West Chester University of Pennsylvania Reviews

"West Chester University's Clinical Psychology program is overall a great experience. I am learning practical and theoretical skills. The program offers the educational requirements to work toward your licensure in professional counseling, but I also have the ability to apply for a doctoral program if I so choose. The classes are in the evenings, so you can work during the day. Some students may not like the evenings classes, but at WCU all graduate programs are based on night classes.West Chester University offers graduate assistantships to help with tuitions costs, but the downside to this is that it does not cover your living expenses. There are few scholarships for graduate students. In addition, my program requires 12 credits practicum and internship for licensure and 6 for non licensure. However, the internships are unpaid, which many students struggle with financially even though the professional skills they build during their experiences are valuable. In order to be well informed about the expectation of the program, it is up to the student to be self motivated to speak to faculty. The faculty are more than willing to help, but you must approach them. Overall, I am having a positive experience and growing as a professional in this program."

"West Chester has a wonderful combination of academics, student life, student aid, and city life. There is always something to do. The faculty and staff are great and always willing to go beyond to help their students. It is the perfect place to have a quality education that you can actually afford, and still be able to enjoy yourself outside of the classroom."

"WCU's Counselor Education program has been amazing thus far. The faculty and staff are very supportive, which holds substantial importance during graduate years when students may feel left on their own. Initially, I believed holding a Bachelor's degree in a field other than Counseling would become burdensome, but this program has already given me the fundamentals and the confidence necessary to become a successful counselor. The one drawback that needs to be addressed is of course the debt I will face in the near future!"

"I think that WCU's grad program is an excellent program. Before I even accepted my spot into the program, I wanted to make sure that I was making the right choice. I emailed a professor that I met at an open house letting her know of my dilemma and she emailed me back almost immediately and offered to meet with her to discuss my options. I was not even enrolled yet and she was willing to meet with me and guide me through my questions. That was a great help and ultimately helped me make my decision to go to this university for my masters. The internship and the practicum are both great pros to this graduate program. They help you gain quality and necessary experience in the field. The graduate program classes are small which make for a better learning experience and allow you to get that one on one education feel. The only pro that I can think of is that this particular program at WCU is taught in a separate graduate center that is a couple of miles from the main campus. Being that it is separate, students have to drive to the library and other necessary facilities. And you also lose some of the college atmosphere that some people might like. Then again having it in a separate area makes it more professional at the same time for those students that are older or do not like the college atmosphere. Overall, I love the graduate program and am completely happy that I made the choice to further my education at WCU."

"The graduate program was exactly what I was looking for. Since I am a continuing education student, I liked the ability to take night classes as a part-time student and the costs were very affordable."

"As a first year graduate student at WCU, I have merely a few weeks of experience in this field, as well as in this university. I'm noticing the faculty and staff have good intentions and are highly supportive of the students, which is much appreciated. I am new to the Counselor Education field, but as the early weeks of this semester progress, I am beginning to realize my future as a hopeful counselor is becoming more and more desirable. The workload seems to be manageable thus far, and it is very accommodating to those in my classes who are living full-time job/family lives. I would honestly say the only con of my graduate program would be that the graduate building is off-campus, although the university does provide a shuttle bus to and from the building on the main campus. Commuting from Philadelphia to West Chester, I am required to take multiple modes of transportation. However, I am thankful for the shuttle bus being so accessible. I am eager to continue my semester as Counselor Education grad student, and I'm sure my future at WCU will be just as anticipated."

"I started in January of 2013 in West Chesters Grad program and I love it. Some of the pros are the quality of the professors. The friendly, helpful and personable environment of the program is also a pro. At this moment, I don't have any cons of my graduate program. I had an awesome semester, met some awesome people and loved both of my professors."

"West Chester University of Pennsylvania graduate Masters in Public Health program is a very diverse and challenging academic major. It provides students with the resources they will need in order to be successful in the real world. The faculty and students embodies what it means to be in a supportive collegiate environment with various subjects that will assist in developing programs in the field of public Health. The only drawback I can see about the program is the diversity in the professors. Some professors are seen for two three even four classes. I feel it is important to get a fresh outlook when learning about various entities and sometimes having the same instructor may not provide that. Our instructors however are the best of the best and have had various experiences in the field of public Heath. I love attending WCU and hope that this short comment exemplified my experiences at the university this far."

"One of the best things about West Chester University's Clinical Psychology program is the faculty. They are wonderful teachers and really make me understand and love the field. One of the disadvantages would be the lack of financial resources for graduate students."

"The pros are definitely investing in one of the only schools that provide my specified degree. The professors are great and the school location is beautiful. Cons are the cost, and lack of financial aid."

"West chester has a great deal of courses to choose from in my chosen discipline. Additionally, every teacher is willing to go the extra mile to help students. The cost of living in the immediate area is relatively high."

"I really enjoyed the professors at WCU, I had some of the greatest relationships with my teachers. They were all very helpful inside and outside of the classroom. Even after graduating, I maintained a relationship with them. I also enjoyed the class size, there was never more than 15-20 people in any of my classes, which gave a lot of one-on-one help if necessary. A con to the program was they school had a Fast-Track program, so there were under graduate students taking graduate courses, and I believe the teachers made the work easier for these students. Many of these students would complain how difficult the graduate work was; in turn the professors would lighten the work load, which I was not happy with. Overall, I loved WCU for my graduate studies."

"Pros- faculty. Cons- not enough physical space."