I graduated from the Online Program January 2018 with a degree in Management with a Concentration in leadership. I've been using my projects submitted from the last 2 years as writing samples for employers and so far they have had no problem with that. I also wrote some projects based on my current job which helped me so much because I was able to further master my own skills while also receiving course credit. Now I can turn around and use these very same projects as proof to employers that I'm a worthy candidate! read more

This school is cheap for a reason: To provide affordable education. That being said, the sources that were used for their MBA were very poor in nature. I felt like I could write better than those authors. They couldn't hold my interest. Good luck to those that want to try them. read more

A great, affordable way to go back to school for your MBA degree online! After requesting information from about 10 different schools, I decided to stick with Patten. They offer various focuses including finance, economics, etc. but given my background I wanted to spread out my knowledgebase by choosing strategic management. Some people will fight me for the rest of my life about online schools not offering the same quality of education as sitting in a classroom. But given my situation this was the best option. Patten has developed a platform that is easy to navigate, and is specially designed so that students can work at their own pace! My program is 12 classes, three credits each, 36 credits total. Let's say I am extremely efficient at one subject, I can work through all of the units, resources, practice quizzes, homework assignments, tests, and the final and move on to the next course without having to wait for a whole class. And in defense, let's say something comes up in my life, I can take no more than 30 days off before continuing to be actively working in my courses. I started courses this past Monday, and every week before that I was contacted by my student advisor once a week to check just to make sure I was prepared, giving me tips and vice on how to get ready for the classes. They continue to call you throughout your time, and there is an orientation set up so that you will be able to easily navigate through all of the resources. Your textbooks, video lectures, exercises, projects, and assignments are all built in the platform. There's no need to buy outside text books or e-books online. There is an e-book library where you can access all accredited resources that you need. Now let's compare the price: for full MBA programs, to put it in perspective, post University was asking for $25,000 for the whole degree, University of Phoenix online was asking for roughly 28,000 for the whole degree, and Patten University will roughly cost me $12,000 for the whole degree. Why is this so much less expensive? Well I look at this as a benefit, but Patten university does not accept financial aid. By paying for your education out-of-pocket they are able to offer you a lower cost tuition. In my situation, this is the most ideal way for me to receive my degree. Moving forward, I look forward to keeping in contact with all of my professors as they're extremely efficient at reaching out to students. I understand that some people struggle with taking classes online, but since I am also prospecting full-time careers, if I do end up relocating somewhere I can take these classes anywhere I want! I am not restricted to a campus. read more

I love Patten and I think more people will if they stop trying to make it workch the way other colleges work. They don't accept financial aid but they also have affordable payment plans and will work with your employer if you have tuition reimbursement. There's no debt and there's not hiked-up cost. The programs are self-paced and you take one class at a time. There are NO DISCUSSION FORUMS, which means your grade depends on one exam and one project. There are other assignments but they're very time-consuming and I have never done any of them since the challenge track lets you cut right to the chase. Patten's online classes have free exam proctoring that is done via webcam, which is very neat. I know some people hate proctoring the way I hate discussion forums but for me this is a PLUS. Patten takes up to 90 transfer credits for a bachelor's degree but they will only accept classes that fit into their rigid degree program. I lost some credits this way but the gains in other areas outweighed the loss so I decided to stick with it. I love that the classes are self-paced and that I only focus on one class at a time. The longest I have had to wait for a project to be graded is 5 days, which isn't bad. You don't get officially registered in the next class until you receive your grade. But you have access to all the coursework for future classes so you can always just work ahead.. My biggest issue with Patten is that the course material is so different from the material on the exam. It makes me really get into the material and not just cram. Still, it's not a great feeling when I feel unprepared for the exams even though I studied. Bottom line: good school, not perfect, but definitely not sales-y and the staff is polite, helpful and knowledgeable. read more

Great school my daughter loves it here . Small and close to home and family. Pass the word try it out

From my experience attending Patten University online, I would not recommend this university for on-line higher education. This is based on three key observations during my experience with Patten. First of all, their billing department is a mess. I was offered a discounted rate and they failed to take the discount and there was a lot of back and forth before it was resolved. That was a pain! Secondly, most, not all of their professors were not supportive or available to discuss the content. That was disappointing because only one of their professors actually performed like an educator. My third point reflects on how their program is structured. Pattend decided what courses you take based on the degree path you choose, not you. Overall, I think there's potential here but unless they improve their billing department, raise the performance of their educators and revise the program structure, I do not recommend Patten University. read more

Based on the review above from Kayleen, I have to say that the hard work part is accurate but not the scam part. I am a very hard worker and I passed all of my exams and projects within the passing rate. Graduate school demands a full time workload and devotion of your time whether online or not. Just because you get into a program doesn't mean it is easy. The accreditation is awarded because it is a challenging program. Unlike traditional graduate programs where you need to take an entrance exam, these programs accept everyone but that doesn't mean everyone has the aptitude to pass and graduate. I was really happy with my experience in the MBA Program at Patten University. It broadened my understanding and knowledge of business and current events, increased my critical thinking abilities, business ethics, analytical abilities, communication skills, understanding of new technologies that are being used in various functional areas, improved my quantitative skills and research skills. As a result, I have achieved my academic goals because of this university and got a really great job where I am using all of the skills that I have learned in this program. This program was utterly satisfying and I had far fewer headaches and more independence than if I had chosen another university or program. This university has a lot of talented instructors in their MBA program and they really helped to develop me so I feel really proud of that. I have developed and gotten so much out of this program and with the exchanges from my instructors and student advisor. I had time to focus on each course and to grow in my capabilities. This program has led me to some really wonderful opportunities and promotion due to the business skills and experience that I have gained. My student advisor Lindsay was so supportive and I would always share great news with her about my course progress through calls and e-mails. Be prepared to put in a full time schedule if you start this MBA program and read a lot. However you will come out of it learning so much like I did! I was always given very accurate information about the program and that has helped me as I look back on it. The staff have all held a high degree of integrity and I have always been told the truth, so I only had good experiences from a very supportive faculty. I have nothing but good things to say about this school and program. read more

Online This is a challenging program at least for my Bachelors degree. Classes are engaging and instructors are very helpful ( except my Physics class). There is a very high degree of credibility in as much as the actual student is monitored and the one doing the test work. At first I thought it was overkill but as I continued I appreciated this was not just a degree mill. I have had friends (some attending top universities) and there was no monitoring on who was actually taking the tests. I am attending to complete a degree I started 30 years ago. I was a bit upset that about 30 of my credit hours were not accepted however I did check with other universities and this was consistent. Another reason I chose Patten was the affordable tuition. I do not qualify for and type of aid so this was a determining factor. I have taken 19 classes and have 3 left. If you are self motivated and have the desire this is a great choice. read more

I am coming up on the end of my first term at Patten. LOVE LOVE LOVE it! I'm a working mom - have two jobs and three kids - and the Patten model works perfectly with my life. The self paced format is perfect for people with busy lives. At one point in this term I took a few weeks off and it didnt affect anything...or I can work like crazy and knock a class out in no time. The challenge option is great for people who might already have knowledge of the subject and want to just do the class project and final exam or you can do the whole class with all the assignments. This program is not 'easy'....they really do expect you to know the material and understand the subject....but I find I am learning more in these classes (and retaining the information) than I did in previous schools. If you're a busy person looking for an online program that is affordable and flexible I would definitely recommend checking into Patten. read more

One of the worst mistakes I have ever made. The coursework was way to time consuming, and I believe it was set up so that you cannot finish a course in a timely manner, thus ensuring them more money. You can only take one class at a time, and it takes you forever to get through the classes. Think about it, the longer it takes you, the more they make. Be prepared to read, read, read, then take many quizzes before being able to attempt a final project, and finally an exam. I enjoy learning. I do not mind a heavy caseload either, but when you get to the final project-report, it is obvious that an outside party grades it, and that they do not have a clue. If you are able to score at least a 70% on the final project, you move on to the exam. On the final exams you will have to guess at most of the answers, because they do not even resemble any of the material in the reading you have done, or the quizzes. They are obviously written by an outside source. I have taken courses at other colleges, and never have I had such a discouraging and frustrating experience. You CANNOT move on to another class, until you pass the one you are in, and it is nearly impossible to pass. THE EXAM MATERIAL IS NOT TAKEN FROM THE MATERIAL YOU ARE REQUIRED TO READ. I took four classes, and every single one was a crap shoot when you got the the final exam. I was stressed the entire term, because there was nothing I could study to help me, since the exams don't follow the quizzes, or the course material. I recently took a Film History class, Film History should be a relatively easy class. I read an entire text book, took all the quizzes- at least 8 of them. Then spent 12 hours researching, and writing a report on Gone With The Wind. I received a 50%. I spent 4 more hours rewriting the report, and addressing every issue the grader had critiqued me on. I submitted it-and received a 53%. Fifty three percent, on a report I had spent 14 hours on. Not only is that total BS, but I was told the only choice I had, was to wait out the term, and take the class over. I spent $1400 that term, and I was told to wait it out-while continuing to pay. No thank you. I will be filing a complaint with the BBB regarding the deceitful business practices I encountered while taking classes at this institution. This place is a SCAM...save your money, and attend a college that is really there to help you get a degree. read more

This is the worst experience of my academic career. I was shaky on this school to begin with but the price was really low, and with low price comes come awful service and poor academics. I had a project due submitted it and it was returned to me 4 times for revision which is fine if they had actually given me any helpful feedback on what needed revised. After complaining I finally got someone to call me and go over what needed revised, I did the revision and resubmitted just to have it returned to me again because the evaluator couldn't figure out which submission needed evaluated. A comedy of errors, from a comedy of a school. Bugs Bunny university is what they should call this school. read more

Very disappointing experience with Patten University. I got enrolled in MBA program and I was told by their enrollment counselor (Steven Wallace) that my enrollment fee was waived, and if I withdraw my application before my course schedule starts I won't be charged anything. For some reasons I ended up withdrawing my enrollment way advance than the schedule will start. I got an email that I have to pay my enrollment fee ($100). After spending a lot of time with the student counselor (Steven Wallace) and different persons from their account department, I was still getting the same email every few days. First they said their was some problem within different sections and there are notes in their computer from the account section about not to charge any amount. Later the statements started changing, and I got an email from Glenda (someone from their account section) stating: "Your enrollment fee was not approved to be waived so you are responsible to pay it. " This means whatever they say before you sign up / enroll has absolutely no meaning once you get enrolled. I believe they try to get every penny from your pocket they can by hook or by crook. Malpractice seems a norm over there, that's the PATTEN UNIVERSITY's true face. Be aware if you are considering to enroll in any of their programs. Do a little research, and you'll find if their accreditation is any surety anymore. I am going to file a complaint against them at Better Business Bureau (BBB). You'll also find a lot of positive feedback about them, mainly by their own paid agents. Only experience will tell you what you'll be dealing with. I still feel lucky that I won't be a part of this FRAUDULENT institution (PATTEN UNIVERSITY). read more

I was and am stil happy to go to Patten. My transfer credits and placement scores made sure I didn't have to take dumb-kid math again..I am hoping to continue until I graduate with my Bachelors. PS, the admissions counselors were very helpful. read more

I'm employed full-time and volunteer on weekends, I thought Patten's online program would meet my needs. As I explained to Jennifer: I do not want to talk to anyone over the phone, let me register and do the work. Jennifer dropped my application, their online program is not 100% online. I am now enrolled in a public university without any phone calls and can complete my courses completely online. read more

UPDATE: So, I am dropping my rating of Patten University down a star for the following reason. The course material and study units cover the concepts thoroughly so students can grasp the knowledge needed for the subjects but, sadly, the final exams for all the courses have random questions that do not reflect what you have studied. I have spoken with other students and they all agree. One test had such a random questions that I was compelled to go back to through the study material because I was sure they were not included. I found them, but they were literally one sentence out of hundreds of pages and not the main focus of the concept or topics. It is as if whomever created the final exams scanned through the study material without knowing the concepts themselves and picked random little sentences to make exam questions on. Another problem I have had is for the people who grade the final projects. I have gotten a score of zero because the instructions said to use 30% of reference material and the grader, in their opinion, thought I used 45%. Either way a zero is extreme considering the 30% was there and everything else was included. There is really nothing you can do about these grades other than retake the course which, in the long run, will cost you more money. read more

Would have given it 5 stars if they hadn't changed their policy on number of required classes taken during a semester. The self paced curriculum was why I originally chose Patten. I'll see how it it goes and if it's not possible to complete the required courses while working full time and raising a family, I'll have to look for an alternative school to complete my degree. The interaction with advisers and professors has been above my expectations and the subject content is pertinent to today's business world. read more

Hmmm. I started in October, and I'm about to start my fourth course. Everyone has been very helpful, and my papers have come back graded in less than a week. So...I don't want to be afraid that something is going to go hay wire closer to achieving my degree as someone mentioned, but my experience has been great so far. They transferred in a ton of credits from my community college degree. read more

I wouldn't recommend this online school. The professor was not very helpful and the deceptive billing was a distraction. I already hold a M.S. and this was the worst example I have ever experienced. Try another school. read more

I'm a student in their online mba program and to be honest I wasn't sure what it would be like but it really exceeded my expectations. First of all just because it is online doesn't mean the quality is less, in fact I'm able to really focus on the course readings and it has been challenging. I went to a traditional university for my BA degree and it was okay but I can vouch from actually going through their program that it is top quality and masters level courses. There's nothing easy about it. Critics will say otherwise because either they aren't a student and have no idea or they are being judgmental without a full understanding of what you really learn. I love the fact that I'm getting an excellent education and will graduate debt free. And if you are serious about business then getting the degree is only half the battle but what you do with it. I feel confident that I can apply for roles which require an MBA. And the instructors and student advisors and website are student friendly and easy to navigate with less frustrations than other online programs. These exams are proctored and projects are required as well as assignments which receive feedback. If you are not sure I hope my review helped in your decision. I'm a believer in this program because I actually went through it. I am planning on applying for doctorate programs now. read more

I was knowingly given fraudulent information in order to enroll in school in here. I believe Patten uses the "self pace" motto in order to deceive and not take responsibility for their deception. They tell you one thing over the phone and then once you have signed a contract and begin class, everything they said before doesn't apply. It seems to be a bate and switch situation. Only Patten reps know how much coursework, tests, and quizzes they have for each course. I felt that because they know this, it's not unreasonable for me to take what they say as accurate. This company has been dishonest with other students and seems to be a common practice. There staff refuses to acknowledge my request and do not stand by the info that their staff provides. They defrauded me into attending this school and now refuse to refund me and are trying to charge me over $2000 for 4 weeks. I would not recommend this school and if anyone does decide to attend I would recommend getting everything they say in writing. they will not take responsibility for the comments or false info their staff provides. I should've checked bbb before dealing with this school. read more