These days there are many colleges and universities that offer online degrees. This is a good thing since it dramatically increases access to higher education for many people who would otherwise be locked out of the traditional model. For the most part these are people who have been out of school for a few years and work full-time and now need to earn a degree for their career. The traditional model of higher education has ignored these people for many years. After all, once you are in a position where you have to work full-time, it’s not like you can just quit your job and return to college to study full-time. Online learning has changed everything. Now working adults can easily balance both work and homework at the same time.
If you are currently looking into your options for earning a degree online, you might have discovered a school known as the American Public University and wondered whether it’s a good school to earn your degree through. Let’s take a look at the school’s history, accreditation and other attributes to see how it measures up.
American Public University Reviews
American Public University (APU) was established in 1991 and has its main offices in Charles Town, West Virginia and additional offices in Manassas, Virginia. The school was created to increase access to higher education and to offer degree programs that traditional universities didn’t offer.
American Public University is structured as a for-profit university. This means the school is structured a little differently from most colleges and universities in the nation which are typically non-profit entities. For-profit schools, in contrast, generate revenue for their owners. Who are the owners of APU? As it turns out, the school has many owners since it’s a publicly traded company. APU is owned by American Public Education, Inc. and is traded on the New York Stock Exchange under the symbol APEI.
Being structured as a for-profit school isn’t necessarily a bad thing. As long as the school has proper accreditation, its degrees can be used for the same purposes that degrees from traditional schools can be used for. APU degrees can be used for employment purposes or for admission to graduate degree programs at other schools.
American Public University Address
111 W Congress St
Charles Town, West Virginia 25414
(304) 728-8737
American Public University Federal School Code
The APU federal school code is: 03819300.
American Public University Online Degrees
APU has come a long way in a very short period of time. Today the university offers many different degree programs from an assortment of associate’s degrees to many different master’s degree programs. American Public University online degrees are offered in a format that’s known as “asynchronous.” This simply means that you do not have to be at your computer at specific times to participate in class activities. You can access your online classes during times that are convenient for you.
American Public University Tuition
The American Public University tuition is surprisingly affordable. It is surprising because APU is a for-profit university and these schools typically have very high tuition. It is also surprising because the APU tuition is lower than many online state colleges and universities that offer online degree programs. APU currently charges $250 per credit hour for undergraduate studies and $325 per credit hour for graduate studies.
Is American Public University Accredited?
Is American Public University accredited? The short answer is….yes, it is. APU is accredited by one of the six regional accrediting agencies in the United States. These regional accrediting agencies oversee all of the big-name schools in the nation, including the Ivy League schools. A college or university only has to be accredited by one of the six agencies… not all six at once. The APU accreditation definitely checks out.
Is APU Right For You?
American Public University is a great option for many people. It is an ideal option for those who need a college degree to obtain a promotion at work or to change careers. An APU degree is probably not going to be your best option, however, if you intend to break into academia as a college professor. Colleges and universities usually hire their professors from traditional schools.