Grand Canyon University [GCU]
Reviews and Complaints

I am online student I am in Unv 104 Mrs Shanna Hustling she not like to pick on people on her on side. She give her favorite Student good grade and the students she not like give them bad grade she very wrong for that it call a Bully it the true she make .

You guys are absolutely ridiculous. My roommate went to take the hesi and after stressing about it for over a month, studying like no other, and moving her entire schedule around, you guys messed up and overbooked the testing room, causing you to turn people down. She left the room so confused, stressed out and anxious because no one told her what the next steps to take were. You guys are a complete and utter joke of a school and I cannot believe you would allow this to happen. I expect a response and a plan for my roommate because if not I will complain more and to a higher up.

I have attended GCU for 4 years now until getting a new counselor Michele Weber in 3 weeks. I have written emails and phoned her with no call backs the whole month of October. I am not even cleared to start my new class. I cannot get answer from anyone at GCU. I have 5 classes to go and I am really frustrates with GCU. I cannot start my new class

My son is currently at GCU and waits 2 to 3 hours a day for food. They only have shopping mall type fast food places on campus for the students - no traditional style cafeterias like any normal school (no matter how small) and they over-enrolled by about 10, 000 to 15, 000 students on campus, further stressing their already fragile food resources. It's miserable for him and all the students. He truly waits about an hour per meal - time that takes him away from studies, sometimes classes (if he wasn't able to get food at the prior meal time - yes, sometimes having to skip meals because the lines are too long) and all other activities if he hasn't been able to wait for food at the prior meal. I visited him there and I've see the students standing in line like refugees waiting for a handouts. The food is expensive like a mall, or an airport at the few convenience stores on campus and there's not even been orange juice at the only little breakfast place on campus all semester (Fall, 2021). The administration seems completely unconcerned about any of this. Scarce, expensive, poor quality food and a leadership that doesn't care. Too bad they are destroying a Christian based school. We need more of them but they need to remember their mission and embody Christ's care of His followers. We're not expecting miracles like the loaves and fishes or wine from water. We're not asking for charity- we paid for it. They just need to deliver reasonable food like any other institution that's entrusted with the wellbeing of it's young residents. It's a total disgrace and he won't be returning for a second semester.

I earned my degree with nearly perfect grades... but they wont confer the degree that their paper work shows completed.

I wish I was alone in this, but GCU is known for this scam... come here more stories at Facebook on the Grand Canyon University-Scam! page...

I took out a parent plus loan for my daughter it was bad enough the check has taken 2 weeks to get to me in chandler but when I took it to the bank they refused to clear the deposit and have since closed my bank accounts and said my account is with the fraud and loss prevention department and the bank will not give me any information on it I am furious, my paychecks go into that account and they are holding money I had in there and i have zero access to anything. I need to get ahold of channel 3 news.

During Fall Semester of 2020 I had a total of four incidents with GCU Public Safety, where the contact Officer sharply accused me of being a non-student, asked me how I got onto Campus, among various other things. I am told for the majority of cases a single security guard was dispatched, but for these two incidents I'm thinking of six and four Officers responded, hoping to be a part of the action.

I also wrote one of the Deans a standard-issue complaint, he baited me into a big email debate. Eventually he told me that he was going to refer it to Student Conduct. I drafted an affidavit that outlined how my comment was protected by Freedom of Speech since I didn't meet the criteria to be exempt from Freedom of Speech. They sent me a Disciplinary Warning letter anyway, which I consider to be a violation of Freedom of Speech in of itself.

Next, I didn't do so well for Spring. Shall we say I have people looking into that item, but I'm not quite at liberty to say. My SSC notified me I was placed on Academic Suspension. I was reading all these articles for Academic Suspension and appeals, but she told me the matter was "unappealable"

I had to go to exhausting lengths to get the information that Academic Suspension wasn't supposed to start until Fall, which I interpreted to mean September 3...

On August 23, I was using the Computer at GCU Library, I got a nasty letter attached to an email from GCU Internal Review, although the letter itself was apparently from GCU admissions. Now, mind you, my laptop was and is broken so I could not work from home, but on social media I expressed the irony that I was trying to get into the classes I needed at Phoenix College, in compliance with my Academic Suspension.

As I was leaving Campus for the day on my own, a Public Safety officer contacted me on the first floor of Student Union and told me he had heard I wasn't supposed to be on Campus. I told him I had heard that September 3 was the first day of Academic Suspension, but he told me he was told August 23 was the first day. I checked the letter I had gotten from Internal Review today, to be sure. I reminded him that he was not a cop, in which case he had GCUPD come. The Officer told me if I returned to Campus I was going to be arrested for trespassing.

Sickening, ain't it?

I'm not at liberty to say exactly what action I'm taking, but there's a few of them. But I would be interested in talking to a lawyer or the media, if anyone has connections.

To whom it may concern

I'm writing this letter because I am disappointed with my experience in my last two classes at GCU. After, speaking with my Student Counselor whom I adore, she represents the prodigy of GCU ‘s mission. She has been helpful, extremely supportive for the four years since I've been enrolled at GCU.

I've never, ever experienced what I've experienced in these last two classes. Moreover, giving people the benefit of doubt and thinking positive is where I am in my life today. However, after reviewing my account in the student portal I'm disappointed in knowing that my degree program was changed. Additionally, per my Student counselor my paper which was not a CLC assignment was denied grading. I've attached screen shots of my concerns in hopes of someone from GCU leadership team to look into this. I've contacted the appropriate department, spoke to my Student Counselor regarding my concerns.
My accommodation for
My last paper which is attached reflected a due date of August 29, 2021. However per Mercedes, after my professor graded my week 7 assignments the portal closed which changed the assignment due date to the original date. Mercedes created a ticket which she received notification yesterday that due to the type assignment, I will not receive my accommodation. I've attached the assignment and my accommodation.

I hope to receive some assistance with this complaint as I have been working hard and in my personal opinion deserve my paper to be graded and deserve the degree I applied for. Thank you for your assistance in this manner.

Andrea Chandler -Student
You may reach me at [protected] or email me at [protected]@gmail.com

Hi,
I have tried numerous times to contact and communicate with multiple staff memebers at GCU about one of my classes and not being allowed to continue into my junior year at GCU. No matter how many times I try to contact people and let them know what exact times they can call me at or email me they never do. I never get a response through email.
I'm exhausted and just want to continue my classes so I can obtain my degree and be done with this.

I've hit so many dead ends because of lack of responses and being told the wrong information about my class and other things.

If someone could please at least call me or tell the people I've been trying to get ahold of to check their emails please that would be amazing.

My check was stipend on the 19th advisor say it was sent out the next day. Can not get any answers last year it was days and I'm in GA

I completed a Master's Degree program in History at GCU online. I was told that I was not eligible for graduation as my GPA was 2.99 and it had to be 3.0. They want me to take one class over that I got a C in because the professor would not accept my last paper for trivial technical issues. The class would have to be out of pocket for $2500 so I can get .01% of a grade increase. I can't afford this and don't know how I can even get my degree now without doing this.

Good afternoon, I was just informed that the nursing program is going to be requiring the Covid-19 vaccine. A family member of mine is going to be a senior this coming fall. To require a vaccine that is not FDA approved is not acceptable. Grand Canyon University has an obligation to do what is best for their nursing students and this is clearly a poor choice. To have no exemptions for religious beliefs is unacceptable. Everyone has the right to choose wether or not to get the Covid vaccine; including actual nurses today. A great number of nurses today stand by not getting a non FDA approved vaccine. Grand Canyon University should be providing options for their students. Grand Canyon University should be encouraging students to follow their beliefs. Grand Canyon University should be working harder to provide options for both sides of beliefs. It is extremely upsetting to see the poor effort that is being put into the nursing requirements. If this is to continue we will be looking for other options.

How would I go about speaking with someone regarding a formal complaint on the Capstone class for my degree (Masters in Psych with emphasis in Life Coaching)? The problem is that the expectations on the assignments are not clearly stated and the projects completed do not coincide with… anything. The students are being set up for failure. I'd like a full audit of the course to be done. I'm happy to subject my own work for review but I'd like someone to do something about the gaps that exist and make the necessary changes to support the students.
Who would I speak with about this? How can we get some changes made so that my peers and I can excel?

Any help or direction you could provide would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks,

On 4/15/2019 I started my 4th class at Grand Canyon University. Within 3 days I realized I could not attend this university any longer. Due to the class expectations and having zero guidance from professors throughout all classes in the program. This was not what I signed up for and was quite different then what the recruiters had painted. Working full-time as a Registered Nurse and mother of 3 I could not dedicate the 40 plus hours a week these classes were demanding. I had received a scholastic scholarship to Grand Canyon University as I was graduating with honors from Nursing school. I contacted my advisor 4/18/2019 and stated that I wanted to drop from class and program effective immediately. I was told that I should not do that and she would reach out to professor. I had multiple phone conversations with her that week stating if it is money we can use the Pell Grant or Unsubsidized loans, I let her know it was not money but rather my dissatisfaction. I stated the withdraw policy of 1 week was very close, and I was assured this would not be a problem. I tried 5 times to withdraw online with errors every time. The following week I again called and tried to withdraw, she stated she would email me the proper forms. I did not receive until 5/2/2019, which I filled out immediately as I had already enrolled in a new Bachelors in Nursing program. I received phone calls from GCU recruiters every other day trying to encourage me to reenroll in Nursing program. I did not receive any phone calls about a balance owed. I then started receiving bills for $827.76 balance owed, when I reached out to GCU they advised me that my counselor tried to apply my federal pell grant to account which would have "resolved" this, I did not authorize this as I had dropped course. GCU also stated, that they cannot resolve this "but if you reenroll with GCU we will offer a $827.76 scholarship", other than that we cannot resolve this. I was also told that I "should have answered my telephone" and none of this would have happened. I have spent hours speaking with this supposed Christian based University and just continued to be coerced to reenroll or pay balance I do not owe. I also requested transcripts of supposed phone call and email attempts, class transcripts, withdrawal form as well as my invoice with charges and pell grants/loans applied to account which I have still not received. Their system is setup so you cannot withdraw, speaking with counselor in regard to withdraw is ignored, then you are harassed to reenroll in their program or else you owe a balance you are not responsible for. I understand my balance is low but I am filing this based on principle. I called to withdraw, was advised not to withdraw and had to fight to withdraw (absorbing GCU's 1 week policy), was advised my account was in good standing, coerced to rejoin their program or else I owe a balance, and having my credit blemished by their manipulative fiscal games. According to The Grand Canyon University Class Action Lawsuit is Lee Ward v. Grand Canyon Education Inc. d/b/a Grand Canyon University, Case No. 1:17-cv-01749GCU "has adopted practices designed to discourage online students from dropping or withdrawing from courses so that it can prevent students and the federal government from getting refunds, the GCU class action lawsuit alleges." I tried to withdraw multiple times within policy guidelines and was not able, I do not owe GCU a penny and would like this removed from credit bureaus effective immediately. I have attached email communications, class action lawsuit and collections bill.

I graduated from GCU with my Masters and returned for their Doctoral program... I took a break from the E.D program and now owe them 1200 which I fully intend to repay when I return... However, in the meantime they wont release my transcripts for the Masters Degree that is fully paid for.

I feel like Im being punished for returning to the same school. Should have gone somewhere else for my Doctorate so my Masters couldn't be held for ransom.

I have been reaching out to my advisor for two days now about a class that my instructor says I shouldn't be in and I'm failing the class. This is the first class I've come poorly in and from what I was told, I should have had and passed Math 110 first. I feel like I'm being ignored by her, Ciara Kay, and I need this class dropped as soon as possible. There is no way I can pass it because I don't know how to do any of the work and I've had tutoring. Please help.

I read of a lawsuit, Carr v. Grand Canyon University, Inc. I too feel that the university's research continuation courses are unfair. I started my doctoral journey in October, 2014. I completed the coursework for my doctorate in November, 2016. I was under the impressions that I would finish in three, maybe four years. Since the first class, Developing the Research Proposal, I have taken three (3) dissertation courses and nineteen (19) continuation courses. Most of the reason that I have had to take so many courses is because of the lack of response from my first two dissertation chairs, Drs. James Francisco and Kevin Pyatt. I made several complaints via email at the time, . I learned that neither of these chairs were advising me correctly. Both advised me that there was no need for the prospectus and to go straight to the proposal. I have this advise in email and on an audio recording. My current chair, Dr Jason Ward, has been very responsive, and since I started with him in August, 2019, I have made great strides. As of this writing, my study has been submitted to IRB, and I am currently waiting for approval so that I can begin collecting data. I feel like the first two chairs deliberately stalled their responses so that I would have to pay more and more money.

I was given a loan a few years back to attend their online teaching program. The rep gave me all types of information as I was getting ready to start... But after just 3 classes I realized how much they were charging and I was forced to abandon the program. The rep that I worked with gave no correct information so the funds were used for 3 lame disorganized classes that cost 7k each or more? It was just getting ridiculous. So now I have this loan that did nothing for me and I could not finish due to their selling me a loan, instead of helping me with what was best so I could actually complete the course. Over the last few years I spent my time getting back on my feet and doing well, but I still have this useless loan. The interest rates were all wrong as well.

Re: Fraud
GCU took out doctoral loans and claim the loans were return to Citibank/Navient and Navient Loan Services never received the loan. GCU required me to pay them for the tuition even though I did not attend because I had become homeless with my children, my counselor at the time did not hear me, she kept pressuring me to attend and finish. I could not she filled out paper for loans in my name and sent them via email to me. Then, sent an email to me say that they had sent the loans back to "guarantor". For six years, I have been trying to get proof from GCU that they sent the monies back, refused to do so.