College comparison

Parents Forum
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<p>I have been suggested to post in this forum my concern of colleges. Here is my recent post to another forum in financial aid section: </p>

<p><a href="http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/689594-colleges-fighting-me-financial-aid-please-help.html#post1062261036%5B/url%5D"&gt;http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/financial-aid-scholarships/689594-colleges-fighting-me-financial-aid-please-help.html#post1062261036&lt;/a>
If you do not want to click on the link, I have posted that links information at the bottom of this post. </p>

<p>My dilemma lies with Colorado Tech University. Since I live in Georgia, USA, the only way I could attend this college was online. I have completed my associates degree with them in the Information technology field. Since that completion, I have been searching other options as to more of a hands on approach. With my research, I have been drawn to University of Phoenix; they have online classes as well as several campuses in GA in which I am communicating with. I feel that having a hands on approach in the field of programming would be a better fit than online at this point and time at an attempt for my bachelors degree.
What are personal views or experiences with these colleges? Would you recommend one over the other (pros and cons of each)? Any additional information concerning colleges would be of help in this ordeal I am facing. </p>

<p>Thank you for any wisdom that can be offered; it is much appreciated. </p>

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Original post:</p>

<p>I have recently completed my Associates degree with one college and they wanted to snag me up for a Bachelor's before anyone else did (probably my own opinion). Anyway, I have been looking at other colleges for a more hands on approach; since my first degree was online. I have been going back and forth, being confused as to what I should do; which decision is a best fit for myself and not to the colleges' benefit only. The college in which I just completed my Associates with, has told me that the IT field and classes are always changing and that I should do at least one class in the Bachelors program (to get 'locked in') as to not have to be re-evaluated for a Bachelors in the future and then take a break as I want to do now to clear my head and make an informed decision for my future and weigh my options. I have great financial aid, so funding is not the problem here. I was informed by Sallie Mae that if I were to continue with one college and allow them access to my funding, that it would be to their (the college) discretion as to whether they wanted to release my funding for another college if I choose to transfer. Can taking one class have such an impact on my financial aid? Am I risking my funds by taking the one class at the same college and minimizing my chances at transferring to another college without stipulations or troubles? Can one college have such a hold on financial aid as to cause problems? Are the IT classes changing so often that my 4.0 GPA could be worthless with only 1-2 sessions break before entering the bachelors program? I want to continue on with my bachelors degree, so that is not the issue or a concern in my case; I will certainly continue on.</p>

<p>Thank you all for any input you have to offer in this situation. I would also appreciate any reliable links or sources as to back up what one says; if at all possible.</p>

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<p>You might also want to read the Online Forum (Click on Discussion Home in the upper left of this screen and scroll down) to see if anyone has specific comments about either the U of Phoenix or Colorado Tech. There may also be individual discussion threads for these schools in the Colleges and Universities forums.</p>

<p>I’ve studied in live classes and in online classes, and to be perfectly honest, I prefer live classes. There comes a point when you want to be dealing with real human beings rather than with emails.</p>

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<p>How much debt do you already have from the associates? Are you free to go to school full time? Do you qualify for the Pell Grant?</p>

<p>I did a quick search. This appears to be a for profit school that some have a problem with:</p>

<p><a href=“Ripoff Report | url] complaints, reviews, scams, lawsuits and frauds reported, 0 results”>http://www.ripoffreport.com/reports/0/394/RipOff0394492.htm&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

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<p>I do not qualify for a Pell Grant and have quite a few thousand in debt for my associates degree (over 10k). At this time, I am free to go full time; I am a house wife/mother/student which will be looking for employment soon. Thank you for giving that link for CTU; I had done some research for a fellow student because of this issue, but CTU redeemed themselves with that issue. There are several websites in concern with CTU and AIU (American Intercontinental U), but this very well may be only on a one case basis (to very few). </p>

<p>In reference to your inquiry, aside from my payments to the college, all of my funding was paid via Sallie Mae; in which I will have to pay back. Nothing else was offered by them (CTU).</p>