Prescott College — Local services in Prescott

RUN AWAY quickly if you’re considering the online Clinical Mental Health Graduate degree program and value integrity, education, and justice. By far one of the lowest quality “educational” experiences I’ve ever had. Please do your research and check out other programs, because this one isn’t in alignment with its mission statement. For the high price tag and low quality, save your time, money, and mental health, because this isn’t the place.

During recruitment, they’ll point out the statistics about students’ exam passing percentages, but I urge you to look more closely at the program completion rates…. It’s low and for a reason. With the acceptance rate being high, for a reason.

Also, from what I witnessed, faculty and staff retention within the program was laughable. Not sure how this program is still accredited, because the number of professors I witness come and go appeared rather high.

This is a business and poorly run at best. Once deemed the school that “won’t die”, but in my opinion probably should.

The infrastructure lacks the necessary resources to provide quality, thus leaving the students with subpar book recommendations with irrelevant material, a lack of support from both faculty and staff, along with mind numbingly boring and pointless forum posts with several courses including the SAME 4 question prompt. The same four questions people, in several courses and with different professors. It seems lazy and when I pointed that out to the former associate Dean of the department and self proclaimed “gatekeeper”, who ironically could be used as case study on ethics in regards to her clinical work, got rather defensive of said questions in question.

The professors nor cohort have the capacity to connect despite it being a helping profession. There are those that try their best; however, unfortunately, this system doesn’t appear to assist anyone, not even those on the payroll.

So, again if you value quality and education look elsewhere, because this isn’t it, from what I’ve experienced.

If you value critical thinking, run faster. So many of my peers voiced being “afraid” to speak up about anything from fear of “punishment” by others including faculty, staff, and students due to the brainwashed institutionalized “woke” ideologies being forced upon them. No conversation just condemnation…. Huh doesn’t sound like justice to me.

And if that isn’t enough, ask them about how they manage their finances. Your tuition is being used to support the development of several other programs in a seemingly unsustainable way, but hey one of the buildings got a new paint job.

Perhaps the undergraduate experience is better, but I’ve heard grievances and complaints about administration not addressing issues and concerns, but am unable to speak on that.

What I can speak on is how it appears as though this program’s approach is unethical and unsupportive if you don’t fit into their academic boxes. They say you have flexibility and freedom, but you don’t. If you question anything, one runs the risk of punishment by the “gatekeepers”. They are the game masters and one must abide by their rules despite how nonsensical and contradictory they may seem. Authoritarianism?

This program doesn’t appear to facilitate quality counselors. Those that can write a 10-12 page academic paper aren’t necessarily the ones that make for quality counselors. If you actually care about the counseling field, consider practically any other program out there besides this one. Trust me, you’ll be glad you looked elsewhere.

Edit: for fun, I recommend checking out the college’s tax filings on the IRS website. Prescott College is a private school with nonprofit status. Here’s their EIN: 86-0294012 Check out how much they paid for marketing. I wonder if they spent a fraction of that on cybersecurity. By the way, while also enrolled, there was a security breach that compromised sensitive data which is more than likely being sold on the dark web. Thanks Prescott College glad you could pay your head of...

I felt compelled to write this review after reading the last two negative reviews about Prescott College. I have been enrolled in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling program since the fall of 2021, and my experience has been generally positive. As a non-traditional student, I have appreciated the program's focus on preparing students for their counseling licensure. Reflecting on my time at Prescott, I can confidently say that the college’s emphasis on equipping students for this career path is genuine and effective.

It’s true that online programs can sometimes feel tedious due to engagement requirements, but I’ve found that the experience is truly what you make of it. As someone who worked full-time while pursuing my degree, the flexibility and asynchronous nature of the classes were crucial. This structure allowed me to complete coursework on my own schedule, often late at night, while still engaging with peers through group projects and online discussions. The balance worked well with my lifestyle.

The faculty at Prescott have been consistently engaged, compassionate, and creative. While not every instructor was my favorite, I only had one negative experience throughout my time in the program. The vast majority of the professors I worked with were impressive, inspiring, and deeply supportive. I am grateful for this master’s program, which made it possible for me to earn my degree while continuing to work full-time.

Coming from a large state school in undergrad, I was struck by the level of support I received at Prescott. From the registrar to the Financial Aid office, the staff was attentive and helpful, a stark contrast to my experience at a bigger institution. As an out-of-state student, I was able to visit the campus in person, and I was pleasantly surprised by what I found. Prescott’s campus is a hidden gem, a small, historic liberal arts college nestled among the boulders of Prescott. As a geology enthusiast, I always make time to visit the Grand Canyon when I’m in the area, and the natural beauty of the region adds to the charm of the college.

Initially, I was concerned that Prescott might not be well-known on the East Coast, but I’ve found that the program has a strong reputation among those familiar with it. In fact, the first counseling facility I was hired at was founded on the West Coast and recognized the quality of Prescott’s program. I also recently passed the CPCE, a requirement for graduation and proof that this CACREP program turns out well rounded students.

The college’s emphasis on social justice and environmental awareness is not just lip service, it’s woven into the curriculum and encouraged in practice. This focus has set Prescott apart from other counseling programs I’ve encountered, and I value the emphasis on systemic change and advocacy.

I highly recommend Prescott College to self-motivated adult students who are looking to earn their master’s degree without putting their lives on hold. If you’re someone who values flexibility, self-paced, supportive environment, and a program that aligns with social justice and environmental values, Prescott is an excellent choice. That said, if you’re looking to build a strong social network during grad school, it may require extra effort, as the program is designed for independent learners. However, I’ve enjoyed getting to know my peers through group projects and have made valuable professional connections along the way.

Overall, my experience at Prescott College has been transformative, and I am grateful for the opportunity to grow both personally and professionally through...

I am a graduate of PC and I want to address a review below of 1 star. The writer of that review implied that PC's paperwork requirements are too difficult AND that it is difficult to graduate in a timely manner. The review also implied it was difficult to get into grad school after PC. All of that is not true in my experience.

As to the first, yes, PC has graduation plans, independent study plans, senior project plans and the like. Yes, they take some time. But they are hardly burdensome and you have a staff that is very accessible to you to help you get it done. If you can not figure it out, it is on you. As to being able to graduate in a timely manner, I graduated in 3 years- I had one year of college already, so that was right on time. And I double-majored and had to complete two senior projects. Graduating on time is doable, if you think ahead and plan well.

As to graduate school, I was admitted into a very competitive grad program direct from PC- the program had 90 applicants for 16 slots when I applied.

PC does have some problems. Some classes are not as academic as I would like, but then, if you are majoring in adventure education, you aren't that academic (not that AE folks aren't smart- just writing papers isn't usually their strong suit). PC has few teachers and some programs lack diversity and advisors can, at times, push students into their pet classes. My first advisor at PC tried to get me to take a writing class, when I already had plenty of writing credits. Unsurprisingly, she was a writing professor. That said, they are minor flaws.

I was happy I attended PC and I still am pleased about it. It was a lovely experience in many ways, even if my orientation was a bit crazy (involved a helicopter evacuation from a canyon because I got ill in the middle of nowhere. But that was not PC's fault and their safety protocols and the training of orientation instructors saved my life). I encourage people to think carefully before you choose PC- it is not for everyone. But PC has amazing staff, good classes and many opportunities to make a difference. I'm proud to...