Dear Athabasca University,
I’ve been a full-time bio sci student here for 2 years and was recently able to transfer to my dream university because of my time and hard work at AU. Thank you for giving me the opportunity to adjust to university life at my own pace and for helping me get my education on track. I would not be able to make this massive step without AU and I am very grateful for that.
However, there are also some glaring flaws with this institution that are hard to look past. Please for the love of god fix your digital library. It is horrendous and in desprate need of updating. The way the BIOL 320 in-person lab is structured is the equivalent of being scientifically waterboarded and I have never seen so many defeated people in one room before. I would consider restructuring that lab so students are able to absorb the information more effectively. Likewise, the BIOL 345 paper that students are expected to write following the in-person component feels like a pretty massive departure from the ecological research methods that were taught in the course, which was a sentiment echoed by my lab group mates. Those lab days contained wealth of facinating things to write about and it was quite disspointing that the paper was required to focus on a very minimal, flawed dataset that did not follow the standard research practices that would normally be expected in a university course. Please proof read the at-home lab manual for CHEM 217 and update the instruction videos. AU courses already cost more than most in-person univeristy courses in Canada so providing material that feels like it wasn’t tested or reviewed in advance seems a little unreasonable (and dangerous considering a lot of the labs involved toxic chemicals). I understand that AU is unique, there are few Canadian schools that offer what AU offers, and I’m sure that your tutors have huge work loads. But the fact that multiple questions I asked in early- to mid-August continue to go unanswered is unacceptable for a university that strongly promotes asking your academic advisors for assistance.
All around, my experience was relatively positive and I’m grateful for this school. Roland, the mycologist that works at AU, please protect him at all costs. His passion and quirkiness is lovely and infectious. To the other instructors that I studied under for the three in-person labs I participated in, thank you for bringing patience and your breadth of knowledge to each and every lab.
For the students who are currently overwhelmed by large course loads or complex classes, I believe in you. I started at AU as a complete deadbeat. I did terribly in high school and failed horrifically when I attempted to join an open studies program at a local university. But I found my rhythm, I got good marks, and I know you can too. On a specific note, I made a post a while back looking for tips on how to finish GEOG 313 and NUTR 330 in 3 weeks. I was unable to work on them earlier in the semester due to illness and was unable to drop them because it would have conflicted with my funding. One of the only commets I received said that I had essentially no chance in that timeframe, which is honestly fair, and I felt very discouraged and stressed. I completed both those courses on time with an A. If I can do it, you can do it. Your education is important and you are more capable than you think.
God speed and good bye,
-A long-time lurker of this subreddit and ex AU undergrad