I graduated from GCU yesterday! As an online student, I found the portal easy to use and my experience in the College of Education was very positive. I received strong support throughout my journey; from onboarding with Vince to student teaching with Professor Volpe. Even now, I'm continuing to get help with my credential, resume writing, and access to alumni benefits. The only improvements I'd suggest are reducing some of the fees for online students and providing more consistency in academic counselors throughout the program. read more

Grand Canyon University - Colleges & Universities Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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I am a former online student with GCU, and am still facing u issues with the counseling department over a month after withdrawal. They have failed to respond to me or direct me on what to do to get financial aid to the next school I am attending, and have even gone as far as telling me to talk to the very people I can't get in touch with. Not to mention their failure to address my concerns during a moment of crisis, which caused me to fail a class that they claim I owe $822 for. My best advice, AVOID THIS SCHOOL!!! read more

I love the campus here, they have many buildings and lounges to chill, they even have a lounge for corporate students like me taking work classes. There are a lot of restaurants, at least 20. Good ones too,.... Qdoba, Chic Fil A, Pita Jungle, Boba tea, a candy shop... and a few more. I always eat at the street tacos pop up! So good, $3 carne asada, pork or chicken... and it comes w cheese, guacamole, pico, cilantro onion... i always get 3 tacos, carne asada loaded. In a restaurant that would be more for all the toppings! They only take cash or student card. I'm always at the bank getting $20-30 in ones. They know I'm there getting my taco money so we always laugh about it. Now onto the school, everyone I've met is SO NICE. The students and employees give me directions because my class was in the back building from where I park. I weave thru all the football fields and sport fields past the nursing class building, past the library, past the student union, pass the 2 gyms, past the restaurants.... to the computer & engineering building finally. So I was asking directions ALOT. I'll have to get some pics of the cool running track field where everyone sits in sun chairs chilling. That's my fav field and it's right by the taco pop up tent. I love my 2 teachers, they're super nice and helpful. There's a group of program managers assigned to our program who are great. Polite and helpful. One guy is bringing us GC T shirts . That's so sweet. There's a lot of activities here too. Non stop sports on all the fields. Track, football, la crosse, pickleball, handball, batting cages. They also have had music the last couple Friday nights . I might have uploaded a video. There's a ton of firm apt buildings for the degree students. They have a lot of other activities too. I've seen signs and invites for making flower bouquets, banners, singing, bible study, crafts and other type games. There's a ton of student clubs. This school goes above and beyond to make students feel included. The library rep explained how to print a doc for me. You have to get on a website and have funds in your student account. They started me off w 5.00 which I didn't even know. I bought a parking pass to park in a covered garage. There's a LOT of security here.... walking in uniform and not uniform, golf carts watch for us and drive us around. There is a little shuttle bus too. Every entrance has a couple guards. It's like a big safe fenced compound. It's neat looking with lots of purple too! I think they turn out very dedicated and smart students because my class requires technical computer skills but also English, critical thinking, essay writing. They make a thorough curriculum. I do homework every day and I'm only in one class. I would def hire graduates and enjoy friends from Grand Canyon University. It's an amazing place offering a really lovely education experience. And well rounded with student clubs, sports, hang out spots. No reason to leave the campus! Highly recommend taking classes here. read more

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Private. Affordable. Christian. This school is a great fit for many families and we were very pleased with the application and admission process. The classes weren't very challenging, but the food options were great! And the student morale is very positive! read more

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ran into some issues with the financial aid department but I was able to make it to next year where there are no more issues. Thank god.

We were so happy to get a tour of the university. It's been a busy senior year for our child, so it almost didn't happen. We were greeted by the security up front, and they were very informative on where to park and which building to go to. The campus is clean, very well-kept, and has lots of food choices. I was impressed with the academics and all the types of clubs a student can go into, especially one that fits into the major they are applying for. I'm sure, like every school, not everything there is going to check everyone's box, but I was impressed with what was there, and time will only tell if that was a good choice for our child. read more

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I was working for a private school in California. They offered tuition help for being a Christian school. I was a first year teacher and online student. Sounds great at first.... I got my credential and masters through GCU. They claim to help you and support you while keeping the cost low. Let me tell you... the hoops I have had to jump through to graduate is ridiculous. They claim to help you transfer materials from AZ to CA but nope that's wrong! There are fees that make no sense. The turn over rate for teachers and advisors should be a red flag in its self!! It's expensive and the private loan they put you on to "help"... PAY IT ASAP that daily interest adds up QUICK!!! This school is no help and I was lucky enough to pass the required exams but I know many people that have spent years trying to pass the required tests. I caught them in a lie and now the emails they send you of when you need to have these tests passed by has changed. I still have screen shots of old wording. I have so much more to say but let this be a warning! read more

First time, I took my son there for school and I saw 3 drug deals in the parking garage, 2 boys fighting and several other things that question the decision to let him go there. Then there are the dorms which are really dirty looking. The price is twice the price of a normal university. They also force the kids to take a religious class that cost over 900.00. There were more issues there that told us that it might be called a christian school it does not act like one. To force students to pay for a class that has nothing to do with their degree to me is theft. These kids will have a major bill to pay as it is now you add in over 900.00 to it for a class not needed tells you that all they care about is money read more

I think the advisors do a terrible job at explaining things to people. I certainly lived to regret following the advice I received.

Based on my experience, I would encourage prospective students to explore other programs before committing. There are less expensive options that offer stronger instruction and support. I chose this program because it was the only hybrid option I found. In hindsight, I wish I had attended Northern Arizona University instead. The program is largely self-study, especially in the foundational science courses, and I did not feel the level of instruction matched the cost. I escalated my concerns through administration and was essentially told that this model is working as intended. Based on my experience, I would recommend looking elsewhere. There are more affordable programs that provide stronger instruction, better support, and a more structured learning experience. read more

Grand Canyon University has been a great experience for me, especially as a working mother. The classes are structured in a way that makes them easy to follow and manageable, even with a busy schedule. I never feel overwhelmed, and the layout of the courses makes it easier to stay organized and confident in my progress. What really sets this experience apart is the support system. Dr. Jessica Whiteside has been amazing throughout my journey. She consistently checks in, offers encouragement, and makes sure I feel supported every step of the way. It's rare to have someone who genuinely cares about your success and takes the time to recognize your efforts. Because of both the program structure and the support from staff like Dr. Whiteside, I've been able to stay motivated and continue pushing forward. I would definitely recommend Grand Canyon University to anyone looking for a flexible and supportive learning environment. read more

James Lanza worked with me to discover whether or not GCU was the university I would attend. Even though I ultimately did not choose GCU, James and Jared were both incredibly helpful and provided what I needed to make educated and informed decisions. Any lack of communication was on me and James had a personal event take place that needed his personal attention. Our family have 3-4 current GCU students on campus and they love the education they are receiving. Thank you for hiring competent and caring staff such as James Lanza and Jared Hagar. read more

I was surprised at how small the campus was but it was very nice. My son came here for a discovery weekend where new and upcoming students can experience college life by staying the weekend at the dorms and having activities planned. The staff were very welcoming and friendly. The campus was beautiful with track fields and different sports was going on this past weekend including a girls softball game. I love the vibes of the school. The entrance to the garage parking lot has security and the were able to guide us to the building for check in. read more

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Worst school experience of my life! If I could give this university -100 stars, I would. The Student Services and Financial Aid staff made my life incredibly difficult throughout 2024. Prior to that, I loved attending GCU, which is why I returned to earn my second master's degree. Unfortunately, my experience completely changed, and I would not recommend this university to anyone. read more

They lied about being a Christian university, second they lied saying that I did not have to pay anything out of pocket, then all of a sudden I get a different phone from someone else saying they are from the university and my caller id said spam likely and the lady named Kim Eddy said I had to pay $10,0000 out of pocket. Please be careful of this place. When I have a pell grant to pay and student aid, The lady Kim Eddy also said with all that I still have to pay $10,000 about of pocket. Again be careful with this place. read more

I was a student here for years. I stopped my education for a few years because of the loss of my mother. At one point, I had a very amazing counselor after that I received another counselor in which they called her a Level one and said she don't know much I would have to talk to her boss. I felt I was always put on the back burner and I was trying to finish my education. I got upset and called them because for years I was always having a problem in the communication is horrible. I was so upset. I let them know how horrible I think the school is in a few words using a few bad words. Never did they apologize for what they were doing, especially with no communicating and not understanding one another. The on-site counselors in California might be different from the counselors in Arizona however, they have suspended me for a few weeks if not a few months in which made it very uncomfortable for me. It's OK because I have decided to go to a different university where I am wanted and they definitely have better education and the staff are amazing. I'm so happy where I am now and I wish I would've chose that university before I went to Grand Canyon Canyon. I do not recommend this school to anyone because not only are they unprofessional when it comes to you not understanding and trying to get great communication, but after you get upset as a student and really need assistance, you do not receive it. The only time you really get attention is if you get upset, this is not a Christian like establishment. BLESSING TO YOU ALL read more

I never attended classes, so let me get that out of the way. My beef with them is how they handled my exploration of possibly pursuing a second degree there. Their communication SUCKS. On multiple occasions (3? 4?) I had to chase these people down for responses to my messages, and each time there was an excuse. They did not seem to be very anxious for my business. Most disappointing, but if I go back to school, I'll attend one that actually seems to give a crap about me as a prospective student (and customer). read more

The school is a rip off any scam. I attended to school during hurricane Ida and I had a professor once, I always give me a feeling grade because I didn't have power to complete an assignment. I found out that I already qualified for licensure and did not have to attend the clinicals that the school was trying to require me to attend. I completed all the educational parts of the class and just had to do clinicals, and it refused to give me my masters of science degree and counseling. If you wanna go here, just know you're gonna be ripped off and they're gonna lie every soft to say that they overpaid you and expect you to pay them back. All I Wanted to do is honor my deceased brother with this degree in addiction counseling read more

Grand Canyon University - Proof I paid the overpayment - Colleges & Universities Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

I had a very frustrating experience with GCU due to poor communication and lack of support. 7 Classes were added to my program after the fact without proper notification or explanation, and important updates were rarely communicated. When I reached out for assistance, it was essentially it is what it is, with no real effort to resolve the issues or explain to me so i can understand. Attempts to contact higher-level administrators went unanswered. In the end, I never received the assistance I needed and was required to take seven additional classes beyond what was originally agreed upon, costing me significant extra time and money. I would strongly caution anyone considering this school. read more

GCU online is a joke. I completed one of the classes (masters program) in 2 days and got an A. Some professors grade papers l, others just give you a 100 and move on. Dealing with the university is a total shit storm. I have paid around $10,000 in classes that I did not taken and when I want a break (their 6 week pace per class, no break, is absurd) my advisor keeps trying to push me through and schedules me for courses, even after explaining I will be out of the country. I have attempted to explain that I didn't take - x class - and wasn't going to pay $2000, then they simply threaten me with collections and I am forced to pay (ironically, they are "Christian"). I have a very, very negative view of the online program for that a university. It is probably different in-person, though read more

If I could give zero stars, I would all they care about is money they do not care about you your education, your success nothing whatsoever. That is extremely disappointing, considering that one of the reasons I selected the school was because it was faith based and it couldn't be farther from God. read more

My daughter, has been attending Grand Canyon University in Phoenix, Arizona for the BSN program since 2023. She has always been an excellent student--dedicated, disciplined, and committed to becoming a nurse. Her performance even earned her placement into an accelerated track, demonstrating her capability and academic strength. During her last semester, she took her Critical Care course. Only one student passed the exam, and multiple students raised concerns to faculty about the fairness and structure of the test, yet no corrective action or review occurred. Stella was required to repeat the course, despite her proven academic performance. As she neared completion--scheduled to finish by December 8--she experienced a retinal detachment requiring emergency eye surgery. She was denied the ability to take her exam without an immediate doctor's note, even though she was prepared and willing. She submitted the required documentation within the 48-hour window, yet GCU rejected it because the note did not contain specific wording they demanded. When recovering from eye surgery, it is not easy to obtain revised documentation from a specialist. They allowed her to make up the lab, but not the exam--making it impossible for her to pass the course. This inconsistency is unreasonable and punitive. Her assigned counselor offered no advocacy or support, simply telling her to withdraw. Stella deserved compassion and fair academic support--especially during a legitimate medical emergency. Instead, GCU placed obstacles in front of her and jeopardized her future. How dare you, GCU? This is not how a university should treat dedicated students, especially future healthcare professionals. read more

Our son is about to complete his first year at GCU and the school, its representatives and counselors have been incredible to work with! Honestly, integrity and transparency has been demonstrated at every level with our experience. All of this BS in the news is just that! Long after our son had committed to attending GCU the intake representative informed us of funding that he qualified for unbeknown to us! These funds were NO SMALL DEAL! Some of the discounts/scholarship funding he received was because of his GPA and other substantial amounts were because he attended a private Catholic high school. AGAIN, we had no idea about these and he was ALREADY enrolled and signing up for classes when his intake advisor reached out to us to let us know these scholarships and discounts would apply to us. If GCU preyed on students to increase PROFITS or lied to students and parents to line their pockets why in the world would they have treated us the way they did? It literally makes no sense to us nor the Arizona State Approving Agency & the Department of Veterans Affairs. If you are considering GCU for your higher education I can tell you that our experience first hand has been 100% awesome! That GCU has been a GREAT COLLEGE and is in line with Christian beliefs and practices which appear to be under some type of assault by some. Let's not forget, the freedom of religion is a FUNDAMENTAL human right in our country. The right to think, express and act upon what you deeply believe in should not be indirectly attempted to be stripped from our children by those who do not agree or look at it as threatening.... Okay enough on that! Anyhow long story short GCU has been a perfect fit for our son during his freshman year and I would highly recommend this Christian institution to others. Come take their free tour (as we did) and review every line of every disclosure they give you and you too will see it's a honest and forthcoming place of high education! read more

Grand Canyon University - Colleges & Universities Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

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What the heck? Where are you getting husband Becky???? Did I mention a husband? No you bot I'm dealing with my dad in hospice and you guys call my phone constantly. My phone. No husband involved. Take me off you call log. I would never search universities no need. I've been in business all my life. Leave me alone. And try reading what you are responding to! read more

I was an online doctoral student. It was a rigorous program that challenged me all along the way. For the most part, my professors were very engaged and provided good feedback. As with any university, I enjoyed some classes over others. I recommend GCU's doctoral program for working professionals who need to complete the courses in the evenings and on weekends. It was a very difficult 4.5 years, but it's supposed to be that way! read more

This school has been a Godsend on the heels of seismic life events. I am older and the computer/tech part is tricky for me, I was registered online and still am but just arrived in Phoenix to get more out of my education at Grand Canyon University by accessing physical resources. This school is a blessing. Thank you. read more

Oh my God. I never thought I would bother getting my master's degree, having taken credential classes while working full time. It's not worth the inevitable "being in class in just my underwear" nightmares, though, to be honest, I attended online school in just my underwear sometimes. Point is, it's stressful. He said to them, "Listen to this dream I had: my paper was due but my hands were soft blue cheese" (Genesis, 37:6) And the thought of going to a Christian university? Noah way! But, Elaine came to my job site with promises of a program that would last only 11 months, with no overlapping classes (the simplification, more important than you know), one upfront fee (reduced with scholarship), and some sweet swag. As promised, GCU delivered. (Well, the swag included a pencil with a stone eraser and a mask that wouldn't fit a grapefruit, but they delivered on the most important things: time and money.) The online system (Halo) was easy-to-use with a colorful calendar view and dozens of links to resources, including the incredible online library (excellent search engine). The help desk could help with most technical glitches, but I would advise that you "check your work" after submitting: sometimes my post wouldn't go through, sometimes it would post in the wrong spot, sometimes it would end up in the wrong window. (If you saw an essay on the importance of cultural diversity in the classroom in the comments under 2 Girls 1 Cup, that was my bad) Most of my classes followed the same pattern, so it was easy to find a rhythm. Discussion questions, substantive posts (if you don't know that word, you will), and various papers and projects due at the end of the week. The first introductory classes in my program reviewed the use of Lopes Write (plagiarism), APA style, and time management, which are helpful. They had a firm basis in reality and were therefore important... (or Substantive) The huge difference will be in teachers. For every teacher who provides a detailed and thoughtful response to your work, there is another teacher providing a sterile, cut and paste "Dear student, you provided work that earns points for rubric" reply. For every teacher who provides a video of their grading system, there is another who marks you off for having too much curl in your quotation marks. For every teacher who excuses your lateness because Lee's death in Yellowstone made you sad, there's another teacher who wants a photo of your grandma's corpse to avoid a deduction in points. There is some group work, which is usually a nightmare. It's like when someone throws a potluck and one person wants to bring napkins. But I think people are more likely to pull their weight the higher the education. Graduation is a fun and faultless experience, so I recommend you file to walk. They have nice buses from parking garages to the beautiful campus, lots of photo ops outside, hundreds of friendly staff members on-site to help people, and a huge air-conditioned, state-of-the-art stadium for a short but sweet commencement. Be warned: I am not religious, but I called out Jesus' name when I saw how much it costs to buy their ugly vinyl graduation robe with weird wings. read more

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Beautiful Campus & Friendly staff! Love that the kids are a major part of the school's dining. The tour guides are all wonderful and the security at the gate really provides a sense of security and safety. The campus store is packed with anything and everything you need. I do believe that they could save some money on labor as it appeared there were more workers than needed, but perhaps it was just the time we were there. Still, super friendly and helpful. The amenities are great and the coffee shop- perfect touch as well all know students need their coffee! Beautiful clean campus! Epically done GCU! read more

I guess I should have read reviews more though. This school is so crooked. I had to change counselors multiple times because they do not help. They LIE!! Get all of your communication with them through email because they will backtrack and make up nonsense. They don't care about students. I had a terrible experience with a supervisor during an internship and my field counselor never once checked on me, never asked what happened or if I was okay. Just wanted to implement PUNISHMENT!! WTH?! This ultimately made me leave the social work program after a year of attending and leaving GCU. This is supposed to be a Christian campus but it's full of woke agenda, and staff doing the bare minimum to collect a paycheck. TAKE YOUR TIME AND MONEY ELSEWHERE!!! read more

How are they going to have move in date. When the room/maybe rooms don't even have air conditioning??? They close down schools for this. Yet it's acceptable for students to live and sleep in conditions like this? Then to be told it could be fixed possibly today. All the way up until the end of the week. Are you serious. Then the outlet her portable desk fan was being powered by. Just all of a sudden quits working. Along with the bedroom light. Horrible grand opening and first impressio. I can only imagine what the rest of the school year will bring. Shame on this for profit school! Seriousl, shame on you! read more

If I could give this school no stars I would. I would avoid this school if you're looking for an online degree masters or bachelor. my Counselor never replied to me, the instructors neve replied. I told them that my brother had passed away due to cancer and my instructor failed me with 3 1/2 weeks left in the class. Overall, worst institution I've ever been too!! read more

I had an amazing experience at GCU. I earned my master's degree and the professors were attentive and helpful. Go Lopes!

Our daughter loved and enjoyed every aspect of her schooling here. Graduated this month and is continuing on for her Masters. Very good college under attack by current administration against all things Christian. Please pray for the leaders and students as the grow in this current tribulation that it is Gods will they continue to teach and encourage our youth to trust the will of God. read more

Grand Canyon University - Our Daughters Graduated - Colleges & Universities Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Applied for a PHD program. Emailed back and forth with Mike Peachy who later referred me to Reve Williams. Sent my transcript, requested information be sent for next steps, Reve said she would and never did. Received an email from Reve, two weeks after the semester asking if I was ready to earn my doctorate degree? What? Needless to say I emailed two weeks prior explaining to Reve and Mike why I would not be pursuing a degree at GCU. The poor communication and dishonesty is unprofessional...If it's like this and I wasn't enrolled, I could only imagine what it would have been like . Very disappointing as Christian University . I Applied for a PHD program elsewhere, and was the best decision. Blessing in disguise.... read more

I am a student attending online from California, and I have been having a huge issue with communication with the counselors. I got to the point of where it is possibly of a no return back into class. I have tried multiple times to reach out, and I get no response back from anyone. If I do get a response they either say here is what you can do, which is to contact my counselor, or they say there's nothing they can do. Now here I am after trying to get ahold of my counselor for almost two months already and still have not heard back from her. It is getting really frustrating, because she can sit and send out an email to me about something else but can't get back to me about my concern. read more

would not recommend this school for a masters program. it has been nothing but a headache to deal with student services and the lack of support given when my dad passed away last year is concerning. I wish NAU offered the CMHC program fully online because I had a much better experience with them for my undergrad in social work. read more

Where is the 1/2 star rating when you need it? Every con listed below is exactly what this school is. Take your time finding a different college if you actually want to learn and engage with the instructors. The instructor to this English class does not even answer questions sent directly to her inbox and I am forced to call the library to receive help and they respond stating "that's an instructor question". Well by the time I get her reply the assignment is due! Yet she replies in the comments to kiss the buns of students that favor her personal preferences or opinions. This is a college full of regular Christian people...full of imperfections!! Imperfections shooting out the doors at this school!! Oh yes and Christian Worldview--- they cherry-pick the Bible to fit what get want the worldview to be. Forcing certain parts of the Bible down your throat like they were there on day 1 themselves. read more

I received a response a while back concerning my review. I followed the instructions. It got me - nowhere. But thanks for trying Ms. Nancy! There are times that we say, "somethings never change". Unfortunately, this definitely appears to be the case with GCU. I guess in short, I should've chosen Liberty University. But GCU really sold me on being a great university! And I bought it. I bought a "wolf ticket". Lesson learned. read more

Grand Canyon University - Instructions from Nancy J. - Colleges & Universities Near Me - Phoenix, Arizona

Attended here for a masters in clinical mental health counseling all online. For the most part the experience was ok. But when I got the internship it was a different matter. The internship happened at the beginning of COVID so I had a hard time finding a location . I did though . I had difficulties accumulating hours and wasn't given much help. Then I got real sick and had personal issues. One of the instructors I had was pretty difficult to deal with . Other than that everything was good, I even came out to Phoenix for graduation. read more

Grand Canyon University has been the worst college experience of my life. I was excited when I first began, I was told that I would pay a reasonable amount and the counselors sounded excited to work with me. I have been with Grand Canyon Online for roughly 2 years. Here are the things I have experienced: I had to pay 4 times the amount I was initially told, counselors do not answer my emails for weeks at a time and when they finally get back to me, they are no help. It was really disappointing to me that a Christian university could be so deceitful, and money hungry. As a student, I pray that students considering GCU will see my experience and choose a college that prioritizes students over money. read more