Penn Foster College Reviews

"Warning: DO NOT ATTEND THIS SCAM OF A SCHOOL! Everyone should know before they finish school that there are many loopholes that you have to go through. Be forewarned on how you make your final payment as well because there are many games that Penn Foster likes to play. I transferred all of my classes over and no one will remove the block saying that I have to complete a lesson. Mind you I did pay over $1700 from my PayPal account for them to say it's considered a checking account! My balance on my student account registers at zero and then someone said I have to wait 28 days after they charged my credit card through my PayPal account!Read Less"

"I think this degree did help me get a higher management role. I had some experience before but the degree I believe helped get me a bigger role. My employer accepts my degree. I went to a traditional school in the past and PFC was just as hard. It is fully accredited and is ace recommended. I highly recommend pfc."

"I started with Penn Foster back in 2009 for my Associate Degree in Accounting. Due to some family circumstances, I had to take a break (I was about half way through). No problem stopping my studies, they did not hound me. I paid what I owed (for what I had already completed which is completely fair, which some people do not seem to get). I re-enrolled in early 2015 and received appropriate credit for the courses I completed earlier. I put my nose to the grindstone and graduated in February 2016. Many people are giving Penn Foster bad reviews. I'll address a few things. 1. Some careers are just not a good fit for online learning. I would say anything that is a hands-on job (vet tech, nursing dental assistant, diesel mechanic, etc). This just seems like common sense. However their business type programs are perfect. 2. Some people are simply not suited to online learning. Maybe because they think it'll be a breeze. Actually, it's a lot harder that classroom learning. You have to be disciplined. Some people need more one on one interaction with an instructor. I prefer to learn on my own. All throughout my coursework, I only had to reach out to an instructor maybe twice. The material is very self-explanatory. If you do need to speak to an instructor, you just need to know what channels to go through. You can email, or you can call too I believe. There is also an online community forum where I've gotten answers to questions by searching. The response may not be instant. Be patient. If you're constantly having questions, online learning is not for you. I tend to figure things out on my own. 3. Accreditation. DO YOUR RESEARCH before you enter a program with them. If you plan to transfer credits, most brick and mortar schools won't accept them. This is not because they are not a "real school". Traditional brick and mortar schools are threatened by online colleges because they take money out of their pockets. DUH. So OF COURSE they are going to make it difficult for you to transfer those credits to them. I can't believe more people don't realize this. As quoted from their website: "Penn Foster College is nationally accredited. This form of accreditation means that Penn Foster has met the high standards required by the Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC) in Washington, D.C. The Distance Education Accrediting Commission is listed by the U.S. Department of Education as a nationally recognized accrediting agency." So if you know you are going to need to transfer credits, check it out with the school you will want to transfer to first (and tell them what an idiot they are, and how greedy they are, if they will not). I knew going in there was no reason for me to need to transfer credits. I received my degree and I am happy with the program. Reminds me of the whole argument about doctors not acknowledging that chiropractors can provide real health benefits. Even though it's proven and have learned myself that they can treat some things better than doctors, the chiropractors are taking money out of the doctors' pockets, and the doctors are p*ssed off about it. 4. Employers "accepting" Penn Foster diplomas. I work in a multi million dollar company and am part of the hiring process. If a company will not accept a degree from Penn Foster, they are lazy and have not done any research other than what they hear from those traditional brick and mortar colleges (and rumors). Having been through the program, I know that to succeed, you have to do the work, and it is not easy (unless you cheat, in which you are only hurting yourself, and is possible in any college setting - the school is not to blame). I wouldn't want to work for a company that is that conceited and ignorant. Unless you're wanting to work for a Fortune 500 company, this is a non-issue unless you come across an incompetent hiring manager. 5. Finances. No you cannot get financial aid. So if you need that, this is not for you. Know that going in that it's not an option. There; quit whining about that. My husband went to school for a ONE YEAR HVAC degree and we'll be paying for that for 10 years. I paid as I went, and graduated with no debt. The monthly payments were less than what my husband's student loan payments are. Yes, the payments are generally laid out to last longer than the program is, and you will not get your degree until paid in full. THIS IS LAID OUT PLAINLY FOR ALL TO SEE if you just read the terms. Just like if you quit at any point, there is a certain amount that you are still liable to pay. LAID OUT FOR YOU WHEN YOU ENROLL. Read the paperwork and do some research people. Enough with the dumbing-down of society, geesh. They make the payments low so that more people can afford it. If you want it paid off sooner, no one is stopping you from paying more at any time. As far as paying it off before you can get your degree: fact check for you: "regular" colleges are the same way. You don't pay, you don't get to be in the classes. It's just that your payments are financed via financial aid, student loans, etc. Amazing how few students understand how that actually works. So if you want to do it similarly (and build your credit at the same time) pay Penn Foster off with a credit card, and make the payments to them. Contrary to popular belief, not all credit card debt is "bad", as long as you have something to show for it, such as financing your future. Or you can just stick with the generous, no interest payment plan through Penn Foster. So you have options. I'm very tired of uneducated (I mean, have you READ some of these negative reviews?? Dear Lord, did some of these people ever take an English class?? USE SOME PUNCTUATION!), misinformed people trashing Penn Foster. I was so happy with PF that I just re-enrolled in the Business Management program. Super happy with the whole process. I have had to keep on them about a few things (checking on transfer credits, shipments of materials) each time I re-enroll in the new semester, but it's very minimal compared to some of the issues we had getting my husband enrolled in "traditional" college courses.Read Less"

"I am a Penn Foster College Graduate, and a college student for the 3rd time I have maintained a ( 4.0 G.P.A. B.S. Degree Criminal Justice ) with the help of my very educated, knowledgeable instructors. The payment plan is very affordable and convenient , plus the online courses makes my work life, family ,life, balanced, and also it is a big help with my physical disability in which I am limited walking, and sitting for long periods of time. I would recommend this college to anybody."

"Thank you, "PennFoster College " this college was very helpful, affordable ,and convenient for my time, my pace. I graduated as a Pharmacy Technician in 2014 with a 98%. Russell Dean Lynch"

"Worse college ever they don't care about your education they just want the money and was not very helpful when it came to the course work and the customer service is very rude they don't even need their job I would not refer any friends or family to this school not worth the time or money"

"STAY AWAY of this school. On there website it states that there accredited but its a useless Accreditation. Most school are looking for Regional Accreditation. I completed my AS in Mechanical Engineering degree but no school will transfer the credits...."

"In all honesty, a legitimate college with outstanding resources. However, it is apparent that the majority of the complaints stem from the veterinary program. Being blunt, veterinary program students complaining, you're all mundane and quite slow... Allow me to define... First, you should read the details of the program prior to enrollment ( this explains your current plight) secondly, if you're pursuing such career, most people seeking understand that there is going to be specific requirements for accreditation and training per your location (state you're dwelling) Third, you own your issue and should hold yourselves accountable, and refrain from passing the buck. To those seeking a legitimate reference... Many years back I attended a traditional regional accredited university, and earned a B.S. in criminal justice. I spent the common $400 per credit tuition and feel as foolish as veterinary students having done so. I ended up working in business management, and my boredom lead me to Penn Foster College seeking a business A.S. degree. My point, the curriculum is aligned well and this is a very very affordable program. I've spent more on a semester's dorm than you'll pay for a B.S. here! Certain careers care about regional and national accreditation. Again, mentioning this for veterinary students... Anyone who is planning on educating themselves for a career, should have been educating themselves about the possible career. Lastly, I have not had one problem with payments, support recourses, shipments, or proctored exams. However, I understand why you have. Good Luck... You'll need it.Read Less"

"Penn Foster College is an excellent choice. Penn Foster College is The Distance Education Accrediting Commission (DEAC) -accredited institution, and an affordable way to get a quality education with no debt !...Thank you Penn Foster for changing my life !"

"As a student, I've been with Penn Foster for many years counting. I'm enrolled in the Vet Tech program. I have seen the College evolve for the greater good and they continue to meet my expectations. They listen to our concerns and always find the best solutions. When I do stumble upon an issue with service, Penn Foster makes sure to solve it with all their resources to make me a happy student. Not only am I a student, I'm also a 2nd year Student Ambassador, a Student Mentor, a board member of the program's advisory committee. I couldn't have made it to those levels without Penn Foster!! The VT instructors strive for student success! We have financial and success coaches to reach out to and help guide us through tough times. We have national veterinary leaders as guest webinar speakers who share their amazing knowledge and skills to help us pass the VTNE exam. I recommend Penn Foster to all prospective students wanting to chase their passion of becoming a veterinary nurse/technician! I'd be happy to assist with any questions you may have: ajn8729@pennfoster.edu (-:Read Less"

"This college had a lot of negative reviews. However, I went with my gut. I'm glad I did! They took my MyCAA benefits and my A.S degree was almost completely covered. I paid $60 out of pocket total. My work courses and materials have all be just as anticipated. My books arrive on time, I can study at my own pace, if I ever need help my admissions specialist helped me reach a mentor/tutor. My husband saw how happy I was upon completion and now has enrolled too, and he's active duty in the military. If you are a parent, a full-time employee, military, etc. I highly recommend this school! You can study on the go and go at your own pace. :)Read Less"

"After completing Penn Foster High School and having a great experience, I have just signed up for Penn Foster College as well. Everything is going very well and will be graduating soon. One of the best reasons why Penn Foster is great is because of its self paced courses."

"I enjoy taking a course at Private Investigation at Penn Foster.I have received my Diploma.And you have to be find a job in Security Public Safety or You have to work in Private Security were the company offer private investigation.I Don't understand why do people thinking that Penn Foster can help to received license.Penn Foster is career institute that offer Diploma or Certificate get a job in field.My opinion take a state exam to become a certified what that you may enjoy.Penn Foster is a great school.Read Less"

"Please stay away from this school. No one will accept their credit. Almost impossible to get a hold of anyone. I completed 2 semesters and tried transferring and was charged per semester per transcript. So instead of it being $10 for an official transcript, they charged me $20 because I had 2 semesters completed. I also completed a 3 unit individual course and they said they couldn't find it. I had 3 University request transcripts on my behalf and all 3 have still not heard back from Penn Foster. Its been 3 weeks. That's why I had to call. It took exactly 44 minutes to get official transcripts mailed. And they don't do official emailed transcripts. The school I am transferring to told me to stay away from Penn Foster.Read Less"

"Ok. My experience with this school was excellent. I never had any major problems. I was able to work at my own pace and billing was exactly how I thought it would be. I never had issues with materials being late or anything like that. When you sign up for a program like this you have to be self motivated and you have to pay on time and in full. If you can not do that then don't sign up. My degree is framed and got me a good job. Think about your situation before you sign up here. I would take another course here. I would also recommend this course IF YOU ARE SELF MOTIVATED. LOL.Read Less"

"Initially the program was difficult to get through, however once the program director was replaced with Dr.J. H. it was challenging however user friendly. It is not an easy way out but a good program. You will learn and pass the boards. I recommend it to anyone who can't not afford nor go to a brick and mortar institution."

"I was told to contact the student services phone number, however they just hang up on you. I can not transfer to another program despite not being able to do the required externship on the CPhT program. No student services available and I can not even transfer my program. I guess, I will be contacting Phoenix to try there."

"I enrolled at Penn Foster and began my program on March 1st, 2016. As of now I am 30% through it and so far, I think it's the best decision I've made concerning my education. I have been wanting to learn medical coding for a long time and I had actually found a free program online through WHO. I spent about a month doing that but I found it hard to stay motivated. I never knew how I was doing because there were no tests or progress checks. There was structure to how it was set up, but for my tastes it wasn't structured enough. I liked that it was at my own pace, but I needed tests and quizzes. I entertained applying to an online college that was "traditional" in the sense that there were due dates, and discussion boards, papers to write, etc. That wasn't what I wanted. I realized that I wanted a program structure without due dates, but that had a shelf-life. I don't want to drag this out. I wanted classes to take and not have to worry about how long it would take me to work on something. If I got a roll and wanted to move forward at a quicker pace I wanted to be able to do that as well. After a lot of research I landed on 2 schools. PF and Ashworth. PF won out because of the way they break down the coding classes at the end of the course. Ashworth just seemed to throw you in after teaching some fundamentals. PF seems to walk me in slowly and not push me into the wolves. The payments are affordable. I haven't needed to contact the school for anything because the community pages have a wealth of information. Answers to 99% of my questions are answered right on my dashboard's home page. When I read reviews of how others had issues with classes or finances I kind of feel bad for them. None of their problems seemed to be PFs fault. They decided to not finish or they didn't like it, or couldn't pay. I also read about several people getting upset because they couldn't contact the school on a daily basis. What? It's not set up that way. They don't hold your hand and if that's what you require, you should probably go to a brick and mortar. Penn Foster is for people that can stay motivated and WORK ON THEIR OWN. I'm no pro, but I keep reminding myself of my plans and that keeps me motivated. I have an average score of 99 so far and I'm not having any problem keeping it up. I only wish it were 100 but not everybody's perfect! ;) You have to do your research on schools before you sign on the dotted line or click submit. Before you even do that you must search within yourself and know what you really want. School is just a tool to help you get to where you want to be. It won't magically put what you want in your life. You must work for it, but enjoy it along the way. PF has been around for a LONG time and not because they cheat people out of their money and deliver nothing in return. You get out of it what you put into it. Real talk. Once I finish my program I plan to take my certification test as a Christmas present to myself and hopefully, I'll have a new job for New Year's! That's just the tip of the iceberg as far as my plans go. Wish me luck and I'll wish you all the luck in the world!!Read Less"

"I would not recommend this college. There is little to no communication between the financial aid, admin or instructors. I tired to get a list of payments I had made never got it the entire time I was going to school with them. After you have been enrolled and set up pay it is like to ignore you all together. I would have to talk to them sometimes daily to get updates on what classes I was enrolled in or when or what i was supposed to pay. After I would pay I would ask if I could get a statement I wouldn't get an responses. Then I had to pay for some more schooling but I needed to pay the previous but couldn't pay all the amount so I was paying monthly was told that as long as I paid I wouldn't be sent to collections, but....... that didn't happen, I was sent and the amount that I was supposed to pay was incorrect from what I had paid and what was the balance. That didn't seem to matter. Communication with the school is almost non-existent.Read Less"

"I earned my A.A.S. degree in criminal justice thru my local community college in 2004. Penn Foster College is an excellent College! I am set to graduate in Dec. 2016 with B.S. in criminal justice, so far I have maintained a 3.7 GPA while working full-time."