Penn Foster Education Reviews

Misleading, there’s no communication with the instructors. They don’t respond, they don’t even have contact information listed besides an outdated Facebook.
The book took almost three months to come, even though classes already started. Now I’m stuck paying the remaining $700 for something I can’t even use.
Contacting support was useless. Find a different school.

Datum van ervaring: 28 november 2024

Extremely disappointed and feeling misled. First of all, the promise of a $55/ month payment jumped to $90 after enrollment. Second, upon enrollment, I asked about any financial aid assistance or military benefits we could take advantage of since we are a low-income family. I was told no- nothing is available. A further deep dive into their convoluted website revealed they indeed do have benefits for military members but I am no longer able to take advantage of it. Lastly, my son completed the projected 15-month program in 3 months. That included classes he had already completed in years prior, but Penn Foster would not honor the transfer credits. (Any way to get as much money as they can.) I have been told that I am still on the hook for $800 in order to receive his diploma. No incentive or waiver for (extremely) early completion?? My son’s dream has been to join the military. But now, he cannot retrieve the diploma he worked hard to earn and effectively NEEDS in order to enlist. I feel the website and admissions team is not 100% transparent about the financial obligations of their programs. I am very disappointed and would have gone the GED route 10x over than to now be indebted to this company for the next year. My only hope is that I can retrieve a copy of his transcripts and pray that these credits are transferable to a different institution and he won’t have to start over…again. Penn Foster let me and my son down, and I would not recommend their school to any parent looking to find an alternative to traditional high school.

Datum van ervaring: 21 januari 2025

they are literally no help at all. i’m trying to submit my written tests and they won’t help me they keep repeating themselves like i’m not stupid it literally won’t work. my file keeps disappearing and the girl keeps saying i have to do it like no shit sherlock but how do you expect me too when you’re not even helping me i’ve tried everything they said it doesn’t work and she said she can’t just fail me out of that class but idk what else to tell her because it won’t let me do it

Datum van ervaring: 13 januari 2025

Now, I'm almost finished with the course, the teachers are taking a long time to post the grades, all this to charge me again for the entire course. I think this is absurd. If I don't have time to finish the internship because of you guys, you can rest assured that I won't waste my money on you anymore. I will look for a college where I know I won't be deceived.

Datum van ervaring: 14 januari 2025

my boyfriend and i both use penn foster. their customer service is a nightmare, here’s an example from what has happened to us over the last few months. my bf called to get his email changed on his account and get help logging in when they did the big switch to the learning center thing, through doing so the customer service person SOMEHOW managed to completely switch him to a different persons account. fast forward to today, he goes on and notices his address is wrong. so he calls penn foster and this guy on the line tells him HE logged into the wrong account, he can’t get any of the credits he earned transferred, he can’t get his perfect gpa transferred, AND he also needs to pay 200 something dollars to get his account back. i wouldn’t recommend penn foster to anyone who doesn’t like migraines. it’s been nothing but nightmare with this school every time we need anything from them. the program is good in and of itself, but the people you have to work with to get any help are useless.

Datum van ervaring: 18 december 2024

This is in reference to their Residential Electrician program.. this is coming from someone who is 30, has their own company, is doing their program as a pregame before other exams, and has been doing construction since 7 years old with his family members.. This program is absolute TRASH!! There are so many wrong answers, formulas, practice and exam questions.. you will never know what is correct in the program and what is not.. And trust me, if you are in this program.. you will be able to tell.. it is not even from a lot of experience. They will literally provide a formula in a video as I=P/V... and then right below the video present it as I=P*V... so you literally have no idea which way to do it when it comes to the exam... unless you google it. And at that point you'll be asking yourself why you are paying them to give you wrong information that you have to double check every slide.

This program has blown my mind. I do not know how they are accredited. I do not know how they are allowed to sell this to people. I do not know how this program has not been shut down yet.

It is absolute ludicrous. You can tell these people have absolutely no clue about the trades.. and keep pushing this half-thrown together program to people.

Honestly.. find a different program... or purchase a few books and audiobooks and do your studies that way... This education is, I wont say pointless, but it is not what anyone would want. Like I said, you literally have to question every single thing they tell you starting in lesson 3-4 of 9. There is so much mispresented information and contradictions riddled throughout the whole program it is insane..

Most of the time, you have to start at the bottom of a page and work your way up as well.. because they start giving you complex examples before presenting you with the basic formulas.

I honestly have never seen a more backward and screwed up education..

Penn Foster should honestly be barred from educating anyone on the trades.

-Someone who has been in the trades

Datum van ervaring: 16 januari 2025

Pennfoster is a terrible institution! They employ low profile educators and ego oriented people. Their system is a total mess and trap! Don’t trust them and don t ruin your future! This claim of being open book is a total lie and the educators are mean and bad people

Datum van ervaring: 01 december 2024

PRO: Customer service called me within minutes of filling out the online info request and the people I spoke with were very pleasant.

CONS: Not a good option for students who have completed some/most HS already. They only transfer a small number of credits so students have to retake courses.

The website is misleading and information is inaccurate. The person I spoke to didn't know what I was talking about when I was literally quoting from their site.

They claim to offer financial assistance but it's just a payment plan and/or a discount for paying in full. Calling that financial assistance is a stretch to say the least.

Datum van ervaring: 19 oktober 2024

We chose Penn Foster Online for my daughter's education because they are accredited by the AVMA and the 4th Semester was supposed to be free. She finished her 3rd semester and one person told her that program ended (she is within the graduation timeline) and another told ME the 4th semester program free didnt apply to her because she used scholarships and was not self pay. This was never told to us when she enrolled and the fact that a school of higher education is trying to back out on its promotion is sad and ridicuous. They want to push ethics and professionalism when it comes to the students behavior, yet their own is severely lacking. Stand by your deal. YOU put it out there. Do better, Penn Foster!

Datum van ervaring: 14 oktober 2024

The online IT support specialist program at this college was a complete waste of time and money. The course material was outdated and poorly organized, and the instructors were unresponsive and unhelpful. I learned more from self-study than I did from this program. I would not recommend this program to anyone."

Datum van ervaring: 17 oktober 2024

Over all poor I mean I think its all well structured my Job Corps center uses this and everyone except one student is whining about how the over all program goes about executing things. My fellow students and I all dislike the exam system and how it works and on top there are complaints about there accounts not working.

I represent many when I say these words the people I work and learn hard beside.

Datum van ervaring: 14 januari 2020

I have completed two Career Diploma programs there. The first, Electronics Technician, the second HVACR Technician. I may enroll in another some time.

The real only negative is I never had an 'instructor' to contact for any help if I needed it, in either program - there is none that I am aware of. It's a good thing I'm a decent student and was able to figure things out on my own. I did send a message in once or twice about an issue or two, but the complaints/questions were closed shortly afterward without anyone ever contacting me.

The program content is good for the most part. The best part of the programs is you're able to study on your own time, and you have a 'legitimate' career diploma when you complete the course to show an employer or otherwise that you at least have some basic knowledge in the field. This can help you get your foot in the door somewhere or a promotion.

I would probably give PF a 4 or 5 rating if they at least had someone you could contact about the course material when you are taking a course. Keep this in mind if you enroll - YOU ARE BASICALLY ON YOUR OWN WITH THE STUDY MATERIAL TO LEARN FROM ONCE YOU ENROLL. Good luck.

Datum van ervaring: 02 januari 2024

All thanks to Penn Foster I was able to received my High School Diploma at age 42 , and now enrolled in a local University in my State to start Bachelor Degree Classes in Spring semester of 2021 January ! I will recommen Penn Foster to anyone who's seeking to receive their High School Diploma . I give Penn Foster 5 Star's , would have gave them 10 if I was allowed to because they deserve it �

Datum van ervaring: 19 augustus 2020

I'm a international student from the Bahamas and I've sign up for the high school diploma course at penn foster and so far it seems to be going well. My expectations for this school is positive results nothing less

My flight school in Tampa Florida accepts penn foster high school diploma. Please do not disappoint me as I'm keeping faith in the legitimacy of school

Thanks

Datum van ervaring: 05 augustus 2020

i have been calling for days to change my due date for my payment to may 1st and i cant seem to ever get in touch with anyone so far i am at 4.5 credits and i cant risk having to start all over since ive finished a agood amount of courses in a week . love th eprogram so far just wish there was more help sometimes not just resources . im a one on one kinda of learner and math however tends to be my weakess subject everything else ive aced with my eyes closed literally .

Datum van ervaring: 27 april 2020

I tried traditional school. I just couldn't focus and get anywhere. I enrolled in Penn Foster and along with previous High School credits already earned, I started in January 2019 and received my High School Diploma in August.
I am enrolled in college for the spring. Everyone commends me for finishing High School. I commend Penn Foster for such an awesome education. Colleges love to see determination and commitment, plus I am already experienced with the online environment
Your diploma is behind your unofficial transcript and do not open the envelope with your official transcript sealed for college.
Best of luck!
PS: Hope you ace the final exit paper🤗

Datum van ervaring: 23 november 2019

Iam a graduate of UC Davis and was in a masters program in Marriage and Family Therapy. I learn fast so thought medical coding would be something I could get into. I have a 4.00 here but the coding classes are confusing. The reading material compacts everything into 2 classes and there are no lectures by the professor to help explain the sequencing of the coding guidelines. I am on my last class and the intermediate coding is highly convoluted. And I am running out of time. My mother had stroke and am dealing with that but am really getting frustrated how bad the Buck's book is written. I hope I can get an extension because I would hate to be out $1500.

Datum van ervaring: 13 maart 2023

My problem with Penn Foster began and ended with the externship of Vet Tech semester 2. Specifically the girl in charge of evaluating it, A.W. She is the reason i will never recommended Penn Foster to anyone ever again and the reason I am going to switch schools. She obviously just enjoys keeping people from passing. She also refuses to grade anything in a timely manner seemingly so she can charge people for extensions.

Datum van ervaring: 29 februari 2024

I'm currently in the private investigations program with penn foster and it's been great overall. However, I've found a few grammar issues here and there and one whole section was on the details of the inner parts and workings of older cameras which in my opinion has nothing to do with private investigations. Good school overall. If your interested in enrolling I highly recommend it.

Datum van ervaring: 05 april 2023

I started PennFoster at the end of 2019 so that I could retake high school due to only getting a 1.8 gpa in school back in 2009. My parents knew someone in the school and that is the only reason I graduated high school, when I didn't really earn the grades to graduate. I love that PennFoster goes through every aspect of every lesson and if you don't understand something, you can get help from instructors. Also, the staff is very friendly and helpful and they are willing to help out with any scheduling, extensions, and test retakes. I highly recommend PennFoster.

My goal after I get my GED is to get into PennFoster's Criminal Justice associates and bachelors schools! :)

Datum van ervaring: 10 juni 2020