My name is Natashia Monk, and I am here to tell you how I have never been able to use the degree I received from the University of Phoenix.
I was a single mother, and I was determined to make more of a career for myself to support my kids. In 2009, I decided to go back to school. I chose the University of Phoenix because they fit my schedule. I would work all day and then go to classes at 6 pm, sometimes until 10 o’clock at night. I was a full time mother, full-time worker, and full-time student. The program went straight through with no breaks. I just wanted to get it done and move on in my career.
I told the Phoenix advisors I wanted to be an accountant. Together with them, I chose to enroll in the Bachelor’s of Business with a concentration in Accounting. They told me that it would give
me a diversity of experiences and allow me to work either as an accountant or in management.
In the last year and a half of my program, students started dropping out. We heard that the accreditation of the school was in question. I was self-motivated to see through what I had started, so I persevered. However, when I started looking into the CPA exam, I realized that I
would not have the credits I needed to take the test. My degree included six accounting classes, but I would need seven to become a CPA.
All the jobs that I was looking into were CPA Candidate Preferred. I applied for lots of jobs, but I couldn’t get any without that additional class.
I contacted Phoenix to see if I could take that one class, and they told me I would have to enroll in a Master’s program and take a bunch of prerequisites before I could take the final accounting
class.
After graduating from Phoenix, I worked at the same place as I did before I started. I have never been able to get an accounting job, and I have not been promoted to roles that require my degree. My past position did not require a degree at all.
I graduated with $50,000 in debt, which grew to $80,000 before the loans were discharged. I feel that Phoenix failed me. They would not fix the problem they caused by letting me take one class. I am not able to utilize my degree for promotions or better job opportunities. I have received no financial benefit from the degree, only years of strain.
Phoenix knew I wanted to be an accountant, and the program they enrolled me in should have made me eligible to become one. I hope you will consider situations like mine and make rules that help students get what they pay for.
Thank you for your time.
Natashia Monk Comments