Capella University Reviews of Bachelor's in Information Technology

"STAY AWAY if you don't want to waste your money and through thousands of dollars out the window. The Instructors do not care, do not respond for help, the Tutor's do not care and do as little as possible to get what they are paid to do. Please do yourself a favor and select ANYONE Else."

"Capella University is not a school, it is a business, and they will seek to lure you in and trap you with hidden charges. I was halfway, HALFWAY, through a semester being paid for with student loans when Capella called me up saying I needed to pay $700 right then and there or would be dropped. I'm not made of money, what do you think the student loans were for?? I tried to drop the class to save myself any trouble, since I didn't have $700 and wasn't going to any time soon, they said it was too late to drop or get a refund, so I got a "withdraw" grade for the class and charged an additional $600 on top of that. Now they expect me to pay $1300 or else they won't release my transcripts. I need my transcripts to apply for financial aid at other schools, as well as to enter the nursing program, so Capella has ruined my life and I got nothing out of it at all."

"I did NOT graduate. With a family and too high of income at the time I cannot get any more financial aid. I also have applied for jobs in my field, but say I have no experience or am NOT qualified. I had 30 credits left and trying to work, and do school was impossible since all they want is money. They changed my program 5 times in the 5.5 years I went there part and full time, and even no time and took off because of financial aid. I'll look to get my credits transferred to another college to finish."

"I will tell every right now, save your money and go elsewhere. I am currently fighting a case against them adding more "required courses" in their flexpath program because they stated the required courses for their information technology major changed. I will be calling the Minnesota Higher Education offices tomorrow morning. It might be an accredited college, however, it is not worth the hassle, time, and money that goes into dealing with this school. Maybe their more expensive and regular college is not this bad, but their flexpath program is absolutely terrible. Don't even get me started on what happened when I needed help with an assignment. I waited days for an answer which caused my assignments to be turned in late. Seriously, save your money and go elsewhere. Hopefully the Higher Office of Education can help me where Capella failed to do so. All of this is currently happening when I am a month and a half away from when I was supposed to graduate."

"So I have attended Capella for a year as a IT major. The one thing I have found is that while some of their basic courses were of an okay quality their IT courses are a joke. I turned in several assignments that were intentionally of a very poor quallity and was still given an A. So if you want a degree with little to no meaning behind it this is an great school however I am leaving in favor of self education and obtaining certifications while building a portfolio to demonstrate my capabilities."

"I'm fairly a new student and currently taking my 7th class there. I was nervous at first going back to school since haven't been in such an environment in decades. I decided to go back to get a degree in what I currently have as a career: Information Technology. Having been an instructor in the IT field myself and having gotten various technical certifications over the years, I didn't think I'd learn anything new. I was wrong and actually enjoy the fact that a lot of the courses I've taken so far has not only solidified what I knew but also have enlightened me on the materials I did not know. The classes are very demanding and the instructors push you to think and I appreciate that. I am learning a lot and that's what's more important to me. So far I have not had any regrets."

"I am currently enrolled with Capella's Flex Path programin and my experience has been great so far. I love being able to take control of my academics, allowing myself the time to research, implement, and create assessments accordingly. I do not feel pushed or rushed when it comes to submitting school work; To note, there are reminders, but for me, the serve as a push to continue chugging. Further, I may not be where I want to be right, but with the help of Capella University, I know i"ll be able to achieve my goals, one step at a time."

"I would highly recommend Capella for any person who thinks work/life balance and going to school is impossible. I transferred from a prestigious New England College that caters to young adults with rich parents. I am a veteran with a family and work full time. It wasn't until I transferred to Capella that I could actually envision completing my degree. The reason being, the professors go above and beyond to help you if you don't understand, fall behind or just need some extra motivation. The academic advisers are amazing and feel like close friends. They always keep your best interest in mind and help you not only realize your potential but also help you meet your goals. I can honestly say, I would still be going to school without the backing of Capella's staff to keep me on track and motivated to finish."

"Capella University is pioneering the way people can learn online. I used the FlexPath system and was able to complete my BS in 2 years. It provided me the flexibility to continue working full time and earn my degree. The courses are in depth and challenging as well. What I was able to learn I was able to apply in real-life situations regularly."

"I started part time in 2011 and with 30 credits to complete in 2017 left have exhausted financial aid. They will not work with me and just want money. The staff is either grading to easy or too hard, knowing my skill level. It was good at the beginning but now near the end they have no interest in allowing me to complete my degree. I cannot help that I work and have a family to support, they do not care. The coursework is easy but the technology in the classroom is sometime out of date and doesn't work. Most of the labs can be done elsewhere and they say they prepare you for CompTIA certification but it goes nowhere when you don't have time to complete the labs and take the tests for certification. If you want a great experience to start and are just out of high school this is a good place but if you are a working adult, don't fall for it. They will bleed you dry. I don't see myself ever completing my degree now as their credits don't transfer. They try to have your save money through Sophia learning but you have to come up with $350 up front per course. I can see why the grad rate is near 0 for undergraduates. Most of my fellow students have been in their fields for years and are just now completing their degrees. If you can't go some where else the don't go here."

"Overall a good experience- for students who are self-starters and goal-oriented, the classes offered can work quite well. On the other hand, if you are a student who needs more supervision and/or assistance from professors this might not be a good fit. While most of the instructors seemed quite competent in their chosen field, the nature of online classes in general and the format used by Capella in particular would probably make learning more difficult for those without a solid educational foundation. In my experience, many of the classes used a collaborative format for learning, which entailed a large volume of group discussion and many team projects. For those planning on entering the workforce with their degree, this is an excellent format to use; many schools focus far too much on individual projects, which of course is not how any competent employer runs their organization. In the classes I took there were a few people who simply did not seem to take the process seriously- this is one fault of a school that will admit almost anybody. However, these students were the exception rather than the rule, and so long as you don't take their lack of drive personally such students are little hindrance to the educational experience. I do recommend taking advantage of Capella's "Prior Learning Assessment"- it is an excellent way to "test out" of a limited number of classes, saving time and money on your degree. Keep in mind you must actually demonstrate some expertise in the area you are claiming credit for- your application will be reviewed, and while I can't say the process is exceptionally difficult, if you don't submit quality documentation you are probably wasting your time. My suggestion for this process is to start with the class you have the strongest case for (presumably because you work in that field!). This will help you understand the process and make decisions on which other classes you may be able to get credit for. My closing assessment would be simply that you will get out of this school what you put in- you may very well be able to graduate by doing the bare minimum of work, but if you take the time to engage your instructors and fellow class-mates and to put real effort into your assignments, you will emerge with valuable skills for the workplace. FYI for those wondering if this school would be a good fit- I entered with approximately half of the total required credits (earned at a major traditional 4 year university). I did not use the GI Bill or other programs; I paid approximately half of my tuition at the time of enrollment and borrowed the other half through Federal loans (which I was able to pay off in under 5 years). I was employed full-time during classes, and remained with my employer after graduation. I can't say that my earnings were impacted much by this degree (as I was already doing reasonably well), but I am glad I did it, and would recommend to others."

"I decided to pursue a Bachelors degree and spent many hours online researching schools that best fit my busy life and my professional goals. Capella was one of the many schools I researched and from the moment I talked with an enrollment counselor I knew that this was the place for me. I have encountered some of the best people along my journey and am looking forward to graduating in December of this year. I have referred many people to Capella and plan to continue my own education with them in the future!"

"I would highly recommend the B.S. in Information Technology degree residing within the School of Business and Technology Department. However, I would not ever recommend any of the School of Education programs. There is a huge difference in learning experience and treatment by professors. I was in my second graduate class in 2008 and I was in week seven. The professor was just now grading the beginning of week three assignments. I received a 4.0 for my undergraduate work and and "A" for my first graduate class. I received an "F" in my second graduate course. I dropped out because I just couldn't get the professor to respond. Her excuse was, I am being told to work on other assignments. Again, I wouldn't recommend the School of Education. I even tried to work with my Academic Counselor, Michael. He told me, "those people in the School of Education need to grow up." Needless to say, I have all A grades from this college and 1 F. All because I couldn't get the professor to respond. I decided the class wasn't worth the stress anymore, because the professor was so difficult to work with. On top of this, they kept my unused funds for 2008, which I found out after examining my loans in 2013. After six months of emails, I finally got Capella to send my lender a check for those funds. So just a word of caution. I have image snap shots to prove my statements as well that I kept all these years. This is the truth."

"I decided in 2013 to complete my degree that I had started some 20 years ago. I transferred a ton of credits so only had like 18 courses to complete. I was trucking along taking 1 course a semester to avoid burn out working full time and doing school work. In June of 2015 I was the subject of a downsize at work after working there for 8 years. I plugged along with classes while attempting to secure work. For some reason It was difficult to secure work then I had a series of personal issues come piling in (job loss, had to sell house and move, grand kids moved 1400 miles away) I continued the course work but in January after enrolling in a course I had a few more personal issue (unemployment ended and Longtime relationship ended) These last 2 things caused me to turn 100% focus on finding a job and therefore did not participate in the course after the first 2 weeks. Needless to say Capella dropped me from the course returning my fin aid monies and causing a negative balance at the school whereas had they just failed me then I would just have to retake the course at a later time. As a result of the balance they are not allowing me to take additional classes until the balance is paid. I understand the school is for profit but to just add another obstacle on my plate was just wrong. I am working out a repayment plan with school but This leaves a bad taste in my mouth and I am reconsidering if it is even worth finishing."

"I have found all of my professors to be extremely knowledgeable and the coursework to be relevant. My professors have Doctorate degrees from renowned institutions and some are actively involved in professional groups. I am happy with the education I am receiving and believe I will have the knowledge to actually meet or exceed the expectations for the roles I will apply for. I am not using financial aid, a loan which I am required to pay back, to supplement my income. I am currently employed and spend my evenings reading the required books and articles, participating in organized online discussions, working with remote assigned teammates on team projects and writing essays. The work is exhausting and I personally find it more extensive than the traditional classes I have had. I am not only learning the material but learning to communicate and meet goals in non-traditional methods due to the nature of online school. Professors and students cab be in all corners of the country which is different from a traditional class with everyone in a room at the same time. When I compare this type of learning to the skills needed in today's organizations I feel confident I will be able to use my education within a culturally diversified global organization. With that being said, this school is not for everyone. If you are not a self motivated and success driven individual, you may not do as well. Also, each program is different. I am enrolled in the undergraduate Information Technology program and specializing in project management."

"There's alot of complaining here, but I still agree with what some people have said. You only get what you put into school. Regarding the professors never assisting, mine have always been there. Mine have given me opportunities when I turned in an assignment late with no penalty. My grading criteria was extremely thorough. It was rare that I got a "good job". I got a detailed explanation of what I did well and what I could have done better. My degree involves coding, so I'm not really sure how I can "fly" through the assignments. I've had to learn how to code, and I can't really "forget" what I learned unless I stop applying myself."

"As with any education experience, you will have good teacher, instructors and professors, and bad ones. Out of all the courses I took, there are only two I would grade with a D or F. Those are not very bad odds in my meager experience. The courses were challenging with some downright difficult. I do not feel my money was wasted, I learned a lot and found a job within 2 months of graduating. Note, this was in 2012, so I cannot speak to the school since then. Most instructors seemed encouraging and appeared to care about the education of their students. The two I would rate very low failed to respond to student issues, questions or concerns. It was apparent that they were part-time instructors and were only there for the pay. Little more than opening the next week's activities and cutting the bare minimum of work was accomplished on their parts. One even incorrectly recorded my final grade, which would have dropped my GPA resulting in a loss of achieving Magna Cum Laude (a personal goal). However, every other educator was very helpful and engaged with students. Most responded to questions within hours and rarely beyond 24 hours. I was full-online and expected the education to be lesser than the traditional brock and mortar school. I was very wrong. I feel I was challenged even more online as the nature of online communications limit the amount of class cohesion and communication. It is quite independent and you are responsible for the level of effort. I feel my level of effort was fairly represented in my final achievements."

"As a REAL graduate from the BS - IT (Project Management) program I can safely say that this program was ideal for my situation. I worked full time throughout my whole program and had to dedicate evenings, weekends, spring breaks, etc. to keep up with the workload. Some courses were a natural fit for me, since I was already working in the industry my degree focuses on but they were not sleepers. I will say not all of the instructors were great about keeping the students informed, but ultimately its up to the student to take the initiative. I graduated with top honors (Summa Cum Laude) which took considerable effort and staying on top of all coursework. The only thing I would say to others considering attending would be that this school is very expensive compared to some other online programs that are now becoming available at other Universities that have more clout. But the fact that my program is highly accredited made the extra expense worth it for me."

"These reflect my personal experience with Capella. These may or may not be the "norm" Pros: They counted my certifications towards college credit They transferred all of my previous coursework and it was easy to petition for classes to count. Their IT program is ABET accredited Quarterly schedules - take classes all year round for quicker degree completion They let me transfer 3 years of credit Teachers are very understanding about people having full-time jobs/careers Very good with VA benefits - they do all of the paperwork on their end, you just call and confirm every month. Auto-Registration: create your academic plan and get automatically registered for all of your classes when the quarter comes around - helpful planning. Cons: I was promised a scholarship, I have yet to receive it (my second quarter here). I am very disgruntled at having to call and email with little response. It has been almost a week since my initial attempt to email my concerns, I am still waiting for a response. Expensive, as in one of the most expensive online schools ever; they are more expensive per quarter credit hour than most schools are for semester hours. A majority of the courses have assignments/coursework that is not clearly defined. Teachers have had to go back and post examples of what they want to clarify in multiple classes. Some of the really interesting courses (ie. computer forensics) are only offered one quarter every other year - which means you might get lucky and have the prerequisites in time, or you may never take the class. I was wanting to take some, but they are offered AFTER my projected graduation. I'm not waiting on graduation for one class I *want* to take when others will fulfil requirements. Auto-Registration: If you are automatically registered for your classes and they change the course, you won't get auto-enrolled into the new required class. Required beginner course for every degree program: I understand they want you to get familiar with their delivery style, but mandating a very boring and useless course for introductory purposes is 1) expensive for the learner 2) redundant because they required a tour of the online campus prior to registration, which included an imitation class. There is no way to test out of this course."

"I finished my degree in 2009. The degree I obtained took my career to the next level. I thought the classes where challenging but rewarding. I would recommend this college, if you are trying to advance your career in Information Technology."