Here are some tips for selecting schools, based on an analysis comparing each school to all others across dozens of factors:
Schools Concentrating On Accountants And Auditors
- Focus: For schools with a focus on this career area, look at Purdue, IUPUI, Indiana University, and Ball State.
Fastest Response From Schools
- Request Info: For the fastest information for prospective students, look at the Spotlight schools on this page.
Student Body
- Part-Time: For schools emphasizing part-time studies, consider Purdue Calumet, IU South Bend, Indiana University, and IUPUI.
- Female: For schools particularly welcoming to female students, consider Saint Mary's College and Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Martin, Calumet College, Vincennes University, and Purdue Calumet.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Trine Fort Wayne, Ivy Tech Whitewater, Ivy Tech Northcentral, and Grace College and Theological Seminary.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Notre Dame, Saint Mary's College, Taylor University, and Valparaiso.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Goshen, Manchester, Saint Mary's College, and Trine University.
Excellence
- SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at Notre Dame, Indiana University, Butler, and Purdue.
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at Notre Dame, University of Saint Francis-Ft Wayne, and Marian.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Notre Dame, Butler, Saint Mary's College, and Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College.
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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University Of Indianapolis • Indianapolis, IN
Studying Accounting (completion in 2002)
"It has been more than 5 years since I attended. I graduated in 2002"
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | It was great for what I wanted. Close to home, flexible schedule so that I could work. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | School is known for other majors besides accounting although their accounting degree is great. |
| Program Quality | 8 | The program was great. Learned a great deal and got some real life experience. |
| Instruction | 8 | Professors were good, helpful and knowledgeable. Many of them work in the accounting field and help you understand how you can integrate your education into your job. |
| How Difficult | 7 | Some of the accounting classes were pretty involved. Took many hours of study. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Soem book work as well as hands on projects. Some real life projects as if working at a real job. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | It is good. There are night and weekend classes also available as well as daytime. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | I thought the library could have been more. There needs to be more computer access at times. |
| Social Life | 6 | I did not live on campus, so I was not as involved in this as I could have been. I also worked, so that took up much of my time. |
| Placement Services | 7 | There are people to help you get a job. They will help you write a resume and prepare for interviews. |
| Alumni Network | 9 | Lots of alumni stuff goes on throughout the year. They send out newsletters to alumni letting them know what is happening. |
Indiana University • Kokomo, IN
Studying Finance & Economics (completion in 2007)
• 5/8/2011
"I enjoyed my experience at college and am very glad I attended. I really enjoyed the convenience of being able to stay close to my home and my family and still get what I feel like is a good education."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I think that for a person living locally, who also may be working a day job, this is an excellent place to obtain a degree. I feel that a college degree is almost a necessity in today's world and Indiana University at Kokomo is a good school to achieve that goal. My finance degree has served me well and I feel like this school could do the same for others. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | My degree, although I went to Indiana University of Kokomo, is an Indiana University degree. Indiana University has a well respected school of business. |
| Program Quality | 8 | I really enjoyed the small class experience of a local college setting. I feel like the small size of the school did not decrease the quality of education I received. |
| Instruction | 8 | The instructors I dealt with really seemed to enjoy the material and enjoyed teaching it to the students. The small class sizes allowed for ample one-on-one time with the instructor if you had questions. |
| How Difficult | 7 | |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | A few teachers used visual aids and had experiments or group projects that were more hands on. Mostly, classes were pretty well scheduled around the text book and followed it closely. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | Most classes were offered both during regular business hours and again in the evening. As a full time employee, I made great use of the evening class schedule. Still, there were several classes that were only available during business hours. I had to make arrangements with my place of employment to be able to attend these particular classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | I feel that given the fact that it was a small school, it had excellent resources. They had recently added a science building which had a nice variety of lab equipment. Also, the library had been recently updated and had ample computer access and study areas. |
| Social Life | 6 | There is no on-campus living at the school, so few people stayed on campus for extended periods of time. Most students seemed to come in, go to their classes, and go home. This didn't leave a lot of room for social activities. |
| Placement Services | 4 | As I already had a full time job while completing my degree, I did not make use of these services. I have heard from fellow students that the job placement services are a little lacking, though. I don't believe there is a lot of effort put toward this area by the school. |
| Alumni Network | 7 | It has been almost five years since I graduated and I still receive updates and notifications from the alumni association. Again, being a smaller campus, I feel like there is a good sense of community within the school and among its alumni. |
Indiana University • Bloomington, IN
Studying Mathematics (completion in 2009)
• 8/8/2011
"I had 3.5 great years at school. I learned a lot and I'm better off for it."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | IU is a great place. Those looking to be an Accountant would do well to go to the business school. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | I've not heard anything bad about it. I also haven't heard anything good about it. |
| Program Quality | 7 | The math program was good and very difficult. I felt that I learned a lot. |
| Instruction | 3 | I didn't plan on being an accountant. I was told many things about the job opportunities for mathematicians, many of which were false. |
| How Difficult | 8 | Mathematics is a tough subject. It only gets hard when you get into theory. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It's math. I'm not sure how you have hands-on learning for mathematical theories. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | They offer courses at most times. I took some summer courses. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The rooms were nice and the chalkboards worked. There was help available when I looked for it. |
| Social Life | 10 | I had a blast at school. I meet a lot of good people and went to many awesome events |
| Placement Services | 4 | I felt that I got some help with my resume. I wish they had better job placement services, though. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | Average, I think. I don't really have anything to compare it to. |
Harrison College • Indianapolis, IN
Studying Accounting (completion in 2013)
• 8/8/2011
"I'm very satisfied with my school. I have been to one other college and thus far have been happier here than I ever was there."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I think Harrison is a great school to attend. If someone is looking to go to school in an online environment, then I would recommend them first before any other college. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | I don't believe my college stands out for accounting. I don't think they have too many people nowadays that sign up for that particular program. |
| Program Quality | 7 | I like the school, however some of the adjunct instructors aren't always suited for the classes they teach. Many of them have a hard time helping the students they are supposed to be teaching. |
| Instruction | 8 | They give instruction very well at this school. All of the information they taught us thus far had been relevant and worthwhile. They send out emails telling us what to expect. |
| How Difficult | 8 | I thought the classes would be a little easier. Sometimes they place too much emphasis on things that take me a while to grasp. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Since a lot of their classes are online, they focus more on book learning. However, there are a few classes that are more focused on the hands-on method of learning. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | They allow you to take the classes when you need to take them. And if an issue arises they can switch you out of one class and into another, as long as it's in the beginning stages of the quarter. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | They have many libraries and all sorts of different resources out there for all of their students. Although they might have to search for what you are looking for, they always seem to find it. |
| Social Life | 8 | They throw gatherings all the time, trying to get the students to interact. They have a lot of school spirit and organized events. |
| Placement Services | 10 | They help out whenever possible. They offer to help students who don't even live close to any campus, since they off online classes also. |
| Alumni Network | 10 | They try to stay in touch will all of their students, past and present. They have a whole site dedicated to the alumni of the school. |
Indiana University • Indianapolis, IN
Studying Accounting/Finance (completion in 2006)
• 8/30/2011
"Considering my career advancement, I felt I received an above average education. I was fully satisfied with the program."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I have already recommended the school. It is great for students who also want to work without sacrificing a quality education. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | As I answered earlier it is one of the top business schools in the country. Enough said. |
| Program Quality | 10 | The Kelly School of Business at IU was rated one of the top business schools in the country. I think I was prepared to practice accounting due to the quality of the program. |
| Instruction | 9 | The majority of teachers I had were well versed in their subjects. I only had one that I felt I understood the material better than they did. |
| How Difficult | 5 | Accounting and finance are easy for me so my answer may not accurately reflect the difficulty of the program. My grades were among the highest in my class. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The subject matter is best suited for book learning. Although there were case studies, I would still consider it book learning. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | I was a parent and worked while going to school. The school offered online as well as evening classes to accommodate my schedule. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | The libraries were adequate. The computer labs could have been bigger; sometime you would have to wait for a computer. |
| Social Life | 5 | I didn't have much time to participate in many activities. Most students commuted so compared to other universities, I think there were not many social events. |
| Placement Services | 10 | I actually am working at the same company at which I did my internship. The guidance office encourages and hosts many events to help students get internships. |
| Alumni Network | 10 | The alumni network continually provides resources to help with different stages of employment. They host job fairs and a website that allows other alumni to post job offerings. |
Ivy Tech Community College • Richmond, IN
Studying Accounting (completion in 2011)
• 9/20/2011
"I am very satisfied. I would recommend this school for any working folks with children."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Ivy Tech works around your schedule. Sometimes life can get in the way and keep someone from going to school. Ivy Tech works well with the busy life that someone may have. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | In the past couple years the number of students who attend Ivy Tech has risen dramatically. It is known well for a technical school. |
| Program Quality | 10 | Ivy Tech had extremely helpful teachers. They also had a program to help with job placement. |
| Instruction | 8 | The curriculum was hard, but at the end I learned a lot. The teachers was extremely hands-on, so I was able to learn more. |
| How Difficult | 8 | Difficulty was entirely dependent on individual courses, it varied. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Some classes consisted of a lot of hands-on learning, but others, like English, where not. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | While I was in school, I worked full-time at a bank and also had two small children to take care of. Ivy Tech offered night classes and online classes, which helped me. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | Ivy Tech has a Learning Resource Center, which consisted of a computer lab, library, a place to for tutoring. It was extremely helpful. |
| Social Life | 3 | I didn't see much of a social life. There were small groups, and we were not much of an athletic school. |
| Placement Services | 7 | It took me a while to find a job in accounting, however I found the position because Ivy Tech had helped me search and prepare for the position. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | Ivy Tech helped me find a job in accounting after I got my degree. I have not spoken with any of my other classmates to see where they are now. |
Saint Mary Of The Woods College • Saint Mary Of The Woods, IN
Studying Accounting (completion in 2011)
• 10/5/2011
"I am exactly where I wanted to be. The flexibility in the WED program was second to none."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | It is very expensive, but with the flexibility and reputation, Saint Mary of the Woods is 100% worth the investment for your future. Strong education and other opportunities form a well-rounded student. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | The reputation of Saint Mary of the Woods College speaks for itself. It is a private college that went co-ed in the distance programs in the last few years. The school is very well respected. |
| Program Quality | 10 | I am very well prepared for an Accounting Associate position. I am familiar with current laws and standards. I am very pleased with the education I received. |
| Instruction | 9 | Instruction received at Saint Mary of the Woods was personalized for my strengths and weaknesses. The ratio of teacher to student made my career. |
| How Difficult | 9 | The curriculum is a difficult course of study. However, with the availability of the teaching staff, the courses were always achievable. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The curriculum is very book oriented, due to the laws and course of study. I do have to say that hands-on learning and internships were available, but hard for anyone taking distance classes. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Several different options are available to help students achieve a great education while living their lives. Through distance, online, alternative format, and campus courses, the flexibility is unbelievable. I am very pleased with the options that were available to work around my life. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | Accessibility is a plus at Saint Mary of the Woods. I was pleased with the options of accessing campus libraries and teachers online. The school takes pride in all the accessibility to students. |
| Social Life | 2 | The distance program offers very few opportunities for on-campus activities. I strongly recommend Alternative Format classes as a way to stay active in the campus setting. |
| Placement Services | 9 | There are many opportunities through the career center at Saint Mary of the Woods. All graduate resumes are on a website, and I have received calls about job opportunities directly from employers. The career center posts internships and sends regular emails to keep students informed. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | The alumni networking at Saint Mary of the Woods was strong in the beginning, but slowly faded. The support is no longer as necessary as it once was. |
Indiana University–Purdue University Fort Wayne • Fort Wayne, IN
Studying Accounting (completion in 1980)
• 10/23/2011
"They did very well by me. I appreciate all they did."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | They give you just the basics, but that is what you need. |
| Program Reputation | 4 | Probably not strong here. Other schools better known. |
| Program Quality | 8 | They provided the basics. Good instructors. |
| Instruction | 8 | Committed instructors who were always available for additional help. |
| How Difficult | 4 | Nothing complex, but it was challenging. Work hard and it pays off. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | There were internships available. Book learning provided background. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | Very flexible. Many of us worked or had families. |
| Academic Facilities | 4 | Not as strong here. It's a commuter school. |
| Social Life | I don't know. The social component did not interest me. | |
| Placement Services | 9 | They helped me out, but that was 30 years ago. |
| Alumni Network | 9 | Good here. It helped me find a job. |
ITT Tech • Indianapolis, IN
Studying Accounting (completion in 2008)
• 10/9/2011
"The school, as far as my program goes, was excellent. The school, based on financial aid, would be a 0."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I would caution them to be certain their financial aid promises were in writing. Then I would recommend they be very careful every step of the way to make sure the financial aid was in place and not go solely on your FA rep's words. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | What I've heard is that the program is great and I experienced that. However, I was not the only victim of financial aid's empty promises. |
| Program Quality | 6 | The program was fast-paced and fit my schedule. The program offered just what it promised and really furthered my career. |
| Instruction | 8 | The instructors were knowledgeable in their field of study. The instructors were always available to answer questions or concerns. |
| How Difficult | 6 | Accounting is black and white - there is no gray in math. Therefore, it's somewhat difficult since there's no bend to the answers. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Being online, the book was the main source of learning. Occasionally projects or research papers would bind a group together to go outside the book. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Online schooling offers a wide range of flexibility. You have 1 week to complete assignments and if you do not, it's your own problem. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | Online school offered online library access and other links to online resources. As far as campus resources go, the offer was always there to attend the campus for research if need be. |
| Social Life | 6 | In online school you are alone, however we had group projects. These projects allowed you to interact via email and for the most part everyone seemed professional. |
| Placement Services | 5 | I personally already had a job so I didn't utilize their job placement. According to their advertisements it would appear they are successful. |
| Alumni Network | Never had any interaction with the alumni. |
Indiana University • Bloomington, IN
Studying Accounting And Finance (completion in 2011)
• 10/29/2011
"I was very satisfied with IU as a whole. From the academics and athletics to the social experience, IU is unprecedented. The quality of faculty and the curriculum is second to none. IU, especially the KSOB, prepares you very well for the business world and gives you skills that almost any other institution would not."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | The KSOB is a top school in every business major. Even outside of the business school, there are plenty of schools and majors that are high quality and can lead to very successful careers. The business school prepares you in every way imaginable, especially through its coveted I-Core (which is a core of business classes culminating in a week long group project). |
| Program Reputation | 10 | The KSOB has an unprecedented reputation when it comes to all business majors. Kelley graduates are looked upon as an elite group that has been through a lot more and learned a lot more than many other business school graduates. |
| Program Quality | 10 | The Kelley School of Business is one of the top business schools in the nation in every single major. The amount of information that I was exposed to and the unique skills that only a top institution like IU can offer sets it apart from other universities. |
| Instruction | 8 | Many professors had jobs in the business world prior to teaching, which made it easy for them to prepare students for what they would see in the real world. You learn A LOT at the KSOB (Kelley School of Business) and the quality and diversity of the information is second to none. |
| How Difficult | 9 | Many upper level classes were very challenging and required a lot of dedication to succeed. Midterms and Finals required studying non-stop for at least a week to do well on all exams. Many professors asked questions from actual certification tests (ie the CPA Exam) to help prepare students going that route. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Many classes early on were more book learning because class sizes were anywhere up to about 300 as they were lectures. During Junior and Senior years, class size was closer to 20-30 which allowed for much more hands-on and small group learning. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | Weekends were not an option to take classes as they were not offered. There were a LOT fewer classes offered in the summer. No business school classes were offered online. But the flexibility during the week allowed for students to take classes at any time of day and many teachers were lenient as to what section/time you attended their class. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | The libraries were enormous and packed with computers and IT professionals to help with whatever you needed. Academic advisors were easy to meet with and required only a week or less advance to schedule a meeting. Professors had office hours that they were devoted to students and were also very understanding about making meetings outside of those times. |
| Social Life | 10 | Hoosier pride was prevalent in every aspect of the school. Athletics were very important - no matter the quality of the team, students were there to support it. The social "bar" scene was something that set IU apart from many schools. There were many organized social events from the different clubs/fraternities/sororities, etc. |
| Placement Services | 10 | The career services office conducts a lot of career fairs with sometimes near 100 different employment opportunities. The office is open to walk in any time, and you can reserve rooms for phone interviews or in person interviews. Their website also has a lot of job postings that are exclusive to KSOB students. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | There are many different business fraternities/associations/clubs that you can join and you are exposed to many different opportunities to network. Many former students come back to the KSOB to talk to current students and also for networking opportunities, so they make it very easy to network. |
Grace College • Winona Lake, IN
Studying Accounting (completion in 2011)
• 12/16/2011
"Overall I felt like my school adequately prepared me for my career. I was thoroughly prepared to work in my field and given opportunities through internships to gain real world experience."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Grace is an excellent school if you want solid academic and accessible professors who will help you succeed. You will have to apply yourself, but you will find many opportunities throughout your college career that will help you become a well-rounded business professional. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | Grace College has a very good reputation as a school that accepts only the best. Their business programs (including accounting) are some of the best programs in the school. |
| Program Quality | 9 | Grace is a smaller private school whose Accounting division is run by someone with years of experience in the field. He made sure the program was constructed in such a way as to give students an excellent background. |
| Instruction | 9 | The accounting professors that I studied under had years of experience in the field, as well as having their Doctorates in the study of accounting. |
| How Difficult | 8 | The workload was very challenging, which was necessary to prepare us for the real world. However, the hardest classes had offered study groups with TA's that greatly helped. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | There was definitely more book learning at my school than hands-on, but there were also opportunities to get hands-on work. The nursing program worked with local nursing homes; the computer science program would take on outside projects from local businesses to get hands-on experience. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 6 | When I was there, the school didn't offer a lot of options due to its small size. It was just beginning to offer online courses when I left. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | Grace is a smaller school, and this is reflected in the accessibility of its resources. Professors were always available to talk to and get advice from. |
| Social Life | 8 | I was too focused on academics to participate in many social things. However there were many, many options at my school. There were general student groups, special clubs for different majors, and the dorms themselves often hosted parties. |
| Placement Services | 8 | The school offers several specialized programs for students to fast track their career, in addition to general career assistance services. |
| Alumni Network | 4 | I don't really know of any alumni network other than what they use to solicit donations. I stay in touch with my peers via Facebook. |
Indiana Wesleyan University • Marion, IN
Studying Accounting/Finance (completion in 2008)
• 2/21/2012
"The only downside to IWU is that they are a bit more expensive than the other options in my area. However, the education was well worth the price."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | IWU is a college for the young and old. The school makes you feel like an individual and that you are their only concern. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | IWU offers a course that is very comparable to those in our region. The reputation of the program at IWU has only been positive, as far as I am aware. |
| Program Quality | 8 | I was very satisfied with IWU, simply because the staff was always available to help when you needed it. I took my studies as an adult, and the entire staff and students never made me feel like any less of a person for waiting to get my degree. |
| Instruction | 7 | The curriculum that was taught was extremely relevant to my career choice. As for career preparation, IWU had an extremely high job placement rate that appealed to me. |
| How Difficult | 5 | The amount of the workload was fair; it was not any more or less than I anticipated. Some of the courses did not offer much to do for homework, while the other classes made up for it. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | In my accounting course, we actually had to learn how to use accounting software, such as Peachtree. When it came to my income tax class, we had to learn how to use TurboTax, so I would say it is extremely hands on. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | The majority of the courses I took were available both online and in a classroom. IWU also offered evening options, as well as summer options. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The online library of IWU is amazing; the information was limitless. The academic advisors were also helpful to help plan out my entire class schedule to fit my needs. |
| Social Life | I did not participate much in school activities. I would imagine that they were fun, as I truly enjoyed my entire experience with IWU. | |
| Placement Services | 7 | I enjoyed getting information about the job placement programs. However, I was lucky enough to have a job available to me when I graduated, so I did not use the services. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | Alumni network is extremely good. It has been a few years since I graduated, and they still reach out to me. It is nice to know that I can also go back to IWU with anything that I may need, whether it be advice or the need for different career options. |
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