Kaplan University Rip-off, sub-par education, taking advantage of students, fake degree, no acedemic rigor, diploma mill Internet

Kaplan University is primarily Internet-based but they do have some physical campuses. I was in instructor at Kaplan University and I was shocked that what they are doing to economically disadvantaged students. Students pay a considerable amount of money (by taking out student loans that they will never be able to repay) to receive what is, essentially, a fake degree.

A diploma only has value of there is substance behind it. The level of academic rigor at Kaplan University is very low. (I teach at a "real" university so I know what I am talking about.) This is a shame for two reasons.

First, many of the students are not college material. I had many students who needed a GED program or some other form of high school-level instruction. Since there are no admission standards (other than the check clearing) there are students in the program who are not even close to being prepared to perform at a college level. Still, Kaplan takes their money. Kaplan needs these students to keep passing so they will keep paying tuition.

For the students who have ability, the situation is even more tragic. They have borrowed all this money, taking the one shot they can afford at an education, to receive a dumbed-down, sub-par education. Even if they want to re-do their degree at a real school, they can never afford it because they have already taken out student loans to pay for Kaplan.

The program is all about flash (i.e., the technology and other toys--which did not work consistently) and little about substance. Courses were poorly designed. (Just so you know: Kaplan designs the courses; the instructor is not allowed to change anything.) Often, Internet link included with the course would be broken. There were times when it seemed to be that the person who designed the course did not understand the substance of subject. There is no teaching methodology to speak of. I could go on and on . . .

There is no reason why Internet-based learning can't work but Kaplan is not a company I would give money to. Kaplan is, in my opinion, a diploma mill, charging exorbitant tuition for a fake degree. As an employer, I would never hire someone with a Kaplan degree. If you want an education, attend a traditional university, college, or community college if at all humanly possible.