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My first year I was skeptical, but everything went as planned. My second year was disastrous... only because of the financial aid BS. I called literally 7 times, I sent 10 emails regarding my funds. I was having a financial hardship and requested my money sent to me and each and every time I was told it was Ashford's policy not to release it until the 30/70 was up. Literally, I got my last payment due to me when the semester was over.

I had enough, I called FASFA. I was told to call the Director of... Read More Financial Aid and read off the section number and code about sending disbursements within 14 days after they receive my funds. It only took 48 hours from when I called the Director and when my funds were issued to me. Needless to say, I had proof of my request so I sent my emails to him showing him where I was told NO over and over again. He apologized and noted that they were going to be making changes because it was obvious there were training issues. I was also told by FASFA that if my funds were not released when I asked for them, someone from the government would represent me directly and the school would be investigated.

My third year, so far so good. They did implement the option to manage your own funds now which I chose to do so. Now to the academics part...

My first year, I was making all A's.. but make no mistake it does get harder. You get what you put into it. Now that I am doing the upper classes.. accounting and etc it really takes a toll on me. I do have to study quit often, but I know that it will be worth it.

Finally, do I think it is worth it.. YES! For my situation, Kids.. working full time(+OT).. and school full time this was my best option. I work for a fortune 500 company which does tuition reimbursement. My employer will not give tuition reimbursement if the school is not accredited. Ashford is Accredited!!! I hope this was helpful to someone.....

Ashford is a good school, I graduated with a BA and a MA from there. School is school in my opinion, its just like life, its what you make out of it. As in any organization there are good and bad employees or managers. In CA the students complain about university hikes and how UC and CSU chancellors make over $300,000 per year. Education is a business period and all business goals are to make money. It is getting increasingly difficult to go to schools in CA or anywhere. Also, AU is acredited under... Read More the NCA for their degrees.

The staff at Ashford University has been extremely unprofessional. The Enrollment Counselor was very swift and persuasive with expediting my enrollment, however, there was a delay in beginning my first course due to a lack of communication from within their departments which apparently resulted in lost paperwork.

But just wait, that's only the beginning... When the time came to issue my student aid, I was told I would receive it months later but all along I'm already receiving invoices from the bank... Read More even though I have not received the remainder of MY funds. I was under the impression, that student aid/loans can be used as supplemental income and to purchase books and supplies, that is after tuition is paid. I was well into my 3rd course before I received my first disbursement which was only a small percentage. A nice chunk of it, $990 to be precise, went towards this TECHNOLOGY FEE. I actually had to beg and borrow to pay for my books due to my financial aid not arriving on time as promised. Just recently, a new procedure was implemented allowing students to manage their own money. I received an email requesting that I choose to either let them manage it or handle the funds myself. Did someone blow the whistle on Ashford? I hope so. Be aware. This organization is being operated by crooks.

For similar complaints, you can report Ashford University to the U.S. Department of Education.

I am currently enrolled at Ashford and coming up on my first year in February of 2010. I have reading through so many reviews trying to figure out if I should stay at Ashford or drop.

I started to get concerned with Ashford because I was getting an 'A' in every class. Trust me, I am no genius. So right now I am holding a GPA of 4.0. Because I am getting such good grades I started to get suspicious about how easy it is to pass and because of that, what employers think about Affords degrees. I am working... Read More on my Bach. in Social and Criminal Justice. Yesterday I contacted the county I would like to become employed at and asked what they thought about Ashford. Happily, I can say, they said it did not matter the school you received your degree from, just that you have a Bach. degree in CRJ. She said this rule went for all of Minnesota.

So now to the next concern many people discussed on here, Finical Aid. I personally have had no problems. The school has you fill out a form that says either they have your person to hold your money for a certain amount of time or that they disburse your money withing 7 days of them receiving it. I always chose for them to hold it because I do not need the money. When I get the money I just mail it back to the bank. But for anyone who needs the money, all you do is select the chose to have it disbursed back to you. Easy as that!

Now when it comes to teachers at Ashford, well they are just the same as any college. Some love their job and make it a point to help you and contact you within 24 hours, and then you have the teacher that you can tell doesn't care and hardly helps you. Now this does not bug me at all. I am taking an on-line degree because I work better by myself. I do not need someone holding my hand. And from what I can tell, the teachers don't grade too harshly, so if you write a paper and your not sure if you did it right, as long as you follow the APA writing style and are close to the subject, you will receive a good grade.

Out of my last 8 classes the lowest grade I got was 96 out of 100 (course grand total) Other than that all my grades have been 98's or higher. So long story short, my only complaint with Ashford is I wish the professors graded harder. I wish they picked my papers apart and told me what I did wrong! So for anyone who is a slacker or does not have much time to commit to your class work, this school will be perfect for you!!

Other than that, the school has been great for me and so far so good. We will see how I feel about them after I am 40 grand in the hole and if I can get a job!! Good Luck and definitely shop around. No school is perfect, your education is in your hands and it is all about how hard you try and what you put into it. My one suggestion for you would be, if you know the company you would like to get a job at, call them and see what they think about Ashford Univ. If they say that school is fine, then go for it. I like the school.

I worked as an EA for this school and believe me when I say that this school is the biggest joke of a school that you will ever find. At least the online part of it. I've seen the curriculum, know who is teaching some of the courses and I have to say that it really is a joke. Some of the "adjunct faculty" even work as regular employees at the company's headquarters.

Make no mistake, AU is owned by a company, therefore, they do the bare minimum to stay accredited but their main focus is on profits... Read More they're getting from the government. UoP, Kaplan, Capella or any other school that has an online program is going to be more valuable then AU. I can't express enough how big of a joke this school is.

The company has incompetent and very inexperienced enrollment managers and directors who would NOT be in those positions if they were working for any other REAL or PROFESSIONAL organization. When this school loses their accreditation and the entire company folds, the management are going to be looked at like they're a bunch of clowns because they have no real management skillset.

Stay clear of this school, and this is coming from someone who actually worked for the company. Yes, I said company because they're not a real school. I got to see first hand what the education was like and also what the company was like and believe me, I have very few good things to say about my experience there. STAY AWAY or risk wasting money on a bad investment.

I have had a great experience with AU thus far: -They are an accredited school -They require transcripts(your classes WILL be put on hold if they do not receive them by the 3-4 class, I know personally) -Financial aid does arrive on time about 95% of the time(once it was 3 days late and another time it was 3 days early) -It is NON-tradional so people should not expect the exact same experience as a traditional classroom... -Overall experience has been well for I do have good communication with instructors... Read More -3.65gpa although classes are starting to get a bit tricky. Highly recommended

If you need finaid or in anyway want to enroll with a college that keeps updated and current information and that keeps up with the trends of today - DO NOT ENROLL WITH ASHFORD.

FIN AID WORKS COMPLETELY SEPARATELY FROM ENROLLMENT COUNSELORS and they never take they time in BEING HONEST or telling you the exact amount you will be getting and the dates your excess funds will be released! It is a joke how they screw with YOUR MONEY!

I had been looking into finishing my degree online for sometime, checking... Read More into accreditation, fin aid, books, staff, program and courses. Ashford made it so easy to get signed up and get started, BUT THEY FAILED in giving me HONEST information about everything from how the classes are organized, fees (books and otherwise) to how much fin aid was available.

I am a FULL-Time single mother that also works full time and was in the process of moving while Ashford said that I could do their program no problem. I qualified for all of the available fin aid, so I would do and be fine... right!? WRONG!!! Because I had to re-arrange my work hours to fit in getting homework done on time, I was going to be making less money, but I had to be sure school was covered and that there was a little more money coming back to me from loans in order to pay for living expenses for myself and son - as well as to cover BOOKS. I made Ashford more than aware that I needed to know exact money/costs and dates of when I would be receiving my excess funds. IT WAS NOT UNTIL AFTER THEY SIGNED ME UP when they corrected themselves in stating that fin aid is divided into two checks; 30% first (after 6 weeks enrollment), then 70% another 6 weeks (or so later). THAT MEANS THAT THE MONEY SITS IN THEIR POCKETS (more than likely collecting interest - on MY MONEY), WHEN I NEED IT, and there is nothing I can do to get it - EVEN WHEN THEY MESS UP!!!! As many times as I called in, you would think they'd get it correct, and actually care that when you mess with money and time - you are messing with someones LIFE! The first fin aid check that came in, I was charged 3 TIMES for 1 class and this messed up my excess funds fin aid check and I ALMOST LOST my home because I was depending on fin aid to come through at the time and in the amount I WAS TOLD IT WOULD!

NOT TO MENTION, upon looking into Ashford, I was told that books for my classes would be an average of $50, only after I signed up did I find out the vin #s of the books finding that they are on average $150 or MORE!!! And because they are specific to Ashford and generally new, I can't find them anywhere else on the web (like they also stated that I would be able to do to find them cheaper).

While I can say that I have had a few very helpful and informative teachers, I feel like there is not as much interaction or current and relative information to the classes as what Ashford charges you for!

THIS COLLEGE IS NOT WORTH THE MONEY!!! I've had better experiences through community college online, and they not only offered the same Blackboard system, but they were more involved, kept the material updated and gave times where we would talk (the class and teacher), real time. I think Ashford should implement newer technology for what they charge!!! They should be thinking forward; allowing for instant messages, podcasts from the teachers, maybe utilize free software like SKYPE for further interaction, pictures, business networking, and ABSOLUTELY NEED TO UPDATE THEIR LIBRARY!!! Working in technology it makes me very frustrated to find that the mass majority of what they offer is OUTDATED! And furthermore, on top of all of the other fees they charge, they charge a "technology fee" which - is a complete pile of BULL being that don't keep up with any new/ current technology trends!

TO RECAP; Ashford needs a complete internal, technological, class and business demolition and restructure! They don't fix their mistakes in a timely or professional manner, they screw students over for money, their fin aid dept. is a JOKE!, and they are DISHONEST and OUTDATED.

Ashford University is NOT WORTH what they charge! - BE Aware

My first class was a joke. A $1064.00 joke. The second class was to be a joke as well. Intro classes is what they call them.

I was shocked at the level of people there. All but 3 of us in the class could actually form a complete sentence. How the students were passing is beyond me. Students posting things like "I dont like to read" "I dont know how to do practical thinking" ect. It was disgusting. Some didnt even know to capitolize thier own names!

The instructor..what a joke. They dont grade your... Read More work they have teaching assistants to do that. The instructor posted once a week, with a 5 word sentence.

Try to transfer out of Ashford...Ha! Expect at least a 5 week struggle to even talk to someone. Not just once a day..5 to 8 times a day of calls and emails made. They are rude or just dont answer the phone.

I eventually had to go to the Dept of Ed in Kansas City who oversees Ashford. (Thats where you need to call if you want help to get out of Ashford) to get help. I have 22 pages of people and notes that ive spoken to so I can get out of Ashford.

And its not just happening to me. A friend of mine who is also trying to get out of Ashford is having the same problems. Only she is on week 6 of trying to get out.

In addition to all thier fees, the books are insane as far as price. Really, I dont want to spend 140 bucks on books that say ASHFORD on them.

It has been a nightmare. A pure nightmare.

And for the record, I have a 3.8 GPA

I would not say I would recommend or not recommend Ashford, I would tell you of everything I know and after reading it you can make your own decision.

First let me say I started at Ashford in April of 2009 and I am still attending school there.

When I first contact Ashford I explained to my advisor that I currently owe a school $1800 and I am currently paying them off and I wanted to know when was the next enrollment date for Ashford. He explained to me that it was currently enrollment and that since... Read More I already had 2 associates degree that I would be a 3rd year student and my financial aid would be more than enough to cover the semester and they will send me a check which will cover the money I owe and leave me with enough money to cover books for the next 4 classes. I then asked when will I get the check and he told me I would get 30% after 7 weeks and the rest in another 7 weeks. I also asked how much do the books cost and was told they are really cheap because you can search the internet for cheap books and that I did not even need the book for the first class because it was really easy. So I decided to sign up………..

I got my award letter in my 3 week of class and the amount was nowhere close to the amount I was quoted by him. So I called him and he told me he was shocked and did not understand why my amount was so much less. He called me back in an hour and said that the school puts you in as a 1st year student no matter what degrees you have and it would take about 8 months for them to put me as a 3rd year student. Long story short I was then put on probation because the school I owed money to would not release my transcript. After 14 weeks I got my 2 checks and paid off the school but now I did not have enough for books. Now you can find books online cheap but in the class I’m in now it is a first edition book made for Ashford and the book is $87.00 and there is no place offering the book except Ashford.

Ok, as I stated before you get a check 7 wks and 14 wks into each new semester, the checks are only mailed out on Friday and up until now I have always had my checks by the following Wednesday. Here I am into my 11th week and no 7 week check, so I called the school by the 9th week and was told that the school mailed my check on October 9th. Today is the 21st of October so I called back because I checked the mail and there was no check and next week I am starting my 3rd class since the semester started (each class is 5 weeks). I was now told that my check was never mailed because they are over loaded and that the date on my account just means that the check was ready to be mailed on that day and the check might go out today.

Whether you calling Ashford or any other online school, PLEASE put yourself in the mind frame of going to purchase a car from a used car salesmen as with a car salesmen they are going to tell you ANYTHING to get you to buy a car. The admissions dept is going to tell you ANYTHING to get you into the school.

As most of us know PENN STATE is a very well known school and they are now offering online school so I called to check out their accreditation so I can compare it to Ashford, I was told both schools have the same accreditation. Ashford’s classes are $1062 per every class and Penn State is about $1400 per class.

Ashford does not supply books and yes you can find books much cheaper then what Ashford is selling them for, other online schools I attended supply you the books at their price therefore you will most likely not get any money back from those schools.

I am amazed when I read that students are having problems with this school in regards to the on-line modality. I have really enjoyed being an on-line student here at Ashford. I am soon to graduage come May and I am besides myself in the hopes of obtaining my degree. I have attended a brick and motar school in the past, and at this time in my life, learning on-line works for me. If your dream is to get your degree, and you do not want to do it the traditional brick and motar way, be prepare to work... Read More for it; as in any school it is not free and easy. You must be prepard to read, write and research all of your assignments. In this on-line modality, you will write many papers at a much faster pace that you are accustomed to, but is doable. As a student of Ashford, you will learn and be proud of your achievements.

First of all keep your expectations realistic. No school is going to just let you turn in work whenever you want! No school will refund your money after you have taken most of the class. Many refunds are issued only before 3 days. Don't complain about poor instructor and grades if your review does not even use correct grammar. For the first class you have an enrollment advisor, then you get your academic advisor. Finally, finacial aid is a nightmare no matter what school you go to. The school does... Read More not handle your loans so they cant help you.

I have enjoyed my time at Ashford. I graduated from a 4 year college and the work is comparable.

Try reading reviews from people who actually know what to expect from a college. Many Freshmen dont last the first semester at colleges everywhere and that is because their expectations are unrealistic. Many of these reviews seem to be from people who wouldnt have made it at any school.

I am currently enrolled in Ashford University's on-line program for my Bachelor's Degree.

I realize that learning is a personal experience, and what is a satisfying enterprise for one student may be an academic nightmare for another. Fortunately for me, I am one of the former. Ashford University's on-line program allows me to fully integrate my studies with my busy work schedule. I find that Blackboard is easy to navigate and is an excellent venue compared to a real bricks-and-mortar classroom. For... Read More one thing, everybody gets to participate. No wall flower is going to hide in the shadows of a musty classroom while overachievers hog the two-hour period with their soliloquies. Speaking of which, the class sessions are not hampered by the time constraints that apply to a real class session. Mind you, the on-line classes operate on real time, with real schedules and real deadlines.

The instructors are very knowledgeable in the subject matter they are teaching. They're not Einsteins, but to that effect I challenge anyone to present a faculty staff composed entirely of geniuses outside of the Ivy League schools or M.I.T. (and perhaps, they, too, have one or two dullards posing as teachers). As far as classmates go, I have interacted with some of the most erudite, perceptive, and mature people in class. That is not to say that we do not have classmates who need some prompting, but I believe that is why they enrolled to begin with - to learn. To focus on the fact that you have les-than smart people in your class is petty and self-serving. This is college - you leave that minutiae back in high school.

When I enrolled I was swamped with phone calls and e-mails from the university staff, who all want to make sure that I am settling in nicely. Compared to my prior experiences with other colleges and universities (where red tape, apathy,and bureaucracy rule), I always have professional, worry-free transactions, whether it's paying my tuition fee or getting in touch with my instructors.

And Ashford University IS nationally accredited. For those who have stated otherwise, I advise that you look it up again.

Finally, I'd like to retort on the apprehension that a diploma is not going to get you a job: neither diploma,degree,nor fraternity pin will get you a job - YOU will get you that job.

My Ashford experience has been excellent. I attended Westminster College in Salt Lake City years ago and has the very same issues with the financial aid department. I made inquiries and checked reviews on several other colleges and university, and nearly everyone of them had similar financial aid issues. The accelerated program has worked very well for me, and I have to say, you must be ready to write and write a great deal. This is not an easy program, but you will be rewarded based upon what you... Read More put into the program. Writing, attribution, submittals, posting and following the many rules will provide a student with success. If you are not ready to follow the prescriptive way in which Ashford demands, then you will fail. On the other hand, if you are will to follow the prescriptive directions, do the work, interact through the blackboard forum and DO THE WORK, you will get a degree from an ACCREDITED university. I took extra measures to make sure I made the right choice. Ashford University was the right choice for my undergraduate degree and it is the right choice for my graduate program.

I am a second year student at Ashford, and although I am on the Dean's list, I would not encourage anyone to attend. They have no scholarship programs, so even though I am at abut a 3.8 GPA< it does not benefit me much. When I enrolled the person who enrolled me lied to told me I could get a 4 year degree in 2 years. I was told that this was because Ashford has accelerated learning. After being enrolled, I found out I had been lied to. I have dropped out of 3 classed, one on the advice of my aunt... Read More who is a professor and told me the instructor i was unhappy with should not be teaching. I can only say I have had 3 outstanding professors. Some have actually harassed me, which I reported to the University. One of my favorite professors was dropped and told she did not listen to her students, but she was loved by every student in my class. I think that talented instructors are just not want this school wants. And the class I am in now, is using the worst text I have ever read...all of the students are frustrated with it. Instructors do not chose the texts, but the selection of texts is poor. If you plan to attend this school,. be prepared to fight for a good grade, because sometimes the intelligent student may know more than the instrutor. I have had instructors tell me I knew things about the subject they were teaching they did not...go figure. Who is teaching who?

Overall I am pleased with Ashford. The classes are well designed and the five week schedule is great. As to some of the complaints about deadlines, that is the case in all academic and professional environments. Anywhere you go to school, or work you are going to have to meet deadlines, deal with it. The instructors seem knowledgeable and the teaching assistants are very helpful. Your assignments are graded fairly (even if they don't agree on your position) and I have always been given advice and... Read More well deserved criticism. If there is something wrong with your assignments, they will tell you what you need to do improve for your next assignment. To me, that sounds pretty fair.

To the points made about not finding a job, I hope that is not true. From the research I have done here in Indiana, all companies I have contacted will accept a degree from Ashford, as well as any regionally accredited institutions.

Also I had no problem what so ever with my enrollment advisor, Jesse. He was very helpful and not at all pushy. He answered all of my questions and told me everything I needed to know up front, even the technology fee (which by the way is a one time fee). Now this talk about having to buy books, what legitimate school do you think you are going to attend without having to buy books. The books are your responsibility, but that would be the case even in a traditional on campus environment, it is all part of your education. Now the negative. Don't waste your time trying to reach your financial advisor. I am on my second one now, and I have yet to receive a return email or phone call. I have sent email after email and left voicemail after voicemail, and have never, not even once, received a response. On the upside, I have never had trouble reaching the financial aid office itself (aside from a few minute hold waiting for a representative). They have been able to provide all the assistance I need and answer all the questions I have had. So I would recommend starting there, don't waste your time with your financial advisor. Now to the Academic Advisor that I have seen a lot of complaints about. I have had mixed experiences with mine. Sometimes I can call and she will answer right away and help me. Other times I leave a message and she gets back to me in a day or two. Then there are other times I have to leave multiple messages for days before I get a response, so it is kind of a guessing game on whether or not you will get an answer at any given time.

All in all, I am pleased with Ashford. I would definitely recommend it to anyone wanting to further their education and attain a degree. There are some negatives, but where are you going to go that there aren't issues. The bottom line is the education and degree you are seeking, and this school is the right place to do that. I hope you make the right decision.

I'm enrolled at Ashford as we speak. I'm finishing the class I'm paying and stopping all my funds from being dispersed to them when I am done. I was rushed into signing up by an academic advisor who didn't even bother to show me how to use the blackboard until my class had already started. Getting YOUR money, yea right! The checks, when they do come, come from Ashford LLC. Last time I checked, that's not a bank.

So, they are making interest off of every sucker that signs up with their sorry program.... Read More I highly reccemend that you look into any other school that will treat you like a human and not a dollar bill, or thousands of dollar bills rather. You are just another number. I am doing well in the school too, so take it from someone who is not just angry because she can't hold her program down, this school is a joke.

Before signing over your life to this college look else where. For starters they give you the run around when you have questions, if questions are answered nobody ever has the same answers. Some of the teachers that they have at this school seem less knowledgeable about the subject they are teaching then you are. And do not think you are going to get any help from them either, they say they will respond if you need them within a certain time, but it never happends.

Half the time the only way you know... Read More your doing good or not is when you see your grade. Even though the admissons state to you that its small classes and the teachers will interact more with you then other schools its a bunch of lies, most of the time you never even hear from the teachers. All that may be reading this might think I am only writing this because I failed or what have you, but to assure all of you, I was top in my classes, despite all the negative words I am saying about this school.

I was promised something in the beinging when I signed up and to my surprise nothing was true. The only good experince that I had was the help that Bonnie, my addmissions advisor had given me through out the time I was a student. So again before you sign up look for other options.

I've been a student at Ashford University for, officially, one year now. Initially, I was quite trepidatious about going back to college. Moreover, I was all the more ambivalent about an online university. So, with great care I researched Ashford. At one point I became afraid (due to some of the overly critical reviews on this very site).

In my opinion all of the explicitly hostile reviews are unwarranted. Deciding to attend Ashford was one of the best decisions I've ever made for my life and career.... Read More In addition to the subject matter in which I'm studying I've also learned a great deal of self discipline, motivation, and research/study skills (part and parcel to my major of course).

First of all one person (N. I believe)stated that Ashford did not require transcripts from other universities. That is a blatant lie. I attended two universities, prior to Ashford, and that was the first thing the enrollment advisor said that I would need. It took them a little while to transfer my credits in; however, they were required (as well as a highschool diploma).

Others have stated that the school is overprice and that they had to pay for their books. Well, that was not my experience. I only wish that I had done this sooner than later. Ashford has been the most cost efficient university I've ever attended. Moreover, every student has to pay for books (that is why you get residual money from your financial aid disbursements. Stop using it to go shopping and buy your books). If you want a tip buy books from online merchants at Amazon.com. I've saved hundreds of dollars on college literature just by putting in the effort to search.

Furthermore, Ashford--like all schools--is about having discipline and work ethic. You get in what you put out. Since attending Ashford University I've made the Dean's list three times and I'm going to recieve my BA in November.

If you don't do your work and don't make the effort to get in contact with your professors then it is up to you to contact your counselor and enrollment advisor and they'll nip it in the bud. However, unlike some of you, all of my professors have been nothing but professional and courteous. I've not had any of the nightmare horror stories. Sure, Blackboard did go down sometimes but that is every school that utilizes online learning. It happens. They understand that it does.

My initial ambivalence about online learning was unwarranted. As I said before I'm glad that I attended the school. As an adult learning this was the best, and only, option for me.

I highly recommend this for the student who is willing to put in the term and effort to treat themselves to a wonderful education. If you are making bad grades some of the onus goes on YOU.