Chicago School of Professional Psychology Online Reviews

"This school is a money pit.They flaunt "scholarships" and "fellowships" and then when you received your FA letter you see that the only thing you qualified for was a loan. $10k for two classes...I enrolled in a certificate program that literally cost me $20k for 12 credits!!! I took 2 more classes that added another 10k to my loan debt. They are just in it for the money. I finally had enough and finally called FA and asked for an itemized accounting - NO REPLY so far after 8 days. I'll be going elsewhere, but will have to pay out of pocket for a bit until I can pay off some of these loans. Now about the actual "education" you receive. They use Canvas for classes. You basically interact with your professor and classmates via a discussion board. You have learning modules with reading assignments; complete the reading and then answer the required questions on the board. If you have any questions for your professor you have to email them. True that most are adjuncts HOWEVER I will say that I have had a great experience with them all. They provide a wealth of information and their real-world experience is very helpful. My one main complaint about this school is the cost. It is NOT worth the "discussion board only" education you get. Not at all.Read Less"

"I'm at the Chicago campus in the applied behavior analysis MS program and have been very happy with the professors and chairs of the department. A couple of the adjunct faculty members could be a little more involved but they also bring real-world experience to their classes since most are still working directly with clients, which has been a very important learning experience. I have learned a lot despite 2020/2021 being so hectic with COVID. The department has tried to do their absolute best to make themselves available virtually and advisors are always available to consult with students about classes etc. Overall very happy with the quality of my education and I feel prepared to enter the field as a future behavior analyst.Read Less"

"I was at the DC campus for Forensic Psychology and left because the chair was vindictive and created more problems than solutions. He was the Dean's pet and made everyone around him uncomfortable. I was ostracized by him many times and he seemed to get off on his power trip. Nobody liked him, including his faculty and GAs. It has taken many months for me to recover, but I never forgot how toxic he and the so-called Dean were. The campus was a wannabe university that borrowed it's reputation from the main campus in CHI. I wish I went there instead, but I'm now happily employed in the field of my dreams. I should probably thank the horrible leaders of this school for me quitting and pursuing a much more lucrative field.Read Less"

"Highly don't recommend. Most of your professors are adjunct or PhD candidates. You won't be learning from people who have been in the field longer than you have (sometimes I was in the field longer than them!). This school also does not care about minority groups. They talk about diversity and inclusion but their words do not match their actions. Do not expect to be treated equally here. The worst part was the thesis. The thesis process was the most aversive thing I have ever experienced. They kept sending back my thesis approval for the most ridiculous reasons (e.g., they changed their IRB phone number) and took over 6 months to give me approval for an exempt thesis (i.e., no vulnerable population). I took an extension thesis course and will likely have to take a second because of this absurd lack of professionalism from a school that calls themselves "professional" psychology. Unbelievable. Entire experience was soured by this process. And the school has the audacity to blame me and not assist or give me an alternative in anyway so I can graduate. They took over 50,000 in tuition and want me to pay for their mistakes. The least they could do is give tuition back for the extensions (or better yet, not charge a student for an extension that is clearly the school's fault!). Do not go here. You can get a better, cheaper education somewhere else.Read Less"

"I've been very disappointed with the adjunct professors. 5 of my classes (out of 10+) have been taught by faculty, one of which was an intro advising course. I pay a decent chunk of change for this program and the adjuncts are completely unqualified. A BCBA with 3 years of experience or less (I've had at least 3 instructors at this level, and will have 2 more this upcoming semester) are not qualified to be teaching the core concepts and advanced material of behavior analysis. There is nowhere I feel comfortable bringing this up, since burning bridges in this field is to be avoided at all costs. I've had multiple adjunct professors that don't know how to answer questions, or are on their cell phones throughout class. If an instructor doesn't have their PhD or more than 3 years of experience in the field, I feel very strongly that we should be paying less for those courses. Really disappointing.Read Less"

"The professors were AMAZING. They really helped you with what you needed and went out of their way for you. Small classes hep so you can ask questions. The admin in the other hand was a pain. They always send you to someone else if you have a question and that was annoying. Overall I enjoyed my time there and it was really because of the professors. They all really wanted to help you succeed."

"After having graduated and having had multiple interviews no employer seems to appreciate the value of this degree. I have networked my butt off. Increased my LinkedIn network by 500+ since starting the program and I still have not found a job. Get this degree to end in recruiting and job requires nothing."

"Do not attend this school. It is overpriced, and the faculty are unresponsive. The program I am in is a "hybrid" program, mostly online and classes 2x a month for 4 hours. Well, it is supposed to be for 4 hours, but certain teachers dismiss after 2, wasting the money paid for specific credit hours. Out of all the professors I had since 2014, I would only say 3 (out of 7), are worth their salt in terms of knowledge, rigor, responsiveness, professionalism and teaching ability. The thesis, and arguably most important, is basically completed independently, because the Department Chair (Mary Anderson) is so unresponsive. Not entirely her fault because the department clearly needs more PERMANENT (it's all adjunct) faculty, but still this is wasting students' time and money, and not helping them become competent researchers.Read Less"

"Literally the worse school program I have ever come in contact with. They only want your money and they will screw you over time and time again. This is coming from a student with a 3.8 GPA. Therefore, know I am not bitter because I am failing, I am bitter because this school will lie to you and mislead you. Different professors will tell you different things about you career so you never know which answer is right or wrong. I met with the direct of my program after I was accepted, told him my career plan he pushed me to take a certain path, one semester into this program I find out the path has NOTHING to do with the career I want but if I take this path the school gets more money. The school has also s****** my other classmates over to get more money. I am a few semesters in (which is why I will not publish my name) and actively looking to transfer to another graduate school. This means I will have to start a program over, but it is worth it to get out of this hell hole. The directors and some students are judgmental, do not help students and as soon as they have your money they forget you exist.Read Less"

"The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is a great program for self-starters and for individuals who are extremely independent. The curriculum provides a thorough understanding of Industrial and Organizational Psychology and how it will be applied to real world practice. The program overviews theory but teaches you the skills necessary for practice. This program is NOT for students who went to schools where they were predominately guided by the professor. This program is treated more like a PhD program where there is a HIGH degree of autonomy. The professors I learned from where high level senior executives in large organizations such as Ford, Bonaventure Hotels, Willis Tower Watson, California Edison and professors from New York University. This program is generally built for working professionals who have a full-time job. The program lacks student services and financial services as these functions are remotely handled by the main Chicago Campus.Read Less"

"The Chicago School of Professional Psychology is run by the best people that I have had the pleasure of working with. The school staff go above and beyond to make sure that the students receive the highest quality education. I would highly recommend the school."

"TCSPP offers many resources that help with your career development that you must take advantage of."

"It's a great school! I learned so much and stufents work together."

"I was in an online program through my school and would not recommend the program itself, but I did think it was a great school. The degree opened up many doors for me."

"It was a great experience. The professors were very invested in their students. I felt supported by both the faculty as well as my cohort."

"The faculty were very supportive, two of whom I still have very close relationships with even about two years after graduation. I attended the Online Campus, and I have to say that this is not for everyone (as anything else, perhaps), but you would be surprised at how much you can learn. I did not major in psychology in college, and by the time I graduated, I had sufficient competence as a student with an MA to be accepted into a couple of prestigious graduate programs in psychology. I cannot say much about campus safety, but the school requires all applicants to go through background checks after acceptance. Financial aids could definitely be better with more grants and fellowship opportunities, but they may be working on it. Their academic writing seminars are informative, and on-ground students enjoy many social events throughout the year.Read Less"

"Anyone who may think of attending the online portion of The Chicago School of Professional Psychology would benefit from the impactful professors, curriculum, and overall fun you'll have. As a colleague told me in the past, the one thing that people cannot take from you is your education. My education in an M.A. in I/O Psychology have guided me, brought about a significant amount of confidence, and helped me adapt to an ever-changing market. You will love the online environment, but it isn't for everyone. The lack of face-to-face meetings as in a classroom setting can be difficult; further, I suggest either a hybrid of online and on campus or using the GoToMeeting feature online, which allows for "face-to-face" virtual meetings. Overall, education (for some) can be a monumental achievement, and having a bit of financial help can go a long way. Best of luck! :)Read Less"

"I attended when the ABA program was new. The school is in a great location and facility is nice. The program had some kinks to iron out but overall, I learned a tremendous amount and felt prepared to work in the field"

"Online classes fit my busy life. I was still able to connect with a diverse group of students all around the US. My professors were very helpful and assisted me in any way that I needed. I highly recommend this school to anyone that wants to serve others."

"I am working on my Master's degree in Applied Behavior Analysis online. I have three children and I work full time. This has been a great way to enable me to go back to school and follow my dreams without having to make sacrifices to my job and my family. The workload is pretty heavy, but I know that it will all be worth it in the end."