BJU Press - TheHomeSchoolMom (2024)

Abeka vs. BJU... review from experience!!
We have been using BJU Press Distance Learning Online for my daughter since August 18th, 2017. I am very pleased with how it's going so far. The materials arrived very quickly.. around 5 days from when I paid the first payment. I like that the down payment and monthly installments are affordable. I wish the teacher materials, printed versions, came with the package. The curriculum/BJU online is NOT accredited unless you pay extra. The fully accredited version that is nationally recognized costs $800 extra up front, so instead of about $280 to start, it is around $1100. The monthly installments are around $116 per month for 6 months, which is not bad at all. There is a version that is recognized in Iowa, where the school is located, and it costs $50 for them to monitor the students progress and create a report card. It is called the Academy for Home Education. This is acceptable to most college institutions according to what I have read. I plan on upgrading her to this plan so that she has an official report card. there is a way to print out a Progress Report, which is sufficient to prove that your child is learning (according to state mandates)
WHAT I LOVE ABOUT BJU: The online system for the parent and child is integrated. My screen shows what my student is supposed to do, and resources for myself and her. If she checks the box that the assignment is complete, it shows on my screen as well. All of the quizzes and tests are graded instantly and appear on my dashboard for my review. I love this!! I can review it and give her credit for those that are simply misspelled. It updates the grade instantly.
For the homework, I have pdf versions of everything I need to support her and check her daily assignments. There is some work on the part of the parent to monitor the work completed. I don't mind this at all, because I'm fully committed to making sure she succeeds.

This program is much better than ABeka in my opinion. My son is using Abeka for his 10th grade year. It's much more labor intensive for both of us, as opposed to my daughter's curriculum with BJU, which takes about 2 hours less per day.
The instruction videos in Abeka include a full class time with students reading, prayer time, homework check, students doing classwork, etc. Only about half of it is actual instruction from the teacher, which is all we need. My son can do the assignment on his own once he receives the instruction. There is a lot of wasted time on the Abeka videos. It takes 45 minutes to an hour to watch each video, and he has 6! Math, English, Bible, Science, History and an elective.
With BJU- my daughter's, her videos are short, and there may be 3 in math, each explaining a concept (around 5 minutes long each) The instructor uses a white board screen of some sort to work out the problems. The student guide gives them a list of what to do that day that corresponds with the instruction. I love that!!

The homework/assignment portion is not as long as Abeka as well. There may be homework/assignments in 2 or three classes with BJU, but with Abeka, the assignments and "extras" are never ending.

The Student Guide included on the Studen'ts Dashboard is awesome. It tells them everything that they need to have (materials, and references the pages) the video, or quiz or assignment to complete. That is always the first box for the day. The second box will be the video instruction. The third box will be the assignment to complete. There could be more boxes to check depending on how many concepts are taught on that day.

The materials for Abeka and BJU are very similar, but I like the media and pictures in the BJU texts better. The videos also include little programs similar to a PBS show or something. They are engaging and provide visual aids to the student.

The Accrediation, costs and materials for Abeka are much cheaper. All included, for Abeka, its around $980 for the year (about $280 up front, and $140 a month for 5 months) All the videos (online or DVD's) are included, along with the student texts, teacher's manuals, paper tests and quizzes and all keys for the texts, tests and quizzes. I love that about Abeka. It is an awesome value for a fully accredited, nationwide program. It is not for children with any sort of learning disability. It is for smart kids with a heart to learn and listen carefully and for kids who don't mind the extra work, knowing it will better prepare them for college.

For kids who still want to be challenged, but have a hard time staying in one place for 6 hours a day watching videos, BJU is a better fit. The assignments are shorter, but the material is still comprehensive. BJU is more media rich, which my daughter craved.

The grading system for Abeka is not too bad if you do the paper version. I would not recommend doing the online tests, because we had a very hard time with it. There is no access to the tests or answers, or to see what you made on a test or quiz for a number of weeks. This is incredibly frustrating for the student. If I were to purchase all the paper materials separately, it would costs hundreds extra. Abeka only gives you once choice... all online with student texts, or all paper and you have to grade everything on your own. This STINKS! If Abeka could condense or edit their videos to only include instruction and include a parent portal to key-in grades or grade the online tests immediately, it would be much better.
BJU has given us the best of both worlds. We have the convenience of online testing, but I also have pdf versions of everything at my fingertips, and I can go in after the automated system grades my daughter's tests or quizzes and review it with her and give her credit for ones that she made a typo on.
If she made a bad grade, I have two choices in the Test Review section on my dashboard. I can "Reset Test" or click "Review". I love, love, love that feature... just as if the student was in a traditional school, the teacher can allow them to retake the test, but they don't give them any answers. They just tell them that they didn't pass and give them an opportunity to study for one more night and take it again. This is KEY for us! My daughter has good days and bad.. and she really needs this flexibility. Last week, she had a big exam over the first several chapters in science. She didn't understand a couple of the questions, so she just typed in the box "I don't understand this question" She did this on two questions and on two others, she misspelled a word. I was able to go in, review it, and ask her to answer those questions verbally, making sure she understood the question, and give her credit for them. It brought her grade up to an 82%. The look on her face was priceless. She was so happy. Before we reviewed it, the automated system had given her a 68%, and she was so disappointed.
With Abeka online testing... there is no way to print the test out.. .which is key for math tests.... I like to pull up the pdf version of the tests/quizzes for my daughter using BJU, because she is very visual. She can make notes, underline words, etc. My son was literally pulling his hair out with Abeka online. We called them and switched over to paper tests and they sent them to us at no additional charge. I was grateful for that. I just told them that we didn't like the online testing.
It was a pain to switch testing options mid stream, and he had to retake about 20 quizzes/tests when they arrived and he spent around 3 days doing that, which set him behind. He is now feeling much better about the program. We have a good system going and will continue with Abeka until next year. We will definitely use BJU Online, the fully accredited "Bridgeway Academy" with them next year... so I'd better start saving my money. LOL
I hope this review has helped you. Feel free to reach out to me with more questions.