U of Phoenix's local Reputation (Surprise, Maricopa: appointed, homes, transfer to)

[nicandmegan]

Hey guys! I want some honest answers. We are looking to possibly relocate to the are sometime in the near future. Also, I am looking at getting an MBA and U of Phoenix is one of the options. I have a few friends who have attended the program and have absolutely loved it. But....I wanted to get the opinion of Phoenix locals about the idea. What do people think of UOP? I know there are people who say it sucks, but every school has a following of people who say it sucks. Really I would like to know what area employers think, etc. So? Enlighten me.

[jdinchak]

As they are mostly online not sure that you have to relocate to go to one. Everything is online based so you don't get a lot of big value of an MBA which is networking. I do not believe it carries as much weight as one from the other local schools. An MBA is a lot of money, check into it carefully to make sure it is right for you. There are some fantastic programs in Phoenix (Thunderbird is usually ranked No 1 in International MBA, ASU is top 25, UofA is even gaining ground and I believe all of those schools offer evening or online programs as well. They will carry more weight and their networks will be a lot more valuable).

Good Luck

[nicandmegan]

Thanks, I am definitely looking into other options too. The reason UOP was attractive was that I could begin the program here and finish it in AZ since they have locations all over the place. I just didn't know what people thought of them- unfortunately I think their crazed marketing efforts have hurt them.

[lola8822]

I work for one of the largest school districts in Az.....Before I enrolled in UOP for my masters I checked with principals, administrators, our superintendent and our HR department.......it's an awesome school and highly reputable as far as a career in education is concerned. I'm not sure about other programs but it is a great school.....I love it.

Best of luck!

[shiphead]

online for this school does not work. As far as local, my wife wasn't to fond of it seeing as they treated her like a child. She got up to go to the bathroom, and right when she left the classroom a guard stopped her and told her to return to the classroom. She asked why and was told, "No one is allowed in the hallways when class is in session."

There was no security problem or some loose nut job shooting the school.

If you need financial aid, good luck with that. They keep the financial aid and continue to charge your classes to it. This isn't a problem if you don't need assistance with life expenses like food or rent.

[luv_it_here]

I went to a traditional school for my undergrad (WP Carey school of business, ASU) and went to UOP for my MBA - only because it was starting when I needed to start, and Maricopa County (my employer at the time) was willing to pay every penny of it. I was very disappointed in the quality of the material, and about 75% of my instructors. Although for now, it hasn't hindered me, I can say if you're shooting for anything in a "large" corporate company, a degree from UOP can easily get laughed out of a respectable HR office.

And, when people ask me where I got my MBA, I tell them UOP, but I always add a disclaimer that I attended actual ground classes, with teachers, and books, in Phx, as opposed to the online classes, which are even MORE of a joke.

If you're looking at a generalized MBA, WP Carey offers online and distance classes that you could start in, and then transfer to a more traditional classroom setting. Thunderbird is fantastic, but out of most peoples price range.

[TransporterG]

I agree with most of the comments here. I went to graduate school at both ASU Carey and Thunderbird, two very different schools. The latter is only useful if you truly think about a global career and mostly only good if you already speak two or more languages and have experience. ASU Carey is the much better school, with much more recruitment, resources and reputation.

UOP probably won't give you the "bump" up in your career, but hey, learning is wonderful! If you want to self-enrich, why not? If you are looking for developing your career and learning key skills in a focused area with some of the best faculty in the country (supply chain management (Carey) or international management (T-Bird)--two of the best graduate programs in the country!), UOP won't likely add much worth your time.

Best of luck!

[buckeyenative01]

I've considered attending ground classes at UofP just to gain some education/experience and possible faculty references, but would much rather prefer the traditional route (a la ASU) in pursuing a masters instead of what UofP typically offers. I've worked for a university before...lets just say that to most people who work for colleges/universities, UofP isn't as highly-regarded as schools like ASU, UofA and other schools that offer traditional educational services.

[SOON2BNSURPRISE]

I have an MBA from UOP. I attended classes online with the MBA program. For my bachelors I attended a learning center in California. The school is a good school and hasn't hindered my income or prospects at my current employer. At the same time our goal was to complete the program and move to the Phoenix area. I have not had success in finding a job in the Phoenix area that pays close to what I make in California. We wanted to move so that we could be closer to my family. we even bought a home in Surprise last year thinking that after I completed my MBA we would easily find work in the area. My employer in California increased my income and position within the company to the point that we stopped looking for work in Arizona. Also the prices of homes have declined to the point that we are now looking for a home in California.

Most of the people that I attended school with allready had a position at the company they were working for and the education enhanced their outlook at the current employer.

I have never seen a security guard that would not let someone go to the restroom.

[barryhussein]

It's laughable. But, the public schools in AZ will accept it. So, if it gets the job done.........