Grand Canyon University — Attraction in Phoenix

ANY STUDENT SEEKING TO ATTEND, PLEASE READ AND LISTEN TO THE NEGATIVE RESPONSES. I WISH I DID AS WELL: I had extremely high hopes for the school. I waited before writing this review because I hoped the school would do the right thing. This school is a business before anything, and in less than 1 week, I learned that Christian values and integrity did not show up. I wanted to attend GCU after finishing my bachelor's degree at Walden University in 2025. I had an excellent online experience with Walden University from start to finish, and even now, as I call for any help as I graduate. I did not do my Master's with Walden because they did not have a Master's in Nutrition. My recruiter did everything to get me into their bridge program to take requirement classes for the Master's in Nutrition program, even though I was 100% sure. The school took time to evaluate my credits, and I thought I could attend before 7/14 for orientation as a new student. I did not get the call until the day of. They would not take two classes they required I had already taken. I disputed the two courses in question, and she felt confident that they would take them and urged me to start. They put me in a chemistry and lab class late that evening. I felt rushed in and DID NOT get any new student orientation. I felt lost in the class because I had no student support to use their system. I asked for help from the professor, who told me she does not do office hours but can message her. Unfortunately, messaging takes time to get a response from a professor online when you need assistance on which chapters to read for the homework. I called technical support over 8 times during 4 days, asking how to use the system to find lecture material and an ebook. I was told my student counselor would contact me to help me, who was out of the office, and the replacement could only do so much. After numerous attempts, I could not get into the lab. I was done after calling technical support, which could not help either. I ask to drop the course that week. Of course, the only who could was not back until the following Monday. After email, voicemail, and requesting a supervisor (your student counselor handles financial aid as well), I finally contacted the student service advisor. After expressing my extreme frustration with the system and not being able to complete the work for the week because I could not navigate it and get no help, nor get into the lab because there was no instructor access key; this was the ONLY reason why I asked to drop it immediately. I had such an easy and wonderful experience at Walden University. They helped with their online set with an orientation and student advisor. I was told I would be charged over $1250 plus for those days. It is their policy. Is it not their policy to help support their student, mainly their new student, on how to use their system and class structure? I got no help,no support and no call back. I did just get email from a supervisor who could not call me after asking to speak to one since Monday and told I have pay over $1200 and be sure to set up a payment plan or go to collection. No time to call me back! I found this online system to be chaotic, unsupportive once you are in. I am so disappointed in this school. Business before integrity. I didn't waste anyone time in the class or student service because I couldn't get anyone to call me back or help me. Please do your homework. I had a horrible, low-standard experience, and now I have to pay $1200 for it! I REALLY WANTED TO MAKE IT WORK FOR ME TO GO TO LINKS OF TRYING TO GIVE IT THE BENEFIT OF THE DOUBT SHOWS HOW BAD THE ONE WEEK WAS! Do better for the prospective student looking to continue their education. One star is generous. FYI: I COULD NOT FINISH THE REST BECAUSE IT WAS TO LONG FOR GOOGLE REVIEW. I WILL POST ON TIK TOK TO HELP OTHER NEW STUDENT BEFORE MAKING A DECISION YOU...

Please, let me begin with explaining that I experience no pleasure in writing this. If you feel as if I am just another "unhappy" student, because things didn't go my way, I invite you to read some of my previous reviews. That way you can see that I'm big on personal responsibility when I am in the wrong. Im also huge on giving positive when it stands out. Im pretty fair, but I'm not perfect either. This is only written, however, as a fair warning to those thinking of attending this "university."

The fact that this school is working its way to challenge the likes of Hardvard and its "Cool Kids Only Club" cost is laughable to say the least. For class #1, just $2,400 (that's after DISCOUNTS). Right out of the gate this "christian" institution of higher learning wants to show you just how much Jesus loves you. Let that marinate for a second.

The staff here at GCU is poorly trained (being no fault of their own) and expected to handle financial aid, on top of serving as student enrollment and guidance counselors. I had to fill out my Financial Aid paperwork THREE to FOUR times, all because my counselor kept misplacing everything, or the secret financial aid agency accidentally deleted them.

By the way, my financial aid did come in on time, however, only because it was already submitted correctly from the first time around. While everything was ok, i was made to think otherwise. Still, I only knew what i knew then, which was that it was lost, in repeat, over and over. Then I'm told that once they receive it, the school holds your money all the way through the end of the third class. I knew I was never told this before because none of my previous requests and conversations would have made sense (they acknowledged time and time again as to my need for the stipend). Also as evidence, was how aggressive and committed my counselor became when I would emphasize the need that I had for the stipend money, being in my situation.

If I "was told," then why wasn't I ever repeatedly reminded "But hey student, we can make this priority #1, not a problem. Just remember, that this still won't help your immediate situation. You wouldn't get the check for a couple of more months, were we to even get it today. With that being said, you may need to work on a plan B." No, those were never words spoken. Every call to action was handled, as if they were working on getting it out to me rapidly, no past their legal 14 day window.

The red flags continue, dont worry. This one adds to why they justly charge the amount thy do. They have made their Financial Aid Office completely unreachable. You can't call them or email them. You won't be given their number. Yes, their F.A.O. is a shadow organization, who sends you stipends in the form of paper checks, rather than via direct deposit like other, more logical schools do (and others don't charge you as much either).

Of course, the longer GCU holds your money in their bank coffers, the more the more interest they accrue for their financial benefit. This allows them to add a little extra cash cushion, for their already, well-fed financial cushion. Just know, the dean and his buddies are all living very well. This, on top of the cost they throw at you, with no justifiably good reason. But don't worry, when it's time for you to PAY THEM, this process is made easy and fast. Just put your debit or credit card on file and they will auto-charge your bank, that way, they don't have to wait for a check. A check could potentially be sent to an incorrect address do to human error. We wouldn't want GCU to wait for their money. They direly need it. They can't stand to wait two weeks for the post office to deliver.

Take what you will from this. Run with it or don't. That's on you. If finances are a huge concern for you, for whatever reason, turn and run. You'll see rhat the service does not...

I wish I could give the NO stars. Stay clear of Grand Canyon University on-line program. I started in their Early Childhood program to get my Masters. I was there for only a week and they kept telling me my financial aid haven’t came through yet because I owe $1 from my undergraduate program. I had decided after starting the class that I did not like the program. I was misinformed or never told that I couldn’t withdraw out of the program after a week. I assumed like MOST major university that you have a certain time period to withdraw or drop/add. NO not at Grand Canyon. I was told, after emailing them, to inform them I no longer wanted to continue in their program (AFTER ONE week) that I would owe them the total amount of the class $1400 for an INTRODUCTION class for their online program. I refused to pay for a class where the professor was not a teacher in Early Childhood but Music. And the other students were teachers from all over the country but did not have any comprehension skills or could not write a proper sentences in the correct contexts. I would not want them teaching my kids. I was so disappointed to be part of a class of EDUCATORS who could not understand the assignments and who decided to do things their own way. My sister-in-law is a middle school teacher for about 26 years and she read some of their comments and paragraphs and she was so disappointed in how they wrote incomplete sentences. I did my assignments as requested by the teacher and I wrote my assignments in the correct grammar. I have worked in the public school system for over 13 years with a degree Business. I decided to get my Masters in Early Childhood Education. Now I have over $1400 on my credit report for a class I attend for a week. I will not pay for the WORST week of my life nor will I pay a UNIVERSITY who misinform people on purpose. I was never told that I could not withdraw if I decide I did not like the program. Please don’t waste your TIME and MONEY on a university who pretends they are a CHRISTIANS college but do underhanded, scandalous, and manipulative things to get you to enroll in their program. I am so glad that my financial aid institution did not release the money to them. That was a BLESSING in disguise. That was truly God’s way of protecting and keeping me from making the biggest mistake in my life. Now they are ruining my credit with this debt. I will not pay for incompetent teachers, students and counselors. So please don’t attend this “Christian” University because they don’t understand the true meaning of that...