Excelsior College - The Same Education at Triple the Price

[UptonSinclair]

As many of you know, I am very critical of higher education. For the money we spend on courses, it is reasonable to expect a quality product. Unfortunately, quality is lacking at Excelsior. The course I am currently taking is little more than a canned product provided by Pearson. This is a similar experience to what I had at my local community college except Excelsior charges three times as much. The course is taught by a part time professor with a Master's degree which is the same as my local cc. The course uses MyMathLab for assignments just like my local cc. Finally, the only items graded by the professor are mandatory discussion posts that add little to nothing to the course. So far the professor's posts could be pasted in from a selection of about three responses. They are little more than a "good job" or "excellent work".

Colleges seem to think they are nothing more than proctors for the publishers. If this is the case, why can't we get a degree from McGraw Hill or Pearson? One area that could make a college stand out is video lectures. For the price we are paying for classes, the colleges could afford to pay a skilled professor to provide a set of lectures. With the abundance of technology available, the expense would be minimal in comparison to value they would add.

After experiencing the quality of instruction first hand, I consider Excelsior a good option for those who only plan to take the capstone and get their degree.

[Exfactor]

So the course you're taking represents not only the standard of the university, but the teaching standard of the thousands of professors who teach at EC? I've attended Florida State University, Morehouse College, and Liberty University, and the psych courses that I've been taking to finish out my degree have been more challenging than all of the courses combined that I've taken at Florida State University, Morehouse College, and Liberty University. Of course here and their you will find a professor whom is easy on grading, but hard on the final, but does that represent the standard of the college? All the courses I've taken have been taught by individuals with Phd's.

[UptonSinclair]

I am glad you have had a good experience with Excelsior. I am basing my opinion on the course I am currently taking as I stated in my original post.

Every course and professor represents the standard of the college. Would you purchase a car, get a lemon and state that it is ok because the other models are decent? When I spend $1440 on a course, I expect a high quality course and what I am receiving is canned curriculum provided by a publisher.

My complaints have nothing to do with grading. I am speaking of the quality of instruction provided.

[Exfactor]

Due to attending various schools I know personally that one class does not represent an entire educational institution. It's like me stating Florida State University is garbage because no one understood anything the physics professor was teaching as only one student out of 100 was the only one to make an "A" or "B" on the three test that were given during the course. We all have different experiences, but based on my experience no matter what school I attended every class was different from the next, no professor was alike. Some provided instruction, some were just their to get a check. Searching high-and-low you can find students who attend COSC, and TESC who feel that those schools are also "a good option for those who only plan to take the capstone and get their degree."

[ShotoJuku]

Yup - I'm an Excelsior Graduate (twice) and wait for it......an Excelsior Cheerleader too!!

[UptonSinclair]

Due to attending various schools I know personally that one class does not represent an entire educational institution. It's like me stating Florida State University is garbage because no one understood anything the physics professor was teaching as only one student out of 100 was the only one to make an "A" or "B" on the three test that were given during the course. We all have different experiences, but based on my experience no matter what school I attended every class was different from the next, no professor was alike. Some provided instruction, some were just their to get a check. Searching high-and-low you can find students who attend COSC, and TESC who feel that those schools are also "a good option for those who only plan to take the capstone and get their degree."

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Just to be clear. This is a course design issue, not a professor issue. I understand what you are saying about a variety of experiences, but higher education has a special status that allows it to get away with a poor quality product and remain above criticism. What other product would people people pay thousands for and shrug off poor quality? I am not saying this is unique to Excelsior, but I found it much easier to tolerate publisher provided curriculum when I paid $400 for a course rather than $1440. Hopefully, my future courses will be better quality. If so, I will brag about the high quality just as I will complain about poor quality if that is the case.

[dewisant]

I had an SAT score high enough to get into UC Berkeley a very long time ago, but chose to do other thing as a young adult. When I decided to get my degree done I wanted to do it ASAP and use the GRE Subject tests, but I screwed around and let that go too. So I just finished my BA in Liberal Arts and the last class I took was the Capstone in Liberal Studies and everything that Upton Sinclair said is true (for me) in that Excelsior charged money for a product that in no real way delivered a quality experience for me. After I got over the initial shock of having to write so much crap (this means lack of quality) it was like being gifted a grade for attendance. I was a big fan of Excelsior until they got rid of the GRE Subject tests and started getting rid of all of the majors as well.

[sanantone]

One of my pet peeves is busy work. After reading reviews for TESC years ago, I made sure I didn't have to take any courses with them. I had enough of busy work at Western Insidious University and Colorado Testicle University.

[UptonSinclair]

It appears there is a hostility toward video lectures in online education. I wonder if this is an over-correction of early online courses consisting of little more than video tapes of lectures given in class. When it comes to a complicated subject like Calculus, I find a huge benefit in videos. I would love to see a balance of textbook readings, video lectures, and activities developed by the school itself rather than purchased as a package from Pearson.

Once I finish my Associates at Excelsior, I will be shifting to brick and mortar classes. Thankfully, I have the flexibility to take courses at my leisure since I am currently in a career. After taking courses at several institutions, I am learning what to look for in a course. Before enrolling in courses, I will be sure to find out if they are taught by faculty or adjuncts. I believe financial conditions are forcing adjuncts to take on too much of a workload to provide quality service.

[dewisant]

I very much like the idea of shifting back to Brick & Mortar!