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 Sojourner-Douglass College, Towson University, UMUC, and Prince George's Community College.
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 Morgan State, UM Eastern Shore, and UM Baltimore County.
- Female: For schools particularly welcoming to female students, consider Sojourner-Douglass College.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Morgan State, Prince George's Community College, UM Eastern Shore, and UMUC.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Harford Community College.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Loyola, Washington Adventist, Mount St. Mary's University, and McDaniel.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Mount St. Mary's University, UM Eastern Shore, Loyola, and Washington Adventist.
Excellence
- SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at University of Maryland, UM Baltimore County, Loyola, and Salisbury University.
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at University of Maryland, Morgan State, UM Eastern Shore, and Salisbury University.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Morgan State, Mount St. Mary's University, Sojourner-Douglass College, and Loyola.
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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Bowie State University • Bowie, MD
Studying Accounting (completion in 2003)
• 7/23/2011
"The overall program was the best. I like programs that give me flexibility and don't get in the way of my everyday life. I wished that their administrative staff was more supportive for commuting students."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | If you are looking for a flexible school then Bowie State is the one for your. I think they also offer hybrid classes which give a mixture of face-to-face and online. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | Not that many people know that Bowie has an accounting program that offers both bachelor's and master's degrees. The smaller the program, the better attention you receive from the staff. |
| Program Quality | 7 | My school had job fairs that got us on the path to employment. The professors really cared about the students and helped us as much as they could. |
| Instruction | 8 | The school had a career panel that touched on all disciplines of the school, so that gave us an insight on the accounting environment. We also had the professors to give us deeper insight into the accounting field that answered a lot of questions on the field. |
| How Difficult | 9 | Accounting is a very difficult subject to study. It makes it more difficult when you have an instructor that does not speak english clearly. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Most of the examples come from the text books, but case studies are pulled from recent events. I prefer a mix of both because you have to know the basics before you can apply them. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Bowie's program is structured for the working class. They have classes in the day and evening for those who have full-time jobs and families. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | Bowie recently built a new business school that was completed in 2008. New facilities are always great and help with the learning process when you have new spaces and equipment. |
| Social Life | 10 | I prefer to have face-to-face classes instead of online. You are able to connect better with other students and professors by stimulating that one-on-one contact that you would never achieve through the computer. |
| Placement Services | 8 | Bowie has job fairs once each semester that help students look for jobs. I was able to get my job from learning about the agency through my school's job fair. |
| Alumni Network | 9 | The school has a alumni website that allows us to still connect with other alumni. We would have our own website, but the program is not that huge to have our own site. |
University Of Maryland • College Park, MD
Studying Accounting (completion in 2009)
• 10/10/2011
"UMD is a great school. I do not regret going there and I would recommend it to others."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Yes. Many employers specifically seek out UMD students due to their reputation of intelligent, dependable students. The Robert H. Smith School of Business at UMD particularly has a high demand from employers. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | As mentioned earlier, UMD ranked 16th in the nation for accounting programs the year I graduated, 2009. Being in the National Capital Region, many corporations are headquartered here and seek out UMD graduates to intern or work for their companies. |
| Program Quality | 10 | The year I graduated, UMD ranked 16th in the nation for their accounting program. The professors are very knowledgeable and experienced. |
| Instruction | 10 | Every professor had previous experience in the field they were teaching. This made them extremely knowledgeable and able to answer nearly any question. They also gave real world examples and prepared us for what the workplace would really be like, rather than just giving "textbook" answers. |
| How Difficult | 8 | UMD students and graduates have a superb reputation among hiring companies; therefore, the curriculum is challenging. Good grades aren't just given away. You have to work for it and UMD ensures that students do just that so that their overall reputation is not flawed. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The program was a good mix. There is a large part of book learning that must be completed. Hands on work such as group projects, research papers, etc. compliment the book learning. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | Schedules during spring and fall semester were fairly flexible in offering courses throughout the day and evening. Weekend classes and online classes were not offered, but typically aren't at state universities. UMD also offered a good selection of summer courses that were even open to non-UMD students. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | UMD had two libraries, state of the art media and computer centers, and access to tutors, particularly in math and english. Most classes were small (40 or less students), with the exception of high demand core classes, such as Psychology, Economics, Biology, etc., which held nearly 100 students. The advisors were very helpful in helping students lay out a four-year plan and when to take specific courses, so that they had the best chance for success. |
| Social Life | I was considered a "non-traditional" student since I was in my mid to late twenties and married. I was also a commuter student and lived nearly an hour from campus. Due to my circumstances, I did not participate in many on-campus activities or off-campus gatherings. | |
| Placement Services | 10 | UMD hosts many companies that would like to hire UMD students. They also host several job fairs a year. |
| Alumni Network | 7 | I receive emails regarding alumni support and events, but I do not participate. It is reassuring to know that the support is there should I need it. |
University Of Maryland, College Park • College Park, MD
Studying Accounting (completion in 2004)
• 2/5/2012
"Pretty satisfied. Maryland is a pretty well-respected business school in the area, and the career programs and rigorous courses they offer gave me a good springboard for my career. We have a pretty great alumni, including employers who return to the school to hire the students and offer internships. The school is very interested in you after you graduate, so that you return and continue to offer opportunities to the current students."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Yes. University of Maryland not only prepared me, but also pushed me to find the job in public accounting. They seem to understand what the public accountants need (since most professors were in the industry themselves at one point or another) when they go out in the workforce. |
| Program Reputation | 6 | I don't think Maryland is the best-known school for business. We are probably better known for the engineering program. But we are still a nationally ranked school. |
| Program Quality | 5 | I'm in nonprofit and government assurance, so I think two of my business classes were very helpful - English (auditors read and write more than the typical 'bean counting' that most people imagine) and audit classes were most beneficial. |
| Instruction | 8 | My school is very dedicated to preparing students to get a job in public accounting. We have separate college career prep classes just before the heavy public accounting firms' recruiting season begins. Whenever I now see resumes from students in another university vs. students from my school, you can see the stark differences in how they prepare for resumes and interviews. Students and professors are both very driven to succeed. |
| How Difficult | 8 | No accounting students in Maryland will say their classes were easy! Intermediate accounting courses in junior year are a "sorting hat" to find out who really wants to even go through the next 2 years. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Accounting courses are very book learning oriented; however, the other business courses do involve one or two group projects. I think this also depends on the elective courses you take. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | Smith School has an offsite campus in Shady Grove for weekend and weeknight classes. They have online courses you can take and transfer at University College. It is not in the level of some for-profit schools, but I think UMCP is very flexible for the number of classes you can take. |
| Academic Facilities | 6 | I had incompetent academic advisors at UMCP. I transferred here from another private university, and they had much better, caring, and knowledgeable academic advisors. UMCP advisors just don't seem to be interested. The international academic advisors are probably one of the worst, as they will try to use scare tactics, rather than informing them about the basics of immigration law. But libraries, media and computer resources are topnotch. My accounting professors were readily available if we had any questions. The business school's career advisors are extremely interested in your progress for your job search, however. The school's career advisor personally drove us (a mere three students) to NYC one weekend, when Columbia University had a Wall Street panel where you could network with people who worked in the finance industry. |
| Social Life | 7 | I loved the mix of students I met at Maryland. There's a great diversity of people. However, due to the size of the school, it's hard to meet the same person twice in a week, so the advantage of bonding in a smaller campus is lacking. But because there are so many different students, you will be sure to meet someone who is similar to you. |
| Placement Services | 8 | Smith School had a career seminar course that was a requirement to graduate when I went there. The course is designed to be taken in the fall of junior year as the public accounting firms (especially the Big 4) start their recruiting season. You can slide this course easily just doing the bare minimum, but if you take it as a financial career boot camp, it will be incredibly useful. |
| Alumni Network | 6 | I live in another location away from Maryland, but they still keep me informed about the school, and I do think the alumni network is pretty active. I still get emails about the alumni association happy hour or homecoming day BBQs from school. |
Sojourner-Douglass College • Lanham, MD
Studying Psychology (completion in 2014)
• 2/23/2012
"I am satisfied. It fits my needs right now."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I would only recommend it to working adults. I would not recommend it to high school students looking for a college. |
| Program Reputation | I don't know of their reputation. This school is really small in our area. | |
| Program Quality | 1 | They did not have the courses that I wanted to take. It is the most convenient for me. |
| Instruction | 8 | The class sizes are small, so I can get individual help from the teachers. There are a lot of resources for my major. |
| How Difficult | 5 | We have a lot of group projects and some individual projects. The groups allow us to stay in touch with each other if we have problems with the assignments. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | There is mostly bookwork in class. We rarely go out of the class, except for art. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | They provide day and evening classes all year long. They also provide childcare in the evenings. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | There are plenty of resources for my field. They have computer labs and a library. |
| Social Life | 7 | I socialize with classmates and teachers. The school is small and allows us to be social in class. |
| Placement Services | 1 | There is no job placement at this school. The students who attend are usually already working in their field and are getting degrees for advancement in their workplaces. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | I have only heard talk of the alumni, but have never seen any in our school. I am not that interested in this. |
University Of Maryland • Adelphi, MD
Studying Accounting (completion in 2005)
• 3/6/2012
"Very satisfied with the instruction at UMUC, and I would recommend it to anyone considering going there. If you are in state, the tuition is affordable, but out of state tuition may make the school's price prohibitive."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Instructors were knowledgeable and classes were affordable. The school has significant resources. Many programs and a depth of classes are offered. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | UMUC has an adequate reputation for accounting. The school's ability to turn out qualified accountants is well known. |
| Program Quality | 8 | The faculty was very knowledgeable. The program was set-up in a very user-friendly manner. |
| Instruction | 9 | All professors had a wealth of experience. Adjunct professors combined the education with real world experience. |
| How Difficult | 7 | The program is quantitative in nature, and is therefore more exacting. The difficulty level was moderate. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Some online courses were difficult and book learning heavy. Other classes were were very hands on. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | There were many classes available. Provided you register early, a beneficial schedule is always possible. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | Very nice facilities. Significant resources for students. |
| Social Life | 9 | Wide diversity in student body. Students were always involved in school and social activities. |
| Placement Services | 8 | There are many offices available to help alumni with career placement. I have utilized one such office and found them very helpful and genuinely concerned with alumni placement. |
| Alumni Network | 7 | UMUC doesn't have a huge network, but University of Maryland has extensive networking programs. University of Maryland networking opportunities are frequent and available. |
University Of Maryland, College Park • College Park, MD
Studying Accounting (completion in 1998)
• 3/26/2012
"Overall, I'm glad I went through the college experience. If I had to do it all over again, I probably would not do it again. I would go work at a restaurant and work my way up the food chain."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | As much as I think an education is important, in a big school like UMCP, it's important to get the teachers' attention. There are just too many other students to compete with. I would probably recommend going to a small school to get that personal touch, but if you're one that wants to pursue a career in a big-time school, Maryland is certainly a good option. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | One reason why I chose accounting was because UMCP was an up and comer for their business school. I was able to enjoy a brand new building that has since become quite large since I've been there. |
| Program Quality | 5 | I didn't feel I learned much from my classes. I learned a lot more through studying in CPA classes and work experience. |
| Instruction | 5 | I would say that overall my professors at UMCP were average. A lot were teacher students and I found that frustrating, because I paid a lot of tuition to get a mediocre education. |
| How Difficult | 8 | The program has changed since I graduated in 1998. Now 150 credits is required to graduate and I think that's very difficult. Had I known this back when I was an undergrad, I definitely would not have done it. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It was imperative to go to class. I cannot stress that enough. I'm not really sure where some of my teachers were pulling their information, but it definitely was not in the books/textbooks. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | Even as a senior, I found it really difficult to get the classes that I wanted. I was told that my seniority gave me first dibs, but that was just untrue. I thought it was discouraging at the time that I had big gaps in my schedule that I was unable to plan my work schedule around. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | Having the 24 hour library, Hornblake, was extremely nice. I always had a place I could go to. They had many computer labs that were great. |
| Social Life | 10 | I would probably qualify UMCP as a party school. They competed in just about every athletic sport, had an awesome fraternal system, and just a lot of clubs to participate in. Even though I was busy doing school/work, I could see how one would have a hard time balancing school and extra curricular activities. |
| Placement Services | 5 | Aside from the Big 4 (Big 5 at the time), there was no other support to find a job. I had to go through a temp agency and apply. Eventually, I found a job, but it was very difficult. |
| Alumni Network | I was not aware of any of the programs. I know there were was an accounting fraternity, but I was too focused on studying and working that I did not participate in any extra curricular activities. |
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