"Professors need better Classroom Management and be attentive, the voice of the student is not heard. Projects are not being graded in a timely manner. There is no constructive feedback or assistance, lacking thereof .the ability to assist in the learning of others."

Omar Johnson Sr., MBA/HFA

Reviewed: 5/9/2026
Degree: Healthcare Administration
Graduation Year: 2027

"I am nearing completion of my doctoral studies in Healthcare Administration at Walden University. Previously, I earned my undergraduate and master’s degrees at a traditional campus-based institution. While I initially questioned whether online education would suit my schedule and self-discipline, my experience at Walden has shown that online doctoral study is highly effective for students who are organized, motivated, and able to work independently.Walden’s online learning environment requires strong time management, sustained engagement, and personal accountability. In my experience, the program suits self-directed learners who recognize that progress depends on consistency and discipline. Prospective students should have realistic expectations about the demands of doctoral study and the independent effort required for success. While faculty availability varies, my overall experience has been positive. The curriculum is academically rigorous, professionally relevant, and rewarding. The program challenged me to analyze critically, manage my responsibilities effectively, and interact thoroughly with the material rather than rely on constant direct guidance. The workload is substantial; in my experience, doctoral study requires 25 to 30 hours of focused work each week. Success depends on protecting study time, keeping a clear plan, and persevering across challenges. My family’s support has been essential. This experience also confirms a principle supported in the literature: long-term achievement is closely associated with sustained effort, perseverance, and devotion to meaningful goals (Duckworth et al., 2007; Datu, 2021; Khindri & Rangnekar, 2022).Overall, this program has strengthened my knowledge, increased my confidence as a scholar-practitioner, and positively influenced my professional practice in healthcare administration. Walden University is both excellent and challenging. I recommend the program to learners prepared for a rigorous online academic experience and willing to invest the discipline, time, and effort needed to succeed.ReferencesDatu, J. A. D. (2021). Beyond passion and perseverance: Review and future research initiatives on the science of grit. Frontiers in Psychology, 11, Article 545526. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2020.545526Duckworth, A. L., Peterson, C., Matthews, M. D., & Kelly, D. R. (2007). Grit: Perseverance and passion for long-term goals. Journal of Personality and Social Psychology, 92(6), 1087-1101. https://doi.org/10.1037/0022-3514.92.6.1087Khindri, A., & Rangnekar, S. (2022). The trait of perseverance: A literature review and future research directions. The American Journal of Psychology, 135(3), 271-285. https://doi.org/10.5406/19398298.135.3.02"

Dr. NK

Reviewed: 5/6/2026
Degree: Psychology
Graduation Year: 2025

"I have attended PWIs, and my experience here was just as rigorous, if not more. You truly have to make the program work for you and take advantage of all the resources the school offers. Any issues I experienced were addressed and rectified quickly.My advice is to build a strong support system with your peers and attend the in-person residencies whenever possible. Overall, it was a great experience for me. I am published and have built an amazing career after graduating.At the end of the day, with any school, it’s all about what you make of it."

Anthony

Reviewed: 5/6/2026
Degree: Nursing
Graduation Year: 2026

"Walden University overall has a pretty straight forward enrollment process, and does help with scheduling meetings with your own advisor. Also the classes are very somewhat spaced out with a steady pacing, that allows students to pace themselves if they need to. The only thing I will say is that the effort when it comes to finding preceptor sites is very challenging. The college itself would stand out by letting partnering with some sites or providers and being able to help their students become more successful when looking for clinical sites. As far as the school work, you have to be prepared to write a lot of essays, and discussion questions weekly, every single class will have you writing and using appropriate APA format and citing references in every written assignment and post. The pricing does leave room for improvement due to 1 class costing about 2500 by itself, which is a little extreme considering everything is online based."

Lauren

Reviewed: 5/6/2026
Degree: Child Development
Graduation Year: 2015

"Attending Walden University was a great experience. It is completely online, and because of this, you must be dedicated and self-sufficient. The flexibility provided was tremendous and I was able to obtain a bachelor's degree as well as a master's while working full time. Even though it was online, I still felt a sense of community and support. The classes were interesting and the professors were helpful. There was the option of attending an in-person graduation as well, which I did. It was fun meeting all my classmates whom I never met in person before."

Rhonda Wood

Reviewed: 5/6/2026
Degree: Psychology
Graduation Year: 2025

"The university was great. My professors were incredible and cared about student success. The job market is rough but my experience with Walden University was exceptional.I I had secured a doctoral position but it fell through because of the government shutdown."

Bonnie Jean

Reviewed: 5/6/2026
Degree: Developmental Psychology
Graduation Year: 2026

"Walden University has been an easy way to obtain a degree while being a working adult. They stay up to date with new information that comes into the field and the laws that govern them. I received my masters and now I am getting my PhD and they are still the best choice."

Jacklyn Nieves

Reviewed: 4/24/2026
Degree: Nurse Practitioner (NP)
Graduation Year: 2026

"I’ve had a very frustrating experience due to the lack of communication and constant delays in processes. It is extremely difficult to get clear answers every time you reach out, you get transferred to multiple people, and no one seems to know what’s going on. You end up going in circles without any real resolution. Appointments are hard to get, and when you finally do, they often don’t provide helpful information. It feels very disorganized and uncoordinated. One of the biggest issues is the lack of support for clinical placements. You are basically on your own to find a preceptor or site. The guidance given is unrealistic “apply to 10 places, then 10 more” but there is no actual support or follow-through. It becomes an ongoing cycle with no results.Overall, it feels like the system is quick to take your money, but not structured to truly support students when they need help the most. This process should be much more organized, responsive, and student-centered."

Michelle

Reviewed: 4/24/2026
Degree: Instructional Technology
Graduation Year: 2016

"I had been teaching for many years and was looking to move outside the classroom. After researching, I decided on obtaining a degree in Instructional Design and Technology and based on my schedule an online platform was best. The technology used and taught in the program was quickly outdated and not used in any schools. I would have been better off learning online through tutorials and buying one of the more widely used programs."

JessS2019

Reviewed: 4/23/2026
Degree: Child Development
Graduation Year: 2019

"Walden University was a great school due to the online nature and the flexibility of the courses. I was able to work full time, compete my degree, and be a first time mom all at the same time! The professors were easy to reach and accommodating. My enrollment advisor was also very helpful and put me on a track to get my degree in a manageable way."

Kirsten

Reviewed: 4/23/2026
Degree: Counseling
Graduation Year: 2021

"Walden University provided me with the education and supervision necessary to complete a Master of Science in Marriage, Couple, and Family Counseling and begin my career of working with individuals and families as a counselor/therapist. The online environment was easy to use and created a space to engage with my classmates in a meaningful way. My only complaint is that I transferred credits from an in-person university and had many credits denied, so I had to put more money into my education than I originally planned. The loans are eating me alive. But overall, I am happy with my career choice and the flexibility, yet consistency provided to me through Walden University."

Rosanne KaYan Yip

Reviewed: 4/22/2026
Degree: Nurse Practitioner (NP)
Graduation Year: 2027

"I would like to write about their lacking of clincial hand on experiences. They have recent changes of the program and really they should focus on bringing the experience they should provide compared with another Cal State University FNP program. They delay my clincial and approve 2 students with one preceptor which I had to drop the class and bear the tution. Right now I am asking for a waiver for this course. I don't know if this a good school or I am just getting limitation of the school access or course. I never really able to get into the meeting at one time, they change the meeting time or and I ask for advice, never response me directly from instructor. I wrote my paper and ever really have a feedback from my assigments. And who know if there is a retaliation."

Dr. Damian Wilson

Reviewed: 4/18/2026
Degree: Public Administration
Graduation Year: 2025

"It helped me become a college professor and make connections all over the world. Walden University allowed me to receive my doctorate without going on campus. It challenged me as a student and person. You need to be self disciplined and willing to work hard."

Inamorata

Reviewed: 4/12/2026
Degree: Counseling
Graduation Year: 2026

"Go to a different school. I was interested in WU because of its flexibility and offering of scholarships to cover the last four classes of the program. While the education and class work were okay and had a good focus on multicultural counseling and social justice, it falls short everywhere else. Professors will accuse you of using AI if your papers are written in too formal/academic a voice, even just for using Oxford commas. I've had to "dumb down" my papers to have them not be flagged. The financial department screwed up the dispersal of my scholarship, and I had to pay MORE out of pocket than I needed to. The financial department is not responsive at all (not surprising because they're for-profit). The internship is by far the most stressful part. You will not get help finding a site for an internship. Good luck if you work full-time, have a family, are a sole income earner or are chronically ill, because you will need to work 30+ hours of internship work a week to meet the hours requirements before the end of your final semester; otherwise, you will need to take an extension and pay even more and retake all your assignments for that part of the internship (feels like a money grab). Also, if you miss your weekly supervision with your internship site, the school makes you forfeit ALL the internship hours you would have earned that week.The school will push the idea of "self-care" and "sacrifice," but won't acknowledge systemic issues and barriers students face who are trying to get through the program with little to no support, which is ironic given their push for social justice and equity in the field. I know many schools use for-profit models, but we should move beyond accepting burnout culture in the field and normalizing it for brand-new clinicians before they even enter the field. They do a great job of creating an environment that filters out talented individuals who cannot take the emotional, mental, and financial tolls of completing the program. In my opinion, try to find a school with a longer internship period, save yourself the stress of losing time and money trying to finish the hours in 20 weeks. Good luck with your search!"

Tara Noto

Reviewed: 4/10/2026
Degree: Nursing
Graduation Year: 2027

"Horrible field service support can never get a problem solved right away , horrible communication except for one of my professors who is frustrated also! I wish someone wouldGet back to me it’s been weeks waiting for approval for a preceptor and I’m almost done with my class I guess the word expedite means nothing"

Kayla Butler

Reviewed: 4/2/2026
Degree: Psychology
Graduation Year: 2026

"My instructors have all been very thorough and supportive. My dissertation chair has been extremely professional and has efficiently guided me every step of the way. He will be providing great networking connections when I am done later this year. I have learned a lot on my topic and I feel I can effectively enter the workforce at a new level after graduation."

Abigail Williams

Reviewed: 4/2/2026
Degree: Nurse Practitioner (Adult-Gerontology Acute Care)
Graduation Year: 2026

"Walden University is a great way for working adults to complete higher education on their own terms; with affordable, flexible classes and an online learning environment, it has been a great opportunity to pursue my education. I would recommend Walden to any working professional seeking to further their education."

Janeika Jones

Reviewed: 4/1/2026
Degree: MSW - Clinical
Graduation Year: 2023

"I attended Walden University and had a great experience. I enjoyed attending the skills lab in which I flew to Atlanta GA and Phoenix AZ to meet my classmates and professors. I found the school to be very accommodating to working families and since graduating, I was able to advance in my career."

Sabrina Mallory

Reviewed: 4/1/2026
Degree: Social Work
Graduation Year: 2028

"I have attended a few different colleges attempting to get my degrees, and Walden has been a terrible experience. I would not recommend to anyone! They don't give you much hope or assistance when needed. Attempting to get assistance from an advisor is non existent unless you make an appointment when they are available."

Nursing Grad Student

Reviewed: 3/25/2026
Degree: Nurse Practitioner (Pediatric Primary Care)
Graduation Year: 2026

"Review: A Profit-First Model That Leaves Students StrandedRating: 2 / 5If I could do it all over again, I would choose a non-profit university with a long-standing history of educating Nurse Practitioners. My experience with Walden University has been defined by a lack of support, hidden costs, and a "for-profit" mentality that prioritizes trimming overhead over student success. It feels like a degree mill in many ways.The Practicum NightmareThe single biggest issue is the total lack of support for clinical rotations. Walden places the entire burden on the student, yet their requirements are so excessive that even my preceptors found many of them unnecessary for a shadowing experience.Cold-Calling Fails: The practicum staff lacks a basic understanding of how modern nursing clinicals work. They expect students to "cold-call" patient lines to ask for rotations—a practice that major health systems find unprofessional and strange.Institutional Rejection: In a major urban city with two massive children’s health systems, I was repeatedly told they refuse to engage with students directly and only work with university administrators. When I brought this to Walden, they simply pushed the responsibility back onto me. Many other clinics stated outright that they do not work with Walden students at all, preferring universities that actually contract with them.Pay-to-Play: I ultimately had to pay thousands of extra dollars out-of-pocket just to secure placements.The "Castle Branch" Money PitWalden utilizes Castle Branch, an expensive system that nickel-and-dimes students at every turn. Because it takes so long to find a practicum, your clearances often expire during the search. This leads to a cycle of repeated, unnecessary costs for drug tests, PPDs, physicals, and background checks.Faux Support and Robotic AdvisingThe "support" at Walden feels like a facade.AI Communications: Emails from advisors are clearly AI-generated, offering "faux empathy" and concern that feels entirely hollow. It feels like you are talking to a robot rather than a human advocate.Lack of Teaching: Most courses offer almost no actual instruction. You are given a few links to journals, an assignment, and a "good luck" message. It is a self-taught program disguised as an academic one.The One Bright SpotShout out to Dr. Melanie Wilhelm. She is exceptionally knowledgeable and genuinely cares about preparing pediatric nurse practitioners. It is clear she wants her students to be well-prepared, which is a stark contrast to the rest of the university's infrastructure. Final Verdict: Unless you have thousands of extra dollars to spend on placement services and the patience to navigate a bureaucratic vacuum, look elsewhere. Find a school that invests in its students, not just its bottom line."