I started with much enthusiasm at Capella. I did considerable research about on-line degrees. My wife, who has a PhD from Columbia cautioned against my undertaking the PhD program, but I pursued it anyway. I found it to be a disaster in the set up. I found the administrative organization and the focus on money obscuring the educational experience. Furthermore, the evaluation of my Master's degree credits was unbelievable in that less than half of my credits were transferred, and I graduated from Boston University. At work, the school was not recognized. I would strong urge people to avoid this school. Perhaps there are some on-line schools that are focused on education.

I will finish this Capella in 2008. I have already been offered both teaching and administrative positions based on my pending doctorate from Capella. Many brick and mortar people feel threatened by this new way of learning. New ideas are always criticized. The success of the students will speak for the school in the future.

I am enrolled in the BSIT project management degree program. I have a PMP, Scrum Master and Lean certifications. I am very pleased with the faculty and rigor of the course content. I definitely feel I get my money's worth and have been able to apply my learning in the workplace. A very important litmus test. Prior to Capella, I attended the tradition brick and mortar institutions for 4 years but dropped out due to finances.

As a working professional and continual learning, I'm very pleased to have access to an accredited undergraduate online degree program. Not only do I learn from the course materials but other dedicated, working professionals. The class format, working in virtual teams, is very relevant in today's global economy.

Capella has many issues within it. There are plenty of problems that do not surface until you get past the PhD comps. Instructors have one set of information while learner support tells learners something else. Currently working on my dissertation, I have been getting the runaround about whether or not I have to pay for a continuation section while my mentor drags his feet over my initial submission. Granted, some specializations have good programs and good leaders--others do not. This is where the issues arise. One learner is told one thing while another one is expected to do something completely different in order to move forward. All the while they are charging you $3000 a semester to do nothing. It is incredibly frustrating to be working on a PhD and having to pay bills while making no progress. Think carefully about your reasons for taking courses at this university. Many online courses are excellent and programs are out there that ARE helpful and successful, but this university does not have a good foothold on what's going on.

Bottom line--it is an expensive place and I have learned a hard lesson

My experience at Capella University has been good. I worked hard, had good instructors and have gotten positive feedback for my work from outside professionals. I will receive the PhD in December and I feel like I learned tons and earned the degree.

If anyone needs dissertation proposal help in the social sciences or help in writing doctoral papers, please email me at Stlcollectables@AOL.

I am considering the doc program at Capella. I have been accepted into Brick and Mortar but I am at a stage where I want to do some traveling and have a family. An online program will allow me some flexibility personally and professionally. I am, however, curious about the quality of professors teaching in psychology program. Can someone with some experience in the General psych program at Capella talk about their experience and poss. provide some insight.

I ranked in the middle but that's because I couldn't post without a ranking. I really have no ranking but just a word about tuition and those reviewers who use the "high-cost of tuition" as one of the reasons to avoid this school and other online institutions. Anyone who thinks that brick & mortar schools do not over-charge for education is living in a fantasy world. EVERY university charges more than the education given is worth. They are ALL businesses thinly disguised as higher-educational institutions and run to make a profit. That's not to say that some have the student's well being in mind and care about providing good education when they make their decisions, but every school has the same business model that charges a per credit price per course. Look at the way the 4 year degree is structured at any school. You have to have 120+ credits to complete most undergrad degree and only half of those credits are classes related to your major. Why not have an undergrad degree on just your major and only have to complete 60 credits? The reason given is a "we provide a well-rounded education" so you have to take two years of b-s, which really means, we get to charge you for those two years! It's the reason why I dropped out of college many years ago because I saw through the facade. If you're going to knock the school, provide real reasons backed up with verifiable proof. Don't just complain about the tuition costs, because you could pay much more elsewhere and receive a worse education all for a pretty name on a piece of paper.

I am currently working on my Masters in Human Services (General). Great school, great education. I want to get my PHD as well through them. I had a 3.64 GPA and other options. Why the negative vibe by some?

One more thing. For those of you (It's really probably one person) complaining that you are referred to as a "learner" and not a "student". I hadn't even noticed it before but when I logged in to post to my threads, in the upper left hand corner of the window, just to the left of my name I see the word STUDENT. It's sickening how people whom for one reason or another have some sort of vendetta and are willing to trash an institution for their own personal failures. The operative word here is failure, as in loser. I'm also going to take another moment to express my personal experience in brick and mortar schools, which are also for-profit, constantly giving students the runaround, and teachers for whatever reason, along with counselors, bascially using cookie cutter techniques to 'guide' young people through a program with the only reason being of a money grab, extending a young person's stay. Alterior motives abound at all schools. Get over it, make a choice, then commit. Your reward is expressed in your work, dedication, and results. This is not dependent on anything but your own efforts.

I am almost finished with my PhD in O&M - IT Mgmt at Capella U. I am only one voice out there, but I wish to say that I am extremely pleased with my education and experiences at Capella. It is a shame that there are those too immature and that couldn't handle the program, so they lower themselves to acting like a spoiled kid. This 'FormerCapellaStudent' is more than likely the same character that created those libelous websites that are being discussed on here. Actually, he is probably creating multiple accounts everywhere just to appear that he has strength in numbers. You can listen to him or actually listen to the majority of us here that are satisfied with our Capella education. But it is the young-minded and sour people like the one here that really bring bad light to online universities. These online schools have given people like me, that work full-time, the only opportunity for a higher education and for that I thank them.

I have been thinking of attending a college/university for my Ed. D. or Ph. D. I have seen many mixed reviews, but this site has way more positive reviews than all the negative views I can find out there. I too have my Master's and Bachelor's from traditional, highly respected universities. I agree that some classes were great and others were horrible where I felt I was ripped off. I feel that will be the same anywhere, including an online school. It does indeed too seem that more traditional schools are planning online graduate programs and it will be the wave of the future.
Also, I have not read one negative comment about the School of Education, which is the one I would attend for administration. It is a difficult decision, I have nrrowed it down to 2-3 online schools and 2-3 traditional schools. I have to say that the thought of saving time and money on my commute and beig able to be with my family and children will be a great benefit. The high cost is very compatible with all of the traditional universities I am looking at as well. I may save some money at a state college/univeristy, but it will also take me two years longer to complete the degree so I am not sure I will really save money.
Even though I am not attending, I thought I would still share my ideas and thughts.

Good day!

I have not been, nor will I ever be, a student at capella, but what everyone on this forum seems to be forgetting, or at least ignorant of, is the fact that the APA will not accredit capella so all of you out there who are getting the PhD in Psych, beware.

I graduated from Capella and was impressed with the level of dedication required to complete the graduate program. I specifically chose the school because it was an accredited university and that allowed me to get a teaching position in software engineering at a local college. I moved on and I'm now a Chief Technical Officer of a booming Internet company. I have used many of the skills I learned at Capella to help propel my career, without them I would not be where I am today.

Great school and great staff. Capella is not a walk in the park and they have a lot of staff with plenty of real work experience.

I am a Ph.D. student at Capella University, and I am pleased with the school. The courses are challenging and the course work tough; however, for the serious minded student, he or she will do fine. I have attended several other schools and work for a major university, and I will say that Capella University is far superior. Many university faculty have gotten their degrees from Capella. I highly recommend this school.

i am sandeep sharma from India i want to enroll at CAPELLA UNIVERSITY FOR MY PhD in networking .PLease hep me

I've attended three large traditional universities and have to say that the eduction I'm receiving at Cappella is far superior and much more challenging. On an aside, this type of education is not for the undisciplined learner.

I did not attend Capella University and let me make that point up front. I seriously looked into the PhD Program in business but decided against it. The program is not respected at all by the broader academic community. I have yet to find an online PhD program that is. If you want a doctorate that actually carries weight, I would recommend putting your career on hold for a few years and attending a traditional land grant research university.

I EARNED my BSIT from Capella a year ago. As it has been the case with every educational institution I have attended, I had good instructors and bad instructors, easy courses and hard courses. I remember there were a few courses at Capella where classmates actually went crying to the administration about the instructors being too strict or demanding. I encountered several students that actually expected a degree handed to them simply because this was an on-line education and they had to pay for it. They are / were usually the vocal complainers about one thing or the other. In my case, I did or I should say, my employer got its money's worth. Like everything else in life, expect to get out of it what you put into it. No more, no less.

I graduated with a degree in business (MBA) and I have to say this their faculty is top ranked. They have been very supportive and attentive to my progress. Unlike with more old fashioned schools, instructors don't teach as much as they facilitate information and provide feedback to each student's research and interpretation of learned materials. They also help you tie all learned materials to your current job & work experience. I've found that they are a great asset to network with too. At Capella, financial aid was a snap! The community of students is also awesome and I've been able to network with many of them. The coursework is challenging and you will get what you put into it. I loved Capella and I hope that they continue their good job.

I graduated from Capella Business School and I am really happy I went to this school. Most importantly, I have learned very important skills that I can apply right now at work. I work for one of the companies from the top of the Fortune 500 list. Recruiting at my company is very selective and it is really difficult to find a person who can pass several stages of tests, interviews and psychological checkups. Because HR of the company puts so much effort the name of the school that candidates graduate from is not so important and as long as you have what they looking for they are fine with any accredited school. It is true that most of my colleagues graduated from so called prestigious schools and name Capella tells them nothing. Therefore, I honestly admit that Capella will not get you admiration looks that people from Harvard get but at Capella they will teach you how to operate efficiently in business environment and be successful. I would like to notice one more thing that negative comments posted on this forum almost exclusively relate to the money issues. People who complain about Capella do not object the quality of service that this school provides but they complain about the high cost. On the other side, those who are happy with Capella point out their good learning experience without mentioning money.

Today I have been reading a lot of negative comments on Capella. I don't understand why. I am a graduate of a top undergrad liberal arts school in NY State. I found Capella's program to be on the same level as my undergrad brick and mortar school. I wrote over 100 or more pages of papers and assignments for my 6 credit course at Capella in Education. However, if you cannot write, Capella is not for you. Capella has high standards for writing, and they use rubrics to grade all your material. You will not skate by at this online school if you plan to just "wing it" on the projects and papers. My only complaint is that Capella loves to have due dates for papers/projects on holidays (i.e. due date of December 25th). This causes a lot of stress for online learners. The professors were timely, professional, and educated. My peers were very intelligent teachers from around the world!

Excellent school. You will work hard but it is all worth it. far better than a brick and morter university.

I received a Ph. D. from Capella University. Compared with others with whom I am acquainted who earned their doctoral degrees from brick-and-mortars, the education I received was vastly superior. I highly recommend Capella to bright, motivated, self-starters who enjoy learning, researching and writing.

Do your homework (no pun intended). I have attended Capella University for three years and will complete my dissertation in 3 months. This is an extraordinary institution that treats their students with dignity and grace. The programs are rigorous and I can apply what I am learning immediately into my profession. The few people that I have come across that speak unfavorably about Capella have not had what it takes to successfuly master their tough coursework. I read a comment by someone who blamed their administration for frequent changes to programs and policies. From what I've seen, they do amend programs so their students are engaged in timely and relevant learning. If you don't like change, you belong in a small, traditional university that teaches outdated theories and treats their students like children. No thank you. I guarantee anyone who is serious about learning that they will not be disappointed by Capella. Good luck!

Capella ROCKS!!!! Take a class. You will not be disappointed. http://www.capella.edu

I'm completing my PhD in psyc next quarter at Capella. It is for REAL. You will EARN your degree. It has been a REWARDING, CHALLENGING, and WONDERFUL experience. I highly recommend Capella to anyone willing to work hard to make their dreams come true. I attended a traditional brick/mortar grad school for a few terms before realizing my travel schedule at work was going to bring things to a halt. Then I found out about Capella and checked it out thoroughly and verified its credentials. Not only is it NOT a degree mill it is MUCH more challenging than a traditional grad program. You see in an online grad school you can't sit at the back of the room and daydream while other students carry the burden. You are engaged and challenged on each posting you make. By the way, I also earned my MS at Capella and I was subsequently hired full-time as an instructor at a community college. Who knows what heights I will reach next with my doctorate from Capella! Too bad we don't have a football team to brag about... LOL

For the sake of time - I will not comment on quality of education - let's assume it is OK compared to it's competitors. The adminstration of the school needs to get fired. The programs change frequently and these changes are not understood by the staff of the school leaving the learner to pay tuition while these items get sorted out. The school has no interest in customer satisfaction and does a superior job of recrutiment - but makes no committment to it's current learners who are often left to sort out the schools issues and pay ridiculous amounts of tuition. The school never admits fault - desipte its frequent unorganization. Considering it has a business school - it is one of the most poorly run business I have ever been associated with. I would not recommend Capella to ANYONE. There are better institutions out there.

I have just finished my course work for a PhD in Education. I have two undergraduate degrees and a masters degree from traditional universities. I have found the course work and research more challenging and of higher quality at Capella than at any of the other institutions I graduated from. No institution is perfect, they are run by people, and people are not perfect. However, at Capella you actually have the chance to get out what YOU put in. I reccomend Capella to any highly motivated person who wants educational and personal advancement.

College is not High School. They do not hold your hand and make you learn. You pay them to learn. College is pretty much self-taught you GET what you WANT from it. That is all I have to say.

The format of the program is designed to complement the experience of the working professional. The staff is dedicated to the student's success and the professors are all experienced professionals with very relevent experience.

Do it now! If you have been to the top of the mountain, but a traditional university put a STOP to your dream, enroll NOW! Life is probabilities. Capella is your ONE chance and bad things will not happen to you! I am a Ph.D. graduate and Capella University was the institution that put the LIGHT on me.

I am a Ph.D student in the school of education with an emphasis in teaching and learning at Capella. I am in my dissertation, having completed some very extensive work in each course (including much effort in my research papers for each class and very difficult comps, both written and oral)I have found the coursework, comps, and colloquia very rewarding and challenging. Anyone wanting to just sit through a degree without having to get involved can attend any traditional institution, but with Capella and her sister school Univ. of Phoenix, one has to be involved in a continuous manner, as every learner has to complete the very extensive research papers, to accomplish what face-to-face traditional institutions do not do. I have attend both, and will never attend a traditional institution again. Online and Capella are definitely for those requiring a quality learning experience.

Capella University was a complete waste of time and money. The only rigorous experiences you can expect are their attempts to drain your pocketbook. Having attended real universities, prior to paying a huge amount of money to Capella, I was appalled at the lack of academic integrity basically, pay your money and you'll finish. One of the bizarre things you'll notice about Capella and their students is that they refer to themselves as "learners" - that should be almost offensive to anyone who is really concerned with the attainment of a genuinely rigorous educational undertaking: a cat can learn to use a litter box, a rat can learn to use a Skinner box, a dog can learn to drool when a bell has been struck. Learning can be a passive activity that also implies there is a finite point at which it stops (which is what you'll experience at Capella). A student, on the other hand is one who is actively engaged in the acquisition of new knowledge; a process that never stops. If you want to be a learner who merely connects the dots of poorly written (and generic) syllabi created by faculty that really aren't actively engaged in teaching Capella is the choice for you. Spend your money and get your piece of worthless paper.

I am in the school of psychology and I am really enjoying the program. The school is going through a lot of changes and the clinical psychology program has become a lot more rigurous because it plans to apply for APA accreditation within the next 2 years. There is now a one year mandatory residency requirement in the PsyD program. I have seen plenty of students who have failed the COMPS. You fail the COMPS twice and you're out of the program. The only thing that Capella needs to work on is raising their admission standards. There are some great students and there are some students who are just not DL material. Unfortunately, students who fail or cannot finish course requirements are often the first to blame the school rather than take full responsibility for their lack of progress. Distance learning is tough and not for everyone. Capella is no cake walk. If you're looking for an easier DL degree with no residency requirements, then look at other virtual universities. Capella is not perfect but its a fine school that requires a lot of work from each student.

I don't need a degree. I wanted a degree because I wanted current thought-leadership in knowledge areas that would support my work as an executive. I am in my second year, my graduation year, at Capella. I travel 70% globally and leveraging Starbucks and hotel broadband worldwide I have been able to attend classes and establish working relationships with fellow learnersothers that are in my similar travel and business situation, sharing our ideas and cultivating our own learning organizations. Yes it is expensive since I take two courses per quarter-- but it's worth every penny.

I have had nothing but a wonderful experience with Capella University. I am currently working toward my mastes in Human Services and have had mostly wonderful instructors. I will admit that if you are not a self motivated learner then perhaps an online institution is not for you. However, I would think that someone motivated enough to go for their masters degree would have to be self motivated. As an employer I think hiring someone so self motivated would be a bonus. Overall, I would have to question anyone who has given Capella a negative score.

Capella University suffers the same problems that all for-profit institutions have get the money! Never mind if the University drops the ball; it seems their policy is: never admit fault, because it is always the customers fault! I tried Capella because I believed in online education, but given my experiences I would not recommend them. In the time I have been there I have seen the names on the instructions list change often, and given what Capella pays the adjunct faculty I am surprised they put up with it. It is sad when an institution is comprised of nearly 90% adjuncts. Well we can see where Capellas priorities are I guess I would not mind paying a premium tuition rate if the institution was sponsoring research, but let us face it, Capella is a meat grinding machine get them in, spit them out! From an academic point of view, the faculty is great for the most part. However, from a business point of view, they are just like any other for-profit business masquerading as an education institution. Perhaps I am cynical, but I am uncomfortable what I see coming out of the institution. Just my two cents.

Went to capella for my masters in general psych and am attending now for my ph.d in the same program. I plan to get my license (in California) to practice psychology. I find the process challenging, the teachers good, and the courses expensive. My only gripe about the program is that it's not APA approved, a process that takes any school a few years to accomplish. I know personally that Capella is rapidly attempting to gain APA accreditation. The APA approval won't affect me (most states do not require APA approval for licenser) but I'd still rather have it for credibility. Then again, I plan to open a private practice and have blue cross send me most of my paitients. Most pt's don't care where you went to school, so long as it's accredited and you have your license. I seem to have the personality that really matches online courses (self-discipline, ability to manage time, basic computing skills, rather introverted). If you're considering Capella (or any online institution) do yourself a favor and take an online course at your local community college. If you seem to do well in that format, you'll know that online learning might be for you. What I like about capella is that they are rapidly working to increase their prestige. Mark my words, in a few years, haveing a masters will be as important as having a bachelors, and many people who don't want to commute or already have roots in a small town not close to a major U will opt for the online route. At that point, Capella will become much, much more selective, which will then increase its prestige. Might just make it the ivy of the online format. Those interested in Capella might also want to check out Walden and Fielding. Do not look to the U. of Pheonix or devry-- which have horrible reputations. The site www.capellauniversitysucks.us/ is written by one disgruntled ex-student kicked out for making abusive comments during an online course. Take the whole site with a massive grain of salt.

The university does a fine job of providing distance graduate education. Some argue it to be a diploma mill without understanding the facts of the school. Its fully accreditited by the Higher Learning Commission, the same regional accreditation body that certifies the Air Force Academy, the University of Chicago, Indiana University, Kent State, Purdue and a host of others. It suffered some growing pains as any organization with its growth rate would, and perhaps it didn't manage its quality with as much perfection as one would have hoped; but its nothing like the University of Phoenix in terms of being oversized or targeting a lowest common denominator. Those who can't write well or conduct proper research fail to finish the program. They can't pass their comps, and they can't complete their dissertations. Anyone who wants evidence of the quality of a Capella graduate can either stand by for the stories of their success to come, or read the published research completed by these students available at http://wwwlib.umi.com/dissertations/search/advanced /school and enter Capella. Its a fine school, with over 70% of the faculty terminally degreed, and it gives the chance for bright, hard working, non-traditional students to prove themselves from anywhere in the world. There are soldiers in Iraq working nights on their degrees at Capella. Nothing wrong with that. Those with sour grapes couldnt cut it, have an ax to grind, and are devoting their time to smearing the school. Naturally, if you want to devote your time and talent to a traditional graduate degree program then go for it. Its a noble undertaking. Its a proven honor. If youre a working professional or at a point in your life where you cant sacrifice the time to return to a brick and mortar environment for several years but still think you have what it takes to contribute to academia and earn your credentials, right now Capella is probably the best choice you have. On-line education is here to stay. Its the 21st century after all.

I think you will find a vast difference between schools at Capella. Most of the happy people seem to have attended the shcool of business. Human Services grads also seem to be fairly happy. But check with those in the School of Psychology and the information sciences fields and you will find a different story.

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Hiya, mates! I'm in the MBA program at Capella and all I can say is that classes are rigurous but you learn a lot! If you are looking for an easy MBA, look elsewhere. But if you are looking for an MBA that focuses on applied research then I highly recommend Capella.

At the end of the day, anyone considering Capella (or any other school, for that matter) will have to make his or her own choice. I chose Capella and have no regrets whatsoever. I am now in my sixth quarter in the O&M PhD program, and have completed my residency requirement. I am getting a very high quality education and am receiving excellent support from faculty and administration alike. Every complaint or issue I have had has been quickly resolved with a simple phone call or email. But don't just take my word for it; consider as many well-respected, objective sources of opinions as you can gets your hands on, and THEN form your own opinion. Examples include regional accrediting bodies such as North Central (http://www.ncahigherlearningcommission.org/), the Sloan Consortium (http://www.sloan-c.org/), or Noel-Levitz (http://www.noellevitz.com/). I don't know why this site seems to attract people who have sour grapes with respect to Capella, and I don't know what motivates them to pretend they are a better judge of academic excellence than those who make their living assessing the academic quality of insitutes of higher learning. My advice is that you consider that they are entitled to their opinion, but that you do your homework in order to make an informed choice.

I cannot recommend Capella University enough! I am constantly impressed with their approach to learning. Fabulous university!

I'm midway through a PhD in organization and management at Capella. To this point, the instructors have been engaged, providing significant feedback, and well qualified. My fellow learners are intelligent, hardworking, and have plenty of real-world experience to share. I am finding the experience very worthwhile and rigorous.

I'm not a full-time graduate student at Capella but have taken several courses and found it a great experience.

I am on my 8th course at Capella and have had very good interaction with my instructors as well as my fellow learners. Those that say this is a Diploma mill need to take a better look. It is accredited by the same body that accredits the University of Illinois and other Big 10 schools. That means that a diploma from Capella is worth the same as a diploma from the University of Illinois. It is by no means a diploma mill. The course work is challenging and I do not feel like I am being short changed. Also, the cost of the university is inline with all of the other private colleges and universities throughout the United States. Full time tuition is roughly $12,000 a year.

After reading the other 20 or so comments, it seems either you like it or you don't. Personally, I found the format very flexable and perfect for individuals with a full-time job, spouse, and children. I have had 2 or 3 questionable instructors during the completion of my degree, but had similar experiences with traditional schools as well. Some course do provide more than one section/instructor.

Currently a PhD student at Capella, I find the experience energizing, challenging and the perfect solution for my learning style. With a Bachelor's and Master's from traditional 'brick and mortar' universities, I always felt like I was faking it. Show enough admiration for the 'sage on the stage', turn in summaries of what they said, and you get an A. Challenge their thought, think for yourself, express desire for doing more than listening...you'll suffer. I don't have to suffer or fake it at Capella. I can travel, work, 'come to class' 24 hours a day, and be challenged to produce exemplary research. If this adult, online, self-directed, collegial experience wasn't available, I would never have returned for a PhD. If you're not satisfied with listening for your education, check out Capella.