Antioch University-Los Angeles Reviews

"I would echo the review below by lo langford, but apply it to the MFA Program. The mentors are generally caring and the core faculty do try hard, but they're not recognizable lights of the literary world by any stretch. The main problem is the program takes practically anyone who they find get to pay $10+K at term for basically online lectures and a chance to email/zoom with a mediocre(albeit caring) writer about your work. A high acceptance rate says something about an MFA program and it's not good. An MFA is supposed to be a terminal degree for select(key word) and serious writers to pursue their craft, not an achievement certificate. You get lots of wealthy retirees and K12 teachers, and the odd mid-career working professional(think doctor/lawyer) now trying their hand at doing the writing thing. Don't expect insightful commentary and inspiring workshops. Workshops are quite amateur. Serious creative writers should look elsewhere, but someone working on a late-in-life passion project might find some expensive help with Antioch's MFA."

"So many of the issues with Antioch pertain to the administrative side of things, sadly. The clinical training office is a joke, they have one guy doing it part time and he’s completely incompetent and disorganized, so you will spend literal months after ‘graduating’ trying to get him to confirm your clinical training credits (which really is a rubber stamp, since approved supervisors have already signed off on these hours). Suffice it to say that this offboarding experience is so awful, it will taint your entire graduate school experience. And not having those credits completed in a timely fashion also handicaps you during the program, because registration time slots each quarter are allocated based on them, so people who arent in specializations end up getting worse time slots. Beyond that whole nightmare, the quality of instruction is incredibly uneven, with a lot of turnover among the adjunct professors particularly. I had a few great classes, the rest ranged from mediocre to terrible. On the plus side, I met some great people and it was less expensive than comparable programs at USC and Pepperdine (where a lot of the adjuncts also teach, so on the plus side you’ll be taking some mediocre classes at a cut rate). Honestly, if they fixed the CTO, I would feel better about my experience. If you can, get into CSU Northridge."

"These are facts: I did graduate from Antioch Los Angeles in 2010 (Psychology). I did pass my 2 licensing tests on my first attempt. I am currently working on my own practice making more than 120K per year. I am bilingual Spanish and I work 10 hours a day. These are my opinions: I am really happy with my education and my career. I am glad that I have attended Antioch since I got the education I needed and did not waste time. I am not so happy about still having to pay for my student loans, but it was well worth it."

"The school offers very limited amount of classes and workshops needed for students. During my 2 years at this school they changed the requirements completely and lacked advising for most students. Specialization such as trauma only offer classes in the evenings meaning you are learning about sex trafficking and mass violence till 10 pm. Overall I would not recommend this school because of their lack of organization."

"Antioch accepts anyone who applies and that is reflected in the students you're surrounded by. The teaching and classes are really hit or miss and it's definitely up to you to make the most of your career, as professors are rarely available or helpful."

"I am a graduate student at Antioch University Los Angeles, pursuing my Master's Degree in Clinical Psychology. My goal is to obtain a Marriage and Family Therapy (MFT) license. Aside from degrees or licensing, what I really want is to just help people. As an undergraduate, I studied communications and somehow found myself working in advertising. It was a fast-paced and demanding job that I found deeply unfulfilling. As I began to rise in the ranks, gaining some form of success in that career, I could sense that somehow I was in the wrong place. But I had no clear direction where to go. One day, frustrated and exhausted, I began to seek a new path for myself. Eventually, I found myself to Antioch. I was truly terrified of changing course and direction so abruptly. I remember sitting at the orientation last fall thinking over and over again to myself if I was making the right decision. I decided to take the leap. Almost a year later, I have grown more than I could have ever imagined. It's not so much that I have learned more about myself; but rather that I've come to understand myself in a new way. Sigmund Freud said, "Out of your vulnerabilities comes your strength." Never before did I believe that my vulnerabilities could serve me in my life path. I always had thought they were weaknesses to hide, not strengths I could utilize and celebrate. Antioch offers fascinating courses, brilliant professors, and an impressive reputation. But more than anything, this school has an intangible quality that goes beyond accolade or reputation. It has transformed the way I see myself. Its my personal belief that the human experience can be reduced to two basic desires: to love and to be loved. I believe all beings are born with these basic inclinations. Along the way, life experiences often divert us from these most pure intentions. Through my work as a therapist, I hope to help my clients find their way back to self, and overcome their barriers to building authentic connections with their loved ones and in their chosen communities. Thank you."

"I am currently attending Antioch University Los Angeles towards a path of becoming a Licensed Marriage and Family Therapist. I am so glad that I have chosen this school for my master's degree. The program is vigorous and hands-on, with a focus on applied work rather than only research. This is important to me because one needs to practice a lot and develop good skills if you want to become an effective therapist. The school provides all the tools and learning opportunities one could wish for. Also, the faculty is extremely knowledgable and supportive, which makes all the difference. I am grateful and cannot wait to truly turn this wonderful learning experience into a career."

"This university is very open-minded, tends to think outside of the box, and is very helpful in learning clinical tools that may be utilized in the field."

"Great school! Love the liberal arts setting and small class sizes. I appreciated that most classes were discussions rather than lectures. Professors were kind and approachable while still be challenging. The campus is small and close knit. I did the cohort model and had the support of my classmates when needed."

"Very diverse in both students and faculty. Faculty is extremely helpful and accessible. They also work one on one with you to help plan your classes. Accelerated program available."

"Antioch provides night classes for the working adult. The classes are student centered. WHat I like the most are the topics we address. I can't imagine anywhere else I can go and get the information I am getting ."

"Pros: flexible schedule suitable for working professional. Curriculum is current and fully acceptable by the licensing board. Modern campus and access to computer lab and other student services. Convenient parking. Cons: Radical liberal agenda takes precedent over even-handedness. Faculty members are very busy and not always available for out-of-class questioning. No career placement."

"It is a very expensive program, but I would say that the quality of education that we are getting is worth it. We experience a different system of learning. It is not all about grades, but rather your academic progress to YOUR personal goals."

"I enjoyed my learning experience at Antioch. The University is best known as a Social Justice institute.The academics are above measure. I am familiar with the curriculum at other universities/higher learning institutions and after attending Antioch, I am not impressed with the others. The instructors that have remained through the test of time were excellent, from UCLA/USC and from other note worthy institutions. They make every attempt at diversity; however, I would like to see more qualified people of color employed as instructors; other than that, its a great place to learn and the students and staff become like family. Most important, I feel as though I was prepared for a career in Psychology and have had the pleasure of working in high powered positions. It is a private institution; therefore, it is pricy but in the end I am glad that I made the investment."

"I truly appreciate the education I am receiving at Antioch. The professors are licensed therapists working in a variety of areas, not just private practice. I was accepted to 4 psychology programs in the Los Angeles area but decided to attend Antioch because it has a hands-on approach to learning."

"The cons are simply that Antioch doesn't supply student housing, especially for those in the low-residency M.F.A program."

"Pro: Student-centered and designed for individual students Cons: Expensive"

"I love the majority of this program, but because it's a low-residency program, if you live out of town finding a place to stay can be costly, as can transportation. The most difficult part is paying for the education, though. Antioch is well-priced, but still expensive enough, and does not offer many scholarships to grad students. I am not aware of any scholarships to deserving (poor but kind of brilliant) students that the school itself offers. Not even one student a year can get considerable assistance outside loans. The folks in the financial aid office are all very friendly and answer questions and have advice, but without the actual funding, all the nicety doesn't go too far. The other downside (or upside, depending on how you look at it) is that, because Antioch has rolling admissions there are no official breaks, like summer break - expect to work right through once you begin, unless you take a leave of absence. This can be a little straining."

"I love Antioch! Their MFT program is amazing. Learning so much!"

"Not all the information above applies to all of Antioch LA's graduate studies programs. I'm in the program for creative writing, which is low-residency. That means twice a year I attend seminars and workshops on campus, then do the majority of my work from home. The major drawback of this in terms of financial aid means that there is no opportunity for becoming a TA or a student teacher of undergrads, and tuition can be a bit rough. It's not very expensive for an out-of-state of graduate program, but the school and the program don't offer that much in the way of scholarships, either. The other thing I don't like as well as I might in a more traditional program is the seminars. To elaborate: I love the seminars. My problem is that you only take seminars during the residency, then go home and work with a mentor on individualized creative and critical projects. I enjoy academia to an extent and I would have enjoyed having one or two seminars to be semester-long in order to really plunge into some of the topics covered during residency seminars; I would love to go more in-depth with some of the mentors on these things. However, that said, I am learning plenty in my program. Because it's a less-traditional program than most, students range in age from immediately following undergrad school to retired people; the diversity is phenomenal, and the school actively works toward this. With its focus including social justice issues as well as academics, Antioch seems to understand the need for major shifts in society. So if you are an activist this is great place to come. Academics are judged not by grades, but by satisfactory - not-satisfactory. It takes pressure off, although in a strange way the lack of grades as well as the emphasis of doing so much work individually requires students to grow in our understanding of ourselves and our work. It's really fantastic. It is a more self-determined program than traditional formats and encourages self-growth and understanding at the same time it gets you writing and focusing on your creative work."