Southern New Hampshire University Online Reviews of Bachelor's in English

"Overall, reviewing a lot of the two stars comments from months prior should tell you a few things - people are complaining about simple tech issues, or one-off problems that they should have just sorted out. With the pandemic frenzy, people are calming their neuroticism by taking it out on the entire system due to an inability to fix one issue or overpay for a class. Broken links? I have not experienced any issues with technology here. They far beat other state schools rushing to get their online programs going that are new to the space. SNHU uses Brightspace, a very user-friendly software! The courses vary in difficulty, just as they would at any other university. You've got students that put in varying amounts of effort, and it probably translates in the gradebook. I've never turned in a blank assignment and received an A, as one IT rating mentions below. The professors are not shy to give poor grades if you do poor work (at least in my experience). The courses, at least for the Humanities, History and English, require a significant amount of reading and participation and are heavily writing focused. I feel quite prepared in my research capabilities after spending so much time on essays and research papers here. Their platform connects you with internships where you are working alongside candidates from Columbia, Brown and Howard University. There are immersion opportunities for politics in Washington DC in the summers- and the price you pay for a regionally accredited program is fair. They are not ripping students off like private schools and state/ UC schools with tuitions through the roof. Lastly, remember that a college education is also largely what you make of it. At another university, students might not show up to class until an exam or even ONLY sit for a final. Not here. You are asked to work hard weekly, and what you retain hopefully helps you grow as a more informed person. I'm grateful for my experience at SNHU."

"I have very mixed feelings about SNHU. First, let me begin by explaining that I have attended a private traditional liberal arts college before and then left for awhile. After that brief hiatus from higher education I went to night school at a community college. Finally, I transferred here because I figured the online program seemed reputable, was accredited and would fit my full-time work schedule. The quality of education seems on par with the previous institutions I have attended and I like how each course has the same set up, it makes going from class to class a breeze. BUT let me explain some problems that I have encountered here and I suspect both current and prospective students face: The rubrics. SNHU has streamlined every class so that there is a rubric for each assignment that the instructor, always an adjunct and never an actual professor, is in charge of administering and grading. Often, I have had the unfortunate experience of encountering that the rubric says to do one thing and the instructor either is not interpreting it accurately or else dislikes it and finds ways to grade that penalize the student for following the rubric. I am not a bad student. I have never had anything less than an 'A' in any of the classes that I have taken here but I will say the instructions given on the rubrics and the instructors grading style aren't always matched quite well. I suspect if the instructors were allowed to come up with their own assignments and administer them this problem might easily be fixed. In addition, other problems I have noted are that one either encounters instructors who are passionately dedicated and micro graders or noticeably aloof and detached. There never seems to be a happy medium between the two. In addition, a review of adjunct comments on websites like Glassdoor which feature reviews from employees seems to show that SNHU underpays and values their instructors little which is sad because that has a direct impact on how they perform and how students are treated. The coursework is challenging enough. I'm an English major and have learned a lot in my core classes. Like any university there will be a bunch of general education requirements. Suck it up, this is how college is. I see a lot of reviewers complaining about taking them but I swear, it is the same at every college. My advice: get them out of the way first or take them at a community college where they cost less and will easily transfer. In order to receive accreditation, SNHU is mandated to make you take them. Those classes are usually not fun but I will say that SNHU made them easier to get through. I've always been rather bad at math but the math class I was required to take at SNHU was designed for students who were liberal arts majors so it wasn't so bad. Also-I like that each course is only 8 weeks so if one doesn't like a class or feels like they are struggling it isn't so long to suffer. Finally, the other negative is that everything has sort of a strange corporate feel. When I initially applied here I was bombarded with marketing calls from what seemed like sales people from admissions. They were nice but annoying. But this seems to be happening at many institutions because higher education is facing disruptions from technology and dwindling student enrollment. I did appreciate the way financial aid was handled and each time I have had a question I receive a pleasant and quick response. Advising is helpful, too. My adviser is easy to talk to and handles a lot of registration related stuff for me. She's also motivating. Overall this is the takeaway I want to give you if you are considering this school: It is a mixed bag. Pros: They understand most of the students are working adults who need degrees and have a very flexible platform and streamlined process that is easy to learn. Advising seems to care. Each class is structed the same. Degrees are accredited. Cons: Unclear instructions on rubrics, some bad apples that are adjuncts, cost is higher than some public universities, strange corporate marketing that makes it seem less like a college and more like a business which I suspect in many ways it is I'm going to give the school a solid 3. It is giving me what I need and I do plan to graduate but I would not say I love it. Nor is it for everyone. If you are a self motivated person and can handle meeting deadlines and do not need much hand holding this could be for you. If you are more traditional, need a lot of personal explanation or attention than look elsewhere, perhaps at a brick and mortar school."

"Southern New Hampshire University ruined my life. I joined because I was told I only needed a few more credits to get a BA, which was what I needed in order to accept a job overseas. I paid for my first class with a grant from a FAFSA, as well as a book voucher. I was told many times by my advisor and their portal website that I owed $0 for the first semester. The English class they put me in was stuff I learned in sixth grade, like how to write a paragraph, how to write an essay, and general topics that I used to tutor others in. Most of the websites were fill in the blank forms, and after a while I started copying and pasting the same answers over and over and always wound up getting 10/10. After the first two weeks, my teacher mysteriously was unable to open any of my homework documents. I tried everything the website allowed for submitting assignments, and very suddenly nothing worked. I offered to send a Google Docs link, but was turned down. Eventually it was clear that I was going to fail the class, and would have to retake it and pay for it. I realized what was going on: this was a degree mill that was out to make money. They didn't care about my education, they just wanted money. I dropped out and told my advisor that I wanted no part in the school anymore and to cancel the next class I had been enrolled for (but hadn't paid yet). A week later I received a bill for $596. I emailed them consistently explaining that my class was paid for and I'm not interested in any other classes, and that I wouldn't be paying for that sham class. And now it's going to collections. Now I have to do a payment plan that includes interest and fees. Now I've lost that job position overseas and I have to start all over with my career path. Thanks SNHU."

"Southern New Hampshire knows what they're doing. I choose them for convenience with an online degree and the amazing tuition prices. There is always someone there to answer any questions you may have; which, believe me, I took advantage of. With online courses, you get teachers and participating students from all over the world, so classes are full of different values, beliefs, and views. You get to experience all the on campus quality from your own home. I will say, however, that sometimes I felt like cattle. I had a few teachers who didn't even bother to change their modules from class to class. For example, I took a class from June to August, and the teacher wished us a very, merry Christmas! That said, that was more the teachers fault than the school. I took the accelerated route, where once I started, I didn't stop. SNHU online classes are condensed eight-week courses that take you quickly through your degree. You work through holidays, vacations of any kind, summer, etc. I believe in the two years at SNHU I had a total of 2 weeks with no classes. BUT! That said, that was my choice. I liked having the ability to map out my own educational route. SNHU has definitely had the practice and knows what they're doing in terms of a quality education."

"I would tell anyone considering SNHU to think twice. This school has turned into a degree mill. Classes are not set up to help you really learn. If you want to feel like you actually earned your degree I'd look elsewhere. While there are some teachers there that I truly respect and enjoyed learning from, the majority are duds. I felt that most of them couldn't care less. Then there are the teachers who will be unbelievably rude and hostile to you. If you report these teachers chances are the school will take you through the dispute process to simply say, "sorry nothing we can do.""

"SNHU is the perfect school for working students, parents, people who travel, and for those with less than perfect academic records. I was a traditional undergrad at a state university and I was so disengaged from the core curriculum they force you to take that I aced my majors courses and failed the ones I didnt care about. This is something I know a lot of people struggle with. Its hard to maintain a constant level of motivation in classes that feel like a waste of time and arent stimulating in any way. Needless to say, I dropped out with almost all my majors courses completed spectacularly but with academic probation and SAP holds on my record. When I was ready to go go back to school, SNHU connected me with an Advil who didnt judge my past experiences and who listened as I struggled to figure out how to make the courses work. They even helped me clear up a defaulted student loan!!! The process of getting enrolled was easy and straightforward and I didnt have to worry about my gpa or an essay. The curriculum itself is regimented: Assignments are due Sunday and Thursday each week. You pace yourself for reading the material, which you can purchase with a financial aid voucher and will be promptly shipped to your home. The biggest drawback for me however is that the professors have no control over the material. SNHU determines the coursework and often this leads to uninspired discussion prompts and lackluster courses overall. The professors sometimes do not seem to know the material or are required to follow SNHU policies even when there is a better idea or method available. This means you waste some time on busy work. The discussions were always a hassle. Since the program is online this is how SNHU achieves participation but its masqueraded as a way to connect professors and students to each other and it just doesnt work out that way. Professors are hardly engaged in discussions for the same reason students arent giving it 100% because the prompts arent inspired or engaging and its an mandatory evil for both. Overall: -its an online school so any fantasy you have of being connected to students or staff or having a traditional experience should be left behind -its nonprofit so you arent being ripped off and you are required to complete the same degree requirements as if you were attending a public school in your state -professors come in all shades. Their hands are tied as to grading rubrics and assignment prompts. They do NOT create the content for the online courses they teach. This is to ensure quality and equality across the board for all online courses. SNHU cannot stand behind content they didnt sponsor. This means your professor might be able to accept late work if you ask ahead of time but they wont be able to accept work that doesnt meet the requirements of the assignment rubric. This is the route I would go with if you just need a Bachelors and you dont want or cant go to a traditional school. I love my school. They did a wonderful job of supporting me and I have recommended it to everyone I know!"

"I am a student at Southern New Hampshire University and am currently in my Senior year. I received my Associates in 2015 and went to Manchester to walk for graduation. Studying online can be difficult, it takes commitment and dedication like nothing else imagineable, but I am thankful for SNHU. If it were not for SNHU I would not have been able to get this far. While attending school, I lost my grandmother, my cousin, was in a life changing vehicle accident, had to move half way across country, and battled with some health issues. A traditional campus was never an option with so many things going on. As far as paying for school goes SNHU is a bit expensive, but not in comparison to other private schools of similar rank. Private education is always more than public schools though. All of that being said, the learning experience and the relationships formed are priceless. If you think you can handle intense study programs over a duration of years and a classroom setting is not an option for you, I would recommend SNHU. I work in Private Security while in school and without the Associates I would be making about $3. less an hour."

"I cannot endorse SNHU for several reasons, namely because the university seemingly values revenue higher than academic rigor. When I first enrolled, I received a required phone call from an academic counselor whose sole mission was to sell me into the program by telling me how great the school was and how when you get your degree, it does not show if you received it on campus or online. Like Okay? Its not like 96% of students aren't enrolled online or anything. Then, from there on, I received constant, sporadic phone calls from my academic counselor to inform me of silly things like You start your next term soon, which you'd expect to go without saying. Furthermore, having enrolled in SNHU as a transfer student with a 4.00 GPA, I expected a high variety of academically challenging courses to start off with, but I was forced to take enroll in basic courses like Strategies to Online Success which, to me, were courses Id expect middle schoolers to take due to the adequate content in them (work collaboratively as a team, don't plagiarize, etc., common sense stuff, really) However, before my academic counselor could even register me in these adequate courses, I was asked to pay tuition upfront and out of pocket or else I would have to wait months for my student loans to go through. I did not even have my student login information or anything. At my previous university, I could have started taking the course and worried about paying later, but in SNHU, it was all money upfront. Plus, annoyingly enough, if, at SNHU, you pay for a course and want to drop out of it after one week, SNHU keep 50% of your tuition which is absurd because that material was in no way worth $500. Another thing that bothered me about the school was how clunky and messy the user interface was. It wasn't hard to navigate, but you'd expect a school with such high enrollment rates to have an elegant and simple student portal. Although recognized as a non-profit school, the school is extremely money greedy and seems to favor revenue over students academic rigor and, as such, I recommend students of all kind to look for a university elsewhere unless you an easy degree from what I would label as a diploma mill."

"Southern New Hampshire University's online degree program was a wonderful experience. My advisor was knowledgeable and always willing to help, and easy to get a hold of. Registering for classes was a breeze, and I love that students can access their program evaluation to see which classes they need to take. The instructors were knowledgeable in their subject areas, most got back to me in 48 hours of sending an email, and the instructions for each class were easy to follow. Classmates were kind and supportive, and overall I feel as if I got a great education within more reasonable tuition prices than I would have found at a traditional university. However, online has not stopped me from continuing on to graduate as I will be attending an M.A. history program on a campus. I would highly recommend this program."

"I'm in my third term at SNHU so far it's been fine. I agree with what another reviewer said that some of the students seem a little unprepared for the rigors of university-level work, but that was only really apparent in the one 100 level course I had to take (I transferred in 75 credits). My advisors have been great to work with and everything has been smooth sailing so far. No problems at all with the application process, financial aid office, bookstore, registration, etc. I do occasionally feel that I'm being graded too easily but I'm also diligent, work hard and produce quality work so it's hard to tell. Overall I'm pretty satisfied with SNHU. It's a good mix of quality, flexibility and affordability. I would recommend this school."

"SNHU's financial aid procedures and policies are a joke! I graduated with a 3.5 GPA and yet I can't even apply to grad school because SNHU has a death grip on my transcripts. I graduated, received my diploma, and even ordered a copy of my transcripts. Then over a YEAR later, SNHU decided I owe them $3,000 (which I unequivocally do not), and will not release my transcripts until it's paid in full. This school is attempting to scam me into paying them more money than is owed them, despite having a zero balance upon graduation. There are such better options for obtaining your education- and they won't even try to rob you in the end! Think twice about enrolling at SNHU!"

"I’m less than two weeks away from graduating with my degree from SNHU. I don't understand some of these negative reviews - I found this to be a fulfilling experience that allowed me to finally get a degree without having to deal with the miserable schedules and commutes I found with my past university experiences. I had two academic advisors during my year and a half (one was promoted to another position). They were both very helpful and prompt with their responses. They’re only as engaged with you as you want them to be, which is helpful when you’re the self-motivated type who doesn’t need people checking in too often. There was a period of time where we were corresponding every day regarding class scheduling, so they make themselves very available. I’m noticing conflicting reviews on here about whether the coursework is hard or easy. Personally, I found it very easy, but that is also because I picked something I enjoyed and took my time with my work. It’s a lot of writing, group discussions, power points, and some video presentations. The only time I’ve encountered “tests” is when I took a math course. My professors have all been very professional and friendly. I’ve only encountered one instance where the professor was unresponsive and halfway through the term, the professor was replaced due to a personal emergency. I have had an equal mix of professors who hold Master’s and Doctorate’s. Overall, it was a great experience with very few hiccups along the way. Staff are very accommodating and fair, as long as you meet deadlines and do your work. I would gladly consider SNHU for graduate studies."