Highly impressed with Capella University.

Timberwolf5578

Hi everyone,

I just wanted to say that I enrolled in Capella University approximately one year ago after researching many online universities offering I.T. degrees. I also read positive reviews of Capella University on these forums.

I am really impressed with the quality of education I am receiving at Capella and their online course technology is excellent. I am currently in the BS/MS Information Technology - Network Technology Degree Program.

I highly recommend this university for anyone looking to further their I.T. education.

Ryan82

Interesting, I had looked at their program before but had run across some bad reviews so hadn't looked into it any further. Maybe when I finish up my bachelors I will take another look at them. Thanks

powerfool

I have looked at their PhD in IT Information Assurance and Security and their Doctor of Business Administration. Looks pretty nice.

petedude

I've heard lots of good things about Capella, but I have to say-- for the money you're spending there had better be good things to say about it!!

cisco_certs

One of my co worker (engineer) is taking his Masters in InfoSec in Capella. He's actually a very smart guy and he also has CCSP/CCNP-Sec.

I might go there after im done with all the certs I want to take since my work is willing to pay my Masters.

erpadmin

petedude wrote: »

I've heard lots of good things about Capella, but I have to say-- for the money you're spending there had better be good things to say about it!!

Agreed. I won't knock Capella though, but for the money that I'd be paying them, University of Phoenix, or any other for-profit school, I'd be better off going Brick and Mortar...even if they're third-tier. If one wanted an MBA with an Information Technology focus, Capella doesn't even have the AACSB accreditation.

I couldn't see myself spending that kind of money Capella is asking for.

sheckler

I can't imagine spending so much money at a for-profit university.

cisco_certs

It wouldnt matter if your employer is willing to pay for it.

Also, their Master of Science (MS) in Information Technology is designated by NSA and Homeland Security.

http://www.capella.edu/schools_programs/business_technology/masters/information_assurance_security.aspx

veritas_libertas

@TimberWolf:

What are the classes like? Give us an example of a class and what was involved.

Timberwolf5578

veritas_libertas wrote: »

@TimberWolf:

What are the classes like? Give us an example of a class and what was involved.

I would recommend you contact Capella University directly for that kind of information.

SrSysAdmin

Timberwolf5578 wrote: »

I would recommend you contact Capella University directly for that kind of information.

Paid marketer?

Timberwolf5578

SrSysAdmin wrote: »

Paid marketer?

No, I am not a paid marketer. I am simply a student at Capella University.

I think "veritas_libertas" questions would be best answered by the university itself. That's why I recommended that he contact the university directly.

Forsaken_GA

Timberwolf5578 wrote: »

No, I am not a paid marketer. I am simply a student at Capella University.

I think "veritas_libertas" questions would be best answered by the university itself. That's why I recommended that he contact the university directly.

If you're a student, and someone who might also be interested in becoming a student asks what are the classes like, that's a question you should be able to answer. The university is going to present the best picture possible, veritas sounds more like he's interested in the perspective and experience of someone who's actually seen what the courses are like, not what the university says they're like.

motogpman

Forsaken is right. This site has a lot of regulars and lurkers who will take the advice of someone who is a student over what is marketed or generalized. Just my 2 cents. I don't think Verita's question was abnormal, I would ask the same thing. I looked into Capella, isn't for me, and I agree that the tuition was non competitive for my needs.

Look at the big picture, you have 10 posts so far, post a thread saying that you are impressed and recommend Capella, but won't go into specific's after having a year of "student' experiences....... It should be a simple task really.

cisco_certs

i called them today. its costs $27,000 to finished the masters for info sec and they will only take cissp credit. lol too bad. my employer will only pay 6k/yr. back to wgu lol

erpadmin

cisco_certs wrote: »

my employer will only pay 6k/yr.

Now THAT'S what matters.....

But seriously, you should look at the abundance of scholarships that are available on the web. $6k is nice, but you can always get $2k-$30k (potentially) by writing some essays and showing some transcripts. You would be amazed at what you qualify for; you only need time to look for the money that's on the table.

But I (personally) would not waste that effort for any for-profit.

spigety

Timberwolf5578 wrote: »

I would recommend you contact Capella University directly for that kind of information.

This is such an odd response. How about you tell us WHY you would recommend the university. What are you learning about and how is it being taught? If you aren't a paid marketer for Capella and still unwilling to share this information the entire thread is just simply inane and doesn't need to exist.

veritas_libertas

spigety wrote: »

This is such an odd response. How about you tell us WHY you would recommend the university. What are you learning about and how is it being taught? If you aren't a paid marketer for Capella and still unwilling to share this information the entire thread is just simply inane and doesn't need to exist.

I would have to agree. I was shocked that you wouldn't want to tell me what your classes are like.

veritas_libertas

Forsaken_GA wrote: »

If you're a student, and someone who might also be interested in becoming a student asks what are the classes like, that's a question you should be able to answer. The university is going to present the best picture possible, veritas sounds more like he's interested in the perspective and experience of someone who's actually seen what the courses are like, not what the university says they're like.

Ka-ching, right on the money...

Dave88LX

This post smells a little funny to me too. I have a friend who "went" to Capella and he recommended them to me. I looked into them, they seem OK, but I don't really have anything to compare them to. I'm still up in the air, I will have to look at a couple more schools.

I have the G.I. Bill, and my company will also pay whatever, so money isn't too much of a concern to me.

I really need to pick something though and get with it.

It's a shame this "student for a year" couldn't give us more information.

Timberwolf5578

Wow, there is a lot of cynicism here! LOL!

Okay fine, I will give you all an example of a course I took at Capella University and what was involved.

I took a course involving hardware and operating systems. It involved assignments such as: comparing operating systems, discussing hardware, and recommending specific hardware and operating systems for organizations based on their needs. We even had to put together a full technical report involving what servers, client computers, peripherals, and operating systems we would recommend for a specific organization that we each chose.

There were weekly discussion boards which required participation and assignments due each week. There was also a great comprehensive CompTIA A+ online interactive tutorial available to us as students. It was really excellent and one of the best A+ training materials I have ever used.

I hope this post convinces everyone here that I am indeed a genuine student at Capella University and not a paid marketer. One of the reasons I joined Capella was because of all the good things I read about it on these forums.

And for anyone here questioning Capella University's reputation. Here are some links that show just how excellent Capella is:

http://blog.directoryofschools.com/online-schools/fbi-partners-with-online-school/

http://eon.businesswire.com/portal/site/eon/permalink/?ndmViewId=news_view&newsId=20100111007124&newsLang=en

http://www.allbusiness.com/government/government-bodies-offices-government/13055842-1.html

Timberwolf5578

It's interesting that all the cynical comments as to my honesty have suddenly ceased.

That just goes to show you that cynics are often wrong in their assumptions.

Anyways, just to let you all know, I did a ton of research into online universities before I decided to attend Capella University, and I am very glad I did. It has been a great experience.

erpadmin

Timberwolf5578 wrote: »

It's interesting that all the cynical comments as to my honesty have suddenly ceased.

That just goes to show you that cynics are often wrong in their assumptions.

Anyways, just to let you all know, I did a ton of research into online universities before I decided to attend Capella University, and I am very glad I did. It has been a great experience.

No worries, I'm still pretty cynical.

Your last post lacks the depth of your own experiences for any of us to make any more comments on this issue. All of that notwithstanding, my own research has pretty much concluded that a school like Capella would not help me in anyway, and I find Capella's expense far exceeds its value.

Having said all of that, I am glad you find Capella to be a great experience and I hope it works out well for you professionally.

Timberwolf5578

erpadmin wrote: »

No worries, I'm still pretty cynical.

Well, good luck with that.

erpadmin wrote: »

Your last post lacks the depth of your own experiences for any of us to make any more comments on this issue.

Oh please! It's more like I proved the cynics on this thread wrong, so they hushed up in a hurry. And lack of depth? What more do you want? A lengthy essay? Well, you're not getting it.

erpadmin wrote: »

All of that notwithstanding, my own research has pretty much concluded that a school like Capella would not help me in anyway, and I find Capella's expense far exceeds its value.

That's your opinion, and we are all free to have our own opinions. In my opinion, an education from Capella is very valuable to me.

erpadmin wrote: »

Having said all of that, I am glad you find Capella to be a great experience and I hope it works out well for you professionally.

Thank you, and I wish you the best of luck in your future professional endeavors as well.

cisco_certs

Timberwolf5578 wrote: »

Wow, there is a lot of cynicism here! LOL!

Okay fine, I will give you all an example of a course I took at Capella University and what was involved.

I took a course involving hardware and operating systems. It involved assignments such as: comparing operating systems, discussing hardware, and recommending specific hardware and operating systems for organizations based on their needs. We even had to put together a full technical report involving what servers, client computers, peripherals, and operating systems we would recommend for a specific organization that we each chose.

There were weekly discussion boards which required participation and assignments due each week. There was also a great comprehensive CompTIA A+ online interactive tutorial available to us as students. It was really excellent and one of the best A+ training materials I have ever used.

I hope this post convinces everyone here that I am indeed a genuine student at Capella University and not a paid marketer. One of the reasons I joined Capella was because of all the good things I read about it on these forums.

And for anyone here questioning Capella University's reputation. Here are some links that show just how excellent Capella is:

FBI Partners With Capella University

Capella University to Receive 2010 CHEA Award | EON: Enhanced Online News

Former Secretary of State General Colin Powell to Give Keynote Address at Capella University Colloquium in Arlington, Virginia, Oct. 24. | North America > United States from AllBusiness.com

Im not really impress. For the price they are charging, they need to teach you a CCNA or CCNP not A +

erpadmin

Timberwolf5578 wrote: »

That's your opinion, and we are all free to have our own opinions. In my opinion, an education from Capella is very valuable to me.

Well lets look at some facts then. I was going to do this on my last post, but wifey got me sidetracked:

I know many of us are interested in the MS of Information Security, many of us are into the MBA with an IT focus. Since I fall in the latter camp, let's do a comparison of Capella toward one of the schools I'm interested in attending:

Capella's MBA Information Technology
Cost per credit: $658
Total Credits in Program: 48 Credits
Total Tuition: $31584 (Not including any fees...strictly tuition)
http://www.capella.edu/inc/pdf/tuition_chart.pdf
Masters Degree Information Technology Management - Information Technology MBA - IT MBA


Seton Hall University (SHU)'s MBA IT program
Cost per credit: $1017
Total Credits in Program: 42
Total Tuition: $42714 (Not including any fees...strictly tuition)
http://www.shu.edu/offices/upload/Prac_MBA_flyer_10.pdf
M.B.A. Program Curriculum - Seton Hall University, New Jersey


Difference in Tuition between SHU and Capella: $11130

What does that $11130 get me?

A great MBA degree from a great college where a job in management is very likely (considering the fact that I make close to six-figures now without even so much as an Associates... ). I don't personally see Capella getting that for me. Now mind you SHU doesn't offer an online program, but I'm very much ok with that as I am very confident that I will be going to class after work and doing my required assignments. Plus, I'll be done in three years, so I'm ok with this. Of course, I'll have to get in, but I'll cross that bridge when I come to it.

Mind you, I'll explore more than one option. I am just confident that Capella won't be a part of any options.

Oh and by the way, no one asked you to write an essay, but if someone asked me about WGU (for example), I can tell them about my experiences and don't need to point to blogs to do it. I can give depth about my experience within a small paragraph...

eansdad

erpadmin wrote: »

Your last post lacks the depth of your own experiences for any of us to make any more comments on this issue. All of that notwithstanding, my own research has pretty much concluded that a school like Capella would not help me in anyway, and I find Capella's expense far exceeds its value.

Erp I know this is taken out of context but ouch....

As far as I've read about Capella it isn't all bad. They are CAE/IAE designated which is a good thing for security degrees and look to be modeled much like the WGU Masters program minus the certs. WGU is working on that for their Masters program but not sure about the B.S. program. Depending on the electives taken the degree looks to be solid but the cost is kind of high when compared to local B&M schools and other online schools (WGU and UAT come to mind for cost). I don't know anyone that went to or is going to Capella so I don't know how well the teaching is.

erpadmin

eansdad wrote: »

Erp I know this is taken out of context but ouch....

I really try hard not to be so blunt on here. Out of respect to everyone, the bluntness is usually very muted; in this case maybe a little bit came out.

This is what I responded to that lead me to the "ouch"ness:

Timberwolf5578 wrote: »

It's interesting that all the cynical comments as to my honesty have suddenly ceased.

That just goes to show you that cynics are often wrong in their assumptions.

Coupled with the fact that the answers to very basic and legitimate questions were not exactly given [only after reluctance on the OP's part and even then, he was not very anecdotal, which is part of what I would look for when someone is telling me about why they like a school], yeah, I felt being blunt was warranted and even then was tempered with some modicum of respect towards the OP.

All I was saying was that I did due dillegence to check out Capella and did not dismiss it out right. In the end, based on a good comparison with just one of the schools I'd consider for my MBA, Capella just doesn't match up. It's not AACSB-accredited and, for the price, I could go to a school with a much better name.

Hopefully...this took the sting out a little bit.

motogpman

"Oh please! It's more like I proved the cynics on this thread wrong, so they hushed up in a hurry. And lack of depth? What more do you want? A lengthy essay? Well, you're not getting it." LOL.

You didn't prove anyone wrong. Did you possibly consider that people lost interest in this thread for what it is or haven't had the time to revisit it. So much for patting yourself on the back amigo. Specifics were asked for your personal experiences, instead, you seem to have taken it as a personal attack. If TE members knew you personally and this was over a cup of coffee, then your remarks might be justified. In case you haven't noticed, this portion of the Forums is based on colleges and people going into great detail to help their fellow TE members. It's a huge topic, one that involves time, money, and career advancements. One liners don't cut it.

If Capella is what works for you, then so be it. I still haven't seen anything that you have written that would make me even consider Capella.

themagicone

For profit schools are alright but the prices they charge are outrageous. My GF is going to goto Minnesota School of Business for a Vet Tech degree - $40,000!!! and that is only a 2 year degree. I told her no but there isn't any other vet tech schools in Minnesota.

cisco_certs

For me its about value of the following:

ROI (return of investment) = can I get a better paying job as soon as I graduate?
Convenience = how will this affect my studying & pursuing more certifications?
Cost = will my job pay for everything? the last thing I want is to be in debt after graduating. If my work will pay for everything then why not?

All of the counts and I believe that Capella shouldn't be charging that much for an A+ tutorial.