COLLEGE SCAM? HARRISBURG UNIVERSITY OF SCIENCE & TECHNOLOGY?

Question

I keep reading online reviews calling Harrisburg University a scam? I am a high school senior with interest in this university. Is it a scam? The college is all about saving money:

1. The school offers no food (dining halls).
EXPLANATION: Students have to eat at a city food court near the school.

2. The school offers no athletics.
EXPLANATION: Save money on hiring coaches and building a gym.

3. The school has one building.
EXPLANATION: All maintenance is in this building. Saving money.

4. The school offers no campus store
EXPLANATION: school wants to save money

5. The school offers 7 undergraduate and 4 graduate programs.
EXPLANATION: Save money because they don't have to hire more professors.

6. No professors are tenured
EXPLANATION: They could fire professors at anytime. Saving money.

7. This is a STEM (science-technology-engineering-mathematics) university that DO NOT offer degrees in Engineering or Mathematics.
EXPLANATION: To save money.

8. No SAT Scores required for admission.
EXPLANATION: Give everyone the opportunity to attend.

9. School is on probation
EXPLANATION: due to problems with Resources and Assessment of Student Learning.
________________________________________________________________________
In addition, the school have VERY LOW graduation and retention rates.

HARRISBURG UNIVERSITY BLOG: http://www.watchinghu.com/

STUDENT REVIEWS: http://www.studentsreview.com/PA/HUST_comments.html


What do you think about the school?

Answer 1

Harrisburg University Reviews

Answer 2

I just read the reviews and some of the blog entries from the links you provided. I'm sorry, but the school is awful. At the bottom of my post, I will post some links.



I don't think the school is a scam. However, I think the school is a RIP-OFF. I live in Pennsylvania and have a neighbor that applied there. Sorry to tell you, but he complained about the school and drop out after his first year. I don't understand how this school is still open. Why would anyone enroll in this school? The tuition is about $24,000 per year. All that money for what? What do they offer? I think the administration just came up with a random price, so they could receive good salaries. The staff and administration are benefiting from the school, while the students are left with debt.



Based on your post, numbers 1,2,5,7,8,and 9 are deal breakers for me. If a school cannot provide the necessaries (food and entertainment/activities (social life), you shouldn't enroll. Activities and athletics relieve stress. If a school is on probation, you shouldn't enroll. If a school claims to be STEM, but doesn't offer programs in all four of those subjects, that's a BIG red flag, and you shouldn't enroll. Since the school only has 7 undergraduate and 4 graduate programs, you shouldn't enroll because changing your major will be difficult (if you chooses to change majors). And finally, NO SAT SCORES means the school has no standards. Your classes will be filled with both smart students (if they enroll) and stupid students. The quality of the school is bad. I will think twice about adding Harrisburg University to your resume.



If you want a STEM school that looks good on your resume, apply to the following:



Massachusetts Institute of Technology

Virginia Tech

Harvey Mudd College

Carnegie Mellon University

State University of New York College of Environmental Science and Forestry

South Dakota School of Mines and Technology

Colorado School of Mines

Franklin W. Olin College of Engineering

Rose–Hulman Institute of Technology

New Jersey Institute of Technology

Stevens Institute of Technology

Georgia Institute of Technology

Florida Institute of Technology

Indiana Institute of Technology

Michigan Technological University

Illinois Institute of Technology

Missouri University of Science and Technology



I would stay away from Harrisburg University of Science & Technology.

Answer 3

Some of it makes sense, but some of it does not! A STEM school that doesn't offer degrees in engineering or math? Then it can't be STEM, it's ST (I guess!). The article I found is about its financial struggles, so maybe you can get a good education, you just don't know if it will exist. You would want to make sure the credits will transfer in case it closes before you finish!

Answer 4

The school is regionally accredited (the best kind of accreditation) so it's not an outright scam, but they are on probation and could loose their accreditation. If they do, the degrees they grant will be worthless. So it's not a great idea to go there.

Answer 5

10. The school looks suspicious.

EXPLANATION: Scam.

Answer 6

Apply to MIT!