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The University of Connecticut

How this student rated the school
Educational QualityC+ Faculty AccessibilityD
Useful SchoolworkF Excess CompetitionB-
Academic SuccessD- Creativity/ InnovationD-
Individual ValueC- University Resource UseB
Campus Aesthetics/ BeautyF FriendlinessC-
Campus MaintenanceF Social LifeF
Surrounding CityF Extra CurricularsF
SafetyA-
Describes the student body as:
Friendly, Approachable

Describes the faculty as:
Arrogant, Condescending, Unhelpful, Self Absorbed

Male
Quite Bright
Lowest Rating
Useful Schoolwork
F
Highest Rating
Safety
A-
He cares more about Campus Aesthetics/ Beauty than the average student.
Date: Oct 18 2011
Major: Education (This Major's Salary over time)
I was a graduate student in the NEAG School of Education. I won't risk the chance of being outed and list the exact program, but let's just say it's not K-12 education focused. I accepted UConn over several more prestigious and well-known graduate programs in education. This place is a toilet. I am not an undergrad, but if I were, I would transfer for the following reasons:

1) Shoddy dormitories

2) Incompetent residential life staff

3) Awful, overpriced food

4) No college town. There is NOTHING here, okay. NOTHING.

5) Lack of an intellectual atmosphere

6) Poor campus maintenance during snow storms (students literally fall and break limbs because the school is too lazy and cheap to hire a decent snow removal/salting company. You literally walk across sheets of ice to get to class. Completely unacceptable).

This is not an academic powerhouse. If it weren't for the basketball team, UConn wouldn't even enter the national dialogue.

Back to my experience. I was disappointed with my graduate program. I didn't feel challenged or prepared for any kind of degree beyond this. All we did was write and talk about our feelings. It was not a rigorous, research-based program at all. I felt conned. They should call UConn, "U've Been Conned!" Professors told us at the beginning of the year that "grades don't matter," yet WHAMMO! you get your grades back and they are not AT ALL what you might have expected. It doesn't matter if you put in your full effort. Professors in my program picked favorites and graded accordingly. It was complete and utter BS.

This education program boasts practical experience. Fine, that's great. But how about decent classes? I took one class that was challenging but it was so poorly taught that it left me completely apathetic about the subject.

The professors are "practitioners" but at the end of the day, they are not PROFESSORS. They are folks with busy day jobs who treat their classes as an afterthought. And students like me were cheated in the process. I paid over $250 a semester for awful textbooks that were dull, turgid and didn't even contribute to my learning.

Not to mention the fact that a good 50% of the program involved writing reflections and journals. It got old REALLY quickly. After your 50th reflection, you think, first of all 'Am I in graduate school?' and then you think 'Hm. How about looking forward? What can I do with this information?'

The cohort model was an atrocity, by the way. I can't speak for other cohorts in the past or present, but the folks in mine were friendly yet ultra competitive and gossipy. I didn't sign up for Junior Year of High School v. 2.0. Constant group work made the experience even more unbearable. Trust no one. Keep your true opinions to yourself.

It's not all bad. I did gain some valuable "work" experience. But it's not really "work" if you're a graduate assistant. It's basically bs work that no one else wants to do. But I made the best of it and tailored it to actual job experience during my career hunt.

Out of 10 stars, I give my program a 5. It gets a five for the little practical experience we gained, the tuition waiver and for the health insurance that graduate assistants got. It gets docked points for the professors and curriculum. Let's be honest, if it weren't for the money I would have gone somewhere superior, where the professors are too distinguished and serious about their work to play favorites and act petty over insignificant nonsense.

In the grand scheme of things, I was fortunate to have received a graduate degree that was practically free. Many people don't have that opportunity. I am grateful. But I am also disappointed. I feel like I should have gone to a school where my contributions and intelligence were appreciated.

Whether you're a graduate or undergraduate, don't come here. It's a waste of time and/or money. If you need to go somewhere local and can swing it, go to Yale, Connecticut College, or a school in New York City.

                           
Responses
responseWere you talking about the UConn HESA program? I suspected you were since you said your program wasn't "K-12 focused." I was thinking of applying there but now I'm reconsidering. Thanks for the honest review. I haven't been able to find a review of UConn HESA anywhere!
questionI am an international student and am planning to apply for uc but after seeing your comments i am having second thoughts. does the university get interships or so? and how are the job opportunities?
responseWOW! Well, I guess as far as UConn HESA goes: "You get what you pay for!" Thanks for this. Looks like I'm applying to Indiana-Bloomington! HA! :)
responseThis review is hilarious. It's a scam! Lure unsuspecting recent undergraduates into a "tuition free stipend" program, treat them as slaves, & don't teach them anything at all. If gaining a valuable educational experience requires taking out a few loans, then it's worth it. You're absolutely correct: I hardly see top Ph.D programs taking this degree seriously! If you're considering getting a Ph.D, either 1) Get a REAL (second) master's degree or 2) Take supplemental/night courses that establish your credibility as a scholar & then apply to a Ph.D program. Emphasize your cumulative talents and professional experience, find reliable references who have received Ph.D's in various subjects from prestigious schools, and subtly indicate what you've written as the "practitioners" vs. "professors" distinction. In other words, emphasize your brilliance and abilities on record, employ sharp references who agree with you, and identify your former professors as the quacks they were. I doubt a respectable program would question you on that. Good luck, my friend!
responseHA!
Challenge and Support?
How about challenge, more challenge, a kick in the face and a spit in the eye. And then medical support.
Bite me.
responseI was also a graduate student at UConn. This review struck a nerve. I also earned a master's degree in an education field. It was a very uninspiring experience. It was appalling. Bottom line: The administrators and professors were trash. I'm not talking about socio-economic background because none of us can control that. Trash is as trash does. They acted like trash, ergo they were trash. I don't care how many degrees they stacked up. Very exclusive. Homogeneous. No racial diversity. Token minorities. They're also insecure and vindictive. I don't believe in excuses or persecution complexes. Trust me, this response is legit. All of this makes for a miserable and alienating experience. When you tell people this, they don't believe you. Everything they did was covert. They were like Catholic priests. It was absurd. A fox hunt. Do you really want to go through that for 2 years? It would only be fair to expose them, but like I said, 50 people would come to their defense. It's useless. The priests are there to stay. My experience was unique (but who knows if that's even true? They were serial liars and there may have been other silent targets). Why ruin the program's reputation for the people who enjoyed it, were unjustly rewarded, and weren't hanged? I'm still recovering from this nightmare. Entering the field with anxiety and trepidation..
commentThis review squares with my graduate experience at UConn: intellectually stunted … but free.
responseWow! I'm currently a student in the HESA program at UConn, and I'm wondering if this person posting even went through the same program I am in. I came to UConn from a well-known undergraduate university and find the professors to be tough, yet fair. Yes, they are practitioners in the field, but what you forgot to mention is that they are some of the most respected professionals in the field. Gosh, have you even MET Cathy Cocks or Christine Wilson or Sue Saunders?! These women are simply incredible. Their knowledge extends beyond just understanding theory - they actually teach you how to apply it to practice.

As for assistantships, yes, it pays for your education and gives you one of the best financial aid packages in the field! As for actually working, some sites will work you harder than others. Quite frankly, if you aren't willing to work hard and give it all you've got, then go to a different program. You'll work your 20 hours in your assistantship and won't have time to surf Facebook. Sorry 'bout it. There's a reason that this program has a 100% placement rate within 6 months of graduation. It's because the program prepares students for the actual profession. When a student comes into your office upset about something, you can't consult theory and come up with a best course of action. You need to be able to think on your feet and respond right away. No paper can teach you that.

UConn HESA all the way!

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commentThis education program boasts practical experience. Fine, that's great. AZ-103 Dumps
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