AIU Online The scam of the century Hoffman Estates Illinois

I would like everyone to read Jessica's most recent posting on 6/30/09. I commented on it and it is worth your while to discredit her tarnishes.

I work for AIU Online, so of course you would expect me to back it up. However, AIU Online is not going to be where I live and Die. I will move on, probably in the near future. But as many of the employees are, I am a graduate. My degree will need to be something that I can depend on for the rest of my life. Unintelligent and unresearched responses like these are tarnishing the image for graduates and prospective students. Unlike Jessica claims, I have a car, a motorcylce, an appartment, updated insurance for both... those are assets right? I have mine. Do I have student loans? A B S O L U T E L Y! $250/month... but I have a job with AIU Online that requires that I hold a degree. And in my search for other careers, they will have the same requirement. Knowing that I meet the requirements and have greater earning potential is worth more than 250 per month.

Talk is cheap. People come on this website all the time and try to slander companies, and then people try to defend them. These are consumer reports, which can be a good resource, however take them fully. How many Anti-AIU posts vs how many pro-AIU posts???? I think you'll find that the majority of the original posts are from negative complaining people who might have ligitimately had a bad experience, but as a person who has experienced both sides, I can look at every post and figure out what happened. The majority of the time it was negligence, ignorance, and laziness on the "complainee's" part.

So either look at the facts on an official website, or believe consumer reports. Look at all of these people who reply to the complainee's posts... you have to believe them just as much as you believe the other. And if you're not willing to do that, then get off of websites like this.

I notice all the reports that all claim "AIU is not a Rip Off" come from students that are "currently attending". Wait until 6 months after graduation when you start getting all the bogus bills that you never authorized! I really feel sorry for all of these current students defending this evil organization and buying into this Madoff scam. Its a "For Profit" school unlike other private and public universities, this corporation is for sale on the stock market as (stock symbol CECO). Sure the easy A's and the elementary Discussion Boards seem like a great way to earn a degree but is it worth all of your current and future assets?

I am currently attending AIU online, and I have to say I've had nothing buy positive experiences with my classes. From the start, my admissions adviser answered all my questions professionally, and through out the conversation, I never felt pressure to enroll. As a matter of fact, my adviser called me every week before classes started to give me information about my class, and the supplied the resources I needed to ensure I started out on the right foot. Till this day, she will call me just to catch up, and see how things are going. Again, I had more questions, and if she did not know how answer them, she got me to the right person. She was upfront, honest, and it never sounded like a script to me. I told her my concerns, and she did not try to talk me into anything I was not ready for.

The classes are not child's play. The assignments given weekly are challenging, and grading is not taken lightly. I happen to be an A student right now, but a lot of hard work went into my assignments. The instructors, Academic staff, Tech support, Financial aid, library, and student advisers have been nothing but helpful and professional.

Online schooling is not for everyone, and does take a little getting used to. Notice when someone has a bad experience, they automatically think the business is a scam or ripoff. I've had great experiences so far, so naturally, I don't think AIU is a scam.

After reading your thesis, I did a little research myself, and did find that AIU was put on probation in 2005. In the 2007, the SAC lifted their probation, and their accreditation has been stable since (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/American_InterContinental_University). After reading that, I contacted my adviser to get the scoop. She was honest with me, and never gave me a run around answer. As a matter of fact, she was part of the reorganization of the office.

AIU is regionally accredited by the SAC (http://www.sacs.org/), who is by the way under the Dept. of Education. Again, it's not a scam, and totally legit.

If you did not have a good experience with them, I am very sorry. However, all you did is complain without giving anyone creditable information. Oh, by the way, my writing style is thanks to the instructors and classes @ AIU.

Hey, I was just curious how you know it's a rip off if you've only been attending for 6 months? Doesn't the associate's degree take 13 months??? Are you just going by what someone else said about the university?? I'm just curious because I'm attending right now and I'm actually pretty happy with how things are going so far, and I've read some pretty great reviews from alumni as well. So I'm just working how do you know? Thanks :)

~Beth

Before I begin I would like to say that I'm currently attending AIU Online, and I'm not an employee of CEC or AIU in any capacity. I started my journey to complete my degree in August 2007. So far I've had a very positive and rewarding experience at this institution. Yes initially I felt a little pressure into enrolling by the admissions department; however, it's a "for profit" institution and I completely understand the reasoning and logic. Actually if I could remember the woman's name presently I would probably send her flowers or a card thanking her for that "little push", because currently I'm 7 classes away from receiving my Bachelor's Degree in Information Technology/Computer Forensics and I probably would have procrastinated enrolling a little longer.

AIU is not a "cake-walk". You actually do have to put some time and effort into your courses OR YOU WILL FAIL. I'm sorry that you may have endured some problems with the university; however, it's completely unfair to label the institution a scam because it is not. I've read numerous other posts claiming that AIU is not a "real" university or "diploma mill", and these naysayers are completely mistaken. In addition to the online environment, AIU actually has "brick & mortar" campuses through-out the nation and world. I'm a 30 year old working husband and father of two daughters, and going to school online was my only viable option.

Prior to enrolling at AIU, I've attended "brick & mortar" institutions for roughly 3 years and the concept is the same. If you don't study or put forth the time and effort towards your assignments YOU WILL FAIL!!!!! However, if you complete your reading assignments, attend the live chat sessions or watch the recorded weekly sessions, participate in group and class discussion board topics you'll usually walk away with a piece of knowledge or understanding that you didn't have initially.

I've been lurking on this site for a while, and I finally decided to post something because I'm tired of reading the scam posts. These type of posts are an injustice to the hard-working men and women who have either graduated or currently attend the university. Also, AIU is no longer on probabtion and it is accredited by SACS, who also has granted accreditation to universities such as Auburn University, and Louisiana State University to briefly name a few.

Now I'm not 100% certain of your entire situation, because the information given was very limited in detail. However, to my knowledge you cannot possibly obtain an Associate's Degree from AIU in six months with-out any prior credits. Where's the scam?????????? I know it may be hard for you or some others on this forum to read something positive about the university, and not have it come from an employee of AIU or CEC. If I could leave my contact information on here, trust me I would but this site does not allow that. Nevertheless, in the future for the sake of us who haven't endured an inkling of the drama or horror stories that this site is flooded with in regards to AIU, just simply say that your experience wasn't what you hoped or anticipated it to be......but a scam, I know it's not because I'm living proof which shatters this lie or myth. Best wishes to you in your current and future endeavors.

I am a graduate of AIU Online and it is not a scam. I don't know why there is so much talk about that. AIU is a great school and it's fully accredited. Don't go only by the reports people file on here. Check it out for yourself. Call or email the school and find out what website you can check out regional accreditation of schools and you will find American InterContinental University on the list. Don't believe all these word of mouth type sources of information. Go to an official website to see for yourself.