Chicago School of Professional Psychology Online Reviews

"The teachers are great and what I learned was exceptional. However, this college is a degree mill. They guarantee jobs after graduation, but if you are working at a restaurant, that counts as employment. They don’t guarantee they will get your a job in your field. The professors will try to help but not the school. Additionally, it’s way overpriced for what you are getting. You aren’t getting anything extra than any other college that isn’t as expensive. They say they are a not-for-profit, but sometimes it seems like they are more for-profit. Additionally, the financial aid department will just encourage you to take out loans when you will never be making enough to pay off the cost of tuition and are unrealistic on your salary post graduation. Do you own research. Look at other schools. The education is great but was it worth it, no. I just hope this helps someone else.Read Less"

"Run! Do not waste over 1k a credit hour. Be prepared to not be responded to when you reach out for help or clarification. Be prepared to face plagiarism allegations if your writing is too good. Even if you can prove that you wrote your own paper by giving physical proof, they will not listen. Instructors are allowed to treat you however they choose, so if your not liked enough... tough luck! Be prepared to feel targeted if you ever have a complaint on an instructor. The school will tell you how they have services to help you for anything and then they vanish when you request it. If you truly want to invest your time and money in a school where you may or may not make it through because of uncontrollable issues with no support then this school is for you.Read Less"

"I must admit this was one of the few programs that allowed me to complete an entire online MA in Forensic Psychology. I'm one of the lucky ones who was able to get a degree out of interest in the topic, not to further my career. Therefore, my standards were already tailored to my needs, and less to the prestige of the degree. So for that, TCSPP was just fine for me. However, the program is expensive. Thankfully I have the Post 9-11 GI Bill to cover my expenses or I would have been very angry mid-way through. The program goals were confusing from the beginning. Originally I was enrolled in the DC Campus, even though I applied for the online campus. So after my first semester I had to transfer programs. The communication was very hit or miss on this process until I finally received notice it was complete. The instructors were mostly good, until they were very bad. I had a handful of fantastic instructors through my core classes, and then they got bad. It's like they brought in the bench warmers of PhD Instructors who were grading me on my performance, but couldn't even put together a coherent sentence. The grading rubrics were not consistent instructor to instructor, and what one instructor docked points for in grammar and formatting, another one praised. Be prepared to be frustrated through most of your courses and go with the flow. It's an easy enough program if you just want to get an MA for a hobby, but I'm very glad I don't have to count on this degree for my reputation in the Forensic career field.Read Less"

"I just knew that this school was what I needed to further my career in forensic psychology, but boy was I wrong. There are some professors who love what they do and care about your educational experience. Then there are those that are simply there for a paycheck. Since my fourth semester at the school, I’ve been having consistent issues with canvas and then with the school website itself! Since I could get IT by phone, I emailed them. I received one email about a ticket each time, then nothing else. With lack of communication from them, I took my computer to have it serviced. Turns out, my computer is fine all around. I reach out to the director and she tells me it’s my connectivity issues. NO ITS NOT! I explain the entire situation to her and don’t receive an email until a week later. The professor knew the situation and wouldn’t even allow me to makeup work that was missed due to every issue. Talked about PISSED!! Unfortunately, I’m at the end of this semester and the issues have continued. When I am able to get onto the school website I try to get assignments done. And by then, it’s too late for discussion work. It’s hard enough to be earning another degree while having a husband and 4 kids and working full time for the government. Who has all day to troubleshoot software and deal with this. Then out of frustration I accidentally said the “f” word...the director hasn’t stopped conversing about that!! I understand how bad that was, but where was that consistency of communication when it came to my canvas issues?! This is honestly the worst graduate school experience ever!! Law school issues were better than this!Read Less"

"I was extremely disappointed with this school. As a student with a 4.0 overall GPA, I was suddenly hit with a required, full-length, writing course. I could understand this at the beginning of the program, but I was 5 classes in and had, near, all perfect scores. When I questioned this and how this could be, I was told that I was being unprofessional, and essentially came under attack by the department head and "my" advisor. I left TCPP and forfeited the time, money, and credits. If I was not writing at a 4.0 level in my grades should not have reflected a 4.0. Which was flawed? The writing assessment processes or the grading practices of the instructors? Either way, I was not willing to take the verbal or financial misconduct. The staff is rude and the education and/or grading was apparently questionable. I have had zero issues with the college that I chose to attend after my horrible experience with TCPP. There are good schools out there. Do NOT settle.Read Less"

"The Chicago School of Professional Psychology does a disservice to marginalized communities. It lacks the awareness of the most common types of oppressions our marginalized communities face and does not view the intersectionality's of our identities. I have found that the institution and the faculty members are attempting force students into molds that fit our societal norms which re-institutionalized the ism's that directly impact both the consumers and the consumes (both at the level of the school and the future clientele as well as the clinicians.) I was fortunate enough to later attend Antioch University which I felt created a space for people to be the expert of themselves and create a learning environment that helped them navigate their futures, lives, and cultivate the knowledge and skills to be an effective clinician. I was bullied for many months at the school by individuals in my cohort and when I brought this to the faculties attention I was met with one of two responses. 1. Deal with it or we will label you as emotionally dysregulated and expel you from the program. 2. Unfortunately I am just an adjunct faculty and I do not want to lose my position. Yes, it is vital to be able to emotionally regulate. In addition to this, it is also vital that you place of education provides a safe platform for you learn. A few members of my cohort created an unsafe environment where I faced oppression, discrimination, verbal assaults, cyberbullying and much more. The core faculty and adjunct faculty were fully aware. Some because they were present and witnessed it and provided small bits of sympathy and others were aware because I reached out for help because I expected a safe environment to cultivate the skills I need to be an effective therapist. It is disheartening to see such a flawed system that lacks social justice, especially with its own students. I know I am not the only one who has experienced this. When I reached out to other students who witnessed my experience, they were all too frightened to speak up for fear of being expelled and/or risking the faculty making their learning environment more difficult for them. There is no blatant rule that states certain identities are privileged to graduate and others are not. Some examples of the ones that the school will inadvertently, by their actions, state is acceptable are: White, cis-gendered, heterosexual, able-bodied, passing, and so much more, that my privilege prevents me from being aware of to see. How are we able to be effective clinicians if we are taught by people who are blind to the roles privilege, isms', and oppression play? Really consider this prior to going to this school. Everyone I know who has applied has gotten in, I do not think it is about talent, I find it more to be about money and the bare minimum. Just because something does not impact/affect you, does not mean it is not real. Let's stop being blinded by our privilege. There were a few knowledgeable and compassionate professors, all were adjunct. The ones whom actually work for the school care more about themselves then the students. Academically, super easy, I went there an entire year, got A's and never opened a book. There is plenty of parking. Would highly recommend this school for individuals who seek higher education without any challenge and expect to walk away paying a lot of money for close to 0 education. It is an expensive school. If you are not: hetero passing, cis-"passing", white "passing, middle to upper class, able-bodied, and any other intersectionality of your identity fits into the "norm" of our societal constructs then this is not the school for you. I highly recommend Antioch University, I learned more there in 1 quarter than I learned my entire year at The Chicago School of Professional Psychology.Read Less"

"This school offers outstanding faculty, flexible learning, small class sizes, commitment to diversity, and excellence in the field. I could not recommend the school more."

"I attended this school because of the Forensic Psychology option. However, the information provided during orientation never lived up to the reality of the school. Felt cheated in what turned out to be a very expensive education. The teachers ARE great, however, the school itself is deceptive on what it can deliver and not the best option for a REAL career. Beware and look elsewhere, there are much better and cheaper alternatives"

"I have taken Ground and On-line courses and I would rather do Ground courses. As far as fin. aid and student accounts providing information to help students pay for school it lacks in this area. However, the professors are top-of-the-line. I am in my PhD program now but I graduated with my Masters in Forensic Psychology and I would redo that 2 years over again if I could, IT WAS AMAZING!!"

"The pros of the program is the high level of output and assistance provided with thesis development, the faculty is easily accessible, the workloads are relevant to the current requirement and standards of the field. The cons are that it is difficult to get a clear understanding of career options, certification processes, and how to meet any guidelines for licensing. There is a bit of difficulty transferring between campuses as well."