Wednesday, April 12, 2006

University of Phoenix (UOP)... good practice, but not the real thing

I have finally come to the conclusion I've been trying to avoid. Having to admit that 2 years worth studies, money, time, and effort will eventually be worthless as far as the ol' resume is concerned sucks. Erik (who teaches at UOP) and I (who have been a student) have compared notes for the past 2 years regarding students' performance, or rather lack therefore, and the institution's standards regarding the same. As UOP continues to relax its policies and requirements, students continue to perform at lower and lower levels.

My UOP GPA is 3.92 and my lowest grade thus far as has been an "A-". While I wish this were true I don't honestly believe I'm an "A" student. I do the reading, the work, and "participate" online, but how does that equate with earning an "A"? The course work isn't overly challenging and most teachers are abysmal at best (at least the ones I have had). I'm an average student at best. Maybe some "A's" but more likely "B's" and probably some "C's".

Student expectations continue to be lowered and thus I feel I have been raised to "A" status. I suppose in comparison to some of the students I've been unfortunate to have in "class" I am A-class material. But I don't want an "A" simply because most of the others in class turn in such sub-standard work that mine seems to shine. This is absurd. That's not doing me or any of the UOP students any favors.

Today I read an article in the New York Times by Sam Dillon, Panel Considers Revamping College Aid and Accrediting. "Months after suggesting that standardized testing should be brought to colleges and universities, a higher education commission named by the Bush administration is examining proposals to change sharply how the nation's colleges are accredited and how federal student aid is administered" (emphasis added). I do not see how UOP won't eventually lose its accreditation!

Articles like these:
Panel's mission: Boost America's colleges, Members seek ways to measure quality and expand access

Colleges pushed to prove worth, Standardized testing at the university level?

Will Your Degree Have Value?

Diploma mills insert degree of fraud into job market

Accreditation

scare the bejesus out of me. So maybe UOP won't lose its accreditation today, next month or even next year... but at some point the "Degree Mill" will most likely be found out and my so-called degree will be worthless and my future employment opportunities could be jeopardized. I have thus decided that Financial Accounting II will be my last UOP class.

I'll live, work, and enjoy life in CA for at least a year then enroll at a California State university and pray that most of my credits transfer. To delay, what seems to me to be inevitable, just doesn't make any sense.

3 comments:

Anonymous said...

Hey, just because they don't challenge you, doesn't mean you couldn't *handle* a challenge. Don't judge yourself by your teachers' and classmates' limitations. Sounds like you did the best you could with what was available. Soon, you'll have more options for using your abilities.

Pamela said...

Becky,

Thank you for the beautiful card. It was a nice surprise in the mailbox!!!!

Anonymous said...

I currently attend UOP. I get the same feeling as if I am getting an education but not learning anything. I had gotten A grade and also c grade in one class for litterly doing no work.