grades, one of the new grades was my original 98% that the had earned on the quiz however the new mystery grade for a quiz I never took, was an 85%. I complained and told the school that I wanted the 85% out of my grade book given I didnt earn it coupled with the fact that it wold lower my overall grade that I did earn. Long story short, the ACCT Division head for the school became involved, he stood by his porfessor and said that they needed to add the grade for whatever reason. My Professor who added the rogue grade became angry that I complained and then went into my grade-book and o lowered some of my existing grades that had been in the grade-book for weeks. I had and have screen-shots showing the inappropriate changes  yet the school refused to do anything and the rogue 85% and the inapproprite grade reductions remained.

  Fast forward to this semester, Im in week 7 of an eight week AMU course. Here in week 7 the grade book is suddenly being changed around. It seems that the course was to have graded homework assignments for weeks 1 through 7. The homework assignments are to follow the reading of their specific textbook chapters. No one noticed that the lesson plan for the course fell a bit off course in weeks six and seven. The textbook chapters did not match up with the chapters in the gradebook. To make a long story short, our class will have ended up completing difficult and time consuming homework that has no place in the grade book and will have to compltete the same for the chapters that were overlookd. Last I heard, now the school is trying to say that all of the work our class did in weeks 1,2,and 3 was not suppose to count toward the course grade (Yea right, tell us another lie). Looks like the school will be cheating us out of three weeks worth of work so they can fit in the extra work that was overlooked due to their botching of the lesson plan. Chances are high that in this, many students will lose point which they worked extremely hard to earn. Just another day at AMU, screw the students for their mistakes.

   In conclusion, if you decide to attend AMU or APU, once your in, spend hours taking screen-shots of your classroom, your grade book and your assignments, I do, every minute of every day. I attend the school as a service connected disabled U.S. Veteran meaning the VA pays the school to screw me through my grade book. I had no choice but to return to school late in life give the injuries I received in the military years ago forced me to change careers. The VA said don't worry, we'll enroll you in the VA Voc Rehab. Program and train you for a new career. I chose AMU and if I had it to do again, I wouldn't have. Their less than ethical behaviors in my grade book and the hours spent taking hundreds of screen-shots, is killing me. I have two classes to go for the Bachelor of Science degree in Accounting and receiving it will be anything but pleasent. My advice to all students, pick another school, AMU/APU is not where you want to be. To my fellow Veterans, keeps your a**es out of AMU/APU, you have enough aggrivation dealing with the VA, don't add more to it as I did.

Apparently the person writing this report was a former disgruntled student who failed and is now supposedly speaking out on behalf of his friends. Of course taking online classes are different from going to a brick and mortar. AMU uses Turnitin.com to review all papers, and they take plagiarism very seriously. So I don't believe anyone got away with using internet sources or recycling the same paper for every class. This person talks about how he proofread papers and found errors but yet there are several errors in his writing. For example, "True some of the instructors are probably experienced people in their fields working full times." There is no need to put an "s" on time. Here you said, "One of my friends was took an economics course,..." Sure, there are instructors who are probably there just for the pay check, but you can find that at every college and university. Where did you receive your degree writing like that? Sounds like you need to take a few writing classes before you start bashing others.

　

 I have been a student at AMU for 6 years. I have completed an Associates and Bachelors degree. The professors at AMU and staff care about their students and make every effort to ensure their learning experience is positive one. I have never been ignored, or given a pass on assignment. The grading has been fair. There are open book tests and quizzes, these assessments are typical a small part of a students grade and do affirm the knowledge one learns by reviewing course material. They typically highlight key parts of the text. In response to the negativity of this approach to learning. I would say I learn more from reviewing the text and resourcing the answer. However, as previously stated by several persons. If you put half effort into your education, that's your fault. Not the school. I typically review and study the chapter prior to assessments and then again while answering questions I read the entire section again. So I am studying for knowledge. Not the test. I have learned more from discussion forums then not doing them. The reason...when I answer a question. I actually do research from multiple sources before posting. If all students do the same, you get a diverse conversation from more than one point of view. Its called learning from others. The professor guides the discussion and keeps it on task. Often participating or at times letting the students talk it out. Its all a matter of the student putting in the effort to learn. Not being force fed information but actually giving a darn about learning. AMU is good school, with a professional staff, in my 6 plus years as a student. I have always been mentored or taught by every instructor, sometimes if you don't understand an assignment you have to ask. Its online...they can't see you. Ask for assistance...they will care.

BS Environmental Science

AMU- Grad 2015

I'll skip the obvious, as most everyone has pointed out the LT's opinion is null, as he's never attended AMU. I, on the other hand, have attended AMU and would like to share my story. I served in the U.S. Coast Guard on Active duty for 6 years; about half of that was spent at sea and the other half on land. After much hesistation and stubbornness, I finally conceded that I needed to begin a degree. AMU was recommended to me by a fellow Coastie; however, I was extremely skeptical. My sister holds a dual BA in Psychology from Miami University of Oxford and a BSN from the University of Cincinnati, whole currently working on her MS/PhD from UC for Anesthetist, so she set the bar relatively high. I should note that I'm pretty neurotic about most-everything I do; I'll spend several hours a day, weeks on end, researching something until I feel that I truly understand it. AMU holds a regional accredidation; and regardless of what anyone tells you, that's extremely important. I began taking classes there in 2011; mostly core classes, but some concentration. I changed degree plan 3 times because I found so many of the couses to be stimulating and genuinely intriguing. I've heard a lot of talk about the teachers being a mixed bag, and I can say that I largely agree. My last Environmental Science class was taught by a PhD holder who also taught Environmental Policy at UMass. This being said, I've also had worthless teachers; but haven't we all? In the end, your education is what you make of it, and I've made the best of mine. I got out of the Coast Guard about 6 months ago and began applying to jobs, all still while working on my degree. I have two small children who depend on my income, so I couldn't simply get out and go to school full time. My past experience, which wasn't that much, coupled with the fact that I was attending a Regionally Accredited Institution landed me countless job interviews and offers. Not one employer has shunned my degree. In fact, I accepted a job as an Environmental Scientist with one company. The employer was elated to have a maleable employee still working on their degree from a REGIONALLY ACCREDITED INSTITUION. I worked there for a few months doing some very interesting research and ecological observations, before ultimately being offered another job making almost double the pay. I should note that I'm still not even finished with my degree and I've been very fortunate. I know, however, that I owe some of this to AMU, and I will never bash them. The 8 week courses year round cannot be beaten for working adults. The ability to take 2 classes at a time-year round has been invaluable, and I'm glad to say that I'll be done in the summer. 

I should also note to some of the nay-sayers that I considered switching schools many times. I applied to Miami University of Oxford, University of Cincinnati, and Armstrong State University in Savanah, GA and was accepted to all. Everyone of these places accepted my tranfer credits from AMU. The truth is, after taking 1-2 classes at the afroementioned schools, I realized that they couldn't match AMU. The schedule, convenience, and flexibility are pretty stellar. I presume that most schools will take note of this; especially the 8-week courses. 

I hope this helps some other working adults in trying to make up there mind about AMU/APU. I chose to get my Bachelor of Science from an online university, yes, an online university, and it worked out incredibly well.

I disagree with the vast majority of what the "LT" who originally spawned this debate has said about AMU. He openly admits he has never taken a single class with AMU, is basing his opinion off of third-party information, and seems mainly interested in tearing the school down without actually posessing any first hand knowledge about it. That alone should discredit his opinion.

One thing I will highly praise AMU for is the quality of their curriculum. I've taken a number of intelligence, homeland security and law enforcement courses at AMU, and almost all of them were excellent. I've taken similar classes at other universities, and not only was the selection of classes much poorer at other universitities, but the classes themselves and the professors were typically a joke. If you are looking for a degree mill, this isn't it. You will actually learn something from this university if you graduate here.

That said, AMU does have problems. Big ones.

Professors are a mixed bag. Some are very good and give fair grades. A select few are outstanding, and make great efforts to interact with their students. Others are not so great. Many are merely lazy, effectively demoting themselves to the status of over-glorified paper graders, never participating in class discussions or making any effort to communicate with students. Several I've encountered are totally ignorant of AMU policies and procedures, choosing to run their class like a gulag where they harass and torment students. I've had one professor make false accusations against me, and attempt to report me to the "Student Conduct Officer" for the university. Luckily, the internet has this wonderful trait of saving everything you say and do, so the AMU tech support department was able to disprove his false accusations by pulling a record of my posts. However, the fact that such a false accusation was even made, and that the professor in question went unpunished even after his lie was revealed, speaks volumes about the serious lack of professionalism which is expected of employees of this university.

Of course, the worst problem this university has is the general incompetence of their administrators.

As they say...
Those who can, do...
Those who can't, teach...
And those whose stupidity is so great that it actually has MASS, they make school administrators!

This is true of AMU more so than of any other school I've ever attended!


The following is an email I sent to the Financial Aid department after a recent email I received from them. I don't use financial aid, so you can guess why I may have been more than a little displeased to receive a threatening message from their department:

Dear APUS Financial Aid Department,

Once again, the Financial Aid Department at APUS has won the award for most incompetent department. I'm sure this is an honor you are most proud of, considering you have actively pursued it during every single year in which I've been enrolled as a student with this school system. The Appeals Department has given you some fierce competition in the past by never checking their emails, but you trump them every year by responding to every communication directed at you and doing so in a manner which only intensifies the rage felt for you by customers of this for-profit institution. Moreover, you also actively seek out students with whom your Department has no business and make every effort to enrage them as well.

This year's award is a special one however, as it demonstrates incompetence on numerous levels which may have before been thought impossible. Let us take a moment to note the immense accomplishments of the most recent "Notice" you have sent to me.

Firstly, The notice informs me that I'm now a less than full-time student. This is a blatant lie, as I'm currently enrolled in two courses and am already scheduled to begin another two courses immediately after that, which meets APUS requirements for full-time status. Other Departments here at APUS recognize this fact and even send verification of this fact to the Department of Veterans Affairs on my behalf. But not the Financial Aid Department. You know better!

Secondly, the notice indicates that I have a "Federal Student Loan obligation" which requires immediate action on my part. Nothing could be further from the truth, as I've never had a student loan of any type. However, making grand mistakes of this nature has been a running theme of the Financial Aid Department's efforts to win the Most Incompetent Department Award, as you have previously attempted to sign me up for loans I never asked for. Well done.

Thirdly, although your "notice" does contain a small error indicating that students who only receive Pell Grants or Tuition Assistance may ignore the notice, you are still covering your bases on incompetence here, since I don't receive a Pell Grant or Tuition Assistance either. There is literally no conceivable reason for your Department to be contacting me at all, and yet you have still made every effort to send me threatening and intimidating correspondence. This truly puts all other APUS Departments to shame and removes them from the running.

Truly, the very nature of this notice displays incompetence on levels that other APUS Departments can only dream of. Clearly, the Financial Aid Department makes no efforts of any sort to maintain accurate records on students, as you clearly do not track common facts such as enrollment status or even what type of financial aid the student happens to be receiving. And of course, if the financial aid department doesn't know what type of aid a student is receiving, one can only conclude that they must not be receiving it at all, as your department wouldn't know to send it to them! How I pity the poor fools who may actually be dependent on such aid! Furthermore, your department makes no effort to even avoid contacting students who may not even have any form of aid at all and even regularly continues to send harassing messages to students who have previously asked to never be contacted by the Financial Aid Department ever again. On top of everything else, it seems your Department fails to communicate effectively with other APUS Departments, fails to communicate with the federal government, and operates with no oversight of any kind from any APUS executive. If I didn't know better, I might think your entire department existed for the exclusive purpose of tormenting students and attempting to ruin the credibility of APUS as a whole. Again, well done.

So please allow me to be the first to congratulate the Financial Aid Department on this most esteemed award of Most Incompetent APUS Department. You have had some very stiff competition for this award, but you plunged ahead and overcame the odds to be the sole winner of this prodigious Award. If you can only forward me the email address where I may contact the person who handles formal complaints against your department, I'll be happy to forward notification of this award to him or her on your behalf.

Sincerely,
APUS Student and Enraged Customer



The above email was CCed to several other AMU administrative departments, in the hope that one of them would tell me where I could file a complaint, but nobody ever replied.

It is prudent to conduct what I call a level one investigation on any investment prior to participation. Bottomline is 1. I personally contacted the Department of Education myself.

Response is AMU/APUS are reputable schools.

2. I contacted AMU/APUS and let them know I investigated their validity of Accreditation.

Response: thank you and what was your conclusion? I told them of my findings first from online reviews like this Rippoff report website. They said the school is aware of websites like these.

3. After that conversation I contacted their accreditation body and they told me AMU/APUS is a scam system.

I think a lot of people would like to hear that it is a scam system however the accreditation body told me the complete opposite. AMU/APUS is a highly reputable online school.

4. 3 weeks ago I had an advising forum and I spoke with an instructor whose name I will not mention. The speaker has a doctorate, is a former Police officer, Husband had an online degree before getting hired one of the 3 letter government agencies.

5. Amu/apus have problems with their financial aid process but that should be normal with every college both brick and online.

6. Name me one university without any problems whether it is online or offline?

Even Yale university, MIT Havard University has online courses. Recently I completed an Ethics course and I can post my grades here for a few papers I had to write. I had 2 papers I received a 78% for one 90 and the last one 87 because of simple mistakes on myside. The instructor keep telling the students we need to write more on a scholarly level in MLA style. Eventually I could breath a sigh of relief when I recived a final grade for the course work of 91%. Bare in mind that I have 2 jobs and completing assignments are not easy especially when they have a word count limit with requirement of substance.

Before anyone makes a comment on any topic it would be wise to gather your supporting evidence then president your case. Have any of the negative comment writers contacted the Department of Education about AMU/APUS? Anyone contacted the governing body of AMU/APUS accreditation? Anyone contacted the Attorney General of their state about reports on AMU/APUS? Anyone checked the FOIA on AMU/APUS? If anyone has factual evidence that proves AMU/APUS are scamming people then I would suggest they open a case with their respective US. Attorney General because scamming people is a felony punishable with prison time.

If there is no supporting evidence to back up the argument that AMU/APUS is a scam then there is no case. Also people who go online to write negative comments on business owners or the businesses themsleves could be sued for Libel which is defined as defamation of written or printed words pictures or the act of publishing it. If there is no supporting evidence to provide that a business in involved in scamming prospective students then all negative writters should rest their case. Again if anyone think a crime is being committed by AMU/APUS contact the FBI or US Attorney General and file a written complaint. Otherwise you are committing Libel which is a crime. 

AMU does not require the use of the higher one card. I have my disbursements go directly into my bank account.

For what its worth, I think the above "rebuttals" from AMU/APU students (some of whom are purported to have graduated from said institution) speak volumes about the quality of education one can expect to receive from AMU/APU.  While I'm sure there are many highly intelligent, very educated people that have attended, clearly none of them have stumbled upon this thread.  If I were an English teacher with an electronic red pen, I'd have a field day marking up the above responses.  No sarcasm or malice intended, but seriously folks - when posting in furtherance of your educational institution's credibility please proof read your stuff before hitting submit or continue. Failing to do so seriously undermines your credibility in a discussion about academic standing.

I am going to drop out because I don't want to associate myself with this group of scammers known as AMU

Currently I am enrolled in a graduate program at AMU and completely disagree with the orignal author in regards to the quality of education offered by AMU. First it must be noted the original author is not or has not been a student at AMU, this by his own admittance, thus I wouldn't consider his report to have much merit. I have attended both traditional brick and mortar schools and online programs such as those offered at AMU. Here are my experiences and a quick comparrison.

While working on my bachelors and attending a brick and mortar school I did not have to study near as much to reach the same success. In a traditional classroom lecture most professors lectured the test matarial and other than literature classes I honestly never read a text book cover to cover. I pride myself on being an A student and this was easily attainable. While working on my bachelors I also worked full time in law enforcement. I was fortunate to have my work schedule around my class schedule at school. I had the opportunity to work part time as a military contractor, I couldn't pass up the opportunity however found it difficult to attend class, work full-time and part time so I explored regionally accredited online programs and compared schools and such. I completed my bachelors at an online university which also has a traditional campus. I found it to be a great school and program. The work wasn't easy and it did require you to read the text book from cover to cover. There were mid-term and final exams. A final paper for each class (paper size ranged from 8-20 pages). Discussion posts during each week (750 word minimum for discussion post 250 minimum per reply to classmates). Discussion posts also had to be supported by peer reviewed scholary research and properly cited. Exams consisted of both essay, fill in blank and multiple choice and were timed.

After completing my bachelors I decided to puruse my Masters in Criminal Justice. My current school didn't offer that in an online format so I had to look for other school options. I began reseraching schools and found AMU. Highly impressed with its high rankings among both traditional and online programs, I decided apply to the program. First, I found the cost quite a bit less expensive than my previous school and also less expensive than my instate traditional school (was a private college). AMU's graduate program was comparable in cost to an instate graduate program. Classes are not easy, you do have to work for your grade. You must read your text books and they are not free (not for me). I have read each text book from cover to cover to prepare for written assisgnments and exams. Professors are highly qualified and relavant. I have found my professors to have impressive backgrounds, both educational and professional. One example, my research professor held various master degrees, a doctorate and also worked in the  field of criminal justice research for nearly 20 years.

There are diploma mills out there, but AMU is certainly not one of them. I would recomend AMU to anyone willing to invest the time into receiving an excellent education.

 

Hello All,

I came across this report and as a former graduate of AMU I had to respond. However, I will not attack LT's comment instead I will discuss my experience. I retired from the Army in 2011 as a SFC/E-7(22 years as a MP) and I was making about $70,000 a year. Prior to my retirement, I earned my BA in Legal Studies and a MA in Homeland Security from AMU. Currently, I work as a security and intelligence SME and I earn $120,000 per year when working stateside and $300,000 per year when I have to deploy overseas in a combat zone. In addition, I continue to receive job offers from multiple companies, (even during these ascetic economic times) and each interview I have they always provide laudatory comments about my education at AMU. In fact, many of the hiring managers have degrees from AMU.

AMU is not the only good online school out there but it is unquestionably one of the best and it is well respected by companies and hiring managers! I would recommend AMU to anyone and I cannot wait until they start offering PhDs because I will definitely be one of the first individuals signing up!

 

I am a traditional 4 years brick and mortars regionally accredited graduate, never attended AMU, and have only taken 1 online course offered at my university.

 

My only opinion, and that's what it is, my opinion, but it is this.................there is not much of an argument that traditional schools are a bit harder than online schools.  At brick and mortar schools a student may have family, kids, and careers just the same as online students, but, the traditional student has to balance that and every other life experience followed by figuring out transportation, parking, weather conditions, and everything else thing else under the sun revolving around a real campus setting.  Not to mention it is easier to argue your points when you are not in the physical presence of others who may not agree with said points.  It is different, and it is easier to cheat out of sight then it is in a traditional setting.  Graduates of traditional and online schools know this, and if they don't, then they are not saying so for some reason, which you usually find out is due to lying, stretching the truth, and to benefit their own choices.  Now, we can all cite some recollection from memory of "this one person I know", but, I've heard it far too many times to care.  It's not wholly the same, that's just a fact.

 

With that said, I will say that I do not care where you go to get your higher education (as long as it's HLC regionally accredited).  If you went to traditional brick and mortar schools.........I can relate with you, and if you went to online school............I can still relate to you to a fair degree.  Mostly, we did do a lot of the same work, even though it might of been a tad bit harder the traditional route which should be taken into account.

 

In the end though, there is only 27% of ALL Americans, of ALL ages, of ALL genders, of ALL races, and of ALL majors with AT LEAST a Bachelors degree, 10% a Masters, and 1% a PhD from a regionally accredited, internationally recognized HLC University.  That alone tells me that the students of brick and mortar regionally accredited universities as well as online universities had the drive, persistence, and dedication to see something through to the end, despite all of our individual hardships.  The majority of Americans obviously did not do the same work you and I have done.  Though I might have my own opinions regarding traditional vs online..........I will say I would hire each and every one of you no matter what over a non-grad.  Non-grads like that we fight with one another with who went where and who had it easier all the while when we get caught up in our petty quarrels, they hope they can weasel in to get equal pay, more pay, and equal benefits, more benefits when they didn't do the same work as all of us had to do.  For many of us, it took yeeeeeaaaarrrs of hardships, persistence, and dedication just to say "you know what, I did it".  All of you are my brothers and sisters.  We have shared to a degree similar hardships and you should be proud to see it through.  Whether online or not, many of our brick and mortar schools THAT ARE HLC REGIONALLY ACCREDITED are offereing ways for students to receive higher education, even if it's in different ways.  Again, sure, we can go back and forth and quip with one another like colleagues about this and that, but for the most part...........I have a lot of respect and admiration for all of you in whatever your major is, and any day over a non-grad who doesn't even know what it is like to balance it all, do the whatever the work is entailed, and see it through to the end with that diploma in hand.

 

Be proud, you are just as much my brother and sisters, we are the minority seeking and completing "higher education" and I will look out for you no matter what.................over a non-grad (there's my bias, lol)

 

HLC regionally Degreed the states over the world over............we are UNITED

1) While they are ranked #22, what does that really mean? Oh wait, they have decent to good online stuff.... I hope so, they're an online school. 

 

2) #22 looks good but is it really? Well they are not ranked in the National Rankings which is what matters. Comparing it to football, Alabama is ranked #1 and AMU is not even as good as the last team in all of college football. 

 

3) Since you want to talk about the U.S. News ranking than I want you to do this. Select the ranking tab, what you should see now is every program they have and how that program is ranked. 

I'll wait!!!!!!!!

 

Oh wait, not even one program shows up. That sucks. 

 

4) #22 overall, but professors credentials like #75. 

 

If you want a good degree that you want to actually earn than go to a B&M, any State College degree will whipe the floor with an AMU piece of paper. 

 

If anyone's feelings were hurt, than suck it da f* up and get a real Degree. 

 

 

Just one question: if AMU is a scam and ripoff, then why does Florida State University accept their credits? My AMU BS degree fully transferred into FSU's masters program. Is FSU a scam too?

 I have attended numerous colleges and have found AMU to be one of the best. Their academic program is solid and the information contained in the original post is wrong. The low cost and flexibility have helped me to attend and I could not be more pleased. Disregard this sour grapes poster.

I am a current student at APU and it is not a good online school.  I regret ever leaving Strayer University to attend APU.  Of course, people who have invested a great deal of time, money, and effort will defend it to their dying breath, but the truth is, the classes are beyond easy, the intructors do not seem to care that most forum posts are off topic or hardly make sense (some barely answer the questions asked), and they don't even use regular printed textbooks.  Who wants to read a book on the computer?  I surely don't and I plan to drop out and return to a traditionl school where I actually go to a classroom, where at least I feel that I was learning something.  APU is a joke, who cares what their ranking is?  A lot of bad schools get good rankings, and those that judge them never attended the schools they are ranking.  I believe that APU is not a good online school.  

I have say that I do not agree with you at all. I am a spouse of someone in the military and I have been going to AMU for quite some time. The tests are not all open book, they are timed, and some of the tests are fill in the blank and essay format. I have written 2 research papers and one reaction paper for this current class that I am in right now. Keep in mind that one of those research papers had to be no less than 10 pages alone. My husband has also had some 10 page reports that he has had to write as well. If that is not research than I don't know what is! You cannot judge people on the path they choose for their education nowadays, and I do not think that people choose distance learning as opposed to traditional school because it is easier, I think they choose it because it accomodates their lifestyle. For example, children, marriage, homes, resposibilities, and work. Also take note that the reponses are one response per week, no less than 400 words while responding to three peers no less than 250 each. So with that said there is a lot of writing involved along with research and slide presentation projects, not to mention tests every week with required reading of at least three chapters per class per week. Plus, I know many successful people that attended AMU who are now working among some of the top paying jobs out there. You have to do your research and not go based off of what you have heard. There are many challenges associated with distance learning, we do not get to do group projects or have our professors undivided attention at our every beck and call, their reponse time is about 48 hrs, which we end up figuring things out on our own as students. There is a lot of independent study, which makes us as distance learners far more independent because we are reuired to actually read our text books and apply our skills and knowledge towards what we have learned, while making suggestive statements to other students works as well.

Just FYI...

US News and World Report just ranked AMU / APUS #22 in the nation for the best online Bachelor's degree programs. This means that out of every school out there, including all the brick and mortars with online programs, AMU / APUS ranked #22.

Now, let me put it this way:

AMU / APUS is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission (HLC) of the North Central Association of Colleges and Schools.

The University's School of Business is accredited by the Accreditation Council for Business Schools and Programs (ACBSP).

The University's Bachelor of Science in Nursing (RN to BSN) program is accredited by the Commission on Collegiate Nursing Education (CCNE).

2013 US News and World Report ranked #22 in the nation for the best online Bachelor's Degree

Overwhelmingly positive write ups from actual students

Who should we believe?
Just a hint: I'm not going with the original post on this...

This blogger needs to be removed.  AMU is a great school.....

So you advocate considering "the following experiences" but not the endorsement of current or previous students as our comments and recommendations may be biased?  Are you really trying to tilt their decision towards you or giving them all information so they can make a balanced decision?  Who's biased now?

Since you are not a student, I believe your opinion is not valid.  You have no idea at all about AMU.  So how can we take your opinion serious?  You have no credibility.  But I am.  And I can give you my experience.

If you put in minimal effort and time, you get a minimal grade.  It has been like this for ALL of my classes for the last three years.  I have had to work very hard to get my grades. You get graded during discussions on how insightful your postings are.  Basic posting are called out.  Instructors are not there to just post and grade assignmentsagain, a false statement on your part. The books are part of the cost of tuition.  And in my three years with AMU, all books have been complete versionsNO EXCERPTS.  Again, a false statement on your part.

All papers that I have written had to be approved by the instructor.  And how can you possibly submit the same paper for every class every semester?  I will have to throw up the BS hat on this one also.  If your class is on soil science, how can you turn in a water science paper?  And if someone got away with this, they only cheat themselves and their employer will know they dont know jack.  ALL of my instructors take points away for grammar, style, and substance.  ALL my instructors make it mandatory for APA style papers and citations.  So your statement that one of your friends submitted the same paper for every class every semester.BS hat thrown in the air!

Yes, some quizzes and test are open book.  But they also have essay questions that must be of substances.  ALL of my classes forbid Wikipedia for their information and citations.   Thats zero, zilch, nada.  All work must be properly cited, credit must be given where due using APA style.  You have not stated if you have a degree or not.  Would be hilarious if you didnt.  But then again, having a degree does not make one bright.

I still maintain that the quality of education is not in question in my program.  In fact, the academic work I have produced is now being professionally published in trade journals.  Your education is your responsibility and if you are going to invest the time and money, make it worthwhile.

In my degree program, several classes were not available.  It was an administrative nightmare to get the classes on-line and navigate the powers that be.  As part of the solution, I agreed to take a substitute class.  The substitute class was in a popular degree program.  

The professor and I had multiple exchanges where I had been accused of plagiarism and was failed.  I reviewed my work carefully, and I was not plagiarizing and scheduled a meeting (by phone) with the professor.  The professor admitted to making a judgement call because the paper was written "too professionally", therefore it could not be the synthesis of experience and cummulative knowledge throughout my degree program.  The grade was changed to 100% one I supplied evidence I was a professionally published writer and provided samples of other work.  This begs the question about other students this professor has taught and the quality and caliber of work they produce.  

In this same course, a group project was mandatory with 8 students including myself.  I took the lead and was "herding cats" trying to get the others to do the work required.  Two of the students never responded.  Three classmates pulled a cut/paste from the course materials using no external thought or resources.  For this 10 page required document, they produced one paragraph, all identical and from the course materials.  One other student called, conferenced on the phone with me and we did the bulk of the work.  Another student called, claimed to have produced a visual aid based on something he read independently.  The student lied because other classmate sent the same exact visual aid, citing it from "somewhere off the internet".  Without having the benefit of Turn It In, I had to take other classmates at their word.   I dropped the class before the grade was published because I did not want to be placed in a situation trying to get people to do the work required.  Without having the benefit of accessing turn it in to be a checks and balance for plagiarism, I really did not feel comfortable putting my name on the work.  I was promised full credit for the class since I was pushed into it.

It took 4 months of phone calls, and internet chat to get my final classes scheduled.  Even then, it took a strong email to the head Dean to move things along and cut through all the red tape.  Part of my difficulty was because I was in a new program and not all classes were on the calendar and programmed into the electronic classroom.  It was problematic getting straight answers because of all the working parts involved.  Even though advising was "owning" the problem, they did not have the authority to take corrective action which is why it took escalation to the Dean.  It was an exhausting, time consuming, and stressful process. 

One word of warning is to wait until all of your final course requirements are scheduled before applying for graduation.  I worked with my student advisor and applied for graduation with an August conferral date.  Because of the availability of classes, that had to be bumped to November.  Long story short, I was put in a position to pay the $100 graduation fee a second time.  At this point, it is easier to pay than jump through the administrative hoops.

Career services is helpful with typical job search strategies.  The school has partnerships with different corporations that are supposed to be giving all eligible students at least a courtesy phone interview.  This is not the case.  Many of the jobs are commission based, or "volunteer" which provide experience but not gainful post-employment work.  This is probably a sign of the economy rather than a sign of capabilities.  

When someone makes a promise, you really need to keep on them to have that promise fulfilled whether it is a letter of recommendation with your GPA and intended conferral date, or a letter of course completion.  I had several promises of a letter to fulfill a requirement to be hired by FEMA.  At the eleventh hour, I was told to contact another department for that "letter" and that department refused to fulfill the request.  I am now using my Academic plan, circling remaining classes and my cummulative GPA hoping I will not be excluded from the running for the job.  It is a job where I would be VERY HAPPY and I interviewed confidently, and extremely well.  My only drawback is the delay in graduation caused by the administrative problems.

In updating and responding a little further to LTmax (In Not Well Informed), I would like to elaborate on your statement about all test being open book again. I have already clarified that this is not true, but AMU does at time have open book exams. This is however, for a good reason. In the closed book exams, you will never know what the answer to the question you missed was. Therefore, you will never learn the entire book. In the open book exams, the questions that you miss can be reviewed later, and you will then know the correct answers to every question in the text. You have therefore obtained more knowledge, which is what college is designed for.

First of all, I am a student at AMU, and second of all, I have had some run-ins with some of the school Professors. However, everytime I have had a problem, it was always taken care professionally. This is my 3rd Academic year at AMU, and I can tell you from experience, that the person who wrote this originally complant is not well informed. I was in the military, and I know exactly what a challenge is. In my experience at AMU, it depends on which class and subject you are dealing with; some are easier than others.

However, it is not true that all test and exams are open book and easy. Sometimes they are, and other times they are not. In order to know the questions on some of these exams, you have to read several chapters which takes at times several hours. Even then, it is a challenge to answer some of the questions on these exams, which are at times 50 answers. Some of theses questions are complicated. It is pretty easy to get a C/70 on one of these exams.

Some of the reports that we have to write are 1,000 to 1,500 words in length, which takes at time four to six hours to complete. Then, if there is a grammatical error (as I am a witness), believe me, you will receive a lower grade. AMU you will not pass you if the paper that took you six hours to write, is not correct. Also, I refuse to believe that the military students that you have mentioned cannot properly write in APA style. If this was the case, these students would have been thrown out of AMU a long time ago, because they never would have been able to advance to where they are at now.

Here, also, I am only talking about one class. I have at times had four classes that was a serious challenge to even finish in the week, and had to request an extension to even complete my work. Sir, I just dont buy your story, as I know first hand how challenging AMU really is, and its not just because I am a student --- its the truth. I have often wondered how I have even survived three years at AMU. Personally, it has been a challenge for me. I have a lot of extra knowledge that I did not possess before I started at AMU. 

Note: For anyone who doubts what I have said about AMU, then I challenge you to try AMU for yourself and see how well you do.

So I am like the author of the complaint, I never attended AMU for a single day. So that makes me totally unqualified to comment anything about AMU.

I have been through 4 years of traditional school from University of California, and then another two years to receive my MS in Computer Science, also from the UC system. So that makes me the complete opposite of what AMU stands for in the author LTmax's book.

But I can not help to make notice that LTmax has some arguments which are very flawed in the following ways:

1. On AMU's 8 week class schedule:

Many UC campuses have quarter systems, so compare to AMU's 8 week schedule, their class only last 10 weeks, and that is including the final exam week (read - the class is actually only 9 weeks long).

In terms of hours, if you add up the time to

.the requirement to commute to campus
.fight and looking for the parking space,
.waiting in line to get department petitions approved,
.wading through the 100-3,000 size lecture hall filled with ready-to-drop-the-course classmates,
.waiting for the time to have appointments with the TA,

then UC's quarter system only allows for a fraction of the time to study as compared to AMU's. So in my book, AMU represents a superior way of obtaining knowledge, as far as class duration and structure are concerned

2. On Open Book Exam & comparison to a "reputable" traditional school

Of my entire UC experience, I only had four courses which had exams with close-books. Three of those courses (for computer engineering anyways) are self-study courses with automated grading by computer. And truth is, with the exception of saying "Hi" in the hallway, I was never even able to talk to the profs while taking some of the other courses because the profs are always busy with long waiting line outside of their offices during their open office hours. Most of the time, I only got to ask the TA questions on topics I don't understand, only to find out, in many cases, the TA's know less than I do.

So unlike LTmax, I feel I am not qualified to comment about AMU because I have never taken any AMU classes before, but sounds like the students can always get hold of the instructor (not just the TA's) when they need to. Just that alone, there is no comparison between AMU and the UC experience I had to go through. And don't get me wrong, I don't dislike my alma mater for what I had to go through, but I also have to be honest to say that, being a traditional institute does not automatically make that institute superior to a non-traditional institute.

3. On the author's comment about AMU student's need to embellish their school

Well, for career's sake, many UC graduates I know of won't bad mouth their school at all.

There seemed to be tons of complaints about the university from these same people before their graduation. But the moment the diploma is placed in their hands, and they began looking for a job. The school suddenly became the most sanctified educational institution on the planet. And this came from the same group of people who were yakking away about all the inadequacy of their university while in school.

In my book, I have to attribute behavior like this to human nature. I am sure AMU is not perfect as any university is not perfect. But it seems to be me that AMU experience is far less complex, and likely less flawed compared my college experience.

4. On author's comment about "...everyone else here has an agenda so intelligent readers make your own conclusions..."

If, like the author claimed, that some of the rebuttals have hidden agendas, I have zero agenda to write this rebuttal. I just want to say that we are at the age even universities like M.I.T., Stanford, or Harvard are posting their lecture notes on iTune and allow distant access like the satellite classes for their students. So granted, they still have to take the final exams in the lecture halls. But the difference between a "traditional" school and a "non-traditional" school is shrinking, fast.  And I for one, would like to see our next generation to have a distance learning university on the top ten of all universities in America. And looks like AMU is certainly heading in the right direction.

ddm5000  Well, I see all is still going well here on the AMU battleground. I must say ,ddm5000, your post is a joke. I rate it as much to say about nothing. You speak of your 6 or so courses at AMU which led to all A's and one B letter grade. You continually refuse to validate the school yet you remained in their instructional programs for a duration of six course, why? I equate this to the people who order and consume their entire meal only to in the end advise restaraunt staff of how dissatisfying the food was. if a meal is less than satisfactory don't eat it. If you find a school curriculum less than challenging or perhaps below your Mensa rankings don't linger.

   I have found AMU to be challenging, and beneficial in many ways. The 8 week courses can be a brutal to say the least. I would be surprised if ddm5000 was active duty military in his AF base position as noted. His or her words sound like those of a disgruntled civilian military employee who perhaps lost their job? To all others reading this, as I have said before, you can count on AMU. Like all schools, what you put into your studies is what you can expect to get out of them. Perhaps ddm5000 signed on for early childhood daycare, perhaps the author also missed the recent economic issues here in the USA. I mention the latter as he or she stated they have several friends with AMU degrees yet still have no job. Get real, there are Ph.D holders from many colleges currently out of work along with many more AA, BA and BS degree holders.

Degree Received:           M. A. National Security Studies (General Concentration)
Salary pre-AMU:             $65k in 2008
Salary post-degree:       $103k in 2012-2013

The education I received from AMU has enhanced my productivity and my worth to my employer.  Moreover, it has improved my critical thinking skills that has enabled me to significantly increase my net worth by providing me with an improved skill set that has enabled me to make more prudent and profitable real estate and business investment decisions. 

Do your research, and you will discover that there is nothing inherently wrong with profit seeking institutions.  Indeed, the increasing prevalence of these schools is more an indictment on public education costs and quality then anything else.

Hence, I would recommend AMU and most other online private universities, but it is incumbent upon the consumer to do your homework before choosing a specific school.

Some points I would like to make:

1. I am an AMU/APUS graduate 2007 (B.A. Transportation & Logistics MGT)
2. I have been successful in my career as a Logistician with no Masters degree.
3. My base salary is 90K per year plus performance bonus.
4. I would be happy to hire an AMU graduate when I see that on a resume. (Especially Veterans)
5. I find graduates of "prestigious brick and mortar" institutions to be lazy, often arrogant employees. ( I have a few....they hate that I [their boss] didn't graduate from their school!)

For all those considering what university to attend, I only remind you that if you your diploma says "Duke" or "Penn State" that doesn't justify your salary. That may only help you get in the door, especially if the hiring manager happened to attend the same university. You actually get paid by your contribution to the company or the ROI. 
       
As a manager, I would rather hire someone who wore the uniform, understands principles of loyalty, determination, and selfless service; with a degree from Online University BLAH BLAH (funded by the US GOVT) - than hire some ungrateful, selfish, sheltered graduate from Duke University (funded by Mom & Dad's retirement $). In my experience, that prestigious university stigma is exploited and glorified. I have employees with two year degrees fly by these prestigious graduates in work ethic and on-the-job-know-how. You don't get paid based off your degree folks! 

The author is purely agitated at the students that receive government funded education; which I believe to be the motive. There is a disturbing trend with college students "veteran hating" as the new post 9-11 GI bill pays a stipend for attending school. These students take offense that veterans and the military are able to attend for free on "their tax money." What better way to combat this but by attempting to slander military friendly universities? The author's intent is purely political folks, don't let your attention become so distracted by a disgruntled individual.

American Military University / American Public University System is fully accredited. AMU/APUS has received the highest accreditation granted in the United States. I am going to venture out and say that the governing body responsible for issuing and maintaining accreditation is more worthy of our respect regarding an opinion about AMU than someone who has admittedly never attended the school.

Also, LT should keep in mind that more and more students are turning to online colleges to complete and achieve their degrees because of the time and money saving aspects involved. While LT may not be able to keep up with the times, thankfully, AMU/APUS is, and has been, on the leading edge of this trend.

Lastly, as a student I will say that the course load is usually just as challenging as an on ground school and many times, it is harder. Online students must manage their own time and motivation effectively. This is especially true of an eight week course when all the material involved in a sixteen week coruse is packed in. They must also truly "get" the concepts introduced since open book tests record your understanding of concepts, rather than simply testing your knowledge of definitions (or the ability to look for them) which can be found laid out easily.

I'm responding to the criticism of the original poster. I have been attending APU for 3 semesters and really enjoy it a lot, even moving cross country i was able to continue my education. Its not easy by any means but if you have the will there is always a way. Im enrolled in the AA Business Management degree and plan on continuing my education at APU to get my BA as soon as i finish my AA. Im 27 so i need at least one degree for now for my resume. 

The classes are set up just like a "brick and mortar" university. You come in, meet and greet, then get down to learning. The classes are challenging, you have to do your reading and research other wise youll be lost. Some of my quizzes are open book, just to get the material down pat. But not my tests. I have attended 3 other "brick and mortar" universities for Audio Engineering (Madison Media Institute WI), Sports Medicine (Carroll University WI) and Architecture (WCTC WI).

The only reason i didn't graduate in any of those fields was because i had to work so much when i was younger.  In my opinion APU is just as good if not better then my previous colleges. Everything negative you could say about APU you can say about any school. Your education depends on you, not necessarily the college. Yes some people may get A's and B's without trying i doubt it though or only giving it 50% of their time and effort, but what happens when they try to get a job and know nothing in their field of study. That reflects on the individual not the school.

I have received starlight A's all my semesters just like i did when i went to a "traditional college" but i work hard and study hard to get them and i am proud of my grades. I doubt i could get nor would i want to get A's when i didnt even try. APU isnt for everyone, if you need to be baby sat in a class room and be told what to do and how to do it then go to the traditional college.

But if you self motivated, self disciplined, organized, and have a desire to learn APU is a good choice. Its really affordable, the professors are knowledgeable (they wont hold your hand) but you can always get in touch with them when you have a question or dont understand something. APU is meant for adults not teenagers that need to be guided and rely on others. Overall APU offers a solid education, but its up to you to do the work to obtain it.  

First off, I can't even believe that I have signed up for this website. I was looking for something else when this report popped up on my computer. I just spent the past hour or so reading through each of these reports and rebuttals and it just baffles me that this report is still on the internet.

I am a current student of AMU. I am about to graduate with a Bachelors in Business Administration. I will be the first to admit that the courses for a BBA is not that difficult. I chose this particular degree with a career path in mind, not for the difficulty of the courses.

I have attended two other colleges prior to AMU. The first college I attended was Sierra College in Rocklin, CA. It was a community college and I did it to save money. Let me just say that attending this college, seemed more like a joke than AMU. I spent two years at Sierra with a major in Accounting. In both years, I couldn't be more dissatisfied with the quality of education I was receiving. I have always been a quick learner and someone that worked better on their own with the book. "Brick & mortar" classes require you to sit in a class with who knows how many kids and not get any attention. I put all my effort into these classes as I watched students sit next to me and copy one another and slack off; they still passed the class. Teachers were always hard to reach. Classes were HARD to get into. I may have received good grades, but I don't feel like I did enough work to feel proud of them. It was honestly a joke to me. It was like a high school class. Professors expected that you didn't even know how to write a paper. Let's just say I was glad when I finished my two years at that college.

I then attended the University of South Dakota. They supposedly had a quality business program and I was really excited when I first got there. Tuition, fees, room & board were all expensive. I spent more money there in 2 semesters than I have at AMU. I can't say much more than that because I married my high school sweetheart and went back to live with him while he was in the Marines.

I found AMU and I have been going to this college since June 2011. I also did my research because I was very skeptical about this college. It had been recommended to me by a friend in the Air Force and that was all I knew. I did hours of research. I researched the Accreditation for the school and was surprised that it was regionally recognized. I didn't want to waste my time finishing my degree at a college that no one would recognize, and I can say that AMU has more than met my expectations for an undergraduate college.

As far as the tuition goes, its not expensive. I don't get any military assistance as a spouse for a bachelors degree, so paying for the entire thing through loans and grants has been my path. $750 a course is a great deal compared to other colleges in my area. Also, the book grant that allows us to have free books is amazing because dealing with new textbooks and selling them was always a pain.

And for the classes? I will be the first to say that I didn't take them too seriously when I started. I assumed it would be easier than any other school, but I was quickly mistaken. Yes, the courses usually require a forum posting, responses, a paper, maybe a quiz every week, but it takes more than that. You have to put time and effort into it. It's not something you can just breeze by. I just submitted my final essay today which was a seven page paper on different environments on a company. That's not a paper I could have just copy and pasted and resubmitted every time. Especially when I have to submit it to the plagiarism site with less than 10% matches. It's not something you can breeze by. It's not hard work, but it takes time and it takes effort. It takes hours of research.

The professors? They have all been amazing as far as I'm concerned. They always respond to emails within a day. At the most 2 days. They answer phone calls and are very helpful in any way that you need. They provide quality feedback on papers and assignments that allow you to improve your work in the future. No, not all professors do this, but most of them do. Overall, the professors at AMU have been awesome.

AMU also provides end of the year surveys that allow you to evaluate the class and professor for each class. If your professor was bad, you have an opportunity to say so. And I am sure that multiple complaints aren't ignored.

If recruiters and job seekers don't recognize AMU, it's because they haven't heard of it. I know a lot of people that haven't. That doesn't mean that recruiters are going to write it off. Simply talking to a AMU graduate would be enough to change anyone's mind about the quality of education received.

In 2 months, I will have my degree in hand and I will be a proud alumni of AMU. I recommend AMU to all my friends looking to get out of "brick & mortar" schools because it's taking them 5-6 years to get a 4 year degree because they can't get the classes they need. I know the quality of education that I have received. I cannot wait to enroll for my Masters in Finance this Fall.


Lastly, I hope you all take into consideration the countless positive feedbacks received for AMU. The original report is honestly a joke. My husband thought the same thing and now he goes to AMU and he's struggling with the massive amount of work required. This report needs to be taken down. It was written by someone that never attended the school.

I recommend this school as long as you are willing to work for your degree. Your grades will certainly reflect your effort

I am a former AMU student.  I took the Instructional Design Undergrad Certificate program.  I took 2 courses one semester and then the remaining 4 the next semester.  All of my classes were structured in a similar way.  You make a forum post by a certain day of the week, respond to minimum of 2 classmates by a certain day, submit a paper, take an open book quiz and open book test prior to the end of the week. 

When enrolled in the classes, I was working full-time (Air Force) and working part-time (Security Guard) on the weekends (12 hr shifts).  I always waited until the day that things were due to start them.  Taking open book quizzes and exams were pretty easy.  Writing the papers weren't that bad.  I had to do a little reading about the topic, usually a chapter or section in one of the e-books provided by the school.  At times I turned in work late and from what I remember, about 5 points were deducted from the overall score.  Some teachers provide feedback on assisgnments and some don't, depends on the class.  

Is the school a rip-off?  I can't say for sure.  Is getting a degree easy?  I would think it is if all instructors were like mine.  Would I take classes with AMU again?  No, but that's my own personal preference.  I worked in the Air Force Education Center on Ft. Meade in Maryland and we had a large number of students enrolling in AMU courses.  I say, if you like the school and the format of the courses, take them.  AMU is regionally accredited so their courses and/or degrees will transfer.  You can check the Department of Education Website if you need verification.

The thing that I want to know is, will their degrees land you a job?  I know four people who have completed Bachelors Degrees with AMU and are having a hard time finding jobs based on their education.  This is not to say that an AMU graduate will not be employed, I'm just speaking about the people that I know.  

As an Education Services Technician, I explained the problems with some of the "For Profit" universities (i.e. Univ. of Phoenix) but I've never told anyone not to enroll in them.  If you want to know about the problems with "For Profit" schools you can google it or even see information on you tube.  A lot of "For Profit" schools are under investigation and the Freedom of Information Act allows you to view summaries of reports that have been submitted.

As for me, did I learn anything from my program at AMU?  Yes, but I can't say that I feel completely comfortable with how their material compares to a "Brick and Mortar" school.  I'm taking a similar course with another university that was in my program and in my opinion it's a lot better than AMU.  Of the six classes that I took, I can honestly say that I gave about 50% effort and when it was all said and done I received 5 A's and a B.  

Other programs may or may not be more difficult but I can't speak on them.  The program that I took was easy and if you are interested in Instructional Design and want to take courses with AMU to have something added to your resume it's an easy program to complete.  

The tuition is $750 per course and books are included.  Open book quizes and exams so it's a quick and easy way to get a degree or certificate. 

Is AMU a quality school?  Only those of us that have taken their courses can really answer that question.  I would never tell anyone to enroll with AMU, but I would also not try to tell anyone not to.

I've asked them several times for a report on employment rates for their graduates and they always tell me that I will receive it in an e-mail within 5-7 business days.  I haven't received it yet and if it's posted on their website I haven't seen it.

On a scale of 1-5, 5 being the best.........I give AMU a rating of 2 (and that's being generous).

First off I want to say that I just spent over 2 hours reading every comment on this forum. I couldn't help but register on this website and give my opinion. I am a student at AMU and was not swayed by anyone to make the comments below. I'm not here to bash LT. My only objective is to state my own experience with AMU. I have been going to AMU for over two years now. I have to say that it has been a well worth experience for me so far. I have learned many things that are current in my job, and when the time comes I know the degree I earn will help me apply for a great job, because I have real experience on top of a degree. AMU teaches all its students to write well and use critical thinking in all their classes. It almost brings tears to my eyes to know that I can obtain my degree while serving my country. My job in the military is extremely demanding at times. I've stood "duty" port and starboard (meaning every other day I am working a 24hr shift). When I am on duty I have to stay on base. This makes going to a traditional school impossible to do. I get phone calls at any time of the day. Usually the worst ones are between 2-5 A.M. It's an exhausting job at times, but so rewarding to know I am protecting my country. On top of all this I am required by my job in the military to continuously show my growth in education by obtaining several qualifications. This is not an option. Those who don't will get kicked out of the service or passed up for promotions. Today in this economy it's even more competitive. I've tried to do traditional classes before, but every time I enrolled I had to drop out because I was sent out of town to respond to a natural disaster. I've been called out to Hurricane Katrina, the major BP oil spill in 2010, and was on stand-by for both Isaac and Sandy. I've always wanted a "science related" degree and thought it was impossible to get it while in the military until I found AMU. AMU has been the only school that I know that offers exactly what I need. As an active duty member, I am able to work on my qualifications, conduct training, be out of town to gain more training, respond to a natural disasters, and take classes to better myself. Every person I have known who has taken classes at AMU has had nothing but positive comments to say about the school.

I'm shocked to hear such negativity by someone who has no real personal experience to base their assumption on. I don't believe an employer would pay for their employee to gain a degree at a degree mill. Do you? AMU is a well respected school, and gives new opportunities to students that many traditional schools just don't offer. AMU education is not bound by four walls. They reach out to those serving in other countries too. AMU also develops partnerships with organizations and associations that allow students to network with peers. They have seminars and conferences all across the country and provide webinars to keep students engaged on the latest technology available today. I went to the National Environmental Health Association (NEHA) Annual Educational Conference last year. It was great to meet other like minded people. I also met a few students/peers. I was able to network with future peers/employers in the Environmental field. I spoke to many guest speakers at the conference. They were impressed by my knowledge and experiences pertaining to Environmental Science. I owe all the credit to my professors and the education I obtained at AMU. If you have ever read a bio from one of my professors, they almost seem overqualified. The field experience they have is always impressive. Each professor I have had is passionate about what they do and cares about providing quality education to their students. AMU hires professors who do the jobs that students are most interested in when they finish their degrees. I see this in my career choice. I want to work with U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS) when I retire from the military. I know at least 2 professors who have been employed or are currently employed by USFWS. This gives me comfort that I am gaining valuable experience from those who have done the job already to make me a competitive applicant for a position at USFWS. I still keep in touch with some of my professors in my major even after finishing my classes with them. Who says communication has to end when the class is over?

My only gripe was my first class advisor. When I started at AMU I consulted a class advisor to discuss what classes would be most beneficial for the type of job I wanted. She answered with "just take the classes you want in the order you want". She did nothing to help me narrow my choices. I ignored her and just started taking a few general education classes to start off. Since then, AMU has changed their policy. Instead of offering me one dedicated class advisor they now have an advisory team. This works much better because sometimes one individual does not have the experience to provide the best answer. The School of Science & Technology Advising Team was able to give me the support I needed. I couldn't ask for a better school to get my degree from.

One thing rings true about AMU...they care about providing a quality education. They pride themselves on it. Want proof? Why else would they send out surveys at the end of each class? They do that to give students a chance to voice their opinions of the education they received. Believe me, they want to hear from their students. They are continuously making improvements each year to make it better. If you don't believe me try using Facebook or Twitter. LinkedIN is another good one. LinkedIN even has a group called "APU & AMU Environmental Science Program" that posts up current job openings from usajobs.gov. All three of these social networking websites give great updates on latest conferences, webinars, and such for their students to gain more than just a college degree. They care about the whole college experience and try to make it more like a traditional school and then some. Those who go to the school know what I'm talking about. Just last year they created mascots for both APU and AMU. Now students can purchase logo merchandise to show their school spirit. They offer so many resources to get their students involved. I feel like I go to a traditional school at times, without the hassle of wasted time. I set my own schedule and have understanding teachers when I need extra time or attention because I had to work long hours. It's a win win for me. In my experience, no other school comes close to offering me the same education and benefits that I receive from AMU. Did I say that my books are already paid for?

I agree that this school may not work out for you, but you never know until you experience it for yourself. It is true that online classes are not right for everyone. Some of us need the extra spoon feeding attention that a traditional school offers. Some prefer a group setting along with team work exercises. AMU will not give you either one of those. I personally get team building experience with my job, so I don't need it at school. I have had to work my butt off to keep an honor student status, but it makes the journey all that much more worth it. They do not give out an "easy A". I don't know who you heard that from. Despite all that, I'm happy to call myself an Eagle and can't wait to become an alumni.

I would first like to say that I am a student of American Military University, and have been attending online classes with the school for a little over a year and a half now.  I would also like to say that this is not my first online school, I have two others, one of which was also a traditional brick and mortar school that I split classes between online and in class depending on schedule.
 
LT- I know I am beating the proverbially dead horse from what I am reading below, but I cannot help but notice a few things about your comments that are, at best, hypocritical.  Id like to start with please consider the following experiences and be critical with endorsements of current or previous students, their comments and recommendations are bias.  As if your comments and recommendations do not carry bias?  Having never attended the university, and relying on friends who attend, would be the epitome of hypocrisy. 
 
I am not here to defend the university, they require no defense.  Their reputation stands on its own through the product in the field that they produce, the education they provide to their students.  Next you talk about how your friend takes 3 classes during an accelerated 8 week session and will have a 4 year degree in a little over 2 years, but will be done even before that for receiving a ton of questionable credits for being in the military.  Have you ever served in the military?  I take offense to the mere suggestion of questionable credits.  Do you think that going through 12 weeks of Marine Corps recruit training consisting of multiple levels of fitness readiness and examinations, some of which the minimum requirements 75% of the American civilian population could never meet, is questionable?  I received credit for physical education for enduring that.  I am not quite sure what the requirement at AMU is for a PE credit, but I would assume it is similar to any other brick and mortar college I have attended; put your gym shorts on and climb the rope when they blow the whistle.
 
Further, had you served in the military you would know that depending on what you have done, the formal military schools you have attended and the current or former rank you have achieved can sometimes place you leap years ahead of your civilian peers on so many different levels.  Talk to someone who has attended the Naval War College for three months and ask them if their education was questionable.
 
I want to point to a more disturbing, yet illustrating point you have made later in your rant.  You tell us of a friend who submits the same paper for every class every semester.  Is it me, or should I really be questioning your character and lack of judgment when selecting friends?  Or should we just chock this up to the hypocrisy portion yet again?
 
Later, referring to the same topic of the paper, you point out that you took a look at his paper and can only describe it as mediocre with grammar, and style errors.  He gets an A every time so I know his paper dont get read.  Let me go back through this sentence a bit slower this time.  He gets an A every time so I know his paper do not get read?  Surely a typo on your part, but certainly hitting the high note of hypocrisy.wait for it, wait for it.AGAIN.
 
I would hit you on the other errors in the rant, but they are becoming too abundant to tackle to be perfectly honest.
 
Lastly, and in reference just on the lack of substance here, citing an article that you have read not so long ago, where job recruiters admitted they dont hire people with for profit university degrees for mid-level management positions, is nothing more than nonsense.  Or at least that is what we are left to believe.  Why?  Because, had you actually attended AMU/APU, you would have first attended a class that teaches you about references.  You have not cited one single reference this entire rant!  You come with the inability to prove anything you have just said.  Further, you even admit that you have never attended.  All you have done here is give others like me a platform to put the onus back on you and call you out as nothing more than someone living in their parents basement, likely having failed college and unable to obtain a job themselves.  Sounds quite silly doesnt it?  BECAUSE IT IS!  I know nothing about you, your career, your lifestyle, or your educational background.  Which is why it sounds so ridiculous for you to come on a webpage that is legitimately set up to allow consumers who have been duped by a company for one reason or another, and list a bunch of fact-less claims that go unchecked.  What you have actually done is abuse the page.  I blame part of this on the editors as well, please take note. 
 
What about the honest kid or grown adult looking for some after action reports or reviews of AMU/APU?  They see something like this and while certainly should take it with a grain of salt, in your comments case, more like a molecule of salt, and could paint a negative picture in their minds.  For those of use that actually attend the school, enjoy the comfort and convenience of online schooling while also raising a family and working 60-80 hours a week, IN A HIGH LEVEL MANAGEMENT position, see things a bit differently than you.
 
Finally, while I am disgusted by people like you who think Facebook is super-duper and everyone is like, totally, like, umm, like, totally, right? I believe it may be high time (pun intended) you troll along and find a yahoo page or Facebook fan club to friend or like.  I would have said you have wasted my time here, and maybe my comment will never reach the publication phase for blasting the sites moderator in the first place, but please take the 13 year old, parents basement garbage elsewhere next timeMmm-kay?

 Lt  I am willing to be your Lab rat, I got my undergrad from a top University and willing to take a few classes if you pay since you had made an offer to somebody here and will be neutral in my findings?
Thanks,
James

I'll keep this quick...
- I question the author's motivation for writing this rant on AMU. If not a burnt student or someone with a vested interest in the university why even randomly comment? "Today I will comment on a random university that I have no interest in."
- Genius your spelling needs work...at least spell "college" correctly...it is not "cop collage".
- Yes the classes are 8 weeks. However, I graduated with a B.S. from one of the best universities in the country and the terms were only 12 weeks.
- Yes it is a "for profit" but lets face it all universities are "for profit", they aren't cutting students breaks.
- I can not speak for the bachelors program, since I am getting a M.A., but my experience has been that submitting the same paper over and over, as you suggest, is impossible. Papers are submitted to "turn-it-in". Cheaters get caught and expelled. Not only that, but many of the students are military members. One can lose their security clearence or not even be granted one for cheating in school.
- When I first attended I was concerned it would be a diploma mill, but that has not been the case. I had a friend who is high on the totem pole at a well known university. He looked into AMU for me and said it was totally legit, with many doctoral professors.
- AMU is right for me for what I need right now, I realize it is not for everyone. It is well suited to military members because of TA and schedules. I probably wouldn't go there, or any online school,  for undergrad because it is not well suited for undergrad learning. For a master's degree, it is certainly suitable.
- Again I question your motivation, seems dubious. If you had any contact at all with AMU I may heed your opinion more.

This is nothing but a cop collage---There mission is "Educating those who serve"-I know a police chief who is a High School Dropout, Gets a GED 3 - 4 years later, Then gets a degree from AMU to become a cop, There is no test to get into AMU-quick 8 week courses, This guy could not get out of High School but miracle of miracles He can get a degree from AMU

I came across this article in Business Week Jan 16, 2013 - Copying entire report since I am not sure that this forum will allow me to post the URL

CHARLES TOWN, W.Va.--(BUSINESS WIRE)--American Public University System (APUS) today announced that its undergraduate programs have been named to U.S. News & World Reports second annual qualitative ranking of top online education degree programs. APUS ranked #22 out of 237 schools offering online bachelors degree programs, or in the top 10 percent overall.Were pleased to be recognized for the quality of our undergraduate programs, as such credible rankings can be helpful to discerning students seeking the online program that is right for themWere pleased to be recognized for the quality of our undergraduate programs, as such credible rankings can be helpful to discerning students seeking the online program that is right for them, said Jennifer Stephens Helm, VP of institutional research and assessment for APUS.

US News Editor Brian Kelly notes that 'Online education lends itself to output measures that are more rigorous than what we see from traditional brick-and-mortar programs.' The magazine requested feedback last year from institutions as they began their effort to collect in-depth data from online bachelors degree programs nationwide. As a partial result, we understand that the 2013 rankings better reflect the unique degree completion characteristics of the working adults who represent over 90 percent of our students.APUS specializes in serving part-time, working adults whose career and life demands disproportionately impact their attendance and persistence, Helm added.

 Moving forward, it is our hope that US News will also consider learning and career outcomes as we believe that the transparency and accountability of these outcomes is the most relevant and important information for today's students.For more than two decades, APUS has offered affordable, accessible, quality academic programs to military and civilian students in a collaborative, 100% online classroom led by faculty scholar-practitioners who are leaders in their fields. The University has been nationally recognized by the Sloan Consortium for excellence in online education, and also participates in the National Survey of Student Engagement and John N. Gardner Institute for Excellence Foundations of Excellence in the First College Year program.

About American Public University SystemAmerican Public University System, winner of the Sloan Consortiums 2009 Ralph E. Gomory Award for Quality Online Education and two-time recipient of Sloans Effective Practices Award, offers 87 online degree programs through American Public University and American Military University. APUSs relevant curriculum, affordability and flexibility help more than 100,000 working adults worldwide pursue degrees in subjects ranging from homeland security to management and liberal arts. For further information, please visit www.apus.edu.Contacts

http://www.businesswire.com/news/home/20130116005355/en/American-Public-University-System-Undergraduate-Programs-Recognized.?goback=%2Egde_85499_member_205226034

 I graduated from AMU in 2001 with a masters degree in Military History. It took me 4 years of exhaustive study to acquire this degree. My professors were, primarily, military officers who grilled me extensively to achieve perfection in my chosen field. In  four years of study I wrote  54 papers of at least 10 pages. Each semester ended with a proctored final exam of essay papers with all footnotes and endnotes. It was an exhausting 4 year endeavor that left me with a sense of accomplishment. My wife has a masters degree from a state university and she has remarked that my 4 year relationship with AMU was much more difficult that what she experienced.
I do not know where you got your information about AMU, furthermore I don't care, but I do know from my own experience AMU provided me with a first class education of which I am very proud. 

I am an American Military University student, and I can attest that it is a real school! Because I am a military spouse I have had to relocate several times, that included transferring my credits each time from every school I have attended until I reached AMU, now that has ended and I will be finishing my degree and then continuing on to my masters at AMU. 
The baseline classes are less difficult then the core degree classes, but after taken classes in a seated class then taken classes through this online program I have to disagree at the ease of the academic program. I do more writing and research here than I have in any other school. The use of Wiki or any other online encyclopedia is forbidden, and most of my papers have been screened through Turn-it-In, an online system to detect plagiarism. Oh, and proper citation is preached non-stop every term from start to finish - but once you hit your advanced classes your citation is done in one style (that of your major), so I know Chicago inside and out, but would be looking up MLA or APA without a doubt. I have never attempted to fully recycle a paper, but have used parts of papers in another and fully cited them.
The classes do mostly run 8 weeks, but you can take them 16 weeks if you choose that path, and it is advised not to take more than 2 at a time unless you have no  life, no job, and lots of free time to read and write! I took one term with 5 classes and had to take a month off to recover. They offer terms starting every month, and if you need a class they will accommodate you most of the time.
The books are part of the fee, but then I don't have to come up with cash to buy them. The financial aide department is helpful and quick to respond to questions, and the advisers are very helpful with any questions you may have. 
Overall, I have had a better experience working with the staff and instructors of AMU than I have anywhere else, and am not afraid to stand for AMU! 

I'm a little concerned about the individual having a grim future with not only their source of information, but his inability to research the subject he is writing a rebuttal to all for himself. I myself am a current student at APU and have had no easy means of completing assignments and working an everyday schedule with 2 year old in tow. Completing assignments at APU is not only harder than most would assume but a bit of a strain if your not mentally prepared.

As far as using one paper for the entire time that his friend attended APU is d**n near impossible, you can use parts of portions of your own previously submitted work; but you must quote either through an in-text citation or on the reference page when completing an assignment or report, as you can commit plagiarism with your own writing. APA style or MLA is the preferred method of writing throughout all of your college career.

The forums that students are made to complete not only count towards a small percentage of your grade, they help the students learn to communicate as a team and class; these "forums" help everyone to work together and assist others by means of what works best, from researching the topic to where on campus that the students can find the information they need to complete the course and learn the material in a way that works for the individual student instead of as a whole. 

This article has honestly became a joke due to the nitpicking of grammar; as a consumer of AMU I honestly care less about your opinion and would rather have some facts especially those of my future employers.  What do HR and CEO's think about the quality of these degrees; I've not committed enough time to this college to base any opinion however, I'd enjoy some 3/4 truths.  How about some honest, in-depth, non-biased reports and rebuttals not,...my friends and idiot because I gave him a test and he failed; it's all AMU's fault or, your article is stupid because you had way to many coma-splices....Really?

First off, I AM a student of APUS, holding a B.A. in Security Management and six credits away from earning my M.A. in Management with a concentration in Organizational Leadership. I was very disappointing to read the report on this site which touts many false accusations regarding the quality of the education that APUS delivers.

Let me say, I have attended both brick and mortar schools (including the University of Louisville) and APUS. I have also attended online schools run by traditional brick and mortar schools as well as local community colleges. By far, the most difficult coursework that I had through my entire student career was at APUS. There was absolutely zero degradation of quality when I moved to APUS from traditional schools. I learned very quickly that my writing capability was not up to par when I first started at APUS. (This was AFTER my time attending UofL where I actually already took English classes)

The professors that I had were not only educationally qualified, but experts in their fields. I have had everybody from high ranking military officials, to government officials, to national news analysts. At the different traditional schools I attended, I did not have the quality of instructors that I had at APUS.

The quality of education adheres to strict standards of the Higher Learning Commission, which grants regional accreditation to the school. I do not believe the author's "friend" who states he put minimal time into his degree. Personally, I spent many hours each week finishing my weekly coursework. This does not include the other time spent writing the one of several 10-15 page research papers PER course.

One side note- yes, students do utilize proper citations, APA to be more specific. If you don't learn how to properly cite, you will definitely not survive your student career. Today, specifically, I finished my second annotated bibliography for my second (of 3) 10 page research papers (for one of my 8 week courses). My final paper for my B.A. was over 40 pages. All sources used were scholarly sources, not Wikipedia or blogs (If I used those as sources, I would get a nice "F" on that paper). Please do not tell me that "minimal" time will get you by. I can tell you for a fact that if I do a sub-par job on my paper, I will receive it returned to me with many corrections on it, and a very unattractive grade. How would that be possible if the professor didn't read it?

This report is not only inaccurate, but filled with blatant lies. For somebody who hasn't attended the university, I find it hard to legitimize the experiences that are reported. Further, I would wholeheartedly disagree with them. I would challenge any prospective student to do their own independent research, and talk to actual former students on their experiences. APUS has a great program to get you in contact with former students for just that.

The poster has no actual experience with the institution in question. I don't think that he/she should be bashing something that they know nothing about.

I have taken many classes at AMU. As with any online classes, you can cheat your way through. There is nobody there to watch over you all of the time. If you apply yourself and try hard, you can and will learn as much or more than a class room type school. 

I have been in the Army for almost 8 years and I have not found another school that is flexible like AMU with deadlines. The mission dictates our spare time and we need every accommodation that they offer. 

I am using AMU to complete my prerequisites for PA school and I am learning a lot. The instructors are extremely knowledgable and very helpful. 

I have suggested AMU for my soldiers and I will continue to do so. The original poster needs to find a job and stop trying to crush other people's goals because they didn't grow up to be somebody important. It sounds to me like he is jealous that his "friend" got a degree and he didn't. 

To the original poster: How about you take a few classes and form an educated opinion? I can pretty much guarantee that you will see it differently. 

Thank you for your time.

Hi Everyone,

I wanted to respond to this thread as I thought it was very interesting.  I have never attended AMU but have had other friends in the military that did attend this university.  First of all I want to point out that the 8 week condensed class does not begin to compare to a 16 week traditional semester.  I started at a traditional brick and motor school, and had my classes broken down into 16 week fall and spring semesters and 8 week summer semesters.  After completing 90 credit hours, I looked to transfer online as I wanted to go to work full time.  I found a online university attached to Colorado State University which ran on a 8 week class terms.  Let me compare the two experiences. 

Traditional School 16weeks long

First of all I want to say I took a max of 6 classes a semester at one point and it was really stressful.  I couldn't even begin to descrbe the amount of work involved with taking 18 credit hours.  We had no open book tests.  Tons of out of class homework, and a midterm and final that had a huge weight on your final grade.  Not to mention there were also numerous projects during the course of the semester.  I could not imagine taking more than 6 classes a semester for very long or you would be burnt out.

Online School 8week terms

Now when I transferred to the online program with 8 week terms, I wanted to start out with only taking two classes every 8 weeks as I didn't want to overload myself, expecting a rigorous amount of work.  To my surprise, the online format was way to easy coming from a traditional university.  Every week we were required to do one discussion post with 2 responces to two other students.  We were also required to do one assignment usually an essay, and take a quiz which was open book consisting of around 25 multiple choice questions that could be retaken as many times as you wanted to get your desired grade. 

I took my last 30 credit hours this way, so 10 classes in the online format.  I can honestly tell you that I did not learn as much as I did from my previous school.  Most of the classes that I took in the upper level of my courses I had already covered in my lower level classes at my previous school.  I felt that there was no challenge there for there, and that grades were easy to come by.  I finished with a 3.7 GPA and I can again honestly tell you that I did not dedicate the amount of time that I had to do for my previous school.  I could knock out the work in about 3 hours or so, and get an A in my assignments.  So in my opinon the online route is so much easier than the traditional route.

Online Classes through brick and motor schools 

Now I have taken online courses that were attached to my brick and motor school, in which I had some classes that were in class and some online.  Now the difference between the online classes through the brick and motor and the online school that I took is that the online classes through my previous schools followed the same grading standards as the in class classes.  There were no open book tests, in fact the test were timed so that you could not look up answers and finish your entire test.  You could not retake tests or quizes.  So in my opinion I would go to an online school that is attached to a major public university instead of a school that is only online.

AMU

Now as I stated previously I have never attended this university only had friends that shared their experience with me.  A friend of mine had just gotten out of the Army and started AMU, he completed his Associates degree in the fastest amount of time I have ever heard of.  He came into the school with aorund 16 credit hours or so.  In a matter of months he completed his associates degree which is over 60 credit hours.  He did this by taking 6 classes every 8 weeks.  Now there is no way in a traditional school you can take 12 classes a semester and handle that workload.  I asked him how he did that and he said that the classes were super easy. 

The only thing he had to keep up with was the discussion posts, and he had the whole 8 weeks to turn in his assingments, which he waited until a week before the classes ended to do all of them.  If AMU had a rigorous program like traditional schools had then there would be no way this could be possible.  How can someone take 6 classes every 8 weeks an absorb the knoweldge needed.  It seems like AMU is just handing out degrees if you just go through the motions of the class.  I really think if someone want s a good education, but has to do the online option like I had to, go to a public university that offers an online option.  Stay away from these for profit schools.

I am currently applying for my MBA through Colorado State online, and they do require  you to take the GMAT or GRE for entrance into the program.  You also have to write a SOP, get 3 LOR's and numerous other things to be considered for the program.  Don't settle for just a degree, strive for a degree that is going to make you learn something and challenge you.  A degree is only worth as much as you get out of it.  If you breeze through an online class in accounting, but can't tell me how to calculate depreciation, or what FIFO or LIFO is then what good is that class doing you? 

So, unlike the OP I -DID- attend this school and have experience, firsthand, with it, and what I have to say is not very good. So if you're some internet white knight who loves APUS and will defend it with every ounce of your honor and don't want to hear about the horrible ineptitude of this school that I had to endure just skip the rest of what I have to say and just click on the NO button.

Everything started of pretty well, better than I had anticipated in fact; I am and have always been wary of online universities. Everything was set up (almost, we'll get to that) and ready to roll on the day my classes began. I logged on and was further impressed by what I saw. Though the classroom site was poorly designed and navigation and interaction was not very intuitive the classroom environment itself was not what I was expecting and for the first time I thought to myself this was going to work out. I finished all my assignments, which were mostly introductions, getting to know how the classes worked, and discussion with the classmates. 

However, that's about as far as things went. I live on a fixed income and was relying on my financial aid to not only pay for tuition but also to be able to attend class, internet in Alaska comes at a premium price and my current access to it is limited and definitely not enough to complete any online classes with. And, of course, financial aid is where the problem arose. In August I received an email stating that my financial aid disbursement was going to be placed in a Higher One account (a scam itself and an entirely different ripoff report) and I would receive a card in the mail the following week. I waited a few weeks for it (mail in Alaska takes forever) but by mid September when I hadn't received it I sent them an email asking about it, they replied stating that, "Due to some unforeseen technical issues," the card wouldn't be mailed out until the first week of October. Cringing a bit, knowing that the bill for my internet was coming up and I had forgone paying other bills in order to have it, and feeling a little put off that I was not notified that there was going to be any delay I accepted the fact that I would have to wait until the first week of October, possibly a little longer.

First week of October comes, I begin my classes, and then the first week ends. My internet bill is due, I can't afford it, I'm already scraping by. End of the second week of October, no card, though I do receive a letter stating that my disbursement was processed on the 1st, which did me no good without the card. I send another email, they reply with, "I apologize for the delay. There has been another delay," gee, thanks for waiting to tell me, "we will send out an email and also post the information in the online campus as to when the cards will be sent out so you will  know when to expect it." To this date I still have not received this email. "The delay is due to our desire to make sure this is a seamless process."

...What?

I lose my temper, I am thousands of dollars in debt for classes I'm not able to complete and am being buried in platitudes and nonsensical excuses. My next correspondence with them very accurately portrays my frustrations, and I'm referred to the "Sanctions Officer" and am reprimanded. I am paying thousands of dollars that I do not have, expecting a level of professionalism and customer service equal to the amount that I am paying and here I am being reprimanded like a school kid. I have a $350 internet bill, it's already been shut off once and is going off again soon.

Weeks go by, it's November 5th.   I have received nothing in the mail from the school or Higher One. Today I get on the internet, inform my teachers that I don't see how I'm going to be able to continue my classes. Today is probably the last day I'm going to be on the internet until next month. The APUS student service has admitted to me they don't know when my card will be sent out and they don't really seem to care. I'm not sure what kind of education anyone can expect from this dysfunctional school.

I am not a student, a graduate or an employee of AMU. The only vested interest is the the time I spent reading the posts. Good points on both sides. The real question is whether online is as good as brick & mortar schools. The fact is many famous brick & mortar have embraced online eduction. Maybe it's just a matter of money, but it doesn't really matter.

However, as university graduate of a brick and mortar institution, it seems to me that it doesn't really matter where you graduate. If your a lousy student, you will be a lousy student regardless of where you go. If your a good student and want to lean, you will learn regardless of the school or the teacher.

The truth is that is that when you graduate from a college or university, you basically don't know anything other than what you read in a book or learned from a teacher. It is "on the job training" where you get your real education. Unfortunately for the military, on the job training can get you killed. I digress.

You only have to watch Jay Leno question people on the street to know that college graduates are not all that bright and it doesn't seem that important how older folks view them. Remember it was Mark Twain who said, When I was a boy of 14, my father was so ignorant I could hardly stand  to have the old man around. But when I got to be 21, I was astonished at how much the old man had learned in seven years. In this century, 21-year-olds still feel that way about everyone.

My advice, go to school, learn all you can and never stop learning. It was 25 years after getting my first job that I finally felt that I was an expert at what I do. And even now, because things change, I continue to learn.

School, online or offline, are just places to get you interested in what you want to do. It is up to you to make the most of it. Never belittle someone trying to get an education. There are thousands who would give anything to have the opportunity, even online.

I'm Ryam Hcap

I had in the past defended AMU somewhat but can no longer do so, please read on.

I have nothing to gain nor anything to loose by writing this review. I am do so primarily for all who deserve and honest opinion on AMU. My advice comes firsthand and that advice is choose another institution. Your time spent in education is paramount and should not be wasted at AMU. I have found that this institution has a massive ego and would rather spend time teaching their internal institutional policies and procedures rather than the more critical educational content of a students degree program.

  I have also found firsthand that this institution is obsessed with the term Plagerism. As a student of AMU regardless of your honor and dignity approximately 15% of your education time will be devoted to reading warnings on Plagiarism. I find this such a waste of valuable educational time. I also find it a reflection to be expected from such an inferior educational institution.If you prefer to pay for being viewed and treated in such a second rate manner then by all means this is the college for you.

  At AMU, one will also find that professors and instructors hold a virtual card blanch as to the structure and impromptu changes within their classes. A prime is example of this is a recent course I completed at AMU which consisted of class and lab hours. This instructor noted out of the blue that she had decided to create a brand new Lab for our class and that we would be the first to complete this new lab. Oddly what she referred to as a lab was in reality a 25 question ,test or quiz depending on how one views it. The assignment consisted of 15 or so multiple choice and true false questions and 10 short essay questions. Their was absolutely no lab work involved in the assignment yet it was and is termed a Lab. I should note that on the given week this so called new lab was due the class already had a scheduled exam/ quiz of 25 questions due. This so called lab simply doubled that number and did so impromptu and at a minutes notice so to speak.

   When attending AMU one will also find that should their instructor become absent for any reason , illness etc the students of that particular class will be left to themselves. By the latter I of course mean that AMU has no backup plan in place to account for such matters. This happened to myself personally last semester. During the instructors extended absence an exam due date was nearing for which the instructor was to have provided up with the material needed to study for said exam. Several students complained to the institution which resulted in the before mentioned AMU ego wanting to penalize the class rather that admit their failure. In that case AMU's History department chair stepped in 5 days prior to the exams due date , uploaded the study materials and noted that the exam on quite a few chapters was to still be completed on time. Had all went as it should have their would have been a minimum of three weeks to digest the material prior to taking this exam. I assume the student complaints though unsettled AMU's ego and in turn they decided that even given their instructors MIA created the issue they would simply reduce exam preparation time from 3 weeks down to less than one week.

   My final straw with AMU came as recent as this week when I filed a complaint on a recent quiz question. The question was a true/false and basically stated that AMU/APU students should never expect that email transmittal's are viewed as confidential by the AMU/APU institutions. My answer to that question was and is False. No one can of course assure 100% confidentiality of email transmittal's however all should do their part in striving for such. The US Constitution via the fourth amendment extends the belief that emails should be afforded individual confidentiality.My complaint on this matter was forwarded to the AMU Director of Program Studies who in turn replied stating that AMU does not view any emails between instructors and students as confidential. Oddly two days prior to this reply , a course professor at AMU sent an email out to all students myself included. The bottom footer of that email included a confidentiality disclaimer. my thoughts in seeing such a disclaimer was again , that AMU APU internal ego. It would appear that in this inequality is very clear.

  In closing I would suggest you steer clear of this for profit entity. Actions such as those I have listed will someday cost this institution their reputation and worse their acredidation. Should they loose the latter your credit hours as well as your degree will be worthless in the real world .

So I have read all the posts on this page. Some of them have been very insightful and some are just plain ignorant. I am not a student of this school nor a professor. As a matter of fact, I am considering attending this school and was doing research which is what prompted my interest in the site. I do feel the skepticism of the school because of the whole negative outlook associated with online degrees. However, this program was recommended to me by my undergrad professor at my State college, who might I add also works for the federal government. I do completely trust his opinion but wanted to do some research for myself.

I do not see any legitimacy in the original posters reasoning for the original post. Why would he care enough to go online and post a comment about a school he has nothing vested in? Makes me think maybe he has some type of vendetta. I have taken online courses through my state school while working on my B.S. and they seemed to be set up the same way as what is described on this page. However, I did find some of the other comments on here useful.

So I went to the Better Business Bureaus website and found that the University actually has a A- rating which is Really good. I mean if you wanna compare the staff of a University like the author did I would say there are some pretty disappointed folks at Penn State, the brick and mortar, school because their teachers and education system failed them miserably and it didnt matter how many weeks long their semesters were. I think that the people on this site, the educated ones, have helped me feel more comfortable about applying.

Thanks to all those who gave their opinions for your help.

I am not sure where you think you get off taking such a biased view on an institution that you have not personally attended.  Getting your information from 5 select "friends" does not constitute an indepth analysis of the subject at hand.

Before you embark on such an endeavor, how about you interview just a few more AMU students?  Maybe 10 or 15 more, just so you can get a good sampling.

And the reason most of us are taking online courses via AMU is that we work 40+ hours a week at the same time we are trying to finish a degree or begin a new one.  The 8 week courses sound short and easy......but try actually taking 1 or 2 or 3 of them while working in your profession full time. 

Sure, some classes may be "easier" than others.  But, not all classes are made the same. 

And to how your "friend" has been able to peddle one term paper for each of his/her classes just amazes me.  Each of my classes covers a specific topic that may or may not have similarities to another class.  Even if they do have similarities, I still write a new paper for the class.  Some classes do require a student to submit the paper for verification to ensure they are original and legit, while others do not.

While I do take a chance with completing my degree via AMU (in regards to degree-mill mentality of some), I just do not have the time required to attend a traditional university Monday through Friday.  I have bills to pay, as I am sure 95% or more of AMU students fall into the same boat.

We all have different life experiances and different goals in life.  Just because we may or may not fit into your ideal box, doesn't mean we are of a lower standard for human beings.

I could give two you know whats if you recieved your degree from Harvard or where ever.  Have you deployed multiple times to a war zone and watched as your friends were injured or killed?  Have you served your country so that you can post derogatory information about a higher learning instution that you have not attended? 

As someone else has posted, I would like to see you submit your so called "evidence" to AMU so that they can conduct an investigation into your claims.  Heck, who knows, maybe they will be substantiated and those involved will be dealt with.

But, if your going to hold on to your one sided, biased, ill-educated stance that AMU is such a horrible place to attend school.....................without considering the evidence placed before you from rational students/instructors, then you have no hope.

Good day.

Nice try Molotov, but I actually did train as a Korean Linguist in the U.S. military.  The name of that school would be DLI-FLC, Presidio of Monterey, CA.  The course was 63 weeks long for Korean and culminated in the DLPT 4 (upgraded to the DLPT 5 for Korean linguists just last year) as well as an OPI to determine speaking fluency.  I won the Provost's Award.  Now, either I went to a lot of trouble just to make you angry, or I have better things to do with my time, and I just listed a set of facts that prove that I attended that school.  I also have an Associate's Degree from that school and a CCAF Associate's Degree.  I would be happy to scan and post those just to prove your ignorance.  Next time you make a feeble attempt to "call someone out", make sure you have a little thing that the educated like to call evidence.  It really helps to prove your point.  

That said, I am not "appealing" to anyone, because, unlike you, I believe that military and non-military men and women will make informed decisions not based on propaganda, but on a proper evaluation of all of the information available.  That said, one ranting post about how your friend cheated his way through school does not add to the reputation of AMU.  No one ever claimed it was a Harvard or a Yale.  I don't believe anyone holds those expectations when they pursue degrees through AMU.  However, the university is useful to military members, because of the distance learning methodology and the flexible weekly schedule.  

As for attempting to discredit posters based on what you believe are grammatical errors, I recommend doing some background research before you go on pointless rants.  Islamic extremism and Islamist extremism are interchangeable terms.  Since you did not bother to research that in the first place, I will recommend Google to you.  Just checking within the news articles you will find that it is perfectly acceptable terminology.  However, if you had access to scholarly journals, you would find it used in peer reviewed articles as well.

Nice try, but I am not a corporate goon from AMU trying to make a university look good.  I am a consumer speaking honestly about a product.  Your laughable anger over a set of consumer forums is more suspect than my blunt honesty about my educational background and the value of this school for military members.  All of that aside, if you cannot provide a valuable assessment, find another use for your time, because trash talking me will not help your argument in any way.

This is just a note to the author who claims that AMU is basically a joke. You do realize that you can't make a generalization about an entire college based on your observations of a couple people you know, don't you? Every school has its share of less than brilliant students or professors here or there that do not really care about the quality of their classes. If yout think from your personal experience that AMU is a poor school, then simply don't go there.

You shouldn't come on a forum and bash a school that you haven't actually been a student at; it just makes you look foolish.

 That is how I know you are not a military member, but rather someone who works for AMU :

"In reality, military members are attempting to learn and improve their tradecraft in order to successfully combat Islamist extremism and threats that would eliminate your ability to choose your precious brick and mortar education. Keep that in mind next time you recall facts that are derived from a sample size of one dishonest student." 

 Successfully combat "Islamist" extremism, really? First of all, it's Islamic extremism, but that is irrelevant. You are obviously an ignorant individual who believes that all military men are uneducated rednecks, because you tried to appeal to them by mentioning "trade craft" and "Islam". You clearly think that military members are Muslim hating imbeciles that do not graduate from law/medical schools. I've got some news for you, buddy, all the military men I know, including my s/o, are officers that have degrees from reputable colleges. Aside from the GI bill, all military members get school allowance. Sure, it's only $4-6k a year, but there are ways to make that work. Most schools participate in the yellow ribbon program that helps military personnel and dependents, using post 911 GI bill, pay tuition. There are numerous scholarships for military men/women and dependents, as well as law and medical programs that all the branches are offering. If you want to be a PA, a physician, a lawyer, a linguist - your branch can and will assist you in making that happen. 

   Next time you try to discredit me by calling me a "dishonest student" and lie about being in service, you should probably remind yourself that someone might call you out.    

@"Chris",

"Dont listen to those who went to AMU when making your mind up about this university"

Whom on earth should we listen to? Chris Font-le-Roy, Lord of Educationton? I mean, there's the academic accreditation board we can listen to - check, they continue to accredit the school. Then there's you, Acknowledged Master of All Educational Worthiness - I won't begin to correct your grammar; just know, there are several errors in your post, though you obviously took pains to avoid them (you failed). Then there are the alumni - those now making use of their educations; and while some admit reservations, they invariably support the school as legitimate.

So, Chris, your massive ego aside, to whom should we listen? In one of the four corners of virtue, we have the accrediting body, which approves. We have the alumni corner, and they also approve. We then look to your kind, the trolls, who have not taken a single course from AMU/APUS, but chime in anyway. The final corner is individual research, which is, by its nature, decided per case.

Still, even with your nay saying, we have a 50% /for/ vote. I guess we need trolls like you so that perfectly legitimate schools don't find themselves with 100% of the stack.

  Any semi-intelligent person can tell that 90% of AMU reviews are fake. Department of education has no control over AMU, so the only complaints that can be filed are consumer complaints, because AMU is technically a business. If you are familiar with the procedure, you know that it is not worth the time and effort. That being said, the person who keeps defending AMU has no idea what he/she is talking about.  

 AMU is in no way affiliated with the military! They are taking advantage of the military, yes, but they have no connection to the armed forces what-so-ever. You can name your business whatever you want to appeal to a certain category of individuals: "International Hooker University" or "University for Bow-Legged Strippers", possibilities are endless. That, however, does not mean that those schools will be the best option for all the hookers and bow-legged strippers out there. If anything Park University or University of Maryland are far better options for military personnel. 

You should never opt for an online school anyways. Pick a school with an actual campus, that offers online education, that way your degree will be from an actual college and not a diploma mill. Look for schools in your home state, so you can save on tuition. 

I believe several people here have mentioned getting an undergraduate education at a brick and mortar school.  I am a magna c*m laude graduate from the University of Georgia and a Provost's Award winner for a 3.97 GPA in a 63 week intensive Korean language course at the Defense Language Insitute in Monterey, CA.  LTMax, I challenge you to do so well at those brick and mortar schools.  If you can do better, by all means continue to challenge the intelligence of other AMU students.

I am currently an AMU student, studying for a Master's in Intelligence Studies.  I may be changing my major to International Relations for greater transferability, however, I can say that the course work is as challenging as you choose for it to be.  Yes, you may be able to get away with posts that are not as closely scrutinized as your average college master's program.  However, the research papers must be written in 8 weeks, and they require the full methodology of a typical scholarly journal.  That is a huge challenge, and I suppose that your friend could cheat his way through if absolutely none of his professors use the TurnItIn program (one that is used at numerous brick and mortar universities might I add) to check for originality.  In fact, when I graduate from the University of Georgia, I never had a paper checked for originality.  Granted, I had the integrity not to cheat.  Perhaps the fault is your friend's for even attempting to skate through.  I personally choose to work extremely hard, do vast amounts of research, and take away as much as I can from any course.  That is what explains my stellar educational background, and it will continue to define the quality of my education.  Your friend can't define basic economic principles, because that person is admittedly a cheater or a person who "skates by".

You discussed getting a four year degree easily.  Well, as I mentioned, I am studying for my Master's degree, so perhaps that explains the difficulty.  I will admit that there are some professors that I stay away from, however the vast majority of the upper level professors are incredibly well versed in their fields of study.  Then again, that is a hazard in online classes as well as in brick and mortar universities.  I took two semesters of biology at UGA where the professor posted ALL of the lecture notes online.  You literally did not have to go to class.

Oh, and as for the trash talking on open book tests, let me ask you a question in response.  Excluding your major, minor, or any discipline that you studied extensively, how much information do you still have memorized from your core classes?  For example, let's say you are a geography major.  What do you remember about biology?  Do you still remember the classification of animals from kingdom down to species?  Do you still remember the different types of fungi and to what family they belong?  If not, that closed book final did nothing for you except prove that you retained the information long enough to pass.  Open book exams teach you to isolate critical information and use it properly in research and analysis.  In addition, I have never been offered an open book exam that was multiple choice.  Each exam requires at least four pages as an essay response, with properly cited sources and proper Turabian formatting.

As I mentioned above, AMU is not perfect.  I have seen some professors who lack the drive that I would prefer at a graduate level.  However, that is an issue at any university.  I have seen some sloppy work by professors, and I avoid them, just like I would at UGA.  I clearly have nothing to lose by attending a brick and mortar school for my Master's, because my educational history proves that I can handle it.  However, I am balancing more than 80 hours per week of work with obtaining my Master's degree, and I am doing it using one of the few methods available to a government contractor on 13 hour shifts.  Please pardon me if I do not have time to come and sit in class.  I truly wish I did have the time.  You would not be the first condescending person that I successfully humbled.

Respect military members and what they do just a little more, and try to have some understanding.  Ideally, we would all go and attend brick and mortar universities for undergrad and graduate school, especially because I miss football season!  In reality, military members are attempting to learn and improve their tradecraft in order to successfully combat Islamist extremism and threats that would eliminate your ability to choose your precious brick and mortar education.  Keep that in mind next time you recall facts that are derived from a sample size of one dishonest student. 

Come on....

Do you truly think a school that is regionally accredited (the highest accreditation given in the U.S.) illegally uses text books? Really? And do you think that a normal person with any level of common sense will believe that mess? Do you only believe they are illegal because they are available electronically? Or must they be illegal because they are free? Do you know that the Bible is free for electronic download? And Little Women... and Dracula? Is that somehow illegal?

Master's level books are not free and the undergraduate books are published within the last few years and NOT available for a couple of dollars. You may luck into that every once in a while online, as a used book from a student who no longer needs it, just as you would attending your state university... but it will not happen on a consistent basis.

You want the people who are rebutting in favor of AMU/APUS to be believable? Try it yourself!

Whether you like it or not... AMU/APUS is legitimate.

For all of the people who believe that it is only PR employees or other employees of the school speaking up for it... how about, maybe it is employees and PR for other, more expensive schools trying to lure people away from a great school that cost less than theirs?!? 

My advice to anyone... do your own research before attending ANY college. Check their accreditation and complaint history. Realize all schools will have some complaints and weigh your options. Use an independent tuition calculator, factor in books and selling them back at a reduced rate, then factor in the cost of travel to and from. Consider whether it will be better for you to be on a schedule that is essentially made up for you... or a more flexible online schedule that you can fit around your responsibilities. Google / Bing / Yahoo search can be your best friend. AFTER you have done all of your homework (including graduation rates and employment statistics) make the choice that is best for YOU! If that is AMU/APUS, that's great. If it isn't, as long as it is the school that is best for you, then it's great. We call that a win-win situation. But, whatever you do, don't let a public opinion forum, where people tend to want to air dirty laundry no matter how biased, make your decision. Only you can know what will work best for you. Good luck to all.

Now, can we end all of the nonsense? This is worse that the mud slinging in the political campaigns!

 The one thing that AMU does have is an awesome PR team. As soon as someone posts a negative review, 10 positive ones will  pop up right away and they all sound the same :" I am a current student and I've been a successful professional for over 20 years" or "I am an instructor at AMU and I've worked in Ivy league schools". Could you, people, at least be realistic when you write your nonsense?

 The fact that AMU illegally copies textbooks and e-mails to students alone should raise a huge red flag(practically unreadable copies too). The textbooks that they do send are outdated and can be purchased on Amazon for $1-3! Do not fall for the whole "free textbooks" scam. They are free for a reason.   

I have been following this thread for a year and having been a student with AMU entering my 4th year, I have to wonder what motivates people to put false information claiming the professors are from out of the country, or somehow not qualified to teach in their field.  I chalk it up to someone with an axe to grind possibly with other on-line institutions that ARE Diploma Mills , possibly they just need a way to see their words published, others just like being adversarial, making noise and really are not happy unless they are making others around them miserable.

Returning adult students assesing any educational program whether it is an on-line school such as AMU, a certification program at a professional learning institute, or a traditional brick and mortar college should have a clear idea of where they want to go and what they want to achieve in their career.   Younger folks have more time to get life experience and figure out what opportunities they want to follow.  I know when I was 18, I had no idea what I wanted to do and changed my mind at least 100 times. HA HA.

After 25 years in the workforce, having worked in Corporate America for Fortune 500's for 15 years then transitioned to defense contract work to follow an unexpected opportunity to help support our troops.  I have gained a lot of experience, acquired quite a few certifications, and have received countless awards for exemplary performance at every job I ever held.  All I accomplished in my past means nothing to employers today.  Despite being a member of management supervising as many as 25 direct reports and over 300 indirect reports, I am not qualified to do data entry for $9 an hour.  I have been rejected for secretarial work and have been discriminated against because I am NOT a retiree, or stay at home Mom looking to busy herself.  

Continuing your education is critical to being competitive in the marketplace, however, when selecting a school you need to have that plan.  Look at the professional associations that recognize that school.  I am a member of the International Association of Emergency Management and have published thesis work on securing supply chain.  I am also part of the Reverse Logistics Association and have been working with instructors (who are PHD's) in publishing that work as well.  

Job interviews are starting to come in not because I sit there completing job applications on-line, but because people I network with through forums like Linked In and through the professional associations are helping make that happen.  

When selecting an educational program, the rule of thumb should be to see what your peers recognize.  Contact professional associations and ask for recommendations.  On-line research is good and I definitely do not discourage it but you need to back it up regardless. 

Those who have been in a position where they talk/interview a lot of people, know that people like to talk garbage and you have those that like to hear themselves talk.  Take things with a grain of salt and check the facts using professional organizations and employers that support those organizations to see their take on the learning institution.

Regarding the reports pro and con regarding AMU (American Military University), I have read a few random reports as this has obviously generated numerous commentaries and I need to remain neutral or fair and impartial, inorder to reach a prudent determination of my concerns that possibilities may exist regarding legitimacy of AMU, especially due to my age and experience, as a retired cop, as to whether or not, paying out good but limited monetery funds, would be worth it, for me.

My own experience with other old-time courses is that I learned enough to propel myself through a career, using not only teachings, but also street experience, and further curiosities, to have obtained 48-Citations, 574-Arrests, and awarded Officer of The Year. Now that I am retired but need an income as prices of everything have gone completely off the charts since 1998, I apply to every kind of job possible, from a toilet scrubber to intelligence assistant.

All of a sudden, my work I am told, is worthless and not accepted, though I held certification in various topics including Homicide Investigations. I even come from a family that owns a funeral home. I even went to mortuary school and had to put in the man-hours with post mortem examinations with pathologists at the Office of the Chief Medical Examiner. I cannot understand why the refusal to accept my work, training, and experience, other than to open up the field to other or favorite persons, for whatever reason. I'm not above moping floors. But then all of today's experts always try to pick my brain for what I lived through, for their own gain.

Now, I figure, Intelligence is a good field. Relied on street intelligence all the time. Like anything else, had to seperate the wheat from chaff, as most intelligence in my opinion, is not entirely clear cut, and bits and pieces are woven into gathered material, whether it is an informant, an emotional victim, a perpetrator, or the concerned citizen.My question to the students and faculty of AMU is, would these online degrees, have their credits accepted by, and transferable to, an acedemic institution, like UCLA, NYU, MIT, and so forth? Also, how many federal jobs accept these AMU degrees?

I would venture a guess that the majority of students and faculty members are pretty sharp people, so what are their actual experiences, and with what federal agencies, or whom?

My brain went into overload reading much of the comments. Am I cautious, yes. Am I inquisitive, yes. Facts. I need hardcore facts. Not inuendo, not heresay, not wishful thinking. I am very reluctant about stone throwing, and to remain on an even keel, helps get a ship through the storm. I need to hear facts. Student evaluations of the cirriculum is always nice, as they experienced it firsthand. So my question includes, "So then, what?"  What did you do with the BA/MA in Intelligence? Does it look pretty and impress your friends, or have you actually applied this degree and actually had it accepted as a legitimate sheepskin? I am very curious. Schools that are obviously "baloney sandwiches", nobody needs, and nobody wants to be a part of. What's your experience with AMU and their acceptabilities to universities accepting their credits and, actually employing these degrees to earn an income?

Pro and con, the scales balance brick-and-mortar establishments along with online facilities. Persons having a dog in the fight, and paying out of their own pocket, trumps third party heresay, only when heresay can be verified and substantiated as false. Regional accredidation. Let's hear about that.

In conclusion, please put all passions on a low simmer, everyone, and let's remain calm. If Truth is veiled, present the facts, and bring Truth into open Light, for all to enjoy.

I remain impartial. Many thanks, to everyone contributing to this specific topic and subject. Let's try to reach an intelligent conclusion.

  I was taking classes at AMU a few years back due to a difficult financial situation. Unfortunately, the school ended up being nothing but a scam. Instructors were poorly supervised, so they had full freedom of doing whatever they wanted in class. The majority of them lacked proper credentials and knowledge needed to be educators(A lot of them did not even live in the States). One of my instructors kept telling students that her job responsibilities did not include explaining the subject she was teaching; the other kept bragging about writing a children's book, yet had no understanding of the basic literary terms. Lack of consistency and direction from instructors was stressful and confusing. Asking questions was strictly prohibited or treated as criticism that would reflect poorly on the students' grades. Needless to say, I dropped out after taking the initial set of classes. I understand why current students defend the school though. I wouldn't want to admit I have wasted my time and money getting a degree from a diploma mill. 

To be fair, I am now a senior at reputable Chicago school. My experience at the current institution has been extremely positive. I haven't had a single instructor that wouldn't be a professor( i.e. have a PHD). All of them made themselves available to students 24/7. You could talk to them in person, call their cell or home phone, e-mail them, etc (Despite all of them being busy professionals : lawyers, judges, authors, etc). They had no issues explaining the basics and never deviated from the syllabus.

That is the difference between a cheap diploma mill and a reputable college. You can be taught by a house wife, living in Uganda, who got her master's from University of Phoenix at AMU...or you can get a student loan and go to a real school and get your knowledge from professionals.

To the pretentious individual claiming to be an instructor at AMU: Why stay anonymous? Are you afraid your credentials might not check out? A professor "poisoning the well" when responding to a student's post, really? You can't argue your point without resorting to personal attacks to discredit your opponent? Where did you get your doctorate from again?           

While I respect others' opinions, I must disagree with "most" of your comments.

I am currently a student at APUS--American Public University (online). I will admit that not every class is perfect; in fact, two of my recent classes were downright, for lack of a better word, bogus. These two classes were seemingly--contrived. However, with that said, all of my classes for the past--nearly--two years were excellent learning experiences!

As for people writing one paper and using it for every class--no way!!! I know for a fact that this is impossible. I will admit that it may depend on the subject matter, but otherwise it is impossible to get away with any such action. I know that there is no way I could have written one paper and used it repeatedly in one class after another and have gotten away with it! Each subject is unique and each paper due is just as unique. In one of my last two classes one student was angry because the instructor failed his paper. The student was raving because he believed his paper was unfairly graded and the instructor too harsh. I got an "A" on mine. Explain that! (Perhaps this student is one of the friends using the same paper that you wrote about!) :>)

The bottom line is: no school--online or brick-and-mortar--is perfect. There will always be one or a few students who are unhappy with the school in one capacity or another.

I don't know what all the hype is about the original authors beef with AMU. I understand his fustration and actually feel bad for him. He seems to be one of these guys that just had to go to one of the "so called" prestigious college's, and followed through with that desire not realizing what the outcome would be. He probably owes over a hundred grand in student loans, and now can't even get a decent job in his desired profession.

There's a guy that recently applied for a job as a police officer with the Charleston Police Department for a salary 34,000 a year. He'll actually start with an extra 3 thousand dollars a year (37,000), because he has a Masters in Bioengineering. I have a HS diploma, work in law enforcement and make 134,000 a yr. Hmmmm, that can't be right lol.

I've worked with these college kids and let me tell you, NOT IMPRESSED. I had a friend that sailed through St. Johns University with a "D" average, yet my other friend was on academic probation in a City College for a C-.

Ease up on the original author, he's having a tough time in life with his prestigious degree, and hates the fact the military is paying for your school while he'll be paying his for some time to come. Of course he'll argue this and tell us how he's something great in life (if this was true why would he be blogging on something this silly). Take it easy buddy, you have a lifetime to pay it back and find a decent job. Don't worry, I got your back ;) good luck too.

I am not quite sure where the poster gets his background information on college life from, but it certaintly isn't through being an AMU grad and it certainly isn't from an educated perspective.  I completed my B.S. from a world-renowned brick and mortar public state university highly regarded for their programs, their campus, and their athletics.  With the exception of a few courses, it was pretty easy with some papers, some discussion, and a good flow of cash for tuition, supplies, and books, which coincidentally we only used exerpts then sold them back at 10% of what we paid.

I then took a 10 year hiatus from "student status" and became an admissions rep (sales rep) for some of the greediest, most corrupt for profit colleges in the nation.  I worked for about 6 of them and observed blatent disregard for the quality of education and tremendous pressure and focus on student enrollment and outrageous tuition hikes.  Needless to say, I became an expert in profit/degree mills.

AMU, a school I decided to pursue a graduate degree in the sciences with, showed no signs whatsoever of a degree mill... or greedy cash mill either.  Their tuition rates were/are well below public state funded universities and there are no "additional fees" like you find with other for profits or brick and mortar schools (no parking, no book fees, no radio/tv station/library fees etc.).  So needless to say their prices are MORE than fair. 

Furthermore, when I contacted the school to get more information, they gave me exactly what I needed... and nothing more.  No harassing phone calls daily to enroll, no pressure, no catalogs sent in the mail or packets with invitations to open houses etc.  All that salesy stuff that ALL of the for profit mills I worked for thrived on.  So I knew it was legitimate since they were not sowing the typical signs of wanting my money more than wanting to educate me.

The instructors for my graduate program were all experts;  PhD's in their fields and with 20-30 years of experience in governmental service.  The curriculum was challenging at times, remedial at times... just as you would find with a brick and mortar.  Their programs are outstanding, offering specialty fields for those going into public service... not just the bland "business, health care, communications" bs you normally find with most online schools.

Finally, to put to rest some of the complaints our original poster brought up... if you are looking to an online school to get your first and only degree, you are not EVER going to get your money's worth.  Taking pre-requisites (first 60 credits of a bs) online is a good idea for those that are pressed for time.  Likewise, for those that earned their 4 year degree at a brick and mortar, an efficient but targeted graduate degree taken online can be a perfect career booster for those of us who work full time and support a family.  But in my opinion, if you are going to start a completely different or unknown career, you definitely need to take your core classes (final 60 or so credits in your 120 for a ba/bs) in person, in a classroom to get the full effect. 

People like our original poster is upset because he believes he or his buddies are getting cheated by trying to learn everything for a new career online.  A good education is YOUR responsibility.  What you choose to make of it is up to you.  If you choose to do the minimum and nothing extra, plan on receiving the minimum and nothing extra (jobs, pay etc.).  99% of employers do not ask for grades, and most don't care where you got your degree.  They look for what you know.  Believe me... I've been a hiring manager and couldn't care less where the student studied but focused on their skills and competencies and how they fit my need. 

AMU caters to individuals seeking higher education in specific fields of study.  I would never recommend a first time college attendee take all of their courses online since you have no idea what you need to learn and will look for the easiest A available just to make yourself feel like you are learning something.  Team projects and group interaction are the only viable ways for you to test your knowledge against your peers/competition.  If you want to study online for free, there are plenty of resources and webinars chocked full of information. 

Great programs, easy as easy gets, and 100% free.  If you have not earned a degree, get your pre-reqs at a community college or online then go to a brick and mortar.  Online or distance learning options are meant for busy, working adults looking to gain additional knowledge in their field or similar fields or for those looking to push their academic qualifications to the next level.  AMU was perfect for me.  As a matter of fact, one of my employees did his B.S. work at Cornell and had a M.S. to boot... and turned to AMU to take credits in areas that he lacked qualifications in (for government positions requiring a certain number of credits in certain areas of study). 

P.s.  My enrollment in the school took me from making 14.00 an hour working a temp job with the state to a job making $65k a year + $5k bonuses yearly with a defense contractor.  I think my $300 per credit hour (at that time) of Graduate Study was well worth it.

I'm a current student under the school's Master's in Public Health program and i like it. The instructors are good and kinda strict, yes we do have some papers, and yes we also need to answer and participate in the discussion forum (which is ok too). I guess i'm lucky to have responsible instructors who really do their job and teach their students and they reply fast too. Online universities are somehow the same in most aspects but different when it comes to their instructors. My curriculum is not a joke (nor does it look like one) especially the practical application on the end and i'm looking forward to it. If other students are not happy with the school then by all means transfer. The school really can't please 100% of their students.

        I have done the traditional brick and mortar schools and can easily validate what Jen and other AMU students have said here. Those who have received their Diplomas from AMU have earned them through dedication to a program which would be to intense for many. I challenge you to try it for yourself Lt and return here with your opinion. I have many credits on record from multiple institutions of higher learning. Only 6 of these credits to date are from AMU. I can say factually though that the 6 AMU credits were the hardest earned of the total. I certainly did knock AMU for other reasons but rest assured I was not simply crying foul or anything of that nature. Truth is the six credits I earned through AMU were from two classes taken together through an 8 week semester. I also happen to be self employed as a private Biomed Contractor to the United States VA. My work schedule averages about 60 hours weekly. In the end I finished the pair of classes with a 4.0, and let me tell you I worked through the night and into day that entire 8 weeks. Not even one second of that time was a gimme by AMU. The 8 weeks I completed were grueling to say the least, but like many here I prefer it that way. I truly doubt you could handle AMU Lt.

 

The intensity of the program is a much more difficult road than a traditional brick and mortar school.  Anyone who has worked for the military (soldier, civilian, or contractor) knows for a fact that in the course of your duties you will receive what appears to be an impossible task.  Whether that task is the amount of work, tossing you into a function where you have no experience, or taking a military training course where anything less that 100% on the test at the end means FAILURE.

Those who thrive at AMU are those that have the discipline required to take charge of their courses and throw themselves into the subject matter.  When I first started my degree program, the classes were crowded and many could not write complete sentences, had spelling errors, and could not think logically to formulate a conclusion and defend their position on a topic of conversation.  Needless to say, as my degree path progressed these individuals who could not perform, dropped out.

The coursework is demanding, but no less demanding than any job I ever held whether it was in support of the military, running my own business, or working for a Fortune 500.  

People who attended traditional brick and mortar schools have a hard time relating to the amount of work we do.  Courses are continuous, there are no breaks such as Spring break, Winter recess, nor the summer as you find in traditional schools.  Courses are accelerated, completed in 8 weeks rather than the traditional 16 which means a student is completing double the work each week.

During my degree program, there were times I was in front of the PC for days researching and writing papers, working on formulating theories and defending my position in forums, reading what other students wrote and critiquing their efforts. If it was an opposing view, debate skills came into play.  All of this led to induction into numerous national honor societies where I co-mingle with graduates from Ivy League schools and well as brick and mortar schools.    

Ultimately, the courses are more focused and are geared towards specialized degree paths that you can not find in most schools.  My degree path is offered by AMU and one other school (a brick and mortar) in the mid-west.  As it is impossible to uproot my family, leave my career, or otherwise attend the brick and mortar school, it was not an option.  The school is focusing on ground breaking research, entering new territory, and projecting where specialists will be needed in the future as they plan degree programs.  

Administrative operations needs improvement at AMU/APUS.  If a professor drops off the face of the earth (which happened once or twice) there is nowhere to turn.  I understand if someone falls ill, has a family emergency, or some other situation preventing them from grading papers and providing feedback.  In an accelerated course, this can be disastrous.  I have frequently suggested implementing TA's (Teacher's Assistant's) as a back up resource but it has fallen on deaf ears.

The school also like to force students into taking a 1 month break a couple of times a year making the degree program less stressful.  It does require jumping through hoops to eliminate that roadblock, but it can be done.  I tell them to remove the block that will not allow registration for new classes and they have always complied.

The financial aid department needs work as well.  If you need financial aid for a portion of your program, it is impossible to get off the financial aid "roll".   For example, when I was laid off, I received money as part of my package to pay for my education.  The employer sent the school direct $6,000 leaving a credit in my account.  Instead of using the "cash credit", they returned the cash credit to me and used financial aid refusing to change my status.  Emails to financial aid were returned as "undeliverable" making communications with them rough.  If you get the right rep on the phone, and jump through the administrative hoops ... all works out in the end.  If you are a cash paying student, it is easy to switch to financial aid, but impossible to get off the financial aid track once you are on it.  It is much easier to let them do what they want and just send the money to pay off the loan.

        I could have and should have noted this in my last post in this forum. This world in which we live is full of pitfalls, you should tread lightly Lt. I say this because in my 25 years as a self employed contractor to the US Government, I have learned much. When it comes to contract law I could give some of the best contract attorneys a run for their money so to speak. I have also gained a wealth of knowledge along the way in consumer and business law. I have learned much in these areas simply because I trust no one more than myself to look out for my best interests. I personally read and bid the government contracts I perform under. The numer of pages and they are many matters not, I have a firm understanding on the first read through.

        I have shared these things with you Lt with hope that my knowledge might just save you from risking your financial future due to your reckless disregard for the laws within the US. The Constitution of this great nation affords us many right ,yes, including Freedom of Speech. One must realize though that on the latter their are guidelines, step out of them and your fair game for any attorney who sets their sites on you. Lt, your clearly well out of those guidelines and to date your very fortunate that AMU has not sought legal actions and damage compensation thus far. You have based your accusations on third party knowledge and personal assumptions. In doing so, the laws clearly state that should your actions cause harm either financially or in a personal manner you are liable. This is not myself saying this, but is US Law. All AMU would have to do is find several individuals whom are willing to say that your post swayed their singing up at the college. Once those individuals attest to that fact in court you will then be asked to produce proof of your accusations. I need not say this is where these supposed friends of yours had better be very loyal and more importantly , have such proof. If not and they happen to be fair weather friends, you my friend would be in very serious trouble. AMU would likely win an award that would led to garnishment of your wages for the next 30 years.

        In closing, do know that I am not taking up for AMU as I had my own issues with the College. All I had were issues though and nothing worth slandering them over. I know the laws well enough not to do that and truthfully would never do so based on anothers words or opinions. I can tell you this from a personal perspective . Those who do attend AMU work hard, the writing is not just one paper, it is immense. In one History course alone I felt as if I was completing a dissertation for a PhD, and this was an undergrad course. This said Lt give these people some respect their school is in no way a Diploma Mill. In reality more than anything I fault AMU for not defending their reputation against individuals such as yourself. I feel that by them not doing so they are letting down the many students the believed in them and worked so very hard in the schools programs. Their students and Alumni deserve to have the value of their efforts and Degree's protected from slander such as yours, and AMU should be ashamed for not doing so. If it were my company that you were slandering in such a way I would have hung you out to dry financially, long ago. Your hard earned money would be buying my umbrella drinks on a beach somewhere in Jamaica.

Enough With The American Military University (AMU) Liars.  If you all are telling the truth then please feel free to take down my rebuttal.  If you cannot take down my rebuttal then ALL of you will simply fall in the category of being nothing more than a...

LTmax,

If you are going to attempt to prove a point, you should do it with legitimate sources.  As mentioned by my fellow AMU alums, AMU does not allow any student to use Wikipedia to cite information inserted into a research paper, or in a discussion board.  This would include the highly unreliable Wikileaks as well.  If you are a LT in the military, which I highly doubt that you are, you should be UCMJ'd just for going to that website.

I would also like to point out that it took you the better part of six months to develop a poor rebuttal to the onslaught of resistance you have received for your "initial" post.  I know I am fashionably late; however, I just found this website, read your post and had to join in.

I would like to point out that I spent 13 years in the US Army, and achieved E-7 in seven years.  I was 25 when I was promoted to SFC, and only one year into my Special Forces career at the time.  If you had been a Captain on my team with that attitude, the team sergeant, and the entire twelve man ODA, would have put you in your place and thrown your bags in the hallway.

I received 33 credit hours for my military schooling, which included everything dealing with Military Police courses, and experience, along with the courses I attended during the Special Forces Qualification Course and the multiple specialized schools thereafter.  The reason why AMU is a great school to attend is because it offers degrees in fields considered unorthodox to other universities.  For example, my degree is in intelligence studies, with a concentration in criminal intelligence.  Where else am I going to obtain that degree?  Dartmouth, I don't think so.

I also highly doubt that a fortune 500 company is going to care where a veteran has gone to school, when he/she HAS a degree, and a solid leadership and managerial background like those found in the military, oh, and the company gets a tax break for hiring us.  A kid straight out of college will not get the job over a veteran! As for me, I am intending to work for federal law enforcement.  Do you think that a college kid, wet behind the ears, will be considered for a position in the federal law enforcement community over me, considering the background that I have?  Short answer, NO.

You see, any online school that is backed by reputable accrediting agencies including the Department of Education counts, regardless of what a traditional "brick and mortar" alum, like yourself, thinks or assumes.  You definitely display  biased assumptions within your initial post.  You mention that 8 week courses are not enough, and that 16 week courses should be the norm, this is just a summary of what you indicated.  What  I can tell you is that I could not keep up with the 8 week courses with my workload in the military, and I got out to take on a full load and obtain my degree within "two" years, but that is taking into account the 33 elective credit hours I received for being awesome.

 The people you have spoken with, who are "skating by" or, as we like to say in Special Forces, "slipping through the cracks" must not be doing all of their own work.  All I have are assumptions based off of the information you provided in your extremely crass posts. 

You mention that tuition is over-priced, well not according to my registration forms.  The amount I paid for each class I took, with the exception of science, was $750.  The science class, being a 4 credit hour class, was $950.  That is nothing compared to California tuition at any college, including community colleges.  One class' tuition at a UC campus in California is enough to pay rent for one month in a two bedroom apartment in the East Bay.

As far as open book tests are concerned, if you do not complete the reading assignments or participate in the structured discussion forums, then you will do horribly on the test.  They are timed, not proctored, and should you attempt to use the search option in adobe or word, you will run out of time.  The majority of open book tests consist of essay questions, which require in depth knowledge of the classroom criteria.  You cannot read the material and generate a summary on the spot, you will run out of time and fail.

While attending three of my "online" classes, I also attended general requirement classes at a local college.  This college prepares students, who otherwise did not receive full-ride scholarships to major universities or not born with silver spoons in their mouths, to transition to UC Berkley, UC Davis, University of San Fransisco and even Stanford for their junior and senior years.  This college that I attended, in addition to AMU is Diablo Valley College (DVC).

The only difference between attending DVC and AMU was sitting in a classroom full of people, which I could care less for.  Interestingly enough, you mention that open-book tests are not effective at evaluating what a student has learned, well neither does an open-note test, if this is your thought process.  All tests at DVC, that I took, were all open-note or open-book.  In a history class I attended at DVC, our professor gave us two choices; 1) we could take a 90 minute, open-note test which consisted of eight essay questions and we could choose five of the eight to write about or 2) we could write a research paper on the paternal side of our family, going back three generations.

I chose the later, because it was easier.  Students, no matter what university or college they attend, will always figure out the easiest way to fulfill their requirements.  If you think otherwise, then you are naive.  If you can sit here and insist that you did not do the same while attending whatever university or city college you went to, then you were the perfect student and you received the best education that your money can buy.

There is one more thing that I would like to add.  My wife, who is an environmental engineering consultant for HDR Inc., and obtained a masters from the University of Stuttgart, while stationed in Germany, also attended the Cooper Union in New York City on a full-ride academic scholarship for her bachelors.  She did my peer editing for the papers I would write for my AMU intelligence courses. This post aside, my grammar here is not great, nor do I intend it to be.  She has admitted to me time and time again that there is definitely a high degree of academic difficulty at AMU, and she witnessed my improvement and achievements along the way.  She has stated several times over, that I earned my degree, it was not just give it to me.

When a 16 week course is compressed into 8 weeks, and you take a full load (12 credits or more) there is no time for yourself, TV, personal activities and very little time for family.  I found it easier and far more manageable to take 16 week courses.  The 8 week courses have the same amount of workload in them as the 16 week courses, and as mentioned earlier, are reading an writing intensive.  Your five interviewees, especially the ones who submit the same papers over and over again, which I find hard to believe, are only cheating themselves - they are fools - and they are definitely not of the high integrity a United States Soldier should be.

Here is something I would like you to digest.  If you are a commissioned officer in the US Army, then you obviously wear a black beret.  How does it feel to have something given to you rather than earning it yourself?  What you should learn from this is that you shouldn't pass judgement until you have fully evaluated everything that you have, or have not, achieved in your life.  Remember this when you double check the fit of your headgear in the mirror.  Do not delude yourself for one minute that you earned that beret.  I never wore a black beret, because I never earned it.  I continually wore my patrol cap until I "earned" my Green Beret.

Personally, I do not think you are in the military, and if you are, it does not matter.  You are obviously a left wing lib, who just wants to discredit an organization which is solely dedicated to supporting the very people who fight for the freedom you chose to abuse by contributing to the internet trash pipeline, citing Wikileaks as a "credible" source and attempting to discredit the men and women of the armed services looking to better themselves through education.  You are a disgrace to the uniform, the flag and the men who have died to preserve our constitution as well as our founding fathers.

"So help me God"  this is the last line in both the enlisted and officer oaths of military service.  I hope God heard you say it.

I just want to thank LTmax for creating this discussion. I was a little wary of online schools but his ignorant, childish diatribe and the professional rebuttals to it gave me the information and assurance needed. I've applied and registered for classes and will soon finish that criminal justice degree that's been looming over my head. 

I can say from first hand experience that I would not say that AMU is a ripoff. The quality is there ,in my view they simply lack in other important areas. The business majors academic advisers in some cases seem to be on their own ego trip. The latter as in , we could care less about you, don't like it pick another school. This of course would not fly with the schools investors, they are however likely unaware.

This school also lacks backup systems. If you sign up for a class and for some reason that instructor falls is you are left in limbo until the return of that instructor. This of course creates some very stressing moments to say the least. I had just such a instance and one or two of the other students complained on the matter. Instead of a solution what that did get us was yet another on an ego trip, in this case the department Chair/Director of this particular department. In the end his actions were toned down and all was corrected but it should have never happened to begin with.

My last complaint is the schools use of online forums in there courses. The forums are a graded portion of the courses and in many cases are enjoyable. There are however some of the courses that do go overboard on forums requirements. AMU's History department is one such example ,requiring one post and four replies to the weekly forums whereas most other courses at the school require one post and two replies weekly. once you realize the immense amount of writing and essay work in their History courses as well as the Forum work you will quickly realize what I mean here. Word to the wise, at least take your History credits elsewhere , anyplace else but AMU/APU.

In closing, I truly believe that AMU/APU could have a good all around program had they not lost sight of what counts most, their students. In the schools rapid growth they upper level seems to have lost control of the reigns. This will cost them and is costing them by loss of students. The most unfortunate part is they will someday exhaust their incoming student supply and when that happens they will go from the standing on the edge of greatness to a very hard fall. When that happens, like so many they will try to pull themselves back up but also like many it may be too little , too late . The school is in no way a Diploma Mill  but is guilty of some rogue egos running amuck doing what they can to ruin things.

I just want to say. get with the times. Distance learning is not only effective it is smart. You save time and gas without having to travel. It forces you to perfect your time management skills and to really pay attention while you are studying.

I have attended both on ground and online Universities. I would not say Oregon State is a small school or not very well respected. I took classes when I lived in Oregon on campus and distance classes when I moved to Florida. It's all the same. You think online means you stare at some words on the computer screen? Well, have you ever heard of things like online videos? Just like people watch YouTube? Because there are lectures and classroom participation via webcam and microphone. It is the same with AMU / APUS. When I decided to take classes this time I chose AMU because the costs are less for technology fees and books. In my first two 8 week courses I had to complete 5 exams, 4 papers, 6 quizzes and answer approximately 14 discussion forum (essay style) questions between the the two courses. I also had anywhere from 2-4 chapters (roughly 70 pages each) to read each week and 2-4 lectures to "attend" each week. The college is totally legitimate. It is fully accredited and I know from working in the Human Resources department at an international finance company - the degrees are not scoffed or laughed at. Any student is going to get out of college what they put into it. That goes for the good and the bad. I know your rebuttal to me would be that I am biased. but BOTH Oregon State and University of Florida will accept and fully credit my courses that I have taken with AMU. If those schools think AMU is legitimate, I'm going to follow their lead rather than yours.

So, I know this original post was from a while back. but again, it is 2012. Get with the times!

To Chris and the Original Author,

 First, a little bit about my credentials and authority to speak on the matter mentioned in your posts. I received my undergrad degree from a traditional "non-profit" state college.  While there I took both traditional and online courses.  I also currently work and attend a major university that is internationally recognized for its engineering, chemistry, forestry, physics, computer science, and mathematics programs.
If you were wondering, the university is the Michigan Technological University.
Here are some of my personal observations.

The online courses were much harder than the traditional ones.The reason for this is simple. In traditional classes you can show up, sit in the back, zone out, play on your cell phone, or do anything you want as long as you are a body in a seat. While it is true some professors require participation, it has been my experience most simply turn on a PowerPoint and
begin lecturing until class is over.  About half of my traditional classes had a teaching assistant teach and grade papers, so the actual professor had little interaction with the class. The brick and mortar classes also only required me to take weekly tests (some were just midterms and finals), that were often open note or open book. Most did require one research paper.

Online classes, however, require participation. Most online courses have a substantial question to answer at the beginning of the week. Most, if not all, of my instructors required a minimum 700 word response to the initial question. Then by mid-week I had to post two 500 word responses to my classmates.  After midweek was through, our class had a second question that was posted and we had to do the same amount of writing all over again. So if you are not good with math, let me sum that up for you. Every week I had the equivalent of a 3,400 word paper due. That was just for one class. Multiply that by four (which is full-time) and every week I had the equivalent of a 13,600 paper to complete. 

Oh and every posting required a minimum of two cited sources in proper format. This, of course, does not include the bi-weekly research papers that were also required,  the weekly quizzes, midterms, final exams, and group projects.  While the tests varied, most of my professors had timed quizzes that only allotted for a 30 second response (for example five minutes to take a 10 question test). This did not allow for thorough research on the internet.  I would say that about half of my tests required short answer and essay questions that required thoughtful responses that could not be found in texts (i.e. you had to know the material).  Online course also allow the professor to see how long you spend watching a lecture video, reading a response, and how many times you replied. This means no hiding in a crowded classroom like many major and reputable universities.

"However, having seen the coursework done by my peers who go to AMU, I am convinced that the school in question makes your average community college look like an Ivy League university."-- Chris

In a preceding critique, 'Chris' made this unsubstantiated argument against AMU.  Hence, I have some questions:

1) What Ivy League school did you attend Chris?

2) What was your degree? 

3) What 'average community college' did you attend?

4) What is the specific name of the course in question?

5) Give an example of the substandard curriculum in question?

Hence, this AMU grad is calling you out to cite specific, objective, rational and empirically supported data versus the general unsubstantiated hearsay contained in your post.

I look forward to dissecting your rebuttal.

Let's see if we can logically dissect the author's dissertation here: He has never attended the school he has such strong opinions about. His "evidence", by his own admission, is purely secondhand heresay from "people he knows". He has been ovewhelmingly refuted and contradicted by people that have actually attended said school. By any even rudimentary standard of logic at all he has completely and utterly lost the argument.

Students who go to this college love it and will defend it to the death. However, having seen the coursework done by my peers who go to AMU, I am convinced that the school in question makes your average community college look like an Ivy League university. No one likes to admit that they are wasting their time at a university and the shorter courses/online capabilities offered are appealing to many active duty and prior service veterans. Moreover, it accepts their military credits in full, effectively wiping out their electives and a few core courses, making it possible to leave with a B.A. in less than two years. Thats two years of taking eight week courses where it would be impossible to properly cover even half of the course material that the average special ed middle school student is subjected to. Ok, thats a slight exaggeration and a little sarcasm on my part.

The merits of this school can be easily summarized. If you want to work for the government and dont want to put forth the work at a challenging university that takes time and effort then AMU is the school for you! You see, the federal government will accept a degree in underwater basket weaving and hire you on the spot regardless of the quality of your education. However, if you actually want to learn something while youre in college and youve determined that it must be done online, take a list of the ten worst (thats right I said worst) colleges that offer an online education, close your eyes, and point at random. That way you will have an 80% chance of ending up with a better education.

As I said before, no one who takes time to go to a school, pays their fees, and accepts their diploma wants to admit that their education is anything but legit. Dont listen to those who went to AMU when making your mind up about this university!!! On the other hand, if you want an easy degree that you can hang proudly above the john in your bathroom, AMU is the place for you!

Note: Many wishing to rebut my claims will cite my lack of evidence or specifics. They are right to do so. Nevertheless, I have the upmost confidence that anyone who is serious about an education and takes my warning seriously will come to the same conclusion.

Couldn't go on without pointing this out.
"To be honest, I take everything an AMU allumni post with skepticism"

From what I understand taking into consideration the overall tone of everything you have written, which is exemplified in the above statement, is that you will only trust the word of other ignorant people who, like yourself, have had no experience with AMU. I've read several rebuttals to what you've written authored by professionals, alumni, and professors and your responses to them are equivalent of covering your ears and yelling, "I can't hear you!" 

As far as people ripping on your grammar? Of course they will, you presented yourself as an expert on writing and passed judgement on someone else's paper. You've proven to us all that you're nowhere near qualified to make such judgement calls, we're just trying to show you that. You claimed to have quizzed your friend on economics and he allegedly didn't know the basics, consider the nitpicking of your grammar a quiz -- you failed.

Much of the rest you've written, the parts that are not out right false, is not exclusive to AMU; open book tests, selling books back, teachers with minimal participation, these are all things that occur at major universities. 

You have no bases for posting such a libelous account here. What ever thought process you have embarked upon is flawed.

Have you done any research about online MBA programs? If you did you would notice that a very credible east coast private college in Boston offers an online MBA program without needing a GMAT score or other qualifying test score as a condition of admittance into the program. I can assure you that North Eastern College degrees do hold clout. Just because there is no GMAT requirement is no reason to say a program is horrible. Also, let's keep in mind that AMU/APU has one of the highest graduation rates among online schools (in the upper 90%) and I know many people who have completed either a degree or certificate program through AMU/APU that live and work in the DC area (one of the wealthiest, most educated areas in the US) and have a great paying career. That must say something about the quality of education available and the fact that people are being hired into high paying higher profile positions.

I read the rip off report and am a bit amazed that someone can file on behalf of other people.   I think it makes no sense if the people who attended are offended, why don't they file?  Why you?

I have been an online student for three years now.  I do attend AMU, and I have had NO issues with the school in the manner that you are talking about.  Not once.

I know in the last online school I went to, what you describe happens in the generals class settings.  However, if a student is serious, then they will continue to do their work and see what happens when the core classes occur.  I would have to guess who you are talking about are half hearted and probably just as much of instigators to the "off topic" discussions, or possibly don't know how to stay on topic.

I would have to say I have had to work very hard at AMU and have been graded harshly for errors in my education, and had to learn to work harder to get through the class.  

I don't know what kind of grades your friends are getting, however, I am in the Honor Society, and no I did not get easy A's for my work either, along with that dedicate a good portion of my time learning the material.  

Not all the tests are without proctors.  Again, I will iterate, that you must possibly be speaking of generals classes.  Core classes do require proctors and AMU does use them.  There are many universities online that do not use them at all.  Those I would stay away from all together.

And the "high" tuition you talk about...you are a funny person who does not attend online schooling.  Their tuition is the lowest.  And the material is full material as well.  I know this, because I am currently sitting right next to my entire course materials for my class which include a very large text book on Lifespan Development, along with six other books that are referenced for use for the class, along with a list of resources from the library that I am to use as well.  The books are included in the class and selling back is optional.  Not required.  It's your tuition and yours to choose to keep or resell in the end.

Also, by you stating your friends use Wikipedia to copy and paste...all I can say is, now I can understand why your friends are complaining.  Cheaters do not prosper from education, along with that, you just openly admitted that your friends are not serious students if they don't even do their work appropriately.  

I can't believe you are complaining how your friend takes three classes per 8 weeks and has no effort to working toward a degree...no wonder.  Your friend is a cheater, along with that, your opinion is pretty weak in argument, when you speak from a third person perspective, along with a point of view that you have never experienced.  

I don't know what article you read that states that recruiters don't hire from profit schools.  That would put private schools out of business.  Which, there is no such thing as omitting private schools from application or hiring.  That would be like saying that Yale is a school that just doesn't need some of the top lawyers in the world and should only hire non-profit educated students for law.  Or at least it says that you do not have further education and really don't know how education and hiring works, nor degrees.  Because brick and mortar schools allow open book too, along with proctored, and so do non profit as well.  It all depends on the instructor.  Not the school itself.

It's too bad you had to file a complaint like this.  Especially since you never went and made a complaint on behalf of people that you openly admit are plagiarizing, accepting public money for military aid to cheat, and cost the tax payers a lot of money so they can lie through school and make the public pay for them.  

Thanks for the update on the Military taking advantage of the public.  The public stands strong on fighting for members of the military who serve by defending those who serve, and get to hear on a public forum that the defense of the public to stand up for our military is repaid in theft of money that is hard to come by in this economy and that the integrity that some military members claim to have to protect the civilians from harm are doing the harm themselves.  Not only do they steal our tax dollars, we pay more tax dollars to pay them to be in the military, to be trained to have integrity, honor, and dedication.  Then you go and tell on your friends that they are liars, cheaters, thieves, and have none of what this country supports for them.  You are a great friend....

I disagree with this report made by someone who has never even attended the University. This report is written based on hearsay. Most writers at least get the facts straight with what they are writing. I currently attend the sister university, American Public University. I have had no such experiences as the writer describes. The classes are structures and done online. It is an online university. There is class participation by answering discussion questions and responding to classmates. It's part of classroom participation. I do not see how anyone can use online references in their answers. Our answers are based on what we have read in our materials for the week and must be cited by us as so. The book are mostly online and current up to date. Most of my books are 2012. I am not sure who the writer spoke with about the teachers. The teachers are highly qualified in their field, more qualified than a lot teaching at any other university. The teachers are involved and online every day. Any time I have had a question, they respond very fast with the answers I need. The work is challenging and there are term papers and essays to complete. The teachers are involved in the online discussion and do more than just grade the work and pass out grades. Also I am not sure who the writer spoke with about this person writing one paper for every class. The school stresses plagiarism on every level. They are very strict about this and that means turning in the same paper for several classes. They make us sign up with an online site that we submit our papers to that checks for plagiarism. So to write one paper and use it for more than one class isn't likely. The school provides a challenging education. It is fast paced, and one has to keep up with it. They have a limit of how many classes you can take a semester.  To take more, you must get permission. Also the financial aid department has been great. They got my financial aid and distributed my refund quite quickly. Every time I have emailed financial aid, teachers, or my adviser, they have responded right away within 24 or 48 hours with an answer. Punctuation is a big key in getting good grades and following directions to the t is stressed highly. I love this school and the education it is providing me. Maybe your friends are not getting the quality education as you claim due to the fact they are not reading the material and giving it the effort someone who wants to learn usually does. 

I am responding to the LT "complaint" against the American Public University System's schools. Don't know how he or she can complain about something they've not even tried once. I think in law they call it having a claim, which this person does not have. I am about to receive my BS in Environmental Science from them. I have worked very hard to maintain a GPA in the 3.7 range. Some classes are easier than others, but for the most part they are very challenging. 

One thing to consider is that APUS is fully accredited. Another is LT's mention of 8 week courses not being quality. That is malarkey my man. I went to Cleveland State many years ago and they also had accelerated courses for night and summer students. Most traditional schools offer online classes. Many offer complete programs online now as well. The ones that do not must be suspect in this modern day.

All of my instructors except for one have been excellent. Our program director is superb and is constantly improving the program and is always looking out for employment opportunities for us. 

Some of the good intangibles are: no driving costs; study in your skivvies if you want with your cat in your lap; etc. But seriously, the courses develop research skills and independence and time management perhaps more than a traditional school. This can be a plus if presented properly to other schools when seeking graduate study. Undergraduate books are included in the tuition, making LT's comments on the cost unfounded. Graduate books are purchased by the student. Buy backs are universal at every university so it seems to me that LT has not only never been to APUS schools, but perhaps never to a university at all.

Some of the not-so-good intangibles: no face time with fellow students and faculty. Of all the downsides, this is greatest. Again, this forces online students to seek out local people in their selected fields to try to bridge this gap. Another downside is the lack of hands-on laboratory settings. This to me was not a big deal because I had that years ago in Chemistry at CSU and worked in laboratories and in environmental sampling for years. But for others, it is so important that APUS does not offer laboratory science degrees. So, if someone is looking forward to being a chemist or biologist, this is definitely not the way to go. But for other disciplines, it is an excellent choice, especially for the mature student that has to manage a lot of work and family issues. 

As mentioned by others, plagiarism is NOT possible at this school to any extent. 

I have a feeling LT is a provocateur here. One poster did mention how an online degree is viewed in the real world. That is a true concern. I think it is up to the student and APUS to help formulate effective responses and approaches to this issue in the job arena. Another valid issue mentioned is that APUS had not required a Grad. Admission test. Not all schools do require such a test, even excellent brick and mortar ones (this I know through personal research as well as friends' experiences). And if you've ever seen the tests you will know why. They are mostly ridiculous, in my opinion. They are used strictly as a screening tool.

In closing, I DO NOT think a school like APUS is for everyone, but it is certainly not because of a low quality experience, but for some of the other issues I've mentioned above. I am completely satisfied with my choice of APU. 

I've have been at AMU for three years and this complaint is completely inaccurate.  I've had to write research papers for most of my classes that needed to be in the appropriate format (MLA, APA or Chicago).  I've also had to include scholarly journals in my research.  I've also written business plans, marketing plans, SWOT analysis and many other products.  Some of the classes require you to upload your papers to turnitin.com and wiki is never an acceptable source.  Some of my classes are open book but timed.  If you are not familiar with the material or understand the formulas you will not make it.  The professors vary, some are pickier than others and some not as engaged but you will find that at any university or school.  Maybe you should research your topic a little more throughly next time.  There are always students who skate through and they usually skated through high school as well.  You can't blame the school for that. It is our responsibility to make the most of the classes. 

After reading this report, my mind is made up - I'm applying to American Public University as soon as I finish posting this rebuttal!

This officially being a rebuttal, allow me to rebutt a few of the original poster's points:

1.  APU/AMU is a private for-profit university, yet their tuition, including books, is substantially less than those of a private "non-profit" university.  Their tuition is comparable to, and sometimes even less then, public "non-profit" universities.

2.  APU/AMU is REGIONALLY accredited, just like all of those "non-profit" universities the original poster so highly esteems.

3.  As evidenced by this very own Ripoff Report, APU/AMU is highly respected by those who use Standard American English correctly.  In fact, we can all probably thank those highly esteemed "non-profit" institutions for the original poster's unorthodox use of written English.

4.  Almost all universities offer online courses.  That in and of itself does not imply that it is easy.  If fact, even at my traditional classroom courses at FSU, most learning took place online.  Assignments were assigned online, collected online, graded online, and even tests were often taken online.  Looking back, why the hell did I ever bother with going to class?  I've never learned anything from a classroom lecture.  And parking was horrendous.

5.  If anyone wishes to see students cheating, coasting through classes, just putting in the minimum, go to any state university.  You'll see hundreds.  Some drop out, others eventually get thrown out, but none should have ever been admitted in the first place.  I guess they only got in because the "non-profit" really needed the money.

6.  On a related note, for those who want to see uninvolved instructors, large state universities are also golden.  They aren't the ones who actually attend class to lecture, they aren't the ones who grade assignments or "proctor" an exam, they don't assist students with homework or study, and their office hours are a joke.  If fact, you'll have better luck finding the "instructor" listed on the syllabus on television being interviewed by a talk show host.

I think that's enough for now.  I'd like to recommend the original poster to stop worrying so much about his friends' education and start worrying about his own.  Trust me buddy, YOU more than anyone need it.

As for me, I'm off to apply to APU!

Tom,

The courses are easy in the fact that the professors are forgiving to unforseen events and the circumstances surrounding ones employment. While you are required to do the work, the professors will often give you sme extra time and not adhere to such strict guidelines as I have seen in traditional schools.

As an example, while deployed overseas I was also enrolled in a couple of classes. If we had a lot of missions back to back the professors (for the most part) would give me a break and allow me a few extra days to finish any work that was due. There wasn't the stress of contantly having to show up to class and losing points for attendance that I hate about traditional schools.
Hope that helps.

I am not a graduate of AMU nor am I a current student.  I am however a senior executive with a prime defense contractor with a primary focus on staffing our current CONUS and OCONUS contracts.  I have interviewed a number of AMU and APU graduates and have in just about every occasion found them to be very good candidates for our jobs.  What I have found by hiring these graduates is that they tend to be able to adapt and refocus on ever changing requirements.  While I understand that much of this is a result of their prior military I also believe much of it also has to to with the non tradition way that they are taught.  The writer references the open book tests.  I am looking for people on my team that can react quickly and find the right answer and not a canned answer that was given to me by a professor.  Additionally I expect that anyone that I send out is going to use whatever information is at his or her disposal to make sure the mission is completed on time.  I don't care where or how they get the information as long as the mission is on time.  Much of the rest of "LT's" comments are discredited because this person openly says that he has no first hand knowledge but only that of his "friends".  I would suspect that "LT" is on this site to foment discourse and really has no intelligent information to add.  The fact that this person went for so long between posts suggests to me that they were not here out of indignation of AMU but more as a way to get under the skin of prior military. 

As I said, I never went to AMU so I have no dog in this hunt but I have found graduates of the AMU program to be very well educated, extremely adaptable and very creative when it comes to getting the job done.  Bravo Zulu to AMU for the program that you have developed and I wouldn't change a thing because one person doesn't see the value of a flexible learning program.

One of the other complaints that you seem to suggest is one of the evils of AMU is its open book tests. I can say from experience that it isn't as easy as you may think. For the most part, the questions have been essays with the desire for you to use the book as a reference.

Anyone here, that believes that AMU is a get a degree quick scam will be in for a rude awakening. This is a serious institution with serious expectations. You will be very irritated when you discover that you have failed and lost your tuition due to stupidity.

As for enrollment, you should have an education plan where you can easily click on your class that you need to accomplish your degree and follow the instructions from there. Enrolling has never been easier in anyother institution that I have attended. In fact that is the easiest part of the school.

LTmax I originally read your posting over a year ago, before I enrolled in a Graduate program at AMU.  First I have to say after reading your article I decided to actually do some research into AMU.  Your report is the most in depth negative review about this university (which you did not attend).  Most of the negative reviews had to deal with complaints about the finance department, you will find them at any school.  The finance department is not a representation of how the academic program of the school is.  So not to your complaints:

"I'm not a student of AMU, because for profit universities have an interest not for quality of education but rather profits."  
I am guessing you have never been to college because every collie only cares about one thing and that is the money, without the money they would have to close their doors.

"Classes are about 8 weeks long, with very few being 16 weeks long."
The main reason for 8 week semesters is because the majority of on-line students actually work full-time.  The 8-week system is designed for students to take two courses every 8 weeks.  That equals the four classes that a student at many traditional universities take during their 16 week semesters.  That also explains why the classes are a little bit easier because the overall work load is reduced 2 classes instead of four.

"The curriculum is a joke." Please explain your reasoning for saying this.  Your ad talks about the use of discussion boards.  Those discussions are based on the assigned reading, or course work for that week.  The discussions require students to have completed the assignment in order to answer the questions.  Then students have to respond to fellow students, again not just stating "I agree".  Posts also have to include references from other sources, meaning that research from reputable scholarly sources have to be used.
"The instructors hardly instruct."  Whats your evidence on this?  I have taken courses at traditional universities where the classes were taught by a professors Graduate Assistant, not the professor himself.  As far as them not having participation you are wrong, based on my personal experience in my classes any questions to the instructor were promptly answered.  My instructors also provided other contact information to students including personal telephone numbers, non-campus email, etc.  The online University I received my BA from the instructors regularly held online chat groups weekly that students could attend.
"They don't have the time to be full time teachers like real universities."  Many Universities do not employ full time professors for a variety of reasons.  I personally know a professor who teaches Part-Time at numerous colleges at the same time.  He teaches at Temple, Penn State, UPenn, BCCC.  
"HIGH tuition"  Bullsh*t!  250 a credit is not high tuition for an underrate program, and 375 a credit is not high tuition for a grad program.
"Some classes usually require a paper to write.  Since instructors are not really there to teach, they leave it up to the students to pick a subject.  One of my friends, submits the same paper for every class every semester."  AMU like many traditional and other online universities used Turnitin.com.  Turnitin.com is a plagiarism website that checks the paper and provides a report showing similarities with other papers.  If your friend is turning in the same paper multiple times I find it interesting because I have never taken courses where I could even turn in a paper that was similar and turnitin would flag it.
"Their quizzes and tests are all open book"  many schools use open book testing.  Open book tests are actually written to be more challenging.  The tests all have time limits, if you have not done the assignments that were assigned before the exam then your time limit will expire prior to test being completed.  If you have done the assignment then you do not need to use the book, or you know exactly where in the assigned readings you can find the answer.  

To This is The Truth:
A.  Will you help someone (help them completely) attend the University even if they cannot pay for it?  No, and neither will any other college or university on the planet.  The school will assist you in applying for financial aide, but a college education is not free.

B.  Will you help them acclimatize themselves in the University environment?  AMU is an online university and provides tutorials on how to navigate their classes.

C.  Will you help them with traveling from where they are to the University no matter where they may be?  No, no college will pay for your transportation.  But since AMU is an online university no traveling is required

D.  Will you help them with room and board?  No,  again no college or university will provide you with free room and board.  Again since this is an online university you can stay with your family if you choose to.

E.  Will you help them with anything else they may require?  Help with other things yes, financially no!

Your questions are friggin retarded!  I challenge you to answer my one question.
1) Provide a list of colleges and Universities that provide anything to students for free.

Having attended Bellevue University (non-profit) and obtaining a Bachelor of Science in Business Administration and attended AMU and received a Bachelor of Arts in International Relations, I can say for certain that AMU is comparable.

I have attempted to take a Cyber Security program at Utica College and I found them to be unorganized, the instructors unclear with their instructions in comparison to Bellevue and AMU and extremely expensive. Then there is the fact that AMU is regionally accredited, so no, there is no scam.

I am not sure if you are writing just to provoke a response but if your friend does actually exist, I truly cant believe your story regarding the submitted paper. First of all, why would anyone sabotage their own education? Then there is the fact that when I started I have been docked several points for using the wrong citation in a paper, APA instead of Turabian/Chicago...  

Your post will most likely cause many to lose out on a quality education. If you are trying to promote non-profit schools for whatever reason, then hopefully the person that reads this will give Bellevue a try, but I assure you, AMU is not a scam, it is not easy, in fact harder than the in-classroom experience that I had in Community College.

 

I would like to start off by thank all who has given a rebuttal to this nonsense.  It sounds like there is some underlining objective with the original author of the article.  For one, this is coming from someone who has not a clue on how to research higher learning schools.  A school is not going to be regionally and nationally accredited, which is the same accrediations of Harvard, Yale, Princeton, all Ivy league schools.  Oh, and just to let the author know, Harvard, Yale and Princeton are all private universities, which means for-profit.  All schools are for profit.  They are not giving their name and degrees away for free.  That is why if someone transfers to another school the school makes it a point that the student has to have a certain number of credited hours at that school in their degree program.  That amount of hours is usually around 30 hours, which is roughly around 10 classes.  Which brings me to my next point.  Tuition is not that high for an online university.  It is actually cheaper than regular ground tuition.  If you would like to see what high tuition looks like then research all the States major universities and compare them with the online universities.  Also, just about all state university systems have online eductation programs.  Why?, do you ask?  To make more money, add more admissions, and add more student body count.  I went to AMU, but no longer wanted the degree I was persuing.  The degree I now seek is in Christian Pastoral Leadership and Christian Studies.  American Military University does not have this, so I had to go else where.  I am currently at Grand Canyon Univeristy, a Christian based for-profit University.   AMU is a very good school and has been the #2 online university throughout the world for 4 years running. 

As far as, the books.  The government gives a grant to most universities for military students to receive free books.  Why not. We ( I am a veteran) have made many sacrifices for the people of this country.  Honestly, all veterans deserve more than what we get.  The book buy back is just like any and all schools.  It is optional.  Most schools use a company that buys the books.  That money does not go to the schools.  The schools are just helping out their students by allowing them to get rid of unwanted books. 

So, it sounds like this person has a total bias against AMU with no factual evidence on the author's behalf. 

I have little time at present to address the absurdity that is the original post.  However, I will briefly reply simply as a non-AMU-student who read many of these comments whilst searching for information on APU/AMU.

To those who have replied honestly from experience at AMU/APU, thank you.  Your posts were exceedingly informative.

LT, the following is not an ad hominem attack:
An "ad hominem", meaning "to the man", attack is not considered a logical fallacy, but simply irrelevant information in a discussion on the validity of a subject. 

To continue:  For what purpose have you filed, and followed, your report for such a long period of time?  It would seem to me that if the issue at hand were of such great import to thyself, that thou wouldst impart more energy into making it appear credible. 

Let us follow your established line of logic from the original post:
You use your friends as references, unidentified and non-categorized.  Then you claim that your "observations" of said friends constitute a viable summary of the quality of education at AMU.  Not only is this poor statistical practice, but it is severely lacking objectivity; something you claim to seek.  If we were to apply the same method of thinking to anything else, such as yourself, we run into a number of problems.  We will consider your posts the "friends" in our example.  Any number of people could take away the following from only your original post:

1)Arrogance
2)Lack of objectivity
3)Immaturity
4)A lack of education
5)A lack of attention to detail
6)Ignorance that previously stated detail should even exist.
7)Unstated, yet deeply seated, anger.

Now, LT, are any of the above true?  Should we believe your "first hand" response or our unbiased observations of the "friends" i.e. your post(s)?  We may easily draw incorrect conclusions from our small sample size in what is a biased environment.  However, I believe that the following would be a reasonable speculation:  Based upon our observations of your writing structure, the language used, the tones conveyed, and the real-life friends referenced, we can assume any number of the above listed qualities AND since the friends mentioned are your friends, our sample must be biased in environment.  It is the tendency of people to gather in groups that are similar.  Those who care nothing for attention to detail will find it difficult to interact regularly with those who do.  Likewise, those who are driven to excel in academia will rarely find their way to spend significant amounts of time with those who do not.

Since we have a reasonable idea that an online course is more oriented toward an input=output venue on an individual basis than an in-classroom course may be and your friends, by your account, are not inputting very much, it is likely that 1) they are not getting much output and 2) you are similar.

LT, you may consider that a personal attack if you wish, but it is nothing more than observation of the situation and application of statistical and social likelihoods.

Now for some other interesting points:
You claim multiple times that the issues you mention are never addressed and simply substituted with personal attacks.  This is utterly false and even a cursory reading of the first several rebuttals will yield otherwise.
You establish that it is

"True some of the instructors are probably experienced people in their fields working full times. They don't have the time to be full time teachers like real universities.  They are there for the easy paycheck not the passion to teach."

Yet you then accuse an admitted instructor and employee of AMU/APU that he is simply attempting to save his job and organization.  If the instructor is an experienced professional, which you allow for, and the given credentials of the instructor are not false, this person would likely have little trouble finding an occupation elsewhere, likely for a higher wage.

Your responses also show a complete lack of understanding of the purpose of this site.  You appear to be bent upon simply standing as a wall in the face of seemingly honest rebuttals, rather than attempting to establish the possible bias of your own claims, which are deep and subtle, despite your statement to the contrary. 

Second to last, it is heinously obvious that you have never taken a timed, well-written, open-book exam.  Being able to synthesize book, lecture, homework, and research material on in-depth questions regarding specific applications cannot be automatically assigned a label of "easy".

Finally, stop wallowing in your own ignorance and educate yourself or attempt to get an education.  If I were you, I would begin with the rudiments of the English language.  <--(ad hominem attack)

The challenge is not so much a real discussion point but a completely ridiculous waste of everyones time. Basically someone (who has probably not attended AMU) stated that if the school is a good as people say it is, then current or former students would be willing to pay someone elses tuition. I felt like I missed something the first time I read that, and still dont know how charity relates to the quality of AMU. The challenge also mentioned things like helping a potential student travel to the university, and acclimatize to the university environment. Who knows what this means, especially since this is an online school we are talking about. The rest of the challenge isnt even worth repeating. However, if anyone reading this can tell me how to get to the internet that would be very helpful.
 
Many of the posts here are from people who have never even attended AMU. Based on their use of the English language they probably would have failed out anyways. The following are from Bangor in earlier posts and highlight the level of ineptitude that is cluttering up this post.
 
I see that you all did not take up the challenge that was posted by someone here.  This unwillingness begs us to believe the report because although the poster may not mind you have attended the institution it does not mean that he is not right is highlighting the potential possibility for there to be corruption with this institution.
 
-What does this even mean?

"No place is 100% perfect any where regardless as to what individual "experienced" individuals says (who like to write long posts rather than short ones because it seems that their training did not cater for such) because they are only seeing everything from one side of the story-their side and not all the time from every single angle."
 
-Never has such a long sentence conveyed such little information. This sounds like it was badly written in another language and was then poorly translated into English.
 
I would like to one day see an intelligent, well-written post describing how AMU is a rip-off.

I want to be completely honest, so I am disclosing that while I am not yet an APUS student, I intend to enroll there as a graduate student.  It will be my second Masters with the first being conferred upon me by SUNY Stony Brook.  I also have two friends who are attending this school and who I consulted prior to seeking admission (one having received his bachelors from AMU and is now attending a graduate program there and the other who just began a graduate program with APU).  However, I do not need to include their opinions in my response to your report, as it is simply unnecessary with regards to the focus of my rebuttal.  I am more interested with the way your conducted your assessment and your argument in general than I am with your review.

I take issue with the assertion that the students of APUS cannot be trusted; without evidence, it is just as fair to assume that you too cannot be trusted.  To the same poster who insists of trying to make an argument with flashy pictures, the same argument applies and you are just as likely a  fraud. We might make an assumption that any student at any university or college would attempt to defend his or her school so that their degree might mean something later on.  Though, it is a rather ridiculous argument because the reputation of that school will be based upon the quality of their graduates (based upon performance and knowledge) and not opinions.  We could apply this to the
corporate world:  Not every employee is happy and not every employee will sing their employers praises simply so that when they apply for another job, their resume seems more important.  In fact, one of the main reasons people leave jobs is because they do not like their current situation.   You do not have to take my opinion on that, you can simply perform a little research to validate my assertion.  I considered citing the material, but youd probably demonize me for criticizing you.  After all, semantics suggest that you think that only you are allowed to criticize and anyone who disagrees with you is lying.  Of course, you did cast the first stone in your first paragraph saying, their comments and recommendations are bias.  Again, as much as you might charge that the subsequent rebuttals are unfounded and biased, you are no better.  In addition, your report is simply hearsay if only because you readily admit that you are not a student.  Further, your only accounts are from a handful of students who are described, by you, to be the picture of dishonesty.  You expect the readers to take you seriously when youre citing a bunch of cheats who are plagiarizing and cheating their way through school?  I also find that difficult to believe as online and traditional schools utilize services such as TurnItIn or SafeAssign to prevent plagiarism (my school used SafeAssign even when I was in a brick and mortar classroom).

In addition to the above, the author claims that no one is responding to his real argument and  merely attacking his grammar in an effort to discredit him.  Again, did you not first attack every student and professor by referring to them as bias?  Your argument against the quality of an APUS education is, whether you recognize it or not, supported by your ability to identify a quality education.  If you had received a quality college education, which might give you the credentials to recognize the same, you would have these basic skills.  Before I could graduate with an undergraduate degree, I had to submit a portfolio of my writing to prove that I reached a level of competency that is expected of a graduate.  As such, your ability (or lack thereof) to write a well written essay or report that is both organized and backed by research would be not only a valid criticism, but apparently your Achilles Heel.  Or, perhaps you simply do not care about being taken seriously?

APUS may not provide the best education in the country, but education is often what you make of it.  The original review/report and as well as the responses by the lunatic (personal opinion only) with the pictures, are meaningless.  You are entitled to your opinion whether youve conducted research to back your argument or not and everyone else is entitled to disagree with you.   The only real differences is that your assertions are hearsay (being that you admit to having never attended the school and are receiving your information second hand from a bunch of cheats) and everyone else at least claims to be responding based upon first-hand experiences.

Frankly, I find you insulting towards those that bothered to respond with well written and thoughtful rebuttals.  I did not even consider replying until I read your response to the professor.  We have no proof that he (or she) is actually a professor, but without any evidence to the contrary I will assume that the assertion is true.  Either way, your remarks were marked with insolence, especially for someone who appears to have absolutely no credentials which would provide them with the necessary proficiency to critique an entire higher education system and a college professor.

Try exploring the concept of humility; it is a priceless quality and we can all benefit from it.

Sadly, I have already wasted too much time on something that is likely fall on deaf ears (a conclusion based upon your responses to some very well written rebuttals).

Bangor:

Please elaborate as to the specific challenge to which you are referring. Additionally, your repeated use of double and triple negatives makes for a very difficult read. Furthermore, to whom are you referring as being corrupt?

Also, referring to the original post, please reiterate the economic principles upon which you quizzed your friend; I am interested to see if I know the answer as well. Also, Wikipedia, while an interesting place to gain common information, is never to be used as a reference as it is subject to open editorialization. This information is well publicized at the school. Anyone stating to the contrary is wrong or a liar.

 Also, brick and mortar universities employ part time instructors as well. I know this for a fact, because I am employed at one, as a part-time adjunct professor, teaching the Chemistry of Hazardous Materials.

Please respond with sincere questions and well written, grammatically correct answers; for doing so would actually help to establish your credibility and academic standing.



Tom

Your need for a short statement is noted so here it is...

The absence of proof is not proof itself especially when there is proof to the contrary. Your assertion that "We can say with 100% Belief that you All Can Most Definitely Still Be Corrupt" has no basis. To briefly elaborate beyond my first statement, you use "belief," belief is an ambiguous term which does not have to be based on fact, but merely feelings. The original complaint revolved around hearsay which is not fact (it is neither proven or generally available for inspection). Therefore, "...100% Belief..." is a baseless ambiguous statement as is the rest of your drivel. Get a real education that includes some critical thinking skills, because what you present illustrates you have none. 

Who Cares:  You All Are Still Corrupt

I see that you all did not take up the challenge that was posted by someone here.  This unwillingness begs us to believe the report because although the poster may not mind you have attended the institution it does not mean that he is not right is highlighting the potential possibility for there to be corruption with this institution.

No place is 100% perfect any where regardless as to what individual "experienced" individuals says (who like to write long posts rather than short ones because it seems that their training did not cater for such) because they are only seeing everything from one side of the story-their side and not all the time from every single angle.

With that in mind:  We can say with 100% Belief  that you All Can Most Definitely Still Be Corrupt.

Sean,

Please elaborate as you initially stated that the courses were easy and then you stated that the work was challenging. The course work is not easy, as I had to write several lengthy papers for each course and write a weekly response to a posted question, along with followup to fellow students.  I spent, on average, 6+ hours per day, 5 days a week on three simultaneous courses [midway through one and start two new]and at least 10 hours on Sat & Sun reading and cleaning up my papers. 

The workload gave me a very specific educational time-managed mindset. Subsequently, I started a doctoral program almost immediately after finishing APU, and I was able to compete on an extremely effective level with the brightest minds in our nation. Less than 5% of the world gets a Masters degree; I am still trying to find the % for a doctorate! I suspect that it is less than 0.1%. APU was arduous, economical and an excellent preparation for the real world. I finished APU with a 3.9725 GPA...I was welcomed into the doctoral program with open arms!!! Currently holding a 3.84 GPA and finish in June with a DHSc.

Tom

I just wanted to write a response to the initial poster. While I know my grammer isn't perfect, I don't type like an eastern European immigrant who pretends his English is flawless. Now that that's out of the way...

I have attended AMU and yes, the classes are pretty easy. However, as an International Relations major the courses were pretty intense and ALL of the papers we wrote had to be formatted in either an APA or MLA format. There were some very interesting topics discussed during the group chats and I feel the level of education for what you pay is pretty good (most of it was paid for by the government...your welcome). I have also taken classes at community and state colleges in Massachusetts as well as private schools in Pennsylvania and Massachusetts. Allow me to be arrogant for a minute but the professors at some of the MA state schools are of a higher pedigree than those in other state schools throughout the country, it is what it is. However, most of the courses at AMU were more difficult than the courses I took at the other schools. This school isn't Harvard or MIT, but let's be honest, the students aren't at a Harvard or MIT level either. It is fully accredited so the degree is legit.
This school works well with educational officers in various branches of public service. It's a good fit for those who are soldiers and can't take traditional classes. Thus the name.

I am in a new program, Reverse Logistics.  AMU is the first institution offering a degree program focusing on returns, how to minimize waste, recapturing value whether it be through secondary markets, braking down and re-utilizing parts, or final disposition in compliance with state or federal laws.  The program is also covering global commerce supply focusing on the strict European product and packaging laws that require specific percentages of consumer goods and packaging be recycled.

This program at the undergraduate level is like nothing I ever experienced academically and is a rough road, but worth it.  The professionals I connect with in the supply chain field are brainstorming new solutions to better ways of doing business.

Tomorrow is a Virtual Open House and I encourage folks to check it out.   It is the best value at the lowest cost and more importantly, I am getting solid interviews and currently await an offer letter in the mail for a position as a direct result of my studies.  

http://www.amu.apus.edu/lp2/virtual-open-house

Wow!  I have been on the fence for a couple weeks about getting my MBA from AMU, but after reading the 20+ alumni rebuttals I've made my decision.  Thank you guys for talking in detail about your experience at AMU.  I believe you just saved me about $70,000 in student loans.  :)

Looking forward to graduating from this great institution in 2014, 

-Carlos

So you thin AMU is so terrible and that it is not a real University. First off maybe you need to check on your own grammar. Your last paragraph sounded like a drunk angry hillbilly that cant get a degree. Maybe AMU does not have all of the luxuries of education that a major 4 year university does but it is a great stepping stone. Yes they do give you credit for military training and that is not a bad thing. I know for myself i spent a year in a technical training environment to get my job in the military. I do belive my military training is deffinetly worth college credits. Especially considering that I work with very high tech electronics and I use math everyday. Being that i am military and I have spent half my career deployed it is a little difficult to attend a college stateside. Most of the students who attend AMU plan on furthring thier education at a regular state university when they finish thier degree online. I have tried to go to major universities in the past online and it doesnt work well for military personel, especially while deployed. We cant exactly be online monday morning at 9 a.m. and have a live discussion. I dont really know what this college did to you personally for you to bash it like this but its sad. Maybe you are just a psudeo intellectual who needs others like yourself around to feel smart. I have a suggestion for you. If you dont like the school than dont go there, too easy. As for your friends who are there and getting degrees, good for them for making a step forward to thier future. Oh and by the way, before the military I was a succsesful business owner, and no I didnt join because I failed at my business. It was a personal choice. In the REAL business world over 70% of all that major university knowledge is not used. A degree is still only a peice of paper and belive it or not most companies dont care where it came from.

I feel compelled to respond to the original posting which portrays AMU in an extremely bad light.  This person, while admittedly not a person with direct knowledge of AMU, claims the quality of education at AMU to be substandard.  I dispute this entirely erroneous assertion.  On a side note, I have not read the other posts and apologize if my post is repetitive in nature.

I graduated from AMU and am currently set to graduate from Northwestern University (NU) at the end of this semester, Summa c*m Laude, from one of their master's programs.  NU, a school ranked number 15 among private institutions, accepted my degree granted by AMU.  I suggest that NU is much more knowledgeable of academic standards and quality than the original poster.  Therefore, while I am sure the original poster had some motive for posting negatively about AMU, one should not rely on that viewpoint as the truth, nor anywhere close to the truth.

I was doing a bit of research for my dad (USAF Ret.) and ran across this thread.  Some of the posts are funny while others, not so much.  First thanks to everyone serving for your service.  

About me: 
I have a BS from a large state school.
I attended UoP (for-profit) for a year.
I attended 3 different community colleges (one online).
I'm currently in my last semester at a top 10 law school.

I'm currently enrolled in 14 credits, 7 of which are pass/fail (read: grades don't matter).
When I graduate in May, I'll have $150,000 in student loans, the median for my class is almost $90,000.
Tuition is close to $50,000/year and with cost of living almost $75,000/year.
30% of my classmates are still unemployed and will be at graduation.
I've taken multiple 8 week classes (corporate finance, medical product patents, business strategy, to name a few).
The school offers 4 week classes as well. 

Half of my exams have been open-book and my worst grade was on an open book test.

Sounds like AMU is a better deal than my law school (or most any law school if you listen to the NYTimes).  And unfortunately, every criticism of AMU can be made about any law school and most "real" universities (whatever that means). Adjunct professors (not full-time) are the wave of the future because of budget cuts.  Shorter classes allow students to check out a wider-range of curriculum.  As for whether degrees from for-profit schools get you far?  A couple of years back when I was attending UoP, I looked up the top 10 law schools and found 4 had admitted students from UoP.  

Okay, but enough about me.  If you're in the military and looking to earn your first degree or second or third, d**n commendable.  AMU is accredited, it's paid for, it's flexible, and it meets your needs.  

And finally, as to the original poster, I've been wondering why someone would go to the trouble of writing something that lacks such substance.  Between the inability to form logical arguments and grammar that reminds me of middle schoolers I taught english to in asia, he could just be bitter he wasn't accepted to AMU. 

The critic of AMU has contributed exactly ZERO objective logical, factual or empirically supported arguments against AMU.

Hence -- 'Where's the Beef?'

Indeed, the only supporting citation was a screed from anti-capitalist anti-militarist wikileaks founder Julian Assange that amusingly contains exactly ZERO objective logical, factual or empirically supported arguments against AMU.

In fact, in Assange's rant, he actually acknowledges that AMU was the recipient of North Central accreditation that supports my assertion that AMU provides an education equivalent (if not superior too) traditional 'brick and mortar' institutions.

In sum, it is all too obvious that the originator of this fallacious thread is simply an anti-capitalist with an ideological 'axe to grind'  against any and all private firms, particularly those firms that are now undermining the government monopoly on higher education.

In fact, I challenge this ideologue to declare which system he/she believes is superior --- private education or public education?   Moreover, support your arguments with fact and logic.

This AMU grad will enjoy dissecting and toppling the ideological 'house of cards' that Ltmax's (sic) views are built on.

Just finished reading the posting regarding AMU.  First I'd like to say is that any educational experience is what an individual makes of it. It doesn't have to be in a classroom setting, it could in the woods, field or out on the street. Second, this guy makes a statement based upon here say, really? That in itself eliminates this individuals integrity. It sounds, more than likely, that he applied and didn't get in.

Based on my PERSONAL experience at the university I have to state that it has not only been challenging but an extremely rewarding experience that takes a lot of work. Each one of my classes requires at least one 3-5 page paper per week, a final paper (15-17 pages) and a well researched forum response.

This program is not only accredited but recognized by numerous government agencies. In addition, the cost is more reasonable, especially on the Master's level than many other well known universities. I would highly recommend this university to assist one with their educational endeavors.

I am in the middle of registering for APU- I was worried, would my MA in History be respected when I was done? Would it be worth my time? I read your report and realized 1) You have no understanding of the English Language and 2) You have no understanding of research and how to write a well- formed essay.

That being said- I am aghast that you say "don't listen to anyone who goes there." Why not? If you start at a school, and discover it is not up to par- you transfer out. I started my masters at a BM University that was creating an online program. I realized that their program was very much like the one you described- I finished the course I started and didn't take any more. You don't keep attending a bad university. Not if you are a serious student. The former and current students who have posted are very well spoken. They "sound" educated- which is more than I can say for the OP. While this could be misleading, having over 30 people post with this caliber of vocabulary and grammar says something good for the school.

I earned my BS in Education from a traditional BM College- two actually. And as an educator, let me explain something to you- There is something called Depth of Knowledge. The most basic questions are recall- these are questions like "When Did the Civil War Start?" For questions such as these- an open book test is ridiculous because all the answers are in the book. There are more complex questions such as, "Was Ophelia's suicide in Hamlet an act of desperation of liberation? Support your answer with quotes from the text." These types of Essay questions require open book tests because you cannot find the answer to these questions in the book- you must take information and justify your opinion using the author's facts. Any Masters program that operated solely using questions of the first variety would be doing a disservice to its students. If I can find the answers in a book- why do I need to take a class? I want to learn how to think- not how to read.

Now- for those of you who defended APU/AMU- thank you. You have eased my mind quite a bit. I have more faith that the degree(s) I will earn from this University will be accepted and respected in the future.

I live in Rural Arkansas. If I wish to pursue a Tertiary degree I must either move, which I have no desire to do, or look online. This program is less expensive, and more rigorous than most others I have explored. It has been around longer, and is regionally accredited- something most online schools have yet to achieve. Thank you for helping me make my decision to become a proud APU student.

I would like to respond to the "shoppers" out there who are wisely attempting to make an informed decision about distance education. First, I would like to qualify that I am a grad student of APU, secondly I would like to state that I also attended graduate school and received my bachelor's degree from an accredited Research 1 institution (if you don't know what that is, look it up, but basically it means research money galore) brick and mortar school. AMU/APU has the EXACT same accreditation as the University I attended.

You posters who are looking for valid information about the school should be advised that AMU/APU is a school that is especially targeted to working adults and the military. The set up is very self-motivated and not at all easy so beware if you expect to skate by. You have to know how to manage your time without a class schedule or you will find the work piling up. What you were really looking for, however, were some negative comments about the school from a current or former student. I will share mine with you.

First of all, I receive federal financial aid and I think it takes them way too long to send credit balances back, but that is a personal opinion. They have programs in place that provide texts for undergrads, but not for grads. Getting my financial aid early on would have made purchasing books easier for me in the beginning, but my advisor gave me a great suggestion that helped a lot. The classrooms have been slowly transferring to a new system and as the changes are in full force logging in sometimes can be difficult due to technical issues. The university has been very apologetic and accomodating extending due dates to ease the pain of the transfer.

I have had all those problems and more at my traditional school, but those kinds of issues are par for the course. Absolutely nobody is perfect. I agree with the statement that you only get out what you put in. If you are concerned about accreditation or whether your degree will be accepted anywhere consider what your goals are before making a choice. I am planning to move on to a Ph.D. program when I finish my masters so I wanted to make sure that APU shares accreditations with the schools I am interested in applying to, and they do. I work full time, am prior military, and I have a family so this decision was quite easy for me. If you are truly worried about the quality of your education and you can afford it, take a class in each type of campus and get a feel for what works for you yourself. Needlessly bashing any type of institution isn't productive or helpful.

I'm sorry if the negative comments you were looking for were related to the quality of the education. I have absolutely nothing to say in that regard. I have had real life professors that I barely saw and had no interest in working with students, and were only motivated to pursue their publishing agenda. That was quite frequently clear by the direction our discussions would take in class. I had one professor go as far to say that we were going to help him with his research during the semester by focussing the classes discussions in his biased direction. I have never experienced such thing at APU and the faculty are very abreast in current research. I loved my traditional campus experience, but I am very satisfied with my online experience as well.

I am NOT being paid by any organization to post this report. LT, were you paid by someone who is perhaps a competitor of AMU/APU? UofP perhaps? Kaplan? If you are offended by that statement and still wonder why other posters have responded negatively to you, then that my friend, should be the final nail in your coffin.

I am a current student at APU/AMU, and have been taking courses for 2 years now.  I also work full time.  The majority of what this first negative poster said is not true.  I will be the first to admit that some of the courses were too easy.   However, I have taken courses at a brick and mortar university that were equally as easy.  With that said, online schools are truly what the student puts into them.  The material at APU/AMU is very good.  I'm in the midst of finishing up an IT degree, and we have covered very relevant information.  Yes, I probably could have squeaked by with a C- in most courses by doing minimal amounts of work.  But,  I chose not to, and put a tremendous amount of time into learning the material. 

In terms of the instructors, most of them do a very good job.  I did take 2 classes with instructors that I was very disappointed with, simply because there wasn't much interaction.  However, even in those classes, the material was still high quality.  And, I've been lucky enough to have had a couple excellent instructors in most of my major courses. 

The fact that the school is for-profit is completely irrelevant.  Why people find that shocking is beyond me.  Is it shocking that a company as successful and revolutionary as Apple is for profit?  What if they weren't for profit.  Then what?  I'll tell you what, they'd cease providing great products and services.  They would no longer have the best and brightest people employed.  An online school is no different.   By working for a profit, an online school will continue to ensure that the material is current and up to date, and that they do what it takes to retain their students. 

I agree that an online degree may not be as great as a traditional brick and mortar university degree.  However, many adults are unable to quit their job and go to a typical university.   The online degree is what you make of it, and in my opinion, getting one from APU/AMU is as good as any online degree. 

Yet again a comment is posted here from someone who has not actually attended the school. This website is called Ripoff Report. If you have never attended the school or given them money, how have they ripped you off? I have never had a problem contacting the school. They have always been quick to answer emails and when I called I was always able to talk to someone.

I hope in the future someone who has actually done business with the school will post about how they were ripped off. I actually have attended the school. I earned my Master's Degree, and I am returning to work on a Graduate Certificate program since you can't do much else in the winter anyways, and the classes were terriffic. It's a great, affordable school. The professors are easy to reach (for those who actually have enrolled in a course), and the free resources available are outstanding. If you need tuition assistance there are links all over the site on how to get it. If you have military tuition assistance available there is also a lot of help available on how to use it towards tuition. Somehow every other student has managed to figure it out, it's really not that hard.

I cannot attest to the original poster's comments, but I can say that I have been trying to become a student at AMU for over a month.  I cannot get the new student advisor or financial aid to return phone calls or e-mails so I can only imagine what the quality of the education will be.  AMU is notorious for having booths at military trade shows and other locations where they can prey on veterans, so all I can say is beware.

As a UOP alumnus, I can tell you that some online universities like UOP know how to get your money but thats about all.  Ive been shopping for a real online university and have yet to find one, although Capella is in the lead.  If you are looking for a real education, go to a real university.  If you are simply looking to buy a degree I am sure they are all about the same.

Three of five are answered because they are all that apply, by the schools mission and target audience.  If you want help getting to the Univeristy, here you go, I will take you there myself: www.amu.apus.edu.  If you want room and board then sorry, this university is not for you,  nor would be a community college, a commuter campus, or any number of other institutions.  It is targeted for mid-career professionals who work full time, not for people straight out of high school for full time.

Look again, CaptK answered all 5 of your questions. Maybe you need to rethink what you are asking. What does room and board have to do with an online school? Travelling to the university? Are you serious? You tell us how much it costs
to "travel" to the internet. Acclimatize to the University environment? What does this even mean? Are you talking about basic computer skills like using a mouse and keyboard?  Your first question is so absurd it's useless. The value of a school isn't in whether someone would pay someone else's tuition. That's called charity my friend. The true measure of value is whether people will use their own hard earned money to pay their own tuition, and every year more and more people do just that. Both you and "LT" Max amaze me. You post these comments that have nothing to do with the actual school, I think you have missed the whole point of this website.

AMU is a great school, especially for those not fortunate enough to have the free time to attend a traditional campus. The classes are challenging and the professors are readily available, even when many of them are in a different state then their students. The tuition is reasonable, and there are a vast amount of online resources available for free to every student.

Tell that someone you know who wants to attend AMU to do what everyone else has done. Take care of your own business. If you need help then figure out how to get it. If you can't handle that one simple task of personal responsibility then maybe the rigors of earning an academic degree aren't for you.

Last I checked there were five (5) questions and they required five answers not 3 OUT OF 5 OR 4 OUT OF FIVE!

These five questions were questions that needed to become five action-oriented answers.  it has been claimed that this university is about money making well then they must also be about malicious practices as well and that the report is correct as has been correctly stated.  Let's see if that is indeed so!

Here are these five questions again:

A.  Will you help someone (help them completely) attend the University even if they cannot pay for it?

B.  Will you help them acclimatize themselves in the University environment?

C.  Will you help them with traveling from where they are to the University no matter where they may be?

D.  Will you help them with room and board?

E.  Will you help them with anything else they may require?

Let's hope that your answers become actions as well.  Talk is cheap and actions speak louder than words and your talk is not redeeming you so far from the reputation that this report has seemingly placed upon this University.  Let us therefore see what your ACTIONS will be our so-called nonmalicious Military University?  Talk is Cheap.  Actions Speak Louder than Words and these are FIVE questions that Require FIVE Actions!  Let us see how action-oriented you really are!

"A.  Will you help someone (help them completely) attend the University even if they cannot pay for it?"
Their target is military personnel per their mission, who receive TA up to $250/credit.  AMU charges $250/credit, ergo they meet this criteria for their target audience.  The masters degree is $275/credit, so you have to pay a whopping $75 per course, which if you are active military in a position to get a masters you can clearly afford that as well.  In addition, they provide undergrads with a book grant ensuring no out-of-pocket expenses there either (and most masters degree courses publish their materials online through the school library so no cost there either). 

"B.  Will you help them acclimatize themselves in the University environment?"
They require undergrads to take a course in computer skills and online interaction as part of their core curriculum if they are weak in this area (COLL100: http://www.amu.apus.edu/academic/schedule/course/coll100), and there are multiple tutorials available on using the course system through the university.  If you have a bachelors and are incapable of doing this, you probably can't even find the link to begin the application process for the MA so the point is moot.

"C.  Will you help them with traveling from where they are to the University no matter where they may be?"
University is online.  N/A

"D.  Will you help them with room and board?"
University is online.  N/A

"E.  Will you help them with anything else they may require?"
Alumni network?  Career Services?  All covered:
http://www.amu.apus.edu/community/meet-students/index.htm

First, I am not a student, teacher, blogger, or in the service for  that matter; for AMU. Actually, I attend the UoP (I will be reporting  them(UoP) separately, in hopes of finding a lawyer to assist in forming a lawsuit against them) and have I been researching schools to transfer into. Also, I have not proof-read this comment nor will I go back and do so as I write it, so if it lacks in the tone, grammatical, or punctuation area I truly apologize. Right now I just want to say what I  need to say, and get the point across. (Just to let it be known, I excel in writing so if I wanted to apply it to this message, I could. Just in case"LT" has anything to say about me correcting their writing skills....and yes, I do say something)

So with that said, I have applied to Penn State, and have an extremely hard time receiving help from someone who works there. So, would you will say Penn State is a non-reputable school offering a worthless degree  program? Really, I have no reason to defend the AMU, I know nothing about it. I want to get this straight first, since LT seems to believe that only people that go, have, or work for this school would comment. Like I  said, I have been searching for negative comments about this school  because I do not want to make the same mistake twice when choosing a  college to transfer into. When I came across your "rip-off" report  honestly, I laughed. I laughed before I ever read the next comment, that is the truth. Then, I got angry because you are posting negative  comments about online education as a whole but have no experience or  education concerning the subject other than assumptions. I mean, your  opinion is not even valid. Online schooling is just now becoming better  accepted by employers. But because of people like you(there is a word)the whole process becomes scrutinized all over again. So people like me, who bust their butts academically for their online degree, have that hard work scrutinized or doubted because of people like you, we get highly upset. Especially when these comments are without valid substance! 

The worst part of the whole situation is that  you have no, I repeat, no first hand account of what you are complaining about. And, exactly what is your complaint or how did you get "ripped-off", I still do not understand. Truthfully, I don't know what  is going on with you but you have other issues concerning the subject  than what you're stating in this "rip-off" report. Unless you are a  bored and lonely person, who has nothing better to do than to go  "blogging" about a school, one that you have never attended or are sorry to say, but just plain crazy. I mean, do you know what rip-off means? Because quite honestly from your post, it seems you do not. I can only conclude that either you are completely uneducated or simply writing a "rip-off" report because you are at mad at something you will not state in this post.

Let me state this: People are attacking your grammar and punctuation  because it is ridiculous, really. My writing is not by any means perfect, but then again I'm not attempting to discredit a college and their incompetence in providing a "quality" education........ one yet,  that I have never attended myself. All of this while claiming to have so much education under your belt. That my friend, is why they are insulting your writing errors. I'm sorry but in case whatever esteemed university you attended did not teach you, how a person writes provides a reader with much information concerning their character. It speaks on their mentality, intelligence, attitude, their in general personna really. Stating thing like " He gets an "A" every time so I know his paper don't get read.  By the way he is a senior in AMU and don't even know how to  reference a paper using APA or MLA!

Their quizzes and tests are  all open book." does not say much for you or your character. You sound completely uneducated. Which in case you were not aware of this either, your character has a lot to do with how a person will view any statements you have or will make. So do your "friends" you are speaking on behalf of.......

On account of all the "big" words you chose to include within your last  comment. Please note this, it only makes you looks less intelligent when you use them attempting to make yourself look smarter. Half the words  in your other comment are not in the correct context, this is how one
can arrive at the conclusion that you searched for these "big" words  from dictionary; writing them in hopes of making yourself seem smarter. I am sorry if I am being callous when I say this, but if you are going to accuse a University of providing worthless education,  well.......Sorry, but you need to address whatever university that supplied you with your education, because you are the one who got "ripped-off" my friend. And again, I honestly do not understand how it is you got  ripped off exactly? You for one, are not a student, and for two never  were. 

What exactly gives you the insight that this school is a "rip-off" or that receiving an online education in general is somehow not the same, or less educational than  receiving one brick-to-mortar? First off, if you have not experienced an online education first hand, exactly how would you know if it lacks competence? I have to let you in on something. I hate the UoP oh and btw, in case your "expert in the field of college education" does not know what the UoP is, this is the University of Phoenix. Now, my sister  attends a respected, well known "traditional" college. I can tell you that at the UoP, I have four times the amount of work that she does. I have to adhere to strict APA guidelines as where she does not. She barely has to participate if ever, I do four times a week. She has told me out of her own mouth that my college is harder, her teachers are hardly as available as mine, and consists of a more academically challenging  program. I am talking about the program, not the work itself which also  is not as challenging. So for you to say online classes offer nothing close to what a "traditional" college does, you are completely wrong in this statement. 



Now as for your cheating friends, the hearsay, the only thing you have in attempt to "support" your claims.  If (which is a big if, Uop has "Turnitin") they are cheating; they are lazy, incompetent, and lack any intelligence to begin with; people not worth using as an example of the  quality of education. Also, you know what, in case you were unaware or from another planet, you can cheat at a traditional school. This is where cheating originated from....People do the same exact thing everyday in traditional colleges, I have seen it firsthand. So what is your point really? Your argument is made pointless and ignorant immediately, I'm  sorry. Also, one students experience never accounts for the whole planet in the sense of online schools.  

I do not understand many things about your post but what I really cannot understand is how you speak on something, you have no  education on besides hearsay. This is ignorant, plain and simple. Online schools, being it non for profit or for profit, depending on the school provide the same education as a brick to mortar college. For the most  part they adhere to some of the same coursework plus, a person can cheat anywhere. So for you to say the things you have said about online schooling, especially with absolutely no first hand experience, makes me angry and your IQ appear very low. Your demands are simply put, unintelligent. What exactly more do you want from the people commenting on your statement? They have answered your issues, repeatedly. However, you continue to repeat the same thing which btw is incorrect. If you are looking for a negative comment, is it possible that there is none as far as this website goes? I mean trust me, if this was a post about the UoP there would be about several hundred negative comments. So for you to say the only comments that would be posted regarding this comment are bias, speaks even more for your IQ. You need help. You are slandering a school, you have never attended, and have not paid any money to because what? They wouldn't accept you? The school is cheap, so you obviously know nothing about education nor did you pay for the one you say you have. What is your issue, really? Like I keep stating, your statements make no sense. You make no argument, no point, nothing.Again, how in the world did you even get ripped off? You repeatedly say people going to this school did/are, but they repeatedly argue the fact that they clearly did not/are not. Then you say that they are fake, and they are lying. Why exactly would one lie if the school in fact provided them with an unsatisfactory education or got "ripped off?" They aren't getting paid. I'm sure they would be more than angry, I am. I truly regret spending this  much time on your more than ignorant statement, as I'm sure did many of the other people. However, I really feel I needed to say what I had to say. 
   
Good luck to you and your endeavors LT, you sure are going to need it..












 

Your problem is your entire argument hinges on AMU funding education being inherently linked to reputability without providing any basis for the two being linked.  US News and World Report does not consider financial aid as one of their criteria, nor do the ARWU or the THE.  So why is it the end-all, be-all for you?  They are a business and making money, they are not a charity.  You seem to think that and providing a quality, reputable education is mutually exclusive yet have nothing to go with other than your animosity toward the for-profits (what, any school that won't hold your hand and pay your way through is irreputable? HA).  You apparently agree with the paranoid article posted earlier that wants to lump AMU in with Capella, Phoenix, and all the other crappy for profits out there simply because they fall under the same broad umbrella (even though, while playing a guilt-by-association game the author there still had to swallow hard and admit his source still spoke well of AMU throughout the article).  Again, exclusion by arbitrary redefinition is all you have to offer.

Here are those challenges again!  For those who may not be from Princeton but still intellectually sound!

A.  Will you help someone (help them completely) attend the University even if they cannot pay for it?

B.  Will you help them acclimatize themselves in the University environment?

C.  Will you help them with traveling from where they are to the University no matter where they may be?

D.  Will you help them with room and board?

E.  Will you help them with anything else they may require?

To:  AUTHOR: CaptK - Princeton (United States of America) who says

"The questions you pose are an attempt to redefine reputable to exclude all for-profit schools are non-reputable
by definition.  If that is your view, fine, no amount of debate will sway that."

These are what we call the intellectual panderings of a distractor that really are unintellectual in design, thought, reason, logic and argument that is full of eloquent yet illogical statements.  Had the contributor read which those at Princeton are supposed to do last I checked he would have come across this offer:

An Offer

AUTHOR: thomasfgibsonmph - fort lauderdale (United States of America)
SUBMITTED: Saturday, March 06, 2010

LT:

My offer to you...I will pay your tuition for one course. I have read your diatribe but am unsure as to your educational
level, so the course offered to you is either at the undergrad or grad level, depending on your educational accomplishments thus far. Course to be determined at my discretion, based upon your major or educational direction.

You agree to completing the 8 week course and then write another review. Fair enough?

Thomas F. Gibson MPH
APU Class of 2009

thomasgibsondmt@gmail.com
www.thomasfgibsonmph.com

I am therefore putting the American Military University AMU to the test-It is not a redefinement of someone's reputation that the Princeton illogical one speaks but a call for reinforcement of one's repiutation

You see reading is for those who are really the real intellectuals isn't it-I want to see if in my case this that the challenges will be met by the school.  No amount of talk or research that has been formerly spoken about concerns this issue with these challenges-It is about action (ACTION) and if any contributor wants to be full of talk which we have seen them do they are free to go right ahead.  Action is much more intellectually sound and of greater value to winning against an argument that deals with the reputation of an institution

...So the challenges are still up-American Military University AMU

...And the finger is still being pointed at you

...What are you going to do about it?

....What will you do in the end?

When I was choosing a school to attend, I was urged by many to do my research on different schools before making my choice.  I had heard a lot of talk in articles and on the internet about "for-profit" schools and wanted to make sure I was getting the best education I could.  Many in our local VFW suggested I do my research on retention, graduation and transfer rates of each school, to get a better idea of what exactly each school had to offer, and how other students and graduates felt about the school.  AMU had excellent retention and graduation rates for the degree I was looking for, and came up as the top choice for me, hands down, although I can't speak to all of the degree programs they offer. In my program, they had a 64% graduation rate, which is on par with many private, non-profit schools, while many other "for-profit schools", were around 25-30%. Upon talking with AMU students and graduates in the field I was looking to go into, so many of them had such positive experiences with the classes and obtaining great jobs with their degrees, as well.  This report is actually the only negative I could find about the school, along with one person who continually posts the same answer on Yahoo answers.  That says a lot!

For my personal experience, I haven't been taking classes with AMU very long, but I can assure you, you can't just skate by in these classes and get good grades.  I was always a student who rarely studied or put much effort in school, while always getting A's and B's, but I really have to put some time and effort into these classes.  I write at least a paper per class, along with several LONG discussion boards and replies, plus quizzes and exams nearly every week. I'm taking six classes this semester, three of which are 16 week classes. It is definitely no cake walk. This school and the degree programs may not be for everyone, but it is definitely a great option for many! 

As AMU is an online school, the response to most of the questions posed is "N/A."  As for the others, mainly with finance of the school itself, there is no question that this is a for-profit university, not a non-profit private university, with research$ and endowment funding for scholarships/grants being a key distinction between those two categories.  The questions you pose are an attempt to redefine reputable to exclude all for-profit schools are non-reputable by definition.  If that is your view, fine, no amount of debate will sway that.  But, if you are looking for a solid educational foundation in a variety of fields applicable to the government sector (and that sector sees the degree as reputable, btw), then AMU is a good place to be.

All this work at amending a report's contents is more like annoyance with information overload

However since there is so much "military" fervor on this particular report I wish to throw out a challenge for those who say this facility is reputable.  There is someone I know who is willing to attend  your "esteemed" University but several questions must be asked!

A.  Will you help someone (help them completely) attend the University even if they cannot pay for it?

B.  Will you help them acclimatize themselves in the University environment?

C.  Will you help them with traveling from where they are to the University no matter where they may be?

D.  Will you help them with room and board?

E.  Will you help them with anything else they may require?

Please don't give me this "garbage" about how it will depend upon the nature of the situation-that's not the point.  The point is if you claim to be reputable will you also render your assistance!

This is where talk stops and truth in action takes over!

The finger is now pointed at you all!

I have attended A LOT of different schools; my military career field dictated that I moved quite frequently. To quantify "a lot", I have attended Florida International University, Florida Atlantic University, The University of Maryland, Park College, St Martin's College (Washington State), and a few others. I hold 2 baccalaureate degrees (one with a dual major in Psychology and Aviation Science...so it's really like having 3 undergraduate degrees) and 2 Associate degrees. When I decided to pursue a Master's, I started at the University of Maryland, and switched over to the Masters of Science in Space Studies at AMU. With the exception of AMU, and one other CLEP test, all of my classes were in a traditional classroom setting. None of the classes I had taken previously even came close to the depth and challenge of my AMU courses. None of the final exams or assignments in the traditional classes even broached the amount of effort required by ANY of the AMU exams or essays. As for the setting of those exams...I don't recall any of them NOT being proctored. In some cases, I had to use the proctored facility provided by the Education Centers of the base to which I was assigned, and in others I had to approach a more senior Commissioned Officer to act as my proctor. In all cases, the proctoring entity had to contact my AMU professor to establish his eligibility to act in that capacity.

In most cases, I got more out of the AMU professors than was the case in most of the resident courses because they made themselves available for scheduled online chats, or personally responded to my emails within 24 hours...I cannot claim this for my "traditional" professors, who mostly entered the classrooms, lectured, and left; then held office hours in which, a sometimes pretty significant number of students, would vie for a few minutes of his/her time.

LT Max, I'm not going to resort to attacking you, but I find your assertions to be off-base. This is not to say that your friends may not have been short-changed; but the reality of it is that there are always some lucky people who seem to do less and yet get by. I recall taking "Statistics", I really don't remember the school at which I did it, but it was a resident course...I didn't, and still don't understand one bit of it; and I'm certain that I gave it only minimal effort, and yet to my surprise I got an "A". I am very proud of my accomplishment at AMU; and I'm even thankful to you for initiating this report, because the number of seemingly like-minded people, AMU/APU graduates and others, that rebutted your comments seems to validate my accomplishment, while you are only one voice (actually, to be fair, I think I did see one other person that might have agreed with you; but even they seemed to think your rant was a bit vitriolic).

LTMax,

No personal attacks here, no grammar correction, just my personal experience.  USAFA '02, Univ Alaska Anchorage *07 (MPA), AMU *09 (MSI).  I found very little difference between the brick and mortar experience at UAA and the online experience in terms of the rigors of the work, though certainly less at the latter in terms of support (the nature of online - you're much more on your own to sink or swim).  Maybe you feel I've been deprived of a "real education," but when I was accepted for my current PhD program this year, I found they completely disagree as my MSI and my thesis from that MSI were what drew most of their interest and made the sale. 

Of course, maybe you don't see Princeton University as offering a "real education" either. 

I would like to take this opportunity to make it clear that I am not a student or affiliated with AMU in any way. My comment is for the individual who is claiming that AMU is not a decent university because its curriculum is "too easy" and also because it is a "for profit" school. I am a college graduate of a reputable university and I find it ironic that you encourage people to not attend AMU but instead attend a "not for profit" school. Clearly you do not know the difference between "profit" and "not for profit" regarding education. All universities are for profit schools. If you do know of any that are not, please post one or advise. All universities operate to make a profit rather it be through donations, government funding, tuition, or some form of revenue coming into the school. AMU is no different in this case. That does not mean a school is good or bad due to this necessary economic essential for profit and growth. And to go further with this, the tuition at AMU is quite reasonable as most private universities charge between fifteen to forty five thousand dollars per academic school year versus thirty one thousand dollars for an undergrad degree (whole program) and roughly twelve thousand dollars (whole program) for a grad degree at AMU. At a private university this can cost approximately 120 to 150 thousand dollars versus only thirty two thousand or twelve thousand at AMU. You do the math on that one.

Finally, I would like to comment on the "too easy" comment you made. Just because a person reads a book and takes the test with the book open in front of them does not mean that they are not learning the material. In fact, this method can be very effective for some learning styles. This may help some individuals learn the material and retain it better. After all, its not about how rigorous the system is; its about getting the most out of the books you read in order to be a value to the company you work for. If a person chooses to use this advantage to slack and cut corners in their education achievement, who are they really hurting at the end of the day? It's not the schools fault if a person chooses to take short cuts. By allowing you to take open book exams, I would argue that AMU is giving you a promising route to be successful with the material.

I just wanted to make a quick comment to state that I am thoroughly impressed by the support that APU has been garnering here and on other sites that I've read.  Of course, there's no real way of knowing if some of these are planted responses, but the logic and clarity of these rebuttals is hard to ignore.  The fact that many have posted full disclosure is comforting.

I've been looking at online universities for several months hoping to pursue a MBA.  I earned my undergrad at the University of Texas in 2008, but I no longer have the time, nor the willingness to deal with the college campus experience.  I've talked to advisors at Kaplan, Phoenix, and lastly APU (which I'd never heard of before) and was most impressed by its affordability, ease of access to learning materials, and the emphasis on personal education (I dislike group projects when it comes to grades).  I work for the federal government, and everything I've read leads me to believe that APU is a smart choice for those looking to advance in their federal careers.

I'm in the process of enrolling for this upcoming semester.  Thanks for putting my mind at ease.

"To all respondents, hired or otherwise". Your first line says it all; I should not have even bothered to read the rest of your little piece. You have been issuing these complaints since Feb 2010, yet you have never even taken a class there and only cite "friends" as your source.  Would it help you to know AMU / APU's accreditation was just reaffirmed until 2020? I'm betting it won't, as you seem to ignore any actual proof this is a decent school.

I tend to agree with another post here, you must be motivated by some personal issue with the school that you are not including in your posts. What else would prompt you to continue to post these reviews after more than a year, and still maintain you have never even taken a course there? Why are you even reviewing the school in the first place if you aren't even a student there? Do you also post reviews of places you've never visited? These aren't personal attacks although you will say they are. Your posts just don't make sense and there must be more to the story then you let on.

Going back to early 2010, (which again is a long time to carry on a complaint against a place you have never been), you have never once offered any more evidence then your "friends" opinions and a link to an article that discusses one individual professor. Hardly solid evidence, or even weak evidence. It's nothing and meaningless. I would really like you to respond with something useful, instead of just getting defensive and repeating your earlier posts.

I attended Radford University part time for 4 years, and have taken a few classes at Northern Virginia Community College. I am currently researching different schools to finish my Bachelor's, and I stumbled across this post while beginning my research on APU. I have been looking to move away from the classroom and into online-only course study because it has always worked best for me as a student; I work full time, I am very self-motivated and like working at my own pace, and have been very disappointed with my in-class experiences at both schools I've attended. Ive never had any help paying for school, with the exception of a student loan which I'm currently paying off, so APU is naturally intriguing as they are the next cheapest option to the cost of most community colleges. From my research, they incorporate the pricing of the books into the tuition, and while this sounds almost too good to be true based on the price of their undergraduate classes, it is definitely a smart move on their part. Im so sick of spending money on books that the instructors require but never even touch in the course of the semester, and then receiving less than 10% when selling books back. Anyone whos ever taken one college course before has been though this, so to incorporate the cost into tuition is an ideal situation. Also, AMU and APU are regionally and nationally accredited; you expressed that just because they are accredited by an agency that is recognized by the government does not necessarily deem it a good school, but does that mean any other school accredited by the same organization is just as illegitimate? What do you argue is the purpose of accreditation if you dismiss their accreditations despite government approval, and how can anyone trust any accreditation in that case when picking a school?

This post is very frustrating to me because I am looking for comments or reviews from people with first-hand negative experience with the school, as I agree that you can't always trust the positive reviews of any for-profit organization or company- whether it's for an educational institution or a fast food restaurant. Im sorry but your post does nothing to warn or deter me from researching this school further, so in your goal you have failed unless you can provide an actual experience. You speak of a few examples from the people you know, but from your descriptions it sounds to me like your sources are lazy and hold no ethical values as students.  I just think you should be aware of how you have discredited yourself by using resources such as these, and in addition have failed to say anything here that is worth reading as it comes without any offer of an experience of your own. How do your friends that youve referenced feel about the school? I have no ties to AMU/APU; I am just looking for some honest opinions bases on real-life experiences. I feel your animosity towards the school is due either to a bad personal experience that you didn't mention on this forum, or that you are bitter having put a lot of time, hard work and money into a program elsewhere while others around you are seemingly breezing through a degree at AMU/APU. I have definitely felt that way before and feel for you if that is the case- Ive watched my peers whose parents pay for anything and everything skate by and graduate easy as pie while Im still waiting tables just trying to afford one class at a time while paying bills and struggling to even afford food. After taking courses at Radford I was bitter and angry, so much so that I verbally bashed the school anytime someone mentioned the name. Since leaving Ive had several friends who have graduated from Radford that LOVED it, so after a few years passed and I cooled down I realized, who am I to say it is so horrible? It just wasn't for me, but that doesn't mean it's not right for everyone. Perhaps this is something that you could consider. If youve never had to work while attending school, 16 weeks can be a very long time, and seems unnecessary for certain classes. When youve paid for classes over and over to still run into the same curriculum simply to fill class time, it can be very defeating. From my own school experiences and through research of the schools, AMU/APU could be an ideal choice for me in my position but I just dont know until I read real facts. If what I have been reading from different sources is accurate, the schools promote a virtual environment that is affordable, supports our military students who need it most, and incorporates class schedules that are very flexible and accommodating.
 
Since no one here has agreed with this post yet, does anyone out there have any first-hand negative experience with either AMU or APU? I've only read good things, except that the financial aid department doesn't quite have it together, so I'd love to hear anything that might be a good enough reason not to at least try out one class there and see how I like it. Again, anyone who has proof otherwise please post with some real facts! 

Please advise my friends!

To all respondents, hired or otherwise, Its been a while since I wrote the original post and there has been a lot of replies that I feel is time to re-address. 

First of all, I truly understand the motives behind a for-profit corporation to attack posts with legitimate concerns like this one in an effort to protect the image of AMU/APU and consequently enrollments and the bottom line.  Do I believe that every poster above is a true AMU/APU alumni and not a paid PR agent defending the quality of their degrees and institution? Not a chance!  But let me indulge in the ignorance of the posters that do everything but address the main points of my post and subsequent ones. 

Most of the replies have been nothing but personal attacks, discrediting my grammar, punctuation, and mechanics.  This is a perfect example of an ad hominem attack, which for the uniformed; it simply is a logical fallacy in any argument.  The posters here are trying to discredit me and thus by extension discredit my posts without never addressing them.  Perfect examples of lesser minds are work, who takes things at face value without having to engage their minds in true critical thinking by addressing the true issues at hand.  Not surprising since is all coming from AMU/APU alumni.  One has to wonder if critical thinking was not or is encourage in their curriculum. 
How about you posters stick to the issues and address them? I guess you cant because all you have is your own personal and bias experience or in the case of PR agents, an agenda to save face for this company.

For those who do not have a hidden agenda or bias, I offer the following article which brings up some of the issues I posted in a very eloquent way.

http://dailycensored.com/2010/03/29/does-the-american-military-university-amu-teach-torture-to-its-students-or-has-it-taught-torture-in-the-past-wikileaks/

Perhaps, those interested in furthering their education will consider the facts (not irrelevant personal experience) and make an inform decision and stay away from AMU/APU.

Ultimately, for all the current students of AMU/APU and alumni, we all make our choices so live with it.  You are or were cheated of a real education.  I dont wish you ill but rather, I pity you and hope for the best, maybe even a decent living wage.

My fellow AMU graduates, students, and Professors have handled the original poster well.  I just wanted to add a couple of comments. I have attended several colleges - online and brick and mortar.  I look for two things when choosing a school.  First and foremost is accreditation.  The school must be regionally accredited.  Regional accreditation is the accepted accreditation of all legitimate universities.  Harvard, Purdue, Drexel, etc.  are regionally accredited.   AMU and APU are regionally accredited.  The credits you earn there will transfer to any major or state university in the country.  Therefore, regional accreditation is not given lightly. 

The other item I look for is the education of the professors--if your professor was educated at an Ivy League or another well-known school than that is the education you, as a student, will also receive. Take a look at the faculty list of APU and AMU.

The poster needs to catch up with the times--online education is the wave of the future.  You can no longer judge an online education as synonymous with diploma mill.  I would not attend a school that was not regionally accredited.

Maybe the original poster could not get accepted to AMU or APU?  Why the angst against a school you have never attended?

As a current graduate student in military history at APU, I read LTmaxs critique of this online school about six months ago and was disturbed by his lack of research, as well as the quality control at Ripoff Report for allowing such unsubstantiated nonsense to be published on their website in the first place.



I cannot speak for others, but to prospective students out there I would like to offer my experiences so far after the three classes I have taken in the last year. I am an active duty sergeant major in the U.S. Army and I am working on a Masters Degree in Military History at APU. Due to the course workload, I am taking one class at a time. Other students may be able to take multiple classes at the same time, but my experience thus far is that each class has had an enormous amount of work involved so I can only handle one at a time in addition to a full time job.



LTmax stated, Some classes usually require a paper to writeOne of my friends, submits the same paper for every class every semester. Well, that has not been the case for me.  Every class I have been in has had multiple papers to write.  My first class was an Introduction to Historical Methods, and I was required to read two textbooks as well as about 30 articles and essays, and complete a prcis as well as a research paper proposal.



LTmax stated, He is getting by and will get a degree and only had to write one paper.  I would really like to see this mythical one size fits all paper that LTmax talks about. That statement alone tells me that LTmax has probably never been to college, and as a non commissioned officer in the U.S. Army for over 22 years whose job it has been to teach, coach, and mentor new officers over the years, I must say that I have never seen an officer express himself/herself so inadequately so I doubt that LTmax is a commissioned officer in any organization in our nations military forces. Notice how he/she disappeared after being offered a chance to take a course? That in itself speaks volumes.  Furthermore, the mythical one size fits all paper would be worth more than the Mona Lisa!



My second class was Historiography and was much more difficult and culminated with a historical research essay that required a minimum of ten references. In the end I read seventeen books in order to get enough information to actually write just that one paper. That is in addition to an academic book review as well as the essays/articles/textbooks that I was required to read as well. Not to mention the time that I spent online searching as well as in my local libraries. In addition to a full time job the workload was staggering. I did not see much of my wife or friends during that class.



The third class I just finished was Studies in US Military History and has not been as much of a challenge as the other two, but I have still had to read one 701 page textbook, as well as five books; each of which required an academic book review, as well as posts/responses each week.  Depending on the class, I have spent an average of 2-3 hours a night and 2-5 or more hours on Saturday and Sunday reading, writing, researching, etc. just for one class at a time. My professor in Historiography stated to our class, You must master the material.  He was not kidding. I cannot speak for the rest of APU, but in the graduate history degree you will do a lot of reading and will be expected to analyze what you read. Students are required to read a large amount of material each week which will cover different subjects so just keeping up with this information has been a challenge for me.



LTmax stated, The curriculum is a joke  The questions are extremely easy but most of the time the conversation turns to an off-topic conversation. This has not been the case for me.  All of my classes have had a requirement for multiple posts and responses each week.  Each post requires some effort as the questions usually cover a great deal of information from the textbooks/essays/articles.  My experience has been that my posts usually wind up being akin to a mini essay that requires a great deal of thought and reading (e.g. hours) beforehand. Additionally, the instructors actually read these posts and frequently offer more leading questions for you to answer, and you will not get by with one and two sentence posts or responses. I know this from experience as I was lazy one week and my professor docked points off my grade due to my limited and poor response.



LTmax stated, The books are free but most of the time they are not complete versions just excerpts. I have not used the online versions, as I prefer to actually buy my textbooks so I can highlight and make notes in them because I learned early on that the professors refer to them quite a bit.  Buying them used off Amazon or Barnes and Noble usually costs me about an average of $60. It is an untruthful statement to say that you can pass by just reading excerpts. I would like to see an academic book review or historical research essay completed from excerpts.



Another thing that really bothered me was LTmaxs statement, He gets an "A" every time so I know his paper don't get read. By the way he is a senior in AMU and don't even know how to reference a paper using APA or MLA! In my humble opinion, anyone with grammatical skills this poor should not even attempt to take classes at APU. All of my professors have covered this basic fact in their syllabus and they grade accordingly. To be quite frank, I have never seen any weekly post from any of my classmates with grammar as consistently awful as LTmax in any of my classes so far.  Additionally, all of my papers were required to be referenced using Chicago/Turabian, and you can forget about using Wikipedia for anything. This is something else that every professor that I have had has specifically mentioned so far. And all my papers were read with responses/corrections given back to me. Furthermore, they are all checked for plagiarism at Turnitin online and anyone caught doing so is expelled. My professors have all mentioned this basic fact. 



LTmax stated, True some of the instructors are probably experienced people in their fields working full times. They are there for the easy paycheck not the passion to teach. Not in my case. My three professors have all had quite impressive resumes.  They have all had a PhD, and one teaches at the Army War College, one has been a history professor for 26 years, and one had been a naval officer for over 20 years prior to his teaching career.



LTmax stated, Basically if you put some minimal time, minimal effort and a ton of money you will eventually get a degree. Nothing could be further from the truth. All of my classes have been 16 weeks long, and furthermore, as an active duty soldier, APU is extremely affordable for me due to the armys tuition assistance, which pays for almost 90% of my costs. It is even better for soldiers pursuing a bachelors degree because each class does not cost as much as those classes in the masters degree program.



Personally, if I were researching online colleges and universities, I would pay no attention whatsoever to any of LTmaxs statements. He was never a student, and for some reason, he felt compelled to offer his comments in which he did so extremely poorly, and his rebuttals were even worse as they failed to offer any proof to his allegations. However, I would pay tremendous attention to the responses in this forum by actual students and alumni of this university. If you are searching for the real answer to what it is like to be a student at the online university of AMU/APU, they have stated it much more eloquently than I have.



To prospective students out there, I would offer this advice. If you do not have good study skills, cannot write effectively or research any better than LTmax, and are not prepared to spend considerable time and effort towards achieving a degree then you are going to have a difficult time at APU/AMU. In my personal experience, it has not been a degree mill.



On the other hand, over the past year it had been an extremely rewarding experience for me with proactive administrative personnel (over the phone and here at my duty station) and with professors who care a great deal about their students and who expect even more. Any motivated student with half the smarts and common sense of LTmax should be able to and could earn a degree at this university. However, it has been my experience so far that this institution is going to make you earn it. 

I am so surprised that this website accepted a claim from someone that never attended this university. First of all, AMU is an excellent school that is regionally and nationally accredited. Yes, it is for profit organization; however, the tuition is one of the lowest compared to that of other online universities.The quality of education is superior and the professors are all qualified to match their specialized fields. 

I am so happy with my experience at this school compared to that of University of Phoenix; whos mainly in it for the money and not the education.  I have a BA in Business Management from AMU, and I have gotten many job offers from civilian companies such as Lockheed Martin, General Dynamics, Raytheon, DSCI. 

To any prospective students, please do your research first, but trust me when I say this is an awesome school. Remember, you get what you put into your education.

Be the judge for yourself and dont be discouraged by LT Max comments.

Good luck to you all in your educational endeavor :)

I am a student of APU, which is also associated with AMU. Here is my rebuttal:

1) MYTH - APU/AMU is expensive: Capella, Kaplan, and the University of Phoenix are expensive, with some charging over $350/credit for undergraduate courses, as well as charging for books and having other fees, as well. APU/AMU charges $250/credit for undergraduate courses and offers free textbooks and no application fee.

2) MYTH - APU/AMU free textbooks are not full textbooks: That's BS. The textbooks are full-length e-books, and if an e-book isn't available, the textbook is shipped to you for FREE. The university actually pays for it completely.

3) MYTH - You don't have to put forth effort: I have busted my butt to obtain a 3.6 GPA, and my friend Beth who attends AMU has done the same to obtain her 3.9 GPA. It is also against university policy to copy and paste information from books or the internet and not cite them properly. To combat plagiarism, many classes require that you submit your paper to turnitin.com, which analyzes the paper to see how original it is - if anything is plagiarized, it shows up in what is called an Originality Report. Some classes require you to turn in a paper with the originality report.

4) MYTH - Discussion boards turn off-topic "most of the time": Again, complete BS. Some instructors are less involved, that is true. However, the discussion boards are not easy. Most require a minimum of 300 words for the initial post, and 150-200 words for replies to students. They must be on topic. If you're just posting gibberish, it is likely you won't get a very good grade. Some instructors are very involved in the posts, and they will instruct as you go along, commenting and asking questions. The questions can be very difficult at times, some requiring that you answer 10 questions and writing mini-papers about the topic. By the time you're done, you have four pages of material!

5) MYTH - The instructors don't care: I have to call BS on this one, too. I have taken 11 classes with APU, and I have only had 2 instructors that I didn't like, both of which were still very involved in the classroom experience. I have done the online school thing many times, with many universities, including a brick and mortar university. I have hated every online experience except for this one. The instructors care, they are HIGHLY qualified (many with doctorates) and they spend a lot of time grading, providing feedback, and getting involved in the discussion boards.

If your friend is taking an economics class and can't cite references or tell you basic principles of economics, than your friend isn't trying and he is probably an idiot.

Here are some good things about APU/AMU:

1) Low tuition for an online school and free FULL e-books or textbooks if an e-book is unavailable
2) Qualified instructors that provide passion and a quality education
3) A simple application process, geared toward working and busy adult students
4) 8 week classes that allow for flexibility and quick results (IF you put forth the effort to learn)
5) A reputable school that has been around for 20 years, that is regionally and nationally accredited

I don't understand how one person, the author, who never attended the university has any idea as to what goes on there. Some of the courses are easier than other, yes but it isn't all candy and bubble gum. Anyone who reads this review and believes it needs help. AMU is fully accredited by all the right organizations and is far from a mill degree university.

I don't have miles and miles of words to say but I do want to point out that the author clearly bought his degree if he has one at all. If he is considered a "reporter" he needs to find a new profession.

I don't understand how one person, the author, who never attended the university has any idea as to what goes on there. Some of the courses are easier than other, yes but it isn't all candy and bubble gum. Anyone who reads this review and believes it needs help. AMU is fully accredited by all the right organizations and is far from a mill degree university.

I don't have miles and miles of words to say but I do want to point out that the author clearly bought his degree if he has one at all. If he is considered a "reporter" he needs to find a new profession.

I had considered this school for a little over six months, as I made my decision to go back to school. I wanted to be sure that my degree would be worth something and that it would be relevant in the job market. I saw this RIP off report and I decided to give it a read. As I said I wanted to find the dirt on AMU so that I could be sure about my decision.

I read the post and it was written by someone who had never even attended. I read through the other posts and what I found was interesting. There were no negative comments by students who actually attended. There was not a single comment from those who attended and then dropped out either. I read alumni experiences and I was impressed with everyones ability to convey ideas in a rational, logical, and critical way.

After reading this report and the glowing responses from the alumni and the educators, I started to read posts on the perception of AMU as a whole, and within the collegiate community. What I found was pretty impressive. AMU/APUS is regionally accredited. It is one of the top online schools along with WGU (a not-for-profit school) and some B and M school that offer online learning.

Further more I looked into the claims of the eight week curriculum. It is true AMU/APUS does offer eight week courses, but as I found so do my local community college and their program transfers directly to UNC. Further research indicates that the eight week curriculum is not uncommon even in B&M's. It is in fact a growing trend. Perhaps educators have come to the realization that learning a subject of study does not require a rigid eight week course. This is becoming common practice even in "reputable" four year colleges.

As far as the cost of tuition; it is competitive. There are B&M schools that are so much more, I dont think I could reasonably afford them even with student loans, grants and scholarships.

Finally I looked into the actual programs. I wanted to get into Global Logistics, and AMU has a specialized program in this field. My impression when all my research was completed? JACKPOT!

I am now attending AMU as a full time student and I can assure anyone considering this school that it will not be a matter of breezing through. You will not be able to turn in one paper for multiple classes. They have high standards on plagiarism and they verify your work is original by sending it through a verification website. This will alert your professors as to the originality of your papers and if you have turned it in already then it will give your professor a note indicating the work is not an original.

My suggestion to anyone who read the original post and thought to themselves, "an easy degree, I can get for me..." think again. You will spend time researching your papers, you will not be able to copy and paste, you will not be able to cite Wikipedia, you will be given expectations and you will have full disclosure so no surprises when grades are given.

To conclude, the original poster was angry about something or someone attending AMU/APUS. Perhaps he/she graduated from a B&M and was passed over for promotion for a better candidate who happened to graduate from AMU/APUS. Would that make AMU or his/her B&M school less valid? Did they even attend any kind of higher learning institution? Hard to say with his/her glaring grammar, and punctuation errors, not to mention his rigid stance on arguments based purely on conjecture and had no bases in actual factual research. Perhaps his/her friends were less than reputable persons, lending to the old saying "you are your friends..." That's not a slight on anyone, but how could this one person have found the only five people who have anything negative to say about AMU? Why could they not write this report themselves? Why have there not been more people coming forward to argue on behalf of his/her tirade.

Believe me when I say people do not care how much money they spend on something, if it is of low quality they WILL make it known, if for no other reason than to place shame on the broken promise of their purchase. Embarrassment may take place if this were a face to face environment, but this is basically an anonymous way to express feelings about a product, so yes eventually someone would come out and speak to the claims made on the initial post, but in fact no one has...

That probably says more than anything else I or any one else could say in defense of this school.
 

So it appears after an AMU alumnus generously offered to pay for the author to take a course, and another sensibly asked the author to release the names of cheating students/lazy professors, the author disappeared.  That pretty much tells me that these were misguided allegations posted by someone with the intent of slandering the universitys name.  I must say that such a showing of school pride is uncommon in many brick and mortar schools, let alone an online university.  The well thought out responses in this thread that eventually led to the dismissal of this false claim are commendable.  The pride that people take in AMU as their academic choice illustrates the hard-work and effort many have put into their education at AMU.  I am working on my Masters in National Security while deployed in Afghanistan and could not be happier so far.  The online portal, interaction with students and professors, and curriculum has all been outstanding thus far.  I would be satisfied with the education I am receiving from AMU anywhere back home; the fact that AMU enables me to pursue this degree while deployed only helps me to appreciate the true value of this education.

Paul Anderson
B.S. Boston University

LTmax engages in numerous fallacious arguments unsupported by fact, logic, and empirical research.

For example, it took this AMU grad a mere 2 minutes to uncover a contradiction within the 10th grade level prose in LTmaxs biased and anecdotal rant unsupported by fact, logic, and empirical research:

All my friends taking classes with this university laugh at how easy it is to get a degree.Ltmax

And this,

The sad part about this, is that my friends honestly believe they are getting a good education.LTmax

Indeed, it appears that LTmax has been caught in a contradiction or misrepresentation are the authors friends stupid, schizophrenic, or is the author fabricating evidence ?

Moreover, the diatribe is rife with poor grammar indicative of a substandard education, not a substandard university education a substandard secondary school education.

In sum, the only true statement that LTmax has offered is that he/she did not attend AMU since the fundamental framework of his/her entire critical review would have been exposed as faulty in an introductory research methods course at AMU.

The writer of this complaint is NOT a student.  Until you actually get into the system, it is impossible to determine quality/value.

When I decided to go back to school in 2009, I was ready to go with State College but just before I registered for classes, I learned about all of the hidden fees that they would not use financial aid for.  Their solution to cut costs was courses like basket weaving that did not require a textbook. 

Another institution I  looked at kept changing their fee structure.  I got a written breakdown via an email and then the story started changing throughout the registration process.  The student advisers lied and promised eligibility for scholarships.  When I asked where to apply for those scholarships, I was ignored.  I researched the scholarship opportunities independently and learned they were not applicable to my degree program, adult returning students, and one had a residency requirement.  When I asked about this discrepancy I was treated with disrespect, and that I was too stupid to understand hour financial planning for an education works and obviously too stupid to make it through the program.  This was a brick and mortar school with an on-line extension program.  

The writers friends laugh at how easy the classes are.  Some are were very easy but that is because I am in my 40's and have real world experience, have a career, and have run my own business in the past.  Many of the topics were familiar territory.  As minimal time, that's insane and his friends taking 3 classes in an 8 week condensed period must not have full time jobs, or they took the easy courses. 

The intro 1 credit course to familiarize the student with the on-line classroom was a breeze.  It brought familiarity to the various forms of writing scholastically such as APA, Chicago, etc.  Most of my classes required APA format, a few required others.  Most classes required textbook reading.  The amount varied from 150 and as much as 500 pages in a week.  Some classes required you have the reading complete and write a paper using at least one outside source of 750 words mid-week to have classroom discussions.  Then you have to read student responses and respond to at least 2 others.  Invariably, half of the students could not write at a college level, they were late, or just used 750 words to get the assignment done making it extremely difficult to participate.  It became challenging.  One would hope these students putting in a sloppy effort.  I heard from many in my classes that they were not doing well.  

I also don't understand the complaint about credits being earned through military training.  I have my Six Sigma Lean through the military as well as being a Certified Property Manager, and a Level II Certified Logistician.  Each certification required several classes and in the military you have 3 chances to earn 100% with the system we use.  We have tons of training on the job that is actually more brutal than any expensive brick and mortar school I attended in the past.

For the most part, I have to agree that the study is extremely independent and it really depends on the instructor.  I had some instructors that posed "devils advocate" questions to get people thinking in a guided self-discovery learning style.  I nearly dropped my marketing class because they instructor was completely unresponsive and late in grading work which is critical to managing an 8 week condensed course.  Sciences and Math instructors went above and beyond.  My only complaint is that the appeals process for a grade is a joke.  I submitted a few assignments and due to a computer error, the attachment did not go through.  I lost points for being "late" when there was electronic proof the work was submitted on time.  Again, we used a database to create a plagiarism report before submitting final papers.  I submitted a paper and the instructor wanted the PDF and a word doc.  I was traveling when I got the announcement so uploaded what I had with an explanation the bibliography was in the PDF.  I still lost 20% as a result of the last minute change. When I appealed, both times, I was ignored and not even given a response. 

The biggest plus is NO HIDDEN FEES.  If you like e-books... no cost for textbooks.  As far as the books being "excerpts" I actually bought used textbooks because of my travel schedule and I never saw anything cut.  The books I saw were full versions.

I also question the "HIGH" tuition statement.  $250 a credit, books included, and no additional fees.  An Associates runs you about $15K and a bachelors $30K.  All costs are well below the Federal subsidized/unsubsidized loan limits.  The only thing I have to say is that the school required me to take out the maximum on the loan even if I didn't need it.  I had a credit balance on my account and wanted to use that for upcoming classes in lieu of another loan but the school wouldn't let me, they forced another loan.  I had them send me the refund and I sent it back to the loan people.  They seem to have problems if you want to switch from Student Loans to self-pay.  I received a promotion in the process of getting my degree and did not need the financial assistance, but they wouldn't change my status.  No big loss, I just sent the money right to the loan folks paying it off as soon as it was distributed.  The costs were a lot lower than ANY OTHER university I looked at.

I have to say if someone isn't reading the book, it will catch up with them if not in school when they start applying for jobs.  If they can't write a cohesive sentence or sends the same paper for every class, it will probably catch up with them on the graduation audits. 

It is true your tests for the most part are open book and not proctored, but your overall final degree assessment IS a proctored, closed book exam that covers questions in every subject of your degree program as well as a writing sample.  If you don't pass that final degree assessment... no degree...  I would be interested to know if the person's friend passes that test and the outcome.

As a current APU student, I was surprised by this article. I did my research before attending, and APU fit the bill for the lifestyle I had. (I was wary of a online school I had never heard of). It was comparable in price (if not cheaper) than the brick & mortar schools in my area. Not to mention, working 40+ hours a week and finding the time to drive and attend classes was not an option for me.

I am glad so many have stood in defense of APU/AMU. I have been attending since March 2010 and have worked very hard to maintain my GPA. All of my professors have been great and the classes are challenging.  All of my professors have been sticklers for grammar and punctuation usage. Chicago style formatting is a must for History majors.

What shocked me the most from the original article (and others have mentioned it as well) saying that papers were reused and the Wikipedia was an accepted source. In every single class I have taken, it is an adamant statement that Wikipedia is not an acceptable source. The other, was the re-use of papers. They have stated that that is unacceptable and they view that as plagiarism. Not to mention, I have not had any classes where I could really re-use them.



Overall, I'm happy to be a student and cannot wait until I graduate! And the original poster, and this has already been said, but he should have done some more research.

i am a recent graduate from amu and it is not a rip off.  like anything else in this world, you get what you put into it.  i took some tough classes and some easy classes.  the point being is that this is accredited school and i was able to enroll in north dakota state university to continue with my graduate work.  the graduation rate is 55% versus university of phoneix which is 23%.  the cost for each credit is half of what phoneix charges for the exact same program. 

until one attends an online school, then we humbly ask to not steer others away from a program that will do them good.  also as any first year law student can tell you "here say is not admissable in a court of law."  do the research yourself and dont listen to people who have never attended school.
thank you

I was going back and forth mentally in regards to whether I wanted to go to AMU or not. Your post sealed the deal. I'm registering tommorow!

I, too, want to do a PhD based on an AMU History MA. So, I chose the Thesis option, over the comprehensive exam, so I would have examples of my research in a portfolio. I also have three AMU professors willing to give me recommendations. Each teach full-time at other schools (SUNY, Naval War College, U of Florida). Now I'm beginning to work on my foreign languages (French, German and Latin) at a local B&M, to prepare me for that part of the curriculum.

David T

I returned to university 30 years after my BS from Texas A&M... a career and raising 4 children alone (one disabled) took precedence. 

I am just finishing my MA in History (Ancient and Classical). I am writing my thesis, intending to finish in July 2011. I have a 3.9something GPA, after getting an A- in Ancient Warfare.

I have 33 credits, so far and I have posted most of the papers I've written on a document sharing site--54 at current count--creating a portfolio to support my entrance into a PhD program.

I append the link to my papers here, if any want to see how difficult the program can be.

http://www.scribd.com/davidterrell80/documents

My employer, BAE Systems, is one of the largest defense contractors in the world... and thinks enough of APUS to partner with them... and, gratefully, pay for the entirety of my program:

http://www.apus.edu/news-events/news/2011/03-09-11-APU-Partners-with-BAE-Systems-Intelligence-and-Security-Sector-and-Sun-Maid-to-Offer-Enhanced-Online-Education-Opportunities-to-Employees

The school was declared a "preferred school" by the LAPD

http://www.apus.edu/news-events/news/2010/06-18-10-lapd.htm

That the OP's friend gets by so well in undergraduate classes may speak more about the capability and capacity of his friend, vice the weakness of the courses. When I look at the syllabus of the 100 & 200 level courses, I think they are pretty easy, too.

But, my 17 year-old son, who is inexperienced, but no slouch, is working pretty hard on his BA.

Let the regional accreditation agencies do their job...

Best complements, 

David Terrell
Texas A&M 1980, AMU 2011(est)

I have been taking two classes every sixteen weeks, and let me say, they're no joke. Mine is a research heavy degree (History), and my professors have been solid, critical, quick to respond, helpful, you name it. Indeed, before applying (yes, it's hard not to be accepted, true, but that's where the easiness ended for me), I researched the professors I'd likely be taking classes from. Finding out that they are all respectable, and many of them more than qualified, I went for it. I haven't been disappointed.

I can't speak for the undergraduate program, the eight week courses, or even for any other graduate program but mine, so let me rebut LT_Max directly. In each class, I am required to read approximately 150 pages per week, and I write, on average, 15 pages per week. My discussion posts must be referenced when I claim to be stating a fact, and I have to adhere strictly to the Chicago/Turabian standard. I am responsible for turning in an article-worthy paper at the end of each semester, and, if I fail to do so, I am made aware of it. I am maintaining a 'B+' average despite work that trumps friends' works that are getting 'A's in brick and mortar (B&M) institutions.

I must also cite your language, which is nebulous at best. "Some classes usually require a paper to write." So, because you use two variable qualifiers, your sentence can only be strictly interpreted as "anywhere between 1% and 99% of classes will require a paper." You need to back that up with, "of the blank classes one friend has taken, blank have had papers." Otherwise, we can only logically conclude that you have no idea what you're talking about.

Also, "since instructors are not really there to teach, they leave it up to the students to pick a subject" is again a false positive, as it were, on your part. Because an instructor may (I say 'may' because, as stated above, I cannot speak for every degree path) expect a student to take an active role in his or her education, and think critically about what he or she wants to research, you jump to the conclusion that the professor doesn't care. The American public education system is universally criticized for its doling out of cookie-cutter expectations and subjects. I actually say 'bravo' to this private institution that is not as restricted.

You also talk about the expense of attendance. I know that an eight week course costs the same as a sixteen week course. It is the same for every B&M institution I have ever looked into! Currently, my graduate courses are $900 apiece. This, friend, is cheap. My local B&M, with, in my opinion, a lower quality education, costs 50% more per course. Also, you criticize the very existence of eight week courses. Have you ever heard of summer-school?

I will end by touching on your criticism of discussions again. Discourse is an important part of any curriculum, really. It often takes a student to draw another student's concerns to the surface. This allows the professor to address misunderstandings that a student may not even know he or she has.

Author was never a student, yet has an incredible arsenal of opinions. I don't know where to begin. First of all, many traditional schools have 8-week accelerated distance-learning programs. University of Maryland for example. Regis University for example. Many others. The list grows every year. Are these schools ripoffs too? Given your non-attendance at APU/AMU and subsequent elaborate dissertation, this should not affect your opinion on these either. We eagerly await your thoughtful uninformed lectures on why UoM is a ripoff..

I don't have any experience with the undergraduate side of the university, but I did earn a Masters degree from APU.  In addition to it, I have an undergrad degree and a separate Masters from traditional brick and mortar universities (two "big name" ACC schools). 

My experience was generally positive.  I found the classes to be challenging and, for the most part, the faculty and fellow students to be engaging - just like the brick and mortars I went to, some people cared more than others.  My experience was that online learning presented a different set of challenges than traditional classroom learning did.  For example, personal time management was more important in the online environment than in a classroom one.

I would encourage anyone that feels they can pay money and be handed a degree to stay away from the institution - you're just cheating yourself and will be ill prepared to handle professional responsibilities upon graduation.  In my case, I do feel that APU prepared me well for a mid-life career change and I'm appreciative of the school and the professors that assisted me in my journey.

Best of luck to everyone who is seeking to expand their educational horizons!

Well, in response to the original post, that is the exact opposite of everything I have heard from people I know who have went to APU/AMU. They have all seemed to love it and everything about it. I think the big thing is the Regional Accreditation and the reasonable prices. One of my best friends told me about APU and I'm looking into attending. I do have concerns even though it is accredited regionally that a degree may not be taken as seriously but based on some of these posts I feel a lot better about it now.

And I'm guessing even though most posts were made about AMU the same positive responses would apply to APU because they are one in the same correct? This site has provided me with the best feedback on APU yet. (Thanks)

I was wondering though if I could get some further responses from those of you that have attended?
I'm thinking of going for a four year degree. I have some college credits already (not many) and I hope to have some military training evaluated and transferred over as well. If I'm lucky some of my Law Enforcement training too.

How long, on average, should it take me to obtain a 4 year degree? I work full time, so there is no way I can do a full load, part time load for sure and hopefully I will get some credits transferred over.

And bottom line, do all of you feel your degrees are taken seriously regardless of the field you work in out in the real world?

Any info is greatly appreciated!

Having attended a few universities, I have a few comments which I believe help develop understanding of online education.

1) Programs and courses from universities ranging from Penn State to UMASS are available online (see their respective websites). In fact, Harvard (see Harvard's website) even has online courses (with open-book tests/assignments). The teachers at some of these universities range from full-time professionals to full-time teachers.

2) As with ANY education, you get out of it what you put into it. Just look at all of these scholar-athlete scandals from "reputable" universities. Some scholar-athletes don't even bother going to class, yet receive a degree just as those that do attend their courses.

3) If AMU is as questionable as you say, then why are they accredited by an accrediting institution? Why can anyone take courses from AMU and transfer them to a private or public university (depending on transfer credit policies of the university).

4) You bash "for-profit" universities and claim the education they provide is questionable because they are worried about cash. Do you think public universities aren't worried about their budgets? A simple google search of "public university budget concerns" returns over 8 million results. Speaking of concerns, ever hear of grade inflation at public universities? Public universities are sometimes more worried about graduation rates than quality of education (google "grade inflation").

5) I see you made a lot of claims with no proof of your assertions. If you had received a "quality" education, then you would have at least attempted to provide sources for claims like "There was an article in the news not long ago." Also, you state you quizzed ONE person on economics. Even if that were true, does allow you to evaluate the whole university? I guess you never took a statistics course or heard of a confidence level. What's the confidence interval on quizzing ONE person anyway? I assure you that you can find at least one student in an economics course at Harvard that does not understand economics in the least. This does not speak to the whole university though. 

This is a slight tangent to the stream of discourse, but I wanted to ask you a few questions about teh credibility of AMU, as a Professor at AMU. I plan on getting my Masters of Arts in History at AMU, as my husband will be stationed in South Korea.  When I'm finished with the degree I want to go on to a doctoral program at a brick and mortar school such as UCSD, University of Texas or UCLA.  As an experienced educator, how do you think receiving an online masters degree will reflect on my applications to doctoral programs? Also, do you know of any history students that have gone onto doctoral programs or who have become college teachers after attending AMU?  My last question is, are there any tools available to the student online to assist with writing/tutoring etc through AMU?

Thanks for your time, and sorry for the tangent.

This report is nothing but speculation. I can not believe this report is able to stay on this website. It makes rip off report look pretty bad, and I didn't know they allowed reports from people who have not experienced the school itself.

I am not enrolled in  this school, and have been looking for flaws to AMU. I have found nothing yet, except this report. Which I have read and found this to be uninformative and false.

I do take online courses through a CC in my state, and all my past instructors have conducted their classes differently. I have had instructors who have been attentive, and instructors who just give out lesson plans. I have even  had instructors who assigned nothing!!! I was able to get a wonderful education, and have been able to retain most of the information I found valuable. 8 weeks is fast!!! If it's anything like I have gone through, I'm sure it's nothing but easy! $750 is extreme, but it's the least expensive school I have found.  It seems there are no gimmicks, calls every hour just to have you as a student. I think the report I read was a bunch of baloney. I hope nobody takes their word for it.

The comments made by the original poster are truly uninformed.

They should be removed.

The beginning words, I am not a student of AMU should be a clue.

I do hope this person enrolls there, because the moment he uses Wikipedia to answer his questions hes going to have to cite them, and hes also going to have to submit his papers to the plagarism evaluation site. Good luck with that. Same for submitting the same paper twice.

I wont dwell much more on this, nor does it merit any further response to the original poster on my behalf.

Signed,

A retired journalist with 25 years experience at NBC and ABC network news and two national Emmy awards.

Ichoose not to rebuttal the original post as many of you took care of this.I am a recent MBA graduate and for those who are questioning if an MBA from AMU or a for-profit school will better you in the private sector; I can confidently say yes from my experience and my company where advancements were made due to me earning my MBA.Additionally, would an HR manager consider an MBA from AMU or other for-profit schools?Well, my company paid for my MBA at AMU.That should tell you something.My company is a fortune 1000 company and values my efforts and education.An MBA is a tool to get you in the door of a company or advancement.The rest is up to you to apply what you have learned.

I am also a manager over a department with 24 employees.I am also the hiring manager as well.Guess what, the stigma of online degrees is slowly dissipating.I hire both from online and brick and mortar schools from some schools such as the Ohio State and I can attest to you a not for-profit school does not make an employee more experienced or functional than an employee from a for-profit school in my experience.

I'm not going to quote anything you have said LtMaxx but give you my opinions and experiences.  

All of you are missing an important point.   Most for profit schools are Nationally accredited.  While this sounds important it is not.  National accreditation is the type you hear about that does not transfer credits anywhere.  AMU and APU are Regionally accredited.  That means they have the same accreditation as a State University, Harvard, and Purdue.  These are the kind of credits that are recognized and transferred anywhere.  I am in the education world and I can tell you that Regional accreditation is not easy to achieve and you have to maintain the accreditation all the time - it is not handed out easily.  You are wrong about AMU and APU.  The instructors are outstanding and there is nothing at all easy about it.  I too have been to both types of Universities (physical and online).  The original poster needs to get their facts straight- I am not really sure why they posted at all.  This site is supposed to be about being ripped-off and it does not sound to me as if they were affected in any way by AMU or APU.  If you get the education and degree and pay reasonable prices for an accredited (Regional) university what is the issue???

Greetings!

First of all, let me point out that I have not only attended American Military University, but have also participated in an Information Technology practicum and have graduated with a B.S. in Information Technology Management. 

I have read the post that makes several erroneous claims based on second hand information.  I do not work for or have any ties to AMU or their parent, American Public University System beyond being a student, but I want to correct inaccuracies in a previous post.

"AMU is a rip off when it comes to quality of education." - Depending on who you ask, so is Harvard.  Many ivy league schools have degenerated into social networking institutions rather than grading students according to the standards they used to use in the past.

"First of all I'm not a student of AMU, because for profit universities have an interest not for quality of education but rather profits." - Okay, you don't have any direct affiliation or experience with the institution, but you're claiming they are a rip off.  Also, if you seriously believe that non-profits do not care about money, you are naive.

"All my friends taking classes with this university laugh at how easy it is to get a degree.  Basically if you put some minimal time, minimal effort and a ton of money you will eventually get a degree." - This is true at most contemporary American universities.

"The curriculum is a joke.  The main part of the curriculum is based on on-line discussion between a bunch of students who try to answer one or two selected questions posted by the instructor." - I don't know how much knowledge you have of higher learning, but this is the whole point of the collegiate learning environment.  Student discussion is a major component of learning at the post-secondary level along with reading, writing and research.

"The instructors hardly instruct." - If this were only true!  My political science and literature classes were brutal and taught by people who were very active in the professorial role.

"The five people I have asked all taking different classes with different instructors told me about the indifference and lack of participation of the instructors." - I am wondering if there is something other than second-hand, anecdotal evidence forthcoming.  Apparently not.

"True some of the instructors are probably experienced people in their fields working full times. They don't have the time to be full time teachers like real universities.  They are there for the easy paycheck not the passion to teach." - This is a general statement like "all democrats are anti-Constitutionalist".  You need to develop the ability to distinguish a fact from an opinion.  You obviously have no experience with the professors.

"The books are free but most of the time they are not complete versions just excerpts.  At the end of the semester you turn around and sell the book back to them, so in essence the price of the book is included in the HIGH tuition." - I never received an excerpt.  Additionally, I liked the electronic .PDF versions very much since you can find information very rapidly.  Some online text versions were lacking, however.  The books from Wiley were difficult to use.  I never sold books back to the institution.  I don't even think you can.  They use an external textbook vendor to fulfill orders.  Also, if you think $250/hr is expensive for online universities, you obviously have not done much research!  Many charge far more.

"Since instructors are not really there to teach, they leave it up to the students to pick a subject." - Not true.

"One of my friends, submits the same paper for every class every semester." - I would caution against hanging around with idiots.

"He is getting by and will get a degree and only had to write one paper.  I took a look at his paper and I can only describe it as mediocre with grammar, and style errors." - See previous comment.

"By the way he is a senior in AMU and don't even know how to reference a paper using APA or MLA!" - Ditto.

"As a result none of the people I know who is enrolled in AMU even reads their free book." - This is getting redundant.  Also, for someone critical of other's grammar, you might want to review yours.

"Back to the conferences, my friends use Wikipedia and the web to answer their online discussions.  They just cut and paste and maybe change a few words and pass it as their own." - My professors specifically discounted Wikipedia citations, as should all professors.  They also have the same regard for plagiarism.

"The sad part about this, is that my friends honestly believe they are getting a good education." - You get out of it what you put into it.  Learn it.  Love it.  It applies to everything.  I would purport that there are many dullards that have passed through other institutions as well.  There is a difference between being smart and being educated.

"There was an article in the news not long ago, where job recruiters admitted they don't hire people with for profit university's degrees for mid level management positions." - Where?

As you can see, nearly the entire content of the post was little more than slamming an institution based upon second hand information and absolutely zero direct experience.  Take what you want from the post, and mine as well.  At least I am speaking from an informed vantage.  By the way, I am making very close to six figures with my "for profit university degree." 

I see that this original post about AMU already has several rebuttals posted. Please consider mine simply the most recent update. I am currently enrolled in AMU's graduate program with three classes left until graduation.

I would first like to point out the irony with the original poster's concern over quality education being articulated in broken, unnecessary, or missing grammar. There are no spelling mistakes, however, which is the result of an individual with poor writing skills using spell check. This is all the more amusing considering the poster laments about grammar and "style errors" in a paper by an AMU student.

The post quickly turns into a cacophony of unorganized, second-hand criticism of the school's curriculum, lack of difficulty, non-participating instructors, price of tuition, etc, etc. Some criticism is valid, some is petty, but most is massively misinformed. The poster cautions to be "critical with endorsements of current or previous students ..." This advice is fine so long as one does not turn the hypocrite and uncritically accept any criticism that can be slapped together. This is called confirmation bias and is typically frowned upon in higher education.

The poster then offers up contradictory accounts of his friends' experience at AMU. At first, he has them all "laugh[ing] at how easy it is to get a degree" and one particular friend breezes through three simultaneous classes "with no effort at all." However, later in the post these "friends honestly believe they are getting a good education." Well, poster, which is it? Are they laughing and giggling about how easy and effortless the school is, or do they think they're getting a good education? That's the problem with made up, second-hand informants. It's hard to keep their stories straight.

Next, the poster complains twice about how expensive AMU is, that the tuition is "HIGH" and costs "a ton of money." This is demonstrably false. I am paying $900 for an 8 week class of 3 graduate credits. This is significantly cheaper than brick and mortar schools and when comparing apples to apples, Norwich University, another online university charges $657 per credit ($1971 for 3), which is over twice as much as AMU. To set the record straight on various other petty, yet still incorrect complaints from this poster, AMU requires the purchase of textbooks for some courses, and free eBooks for other courses. You can buy the textbooks from AMU directly or get them used from Amazon (like I do). The eBooks are full versions of the original book and I have not yet seen any that contain only excerpts as the poster suggests.

As far as the curriculum of the class, the poster has some of this right. The primary interaction is a discussion forum where the professor posts a question or two, and by virtue of this being an online school, of course the discussion is entirely online. Whether the questions are easy or not depend largely on the knowledge of the student. For example, the topic of discussion for this week in my class was, "Can the strategic culture of the U.S. be changed or has it changed in the last 40 years? Provide examples to illustrate your point." This question requires the students to fully understand the concept of "strategic culture" as opposed to the other hierarchical strategic levels, if, why, and how it can change, and if this took place in the last 40 years with examples required the whole way through. Is this an easy question? I guess until I hear your response, I can't say for sure, but so far students haven't been breezing through it.

My current class also has weekly written assignments and a 15-20 page research paper. The poster criticizes the school because his friend has managed not to get caught cheating by submitting the same paper again and again, but this begs the question why doing so is necessary if the coursework is so easy.

The only valid criticism this poster brings up is the issue of professors and their participation in the class. Some professors do little more than grade your paper and offer a few comments. They are quite responsive to emailed questions/concerns and may simply figure that unless they get any the class is moving along smoothly. Usually, however, they interact with the discussions, offering constructive criticism to posts that miss the mark or are simply incorrect. Sometimes the comments on my papers were nearly as long as the paper itself. The confusing part of this poster's complaints is that they can be found in almost any brick and mortar school in the country.

I work full-time, have a family, and am paying for school out of my checking account so AMU is the perfect solution. Several students have gone off to work in various government positions at the Pentagon, Secret Service, and other Intelligence Community outfits after graduating at AMU and considering this is the line of work AMU caters to, any concerns that the school is not taken seriously because they turn a profit are so far unfounded.

     In today's American fast moving society and wanting everything now and getting it easily is what most want.  This is not just a rebuttal but my opinion through research and physical analysis of online universities versus traditional universities.  It looks like the original author of this article has only done partical research.  I on the other hand have done full research and analysis comparing online universities (non-traditional) to regular universities (traditional).  Through my research I have found that a lot of the online universities are good.  What the original author has failed to mention is that most professors don't teach, they lecture.  Big difference. They also give their students a course sylabus that outlines what to read in the textbooks, when test and quizes are, and what points are to be made during the course of the course.  Sometimes the professors very from the sylabus, which the professors will let the students know.  This is done in most of your traditional universities.  They don't have the time to teach.  They have way too many students with little time for each class. Plus the time the professor has spent grading, answering questions, and listening/reading students points.  This goes for both traditional and non-traditional schools and online and regular universities.  Most are expected to know the basics from high school and college is picking up where high school left off.  If a student has a point, question, or argument they usually can express it to the professor after class or through email.  That is at a traditional 16 week university cousre.  Online classes the student can email or post it on the school's question board (to the professor).  Online schools are much like the regular traditional university.  What makes it different is...there are no face to face conversations. 

     Another example of the original author only doing partical research is he/she only referrences talking to only five students.  He/she never mentions if he/she has talked with different professors from online schools and traditional universities, like I have.  You (as a whole/everyone) also needs to research the what ever school's reputation.  Newsweek put out a 6 page article for the best online univeristy on the market.  American Military University was and still is #2.  That means a lot.  Plus it makes AMU's reputation creditable.  One thing a person needs look at is...is this a good school for the degree I am seeking.  Meaning does the field I want to get into know and reconize this school in this field. 

     Also, the original author failed to state that although the onlines schools are 8 weeks long, the schools are still cramming 16 weeks of work into an 8 week course.  Also, he/she failed to mention if the little effort put in by the students gave them an A or C or lower.  Five students is not enough to give a true and solid opinion on any school.  I will say there are schools better than others.  But not all of us can gain exceptance in an Ivy league school such as Harvard, Yale or Prencton.  He/she has also failed to mention that a lot of the tradtional universities have added an online school system such as Penn State, Georgia Southern (whose got one of the best sports medicine schools), Liberty Univeristy, etc.  These schools see that the online wave is enormous and that they are losing students to these online schools. 

    Also, the discussion boards are part of the classes and if the posts are off topic it is the professors' responsiblity to gear them to the topic at hand at make them post another.

     SO, to the original author and to those looking to get into school, you must do your research and do the research to its fullest on different schools of both nature.  It does not matter how long it takes to get your degree.  What matters is what you the student put into your studies.  It also matters on how good of reputation the school has and the reputation with the field you want your degree in.  All this is coming from a Minisiter, former police officer, former CNN News/Turner Broadcasting employee, and someone whose father is a retired police captain (25 years) from Atlanta with both Bachularett and Master's degree from Georgia State Univerisity and whose father is also a retired university professor (20 years) who started two criminal justice programs at two major universities in Georgia.  Mister or Miss, you should have done more research before you put this on the web because it does show you have not the slightes idea of what you are talking about.  Also, the books are not really free.  The schools that give out books are give GRANTS from Congress for each student, which is just enough for each course.  Those who want to pay the hundreds of dollars out of pocket don't realize that money can be spent for other important things like a bill or savings.  They also can still sell back the books given to them through the school grant.  Free money. 

     In all, research was not fully done for this article and anyone readying this should it take with a grain of salt.  Sounds to me that this person is trying but does not know how to do the true research need to give a bad opinion about a school, degree or reputation of a school.  This person needs more.  Also, the professors at AMU all have a Master's dregee or better.  That is a must in University standards.  I will give the author credit that he/she has made valid points but your research false short of the whole picture.  Also, did you know that there are two CEO's of major companies that received there Bachualarett from online schools.  One is from AMU. If you would like to know who email me at jason.clack@hotmail.com and I will email you the article.

Hey everyone...I cannot tell you how very proud I am to be here amongst the  instructors, current students and past students who strongly believe the very same I do about AMU/APUS. Someone asked whether this school can make a difference when you graduate. Yes, it can! Further, AMU also has some online assistance for networking/potential job placement when you graduate. This university is fully accredited and title 4 recognized...this is very important because if you aren't in the military then you would probably need funding and a Federal Student loan (depending upon your circumstances Subsidized or Unsubsidized) would be available. The universities that are not Title 4 recognized cannot get Federal Student Aid....they would have to be privately funded...ie a bank or credit union of your choosing if you qualify. Federal Student Aid does not conduct a credit history. However, they do require that you have paid any/all student loans and not have any outstanding. The books? Well this is an easy one...obviously if you are in the military it is covered under your TA but if you aren't you can get the book's ISBN number from the class you are going to be attending and buy them off Half.com or Ebay for a fraction of what any bookstore would cost you. You may be able to sell them back to the university but if you purchased them from Half.com or Ebay, more than likely the university won't buy them back. They only purchase books back from you that you purchased from them.

I am now on my 10th class from AMU-I have 5 more classes for my Master's. Then I plan on getting my Air Warfare grad certificate. Awesome school-for sure no diploma mill!

 

*****True this********* It strongly appears that "Lt" may have an ax to grind with this university to continue this type of counterproductive banter that  he/she started. One really needs to ask themself, why would an admitted non-student have this much hostility and vinegar toward a university unless of course a negative event has occured to launch their vindictive attack? IF indeed this is really a "Lt", why would s/he spend so much time repeatedly attacking the university, the students who have attended or are currently attending and the instructors-what makes it so personal for him/her?

Further, the comments this "Lt" continue to post don't sound respectful enough to be Military nor Law Enforcement therefore, I doubt s/he has any "friends" that attended here rather it is probably their own failed experience. I strongly had to wonder..did this person attempt to gain student or instructor status and was screened out or denied admission? Did the person actually become a student and was unsuccessful in their attempt to obtain a degree or certificate? I say this because people usually don't go to this extent unless they have a very personal vendetta to pursue-you've all heard the saying disgruntled former employee or student? Sour grapes? Hmmmm   

I read this comment and I laughed hysterically. First, the person should learn to write english...I know mine isn't perfect either but I am not criticizing an university I have never attended...the writing in the article I am responding to is definitely not written by anyone that has obtained a Master's degree or a Bachelor's degree and if it is-question the institution they claim to have attended.

Let's clear some confusion about the comments made here.

First, AMU is not a rip off. The tuition is competitive for civilians across the board. Do your research....In addition, this is one of few military friendly schools offering to collaborate with the U.S. military and many students to assure that the tuition is mostly if not all covered by TA/G.I. Bill. It is also Title 4 recognized.   

This is an awesome way by which to get your education while deployed, because it offers online rather than a traditional brick and mortar that you must attend in order to obtain your degree. You can literally be in the sandbox standing post and working simultaneously on your degree. 

Yes I am a student, so yes I will defend it because you have no clue what you are talking about-you are definitely NOT reporting facts. I would hate to see potential students listen to the rants you have described here without factual basis.

You refer to friends you have who do this and that...I doubt it because one can't get away with what you claim they do.

First, the degree program is quite difficult. Some people have to be spoon fed from a brick and mortar university where they party by night and slink (if they even attend school at all) into class by day. Well, if you attend here, it is your responsibility as an adult supporting yourself and most likely a family, to dedicate the appropriate time, conduct your research, submit assignments on time, understand the applications and assignments with minimal instruction and make sure you meet time deadlines or you will fail.

The main part of the curriculum is not a joke. It is a weekly online discussion where you have a few questions posed by the instructor, you write an essay that is fairly lengthy and interact with at least 2-3 students with substantive comments. A research paper is ALWAYS required of at least 20 25 pages at the end of your class. The instructor uses a syllabus to specify his instructional style...either packets or other. The reading material you cover weekly is between 150 pages to 200 pages mandatory for you to "get" the topic of conversation. And there may be an exam in some of your classes and YES they are proctored.

The instructors are highly educated (mostly Phd, Master's level or equivalent) and come with occupational experience that is more than impressive. They carry credentials that I have never before seen.  

Books are not free unless you are military and then of course they are covered. For civilians they are not free but they are reasonable. You don't have to sell them but if you choose to, you can sell them via Ebay, Half.com, privately or back to the bookstore if you choose and they accept them as a buyback. 

And by the way...you can NEVER submit a paper twice. Once you do the paper, you submit to TURNITIN which has been required every time I have submitted a research paper. This creates an actual record of your paper. IF you are ever caught submitting twice you would be failed. At any rate, TURNITIN would prevent you from turning it in more than once because your instructor sees the result of your submitted paper and each submittal stays on permanent record. He/she would see if it has already been submitted.

Whether some have actually had "quizzes that are open book" well I doubt that but if they are it is equally as important to know where to look the answers up as opposed to memory. Memory fades but knowing where your resources are and how to access them is both realistic and practical in the occupational world.  

APA and MLA is required...don't have any idea who you think you are fooling..without it, a paper wouldn't be accepted here. It simply wouldn't meet the standard.

By the way...if you use Wikipedia you would fail....you have to cite your references and this is not considered a viable/factual source, nor would cutting and pasting...that would be plagiarism. If you were to be caught doing this, you would be expelled from the university not to mention be held accountable by the military once the university revealed the integrity issue.

I hope this educates all the potential students...because it is opening doors for me now and will in my future endeavor...don't believe what someone says when they cannot even report factually from first hand experience.

TRUST this...There is simply none better than AMU if you pursue your degree online.

Wow. This is a stellar report. It answers most of my questions about the college. Thank you for writing this. It really opened up my eyes.

As a result of this report, I am more encouraged than ever to consider attending this school. I am not interested in the initial post. It was clearly written by someone trying to look important and knowledgable with half-baked opinions. No, my interest was in the rebuttals. They were all well-written and well-formed. More importantly, the responses were consistant with each other.

I tend to throw my weight towards those that have a firm grasp of the English language. It shows they are able to pay attention to detail. So when I read things like "He gets an 'A' every time so I know his paper don't get read," I tend to discredit the source a few points for every ghetto-speak reference. (Psst. By the way, it's "doesn't" rather than "don't") I deduct all the remaining points when you open your 'report' with your very own discreditor: "I'm not a student of AMU."

The author quotes, "The sad part about this, is that my friends honestly believe they are getting a good education." Could this possibly be because they are getting an education? One the author seems to be lacking?

Look, I am as skeptical of online schools as the next. If I were not, I would not be reading this report looking to see if it is worth its salt or worth my time and money. The author did not quote anything of value. The author does not give any first-hand information.

As of the responses to this author, I have little doubt about the level and quality of education about this school now. So the author has my copious amounts of thanks! Without his post, I would never have seen this excellent content.

I only have one question for APU alumni: Did this degree help you in getting a better paying job, or the career change you hoped for? I have no problems putting in the time and effort to get a degree, but was the end result what you thought it would be?

I  resent the fact that you have even suggested American Military University/American Public University as being a for profit college which does not demonstrate concerns for their students. I don't know of any four year college that is a not a for profit institutions; they all are even when they say they are not. 

 

If institutions such as these were not for profit; how do you suppose they would cover the expenses for professor salaries and supplies such as the expense for textbooks and such?  

 

It appears you have based your insights about this college merely on here-say. Have you considered this scenario? Perhaps you colleagues speak of how easy it is to earn a degree from this college because the institution itself caters to the needs of those people in the military who desire to have an education. Therefore, providing that they are working adults and serving their country between the boundaries of the earth; they make the curriculum easy and flexible given the circumstances of those in the military.

 

That is why it is called "American Military University. The classes are 8 weeks to 16 weeks long because classes start every month. This allows students to earn the 24 credits within the year time as required. You can also stretch out the classes over several months such as 1-2 classes per month which is flexible for both military and working adults.

 

If your friend is taking 3 classes within the 8 weeks period; consider this fact; although these classes are 8 weeks in length, they are academically challenging.

As an example, a history course will require within the 8 weeks; several extensive discussion post, a 10 to 12 page research paper, maybe 2 shorts papers of 800 to a 1000 words, not to mention a mid-term, final exam, and other requirements. The courses are 8 weeks, but my point is it is very extensive. So, if your friend does minimal work, his/her grades are probably minimal as well. This type of learning environment requires commitment. All papers must be done according to the Turabian Manual style or the Chicago Manual Style.

 

In every syllabus it is stated, students are not allowed nor are they permitted to submit work from Wikipedia or on line Encyclopedias.

 

American Military University/American Public University curriculum is no joke!

 

What you consider in the discussion post to be off topic discussion; are actually in-depth information or additional historical facts that more than likely relate to the topic in some way. The professors at the college love in -depth discussions and responses to the discussion post based upon historical research rather than just accepting the basic principals of a topic. It appears you do not understand the entire concept of an online college for working adults. In addition to this, one does not have to earn a degree in the traditional style setting; and if one chooses not to earn a degree by sitting in a classroom with a biased instructor attempting to make things complicated and difficult, it is not wrong. 

 

 Yes, the textbooks are free, but you must maintain an acceptable passing grade point average in order to get the textbooks for free. 

 

What article did read that mentioned employers do not hire people from for profit colleges? "They all are for profit". The very same people who made that comment more than likely graduated from a  profit school and is not aware of it. You need to check the government website of accredited colleges. You will find American Military University/American Public University listed.

 

Your friends are cheating themselves; the college is not cheating them. 

 

I could not help but complete a rebuttal on this topic as I felt that the author is under quite a bit of misinformation.

Firstly, every college and university whether it be an on-campus or electronic campus, is a FOR PROFIT institution. I challenge you to name even one accredited college or university that does not take money to teach its students. All universities and colleges are FOR PROFIT in one way or another. Universities such as M.I.T charges $37,782 for nine months of undergraduate study. This does not include the $11,360 for student housing and dining and added $2,858 in book and lab fees. Graduate students pay even more. Now, if that is not FOR PROFIT than I obviously do not understand the meaning of the word profit.  And, oh yeah, their classes run 10 weeks, just two short weeks extra than the classes at AMU.

But, that is not the reason I wanted to respond. I wanted to talk about the quality of education, or lack thereof which the LT author noted as AMU is an online community and not a brick and mortar school. Perhaps it would be more understandable to LT if I worded my response this way:

I have a Bachelors Degree from Ohio State University (that pesky brick and mortar school) of which I am not proud of at all. I was considered a number at OSU and in fact I usually sat in classrooms with upwards to 200 other students where I couldnt even SEE the instructor clearly let alone even have a chance to speak with him or her. More often than not my papers were graded by a teaching assistant and never seen by the instructor at all.  And, oh yes, 90 percent of my tests were open book / open note.  Generally, I would have to say that I learned close to nothing at OSU except that my professors rarely attended classes.

That is the reason why, after graduation, I decided to attend a private Lutheran college to get my second Bachelors degree.  And although the classes were much smaller (not more than 25 students per class) and the college was experimenting with night classes (for all us working adults), it was still 10 week courses and I still had open book / open note tests. Although I now had face to face time with my instructors I STILL did not receive the quality education that LT says only takes place in an on campus setting. I graduated with my second Bachelors in less than 13 months with a 4.0 GPA.

So when it came time to go for my Masters degree, being a gainfully employed adult working full time, I spent many months researching and doing background investigating of online colleges. AMU was the only online college that I found that was highly rated and not a paper mill just out to get a lot of money for doing nothing.  I even checked with the Department of Education, as I am a Department of Defense employee, I wanted to reassurance that a Masters degree from an online school would hold me in good stead. The DoE informed me that APUS/AMU is a LEADER in the field and it comes HIGHLY RECOMMENDED by DoD recruiters.

So I entered into my Masters course at AMU and I have to honestly say that it was one of the TOUGHEST two years of education that I have ever experienced.  I can say with assurance that I never had to study as hard as I did at AMU at either of my brick and mortar colleges. I fought weekly just to keep my GPA at 3.6! This is a person who graduated from lauded brick and mortar universities with 4.0s and National Honor Society memberships!  AMU is about quality educations not about making a quick buck. I would put any of my AMU professors up against any of my OSU or Capital University professors and KNOW that my AMU professors would win hands down.  It is not an easy task by far to graduate from AMU. I had the choice of doing a seniors thesis or a Comprehensive Exam to get my Masters and I chose the Comprehensive thinking it would be much easier than the huge thesis how wrong I was. Let me just say, if you did not pay attention throughout your entire time at AMU then you will FAIL to graduate. I had questions on my Comprehensive exam that were from my first year at the college. And every single question was ESSAY and needed to be in APA format. Oh, and the test was timed and proctored. I had 4 hours to complete an essay test that ended up being thirteen pages long.  And to make it even harder, you could only fail ONE essay question. Anything more than one and you failed the comprehensive and had to pay to take the test over again so NO, AMU is NOT an easy school that is just a paper mill.

Now I am in my PhD program at a brick and mortar school that also does online classes. I had to be admitted by committee. The committee had to vote for or against admitting me into the school (oh, and just so LT understands this is not a fly by night school its Yale University). I had to submit an admissions packet to the committee where they reviewed my prior education, they also made it mandatory that they spoke with three of my professors from AMU as well as received letters of recommendation. Funny enough, the Yale committee found that the AMU instructors were some of the brightest minds and said that I was given admittance to the college because of the recommendations from my AMU professors. (To those professors reading this post, you know who you are, and who I am THANK YOU from the bottom of my heart, without you it would not have been possible).

I would recommend that LT take up the professors' offer and attend just one class at AMU of the professors' choosing and THEN if he still feels the same come back and tell us consumers why.

I recently completed an MA in Homeland Security with AMU; I have recommended it highly to friends who are pursuing an advanced degree. My intent is not to defend AMU but share my experience. I would concur with the experiences of the other AMU students who have posted rebuttals.
Like any education program, traditional or on-line, a student receives the benefit of his efforts. The only person who would know how well his education process was, would have to experience it. Using second hand opinions are not valid to evaluate a program. The curriculum that I went through was challenging and I did my research, due diligence and wrote properly APA footnoted papers. I have friends that paid the entire tuition out of pocket and received a stimulating and challenging education with AMU as well.
The professors did not allow plagiarism, nor mediocre grammar, nor research from questionable sources, such as Wikipedia. They held all students to a high standard on daily postings and discussions. The research papers were graded fairly and accurately. I put several hours per day into each class, so I feel that I had an excellent education and gained a high degree of awareness in the area of homeland security.
Undergraduate education at traditional, government-run universities are in greater question as to quality with cutbacks that are occurring nationwide. Many students are opting for private schools with smaller classes to gain the higher quality education, and avoid the student mill that "non-profit" establishments offer. 

If the basis for your argument is the length of courses, next thing you know you'll try to discredit the Academies and their summer academic programs.  Let me see you try to take Aero Engr in 3 weeks.  Would have loved to see you fail and walk the walk of shame back home and out of the military which does not suit you.

LT, and I pray that you are just using the letters for effect and are not really a fellow commissioned officer for I fear for the men and women you are expected to lead and have already failed along the way.  While the rest of us in the military are humping it day in and day out doing our primary job(s) and taking care of all else, it is upsetting to see that you have nothing better to do than to use that freedom we defend to discredit your fellow brothers and sisters in arms who would lay down their lives for you in battle despite your actions.  Tell me LT, when was your last deploymentthe last time you fired a weaponthe last time you lost someone(i.e. real world and not training)?  Rather than stoop to your level and begin to discredit you, a task which will not prove hard to do, I will instead recommend that Ripoff Report and the political powers that be look into the fraud you commit each day by living off the taxpayers dollar in the game you consider the military to be (i.e. remember that we serve them and not the other way around).  It is clear to this senior officer and commander that you do not live or represent the values and standards those of us who have been in the mix do.  LT, you owe many an apology for the illegal libel/slander you have thrown out into the public eyes.  I recommend you take corrective action immediately or fear the Article 15 which will surely come your way at a minimum.  "Let he without sin cast the first stone," and I say this to you my colleague in the profession of arms, you try to make yourself higher than others by putting them down, and the tides will turn, for once under the microscope, your life will be an open book and all those skeletons you thought were hidden will surely bite back and bring you down.  Hooah - out!

I'm not an AMU student or alumni but I do have a traditional 4-year BS degree. Out of curiosity I checked what it would take to get an MBA from AMU. First of all I would not need to take the GMAT to see if I had the basic academic skills required for graduate level business courses. Interesting. All I would need to do is show I had an undergraduate degree from basically ANY accredited school and pay the tuition.  Why would AMU not want to verify that a student had a good chance at passing the courses? A traditional school admits students that have the best chances of passing, not failing. They require GMAT scores for entry into their MBA programs. Now if AMU knows their MBA courses run a little 'soft' they don't need to press the GMAT issue. Why turn away money? Right? Especially when it's VA money.

The other issue is perception. How will a future employer perceive a degree from a for-profit versus a degree from a traditional school? If a candidate comes in and has a 4.0 average from AMU and someone else has a 3.0 from Ohio State I suspect the AMU candidate won't see an offer. Why? The perceived value of for-profit paper is lower. A student holding a 4.0 at a traditional school would very likely have his tuition covered by full scholarship at both the undergrad and graduate level. No such luck at a for-profit school.

If you have any doubts just talk to an HR manager at the Fortune 500 level. Ask them how they evaluate degrees from the various schools.

LT:

My offer to you...I will pay your tuition for one course. I have read your diatribe but am unsure as to your educational level, so the course offered to you is either at the undergrad or grad level, depending on your educational accomplishments thus far. Course to be determined at my discretion, based upon your major or educational direction.

You agree to completing the 8 week course and then write another review. Fair enough?

Thomas F. Gibson MPH
APU Class of 2009

thomasgibsondmt@gmail.com
www.thomasfgibsonmph.com

LTmax:

 

I applaud your passion for quality education and I am truly disturbed by the experiences that you have detailed.

 

For full disclosure, I am a graduate of AMU and I fortunately did not encounter any of the issues that you have detailed in your report.  For me, AMU was an extremely wonderful and challenging experience.

 

LTmax, I believe that you are an intelligent and honest individual that is truly frustrated by what you have witnessed.  It saddens me to hear that students and possibly their professors are abusing an Educational Institution that I owe so much too and personally hold is such high regard.

 

From your report, I assume that you believe that your five friends are undeserving of their degree(s) and that their professor(s) are not providing the minimum level of instruction necessary for their courses to be of any value.

 

What I ask, so that your concerns may be addressed and those responsible, if validated, can be held accountable, is that you provide the names of your five friends and your report to AMU/APUS.  This will enable the University to take action against the five abusive students that you have portrayed and open an investigation into the professors that may be contributing to their substandard education.

 

Rather than pointing fingers, becoming angry, or verbally abusive, I am more solution based and action oriented.  You have posed numerous issues, extremely disturbing issues portraying significant malfeasance and who knows actions that maybe even criminal in nature.  I am asking you to just go a little farther and provide the names of those committing these transgressions so we can stop it and take corrective action hoping that it will never occur again.

 

Thank you for bringing these issue to light and I look forward to the discovery of those your have portrayed.

LTmax has not conducted sufficient research to validate his claim that American Military University is providing substandard education. American Military University is part of the American Public University System. (APUS) holds both regional and national accreditation. APUS American Public University System is accredited by the Higher Learning Commission, North Central Association, (((Redacted))), 30 North LaSalle Street, Suite 2400, Chicago, IL 60602, 800-621-7440 and by the Accrediting Commission of the Distance Education and Training Council, (((Redacted))), 1601 18th St., NW, Washington, DC 20009, 202-234-5100  ( Accreditation & Licensure, American Public University System, accessed 04 March 2010 from,(((Redacted)))

 LTmax states: All my friends taking classes with this university laugh at how easy it is to get a degree. Basically if you put some minimal time, minimal effort and a ton of money you will eventually get a degree. Classes are about 8 weeks long, with very few being 16 weeks long. My friend takes 3 classes per 8 week period with no effort at all. At this rate anyone can have a 4 year degree in a little over 2 years. But my friend will be done way before that since he got a ton of questionable credits for being in the military.

LTmax does not provide the reader with evidence that all of his friends he is referring to have received their degree from AMU. It is true that AMU does have 8 week and 16 week courses. The accelerated courses require just as much work and effort as the 16 week courses and one has less time to complete the work. Since LT does not provide the reader with his friends course information or grade information the reader only has LTs word this is valid information. I think LTmax needs to be more specific and define questionable credits for being in the military.

LTmaxs allegation that for profit universities have an interest not for quality of education but rather profits is biased and unfounded. While it may be true that some for profit universities may not be quality driven this is not the case for all for profit educational institutions. In Dr. Richard S. Ruchs book, Higher Ed, Inc: The Rise of the For-Profit University, Dr. Ruch points out that some for profit universities often not only meet accreditation standards, they exceed them. Dr. Ruch also points out that as publicly held entities, for profit educational institutions come under more regulatory scrutiny. In fact, as publicly held companies, they have oversight and regulatory requirements that go beyond those faced by non-profit institutions, such as quarterly reports to the Securities and Exchange Commission. (Ruch, Richard S., Institutional Growth and Academic Respectability, Higher Ed, Inc: The Rise of the For-Profit University, USDLA Journal, Vol.16: No 2, February 2002, accessed 04 March 2010, from(((Redacted)))

LTmax claims, My sources come from many military students currently attending this university. Anyone can make an unfounded claim such as his. LTmax does not provide verifiable sources such as complaints to an official academic oversight entity to substantiate his claim; and we know nothing about LTmaxs background. LTmax has not provided the public with any evidence that indicates he has any expertise or authority in accreditation to make a determination that AMU is a rip off when it comes to quality education.

Since LTmax has not even attended AMU he cannot viably substantiate his claim from a consumer/student perspective. LTmax informs the reader he has asked five people about the curriculum, but five people can hardly be considered many military students currently attending this university.

 LTmax states The curriculum is a joke.

Personally I did not find courses such as Competitive Intelligence, Information Warfare, Management Information Systems, Industrial Espionage, Homeland Defense, Computer Crime, Intelligence and Homeland Security, Forecasting Terrorism, Interagency Disaster Management, Consequence Management and Terrorism Preparation & Response, or Research Methods in Intelligence Studies to be a joke. As a matter of fact I considered those courses to be dead serious.

LTmax states: The main part of the curriculum is based on on-line discussion between a bunch of students who try to answer one or two selected questions posted by the instructor.

Again, LTmax is speaking with no firsthand knowledge and is WRONG! It is true AMU classes do have on-line discussions between students and instructors but this is not the main part of the curriculum. The on-line discussions give the distance learner a classroom environment where issues can be debated and discussed. Instructors may ask questions but students ask questions as well. Sometimes discussions digress but this is really no different than a typical brick and mortar classroom environment.

LTmax states The questions are extremely easy but most of the time the conversation turns to an off-topic conversation.

Again LTmax is speaking with no firsthand knowledge. In regards to LTs statement: The instructors hardly instruct. The five people I have asked all taking different classes with different instructors told me about the indifference and lack of participation of the instructors. They are there just to post and grade assignments. Assuming LTs five people are real, I doubt they are serious students. ALL members of AMU faculty, I have worked with have been extremely supportive. Not once through my whole graduate program did I EVER encounter an instructor who was indifferent or failed to participate in the course they were responsible for instructing, including the instructors who are frequently deployed on military assignments.

LTmax also states, True some of the instructors are probably experienced people in their fields working full times. They don't have the time to be full time teachers like real universities. They are there for the easy paycheck not the passion to teach.

As an alumni of AMU I know firsthand, ALL of the instructors are experienced professionals in their very specialized fields. The instructors, at least the instructors I have learned from are quite passionate about their field of study. They are educators in the truest sense. These instructors have a passion for educating, inspiring students to push beyond the norm, supporting a students right to freedom of speech, and they encourage students to actually think rather than regurgitate mindless drivel.

LTmax states: The books are free but most of the time they are not complete versions just excerpts. At the end of the semester you turn around and sell the book back to them, so in essence the price of the book is included in the HIGH tuition.

In the Undergraduate studies, the price of books is included in tuition. As a graduate one must pay for their text books. I would love to know which text books LTmax is referring to are incomplete versions or just excerpts. I have not seen these. As far as High tuition, AMU is less expensive than some other on-line universities such as Villanova or University of Phoenix.

According to LTmax, Some classes usually require a paper to write. Since instructors are not really there to teach, they leave it up to the students to pick a subject. One of my friends, submits the same paper for every class every semester. He is getting by and will get a degree and only had to write one paper. I took a look at his paper and I can only describe it as mediocre with grammar, and style errors. He gets an "A" every time so I know his paper don't get read. By the way he is a senior in AMU and don't even know how to reference a paper using APA or MLA!

 Every course I have taken at AMU required the students to write multiple papers. Students were permitted to pick a subject but the topic of the paper had to be approved by the instructor. I doubt that LTs friend could have submitted the same paper for every class every semester and received a quality grade. Faculty usually runs papers through a program that detects plagiarism and a paper that had been submitted numerous times would have been flagged. AMU has a strict policy on Academic Dishonesty & Plagiarism. Submitting the same work for credit without approval (e.g., submitting the same assignment twice for different courses) is verboten. (Academic Dishonesty & Plagiarism, AMU Student Handbook, accessed 04 March 2010 from (((Redacted)))

APA, MLA, and Turabian Reference Styles are permitted at AMU.

LTmax claims: Their quizzes and tests are all open book. There are not proctored tests. So why even bother with a test? if you have to look all the answers. They are not testing your knowledge gained but rather how fast can you look up information in a book. As a result none of the people I know who is enrolled in AMU even reads their free book.

Most of the quizzes and tests are open book but LTmax failed to point out these quizzes and tests are timed. Some exams are proctored. For most exams, students are allowed access to text books and open source materials. Most of the exams I took were composed of essay type questions and required extensive familiarity with the textbooks and other materials used throughout the course.

Regarding LTmaxs comment:Back to the conferences, my friends use Wikipedia and the web to answer their online discussions. They just cut and paste and maybe change a few words and pass it as their own

I think LTmaxs friends are exceptions to the vast majority of students attending AMU. For the most part I think the student body at AMU is comprised of people that hold themselves to a very high degree of integrity and honor. Obtaining my MA in Homeland Security from AMU was anything but easy, but this was by far the most rewarding educational experience of my life.

Dr. Forness if you are reading this, I apologize for not dissecting every element of LTmaxs post. I offer no excuses but I do have an explanation. I also regret that this format does not lend itself well to providing the reader with proper APA, MLA, or Turabian citation format. As a consumer, a student, a person dedicated to lifelong learning, a member of Golden Key International Honour Society, a member of Phi Theta Kappa International Honor Society, and alumni of American Military University, I highly recommend American Military University and I hope AMU offers PhD. Programs in the near future.

CLICK here to see why Rip-off Report, as a matter of policy, deleted either a phone number, link or e-mail address from this Report.

Professor, I'm disappointed with your reply. You are no better than the alumni who try to discredit me by nick picking on my grammar, mechanics, punctuations etc... all irrelevant to this report.  Why don't you address the facts and my previous questions?  It is obvious your intentions as an employee of your corporation are to put AMU and APU in a good light to keep enrollments up and secure your job. 

I don't dispute the fact that distant learning via the Internet is the way to go for the nontraditional students.  But why does your school have to set the bar so low in the name of convenience?  Do you expect me to believe that a 8 weeks compress class will teach the material at the same level with a 16 week course?  Do you expect me to believe that you are in par with other universities with open book tests?  I wonder what is the average failure rate with open book quizzes and tests.

What is the value with discussions when you ask a question and expect all your students to answer it? As a student do I benefit to read 10 or more answers to the same question worded 10 different ways? Honestly, all I see in the conferences are a bunch of people agreeing to other peoples answers.

Sure, you could be the exception and be a great teacher. I will not try to discredit you and make assumptions just like you did to my post.  However, I seriously think you are underestimating the amount of teachers in your organization that do not care much about teaching. 

Your credentials are irrelevant to this report, No one here is trying to hire you. Instead why don't you tell us something relevant such as how many classes you have to teach every semester?  How many students per class? How many students per semester?  How many students fail? What is the average grades of your students?  Why don't you comment on the open book tests? The short semester? The fact that some classes don't have full edition textbooks?  Why do active duty military get an automatic 60 credit hours when enrolling?  Why does your organization award life experience credit? How does business decisions of AMU and APU influence the curriculum and classes offered? Can you comment on your schools' reliance on federal financial aid and DOD tuition assistance money to keep the school in business? 

I doubt you will honestly answer those questions and put your organization in a bad light. 

I really cannot wait until the American Council on education starts reviewing online programs for the DOD next year.  Then we will see how good AMU/APU does when compared to the new DOD standard.  I honestly believe that taxpayers money should give us the best value for our money, and that all the soldiers who get their education paid with federal money get a QUALITY education. 

First, I am a little struck by the author's inability to use proper grammar and punctuation; perhaps the author himself might benefit from attending classes at AMU/APU.

I am an online professor with APU/AMU.  I have worked with them for approximately three years but I have worked as an online educator for over ten years.  I have worked for such institutions as the University of California-Berkeley, Penn State University, NYU, and several for-profit institutions. 

I can assure you that I am a very dedicated instructor.  I take my responsibilities very seriously, taking time to read every student posting, assignment, and research paper very carefully.  I give long and detailed feedback for every assignment in my courses and I return the work within 5 days of the assignment's submission date.  I take the responsibility of education extremely seriously and I resent your remarks regarding the quality of education at AMU--particularly because you are relying solely on hearsay and you offer no facts to support your argument.  In fact, if you submitted this 'article' (using this term loosely), you would fail the assignment, without a doubt.  Students in my courses learn to use scholarly articles that are peer-reviewed in support for their papers.  They aren't allowed to surf the web, rely on hearsay, and make flimsy arguments. 

As far as my credentials go, I hold a PhD from one of the most respected research universities in the world.  I have authored two textbooks and have written many articles for scholarly journals. 

I work hard for my students and my students work extremely hard for their grades.  In my experience, everything about your 'report' is false.  Of course, in every institutions there are lazy instructors--no doubt about that.  They get weeded out but I know for a fact how committed AMU/APU is to providing their students with the highest quality education, along with the flexibility for those who are deployed to Iraq and Afghanistan.  This is a perfect school for those in the military and I am proud to work for them. 

I knew this would be a very sensitive subject with the AMU allumni.  To be honest, I take everything an AMU allumni post with skepticism, your opinions are bias and your agenda is to make your university look good and legit so that your degree is worth something.  Your counter arguments are illogical, you resort to insults, you seek to address everything (punctuation, grammar, sources) except the fact of the matter.

Can anyone of the AMU allumni here seriously compare an 8 weeks of self taught study vs. 16 weeks of study in a traditional school?  There is no way you can learn the material being a part-time student to the same degree a student can in a traditional university. 

How can you argue with me and tell me AMU is the same as a tradional university when you are taking an open book test??  Your degree is worth nothing if you can't answer questions without having your book next to you.

Everyone keeps talking about accreditations and the school being a legit organization, I don't argue that point.  But just because a school is accredited by an organization recognized by the government does not guarantee that the school is the best it could be.  Again, just like I said before if you just want to get a degree with little work/time then go for AMU.  For the one's seeking a real challenging education then AMU is not for you.

I know the point everyone here seems to be attacking is the fact that I'm not a student of AMU.  Just because I'm not a student, it does not mean my observations are invalid.  A reporter in the newspaper reports based on his/her observations, scientists come up with conclusions based on observations.  I came to my own conclusions based on the observation of various students enrolled in AMU.  They have shown me everything I need to know about the school and the way it operates, they have share with me their opinions, experiences.  Isn't that more valuable than your single narrow view?  The fact that I'm an outsider makes me an unbiased observer that can report with honesty.

Some bring up their education background, such as their previous degrees with other universities and how easy was high school to them.  Come on! that is all irrelevant information.   That type of information gives you no credibility.  The fact that you find the school curriculum challenging is not a testament to the quality of the university, but perhaps an indication of your academic limitations.  Maybe that explains why some of you did not attended a real university. 

What I stated on my original report is the truth based on my observations, which I feel other people considering AMU should know about.  I have no agenda here but to inform, everyone else here has an agenda so intelligent readers make your own conclusions.

 

I am a retired US Army Aviation Officer who earned a MA from AMU and a BS from Thomas Edison State College in NJ, also a distance learning school. I have several points I wish to cover in my rebuttal. I will base several of them on my first hand experience at AMU and standards that are easily obtained with reasonable effort. Such as is required from most students.

I am disappointed this site allows hearsay. The author clearly stated they are not an AMU student so their "opinion" is not based on personal experience. They start by implying they are unbiased while asserting anyone from the school is. Under AMU academic standards, the author receives a zero for unsubstantiated allegations.

The classes cost about what DVA pays in education benefits, something easily researched. Under AMU academic standards, the author receives a  zero for low quality research.

The University awards credit based on the nationally recognized American Council on Education guide. The same guide Tho. Edison College used to recognize my Army Flight School education. Again, easily researched, so again a zero for low quality research.

Learning from professionals working in their fields provides a good balance between reality and an academic "Ivory Tower" in my opinion. Also given that the people working in the field would be the first to NOT hire people taught at AMU if the school had a reputation as a "Degree Mill", it is my opinion that these instructors have a higher then average desire to see their students complete a valid program.

I purchased all my books at on-line bookstores second hand (I tend to be frugal) rather then at the school. Some of my instructors provided supplemental material. But none of my required texts were given to me. As texts were often listed for sale on the internal bulletin board, I can assure you the school was not purchasing them back at the same cost. With no first hand experience, the author is not creditable.

As the author isn't a student, their opinion on class topics being on or off topic isn't creditable. In my classes, I never once saw the conversation stray "off topic." Probably because most of us were pretty busy with school and life and had other things to do.

The classes vary widely in topic, so using the same paper would be almost impossible simply for that reason. Because many instructors use the Turn-it-in program that checks for plagiarism, re-use of the same paper is factually impossible. I once used a lot of citations in a paper that did aid in making the required document length. It also earned me a warning because Turn-it-in color coded everything and provided an original content score that was at the low end of the range the instructor used as a standard. The author receives a zero again for poor research.

I don't understand the logic of an "A" equals unread. The author's opinion is both unsubstantiated and their logic would not have been accepted in my mandatory cognitive analysis class.

All my papers had to not only be cited per APA or MLA, they also had to meet the MLA writing standard. And either the APA or the MLA manual had to be in the reference listing. The author again receives a zero for poor research.

Wikipedia was banned as citable source back in 2005 or so. Though if a person is willing to use the listed citations it is still usable as a decent first stop. Again zero creditability.

As one example on testing, every statistics course I have ever taken was open book. This is grad school, not a rote memorization proving ground. I memorized emergency procedures because they were needed for immediate action when flying. In grad school the intent isn't to be able to spout facts and figures.

Others have commented on class content variation between schools. What one professor may consider critical may be ignored by another.

The author closes with yet more hearsay, when a real news article is easily citable and the hyperlink easy to provide. The author receives yet another zero for their inability to maintain even the minimal standards expected by AMU or the APA and MLA standards they claim to know how to use.

My suggestion is that anyone considering AMU who finds this opinion valuable probably wouldn't be able to handle the course work anyway and look for another school.

Let me get this straight: You don't attend the school.  You've never taken a class.  But you know enough to publicly criticize the program.

Let me guess, AMU is nothing compared to Bucks County Community College.

Dude, how about we meet up at the Copper Kettle and I'll have you work on one of my Master's program assignments. 

I breezed through AP courses in Highschool.  I breezed through BCCC.  I breezed through Millersville.  I have been working my a*s off at AMU.  I'm getting good grades, but having to work hard for them.  Open book tests are the way of any serious program no matter what college you go to.  You have to synthesize the information contained in books and on the internet.

First, I am a student at APU, which is the other half of AMU and I have been so for the last year.  I also posses my Juris Doctor (J.D.) degree and have been to several schools in my life, both distance learing and classroom setting.

Yes the school does have 8 week classes and some 16 week courses. Yes, I do right a paper for every course and post as well as respond to discussion board comments. Yes, the tests are open book, however, I would challenge anyone to take any test that I have taken as they are not easy and even harder because of that. Yes, we do have some instructors that participate less than others, as does any college.

I would love to see how a student can write one paper and make it through 2 years let alone 4 years. I would bet my job that it is not possible. Further, his attack on AMU as a for profit University is interesting as University of Phoenix, Capella, Kaplan, National and many more are for profit as well. However, there is no reference in his to those schools, so is your implication that they are all upstanding and have never done anything wrong?  Arguably he is not even a consumer of the school, but someone who is spreading hearsay information.

 With respect to the discussion board topics, I would question how he knows so much about them from just talking to students who have been through some classes. I have been through 13 classes and yes sometimes we do talk about other topics in our discussions and responses, but that is what makes this a great process. I have been to several classroom style classes and I have seen the same events occurring, so what is the difference. As for the cost of book and tuition, clearly he does not have a clue. Yes, I turned in a few of my books (8 to be exact) and I received or will receive a little over $90.00, not a mega return as he makes it sound out to be. As for excerpts of books mine have been full books, which I have had to read every one of them to fully understand the topic

As for the cost of tuition, let me say that he did not do his research when he discussed this topic. This program is by far one of the cheaper programs both at the Distance Learning program as well as an in-class program. Yes, I pay $750 for an Undergraduate course, but if I was going to University of Phoenix or Capella I would be paying $1,100 - $1,500 and then paying for books on top of that.

Regarding his focus on the amount of time his friend spends on school work.  I take 2 classes every 8 weeks and work a full time job and, that is all I do! As a result of my job my wife and I live in two separate towns, and see each other about every 2-3 weeks. However, if I had not changed jobs and moved, I would not be doing 2 classes every 8 weeks. I joke with my co-workers that I work, go home cook dinner, clean up from dinner, do homework, watch television for 1-2 hours, go to bed and get up the next day and do it all over again. In addition to that I do homework and other chores on weekends, except those that I see my wife then I do homework all week so I can spend the weekend with her. I could do less homework and not work as hard at my classes, but it would reflect in my GPA, which is about 3.90, but that is not who I am. I believe in doing a job right and only doing it once. My experience for those who take distance learning courses is that it is harder because we have to stay focused and motivated.

I think that I have addressed most of the truths and falsehoods in the report, but remember this is only my opinion and not those of my classmates.

First off, I must say I value this sight as I have used it several times to do research into various educational institutions, but one thing I look for is (at very least) a personal experience. This report does not contain any personal experiences, but rather it is composed, exclusively of hearsay and speculation. If one is really concerned if a particular institution is a diploma mill then they should check with the Better Business Bureau, the US Department of Education, etc. and not base their opinion solely off a baseless tirade. Bottom-line is do your own research, don't be one of the "sheeple."

The following are some inaccurate items in the original report:

1. "... for profit universities have an interest not for quality of education but rather profits..." I ask those considering an online education read the following excerpt, "Most online for-profits, such as American Public Education's (APEI) American Military University, 'do a very good job taking care of students,' says Robert Songer, director of lifelong learning at Camp Lejeune. American Military and its counterpart American Public University recently won a national award for quality in online education" (Golden, NP). A critical aspect to realize about any online education is that what you put into it you get out of it, especially since you are effectively going it alone when doing online courses. So if you need interaction, sit in a classroom.

2. "Basically if you put some minimal time, minimal effort and a ton of money you will eventually get a degree." The preceding statement is based, exclusively on hearsay since the individual filing the report is not a student.

3.

"The curriculum is a joke." If the curriculum is a joke, please provide evidence and a comparison of a similar course which is at a traditional university.

4. "I took a look at his paper and I can only describe it as mediocre with grammar, and style errors." The author of the report makes the preceding statement then follows with the following, "He gets an "A" every time so I know his paper don't get read.  By the way he is a senior in AMU and don't even know how to reference a paper using APA or MLA!" I would like to point out that the author who is so very critical of his friends ability to write makes some very glaring errors as evidenced in the preceding. When I see mistakes such as these I have to ask myself, "What qualifies this person to make such statements?"

5. "As a result none of the people I know who is enrolled in AMU even reads their free book." If this statement is true then those persons that the author knows are very adapt at finding their answers on the internet, etc. while using their "free book" as a coaster. This is amazing since many classes require answers that can often only be found in that particular text book, especially when you look at some of the classes which deal with subjects that are not standard by any means.

6. "They just cut and paste and maybe change a few words and pass it as their own." This is amazing, since most of the courses verify papers through web services that look for plagiarism. The site used by AMU is also the site used by a large number of major universities.

7. "One of my friends was took an economics course, I quizzed him some basic principles and had no idea what I was talking about." Not only is the preceding statement poorly written, but what makes the author an expert who can effectively and properly quiz his "friend" on "basic principles?" One, must realize that some "basic principles" are only basic for the course they are being taught in. Courses very on what the educator and institution deem as what the content should be and are not standard.

8. "They are there for the easy paycheck not the passion to teach." While this could be true, it can also be true for "real universities." Many professors at "real universities" do not teach their own undergraduate classes, they have a graduate students or doctoral candidates teach. Also if teaching were a passion then professors would not worry about being tenured.

9. "One of my friends, submits the same paper for every class every semester.  He is getting by and will get a degree and only had to write one paper." This is also amazing in that there are very real differences between classes. So much so, I would love to see this amazing "one-size fits all" paper. Now as a conscious living being, does this make any sense at all? Why even ask for papers if one will do?

10. I must admit at this point I am a graduate of AMU and according to the author I am not to be trusted since I have a choice to defend, but why should I not address the grievances that the author levels against AMU? The following statement I find quite ludicrous, "The five people I have asked all taking different classes with different instructors told me about the indifference and lack of participation of the instructors." Why you might ask? Well, for one, one of my professors called me while I was stationed overseas so I did not have to spend my own money. That does not show indifference, but consideration. I have been in contact with many of my past professors and to this day they respond with advice and guidance, amazing for a bunch of people who are indifferent.

11. "True some of the instructors are probably experienced people in their fields working full times." By this time, I believe that the author needed to proof read his report, so its veracity would not be so easily to call into question. Professors who are currently working in their field of expertise lends itself to ensuring that the information they give is up to date and not stale. This is not the case, often times, at "real universities" where the professors has been tenured for decades and recalls the days when he was in the field in the '70's.

In closing I wish to reiterate that this report does not contain any personal experiences, but rather it is composed, exclusively of hearsay and speculation. If one is really concerned if a particular institution is a diploma mill then they should check with the Better Business Bureau, the US Department of Education, etc. and not base their opinion solely off a baseless tirade. Bottom-line is do your OWN research, don't be one of the "sheeple."

References

Golden, Daniel. "For Profit Colleges Target the Military," Bloomberg Business Week, accessed 2 March 2010 from  <http://www.businessweek.com/magazine/content/10_02/b4162036095366.htm?chan=magazine+channel_top+stories>

Additional resources

http://www.osac.state.or.us/oda/unaccredited.aspx

http://www.onlinedegreereviews.org/college/page/best-worst-online-college-awards/

http://www.onlinedegreereviews.org/college/american-military-university-reviews/

Fortunately, I have had a completely different experience than the poster (who has not actually attended AMU).  My bachelor's degree is from Southern Illinois University - Carbondale, where I also completed the first semesters of Graduate School before being deployed on a series of assignments that prevents me from attending a "traditional" graduate school.