Colorado State University Global Reviews of Bachelor's in Business

"Before I started at CSU Global, I read many reviews on different sites. The reviews were mostly positive, but I remember one that called CSU Global a degree factory. Having completed by BS in Business Management last year, I must agree. But is that such a terrible thing? You still must work to earn the degree, and I did learn quite a bit...but at the end of it all, I just wanted that expensive piece of paper and notation on my resume/LinkedIn. These days, bachelor’s degrees are really a basic requirement and check-off for a lot of jobs. Most recruiters that I have spoken to, do not put much weight on where or how you earned a bachelor’s degree, they just look to see if you have one. Some recruiters have indicated that they like to see a remote learner for a remote job as it shows that candidate proved their ability to be self-motivated and hard working. CSU Global Pros: *100% online-you never have to set foot on a campus. Since CSU Global is primarily for us non-traditional students with jobs, families etc, this is invaluable. *Courses are 8-week terms rather than traditional 16-week semesters; this saves a lot of time. *Fully accredited and part of the Colorado State University system. It is not-for-profit and is respected. *Same tuition for in state and out-of-state learners. Most other online, non-profit schools charge out-of-state tuition. Additionally, your tuition rate is locked-in and will not increase during your degree-seeking (provided you are enrolled with no significant breaks). *Up to 90 credit hours can be transferred in. I transferred my associates degree (of which most of the 60 credits were accepted) and I completed 10 elective courses (30 credits) alternatively at Sophia.org and 1 elective course (1 credit) at Study.com. This saved me time and money. Note though that if you go this route, the alternative credits are unlikely to count at most traditional schools. So only do this if you plan on graduating from CSU Global or anther online school which accepts alternative credits. I earned these 31 credits in about 4 months’ time and for about $500.00. Compare that to traditional school: these credits would have taken an entire academic year and cost over $15,000. *Online library, tech support and free (or rather, included with tuition) tutoring. I found myself needing this for a statistics course and it really was helpful. *You are assigned a success counselor who reaches out to you, offers suggestions, and can help with planning. I found them to be helpful and available. Try getting that kind of help at a big, on-campus school. Cons: *This is subjective...but I really hate how Colorado State University gives each of its three campuses different school colors, logos, and mascots. There is the real CSU in Fort Collins with the green and cold colors and ram logo. Then there is CSU Pueblo, which used to be University of Southern Colorado, with blue and red colors and lobo mascot. This leaves CSU Global with a completely different logo, red and gold colors, and an eagle mascot. "Who cares?" you may ask. Well, other online schools keep the colors, logos, and mascots the same across all campuses. This adds cohesiveness, connectiveness and adds a bit more intrinsic value to the degree. My diploma reads: "colorado state university SYSTEM." Obviously, I wrote it this way for emphasis...but I HATE that it says "SYSTEM" so blatantly. Why not at least "Colorado State University Global"? But SYSTEM? This gives it a for-profit look and feel, and it also feels a bit like a consolation prize or a cereal box diploma. *Draconian drop period. You have one week to drop a course for full credit (or to not be held responsible for the tuition). The first week of most courses were easy and laid back, so one does not have time to get a feel for how the instructor is or how difficult the course will be. I lost about $1,000 by having to drop after the second week. Most other schools I attended offered a tiered drop period for three weeks. If you drop by week three for instance, 50% refund on tuition. This may be CSU Global's policy for the sake of the policy, but in fairness, as the courses are eight weeks instead of 16, this may be the reason for the short drop period. *Course are proctored by "instructors" rather than professors. These instructors are highly qualified and most hold a Ph.D. I found most to be knowledgeable and accessible while others seemed to just be collecting a paycheck. But you will find this at on-campus schools as well. *Papers. Lots and lots of papers. And you will forever hate three letters for the rest of your life: APA (American Phycological Association) as its format is used for all papers. Because there are few courses with tests, papers which show the student's knowledge of the topics are used. Expect 6-7 papers per course. If you are more of a test-taker, CSU Global is not for you. I believe the pros far outweigh the cons. If you are looking to advance your career or fulfill a goal of obtaining a degree later in life, CSU Global may be for you. You do learn more about your chosen field and earning your degree is an amazing feeling. If you love taking tests or want your degree to be viewed the same as an in-person learner (in terms of going to a school with a recognizable logo), CSU Global may not be your best choice."

"If you are military, avoid this school at all costs. Not at all military friendly. Have been dropped from courses with no reasonable explanation. Receiving tuition assistance through this school is one of the most complicated and difficult processes, and even if your TA gets approved, you may still be dropped from your course because the school is not on the same page. 0/5 stars"

"I was so excited to be back in College but this school made me despise something I really enjoy, such as learning. Cookie cutter classes with facilitators instead of Professors. I can easily find all the materials on Google by myself. Feedbacks are all the same and most of times are just random citations. After 8 weeks of class I just can't wait to get it over. This school is unreasonably obsesses with APA format and gives more importance to formatting that to the content itself. An absurd amount of citations are required and the CSU Global library is awful to navigate. I enrolled in online classes because of my busy schedule and I find myself losing more time navigating through the library with outdated journals than what I actually spend to write my essay. I would not recommend this school to anybody who actually wants to learn something. It would be more useful to someone who just needs a degree. The quality of classes offered and the amount of time lost looking for topics to cite, are not worth the money this school costs. I am feeling like I am losing my time and will soon be transferring."

"As a near graduate with only a few credits left, I can honestly say that I thoroughly enjoyed my education at CSU Global. I was reading over many of the reviews here on GadReports as a bit of a retrospective and because I am looking at various graduate programs. It is rather astonishing to see so many negative reviews that have misjudged the institution's intent and ethics. Before attending CSU-G I had the opportunity to start on a physical campus at a respected community college in California. I dabbled with classes at Sonoma State as well, but was never a full time student. That was over 10 years ago, and at that time I decided to pursue a great career opportunity and postponed my academic journey. While there is undeniably something special about the physical campus experience, I genuinely feel that the education at GSU-G was on par with my on campus education. The massive caveat is the complete and utter lack of networking and socialization. The discussion boards and virtual networking options CSU-G offer pale in comparison to meeting people face-to-face. However, I had limited interest in those elements of higher ed as an adult learner with an established career and network. My advice for recent high school graduates is to look for an education that offers the conventional college experience. As a young adult there is a lot to love about a 4-year degree and a slow introduction into adulthood. Not to mention that learning to work with other people and building a network is arguably more important than the academic element depending on the degree. With that said, if you are an established professional in their 30's like myself you really cannot go wrong with a CSU-G education. The program is fast-paced, challenging when it needs to be, flexible, and affordable. I would not have been able to return to school and learn all I have without this type of education offering. It is quite entertaining to read some of the GSU-G reviews here as there is a dichotomy between people expressing that classes are too easy and others complaining that they are too hard. Both of these perspectives are missing core elements of the educational offerings. Yes, some courses have limited feedback from instructors and have mixed levels of difficulty. This is not unique to GSU-G; every school has committed professors and others who probably shouldn't be teaching. At the root of these complaints there seems to be a lack of using the resources that students are offered. Education is what you will make of it, and this is doubly true for an online program that requires a lot of self-motivation. If you find classes too hard, set up time with the free 1:1 tutors, go to the drop in tutoring sessions, submit your essay to the writing center, or schedule additional time with the instructor during office hours. The same can be said for those complaining about not receiving enough feedback because classes are 'too easy'. Instead of complaining, get active and do something about it. The resources are there and I have always found that CSU-G is very transparent about what is offered. The school was designed with affordability and a student focus in mind. I love that fact. Quite a few of the reviewers complained that most of the required reading was 'free' books found online. First and foremost - Yes, the educational content is free. However, all of these free required and supplemental resources are peer-reviewed content written by experts in their field. Are you seriously complaining that the school doesn't force $300 textbooks down your throat? While many schools are jacking up prices and raising the economic barrier to education CSU-G is trying to keep that low. This is something to be commended, not condemned. Here is another interesting, albeit anecdotal, tidbit on the student resources CSU-G offers. My wife is a Penn State graduate from their nursing program. It is a well known and very respected program, and for good reason. However, my wife had no access to free tutoring resources nor did they give her much in the way of career resources after graduation. As a great example, she reached out to Penn State a few months ago as she was intrigued that I was able to write my resume with help from the CSU-G career center. I was happy to hear that is a perk I have for life. Penn State, not so much, unless you pay an exorbitant amount to be part of their alumni network. That criticism is not so much to jab at Penn State as it is to highlight the fact that when a student at CSU-G puts in the effort there are all kinds of resources needed to elevate your career and succeed in your education without paying more. All in all I would happily recommend CSU-G to adults looking to expand their academic horizons and get a degree under their belt. Is the school perfect? Of course not, no school is. However, the business management program was informative, engaging, and had its challenges. The academic journey undoubtedly felt isolated due to the nature of distance learning, but I always felt CSU-G was there to support me when I put in the effort to find help."

"I am just returning to complete my degree with Colorado State University - Global. CSU Global took the vast majority of my transfer credits from another university. The process was simple and the staff members were extremely helpful in getting me on track to succeed. Many of the questions and concerns that I had about returning to school so late in my life were addressed in a clear and concise manner. My enrollment counselor was available to speak with almost every time that I called, and if I had to leave a message, he promptly returned my call. My enrollment counselor assisted me with the process of getting my transcripts, the information necessary to submit them to CSU as well as information about the current scholarships that were available to me. He also provided me with the information to apply for financial aid. I realize some of this is just common sense type stuff, but it made a huge difference for me as i was in the process of moving out of one house and into another (on the same day), working my 40-hour per week job and working overtime. Without his assistance, I probably would have put school of for a longer period of time. I truly appreciate the time my enrollment counselor took to help me succeed in pursuing and committing to my degree. I enrolled in two classes initially; it appears as though it will be a lot of work, but I am committed to completing my degree as soon as possible and then moving forward with a degree in Information Technology. Hopefully, the information I have provided will be helpful in assisting some of you reading this to take a serious look at CSU and CSU Global. I would definitely recommend CSU Global for new students, as well as returning students like me."

"warning!!! This university is fake and worthless. All they really car about money. I do not want to talk about the education quality and what do you really learn through their programs. I want to warn others that when it comes to real life and work force you would be depressed to find that taking similar or equivalent courses at a community college would look better on your resume and more respected. Not to mention it is a lot cheaper and they also have a lot of online courses as well. The school standard is very low and i could not transfer any credit to some other universities when i was looking for a second bachelor or a master program. To be fair, it would probably work if you are in a career and just needed a degree to help advance or promote to a higher level withing the same agency or company. Other than it is just a waste of time and money. Even their master programs do not require gmat or any other test to be qualified unlike any other university cause its business and money is the goal."

"I'm reading these reviews and it seems that most here have never taken an online course before. You get material, you are expected to learn it on your own, and you are given opportunities to demonstrate your knowledge. This University was ranked 9th best online degree by US News which is partially why I chose to attend it. The assignments take a lot of time and require you to do serious work. For me, it is difficult to accomplish while holding a 50+ hour a week job. I WISH it was as easy as these other reviews say it is. Perhaps they are okay with getting D's, I'm not sure. This is an adult school for adult students. If you can't learn on your own, and need to be fed like a baby, then find a daycare. I highly recommend this school as I've taken online classes at 3 community colleges before this, and this is by far the most intensive and rigorous of the 4."

"I have recently graduated with a bachelor's from CSU Global. Overall, it was a good learning experience that prepared me for a promotion at work. Taking classes here is not for those who cannot manage their time. You have to put in the work, every day. I have fallen behind a couple times, and it can be difficult to catch up. The professors are for the most part helpful, though I have had a couple who seem to be running on autopilot. Grading can vary, some are strict while others are not, similar to ordinary schools. It is all self taught, you have to put the effort in to learn, and do the research. The material is not going to be forced down your throat. A discussion board post is due each week with 2 replies to others posts. A 2-3, sometimes 3-4 page paper is due most weeks, with a 8-10 page portfolio project due by week 8."

"I left before I graduated. The instructors are so poorly attentive. The level of instruction is not at a college level. They mark down papers and have to return the points they marked off due to their negligence. I do not recommend this college. It is not a scholarly environment."

"I wish I had thought to read reviews of this school prior to enrolling here. With that said; please be aware that this review is my opinion, and only one of many opinions, so please do your own research, and come to your own conclusions. First off, if you plan on having interaction with your instructors, you will need to look elsewhere. That's not an opinion just a simple fact, one I was unaware of prior to enrolling. I enrolled here mostly because of the lower tuition rate over my previous school; Colorado Technical University - Online. However; the money savings, is becoming questionable. I'm used to a more conventional education experience where you have an instructor/professor give a lecture, or presentation, or live chat, covering the material that will be studied for that week. Here, I have one class that has TWO, (yes 2) live chats scheduled over the ENTIRE 8 WEEKS! and my other class has NONE! I'm having a hard time wrapping my head around the idea of paying $350/credit hour to essentially do a bunch of book reports and teach myself. Granted, there is no such thing as a perfect school, CTU certainly had it's drawbacks, (aside from cost), but at least there the instructors held 2 live chats EVERY WEEK, not 2 in 8 weeks! As for the instructors, well I'm still a new student so I haven't been exposed to a large variety of instructors yet, (and it's looking like I never will be, aside from the occasional email). However, when I do email an instructor I've always gotten a response within 24 hours. Financial aid has been good in the fact that they explained everything to me, answered all my questions, and so far haven't given me any headaches. My biggest gripe is the fact that, like I stated above, I feel like I'm spending A LOT of money to be critiqued on book reports! For those who are curious this is the work load for a typical undergraduate course every week: Read Chapters 1, 2, & 14 in (insert book title), plus read these articles from 2 or 3 assorted websites. Then you Critical Thinking Assignment: Your well written paper should meet the following requirements: 3 - 4 pages in length, in addition to the title page and reference page, Formatted according to the CSU-Global Guide to Writing and APA Requirements, Cite a minimum of two scholarly sources, at least one of which is not provided in, or linked from, the course. The CSU-Global Library is a great place to find scholarly sources! Then you have your Discussion Board post, and project portfolio as well as your mastery exercises to complete. This is each week for EACH CLASS, so if you're like me and taking 2 classes each week, then you double the work I just described. All without instructor interaction, unless you reach out to them via email or phone call. In a nutshell, I don't feel like this is the right school for me, but for others it might be just what they are looking for. The key is to find the school you're comfortable with, can afford, and will provide you with a quality education that's accredited and recognized!"

"Despite what many of the reviews here say the educational quality of the school is fairly high. The setup with heavy reading and lengthy essays make students explore things in a very thorough manner. However, there are a large number of issues with their financial and student services. At the beginning I was told that I had room to fail or retake a few classes, however being a 3.88 GPA student luckily that hasn't been an issue. If it had been an issue I came to learn there's actually no extra room in my loans for any extra classes. I also found out that because so many classes are non-transferable there's not enough money left in my loans to even attend another school without paying out of pocket. Further I had to rework my loans myself to even be able to cover books ( they never tell you that there are terms you won't get your full grants). Coming to terms with this issue I decided to carry on. That is until yesterday, 2 weeks before finals, when my computer stopped working for no reason. Just like any other issue I had, the only solutions proposed to me or take more loans and fix it myself. They give no discounts for tech support they have no loaner computers for emergencies they have nothing to offer students in the way of services for really anything else either. The school seems to regularly use their distance to their advantage, so they can pass the buck back off to the student. I wouldn't recommend this school to anybody else, and I don't know what to do because I'm already stuck here, but all I know is I might actually fail a class because my computer broke and there was no way to get help."