Review of Capella University

PgD Educational Psychology

I received my BA and MA from a traditional well-ranked university and am currently in my fifth year with Capella University. In truth, I am pounding away at the third chapter of my dissertation. I have read the various remarks posted to this site, and find I am confused by some and in agreement with others. Online learning is not for the “faint at heart” and doctoral learning in an online venue requires a set of personal characteristics beyond cognitive ability: Conscientiousness, self-regulation, tenacity, a strong sense of self (e.g. weaknesses and strengths), a proactive (rather than reactive) disposition, and self-sacrifice. Of course, all of these characteristics are necessary to success in any doctoral programs. However, in my experience, online study is comparatively more demanding.

Be prepared to hone your writing abilities constantly, and engage in deep critical evaluation of your existing knowledge, skills, and abilities in your selected discipline and beyond. When weighing my educational options, I was most concerned about rigor, and I was not disappointed curricula at Capella. In fact, I found it challenging and intellectually stimulating. In some respects, the secondary research and writing demands were exceptionally challenging.

The real question is, would I make the same decision knowing what I know now?

Yes. My grades, references, and GRE scores were excellent, and I had an opportunity to pursue my degree at three traditional colleges that offered similar degree programs. However, my campus tours uncovered a simple fact: A lack of fit between myself (demographically and otherwise), other doctoral students, and the entire tenor of “traditional college life.” I was, after all, 44 years old, had a wealth of practical experience, and planned to pursue a doctorate to improve my marketability within my field rather than become some newly minted faculty member. Further, such a commitment required I move, leave my husband of 20 years, and move in with a family member in the area. No thanks. It is worthwhile to note that one of the “selling points” of two of the three universities was the ability to complete “some” of the core prerequisite courses online.

Lots of hard work but worth it.

Capella has made many improvements in the past four years. I have learned a lot. Most of the classes are hard. I learned a lot about the research process and have published several papers since I started the Capella degree. Once Capella earns AACSB designation, there is no stopping it. I received 11 offers at colleges and universities and I haven't graduated yet.

IDOL

Currently in my third quarter in the MS IDOL program and am very impressed so far. I work for a leading college in online learning and was skeptical about a fully online program at a for-profit but have had nothing but good experiences so far.

The textbooks used for every course have been such high quality that I don't intend to resell them - they have become a valued part of my personal library. The lessons have been the best part - they are of higher quality than my undergraduate program at a public university. The instructors are very involved in the classroom discussions and respond in a timely manner. They all seem to be quite experienced in their fields. I am more than satisfied with my experience in the classroom.

That said, there are a few areas where I would like to see improvement. The mentoring service is impossible to find on the Capella site - even typing in the word "mentoring" in the search only brings up mentor profiles. The only reason I know mentoring exists is because last quarter Capella emailed me a link which I absentmindedly deleted. Also, my advisor is new and so far very hands-off. He mentioned that he advises several hundred students so no mystery there.

For self-motivated, busy, working adults who are disciplined to do the work, Capella is like the ideal graduate experience. If you need to ask questions every 5 minutes and are going to put in only the minimum effort required for an assignment, this isn't the "easy road" you might be looking for. The assignments will challenge you.

Regarding the negative reviews, I personally know someone who got bad grades because she can't write a complete sentence and is still blaming Capella for it. Take the bad reviews with a grain of salt. You really DO get out what you put in.

Great experience!

I graduated from Capella University in June 2003 with my Master of Science degree in Educational Psychology. Overall, my experience with Capella was outstanding! I do not understand the negative reviews of this school. This school was perfect in every regard. Additionally, I have reaped the rewards of my Master's degree. I have since secured a professorship at a local community college in Tennessee and my degree has been respected by my colleagues and administrators. Capella was truly a rewarding and worthwhile academic experience. I highly recommend this school to anyone considering it. I am now pursuing my PhD at another online school (Northcentral University) and it too has been a wonderful experience thus far. The reason why I chose to attend NCU is because of the non-residential component. I wish that Capella's PhD residency requirement was not so stringent. Nevertheless, I would still recommend Capella's degree programs to anyone.

A wonderful choice!

After obtaining my undergraduate degree back in 1990 I decided to go back for my MBA in Human Resources Management and am getting ready to wrap up my first class at Capella. I had orgionally looked into the University of Phoenix and their program. While the University of Phoenix is a very good intitution, I felt Capella was much better with a fantastic online support system. The course has been challenging but extremely enrichning. I am excited about my next class and so far am highly impressed with the quality of learning. I highly recommend Capella to others.