Walden University
Reviews and Complaints

Walden never followed through with my documentation for financial aid. They continued to say that I had a loan still out with another school, which I have a letter from the previous school that states it was returned. Walden refused to help me, continuing to tell me to call someone else and kept on passing the buck. No one wanted to take responsibility for anything. The office of the president review of my account was a joke and this school staff is full of nepotist.

I am currently attending Walden for my masters degree as an FNP. I live in Hawaii and nowhere in their practical manual does it say CastleBranch does not have a location for someone living in Hawaii to get a drug test. I was receiving emails from Walden saying my Castlebranch account needed attention, however, the email did not state if something was expired and gave no indication why I was getting the email. Every time I went into the account, everything was highlighted blue, meaning it was complete. Other things, such as HIPPA training, and flu shots turned orange when they were about to expire, and I got an email specifically stating what I needed to address in Castlebranch. I emailed the school several times stating I don't know why my practicum application was not processed. Each time I got a form email that did not offer any assistance whatsoever. When I called the school, I had to wait a week to get an appointment with an advisor for the school of nursing to try to get help. Finally, I got someone to email me back stating that I needed a drug test and a background check. I immediately went onto the Castle Branch website and purchased both. The background check was completed and uploaded to Castlebranch the next day, but the drug test form was not available until the next day. I downloaded the form and looked for a location to take my drug test in Hawaii and was informed there were none available. I called the school and they told me to call Castlebranch. I called Castlebranch and got a recording "due to high call volume we are not excepting phone calls at this time ". After four days of calling, Castlebranch, I finally got through and they told me to call the school. I sent in several inquiries to Castlebranch and waited four days to get a response, which stated they were working on my question. Five days later they sent me an email saying they were sending me a form in the mail to take to a lab near my house. 10 days later, I still did not receive the form and woke up to an email from Walden stating they closed my practicum application. It took me over a year to secure that clinical site because there are very few clinical sites to complete practicum's. Also note that Walden does nothing to help you find practicum sites and most sites do not want Walden students. I called the school extremely upset and the agent that answered did nothing to help me other than saying she could get me an appointment in a week. I also sent several emails and got a response stating that if I had my drug test posted to Castlebranch by the 25th at noon Eastern standard time, they would re-open my application. I immediately booked a $2000 plane ticket to San Jose and spent the night in a hotel room. The next day I got up at 6 AM and went and got my drug test and then flew back home to Hawaii. I called the school and I emailed them several times with the proof that I took the drug test and I sent my itinerary to show that I really did travel to another state to complete the test. It is now, Wednesday, and my test must be posted to Castlebranch by Friday at noon EST. I have only received form emails stating the exact same thing over and over again from Walden. It is unlikely that my test will be posted by Friday and it's ridiculous that I have spent thousands of dollars on this program and get no real help from this University . Nowhere in the practicum manual does it say that they don't have sites in Hawaii to complete a drug test. I have been working on this issue for over a month. I have not been able to complete any of my practicum's back to back. I have to take a semester off in between each practicum because it is so difficult to find sites within the state. Most providers here refuse to take Walden students because they have such a bad reputation. I am so frustrated with their form emails that do not address my concern whatsoever.

I started my dual degree bachelors/masters in 2020 and should have completed it in 2022 at the latest. Due to many negative contributing factors from Walden University's diploma mill masquerading as an educational institution, I have paid thousands of dollars out of pocket despite having adequate financial aid, I am 1.5 years behind and just want to finish 1 course before I transfer from this school. Advisors are kind, but completely useless as the most they did to help with my problems was give me another 877 number to call and try to work out their complete mess of financial process on my own. Despite updating my new address in a new city on the hundreds of phone calls I've had with them, a measly bill for less than $100 went to collections, and they gave the agency my old address, so I never received any communications by mail. I've been trying to get this hold off my account for over 1 year now, and getting hit with OOP payments left and right of $1,000 and $1,800 was so hard. I had to get a second job. Just please go to a school in your state and in-person. Please don't repeat my mistakes. Walden University worries only about its profit. They couldn't care less if your education is quality or how long it takes you to finally get out of their programs and their snatching, greedy claws.

I was enrolled in the phd program fall of 2022: the enrollment counselors in this program have to enroll you in order for the classes to show on your account each time the counselor ensures that you qualify for those classes and meet financial aid requirements. I was enrolled for the following two classes after the first set was done. Since I was enrolled, I thought financial aid would cover because again I cannot enroll myself unless a counselor verifies this I found out couple weeks later I could not qualify for financial aid at which point I told him I could not afford the classes and wanted to unenrolled. They said at this point, I owe the classes even though they were the ones responsible for checking if I qualify for financial aid . My account shows $4000 balance for classes I did not take.

The Student Success office kept giving me the wrong information.

I couldn’t drop a class because I missed the deadline which was one week after the class started. I missed it by two days. I was told that I had to withdraw and could only get an 80% refund. I was never informed about the short window of time to drop, so the Student Success office told me to contact the Student Affairs office to request an exception. The Student Affairs office said that they don’t handle such things.

I decided to just withdraw — the Student Success office withdrew me and told me in an email that I had to contact the Bursars office to get my 80% refund. Called the Bursars office and that person took 30 minutes looking up my information to finally tell me that I had to write an email to [[protected]@mail. waldenu. edu].

I wanted to file an official complaint about all the runaround for something that should have been simple, but to my surprise, the website states that I should send an official complaint to the Student Success office, the same department responsible for misdirecting me more than once. Lindsay Gilbertson was my advisor at the Student Success office. My class was EDUC 6602J, start date May 8th.

I signed up for a class at Walden University in November of 2021. Covid had just started to take hold of the country. I am a nurse who had to focus all of my attention on caring for patients so I never had the ability to even start the class. I never opened the class and I could not contact Walden for a couple of weeks after the class started. I assumed that not responding in the course would automatically remove me from the class. After some time, I was notified by a collection agency that I owe over $1200 for a class that I did not take. As a disabled veteran who works with veterans at the VA Hospital, I find it appalling that I am taken advantage of, or strong armed, to pay for a class that I never even opened. I would like for this debt to be eliminated from my credit record and for Walden University to understand why I never opened the class.

I have attended Walden University for many years, and I have earned three degrees from there. Walden is an excellent university, but their financial aid department is ridiculous. Someone has too much authority, and tends to misuse it. They are very arrogant and cause a great deal of stress on students unnecessarily. They will contact you via email and tell you that you have documents missing from your file, and have you trying to guess which documents are missing or what to note in those documents because they will not specify. They will hide behind emails and will not put you in contact with a person who can really answer your question or do something to remedy your problem. I spent this entire quarter trying to get my financial aid distributed due to illness and hospitalizations. They asked me to explain how I would continue the program without any further interruptions. I have no control over illnesses or hospitalizations. I was already ill due to stress, and they completely stressed me out for no reason whatsoever. The quarter ends in seven days, and I still have not received my disbursement for the quarter. I would only recommend Walden if you do not have to use financial aid.

I enrolled in Walden in 2021. I made it through the first several quarters with relatively no problem. There were several changes to my academic advisors without communication, but that did not inhibit my ability to continue my education.

The DNP program changed after I entered. The multiple changing in my student advisors resulted in me being switched out of my original program and into the other. I was required to go back to the original program, which meant I missed classes that I had to complete.

In 2022, I began my field experience. Although I had read through the program literature on more than one occasion, I missed a deadline. Therefore, I was required to sit out an entire quarter. I submitted everything they asked of me, but I was denied because it was too late to allow me to proceed. Many requests for assistance and guidance had been requested, but after several weeks of trying to get help, it was simply too late. I had to sit out the summer 2022 quarter, putting me behind my intended schedule.

I accepted this as a learning experience and continued in the fall. There was zero communication between field experience and what was required for the upcoming quarter. I had completed everything needed. I did not know that I was required to reapply for the next quarter. So, for the winter quarter, I again had to sit out. Now I am six months behind my original schedule. There was absolutely no communication with me from field experience from November 2022 until January 18, 2023. On January 18, I was told I had five days to provide all of the information required to be enrolled in the spring quarter. I provided everything again that was requested. I have been old after submitting the same data that I was accepted a year ago that my TDaP that I received in February of 2020 that it is not adequate documentation.

I received a phone call from the Walden president's office, but I have yet to be contacted upon returning calls and providing times to call me. The office called me during a time I told them I was unavailable. When I returned the call, I was sent immediately to a voicemail.

I have maintained an acceptable GPA. I have been timely in my work and completion of the program. I feel as though several issues should be addressed. I cannot possibly be the only student struggling with this process.

In June 2022, I began my internship at New Sunrise ADHC and completed 200 of the 400 required hours to graduate. I had weekly meetings and coaching sessions with my field placement supervisor at the agency, as well as Dr. Spooner and Dr. Flentroy in attendance for midterm evaluations, and I never received unfavorable feedback about my work ethic or professionalism. When I notified Lena that I would be filing a complaint, I was terminated via email the next day due to my unwillingness to learn and lack of professionalism.  These erroneous accusations were made in retaliation to my filing a report with OSHA and Medi-cal fraud.  Senior participants at the field placement site approached me, concerned that my supervisor was engaging in fraudulent activity about their program attendance. The participants suspect that Lena would falsely report their attendance on days when they were not at the agency in order to secure payment for services. The agency, New Sunrise ADHC, as well as the program director, my field site supervisor, are being investigated for retaliating against me for submitting a complaint and for committing Medicare fraud.

I had a Zoom call with Dr. Spooner and Dr. Flentroy informing me of the allegations made against me and my termination from New Sunrise ADHC. Dr. Spooner advised me to not participate in the course anymore because I would need to retake it and the 140 hours already completed would be forfeited with only three weeks left before my scheduled graduation. date. I received an F in the class, and a portion of my financial assistance was returned since I did not complete the program standards for the funding, thus my account now has a $1500 balance. If I am able to secure an internship for the next quarter, which starts on February 26, I'll have to pay for the course again. I asked to complete the 60 hours needed to graduate at another agency or under Dr. Flentroy's direct supervision. My request was denied. I reminded Dr. Spooner that she allowed another student in my field I class who was unable to find a placement at an agency to participate in the course and complete her requisite hours under the direct supervision of our lecturer, Dr. Melissa Lozito. I am very upset with how this is being handled and with Dr. Spooner's treatment of me. When I approached my student success counselor, I was ignored and told to fill out a form. When difficulties like these emerge, it's quite disheartening that Walden doesn't support their students. Presently, I am required to collaborate with Dr. Spooner on all topics pertaining to my degree. She has made no effort to help me find another internship place to fulfill the remaining 200 hours I need to complete in order to graduate.

The facts are clear: prior to my field agency supervisor's false allegations, there had been no discussion of unprofessionalism, an unwillingness to learn, or any other form of disciplinary action. Every evaluation, coaching session, and weekly supervision received excellent feedback and praise. In the short time I was there, I went above and beyond to help the senior participants with their worries and developed good relationships with them. On a daily basis, I would inquire with Lena if there were any additional tasks I could assist with. I was assigned a caseload of 30 participants at my request when other interns only wanted 15 participants.  When the other interns only wanted 15 participants, I took on a caseload of 30. A few days before I was terminated, Lena wrote me a stellar letter of recommendation for a scholarship being offered by Walden. 

My decision to safeguard the agency's senior participants and do what I thought was right by filing a complaint was met with negative consequences and false charges made by my field site supervisor, citing unprofessionalism and a refusal to learn. 

Without conducting an inquiry, Dr. Spooner took disciplinary action against me. I was told that I could no longer participate in the course and that I would have to forfeit 140 of the required 200 hours, retake the course, pay all tuition fees, and find another agency to complete my hours.

I am a Walden alumni and returned for my post master's in PPMHNP and they have made one mistake after another. They put a hold on my financial aid because of a bursar hold for my Walden transcripts and I graduated with my MSN in 2015 then went back for my BSN which I got in 2018. They could find my ADN transcripts from 1995 but not my Walden transcripts. The different departments at Walden cannot contact each other per financial aid. The Meditrek and Castlebranch they use for practicums are a joke also. I have referred many of my friends to Walden and will never do that again. I will be transferring to another college as soon as I finish the class I am stuck in because it is too late to get a refund. After dealing with many issues through the field office to get my practicum site, I finally go approved on 1/3/23 for my site only to get another email today 1/6/23 stating my Meditrek approval was "rescinded due to a registration restriction on your account preventing course registration". I have spoke to many employees in enrollment, financial aid, and nursing field office and no one can fix this problem.

Seeing as this nurse Anna Slayton is as dumb as a bunch of rocks I would NEVER go to your school or recommend someone go to your school! In fact she is so dumb she should go back to every single school she ever attended and ask for a REFUND because she doesn't know how to do any Clinical Research and is unable to do basic MATH. 1. Seeing as Seasonal Flu is 99.6% survival and covID is 99.8% survival I would think that someone with half a brain would recognize this is another strain of flu! As a clinician she should know that ALL RNA viruses mutate at least every 4 hours. 2. Here's the Math problem she should have done Immediately. 330 Million people in the US at 99.8% survival. 330,000,000 x 0.02 = 1/660,000 will die from influenza/covID. To put this into perspective how miniscule this is What is your Odds dying by Lightning or a meteor? 1/250,000. duh. Your school and your Tv actors are Ignorant. 3. Part of her Hippocratic Oath is to be humble enough to seek others help if she doesn't know how to do Basic Math or doesn't know how to do basic Clinical research - why didn't she call a Microbiologist? She abandoned her Oath. A microbiologist would have told you the same things I just did.

Hello,

I have attended Walden university for the last 4 1/2 years and I just completed my BS degree in psychology. I was about to reenroll and take my MS at Walden, but I am glad I did not. What upsets me is I received a job offer to work in my field of study, the offer is amazing. I had 2 classes left to complete, I contacted advising because my employer requested some type of degree completion letter before I accepted the offer. However, a student advisor by the name of Eric Sanchez stated if I can get my professors to submit my final grades early which will be up to the professors, I will be able to get a letter. Well, I wrote to my professor, and she stated she would have my final grade submitted by 12 am which she did. Now I am one day of losing a job offer and everyone at Walden advising support keeps telling me different things. I am so upset because I am a single parent with no employment, and I worked so hard to get this degree only to lose an excellent job offer because no one could even take the time out to reach out to the right person to handle my issue. I am in tears because I also have student loan debt and no job. My first time ever receiving an excellent job offer and it goes down the drain. Not to say I have a 3.8gpa ... I hope someone in higher authority sees this so they can understand the damage this school does to students

I am a student at Walden University, I received an incomplete grade, despite the instructors knowing I had completed all the assignments prior to receiving incomplete grade. I have been having numerous computer issues throughout the program. Resulting, in taking classes over, GPA suffering, spending countless money, losing scholarship. It seems no one at the University cares. However, the Walden University continued to reach out for funds. Which has left me disheartened and seeking answer before paying one more dime.

Advanced health assessment received an incomplete grade, despite all my assignments being completed by the end of class. At the end of my incomplete grade, there were several assignments that indicated grades with no visible grade, nor were the grades calculated into my final grade. Therefore, I passed this class with a satisfactory grade. However, I received a C letter grade, and now I am asked to retake a class that I should have passed. However, due to the instructor's fraudulent activity, and dishonest and unethical behavior, I have to take a class over. I do not think so, especially when I have supporting documents indicating each occurrence.

I started Walden University in the year of 2016 - fresh out of completing my Master's at another online school. As a now Retired member for the United States Army - I got sold on the dream of having a PhD. At the end of 2018 I had to complete a bilateral achilles surgery for medical purposes. I did start the winter quarter (being that I was a PhD Candidate at the time and not held to a weekly paper) and during this time the paid I had stopped my progress of checking in during the final few weeks of that quarter. I was placed as a "U" which was later changed to due to medical reasons beyond my control. The financial aid office refused to waive the tuition even after receiving the student loan payment for the quarter and then charged me. During the height of COVID the only thing I could get was my medical surgery documents and I even sent photos with time/date stamps - to be told my tuition waiver was denied (more than once). I finally broke down and agreed to set up a payment plan because I was legit a PhD candidate and all I needed to do was write my dissertation. Well - come March 2021 I started a new quarter and roughly a week or so into the new quarter I was told that the school would deny my student loan that I was authorized due to a medical document needing to be signed by a physician. Since the quarter started and I was being forced to pay out of pocket without the document I had no choice but to withdraw - but found out that I was going to have to pay anyway since it was 'too late to withdraw'. I have emails upon emails going back and forth with the financial aid department and even the President of Walden's office merely asking for the false charges be dropped/waived/removed so that I can finish the degree that I worked hard for. I have a GPA 3.48 (well had) and after many years of battling to get to where I was - I feel Walden University Financial Aid office is merely out for monetary value for the school and not for the students.

Making the decision to enroll in a full-time Master's program last September was a difficult decision. I knew that I would need to rely on financial aid loans to pay tuition and cover my living expenses but felt it was worth the price, considering academic scholarships had covered the expense of my previous degrees. Financial aid disbursements are scheduled for the beginning of each three-month term. I am one month into my fourth term.

My enrollment in September 2021 coincided with a change in ownership. There had been no mention of this change or its impacts in the conversations I had with an enrollment specialist leading up to committing to the program and a sizable student loan. For some reason, the change in ownership led to more than one month's delay in processing the refund of my disbursement, the money I agreed to borrow to cover my living expenses while earning the degree. Calls to the financial aid department were fruitless, as no one seemed able to tell me when I would receive my refund. My "case" was escalated to the office of the president more than once but to no effect. Eventually, more than one month behind schedule and not before being told by a Walden manager that I was somehow to blame for the delay, I received my refund.

My financial aid disbursement for the second term was processed without incident and I naively thought the worst of my Walden experience was behind me. However, I was wrong. When my third term disbursement did not process on schedule, I called the financial aid department to determine why. At that time I was informed that I had not achieved enough credits for disbursement and that the funds would be released once I had.

Once I'd earned the required credits, Walden University used the funds that should have been refunded to me for living expenses to pay tuition for my third term, despite no outstanding balance. The remaining funds, after Walden paid themselves twice were refunded to me. After at least one dozen calls to the financial aid department and numerous escalations of my "case" to the Office of the President, I received another fraction of my refund, not the total amount owed. At that point, I was told by a Walden manager that I should be happy that they had made two concessions to me by issuing two refunds (totaling less than the correct refund amount).

I have not received the money I needed to cover my living expenses last term (term 3). One month into term four, the financial aid department acknowledges that I have not received those funds and acknowledges that my disbursement for the current term (term 4) is late. As a result, I am living on high-interest rate credit cards and the worry about the added expense and uncertainty of my financial situation has impacted my ability to focus on my studies. I am close to withdrawing from the program to cut my losses. This would ineluctably leave me with a sizable student loan, high-interest card balances equal to the refunds I have not received, and nothing to show for the past year of my life.

This is the worst educational experience I have ever had. I would not wish it on my worst enemy. I am sure that some people may have positive experiences to relate about this school, but a brief look at any consumer complaints board demonstrates that mine is not an isolated experience. I sincerely hope litigation will not be the only effective remedy.

Went in 2009 and 20014 was a great school

recently went back

could not believe the difference

What a nightmare

Inexperienced people as program directors you know they are in experienced because they are never wrong . The program is new Instead of seeing how you can make it better keep closing your eyes and blame anyone who points out there could be a problem.

Field experience I have no Idea where this people came from and if they have any idea of what they need to do .The students do all the difficult work and these mental midgets with no concept of what a clinical entails put up every stumbling block for the preceptor and the student I do not know if it is a authority issue or power trip however if is continues it will surely be an unemployment trip

I was enrolled in the Clinical Mental Health Counseling MS program. I completed EVERY single course for the required degree, and then CHOSE to add two classes for a concentration. With NO assistance (they literally help with nothing) in securing an internship location, I was enrolled in the Practicum class along with one of my concentration classes. Literally in the span of six months, I had a family member die, I contracted COVID, and I was in an abusive relationship that caused me mental and physical harm on ALMOST a daily basis. Needless to say, I flunked out of my two classes. This quarter ended halfway through this period of time, so I attempted to take the two classes again, and obviously as I said, failed them again. I was then terminated from the University due to not meeting the grade criteria for those classes (even though I had ALL A's and B's prior). When I went to re-enroll in the university, an advisor HAPPILY helped me through the process quickly, had me submit (and pay for transcripts) all the application materials again, including the Goal Statement explaining why I had trouble the last quarter at school previously. I was contacted by the advisor when I finally finished all the documentation, and she said I had a

I been asking for my Audit to change back to my 2012 . They won’t do it so I don’t know hat class to take to finish my BA no one will help once you in you are on your own . I feel to ask my advisor to get things together do not take 5 days or more to do . I had another person and he was great with me . But don’t forget the advisor can mess your audit up because you complain about them

I attended walden [protected] for my bachelor's in childhood development. I completed 5 terms, earning 66 credits for classes I attended, completed and passed. In july 2015 a horrible tragedy occured in my life. My mother passed away, totally unexpected and the overwhelming grief was unbearable. And i'm reliving it again because of walden university and their refusal to release my official transcript. Walden insists that I did not withdraw from my fall classes and that I owe $1600 for that term. I appealed it in 2015. I even sent an official copy of my mother"s death certificate, along with the newspaper published obituary, in whiuch walden insisted they view. I complied to their requests and still they denied my appeal and refuse to remove the debt. And walden refuses to release my earned and paid for official transcript to my currently enrolled school, colorado tech univ. I am entitled to the document. I earned the credits. I paid for the classes. They are mine. And I want them. And I demand walden univ. Send an official copy to ctu... And I want it free of charge because I have to file a complaint and relive the grief of losing my mother just to obtain a document that is rightfully mine