I decided on NCU PhD program

While this is my first post in this forum, I have spent quite a bit of time reading posts and trying to decide on which PhD program to pursue. While there has been much debate over the Northcentral University program, it is the only one that fits my needs. I need something that is 100% distance learning. I don't want to spend the time doing residencies. I also need the flexibility that this program allows by not requiring me to be in front of a computer at a certain time. Finally, the price is more reasonable than other DL programs. It is a perfect fit. Since I feel learning is mostly what you put into it, I am completely confident I will get a good education out it as I plan to put a lot into it. I have signed up for my first class and so far the staff couldn't be any more professional. All of my questions have been answered in a timely manner, some even by the president himself. Other staff that I have talked to, from my academic advisor, to my admission counselor have all been very helpful. I plan to post updates on my progress as I get farther into it.

 

good luck with your PhD.

 

Welcome aboard as a poster, and good luck with your program.

 

Welcome To Our Little World,

Good Luck with your Phd Studies. Tell us how you are doing during the year.

 

Good Luck

I feel the way you do and have nearly decided myself. It's not often that the pres himself interacts with the student body and even potential students so readily. I am, however waiting to see how the financial aid works out. Did you get in ahead of the tuition increase?
Anyhow, Good luck.

Dan Burrello

 

Tuition

I was able to prepay for a few classes at the current rate. From there I was assured that my tuition would not be raised from the new rate of $475/credit, which is still lower than most. I feel this is very fair to assure that rates won't increase mid-way through the program. Rate increases are inevitable. Everything gets more expensive over time. However, NCU has been very good at being fair when they make market adjustments.

 

GOOD FOR YOU!!!!!

PLEASE keep us informed of your experiences with Northcentral!

I have just taken the first steps toward finishing my BA after many years but I fully intend to eventually pursue a PhD in Psychology.

Welcome to the forum, and best wishes for your success!

 

And hello from a fellow Kentuckian. Welcome.

 

Good luck with your studies. Please keep us updated on your experiences at NCU.

NCU is on my list for a PhD program in the fall.

 

Congratulations on your decision and good luck with your program! From what I've observed, NCU presents an intangible friendliness and learner advocacy which facilitates distance learning. I've also been impressed that the president seems to be very involved and has taken the time to personally clear up some points even here.

 

The starter of this thread just expressed my feelings about NCU exactly. I was very high on the program for all of the reasons he shared, then saw the negative posts here.

Balancing both, I think I'm going to go ahead and also give NCU a shot (I'm looking at their PhD/DBA program).

 

when I started my search for a PhD program, I took a very strong look at NCU. If they had been RA at that time, I may have gone that way.

I think you will find problems with almost any program, as all are run by people, and people make mistakes. NCU is a young program, but seems to be trying hard.

I am in a program that has been in place for over 35 years (started in 1968) and run by a major public univeristy (Colorado State Univeirsity). But I have had my share of administrative problems (professors not answering e-mial or phone calls, registraiton problems because someone confused me with another student in a different department, late grades, etc.). So anybody telss you taht if you go to XYZ you won't have problems is wrong.

Good luck.

 

Congratulations!

I also was very concerned about NCU after reading the first-hand experience of one of the members, but I've been convinced that they've since corrected any problems.

 

Congratulations on your decision and for choosing an RA doctoral program. Good luck with your studies.

John

 

Congrats IRunKY! I chose NCU for the same reasons you cite. My experiences overall for the last year have been very positive. I would be very interested in your thoughts on the program after the first class or two.

Good luck with your studies!

Rick

 

All I can say is that if you are willing to give up your right to privacy, NCU might be a great school.

If you think that you will be willing to go along with whatever they do and not complain, this is a great choice.

However, keep in mind that if you post anything negative about NCU, the President of the university may well show up and publicize any of your personal information that might possibly detract from your point, or that might just humiliate you in general.

Perhaps you are one who views it as the mark of a great school that the President would actually take the time to personally humiliate former students in a public forum. If so, NCU is the place for you!

 

I don't recall that ever happening. I certainly wouldn't allow it if it did.

 

Well, you did allow it, in my opinion. In fact, you participated in the thread.

Perhaps you view it differently. In any case, the comments made by the President of NCU in the following thread would obviously violate the restrictions placed on schools that receive Titile IV funding.

http://forums.degreeinfo.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=10862&perpage=30&highlight=ncu&pagenumber=1

In my mind, schools should abide by these privacy standards, even if they don't receive funding. But I guess that I am just naive to assume that the President of a University would be above showing up on an internet discussion board for the sole purpose of humiliating a disgruntled former student by publicizing information that would be strictly private at the 90%+ of legitimate universities. That says a lot about the nature of this school, and others operated by this same upstanding ethical individual.

Does the term "Cult of Personality" comes to mind?

 

I believe he is referring to this post.

 

Out of line

Those details are administrative yet offer personal grading information. I was surprised that the students SS# wasn't posted. Seems to me this is strictly priviledged information. I am saddened to see such a post and though I have considered this school, it troubles me.
Even with a student's permission, it would seem an administrator would be reticent to post such information as it is probably actionable in the accredidation and civil one.
I don't know the whole story. And, I am still considering the school. I found the President's personal correspondance with me very refreshing. But that post seems certainly out of line with acceptable practices. Thanks for the good info. At least, if I do enroll there, I will deserve whatever I get. With recent improvements, I would bet they are toeing the line much closer.
We shall see.