American InterContinental University?

I've recently been researching (or trying to research) distance education for a Bachelors of Business Administration degree and have come up with a few names that I'm looking for more information on. It's harder than I would have thought to find information on these places!

At the moment, I'm hoping someone might know something about the American interContinental University (AIU-Online)? I found their main page at -- http://www.aiudegreeonline.com/ but they have very little information available unless you talk to one of their representatives by phone. Before I waste their time (or vice versa) I'd like to know...
a) Are their courses and faculty worthwhile?
b) Are they reasonably priced?
c) If I were to earn a degree from there and put it on my resume, how would future employers react?

And of course, any other information you might have. From what I have seen, AIU is accredited, unless I'm looking at the wrong place. Accreditation guidelines do confuse me somewhat so I'm not sure what to look for or avoid.

As far as personal background, I briefly (and mistakenly) studied Pre-Medicine for 3 semesters at an accredited university (seven years ago which might be a problem at some places) so I'm hoping to reap a small handful of transferrable credit hours from that. Most will be nonsense to a Business Administration degree but there were some general courses mixed in that I think I could apply.

Thank you for reading this far, and I'd definitely appreciate any pointers you might have.

-Emily

 

I can tell you no more than my conversation with them. To finish a BS in Business for me, with an existing AAS (granted some of the credit would probably not have transferred), they wanted either 23,000 or 26,000 to complete the bachelor's (that's bachelors NOT masters degree). I couldn't get the price from them until I'd talked with a counsellor. Once I had the price and exclaimed somewhat breathlessly (as in choaked) that it was absurdly too high, I was informed their prices were in keeping with other "quality" on line schools. I politely disagreed and declined their invitation to enroll. University of Phoenix was equally as high. Absurd is the only word that comes to mind when I think of U of P or AIU in terms of their tuition.

 

When I checked with them...

they wanted you to sign a contract for the entire course that appeared to obligate you for the entire amount regardless of whether or not you finished the degree. They were very expensive as well. Way cheaper alternatives out there of as good or better quality. With your situation I would look at one of the "big three" (Excelsior, COSC, TESC).

 

Hi Emily,

I just graduated from AIU's BBA Program in Dec 2003, and am currently enrolled in the MBA Program. So, I can speak from first-hand experience in assessing the strengths and weaknesses of AIU. I am going to answer your questions one at a time.

a) Are their courses and faculty worthwhile?

Throughout my program, I found the courses and instructors to be both worthwhile. The courses lay a good foundation in the fields of management, human resources, marketing, finance/accounting, and information systems. Also, I have found that what I have learned from the courses applies directly to my job. The faculty are all adjuncts who work full-time in the field they are teaching. This is an advantage because the instructors often offer real-world examples to illustrate what is being presented in the text. The drawbacks I have found relating to the classes are the group projects and grade inflation. The group projects are great if everyone works together. However, I have often been in groups where only one (meaning me) or two members contribute anything meaningful to the project. This can be frustrating, especially if the instructor gives all the group members the same grade, regardless of participation. Also, most of the instructors give excessively high grades. For example, 90% of the BBA graduates I graduated with graduated with honors. You might say that this is because most of the students are adults and that there is only one class at a time. However, I have personally seen the work of my classmates in discussion boards and group projects. Unfortunately, a lot of their work looked like it was written by a 7th grader. However, like anything else in life, you get out what you put in. If you take your studies seriously and honestly do the work, you will learn a lot about the world of business from AIU.

Are they reasonably priced?

The current price of the BBA program is approximately $25,000-$26,000. I have to check the virtual campus to give you an exact quote. On the surface, this seems very expensive. However, if you take in account that you can earn the degree in a little over a year, the price does not seem as bad. It is equivalent to paying $13,000 a year for a program that takes 2 years to achieve. Also, the prices of books is included in the overall price. However, unless you are independently wealthy or have a corporate sponsor who is willing to assume 100% of the tuition, you will need financial aid and have to take out a student loan. I was lucky that I had the GI Bill and NAvy College Fund to pay a good chunk of the tuition. However, I still needed to take a student loan to cover the rest. I did find that AIU made the financial aid process extremely easy in that all of the documents can be completed online. Also, I found that AIU's financial staff was extremely helpful and answered all of my questions in a prompt manner.

C. If I were to earn a degree from there and put it in my resume, how would employers react?

Unfortunately, I cannot answer for all employers. However, because now that I have earned an accredited Bachelor's Degree from AIU, I have been promoted at my current job. In my opinion, most employers are not going to react negatively to a degree from AIU. However, AIU is not Ivy League, so employers are going to be particularly impressed with its prestige either. A degree is only part (albeit an important one) of the total value of a job candidate. For example, if you have a strong employment history, an AIU degree will certainly help. However, an AIU degree cannot overcome a poor employment history.

In conclusion, AIU is a good school that has a lot to offer. However, it is not for everybody. Hopefully, my little essay has helped you. Anyway, I wish you luck in all of your future endeavors. If you have any more questions, feel free to ask

Rob Loeffler

 

Thank you very much for your responses. Cost is certainly a consideration, so given your responses, I did contact a one of their Admissions Advisors and received the login information to review the tuition, contracts, and other information.

Upon reviewing the credentials of the faculty, with a cursory glance, they appear more than adequate. Much of the course information seems appropriate and something I would certainly be interested in.

The tuition is what has me floored. I explained to the advisor that I did not yet have an Associate and would be transferring from an uncompleted Pre-Medicine curriculum. Since their BBA program is 2+2, the information I am reading is definitely leading me to believe that requires an Associate beforehand (not just related coursework, not that I have much that would apply). The Associate degree program from AIU is just short of $23k. So then we move on to the Bachelor (2+2) which is an additional $26.5k. This has me thinking that to ultimately earn and acquire a Bachelors degree from AIU, the $23k and $26.5k brings me to a checkbook-stopping $49.5k. Perhaps I am misunderstanding their 2+2 program? I certainly hope so. My employer is not offering any reimbursement, so any dollars I come up with will either be out-of-pocket or student loans. I'd prefer to keep the dollar figures as low as possible for a decent degree.

I also took a brief peek at the Enrollment Agreement. While I certainly would have every intention of completing coursework so that no refunds would be necessary, I cannot foresee the future and am very leary of signing any agreement that obligates me to pay-in-full that abundant $49.5k figure (please say I'm wrong about that), whether or not I complete the program. While there are contingencies specified in the very small print as far as how much coursework has been completed versus refunded, I'm still very hesitant about such an agreement.

Ultimately, I think AIU is not for me. I appreciate your advice and suggestions. I'm certain there are Pros and Cons to almost any option out there, but you all were very helpful in pointing me to the specific things to look for. I think I'll take a look at the three others mentioned and keep the search open.

Thanks again,
Emily

 

There are a number of BSBA programs out there. Take your time and do your research. Don't jump into anything if you don't have to. Check out the following sites to help with your decision.

www.petersons.com
www.cosc.edu

Duff

 

I can't tell you if that 50K price tag is right but it does appear it would be. Trust us, there are other programs, many many, that won't cost you that. Please do a search for the BA in 4 weeks site. I don't know how to do a link, just type in "BA in 4 weeks" in a search engine and you'll find it. This board and that specific site has put me on the path to completing a degree. Take the time to read here, daily if you can. There is a huge wealth of information here, tips, links, opinions, etc. You CAN do this and for a lot less that 50,000. The posters here are mature and are do-ers. This site is very inspirational. Learn all you can about accreditation. It's important. There are many schools that are not legitimate but look like they are. The web can be dangerous if you don't do your research. Best wishes.