Kaplan University is a rip off!!! I was so excited to start college and get a degree but boy was I mislead. Internet

My name is Thomas P. and I'm a current student in Human Services (A.A.S.) degree program at Kaplan and I don't agree with your Rip-Off Report.  The comment above me is absolutely correct, an Associate's degree will get you just about nowhere these days, esp. with technology or the sciences.

After my Human Services degree (I chose personally at 30 years old to start off with the Associate's and then work myself up - I should've started with my B.S. in Psychology but this is just how started and I am enjoying it).  My goal is next to obtain a B.S. and then a M.S. with Kaplan as long as everything goes as planned.  You see, getting a degree is not just "wasting 2 years or any amount of years of your life".  Getting a degree in ANY college involves time management, interpersonal skills and communication, passion, desire, want, motivation, self-motivation for online courses, and so much more.

Also, don't attend college for something you have absolutely no other work or life experience in and then cry about not getting a job afterwards!  I am taking these degree programs for a reason, my life fits the degree and my goals.  You have to set goals in life as well.  LIsten bro, I have 3 felony convictions because I acted stupid in my early twenties and ended up with a heroin addiction that eventually caused me to commit a few crimes for the drugs.  Kaplan accepted me with open arms.  Bro, yeah, so what they are a business - who isn't?  This is America.  At least this college is Regionally/Nationally Accreddited (sp?) so therefore I know that I will not have any problems once I obtain my degrees but I know that "specifically" I will be starting low.

For example, right now with just a HS Diploma/GED and work/life experience, I can get a job at a rehab, or a homeless shelter depending on the experience I have but I'll only be making between 9-12 $ an hour approximately.  That's deserving in today's market.  Do you know even police officers, for example, in California cannot just rise through the ranks all the way to Chief with just a GED or HS Diploma.  Sergeants need an Associate's, Lieutenants need a Bachelor's, and pretty soon Chiefs and Commanding Officers will need a Master's - technology keeps moving forward, that's just how it is.

In MY field, Human Services/Psychology/Addiction/Counseling/etc. it's all about helping others and giving in to their needs wherever possible.  Psychology specifically cannot do anything for you unless you at LEAST have a Master's, but mostly a Doctorate or Professional Degree is necessary.  I mean, don't get me wrong - a B.S. in Psychology/Substance Abuse with my personal life and work experience with addiction research and being in addiction,

my volunteering, etc. can DEFINITELY can get me a position with a rehab as a counselor but in specific states like PA you need to be certified and not only does that include hours of work (direct-care) or (indirect-care) at an actual facility but also a degree and so many hours of experience, etc.  So therefore, for someone like me I would VOLUNTEER (pretty soon actually, sometime this year) at a rehab without pay, outside of my job and eventually, as I'm gaining an education-the place will notice I am actually helping others and may even offer me a position even prior to becoming certified.

Then it'll be even easier to BECOME certified because I'll have the direct-care hours and all.  So plain and simple, yeah I understand people have beef with Kaplan University, but I've done by homework since January 2010 for college.  It's been a dream of mine and I was always scared of the debt part and also the degree program part since I am a man of many desires and talents, but I finally through life experience have been given my purpose and I feel it is necessary for ME personally to study psychology and my goal is to obtain and get accepted into a PhD program for Neuropsychology. 

Someday, but until then, as long as it's financially possible, I desire to attend Kaplan through to my M.S. in Addiction Psychology.  The Professors are great, some are pretty biased and do not answer everything but I've had very little issues with them - all in all, I appreciate my professors.  I DO NOT think the work is "watered down" as reports state all over the internet.  It is definitely MORE DIFFICULT to study while ONLINE because you are home, not at school, and also there is no HUMAN NETWORKING FACE TO FACE.  But that has nothing to do with the curriculum.

Matter of fact, the Curriculum is on point.  And honestly, not sure if this is just me, but since I've been in school, I don't ONLY use Kaplan to guide me educationally but I do a lot of personal self-study and research outside of school reading research studies and case studies and term papers from other students and Journals of Science such as The Journal of Psychopharmacology and so forth.  These are all additional things a student MUST and SHOULD do to be taken seriously.  Place these interests on your resume, use them in your speech in interviews.  Don't just say, "Hey, my name is Joe and I have an A.A.S. in Medical Transcription.  Like, who cares?  That's what I would say.  Be more specific, show your passion, show what other things and activities you are getting into.

Bottom line, I may have problems with Kaplan in the future - who knows but until this moment, I don't and I do not appreciate reading these falsified rip off reports from people who are just upset about not getting a job and blaming it on the school.  First off, EVERY school is a business - doesn't matter from Kaplan to Harvard.  And honestly, screw Harvard.  So many children CHEAT to get into that school and for what?  Seriously, what's so great about Harvard?  I guarantee that this Kaplan future graduate will topple a Harvard graduate any day in research on addiction.  Please, and I'm only in my first year of Associate's, in Human Services at that!  Please.  Do not hurt other people like me who are trying to research their school, scaring us into thinking we made a mistake. 

I don't like that.  Go do your homework before you rip somebody apart and honestly, what did you think "2 years of your life" getting a Medical Transcription certificate or degree?  Like, seriously?  The money and loans we are alotted as citizens and students and you get THAT?  Not hating on the position but why aren't you continuing education?  Did you really think you were going to get a job like that?  Have you even researched Medical Transcription jobs...like EVERY Single one asks for so much more than just an A.A.S. in the field - it requires more education, a ton of experience of numbers and codes, ICD-9 Codes or whatever.  Not even sure because that's not my field.

But anyway, Kaplan University is a great school.  It is NOT watered down.  Yes, I am doing well.  I started my 1st term a 3.85, 2nd term a 4.0 and my overall thus far: 3.93GPA.  I'm receiving stipends and university grant on time.  Everything is working out and that is because I continue communication with Kaplan and the Education Advisor and the Professors and the staff and yes, I vent and sometimes get a bit snippy with people but it's all out of love man.  We're struggling to get our lives in order.  Don't rain on our parade.  YES, I may agree with ONE thing - not EVERYONE is in it to WIN. 

My discussion board posts are always so much longer than what is required as maximum yes the OTHER students and I mean 98% of the my other course classmates post VERY short and right on the minimum discussion posts - just to get by.  And they are passing, WHY?   It's NOT becuase of Kaplan.  It's because THAT IS LIFE.  WHerever you turn, there are always those, which is most of the country, who are JUST GETTING BY THE SKIN OF THEIR TEETH while people like ME who were always talked DOWN to and told we'd never BE ANYTHING who are changing the world, CHANGING OUR LIVES - graduating Summa c*m Laude and being contributors to humanity as a whole.

KAPLAN UNIVERSITY, A.A.S. HUMAN SERVICES (OCT 6, 2015*) Subject to Change

I LOVE KAPLAN.  MUCH RESPECT.

Unfortionately an Associates degree will only take you but so far. I am fortionate to be in a dgree where I need to have a certain number of residency before I can even get my degree. With that said, of course Kaplan is not Penstate or Dukes University, you should have known that a degree from them is only a "check the block" thing, and more so an associates. I believe that you get what you put in. Instead of ripping Kaplan's reputation appart, you should have volunteered in your profession thus getting the "experience" most companies look for.