American Public University
School of Science & Technology-Undergraduate

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Name: dtrdwngfn

I attended APU's sister program at American Military University. Prior to starting the degree, I had 6 years of experience as a Space Systems operator for the United States Air Force. In all honesty this program was not difficult for me but, if I did not have a background in Space, the program would have pushed me to my limits. The program covers everything from physics, trigonometry, orbital mechanics, DOD satellites to manned space flight. This degree is all encompassing. AMU/APU is ahead of the curve when it comes to evolving around an ever changing world of technology. First, the university uses the latest in education technology to administer the courseware. The instructors are at the top of the profession, including former astronauts. Finally, the literature is up to date and relevant with an ever changing industry. I attended brick a mortar schools before I attended AMU/APU. Being military it was difficult to stay in one place long enough to finish what I started. In regards to the general education courses, the level of difficulty is equal to if not more difficult at AMU/APU. The biggest difference I found between brick and mortar schools and AMU/APU was the level of assistance provided by the professors. The brick and mortar schools were a lot more hands on and held more of a hand holding role. This can be a double edged sword. The instructors could be perceived as lazy but, I would rather think that the students are self-motivated and show the ability to meet deadlines with quality products without direct oversight. AMU/APU standard operating procedures: The professors provide a syllabus at the beginning of the course with the assignment and all due dates. The students have the responsibility for following the syllabus, accomplishing all reading the text books, completing the discussion boards and turning in assignments on time. Most professors provide timely feedback, but some don’t. Overall, AMU/APU provided me with a quality education. I am so satisfied that I am currently earning my Master’s Degree in Management. The only concern I have about the school is that it is a for-profit university. I will enter the private sector in 10 years with 20+ years of military space/management experience, a BS in Space Studies and a MA in Management. I am curious to see what the public perception of AMU/APU will be in regards to hiring managers.

Name: Laurie Lynch

American Public University has a great well rounded program for their Environmental Science degree. There are concentration courses that include a variety of choices. The program is also well organized and the instructors are fantastic, even when they push you a little, which actually not only helps you achieve your full potential but enhances and expands your learning abilities. The school staff is great, they are supportive from the beginning and throughout the course and they act immediately on whatever you may be having a problem issue with, from advising, financial aid, and the amount of resources is remarkable, when researching a project you can find an abundance of information. There computer system is very easy to learn even for students going back to school and may be a little rusty, you have support of any kind you need at any time. There are also many computer programs to join such a student chat rooms and various groups you can join and finally the live webcast conferences make you feel as though you are sitting right there in front of the instructor. Also, APUS/AMU is quick to process paperwork or any other request you need help with, from the receptionist all the way to your adviser. Along with AMU which are the military students that are in class with you, just really makes this school perfect. You learn so much from active and retired military personnel from all the various places on earth and how the area is they live in. Many of them are continuing their education and are well educated, you learn so much from them as well. This is just a perfect well organized school with many options and people truly care about your education and helping you succeed in whatever direction you choose.

Name: K.Valkoren

APUS is leagues ahead of other online schools. I attended others before finally transferring to APUS. The price was half that of the previous school I was at. While it is still inexpensive recently they add a technology fees to the classes. This extra 50$ per class isn't a good reason to shy from the school but it is one thing that is frustrating. They claim to give all undergraduates access to texts, which technically they do. In the beginning they actually sent books then they moved onto using .pdf formats. These were acceptable. Now however they utilize an atrocious form of books on a site where the layout is horrible and it is a serious pain to read. I ended up utilizing extra financial aid and buying textbooks on my own. I'd assume the 50$ technology fee is to pay for the website access to these texts as I see nothing else different since the implementation. Not a huge thing but enough to bother me. For someone coming into it not knowing how things were before, it probably won't be as much of an issue. Just be aware of the textbook formatting. Most Professors care and take their jobs seriously. I have had so many that I truly felt deserved and earned my respect and admiration. I have had a couple, unfortunately, that I wouldn't recommend. For anyone who is wondering why, it isn't grade related. It is the fact that they never replied to communications in an acceptable time-frame, didn't have things graded in an acceptable time-frame and never commented on assignments to help me to know what areas to work on. Again, This was very few and I did make my opinions heard. A good thing about APU is that they listen when you speak. When I did communicate with their departments I was taken seriously and was never left hanging. Some online schools will lay out your degree program for you but at APU it is more traditional. The schools I attended before APU did all the scheduling for me and it was very different when I came to APU. In hind-sight I wish that I would have taken advantage of the Student Services more to assist me in planning out my scheduling. I did in the end (I'm almost finished with the program) and they were a great help. The courses are all relevant with relevant course book selections. The Professors are all experienced in the areas that they guide us on. I have learned so much from them, the course materials, and from my peers. Online learning (for those who don't know) is self-teaching not classroom based but at APU it is Guided. Professors work to challenge you with assignments and postings. Peer interaction allows for people from all walks of life and experience to share and question. Everyone there wants to see you succeed and assistance is never out of reach. This degree program is not too difficult that someone with no prior experience couldn't do it and isn't so easy that tech savvy IT nuts will be bored. I give the overall picture an A- because of the few things I had issue with. However, to put it in perspective, the other online schools I have been to Averaged a D+. No institution can be perfect but APU is the best out there in online education as far as I'm concerned.

Name: sg1friz

At first I thought APU was the Perfect School, However This Institute is almost impossible to deal with, there communication is extremely poor, I could not get any Assistance from the Alleged Admissions Representative. I left several Voice, e-mail messages that Got no Responses for a min. 2 day stints, inquiring about what documents I was required to File within a time sensitive frame. I would not recommend this Institute to any one, as this Institute clearly lacks the Professional aptitude required by serious professional seeking to increase there knowledge and advance there careers.

Name: JShep

APUS offers a quality education at an affordable price. My classes have been small and the professors are great! The course work is challenging, but the professors are there to guide and assist every step of the way!!

Name: WebGeekCT

APU IT Professors are outstanding. They are true technical mentors capable of doing top-level corporate work in their fields. The classes are comprehensive and provide a robust coverage of the material. Students in this degree program graduate with the knowledge to actually work in the IT field, day one. As an IT hiring manager and software developer for many years I was uniquely qualified to view this program from the perspective of a seasoned professional capable of teaching many of these classes. The professors provided real-world assignments and modern textbooks, as well as constant assistance with technical questions and issues. The level of accessibility to the professors was outstanding, and I doubt students would realize this level of contact in a traditional setting. With only one exception, my entire range of professors in both the IT and General Education courses were outstanding, highly technical and in no way lost or mired in the trenches of academia. The IT BS degree programs at APU are outstanding, and offer a wide range of technical electives to compliment any specific area of IT study. The online environment is very good, and moving to the award winning Sakai environment this year, and I was able to make terrific contacts throughout the program. There are no group projects which is ideal for busy working professionals, and students do not have to deal with working in a group setting when students are located in almost every time zone. I was adverse to group projects as an adult student who did not wish to spend extensive time working on projects with others who might not pull their weight and have the opportunity to compromise my grades. The cost is moderate, and well worth every penny. I was so pleased with this program that I begin a Masters of IT with a concentration in Digital Forensics this week! Bravo APU! If you are interested in this program and enroll, make sure to specifically seek out Professor Abaza who will teach you more about real-world programming than any professor in the nation. He is one of the most professional, technical and dedicated professors a student could encounter.

Name: dbyrns

This is a great school and the program is top notch. You can't beat the instruction and software discounts.

Best online school! Free undergrad books, low cost, can take classes in own desired order, outstanding admin departments, FANTASTIC professors and course choices, and great electronic environment to work in! Finished all but one class - 119 credits - BS in IT in 17mths with 3.99 gpa! One class left to go! Checked out many other online schools before choosing APU - none compare in all areas.

The B.S. IT Management degree program provided me with the skills I needed to more forward in my profession. It was cost effective and the class delivery was very convenient.

Great School! Online education at an affordable price. Have had many great professors.

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