I am not kidding you when I say this but I had the same question in December 2003. Do a search on the key word "Aspen" and you'll see plenty of threads on it.
A few old Aspen threads: http://forums.degreeinfo.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=18144 http://forums.degreeinfo.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=17769 http://forums.degreeinfo.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=16134 http://forums.degreeinfo.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=15011 http://forums.degreeinfo.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=12612 http://forums.degreeinfo.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=11860 http://forums.degreeinfo.com/showthread.php?s=&threadid=11075
The threads listed were a little helpful. Thanks for posting them anyway. Isn't there an Aspen staffer who frequents this site?
I suggest you call or e-mail Aspen directly. They will be glad to help. I haven't seen any staffers from Aspen frequent here. Every once in a while staffers from a few other schools post here, though.
What is it about Aspen that is of most interest to you for the MBA? They are DETC accredited and their tuition is $7200 for the MBA. Not a bad rate when comparing to Columbia Southern(another DETC) who charges over $8600 for the MBA. California Coast still is DETC accredited and beats Aspen and ColSouth with an MBA tuition of $6630. I would give serious consideration to Amberton University if cost is a factor. Why not get an RA MBA? Amberton's MBA tuition is $7200...the same as Aspen. RA is acceptable everywhere whereas there are limitations with even NA degrees as some have already pointed out on the forums. <memory jogger> (I do recall a lady posting not long ago. She used to be the President of the pre-Aspen school and made some positive comments on it).</memory jogger>
I looked at Amberton. Aspen takes 20% off the tuition if you pay it in full. Cost is a major concern, but time is as well. I am taking one year off of work to do the degree full time. An Amberton MBA is not doable in one year. I am not concerned about having "only" an NA degree. I've worked as a school teacher, college administrator, and in banking and I've never once seen the accreditation issue come up though I graduated from a small, lesser known school that was NA for most of my time there.
Another word on Amberton...one needs a RA undergrad degree to qualify. If cost is a factor Tom I have found these to be the least expensive: Cal Coast U = not very sure about them, though they have me intrigued. Andrew Jackson = probably will recieve the individual attention you deserve. Ashworth = they staple a barcode on your forehead and run you through a degree program like cattle. I hope your 100% independant learner if you choose them. Aspen is a solid program especially if you are looking at PMI stuff. CSU (Columbia Southern) is a good program, but for the price you could attend APUS (American Public U) which is a much better and soon to be RA program. My personal favorite program also happens to be one of the least expensive I've seen...is RA and are just plain nice helpful people are St. Josephs College of Maine (I'll quit plugging them soon...really). I'm just astonished they don't get more comments than they do. If you're looking for fast and inexpensive, California Coast U looks like they are a shooting star right now. I would not be surprised to find them being the first (or one of them) offering a DBA in the future. If you want to swap ideas on MBA's shoot me a PM...I just finished my hunt and my head is PACKED with information. I feel like a walking brochure.
I don't care if Ashworth had free tuition. Ashworth will be a last-resort. The people I dealt with were inept, rude and ignorant. The MBA "advisors" seemed a little better, but evade questions and generally seem bothered to deal with you. The PCDI folks are telemarketers - period. The study material was good, which is the only thing that would cause me to even consider them as a last resort. I'd just have to find customer service and academic assistance somewhere else.
I looked at their program. As much as I'd love an excuse to go to Maine, I am looking for a program that has no residency and their program was not as general as what I'm looking for. Good plug, though
Recent grad This is for all of those that are considering CCU (California Coast University) I just recently graduated (this week) their Bachelors in Business program. I can now shed some light on the process and hopefully help answer or at least clarify some questions that i have seen on this forum. When I started with CCU I thought it was a great school. They were very attentive and helpful and seemd down to earth and genuinly interested in helping me set up my program. The firs thing I noticed was that the text books were out dated for the material presented. I became aware of this when i was speaking to friends about specific courses that i was taking at that time and each one of them told me that the subjects covered are not relevant anymore and that things have changed and that the book must be old because it doesnt reflect current information. That was the same story i got for several courses. Then there was the whole issue about the study guide being out of order. In the early stages of the program the study guides would help and lead you toward the section in the text where you can find the answers to the questions. Example it might say chapter 12 Learning objective 5. So you would spend countless time re-reading chapter 12 and delving into Learning Objective 5 only to find that the answer was actuall in learning objective 7. I have also many time found it to be in a completely different chapter ie...chap 13 LO 9 when in fact it would be in chapter 12 LO 3. So that made for a lot of wasted time unnecessarily. I contacted the university several times (each time i encountered this problem) and not once were my emails answered regarding this problem. Then theres the whole issue with the text books, Normally the required text for the course can be rented through CCU's library (that is if someone else doenst have it checked out, if that is the case you may have to wait several weeks before you can even start) however the courses are scheduled for 16 week semesters and the text book rental fromt eh library is only for 90 days (12 weeks -approx) so you have to write in and request and extension almost everytime. If not available to write or call as it wasnt for me several times (job constraints made it impossible to contact them sometimes) then you just have to pay $50 for the rental. Then there is the whole issue with the price hike.. when i started the program was $55 per credit hour, about half way through it was suddenly $85 Per hour. Lets see what's next? OH yes theres the whole non communication thing going on there. Let em explain...the courses are structured so that you receive a study guide and then you get the text from the library. The Study Guide will guide you through what chapters to read and you will then have the Unit Exam which is 25 Multiple choice questions over the material you just read. This is done for four Units 1,2,3 and 4 each is completed the same way. Upon successfull completion of all four units you are then given several topics to chose from and write an essay on. Sometimes you get one topic per unit sometimes you will get the topics at the end of all four sections. you may be given six topics and told to pick three or four and write a 3-500 word essay on each one. Send them in for grading upon completeion of those then you can request a proctored Final exam to be sent (100 Multiple chooice questions) The problem here is that the essays get graded/reviewed by someone who has no communication with the grading department. So the grading depart wont release the final until you complete the essays ( which may have been sitting in someones inbox for weeks waiting to be reviewed) now your loosing time waiting on a final (by the way its open book test so you have to hold onto the text which by now is surely overdue) I think its a plot to purposely swindle money from students by holding them up and charging rental fees. Im currently trying to has out the choice of Ashworth or Aspen for my MBA
Just curious. Did you communicate your concerns to the CCU administration? What sort of specializations would you like to pursue for your MBA? Aspen seems to have more options.
