Kaplan University
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 Program CatalogTuition | Starting Dates Admissions & Application |
Highlights
- Over 50,000 online and on-campus students
- Online education is a major focus
- Offers a tuition-free trial prior to enrolling
- Established in 1937
- Regionally accredited, which is the most widely recognized and universally accepted accreditation within the U.S., by the Higher Learning Commission
About the School
Kaplan University offers graduate, undergraduate, and continuing professional education through its online programs and its onsite campuses. Areas of study include education, business, technology, arts, healthcare, criminal justice, and law. Degrees include masters, bachelors, associates, and professional law, as well as certificate programs.
The school focuses on providing its students a general education, student-oriented services, and academics within a practical setting. Its instructional approach applies adult learning theory. The majority of Kaplan's students are pursuing degrees via the school's online and distance learning programs, where the school strives to bring a real-world philosophy into the classroom.
In 2011 Kaplan rolled out a tuition-free trial period for new students, as part of what the school has named the "Kaplan Commitment" program. Through this program prospective students attend classes for a 5-week introductory period. At the end of the period students can decide whether to continue or not. If they decide not to continue, there is no financial obligation other than the application fee.
Kaplan University was founded in 1937 and is a part of Kaplan Higher Education, which offers a broad array of secondary and post-secondary educational programs and is owned by The Washington Post Company.
Why Choose Kaplan University?
A Promotional Video from the School
Several Kaplan graduates and faculty members share their thoughts on what makes Kaplan a great school for them. Created by Kaplan.
Academic Programs
Kaplan University is organized around several areas of study, including:
- School of Arts and Sciences – This school's communications degrees prepares students for opportunities in fields such as public administration, advertising, public relations, human resources, law, criminal justice, politics, social services, opinion and market research, ministry, fundraising, civil service, business, marketing, and publishing. The school's Bachelor of Science in Psychology positions graduates for opportunities in related fields and sets a foundation for pursuit of related graduate studies. The school's Interdisciplinary Studies (ASIS) degrees enables students to create customized programs.
- School of Business – Teaches the hands-on expertise and analytical skills that prepare students for making sound business decisions. The school emphasizes comprehensive coursework backed by instructors that are practicing professionals in their fields. Online programs offered include those related to marketing, business security and assurance, finance, information systems, health care, international business, operations, human resources, and other areas. The school offers online degree options that can be completed in a year.
- School of Criminal Justice – Prepares students for new careers and career advancement within the rapidly growing law enforcement and security professions. This school's online programs offer coursework for law enforcement, forensic psychology, crime scene investigation, private security, and others.
- School of Education – Designed to deliver rigorous instruction in an online environment that nurtures the development of knowledgeable and committed teachers and administrators.
- School of Health Sciences – The school's bachelor and associate degrees ready students for health care industry careers by providing them a combination of an in-depth academics foundation and real-world expertise.
- School of Information Systems and Technology – This school's online degrees and certificates are built to fit the individual goals of its students. Areas of focus can include Web development, information technology, wireless networking, or areas of interest. Instructors are practicing professionals in their fields. The school is guided by the observation that IT professionals that can effectively manage people, data, and machines are of high value in the industry. The school orients its online IT programs to help students gain the expertise, communication skills, analytical skills, creativity, and technical proficiencies needed for successful IT careers.
- School of Legal Studies – Offers online paralegal degrees and certificate programs that are built to deliver an in-depth training taught by practicing experts. The school's legal studies programs provide a foundation for helping students get ready for law school or for advancing their careers in business, government, health care, or legal services. Kaplan University's online paralegal programs offer a focus on personal injury, dispute resolution, or other areas.
- School of Nursing – With the strong demand for health care services expected to continue, Kaplan University's online nursing degree programs are designed to prepare students through comprehensive coursework that facilitates their critical thinking, communication capabilities, and technical skills. Students can focus on nursing, health care management, and other areas. The school's faculty are practitioners in their fields with the appropriate professional qualifications.
- Business and Finance Certificates – Kaplan offers online business and finance certificate programs that encompass financial planning, project management, six sigma, risk management, or executive coaching.
- Health Care Certificates – Kaplan's online health care certificate options include programs for case management, medical coding, medical billing, pharmacy technician, geriatric care management, life care planning, forensic nursing or legal nurse consulting.
- Information Technology Certificates – Online IT certificate programs include Microsoft certifications, Cisco certifications or information systems security.
Learning Options
Kaplan University strives to take full advantage of the flexibility and interactivity enabled by online, Internet driven education. Some of the capabilities enabled by Kaplan's online educational environment include:
- Interactive seminars between classmates and educators
- Online quizzes that provide immediate feedback and reinforcement on what has been learned
- One-to-one teacher to student feedback
- Ongoing discussion forums that facilitate interaction between classmates and instructors
- Web research assignments that make use of online research resources
Kaplan Commitment
A Promotional Video from the School
Kaplan's president overviews the school's five-week no-tuition trial period. Students can take classes during that time and if the school is not a fit, opt out, paying only the admission fee.
Faculty
With Kaplan Universities online programs, the school is in a position to cast a wide geographic net in its recruitment of faculty. The school notes that its faculty are leading educators and experienced business professionals.
Student Life
Students have a wide range of activities and organizations in which they can participate for both online and onsite campuses. Kaplan University places a strong emphasis on student interaction as an important part of the overall academic experience. The school encourages interaction through the design of facilities and class organization. For example, class work includes group assignments and other collaborative activities. Academic advisors are available both online and onsite to help students join study and special interest groups.
The University's Career Services is available for all eligible graduates. Kaplan's Career Services staff helps with job searches, resumes, cover letters, interviews, negotiating job offers, and other search activities. The staff works with students via an online Web site.
Kaplan University's onsite libraries include collections of books, professional journals and periodicals, audiovisuals, computer workstations, and other materials. Students and faculty also can access area libraries via interlibrary loan services. Online and onsite students have access to comprehensive library services via Kaplan's relationship with the UAH Salmon Library at the University of Alabama in Huntsville, Alabama. The school's many tens of thousands of volumes of books, e-books, documents, online periodicals, online research databases, and hard-copy journals are available to all online and onsite Kaplan students and faculty.
Admissions and Financial Aid
Kaplan University has a full disclosure policy for its admissions. The school works with applicants to provide them with the information they need about enrollment, programs, funding, financial aid, and other aspects of student life. The school's Admissions Advisors review each student's interests to assist in mapping out career paths within the university's programs. Once admitted, students work with Academic Advisors until graduation.
Specific admission requirements vary by program. For online programs, master degrees require at least a bachelor degree from an accredited college or university and a GPA of 2.5. Online undergraduate and certificate programs need at least a high school diploma or equivalent (GED).
For financing educational programs, Kaplan University works with students to process their enrollment even if all funding details are not known. Financial Aid Advisors are available to help as needed to identify funding options. These options can include federal grants, federal, state, and private lending programs, military financial aid, and employer reimbursement. Kaplan also offers scholarships to eligible undergraduate students. A Kaplan software program helps students to detail the actual costs of their selected programs.
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| Program CatalogTuition | Starting Dates Admissions & Application |
Highest Rated Characteristics of This School
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Student/Alumni Reviews of This School
To help students evaluate their options, BrainTrack has asked hundreds of students to profile their schools with a review and ratings. See below for a summary of this school and for detailed reviews.
| Category | Average for This School |
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| Overall Satisfaction | |
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Sorting by: • Show All Details • Hide All Details
Kaplan University • Online
Studying Bachelors In Paralegal Science (completion in: 2007)
• 3/21/2012
"I'm fairly satisfied with my experience at Kaplan, it seemed like a good school at the time. My degree has served me fairly well. Maybe it's not as prestigious as some other schools, but I think it's served me well."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I think that if anyone was wanting to be a paralegal, Kaplan would serve them well. The school has a lot of good services and works with the student to make the goal attainable. |
| School Reputation | 5 | I'm not sure that there is really any reputation about Kaplan in my area. It has been mentioned on a couple of interviews, but I'm not sure if it has been a good thing or a bad thing. |
| Satisfaction With Major | 6 | I believe the education was exceptional, and the teachers were very good. However, the student services were lacking in several areas. |
| Instruction | 8 | The educational experience was very well thought out and very well set up. The classroom environment was always guided, and the teachers were very knowledgeable and always wanted and were willing to help. |
| Cost | 6 | I definitely believe it was expensive, but every university is. However, I believe the cost was worth it. |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | While I was there, the classes were scheduled for certain days, but the attendance system was very forgiving. I believe you could miss the live classes several times as long as you listened to the recording of the class at a later time. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | As I went to an online university, almost everything was available online. Everyone's email address was listed, so we all had each others' contact information at a moments notice. The instructors' email addresses were also available, and they were always be available to questions and have discussions. |
| Social Life | While I was attending the school, I wasn't sure that the school had any of these types of events going on. Of course, I was going to an online school, so I'm not sure. | |
| Placement Services | 1 | Since I've graduated, I've been contacted by the job placement system once. The one time I was contacted, they didn't offer any help whatsoever. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | Since I graduated from Kaplan University, I haven't heard anything from the alumni network or support systems. I've requested information, but haven't receive any assistance or information. |
Kaplan University • Online
Studying Paralegal Studies (completion in: 2013)
• 3/21/2012
"I love it at Kaplan. I'm learning so much this semester and the classes required within my degree are specific to what my career goals are!"
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would recommend this school to anyone who is in my career track because Kaplan gets right down to what you need to know and cuts out the distractions and side courses for things that are not exactly relevant. |
| School Reputation | 10 | I was surprised to see how many people that I come across on a daily basis have completed their studies at my school. I have yet to hear anything negative about the school. |
| Satisfaction With Major | 10 | I love the school setting online and I also like having the ability to learn at my own pace. |
| Instruction | 8 | I like the quality of the education I'm receiving at Kaplan University because I actually learn a lot. But it is easy to fake your way through the program, I must say. |
| Cost | 10 | The school is as cheap as community college. And for someone who truly values their education, you can really learn a lot here. |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | It's somewhat flexible considering you have many options as to when you take the courses. But they're not always when you want them. |
| Academic Facilities | 3 | I go to school online, so there are not too many resources for me. However, there are some things, such as the school store, that feature good discounts, and there is the online library. I do miss having physical resources sometimes. |
| Social Life | 2 | Since it's online, there is never any face to face interaction. However, there are some chat rooms and group meetings with students outside of your classes, but I never attend and I doubt too many others do either. |
| Placement Services | I cannot say because I haven't actually explored this yet. But I do hear it is extremely helpful. | |
| Alumni Network | 10 | The alumni are always there for help if you need it, with anything you may be having trouble with. |
Kaplan University • St. Louis, MO
Studying Educational And Instructional Technology (completion in: I didn't complete my degree)
• 3/17/2012
"I really couldn't adapt to Kaplan. I thought it was a school that tried to do its, best but it wasn't enough."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | I believe that people trying to pursue my career should do better in school so they get into better colleges. |
| School Reputation | 4 | Kaplan isn't like Harvard or even a state college. Employers would consider you if there wasn't anyone else. |
| Satisfaction With Major | 3 | I knew that when I went to Kaplan it wasn't going to be like a very popular college. The teaching and students just didn't click with me and I didn't want to be there. |
| Instruction | 5 | The teachers seemed like they were only teaching out of the book. There was no connection with the students. |
| Cost | 9 | The cost wasn't too bad for me since I came from a well-off family. I don't think they are trying to scam people. |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | The school offered lots of classes and times. There were day and night classes for some of my classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | I wasn't at Kaplan for a very long time, so I wasn't able to see everything detailed. However, class space and the libraries I found to be very nice. |
| Social Life | 6 | There were lots of parties and I had tons of fun at them. The school spirit wasn't very good. |
| Placement Services | 6 | I didn't particularly like the school, so it is hard for me to say the job placement was good. I thought it was OK, but it could've been better. |
Kaplan University • Online
Studying Nursing (completion in: 2012)
• 3/24/2012
"I enjoy the classes I take, and the quality of what I am learning. The only drawback is the expense."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I think education is key for anyone in today's job market. Online education is catching on more, especially with working adults. |
| School Reputation | 7 | Kaplan is sort of synonymous with education. I think more employers are taking online education more seriously, where it used to be seen as a scam. |
| Satisfaction With Major | 6 | It is sort of expensive compared to other programs of this type. I do like the online option, and all the requirements and course work was laid out more clearly than other programs. |
| Instruction | 5 | I don't have anything to compare it to other than my Associates Degree in Nursing, but the curriculum seems the same as other Bachelor's programs, and I feel I am learning enough to pass and receive my Degree. The students who are also online seem the same as they did in my previous experience in nursing school. |
| Cost | 3 | It is very expensive, but I think most quality online schools are expensive. We pay for the convenience, though I think they should be LESS expensive, as we save the college a lot of money by not going the traditional route. |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | I love the online study option because of the flexibility. It seems more flexible than other online courses I have taken. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | Everything is online, but I do have access to instructors. I also enjoy the online library access, and access to many different databases. |
| Social Life | I attend online classes. Therefore, I do not attend any social events or otherwise. | |
| Placement Services | I have not utilized any job placement services through Kaplan. I have not heard about any career services that Kaplan offers, but I am already employed. | |
| Alumni Network | I have not seen anything regarding the alumni. I don't know if they have a network or forum for previous students. |
Kaplan University • Merrillville, IN
Studying Medical Assisting (completion in: I didn't complete my degree)
• 3/22/2012
"I did not feel it was a good value for my money. I would not return."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | I feel that public universities are a better fit for non traditional students seeking entry level degrees. I further feel that private universities need to be able to justify their higher costs by increased prestige. |
| School Reputation | 3 | It is thought of as a diploma mill. I have heard from potential employers that a state school's degree would matter far more. |
| Satisfaction With Major | 2 | I continually asked about accreditation and transferring of either credits or completed degree programs and was repeatedly put off and misled. In addition, tuition is very high per credit hour and the schedule for face to face instruction is highly inflexible. |
| Instruction | 7 | I did receive excellent instruction. I also believe that the instructors cared a great deal about the students. |
| Cost | 1 | As an unaccredited institution, the tuition is far too high. The disparity needs to be addressed. |
| Schedule Flexibility | 2 | Schedules are extremely inflexible. You are either a "day" student or a "night" student and rarely do the two meet. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | As a for-profit college, I would expect no less. The facilities were clean, well-maintained and spacious, as well as full of current technology. |
| Social Life | 3 | Most events consisted of the lobby being full of food that we could purchase. I would have liked to see groups based around shared experiences and clubs. |
| Placement Services | 6 | Career counseling is offered as well is the ability to audit classes. Networking needs to be taught and supported better, however. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | With a low grad rate, alumni feel disconnected, especially if they do not graduate. Also, the school lacks prestige and so people often do not feel pride in the institution. |
Kaplan University • Online
Studying Accounting (completion in: I didn't complete my degree)
• 3/22/2012
"As mentioned before, I really liked attending Kaplan. The only reason I didn't complete my degree is because of my decision to start a family."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I would recommend the school to people who were able to get assistance with tuition because the curriculum is great. To those without assistance, I would discourage attending this school due to high tuition costs. |
| School Reputation | 5 | For the most part, any time I've mentioned Kaplan to employers they had never heard of the school. They had no ill feelings about the school. |
| Satisfaction With Major | 9 | I loved the school and thought it was great! The pace and flow of the classes suited my learning style well. However, I did not like the requirement to comment on a certain number of posts per week. |
| Instruction | 10 | Though I didn't finish the school, I felt as if I learned a lot. The school did a great job of breaking down more complex subjects into simplified parts that were easy to understand. |
| Cost | 5 | When I attended school, my spouse was in the military. As a result, I was given a discount on my tuition. However, without this benefit, tuition is too expensive. |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Classes were extremely flexible. I did all my classes online when and where I needed to. I was given a list of tasks to be completed per week and I was free to plan them around my schedule. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | I didn't have access to all resources. However, the resources I did have access to were very helpful. |
| Social Life | 2 | The only social experiences the school provided to online students were the required postings and comments to other posts. I feel this could be greatly improved as it was the only interaction I had with other students. |
| Placement Services | I did not have any use for career placement as I did not finish my degree. | |
| Alumni Network | I had no interaction with alumni. |
Kaplan University • Online
Studying Associate Of Applied Science In Paralegal Studies (completion in: 2012)
• 3/24/2012
"it's the best decision I have ever made to finish my degree with Kaplan."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would recommend Kaplan to anyone who wants to better their lives. |
| School Reputation | I'm not too sure yet. | |
| Satisfaction With Major | 10 | I am very satisfied with the courses that coincide with my degree. They are always challenging and highly interesting. |
| Instruction | 10 | The teachers are awesome, I have had some of the best professors. They are there to help you every step of the way and the stuff they teach is always interesting. |
| Cost | 10 | Attending Kaplan is worth the price of tuition. Whether you receive financial aid or pay out of pocket, it's worth the money. |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Classes are very flexibly scheduled and academic advising helps you find the time that fits you the best. This, for me, is the best part. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | There are many different types of resources that can be utilized at Kaplan. For instance, at the writing center you can submit papers for help before submitting them to the teachers. |
| Social Life | I know nothing about any social activities. | |
| Placement Services | I don't know anything about it. |
Kaplan University • Online
Studying Associates Degree In Paralegal Studies (completion in: I didn't complete my degree)
• 3/22/2012
"I was very satisfied with the whole school and how they operate. They are so friendly and they help you every step of the way. Not to mention they also contact you mid-term to see how you are doing and if you need any help."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would recommend KAPLAN to anyone pursuing my career because the professors work in the fields they teach. They are very affordable, and they treat you with kindness every step of the way. While in some online classes you feel lost, they contact you, and you are always free to contact the school or professors with any questions. |
| School Reputation | 10 | KAPLAN has a great reputation among people. I know a few people that attended KAPLAN, and that is where I got my referral from. |
| Satisfaction With Major | 10 | The professors in this school are very knowledgeable about the subjects they are teaching. They are also very helpful, and are willing to work with you if you have any problems. |
| Instruction | 10 | The courses I took had real life examples of what I would be dealing with in that line of work. The courses also made you do research on things that were currently happening. |
| Cost | 10 | KAPLAN was very affordable compared to community college. They also helped me obtain financial aid and loans. |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | KAPLAN had a very flexible schedule, that allowed you to make your own schedule according to how busy you are with home and work. They also let you decide how many classes you wanted to take. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | Although I took online classes, they had an online library that was very helpful. They also had online tutors and study groups that would help you with anything you needed. |
| Social Life | I had online classes, so I was not involved in any parties or events. Although I know that KAPLAN had the best of everything, so they would be very exciting to attend. | |
| Placement Services | During my attendance of KAPLAN, I was not able to reach this far into the program. | |
| Alumni Network | 10 | The network for KAPLAN was very easy to navigate. The support you receive was extremely helpful in every way. |
Kaplan University • Pittsburgh, PA
Studying Computer Networking Technology (completion in: 2014)
• 3/25/2012
"Since I'm still attending, I'm satisfied with my experience in Kaplan. The workload is not overbearing, the atmosphere is professional, and the instructors care about you personally and how you're progressing."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | All my previous answers to questions would sum up my reason to recommend others. Great instructors, not a fly-by-night degree, and even if you don't have transfer credits, it is affordable. The only slight downside to this is that depending on what program you're interested in, it may not have the flexibility you desire. |
| School Reputation | 7 | I'd say Kaplan has enough of a reputation where employers would take me (or any graduating student) seriously. Sure, they're not a 'juggernaut' college like Point Park University, but their degrees still merit a fair shot at a job in direct comparison to someone who came from PPU, for instance. |
| Satisfaction With Major | 8 | The material is spot on. So far I've learned a great deal, such as how to break down a computer, inspect the parts, and rebuild it. I'm torn between database and Windows administration as my favorite class. Both are hands on which is exciting to me. |
| Instruction | 9 | Instructors are top notch and provide insight to their reasoning to how networks are fashioned in a particular way, why hardware malfunctions, and numerous other tricks of the trade that proved invaluable. They even engage students on a personal level which, given my experience thus far, is a real personal comfort. It doesn't feel static and provides that boost to keep coming into class. |
| Cost | 8 | It's actually fairly affordable. Considering that I've had transfer credits, I'm coming out ahead in Kaplan versus me staying at my previous school. It comes at the cost of graduating later, but the end result will justify the means. |
| Schedule Flexibility | 3 | For me personally, there is no flexibility considering how few people are in my major. I'm stuck with one schedule with no deviations what-so-ever. But that is because of the few numbers. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | There are a lot of resources at my disposal. At the drop of a hat I can find an instructor in my major and ask for assistance or ask questions without any hassle. Computer labs and the library are always open to me and I don't feel cramped when using the previously listed resources. Plenty of space to 'breathe,' so to speak. |
| Social Life | 5 | Nothing spectacular. There is the occasional time where the school gives out free food, but that's the only recorded instance where people gather. And it's only to get the free food. |
| Placement Services | I have not gone through career services yet, but on my campus there are bulletins with jobs listed. Most are simple craigslist ads which, in all honesty, I can just find by going to the website. | |
| Alumni Network | I have yet to graduate so I cannot give any valuable feedback on this matter. |
Kaplan University • Online
Studying Information Systems & Technology: Network Administration
• 3/23/2012
"My experience was not good. I could never reach my academic advisor even after failing a class several times. The only ones I got a chance to talk to were the financial aid representatives when my loans hadn't come in for the semester."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | As I said in the beginning, some things should not be taught online. Network administration is one. However, I would go back and learn something like database administration or programming. |
| School Reputation | 2 | I don't think employers care much about online degrees. I receive more call backs for employment when I leave my college experience off of my resume than when I add it to the resume. |
| Satisfaction With Major | 4 | Some things should not be taught online. Network administration is one of those things. There is a lot of hands on work involved that you cannot get from an online course. |
| Instruction | 7 | I was well prepared for the type of work the industry entailed. In one of my classes we had to write a paper in regards to our chosen career field. For the most part, the curriculum was well taught. |
| Cost | 1 | With the way everything was handled, this was way too expensive. I paid about $30,000 for an Associate's degree which I could have received at the local community college for about $17,000. |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Going to school online is more flexible than any other method. I did the majority of my school work between the hours of 9 pm and 2 am. |
| Academic Facilities | 6 | While the experience of an online class may provide fewer resources than a traditional brick and mortar school, the resources were right there with a click of the mouse. We had several large E-library sources as well as weekly webinars we could attend outside of our normal lectures. |
| Social Life | 1 | All I did in school was school work. I did not notice any other activities. |
| Placement Services | I did not graduate. Thus, I did not get to experience the job placement program. | |
| Alumni Network | I never dealt with the alumni. The only people I spoke with were professors, students, and financial aid representatives. |
Kaplan University • Online
Studying My Major Was Criminal Justice (completion in: I didn't complete my degree)
• 3/29/2012
"Although I was completely satisfied with the school academically, the financial divisions of Kaplan are terrible. Employees called Financial Advisors are completely unaware of how to complete their jobs. Stipends were held indefinitely, which after contacting the Department of Education, I learned is not permitted. Monies have a tendency of being applied inappropriately."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | I would love to recommend Kaplan based on the academic aspects, however, the problems with the financial aspects are impossible to deal with. Also, several classes that are offered in the course catalog aren't unavailable when it comes to registering. |
| School Reputation | 5 | I think some employers are unaware that attending school online is just as rigorous as a brick and mortar university. However, in my experience, most people have a positive opinion of Kaplan. |
| Satisfaction With Major | 8 | The professors at Kaplan are very thorough, and the material is very complete. Instructors are very accessible, and weekly webinars make the experience complete. |
| Instruction | 10 | Instructors are very clear and concise when instructing. Real world experience by the educators adds a great deal of value to the materials being taught. |
| Cost | 2 | Individual credits are about industry standard. The reason I am rating this so low is that there were 60 additional credits required for my major than any other program I am familiar with. |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Seminars are available at many different times. The fact that classes are offered as late as 10 pm is great! |
| Academic Facilities | 6 | Although I attended online, I was aware of many resources. Their system is set up great to be able to offer these services to students around the world. |
| Social Life | I attended school online. This does not apply to me. | |
| Placement Services | If Kaplan offered job placement/career assistance, I am not aware of it. It is possible that my not completing my degree with them made me unaware of this. | |
| Alumni Network | 2 | The only alumni organization I am aware of is a facebook page. There is not a great deal of information shared there. |
Kaplan University • Online
Studying My Major Was Business Administratioccounting (completion in: 2006)
• 3/28/2012
"Not only was the school expensive, but they did not give proper advice on classes and they ended up charging more than my financial aid allowed, causing me to have a balance of more than 4,000 at the end of my degree. I needed to get a personal loan to cover the cost and then they gave me the wrong amount owed, so I still owe them 400 dollars."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | There are many more qualified programs out there that I would recommend over Kaplan. I would not recommend this school to anyone for any reason. |
| School Reputation | 3 | I have not encountered an employer who even knew what Kaplan was. There is no negative or positive to the actual college. |
| Satisfaction With Major | 4 | I do not believe that I retained much from my online learning experience. The classes were not focused as much as I would have liked to see. |
| Instruction | 3 | The curriculum lacked what I needed for preparation to enter the accounting world. As to the amount I learned, if I was not already working in the business or accounting field, I believe I would have been totally lost during and after the classes were completed. |
| Cost | 1 | I spent approximately 28,000 dollars for my associates degree that I do not even use or could not use due to lack of preparation. I would much rather spend money at a traditional brick and mortar school than attend online school again. |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Flexibility was the reason I signed up for the school. It allowed me to work full-time and study on my own schedule. As long as I completed the tasks as assigned, it was pretty flexible. |
| Academic Facilities | 6 | The tutors that were made available were very knowledgeable in the Math and English fields. The professors were a little harder to meet with unless you could get online during their short office hours. Advisers were the worst ones to try to reach. Every time I would try to contact one they would no longer be there and I would have a new adviser. |
| Social Life | There was no social experience for me with this school. As with online school I was not near the school to participate in the school activities. | |
| Placement Services | 1 | There was no job placement provided, or if it was they did not make me aware of it. The only way I ever got anything from the school is if I contacted them and asked specifically. Otherwise they just transferred you from one person to another. |
| Alumni Network | I have not had any alumni contact with the school since leaving. |
Kaplan University • Online
Studying Information Technology With A Minor In Website Development (completion in: 2009)
• 3/29/2012
"I feel like I should have gotten more bang for my buck. Like IT certifications, or career counseling."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I would recommend this for someone that has been in their field for a while and need more education to go along with it. I would not recommend this to someone with no career and going to school for the first time. Chances are, upon graduating, one could be thrown out like a fish out of water. |
| School Reputation | 5 | People are still skeptical about online schools. This is especially true for schools that don't have a physical location and/or reputation. For this reason, Kaplan isn't like Yale on a resume. |
| Satisfaction With Major | 1 | Kaplan University is completely overpriced for the services that it offers. There is also zero career support for graduating students of the online programs. |
| Instruction | 9 | The instruction at Kaplan was like none other, with instructors who currently work in their fields. The instructors really do care about the students and seeing them succeed. |
| Cost | 1 | Kaplan has one of the highest tuition rates in the country. When I finished my undergraduate program, the $60,000 student loan for three years is evidence of that. |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Kaplan truly is a completely flexible school. I get my assignments and a due date, and it's up to me to get them in. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | I couldn't truly rate this accurately as I was in the online program. From what I know, Kaplan doesn't have a physical location. |
| Social Life | There wasn't much social interaction at Kaplan due to it being an online program. The little interaction I did have was through seminars and lectures, but nothing further than a few questions and stray comments. | |
| Placement Services | 1 | For online programs, the career services department is non-existent. I tried for weeks to contact their 'career co-ordinator' and never received anything back from anyone. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | The alumni network is great. Even after graduating and three years later, I am still receiving regular newsletters keeping me informed. The alumni support is great at being on the social networking scene as well. |
Kaplan University • Online
Studying BS In Communication (completion in: I didn't complete my degree)
• 3/27/2012
"I received the credits I needed. Overall, it was a rewarding experience."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | The program was flexible. Most people need flexibility in order to attend college. |
| School Reputation | 3 | Fellow students with a Kaplan degree have complained to me that employers were not impressed. The school has some work to do in order to remedy this misconception of the school. |
| Satisfaction With Major | 5 | The courses were manageable but tedious. I decided to change my major. |
| Instruction | 7 | The instructions were clear. However, sometimes there were miscommunications about assignments. |
| Cost | 5 | Financial aid was merely adequate. More grants and scholarship opportunities would have been appreciated. |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | The classes were relatively flexible. I was able to work while attending classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | I was able to do research fairly often. I did have a hard time getting to the library sometimes. |
| Social Life | I did not attend any social events. If I were to attend again in the future I would. | |
| Placement Services | I never used them. I am not sure how good they are. | |
| Alumni Network | 7 | E-mail contact was swift. I always felt that someone was keeping up with the curriculum online. |
Kaplan University • Online
Studying Major In Business Management With A Minor In Sales & Marketing (completion in: I didn't complete my degree)
• 3/26/2012
"I thought some of the professors were dismissive of people. They didn't seem like they wanted to help their students. I especially didn't like their website considering that it was difficult to navigate and find information on. That made my experience not so great."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | I would honestly recommend others to go to a traditional school over going to Kaplan University Online. It's just as expensive and you do not get the "classroom" feeling you would normally get if you went to a traditional school. |
| School Reputation | 4 | I have never met anyone who has completed a degree through Kaplan. I also do not know any employers who have hired anyone with a degree from there. |
| Satisfaction With Major | 5 | There's was nothing that really stood out about the school other than you could take online courses. Nothing really made it stand out from other online universities or traditional schools. |
| Instruction | 5 | I learned a great deal while I attended. I don't feel like they were below average or above average on they're teachings, though. |
| Cost | 1 | For taking classes online I still had to pay tuition. I was charged almost $34,000 for only doing about 2 years of course work. |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | This was one good thing about Kaplan. They were VERY flexible with their class scheduling. I had no problems getting my classes at the times that were best for me. |
| Academic Facilities | 4 | Kaplan's online libraries were extremely difficult to navigate. I started only using their library when it called for a specific task. The professor would specifically ask us to use their library for certain articles. |
| Social Life | I took all my classes online so I honestly do not know anything about this part. There may have been school sprit, athletics, parties, and organized social events at the actual university, but I never took part in them. | |
| Placement Services | I honestly do not know anything about their job placement and career services assistance. The information may have been on their website but, as I stated before, their website was difficult to navigate. | |
| Alumni Network | I never used my school's alumni network and support so I can't give you an exact answer. The university's website was confusing and hard to navigate, so that made it difficult. |
Kaplan University • Online
Studying Business Administration (completion in: 2011)
• 3/29/2012
"I was provided with a degree and it advanced my career. I will be able to utilize all the benefits having a degree entails."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would definitely recommend Kaplan. The only drawback is the cost. |
| School Reputation | 10 | Kaplan is the #1 recommended work environment within my company. They offer many incentives to choose to go to Kaplan. |
| Satisfaction With Major | 9 | It gave me the flexibility I needed to complete my degree working in an online environment. The classes were engaging and what I learned I could use in my work environment right away. |
| Instruction | 7 | Being in an online environment, it was hard sometimes to understand the instructor. I found that even though this was the case, they provided me with the materials I needed to succeed in the course. |
| Cost | 2 | The tuition was very expensive. I had tuition reimbursement so thankfully I didn't have to pay much out of pocket. |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | The online environment provides a very flexible work schedule. I could work when I was free and not tied down to a schedule. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | I was in an online environment so I utilized the resources they gave me on their website. I also had the choice of visiting one of their campuses if need be. |
| Social Life | 5 | I made friends through the online team environment. I didn't take advantage of any of the other programs they offered. |
| Placement Services | 9 | I would say they have a great rating. I had the opportunity to interview at several places because of this program. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I really don't use the alumni website very often. I do find that they offer a lot, but I just have to take advantage of them. |
Kaplan University • Online
Studying Business Administration (completion in: 2013)
• 3/26/2012
"Kaplan University is a reasonably affordable option for those who need a more flexible way to get their degree. I have found it enjoyable and I have been learning a fair amount."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | It would depend on what sort of education the other person wants. Many wish to have a more social experience while others don't. A person wanting parties and a social experience would not be happy with Kaplan University. |
| School Reputation | 5 | I have not received any more or less recognition for attending Kaplan as I did when I attended a local community college. My future degree will possibly be taken less seriously because online education is still new, but I don't believe it will affect me too much. |
| Satisfaction With Major | 8 | The course work is relative to my future career. The only thing I would change is allowing people to test out of the basic math course. |
| Instruction | 7 | As stated with the last question, the math courses are exceptionally easy and redundant for recent high school graduates. It would be useful to test out of the math courses, however I have learned a lot in my business courses. |
| Cost | 8 | The prices for the degree are a bit high, however it is a private school. Kaplan University is cheaper than the public options local to me. |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | I am in the online program and the program is very flexible. Class seminars are often set in stone, but the option 2 for the seminar allows those who can't make it at that time to still get credit. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | All my professors have been easily accessible when I need them. The extra help programs are widely available too, however I have not had to use them yet. |
| Social Life | I am in the online portion of the school. While there are discussions involving other students, it's not a social experience. | |
| Placement Services | I have not yet used the career service. I plan on using it soon though. | |
| Alumni Network | I have not graduated just yet. Alumni programs aren't relevant to my situation. |
Kaplan University • Online
Studying BS In Information And Technology (completion in: 2014)
• 3/27/2012
"Best school I have ever attended."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | They have a great degree program. They also let you choose a career focus which will help me be a desirable candidate upon graduation. |
| School Reputation | 8 | The employees are great. The academic assistants always provide great support and answer all of my questions. |
| Satisfaction With Major | 10 | I love Kaplan University. The teachers are great and I am learning a lot in the courses provided. |
| Instruction | 10 | The teachers have lots of experience in the field they are teaching. They are also very available to students. |
| Cost | 7 | I think that the tuition is overpriced. I know college is expensive anywhere you go, so I guess you have to pay what they say. |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Since I go online my schedule is very flexible. I work on homework when I have time. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | The Kaplan Library provides great resources. I really like the writing center as well! |
| Social Life | 8 | I have made some great contacts. This is great even for being online! |
| Placement Services | 9 | I have had great contact with career services. They have answered all of my questions and concerns. |
| Alumni Network | I wouldn't know about this one. I am not an alum yet! |
Kaplan University • Online
Studying Medical Transcriptionist
• 3/26/2012
"Deciding to attend Kaplan University online was one of the best decisions I have made in my life. I am learning about a field I love and that will open up interesting opportunities for me."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I have recommended Kaplan to my son who will be graduating from High School this summer. Unfortunately, he has been convinced by his peers that an online education is not a quality education. I will keep working on him, however, as I am finding that there is no way a brick and mortar building could provide the resources that Kaplan has available. |
| School Reputation | 5 | I have heard different opinions regarding Kaplan simply based on the online aspect. In general, people seem to feel that an online education is not as good as going to a traditional brick and mortar school. I wholeheartedly disagree. |
| Satisfaction With Major | 10 | I began online with Kaplan University in February. So far, the coursework has been up to date and applicable to the field I am pursuing. |
| Instruction | 9 | The quality of instruction at Kaplan is excellent. The professors I have worked with have been very involved with their classes. |
| Cost | 5 | I was able to obtain a Stafford Loan to cover tuition costs for my first year at Kaplan. I do think tuition is high, but Kaplan does offer a discount to veterans, of which I was able to take advantage. |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | Kaplan is extremely flexible with class schedules and attendance timeframes. Being an online school, they understand and know how to work with students regarding time management. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | I am really impressed by the services offered by Kaplan University. Of particular note is the Writing Center area of the website. For example, experts from the Writing Center will QA student papers and provide feedback. |
| Social Life | 8 | It's difficult to give an online school exceedingly high ratings for social activities. However, so far I am surprised at the camaraderie that develops between students. I think Kaplan's use of the Discussion Boards fosters this online socializing. |
| Placement Services | 5 | As far as I am aware, Kaplan does not provide job placement services. However, they do have resources available for preparing resumes, job searching, and other career resources. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I am giving an average rating to the alumni section as I have not yet graduated. However, I have visited the alumni section of Kaplan and it looks like there are many resources for graduates there. |
Kaplan University • Online
Studying Associate Of Applied Science In Accounting (completion in: I didn't complete my degree)
• 3/28/2012
"It got too expensive for me to pay for. Not only that, I didn't have enough help with the things I was having trouble with and ultimately fell behind."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I think it depends on the occupation they are looking to pursue. The teachers do teach well, and online classes are very convenient. |
| School Reputation | 5 | I think when you tell an employer that you went to school online, they wonder if the program was accredited or not. It seems an employer would discriminate an online education over physically going to class. |
| Satisfaction With Major | 4 | Although I did enjoy having my classes online, I felt like I did not receive the attention I needed when I had trouble learning something. When we would have seminars, people would just constantly chat with each other, making it very hard to concentrate on what was being taught. |
| Instruction | 7 | I did learn quite a bit from my teachers. All of them were very intelligent and assigned great coursework. My teacher for my first accounting class was very articulate and explained everything very well. |
| Cost | 1 | I believe Kaplan was very expensive. I do suppose a lot of colleges are. I think they could lower their prices a little bit! |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | Being a stay at home mom with a new baby, I needed a lot of flexibility. I was able to pick my classes for whatever time was available. It was really nice. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | Kaplan had an online library where you could look at books for research or whatever you wanted. You could also order books and have them shipped to you. |
| Social Life | 3 | Our classmates all interacted on the discussion board. All of it was small talk. Personally, I did not create any kind of real relationship with anyone. |
| Placement Services | I never finished my degree there, so I couldn't really tell you. I do not remember them offering any career placement though. | |
| Alumni Network | 5 | Being that Kaplan can be an online school, network and support are okay. I do not think that things are done in a very timely manner, though. |
Kaplan University • Online
Studying Paralegal Studies (completion in: I didn't complete my degree)
• 3/27/2012
"Taking online classes was fine for most subjects, but when I hit difficult math classes I ran into trouble. Chatting online or via instant messenger did not help me as much as one on one face to face interaction would have."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | It depends if I think that person can handle the online class experience. It takes a lot of self discipline. You also have to be able to learn through just online resources. I would definitely say it is not for everyone, but those that can handle it would enjoy it. |
| School Reputation | 5 | There doesn't seem to be much reputation, either positive or negative. Employers ask details about online classes, but generally seem to regard Kaplan as an accepted school. |
| Satisfaction With Major | 7 | Overall, the way classes were held, it was very easy to assimilate. Since much of our work is done with computers anyway, going to an online class wasn't much of a stretch. They provided excellent materials, both physical and digital. |
| Instruction | 6 | The problem is there is a great amount of variance between the teachers. Some were professional, prompt and helpful, while some almost seemed disorganized and unsure of how to proceed. I had one teacher that was late (or did not show at all) to almost all the semester's chat sessions. |
| Cost | 1 | Very expensive classes. I am still in debt because I was unable to complete the program. |
| Schedule Flexibility | 6 | Classes were somewhat flexible. There were options for just about any day of the week. However, there wasn't much difference in the times. Classes were usually available during early afternoon or later evening hours. There weren't many options for early morning or very late evening classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | Very good resources. I had access to Lexis Nexus and several other research tools as part of the paralegal program. Lexis Nexus was a huge enough resource, but they also had access to many related journal publications, etc. |
| Social Life | Went to Kaplan via online learning. There were no social activities or programs for online students. | |
| Placement Services | Did not graduate. Did not use these services. | |
| Alumni Network | I did not graduate, and therefore I was unable to take part in any of their support networks. They seemed quite promising from what I read though. |
Kaplan University • Online
Studying Business (completion in: 2014)
• 3/28/2012
"It is suitable for people of all ages. It provides you with a flexible schedule."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Yes, there are many resources. There are many options, including online classes. |
| School Reputation | 9 | I have never heard anything bad about the employees. The school has a great reputation. |
| Satisfaction With Major | 8 | My major is very challenging at times. Online can be more difficult than I thought. |
| Instruction | 8 | The quality of instruction is very good. I believe it is good career preparation. |
| Cost | 6 | Sometimes you cannot put a price on education. It is a decent enough price for what it is worth. |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | It was very easy to choose a schedule that fit around my work schedule. I was able to do half online classes because of this. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | I am not on campus very often, but I am sure the facilities are well organized. There are a lot of resources. |
| Social Life | I have not yet been to a social event. But my experience at the school is still a positive one. | |
| Placement Services | 8 | The school helps with job placement. They are very helpful, especially when you are about to receive a degree. |
| Alumni Network | I am not really sure because it is online. If I were on campus, I would know more about the alumni network. |
Kaplan University • Online
Studying AAS/Medical Transcription (completion in: 2010)
• 3/30/2012
"Kaplan was an excellent school for academics. I feel like I learned a lot, but because of the other circumstances, my satisfaction is decreased."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | Because of the conveniences that Kaplan offers it students, I feel it is a great school. Online learning is progressive and fits the lifestyles of so many people, especially for people who work and are parents. However, to be certain that the school is a good fit, a lot of research into the desired field is necessary, because Kaplan won't talk about those things. |
| School Reputation | 5 | As I have not been able to find work, I cannot accurately gauge what standing Kaplan has among the medical transcription community. I do know that Kaplan is one of very few schools that actually offer this program. |
| Satisfaction With Major | 8 | I feel the instruction I received was thorough and intense enough to prepare me for the field of transcription. However, there was not much information for students regarding how difficult it actually is to find employment. With no job placement, I am left with a degree I cannot use. |
| Instruction | 9 | The courses were intense and very beneficial. I feel I learned appropriate material to prepare me for a career in medical transcription. |
| Cost | 5 | I do feel that Kaplan, being a for-profit school, was very over priced. For a 2-year degree, the amount of debt I have acquired is very large. Not being able to find work after graduating has been very frustrating, especially with my loans. |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | I was never in a position where my class scheduling was inconvenient. As an online student, I had access to my assignments whenever and wherever I needed them. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | Kaplan provided many services to students for academic support. They have access to several online libraries that were beneficial, not only in my coursework, but for my own personal use. The math and writing centers were very helpful and were staffed with knowledgeable tutors. |
| Social Life | Because my program was online, there was a large absence of social experiences. However, there were clubs and organizations for people who were interested; I just never took part in them, as they were interest based and none suited me. | |
| Placement Services | 1 | As mentioned previously, Kaplan did not offer any job placement help. In a field such as medical transcription, I would think that it would be easier as there are many large transcription organizations that function solely from the internet. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | As Kaplan is the only school I have graduated from, I'm not sure how to rate their alumni support. In two years, I've not received any followup or anyone reach out to me after graduation. |
Kaplan University • Online
Studying AAS In Paralegal Studies (completion in: I didn't complete my degree)
• 4/7/2012
"I think that I paid far too much for the classes that I took. Although access to legal databases was provided, I paid far less for upper level classes at another accredited school with access to psychology databases."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | I would recommend a local college above Kaplan at this point in time. When I took online classes with Kaplan, there wasn't as much available online as is available now. For far less money I could complete a comparable program at my local college. |
| School Reputation | 5 | I don't know of anyone who has an opinion of Kaplan. I would guess that since it is an accredited school, there would be some respect for it. |
| Satisfaction With Major | 7 | I felt that my classes were challenging and that I learned a lot from them. The texts used were appropriate but I didn't get much usable feedback from my instructors. |
| Instruction | 7 | The material covered was relevant to the program. I learned quite a bit but did not feel prepared to enter the field, but that probably had more to do with not completing the program. |
| Cost | 2 | I completed my bachelor's degree with a far lower cost per credit hour than my Kaplan classes. Thankfully most of my credits transferred as elective credits, but I paid far too much for those credits. |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | I did not have the option of attending classes in any way except online. I did not have a problem getting the classes that I wanted to take. |
| Academic Facilities | 6 | Access to legal documents through online databases was exceptional. I did not attend physical classes so classroom space, etc., does not apply. My academic advisor was not helpful, and in fact she refused to withdraw me from classes when I asked her to and this resulted in F's on my transcript. |
| Social Life | Online classes are not conducive to social connectedness. I did not participate in any activities. | |
| Placement Services | I did not graduate and did not expect to be placed. I had no contact with career services. | |
| Alumni Network | I did not graduate, so I did not expect alumni support. I have had no contact with this network. |
Kaplan University • Online
Studying Criminal Justice (completion in: I didn't complete my degree)
• 4/8/2012
"I was satisfied with Kaplan. I learned a ton but was really disappointed in the lack of information given to me at the start of my degree in regards to financial aid. They did not provide much info and I ended up running out of money before I was finished."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | It is a good way for adult students to attend college. It is flexible and does allow credits for real-world experience. |
| School Reputation | 7 | I am not sure. I do not know what Kaplan's reputation is with employers. |
| Satisfaction With Major | 10 | Kaplan was the best experience ever! They had the best and most intelligent professors and it was so easy to attend. I was able to fit it into my life. |
| Instruction | 10 | I learned a tremendous amount. The courses were current and fast paced enough to keep my interest. |
| Cost | 1 | All college is too expensive, but online education is ridiculous. It was almost 3 times higher than a regular college. |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | The flexibility of Kaplan was amazing. I was able to work a full-time job, raise 2 boys, be married, and still work towards my degree on my "free time." |
| Academic Facilities | 6 | I attended online weekly seminars. They were informative and quick. |
| Social Life | I attended online, so the social experience was limited. I did enjoy chatting with the other classmates though. | |
| Placement Services | I didn't finish my degree, so looking for a job thru Kaplan was pointless. I did hear they had a really good placement service. | |
| Alumni Network | I did not get into the alumni part of Kaplan. I did not finish, therefore I did not see the need. |
Kaplan University • Davenport, IA
Studying Masters In Education (completion in: 2011)
• 4/4/2012
"The educational experience was poor. The degree did allow me to find a teaching job."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | There are better schools for less money. I might recommend Kaplan if the person had time constraints. |
| School Reputation | 2 | Kaplan's reputation is poor. The school is accredited, though. |
| Satisfaction With Major | 2 | The program was weak. The degree did allow me to switch careers. |
| Instruction | 3 | There were some professors that were fine. Some of them were clearly phoning it in. |
| Cost | 4 | I knew that it would be expensive and it was. The financial aid dept. was a nightmare. |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | They offer a ton of online classes, which is convenient. However, scheduling is a nightmare. |
| Academic Facilities | 3 | The majority of their classes are only offered online. The facilities that they do have are very basic. |
| Social Life | 1 | There is no social experience. Going to school at Kaplan is like taking classes at the YMCA. |
| Placement Services | 2 | They offered me zero job placement help. They couldn't even place me for student teaching. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | Never heard anything about alumni services. Kaplan offers little support of any kind. |
Kaplan University • Michigan
Studying Psychology (completion in: 2011)
• 4/2/2012
"As mentioned above, I feel that my schooling has really prepared me for graduate school and was well worth the money. I also feel that it was an enjoyable experience based on the social aspect."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I feel that for anyone looking for a good education, this is a great school to go to. Instructors were great and really had a passion for teaching, social life is great and the campus has really good resources such as printing labs, 24 hour library and rec center. |
| School Reputation | 8 | Although not the best school, I feel my school has a well known reputation. Especially in my program, I had very well known professors which really makes for a good reputation for my school among employer. |
| Satisfaction With Major | 10 | Program prepared me well for graduate school. I found the program both challenging and rewarding. |
| Instruction | 9 | Instructor was willing and able to answer questions. Instructor was always prepared for class. |
| Cost | 10 | Although I do have student loans, I feel my education was well worth it. I feel that I was prepared to get into graduate school and that makes the money well worth it. |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | Classes were offered both at night and during the day. I think this is really important because I work and flexible class options allowed me to work and go to school. The reason for the 9 was due to classes filling up. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | I loved the library, lots of space and also a quiet environment to study. Also, there were plenty of computer labs and other resources in order to print papers. |
| Social Life | 10 | I really enjoyed my college experience. There were plenty of parties, sporting events, and activities. Although I wasn't involved in any of the clubs or organized events, I felt that my school had a wide variety of options so anyone could find something that interested them. |
| Placement Services | 8 | I went on to graduate school after, so I wasn't interesting in job placement. However, I was given information regarding schools and how to apply, and this is the reason for the high rating. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | Right after graduation I received a lot of alumni information. After a month or so no more information was received and I really don't know the benefits they are supposed to offer? |
Kaplan University • Online
Studying BS - IT/Computer Programming (completion in: 2008)
• 4/2/2012
"The program fit my needs. I was able to finish the accelerated start program in 18 months."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | If you're looking for a flexible program with relevant course content, it's a great program. You do have to be able to self motivate, however. |
| School Reputation | 5 | It's an online school, so it's not going to stand out compared to a brick and mortar institution. It is a well known online school, so I think it makes the overall impression average. |
| Satisfaction With Major | 7 | Overall the program was good for entry level programmers. I learned quite a bit about the .net framework, but it wasn't really relevant to my career. |
| Instruction | 7 | The classes weren't really instructor led. Instead, they led the seminars and offered periodic assistance. All of the required resources were provided. |
| Cost | 5 | I'm still paying off the student loans. I guess the cost is average when compared to other institutions. My 18 month cost was approximately $20,000. |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | The classes were very flexible because they were online. There were mandatory weekly seminars, but the times changed from class to class and the instructors were easy to work with. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | There were no actual facilities provided. Everything was offered digitally via the online library, school Web site, forums, etc. |
| Social Life | 1 | There really was no social experience. There was mandatory participation in the forums, but no face to face interaction. |
| Placement Services | 3 | Career assistance is available, but is mostly entry level. I didn't need to use the resource because I already held a mid-level position. |
| Alumni Network | 3 | There is an alumni association available and I receive periodic emails. I have not participated in any alumni events. |
Kaplan University • Online
Studying Legal Studies (completion in: 2013)
• 3/31/2012
"The professors are great! The online experience is no different than actually being in a building."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I won't know until I complete my degree. So far I think it is awesome! |
| School Reputation | 5 | I did not complete my degree yet for this. I have heard that employers are not fond of degrees from Kaplan. |
| Satisfaction With Major | 8 | I love the way their online environment operates. I love the discussions. |
| Instruction | 5 | They need to provide more live class time. We needed more actual text books. |
| Cost | 7 | It was easier than I thought. The online learning process is very smooth flowing. |
| Schedule Flexibility | 3 | If you didn't enroll soon enough, you were stuck with times that didn't suit you. I think they need weekend classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | It is great for an online school! I think they did a great job with this area of learning. |
| Social Life | 6 | Met great people during the discussion board sessions. The live environment was very social and cool. |
| Placement Services | I never made it to that point. I've heard it was ok. | |
| Alumni Network | 5 | Most people have bad feedback. Some people are embarrassed that they attended Kaplan. |
Kaplan University • Manchester, NH
Studying Medical Assistant (completion in: 2007)
• 3/31/2012
"I feel that my education has paved the way for me to have a good career with many employment options. I left Kaplan with the knowledge that I needed to excel at my job. I feel good helping others, and I play an important role in being a part of a teem."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I think that a lot of people could take away just as much if not more than I have if they are looking to get into the medical field. There are also multiple directions where this degree can go. So yes, I think that others could benefit from an education at Kaplan. |
| School Reputation | 8 | I think Kaplan had a good reputation. A lot of the other medical assistants that I work with graduated from Kaplan. |
| Satisfaction With Major | 10 | I am very satisfied with the education that I received at Kaplan. I found the teachers to be very strong in the fields that they were teaching. The class sizes were reasonable so one on one learning was not out of reach, which for me is important because I tend to ask a lot of questions. There was also a lot of hands on learning, which again was very key for me because I learn best with hands on activities. |
| Instruction | 10 | I found the instructors/teachers to be very informative. They were very helpful and good at addressing all of my questions. I feel that I left Kaplan with the confidence and knowledge that I needed the thrive in the field that I went into. |
| Cost | 8 | The financial aid department made sure that I got the best loan that I could get. They also helped me apply for grants, so I was happy with the cost of the schooling that I received. |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | For the program that I chose, I found the scheduling options to be agreeable. They have a day time program that runs 9-1 Monday-Friday, and I'm not sure about the night class hours. However, I do know a few people who used the night classes and were very happy with them. I really don't have any knowledge about the on-line classes though. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | I got a lot of good use out of the library. I also spent a lot of time in the computer lab due to the fact that at the time I didn't have an at home computer. The professors were easy to get in touch with and were always there to answer my questions, even after class. In fact, I have returned to ask for help from my clinical professor when I changed jobs and I felt that I needed a refresher on a few things. She not only helped me without a problem, but she remembered me by name the second I walked through her door. I did find the class rooms to be a bit small in the department that we were in, but the class sizes were suitable for the room sizes. I didn't use any of their tutors but I did join in a couple of study groups. |
| Social Life | I didn't stay in the dorms and I didn't join any of the athletic groups, although I did hear a lot of good things about the social network within the school. | |
| Placement Services | 10 | Again the career services helped me write up a great resume. They also helped me get it out there to different companies. They are also good at preparing you for what to expect when you are out there doing interviews. They go over the interview process and even go over what is considered proper attire. |
| Alumni Network | 9 | When I decided to attend Kaplan I found the intake rep. to be very helpful and informative. Also, upon completion of my program they helped me perfect my resume, and the career services helped me get it out there so I could find a good stable job. |
Kaplan University • Online
Studying Nursing (completion in: I didn't complete my degree)
• 4/6/2012
"The classes were great. The professors were helpful and kind."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | Online classes are not for everyone. You also cannot do the whole nursing degree online. |
| School Reputation | 7 | I think it has a good reputation. Sometimes online schools do not get the best reviews. However, their programs are accredited. I know people who found great jobs after graduation. |
| Satisfaction With Major | 8 | The classes were interesting. I learned a lot although online learning is harder than regular classes. |
| Instruction | 8 | The professors did a good job, especially since it is all online. They responded to emails quickly. |
| Cost | 5 | Even though I took online courses, it was still expensive. All colleges are expensive. |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Classes are extremely flexible. You can choose when you want to do your school work. |
| Academic Facilities | 2 | It is all online. There are no labs or classrooms. |
| Social Life | 2 | It is all online. There is no "school spirit," so to speak. However, the counselors/professors/students are very friendly and kind. They are helpful as well. |
| Placement Services | 8 | The school's counselors show you what kind of jobs you can have after graduation. I'm not sure what else they can do for you. |
| Alumni Network | 7 | It is online so all communication is through email/phone. It would have been better in person. |
Kaplan University • Indianapolis, IN
Studying Medical Assisting (completion in: 2008)
• 4/3/2012
"I enjoyed my classes and felt like a learned a lot. My teachers were what made the difference in how the material was learned."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | If anyone in that area is looking to become a Medical Assistant, I would recommend the school because of the accelerated courses and the reputation in the community. I would also tell them about how the program worked, and what I particularly liked about it. |
| School Reputation | 8 | I know of several employers in the area that always enjoyed having students working there. I received a job while in school, and the reason my boss asked me if I was looking for a job was because he knew I was a student at Kaplan. |
| Satisfaction With Major | 9 | Almost all of what we learned were things that we could really use in the field. The teachers were very attentive. |
| Instruction | 9 | The teachers took a personal interest in every student. The material was well set up in terms of the order we did things and which classes were taken at the same time. |
| Cost | 5 | I thought that it was a reasonable price for the education I got. They did help very well with trying to get assistance if you could not pay out of pocket. |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | The school had several class schedule options available. If you had to stop class for any reason, they would help you come back at a different time to cover what was missed. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | I feel that we had great class rooms and wonderful work space. We also had a very nice student lounge to work in or relax in between classes. |
| Social Life | 4 | I went to a location that did accelerated programs. We did not have any kind of sports, clubs or groups. The students did like the school and were excited to be attending. |
| Placement Services | 6 | While in school they seemed to help us with trying to find jobs for after school. After I graduated, I received calls from the job placement office a few times, but that stopped about a year and a half after I graduated. |
| Alumni Network | 4 | I haven't spoken to any of my classmates since school. I have not heard anything from the school about any alumni events, activities or groups. |
Kaplan University • Phoenix, AZ
Studying Veterinary Technology (completion in: I didn't complete my degree)
• 4/7/2012
"I'm not satisfied at all. I put a lot of money into this school and have nothing to show for it."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | Depending on the program the person wishes to complete, I might recommend this school. Some of the programs seems to have been given more focus from the school than others. |
| School Reputation | 6 | I think Kaplan has an ok reputation with employers. I think there are a few other schools that employers would rather hire from. |
| Satisfaction With Major | 3 | It was difficult to get help from the school regarding any problems I was having. I felt that I wasn't getting the education that I was paying for. |
| Instruction | 5 | I didn't feel prepared at all to start my career in this field. I didn't learn anywhere near enough to be a competent employee |
| Cost | 1 | For the education that I received, I believe I paid way too much. I didn't receive even close to the value that I expected when paying that much. |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | There were morning and evening schedules. Classes could fit into anyone's schedule. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | I didn't feel that I was equipped with enough resources to be able to get all that I could out of my education at Kaplan. Some of the teachers were very unorganized and followed their own curriculum instead of the school's. |
| Social Life | 10 | The other students were very friendly and helpful. Most of the help I received was from other students rather than teachers. |
| Placement Services | 3 | The person that didn't call me because I wasn't on their list was in the career services department. It was very unhelpful. |
| Alumni Network | 4 | A few times I had tried to contact someone at the school and it took weeks to hear from them, and when I finally did hear from them, I was told that they never called me back because I wasn't on their list. |