I wish to submit that the previous reviewer's opinion is valid, but there needs to be counterpoint…read moreto it. As an undergrad ('11) and graduate alum ('13) of Springfield College (SC), I would like to offer that counterpoint. As an aside to the main issues in the review, It is important to note that the "disorganization" referred to was due, in part, to a very serious health issue, leaving something of a void at the top of the administration for a short time. No excuses, but it is worth considering.
As a private college, SC's tuition is high, relative to other colleges in the Houston area, agreed. However it is important to consider differing factors when comparing costs among schools. The Houston campus is a satellite of the main campus in Springfield, MA. SC does not own the building it utilizes as a local campus, whereas U of H owns its buildings and other properties. This adds to the costs a satellite campus incurs. While one may feel that the tuition is not commensurate with other local schools, the tuition is commensurate with its main campus which is commensurate with like-schools. Moreover, a lack of knowledge locally of a particular school is not noteworthy as I'm certain many local college students are unaware of other schools within the NCAA that are equivalent to U of H, such as Northeastern or Holyoke, Amherst - all reputable colleges unlikely to be familiar to a Houstonian. I offer this as a counterpoint to whether a school's popularity or familiarity should be relevant in a review. If you are considering SC, or any other college for that matter, I suggest considering US News & World Report's annual ranking of colleges, where a more reliable barometer of a school's potential to fit one's degree plan may be found, given that this particular platform (Yelp) is better suited for considering restaurants on the weekend than for considering something with long-term value such as a college education.
SC, Houston campus is specifically geared towards the adult learner who succumbed to one of life's many distractions, such as kids, work, military obligations, or caring for an ill loved one, and who may have had to abandon their pursuit of a college degree. I would agree that there are some students enrolled who may not be as prepared as others to pursue, or to restart their pursuit of, a college degree. This specific campus was established to give those willing to work for a college degree the opportunity to do just that. However, to suggest that there are students who are essentially not qualified to be there is egregious, irresponsible, and casts a negative light on an institution that has maintained a reputation and that has garnered respect from academics for nearly two centuries. While one is unlikely to find many 20-somethings attending the Houston campus, it is fair to suggest that by the age of 20-something, many have already gone to college and graduated, started college but were affected by one or more of the previously suggested distractions, or the student may have encountered financial difficulties or realized they weren't "ready" at that time. I point to myself as an example of one who started college right out of high school in 1985, but did not complete my degree until 2011 after Springfield offered the right set of circumstances for me to do that.
What the adult learner will find is SC is fully accredited nationally, not just locally (as some Houston colleges are). Also, it is designed to work with your schedule, within reason. In addition to a f/t job, I had to sacrifice church twice a month plus any family outings that occurred on the weekends I was not in class. But I EARNED my degrees, both of them; nothing is written off and no one is given the benefit of the doubt based on likeability or degree of difficulty away from the classroom.
A final point; the concept is geared specifically towards "adult learners" and virtually suggests that it is unlikely you will be classed with a 20-something as it's generally accepted that demographic would not find the curriculum and lack of fraternities and sporting events to their liking. While a 20-something will get the same degree as that of an older adult learner, it is unlikely the campus offers the amenities or intensity a younger learner may be seeking from a college, based solely on the reputation of the so-called 'college experience.' I would also suggest that before publically disparaging any college or its enrollment practices, look in the mirror. If the reflection offers spelling and grammatical errors, one might consider more preparation for one's self before denouncing any other students' abilities or likelihood, based on age or diversity, to be successful at SC. Also, personal experience is more valuable than grapevine (I heard...) regurgitations.
