Pepperdine University — Attraction in Malibu

This school is approximately $95,000 a year and it's online. I attended their Masters in Legal Studies online program and it's my worst college experience to date. The program isn't worth the expensive price tag. It's not what I expected. I was given grades lower than what I earned based on this curved grading system. When I complained I was given lower grades to try to grade me out the program.

After earning 16 hours of credits the Associate Academic Dean of the Law School used my University records to dig up personal information unassociated with attending school. After having a bad experience at the school I decided to request a refund. Instead of just refunding my tuition they demanded that I sign a settlement agreement instead of just providing a standard refund. This agreement demanded that I give up any rights to speak about my experience and to never file a lawsuit. They refused to increase the amount to something reasonable because they had also contacted all my prior schools and bad mouthed me. They also contacted the state and IRS to tell these agencies that I was receiving the funds and included language in the settlement agreement that would authorize them to do so. They were. Planning to send the refund to the state and IRS after signing instead of giving it to me. They refused to allow me to register, thus holding my degree hostage. and ultimately trying to leave me with nothing related to the tuition refund. After a thorough review of the agreement I decided not to sign it. They had used my personal information to bad mouth me to my employers, post documents with my personal information and any other public information they could find. Suddenly there was a bunch of negative information about me placed on the internet unassociated with me that I believe the Dean posted or had someone else post. Then when I removed my financial aid from the school it was discovered that the school had put all types of false statements on my financial aid file in an attempt to prevent me from attending another school with my financial aid. The next school I went was kind enough to inform me if this negative information. Then after taking the last 3 classes suddenly I was getting bad grades on my homework and other assignments.

I don't recommend this school because it was very expensive, the administrators appear racist and very insensitive to African American people. . I have proof of my experience and many students are disappointed but stay because the credits will not transfer to another school. It's a financial trap that will leave you with credits you can't use if you don't do well in the program, get flunked out the program and graded out. Instead of the instructor providing the grades in the class a committee gets together to decide who will get good grades or not in the program. The grades come out 4 weeks after the class is over. They use this grading system that's ultimately discriminatory because it's not based on merit it's based on this committee deciding if your good enough to receive a degree from their school or not. Most people just leave and move on. I wanted my degree and it's very hurtful how mean and cruel they have been to me. Now I have over $65,000 in student loan debt and no degree. Go to another school your better off especially if you are...

They treat non-traditional students like garbage here. They refuse to send me my diploma and the official transcripts that were sent to me were password locked. I have asked several times for these people to do what is right yet I still have to wait. It is completely ridiculous and this degree has been a waste of money because I have no proof that I ever finished now and they do not care. I have had to wait over a year for transcripts or a diploma to show for employment and still nothing. Avoid this place at all costs! It is not worth it to deal with the people that operate the registrar's office. They do not care about their students or if their actions are preventing a graduate from gainful employment. Some of the people who answer the phones are very rude for no reason. Have some class and take responsibility for your actions. This is unacceptable and I still do not understand what the issue is. I finished school and just want proof that I did accomplish that. Someone please explain to me why this school is not held accountable for these issues. Am I the only one unable to get my diploma or unlocked...

This place is more church than it is a university.

Undergrads are required to earn an additional 18 units, 9 credits of Humanities & 9 credits of Religion, on top of your traditional 120 units for a Bachelors. As well as 14 hours of “convo” each semester (look it up).

Every staff / faculty member who works here complains about there pay to anyone who will listen.

Student advisors and counselors will try to impress upon you their administrative powers.

Student Veterans: Both, as a Yellow Ribbon student and (at about 3/4 of the way thru) as a VocRehab (Ch.33) student, Ella from student accounts would withhold all my grants and loans until the government paid the tuition it owed on my behalf.

This place is known for its vistas not their academics.

You won’t build much of a portfolio to show employers just by going here.

Students in the Arts programs here focused more on who to know rather then what to know.

Very “Right Wing” policies.

Good WiFi in the buildings, not so...