pennfoster college are they scam

Discussion in 'General Distance Learning Discussions' started by fahad, Aug 2, 2010.

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  1. fahad

    fahad New Member

    I want to enroll this college but some one told me that they are scam to get your money also I have seen in the wikipedia that they are nationally accredited college please tell me what do you know about this college Penn Foster College - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
     
  2. Petedude

    Petedude New Member

    Penn Foster is a legitimate school, but is only nationally accredited as opposed to the regional accreditation most more well-known schools possess. That being said, it's a decent program at a reasonable cost, especially if you have another school in mind you can transfer their credits to later.
     
  3. b4cz28

    b4cz28 Active Member

    It’s a good school for a fast, easy degree, not so much an education. They may be NA, but in the plus they are ace reviewed. That makes credit transfers a lot easier. They are pricy for what you get. It will run you over a grand a semester, more than some online RA colleges like Clovis. Heck you can go to AJU for only $500 a semester. The biggest thread on PF website is, “Is anyone else embarrassed about going to Penn Foster”

    So in recap

    Pro's--

    Very, very easy
    Fast- If I had the money laying around I could have done a two year AS in Accounting in less than 6 months.
    ACE reviewed
    All open book exams, even proctored testing
    Any middle school student could pull A's
    It’s a degree

    Con's

    Won't learn much
    High for what you get
    No respect for your degree
    It is not a mill, but in my opinion with how easy they are, it’s not far from one.
    Can’t tell anyone where your degree came from
     
  4. Mechanix26

    Mechanix26 New Member

    I dunno, I think you are being a bit too critical here. I can't say I agree with a single one of your cons. Also, how much do you pay for books and miscellaneous fees at Penn Foster? Nothing? Another thing to keep in mind is the fact that not all of their courses are ACE reviewed, and an ACE reviewed course is only easy to transfer to a school that decides to accept it. Whether to recommend Penn Foster for a degree would depend upon your future goals. I would not call the school a scam.
     
  5. NorCal

    NorCal Active Member

    I can't say anything pro or con about Penn Foster; However, its a good rule of thumb to consider that if you have heard negative things about this college's quality and reputation, its safe to assume that a potential employer may have heard the same things as well.

    It's something to consider . . .
     
  6. b4cz28

    b4cz28 Active Member

    I added my two cents because I took some classes there (2 Semesters)
     
  7. BrandeX

    BrandeX New Member

    6 months? My shipping for each class takes 6 months.... (Ok weeks, but feels like months.)
     
  8. b4cz28

    b4cz28 Active Member

    You have to know how to work the system, to all the Penn Foster students, here is how you do it. You call and ask them to release the books for the next class when you finish the test for the previous class. Do not wait for the computer to auto ship them. Now there is an error in there system. If you log in the system at 7 pm central time it will let you take the test the same day you called to get the books released. If you don't want to take the test that night you’re out of luck. You have to take one test to hold it open. If you need the book then wait, if you passed the fifth grade in school the test should be easy. I did 2 semesters in well under 2 months. I got my credits and got out.
     
  9. fahad

    fahad New Member

    Thanks to all I am International student and really I am happy now to join that college since you tell the truth about that college
     
  10. SurfDoctor

    SurfDoctor Moderator

    Like you, I am trying to weigh the benefit of a nationally accredited degree as opposed to a regionally accredited degree. I am looking at a NA school that looks great and fits with what I want to learn, but I'm concerned about the utility of this degree. It would be a wonderful education and this NA school deserves more recognition than it gets. But the truth remains that many institutions will not recognize a degree that is not RA. It is unfortunate that there is that NA versus RA gap.
     
  11. BrandeX

    BrandeX New Member

    I'm doing an AAS there because in my program every one of the courses is listed on ACE, and I intend to finish up with a bachelor at EC later. I think something like this is a good option for people due to ACE credit transferability, plus you can pick up a technical-type skill.
     
  12. b4cz28

    b4cz28 Active Member

    If you need the paper then do Penn Foster. Like I said, I did what would have taken a year at another college in less than two months. I walked away with credits and after some back and forth, got them all accepted at an RA school.
     
  13. I don't agree on some cons from b4cz28. Some are true, yeah I have to respect his opinion, lol. This is my opinion on Penn foster. Yeah they are nationally accredited, but the only reason why I went to this school is to transfer to a RA institution and finish my bachelor's. I believe Penn Foster is just as a good education as a community college. Now if your going to put Penn Foster on a resume I don't think that's a good idea...It's nationally accredited and..doesn't have good reputation by employers. ALTHOUGH if your looking to transfer to a RA university after your associates from Penn Foster then trust me it's a good idea. Now not all RA Universities will accept credit from Penn Foster, but the ones they list on their homepage and a few others will transfer since it's ACE reviewed courses. Funny thing is, "b4cz28" has an account on Penn Foster forums and last time I checked you we're actually giving good "reviews" on the school. But i'm not here to confront you on that lol, my opinion is if your looking to transfer to RA then I believe it's a good idea. If your just going to finish with Penn Foster, than yea I see how b4cz28 opinions might come in handy.
     
  14. booboo1405

    booboo1405 New Member

    Ridiculous

    I enrolled in the Dental assistant program and completed it within a year. Learned nothing. Can not take my state boards because Penn Foster is not accreditted with them. Just make sure you do research on your classes and who and if they will be accepted
     
  15. sideman

    sideman Well Known Member


    Penn Foster is a nationally accredited program. They offer associates and bachelors degrees. I am currently taking their business management program and let me tell you it is no picnic. That said, with the dental assisting program you should have checked with your state board to confirm it would accept the course from PF. I wouldn't blame PF for that. That would have saved you a lot of time and effort.
     
  16. RFValve

    RFValve Well-Known Member

    I think a PF is a great place to get credit but not the full degree as they are an online college. PF credits can transfer to Excelsior as they are ACE reviewed, once credits are transferred to Excelsior you can transfer it to a better schools.

    I have taken few courses with them as I'm required to take some credits in order to keep my license. The credits were ACE reviewed and accepted by my association.

    The format of the courses is self taught, you are given a book and require to complete a MC question at the end of the course. Proctor can be anyone.

    In summary, a greate place to get cheap courses for credit but not the best place to get your degree given its lack of reputation
     
  17. jra

    jra Member

    Could you please explain? I have PF credits on my Excelsior transcript. That said how can I then transfer those PF classes from my Excelsior transcript to a different school? (especially one that does not accept NA or ACE classes)

    thank you
     
  18. RFValve

    RFValve Well-Known Member

    Excelsior is RA, therefore these credits can be transferred to another RA school.
     
  19. goldson

    goldson New Member

    Ridiculous Can u tell me if this diploma is accredited in any state? Which state are u in?
     
  20. Petedude

    Petedude New Member

    It's a nationally accredited diploma that is legal in all 50 states.
     

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