Upper Iowa University

The education professors are amazing and the satellite location has an incredibly helpful financial aid department, and those are the school’s two redeeming qualities. The guidance counselor is very polite, but it doesn’t seem like she’s there to serve the students (gives inaccurate information, slow to respond to students email). I’m not surprised UIU is the only major Iowa college that hasn’t taken safety measures because of the pandemic. I’ve driven in some ridiculous snowstorms to make it to... Read More class when it should’ve been canceled. Whoever makes decisions has little regard for the safety of their students.

It's been 47 years since I graduated from UIU and a reader might wonder why my review would be relevant today. Part of my assessment is based upon my recent visit during last years, 2018 Homecoming. Throughout my visit I had an opportunity to meet several of the faculty members, admissions folks, and the President of the University. Their enthusiasm for the students and the University was authentic. It was reminiscent of when I attended in the '70's. UIU had a positive impact on my life, from education,... Read More to campus living. Notwithstanding, UIU is not for everyone, just as many PAC 12, BIG TEN, or SEC schools are not for everyone. UIU is situated in a unique setting, as it is tucked away in the rolling hills of northeast Iowa. Having come from a large city, Fayette, afforded me a completely different perspective. It was an adventure.

So at first this school was good and was attentive to what the students needs and wants where, well that quickly diminished. My freshman year was better than my sophomore and now junior years. Once i got to know the staff, i found that some staff in the Milwaukee center where just there for check and did not care about providing education to there students. As far as online, i think they just hire ANYBODY that is able to sit around and also collect a check. I've been as schools and noticed the difference... Read More in the teaching, and Upper Iowa totally failed at providing instructors who care. Online is a joke and the grades are calculated so horribly. You can literally giver your ALL for online classes and they will still fail you with no hesitation. For $393 per credit, and each class consisting of at least 2 or more credits. Im literally going into debt because of these jokes, and they know if they fail you and you have to retake, THEY GET PAID.!!! Im actually looking to transfer to another university because Upper Iowa has totally disappointed me. I am supposed to be walking across the stage in May, but at this point, they really failed to show they care and clearly my blood, sweat, and tears in to my Associate degree does not matter to them. Once the Milwaukee center changed with administrative roles, so much has went down hill and i would noy recommend this college to anyone else. Save your tuition or financial aid money and go somewhere that's really going to help you and not just throw stuff your way.

I think other people have different experiences with regards to attending on campus, but I opted for the self-paced option due to constrictions (it's really the only option that makes sense for me) and I initially really looked forward to it. However, UiU's websites are incomprehensibly terrible and their held-desk system (which operates apparently on more than one site, so you never know which you're getting or whom you'll speak with) is the worst part of it all. Also, I've been through two advisers... Read More with the school and the first made a huge blunder which almost derailed my whole degree plan, the second seemed to prefer arguing with me than helping me. Anytime I've gone to sign up for classes now it's been a nightmare. I won't go into the specifics because it's a lot, but what's advertised is not what you get in terms of service and in terms of the program. If I had any other choice at this point, I'd go to a different school altogether.

Had an excellent experience with distant learning. I was able to continue working full time and obtain my degree. Classes were 8 weeks in length and can be rigorous in the amount of work that is expected. Lots of researching, reading, discussion forums and papers. Overall it was a great experience and plan on returning to finish my MBA. I will say that the online classes are more geared towards those that already are working in a chosen field of study and want to perhaps open up the possibility of... Read More applying for management positions. I know some organizations like you to have a minimum of a 4 year degree to even be considered. I could see how some of the other comments found it hard and unsatisfying if they were hoping to learn a new career. I personally feel that online classes are not a great start to hoping into something new, but rather building on an industry you have a passion for. After all you get what you put in when it comes to distance learning.

I only took classes online, never on campus so I'm not sure if those would be different. However, online they do nothing to teach you real skills they only prepare you for going on for a masters degree by making you write countless papers. There are quite a few classes that go way over the standard 15 hours of work per week. International Management is basically a full time job, again teaching you nothing but to write papers, same with Quant.. Decisions in Business. For the most part the instructors... Read More don't teach you anything, you teach yourself and basically all your teaching yourself is to write papers in proper APA format. It's too bad they are so focused on participating in discussion posts and writing papers as they are really setting people up for failure once they get out into the working world. Thankfully I was a returning adult student with some work experience behind me because I can safely say I didn't learn anything from the 16 classes I took her, I learned everything in technical school and on the job training. I look at the experience as a very, very expensive way to learn how to write a proper APA formatted paper.

Because of my work schedule the Distance Learning / Self-paced program was a great fit for me. Instructors ranged from incredible to disengaged which has been my experience with virtually every work group I've encountered in my life so there is no surprise there. I never had difficulty reaching anyone at the college either by phone or email. The courses were generally challenging. The support staff was extremely helpful. I would recommend the school in a heartbeat. I can't speak to financial issues... Read More as I did not receive loans or assistance - I paid them and they properly managed the accounting end of it.

Upper Iowa managed to exceed my expectations. Everyone wants the best for each other. The professors and admissions workers can be easily contacted, and they are always helpful and friendly. This university cares about their students and wants you to succeed. Professors are helpful and are excellent at their subjects. This is the ideal school for working students who are not able to attend classes during the day. I was able to complete my degree six months earlier than excepted. with the 8 week classes.... Read More I highly recommend this college to anyone wanting to finish their degree.

If you're planning on taking online classes only do not bother with this university if you actually want to learn anything. All the instructors do is require that you post long winded discussions and require responses to discussions as well as research papers and I'm talking every class requires research papers even the computer classes! You don't really learn anything other than how to write a paper! You won't leave with any real knowledge of how to do your job but you'll definitely know how to... Read More write a paper in APA format!

I have not graduated yet but I can't wait to get out of this school, it is such a nightmare. Since the minute I enrolled it has been a disorganized mess with financial aid and the counselors seem to know nothing. Most of the administration are just figure heads and continue sending you up the ladder because nobody knows how to solve issues for themselves. I constantly consider switching schools but I'm already this far in. I wouldn't wish this nightmare on my worst enemy. The ONLY saving grace is... Read More that there are some, SOME, knowledgeable teachers. Others have been terrible, but it doesn't surprise me.