American Public University

I’ve been taking undergrad level courses for some time now. In addition to APU/​AMU, I have taken online classes at the University of West Florida and Embry Riddle. I am currently an online student at Arizona State… comparatively speaking, this ranks dead last. The classes are all set-​up exactly the same and if you have any experience taking classes at real universities you notice there is «something missing» as you take classes here. The work is simple and doesn’t challenge you intellectually because it caters to military personnel. Yes, you will write a lot of papers and do work but after completing a degree from here, I don’t feel like I’ve really learned anything. I have finished the degree here because the military education office wouldn’t let me switch out degree plans to another school.
Thankfully, I did not spend a dime on any classes here (only the money for the diploma). I can’t verify if the degree is credible to get a job with but it is regionally accredited so to some people that is enough. If you want REAL, quality education I would skip this school as well as any other FOR-​PROFIT school for that matter. Learn from my mistake! The convenience of a low-​end degree won’t be worth it in the end! Find a real, credible school that specializes in the degree you are looking for. If you are in the military/​Air Force, the aforementioned Embry Riddle has a great online program and is top ranked by U.S. News. In addition, Arizona State also has a fantastic online AND Veteran’s program, both top ranked by the same publication. On a side note, when I started at Arizona State, they would only take AMU classes as an elective (not matter if lower or upper division class), and not as a core class.
One last thing: the final proctored proficiency exam that is require for graduation was a complete waste of time. Proctor U took forever to connect to my computer and even letting them install a program to control my desktop was strange in itself. The test was a bunch of questions un-​related to my degree program and I feel like it was done to try to promote Proctor U. That about two hrs of my life I’ll never get back.

I’ve had nothing but horrible experiences with AMU. It’s definitely a for profit college that thrives on screwing people over. The faculty in the transfer credit office are incompetent and rude. The advisors are sketchy and inconsistent. I was going to finish up a degree I had started at AMU from many years ago but after the dealing with the incompetence of the advising staff and registrars office I have decided to stick to The Military College that I am currently enrolled in. All I wanted from AMU was to finish three or four classes, I guess I’ll just stick to The Citadel. I’ll never deal with AMU again. That was a huge waste of time and money.

So far so good.
Getting my MSA here.
School never did cold calling to me to sell me an education.
My advisor responded ALL my questions within an hour or two!
Professor responded my questions within 12 hrs.

I will start by say that this school is not perfect; what online school is? However, this school provides a great opportunity for Adults that work full-​time jobs or those who are Active Duty Military.
AMU accepted my Joint Services Transcript credits and applied them towards my General Electives; this saved me 15 credit hours. Next, they accepted my military medical schooling credit hours and gave me credit for my core classes. This left me with only 5 GENED courses. Six months later I graduated with an AAS in Health Sciences.
My associates degree, from AMU, was a great stepping stone to getting my Bachelors Degree.
P. S. All of my classes transfered to reputable regionally accredited schools.
I recommend AMU to anyone looking for an online education.

I have finished my B.S. in Information Systems Security with AMU. I can’t say I am ecstatic with my degree although I am not disappointed either. It’s a decent degree and has helped me out with my career. The classes aided me in achieving an ISC2 CISSP certification. The certification is reputable in the Information Security realm and the classes I took with my degree program fell directly inline with this certification. I am currently on the fence on deciding which institution to go with for my Master program. I can say that I have researched and found that APU/​AMU has the proper regional accreditation to be accepted. I have attached a link of an article that discusses a bit on the accreditation piece.

I am tired of people bashing this school especially those who are working and making 30 – 50 an hour from going to this college what a joke you are!!! This is a college that is not as expensive as others they are on a budget what do you expect? Some people need this so I can bash places like Harvard because I have had more knowledge than some of their instructors that I have seen in some of the edex classes what a joke. So when you say classes are easy let us make them so difficult you cannot pass them would that do it for you my friend? People have great jobs from APU so before slandering anyone I suggest you give examples and dollars and SENSE.

I love American Public University! Financial aid was not hard to deal with, if you call them every other week. Most of my professors were fantastic and willing to help students. I spent one year at this university and I am graduating with them in November 2015. In fact, I decided to do a double major at this university I will recommend this university to anyone.

This is an update to my review.
While some of my instructors have been wonderful and highly-​educated, I have had other instructors who «run through the motions» and don’t care about student success or failure.
My biggest complaint is with financial aid. I did not have any issues until April 6^th. I have an unsubsidized student loan that I use to pay for school. The Department of Education /​Federal Student Aid provides disclosure statements showing that the student has been awarded a certain amount and the approximate date those funds will be disbursed. Unfortunately, APUS has not disbursed any of its students who started an April 6^th semester’s federal student aid yet (in terms of student loans) and continues to provide its students with one of four canned responses. For the most part, their popular canned response is «document verification» in which the student is asked to provide a copy of their driver’s license and social security card that APUS then sends to the NSLDS. APUS contends that they are «unable to continue the award process until the NSLDS has been updated.»
However, according to Federal Student Aid /​NSLDS, the school CAN is RECOMMENDED to continue the award process even without the update. The «corrected information» that APUS tells its students the NSLDS «requires» is incorrect. The NSLDS clearly states that updating or correcting information is optional and «should not affect a student’s financial aid reward.» This information can be found on the NSLDS Frequently Asked Questions page as well as when you contact Federal Student Aid assistance directly by telephone or email.
The response I keep receiving is canned and merely copied and pasted out of a list of four responses. The information they continue to tell me does not address any concerns I have with their information contradicting what Federal Student Aid /​NSLDS /​Dept of Education has told me via email and posted on their websites. They ignore my concerns and provide me with an answer I have received three other times. I can continue to point out discrepancies between what APUS tells its students and what the actuality is, but I encourage prospective and current students to research for themselves.

I have been attending since 2011 on active duty and just completed my BS in Information Technology — General. I have gone to brick and mortar schools and this degree does take a lot of work, and the teachers really work with you. They are regionally accredited and very professional. I gained many skills such as database management, web development, multimedia production, Java Programming as well as PHP. ” Their web based tools and labs as well as multimedia resources are really good and help with learning. There credits also transferred to two other local schools. The times are changing, and the flexibility of an online school such as this enables you to finish and can give you the attention you need as regular brick and mortar schools. I am proud to have finished here!

AMU is largely hit and miss… If you have an instructor who is teaching at a traditional school while teaching at AMU on the side, chances are you’re going to get the short end of the stick when it comes to attention because they are more concerned with their work with «real» students. Check the instructor bios; if they only teach at AMU, that’s a good indication you’ll get the attention you deserve.
Keep in mind that the curriculum is NOT set by the instructors, it is set by the school; thus, the curriculum you are required to complete is often out of synch with the text you are required to read. Occasionally I had to use online question/​answer services to complete assignments because the information I needed was not in the text I was given.
Then again, you should count yourself lucky to even get a textbook. In order to cut costs, AMU will often require students in the United States to use E-​text; in other words, you have to read off the computer.
Of course, it could be worse, and it is. In some classes you aren’t given a text at all. Instead, you utilize materials online. While much of the materials used in this way are relevant to what you are studying, they are often excerpts from various textbooks and do not provide students an opportunity to develop continuity of the information they are learning. Online materials can be valuable, but they should be used in addition to a text, not instead of one. This would not be too bad if it were for an introductory 100 level class, but when I saw AMU doing this for complex 400 level classes, I decided it was time to go.
Sure, AMU is accredited. Sure, you’ll get a degree. But the EDUCATION you receive will be of extreme low quality. AMU can be useful. Take classes that are difficult for you here since you are not subject to proctored exams. Also, with 8 week semesters, this is a good school to use to get those pesky general education requirements out of the way quick, then jump back to a real school to finish the core requirements and actually learn something.
Overall, the education to be had at AMU is of very low quality, and I could not in good conscious recommend them to anyone.

Don’t go here. I use to believe the hype. In fact, I was a University Ambassador and convinced, no tricked many into thinking what a good school this was and to go there. Fact is, it is a joke. Professors ‘mail in’ classes and there were times I legitimately did poorly on an assignment or problem and was still given an ‘A’.
You’ll notice whenever questions are asked on Yahoo and/​or Facebook the flood of positive things people say. Its because Ambassador’s are notified when questions like this are posted and told/​begged to go and support the school.
Almost 2 years after getting my MBA I’m still trying to get a related job and employers constantly question the validity of the degree.
I was told, «career services will help you». Yeah right. After a couple emails they cut off communication and have ignored me. People often talk about regrets in life, for me it was going here and subsequently tricking people into going to this school. It makes me sick to my stomach, to know how many lives I have may have ruined.

Having taken graduate courses in a «brick-​and-​mortar», reputable school in California, I can bring a comparison to this university. I’ll do it simply as a pro, con, then summary.
PROS – It’s all online, work at your own pace to meet deadlines. It is much cheaper than other schools. It is regionally accredited, which means that is the highest a university can achieve. Its credits do transfer. The classes (I was in the history program) were pretty good. The required readings were good selections, and I did learn a lot. Most of the professors are understanding, and realize they are dealing mostly with adults than teens, and it felt like I was treated as such.
CONS – It’s all online… meaning if you are somebody that needs a 2 – 4 hour lecture to learn, this is not for you. I don’t need a lecture to learn. Professors are accessible via email, but I know for some people they prefer to talk in person. Also, sometimes emails aren’t returned the same day. Whereas at a «brick-​and-​mortar» school you can speak with the professor after class, not so here.
The biggest concern I had was that my Masters Degree would not be accepted for employment reasons, for salary points, etc. Yet, in my current employment, it was not an issue. Like I said above, the school is regionally accredited, which means on that level there is not any difference between APUS/​AMU and Harvard… which leads me to my next point.
Some believe online schools are basically «mills»: APUS, Capella, Walden, Univ. of Phoenix etc. Moreover, people believe that the degrees from these schools will not be «seen» as highly regarded as a degree from Harvard, Columbia, Yale, etc. There may be some validity to these arguments, but that argument can apply to any school. For example, if I had a degree from California State University, Bakersfield and the person I was applying against had a degree from Harvard, the same argument would apply… Harvard would be more highly regarded over APUS AND many other smaller, lesser known «brick-​and-​mortar» schools.
Also, more and more «brick-​and-​mortar» schools are putting more classes and degree programs online. The stigma of earning a degree online is quickly falling by the wayside. Most big universities have a distance education program. Even the great USC has a 100% online M.Ed. program… which costs much, much, more than the APUS M.Ed.
All I can say is that the credits I earned at AMU/​APUS have never been questioned by any employer I’ve worked with. (and believe me, given today’s economy, they are certainly looking for ways to not have to pay people more money) Also, I learned…
****I was in the history program. I can’t speak for fields that require professional licenses/​certification.

When I first started at APUS everything was okay. However after taking six classes I have been informed that APUS does not have the CEPH accreditation for their Public Health Program. This is something they have known from the beginning however this information was never explained/​presented to me. I was informed that the University was trying to achieve this accreditation however nothing is promised. Therefore I have contacted other schools, hoping to transfer, but no school will accepts these credits. Therefore I asked APUS for a refund and they have denied my request and stated this issue is my fault… students beware… this school withheld information from me in order to obtain money, now I have to start all over and pay again. This is ridiculous!!!

Overall I am pretty happy with AMU! Every school has its pros and cons, but AMU’s positive points certainly bypass the negative points, such as great online process. It is very easy to follow, we don’t have to sit and listen to long lectures. The courses are very dynamic, require you to login almost everyday to complete an activity, reinforces interaction, etc. Another positive is the flexibility. It is awesome to be able to access the classes online and complete your work at your own pace. I travel for work, so it is a big plus for me. I find the students to be pretty knowledge and interactive as well. As every school, the majority of the professors are good, but some of them are just okay. Some of them go above and beyond to help you improve your writing, analysis, critical thinking, but some others are just very passive. I do agree with some of the comments above that if you are planning to do a technology and intelligence BA or MA, this school works just fine, but it you are seeking for business related degrees, it is better to get the full in-​person experience with a school with more reputation. The credit evaluation process via email was super smooth, as well as the financial aid process. Because they are a 100% online school, their processes are very well defined. I personally have taken an online class at Stanford and I did not like it. I had to sit through hours and hours of lectures online, with no interaction. The difference with AMU is that they require you to interact, read, provide your point of view, which is very fun to do. Overall I am very happy with AMU and I plan to continue with a MA when I finish my BA. Highly recommended!

Simply put — if you NEED a degree — this is a means to an end.
The professors in the program are inflexible with you; however, they do not provide feedback of any value in a timely manner (thus a double standard)
and I spent 4 weeks in my first class without one piece of feedback after I posted 3 times in forums for 4 weeks and turned in 4 papers. And then — a point rubric — that had a couple generic APA point deductions (on all papers). Umm… hello…if you responded after the first paper — I wouldn’t have made the same mistake 3 more times. All of my professors have online PhD’s from no-​name schools and I don’t even know if they are qualified. Steer clear unless you don’t care if you actually ‘learn.’

I have been attending this school for 5 years now. I have earned my AA and BA and am currently working on my MA all from this school. The best thing about this school is that its online and the professors are actually very cool! except for one I had to turn in for not telling me why she kept failing me on a particular assignment. but the school took care of it. I would say the biggest issue with this school is that barely anyone knows what they are talking about when you call in. For 5 years I have battled with people lying or just flat out giving wrong information. If I tell the person that I have been attending the school for 5 years and this is how something use to work… dont tell me oh no it never worked like that. It really gets tiring calling these people and getting the run around. Its really hard to trust anything they tell you over the phone because it varies depending on who you talk to. While the school is great for academics, its not so great with the people they employ to help you over the phone. Or how about today I called and im told: yeh im sorry people have been giving you the wrong information about your financial aid for two weeks. But apparently im suppose to trust everything this lady tells me. They constantly have errors in their system when processing refunds. Honestly I told them today I cant wait to graduate so i dont have to deal with this anymore. It has been the worst part of my college experience. I would not recommend going here if you care about getting your funding in a timely manner.

The admissions process and efficiency are amongst the worst I have ever seen. Unfortunately, I can’t afford a better school nor can I afford to go to an in person class or in person admissions process.
If you want a cheap online education despite the enourmous inconvenience and short comings, this school will work. I don’t recommend it and I can’t make any positive comments. If you are desperate for an education as I am, there aren’t any other affordable choices. So it’s a matter of biting the bullet and getting a degree, that’s it. Don’t expect knowledageble staff, efficient turn around times, smart processing, decent system. So long as you don’t have any standards except needing a degree and online availability, the extreme inconvenience is less than bearable.
Overall, I would tell you to run really fast, but the bottom line is that you are desperate, you need a degree, you’r tired of being one paycheck from homelessness and you cannot afford a good school. Do what you have to to survive.
I’m baffled by the good reviews, it’s possible some people have not had any problems, but I can’t imagine any 4 or 5 star ratings, I have heard about companies purchasing protection from Unilocal and other reviews and there are quite a few employees who might take classes that give rave reviews. Anyways, like I said runif you can afford a decent school.

Beware the profiteering shyster in educator’s clothing!
I was snowed into this program with their promises of flexibility, cutting edge technology, and dedicated faculty.
What a JOKE. They require you to take a super easy class right off the bat to make you feel confident — then they go downhill from there. Their «technology» is so far from cutting edge, that half of their website content doesn’t work on a smart phone or tablet — they are aware of this, so now that they are tacking on an additional $ 50/​class «technology fee», they MAY consider developing an app — MAY being the operative idea here. In the mean time, you have to use a data-​intesive web-​based classroom that eats your discussion posts and drop/​change requests and communication policies that limit you to using the email tool that is within the website — so if it doesn’t work. oh well — PAY US
They claim that the benefits of being online is that your make your own attendance times and they are understanding of the student’s busy schedule — the only part of the word flexible they understand is the letter «F» at the beginning of the word. Can’t turn your assignments in on time, because of circumstances beyond your control? Follow the guidance, email the professor who never acknowledges you in the first place, call and leave a message on the main line number that NEVER gets picked up, leave a message that will never be returned, and what kind of understanding and flexibility do you get? An «F», and they keep your $ 750.
Their technology fails and they are aware of it, preventing you from completing a test? Follow the guidance, email the professor to ask them to reopen the test so that you can complete it on time. What kind of understanding and flexibility do you get? The professor never bothers to acknowledge your email and gives you an «F», and they keep your $ 750.
Then, after they do this to you twice in an academic year — they pull your financial aid eligibility and ask you to shell out the $ 1500 for the next two classes out of pocket to try to «earn back» your eligibility.
Sounds like a deal, huh?

American Public University System (APUS) has two universities within it. American Military University, for those who served or are currently serving in the Military or other government sectors. American Public University is for those who don’t fit that side. I don’t think there’s too much of a difference between them, other than the name which will show up on your diploma. (I stand corrected… your degree program determines which school you call under. 1÷27÷2014).
The school is conducted completely online, which is a definite plus. They have people available by phone and email, should you need them. Their phone system generally doesn’t let you hold for a department for more than 3 – 5 minutes before it switches you to a voicemail system. They do a pretty good job of calling you back the same day or the next day. Email responses are pretty quick, too. Every semester, you are given 10 hours of tutoring from
.
I spent two years with this university and am graduating with them. Financial aid was not hard to deal with. If you got caught up in their virtual office or you want to speak with someone, they are there to help you. Sometimes they are quite busy so you have to leave a message and wait for them to call back. I’ve had very few problems with financial aid. After the first year/​semester, it’s easier because they pre-​fill your information, so you just have to update it. The school also automatically sends out your books about a week or so before your classes start. I believe they are included with the tuition, but I’m not totally sure on that.
Registering for classes was pretty intuitive. Sometimes they offer classes that you can’t register for (despite being qualified for them) and the student services will help you around that obstacle. The layout of what you have done (with the school) and what you need to do makes planning a lot easier. You can see your progress, too, which is a nice touch. Your current GPA of completed classes is always available. They do not post the grades from your transferred credits.
Classes are either 8 weeks or 16 weeks. They start at the beginning of every month. Some classes are only 8, while others have both time periods. The virtual classrooms themselves are relatively easy to navigate. They make it easy to find your syllabus, discussion areas, and upcoming assignments and exams. You can email your classmates as well as your instructor. Generally, all of the classes require you to post to the discussion boards. Some teachers expect you to be more involved than others. Given that a lot of students are in the military and are possibly deployed, teachers will work with their students on timelines for assignments.
Now the professors themselves. This is where APUS loses a star. I have had a few fantastic professors who really care about what you are learning, and that you are troubling yourself to learn it. The majority of them seem to be okay if you turn in your work on time and put some effort into it. A lot of them are not nit-​picky about things, although I wish they would have made more effort in showing me what I could have done to improve my work. I know I’m not perfect, but I will stagnate if I’m not getting any feedback other than «good job.» Then there are the teachers who are all but absent from their classes. They are fewer and farther in-​between, but they’re there. They don’t care if your work is turned in on time, or if it’s shoddy. They may just have too much on their plate, but it really cheats out their students and the school.
APUS works hard to fight against plagiarism. It’s difficult as a student to see someone who is copying and pasting information from the internet and it seems like nothing is being done about it. The professor may or may not know, and obviously they can’t tell you what disciplinary action is being taken against that student. The professors who care will be vigilant in making sure you are not plagiarizing, either on purpose or especially by accident. That’s pretty important for real world application.
In all, APUS wants you to succeed. They give you as many opportunities to do well as possible. If you have a concern, they will listen. They send out surveys at the end of each class so they can figure out how well the school is doing, how the professor was, and how the class was. I will recommend this university and their programs to family, friends, and anyone else who wants to go back to school. I will definitely consider applying for a graduate school program here.