The University of Texas - Arlington

I am attending the online RN to BSN nursing program at UT Arlington. UTA has outsourced their online nursing and education departments to StateU.com, who provide the "academic coaches" to aid the instructors so the courses can have a higher student load and UTA can make more money. The the existence of these coaches allows the school to forbid students from contacting their professors by any means about anything in the course (except problems with the academic coaches). If you have any questions about anything, you must refer them to the coaches.

The coaches supplied by StateU.com rarely make any effort to help, referring students repeatedly back to assignment instructions and syllabi. I have never witnessed a coach render actual advice about material to a student who had a problem, and I imagine many people have failed courses, just because no one would explain a couple concepts.

Though I have a very good GPA, it is simply because I work alone. Looking at class forums where fellow students voice questions they have, I feel bad for students who are good students, but just need a little teacher time to thrive. They are given nothing but commands to refer back to assignment instructions.

Most of the courses in the RN-BSN program are repeats of info from my community college ADN program. I have learned new things in my "Community Nursing" class and "Nursing Research", but otherwise, I am paying UTA $10,000 for the slip of paper saying "Bachelor of Science". Nothing else. If you want to progress in your field, this program will mostly only prevent it, wasting your time and discouraging you as you realize you are just another number in their degree-mill.

1st Year Male -- Class 2012

Innovation: C, Education Quality: F

UTA is strictly in business to make money and that is it. I lived in both a dorm and apartment complex, and the latter was significantly better. UTA treats its dorm students as second class citizens. The older dorms are in extreme disrepair. Never having been upgraded or remolded since their conception.

I was a science major so labs that went along with lecture were the norm. What shocked me was how poor in quality the TA's were who taught the lab. In the Geology department TA's were often fellow undergraduates who played favorites and grades were decided on friendships or who slept with who. I was a Geology major and when graduation came near I realized that they didn't teach me anything relative or even useful for the oilfield which is where all Geology graduates end up unfortunately. The department also lied about the type of jobs available and pay, but that is the norm for all colleges today.

Crime is a huge issue at UTA. For example each dorm typically has 10-15 bikes stolen every year. Often several stolen in a day! Which begs the question? Why is there no cameras installed and put up to catch license plate numbers... Obviously when 6 bikes are stolen in one night. They probably threw them in the back of a truck. Walking alone at night on the edges of campus is risky and sirens can be heard at all hours of the night. I read the long list of crime alerts in the newspaper daily to remind myself to be careful.

It seems like everything is a fight with UTA. From getting registered with classes to just getting approved to graduate. I was constantly having to talk to different offices to get permission to take required classes. I chose UTA due to location and economic reasons. If I had to do it again I would definitely try and avoid UTA and college in general. Enrollment has increased by 8,000 in just two years. When 400-500 biology majors walk the stage every semester how is finding a decent job sustainable.

I could rant for hours on the issues with UTA. It is no longer the cheap bargain it once was. I loved the sister community college TCC, but became bitter from seeing UTA destroy so many lives with debt and lack of skills/education received to find a decent job.

2nd Year Male -- Class 2011

University Resource Use/ spending: B-, Education Quality: F