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 ASA Institute, Monroe College, Suffolk County Community College, and Berkeley.
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 Long Island University-Riverhead, Touro College, Mercy College, and College of Staten Island.
- Female: For schools particularly welcoming to female students, consider Long Island University Brentwood, Mildred Elley School, and Daemen.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Professional Business College, Medgar Evers College, Monroe College, and Monroe College-New Rochelle.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Long Island University-Riverhead, Long Island University Rockland, Long Island University Westchester, and Long Island University Brentwood.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of NYU, Marymount, Yeshiva University, and Wagner College.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Houghton College, Hartwick, Siena College, and Clarkson.
Excellence
- SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at NYU, SUNY Geneseo, Binghamton University, and Fordham.
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at Baruch College, Hunter College, Lehman College, and SUNY Geneseo.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Yeshiva University, Rochester Institute of Technology, Ithaca, and Hartwick.
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
Sort Reviews By:Sorting by: • Show All Details • Hide All Details
New York University • New York, NY
Studying Finance And Accounting (completion in 2003)
• 4/29/2011
"I am quite satisfied with the education I have received at NYU. It improved my analytical and communication skills, and provided the background I needed to succeed."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Although the social experience is not great at NYU - Stern School of Business, they do provide an extensive finance program. Practically all classes require you to work in groups, allowing you to gain experience with working with other people, as in the real world. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | New York University's Stern School of Business is one of the top business schools in the country. Practically all students go to this school to major in Finance in hopes of making it in the business world. |
| Program Quality | 9 | I would not have achieved what I am today if I did not select Accounting as one of my majors. The school has helped developed my analytical and communication skills. |
| Instruction | More than 5 years ago | |
| How Difficult | 9 | New York University has one of the leading business schools in the country. Students are competitive and all classes graded based on a curve. Not only did you have to do well in class, you had to do better than everyone else to obtain a decent grade. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | We did get some hands-on learning experience at the business school. Students were all required to take an international class where they would travel to another country to visit and research a company and present the research to the professors. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | Although New York University did offer flexible class schedules for other schools such as arts and sciences, the business school was rather inflexible. Classes were all scheduled during the daytime, and there were no weekend and evening options. Summer classes were offered, but very limited courses were available. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The school did offer state of the art computer facilities where we were able to work on projects. The library also offered private rooms where we can practice our presentations. |
| Social Life | 5 | Since everyone at the business school were concentrated in the academic experience, the social experience was adequate. The school as a whole did offer festivals and parties once in a while. |
| Placement Services | 6 | Although New York University provided a good education, job placement and career services were adequate. They did host job fairs and set up a system for job interviews, but they did not do a good job in helping us prepare for interviews. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | Although New York University provided a great experience, I did not utilize the alumni network. Because we were all graded on a curve, everyone is very competitive, and I did not find reason to maintain in contact with the school. |
Fordham University • New York, NY
Studying Accounting (completion in 2006)
• 4/30/2011
"I felt that Fordham really prepared me for the real world, as well as gave me a well-rounded education. Being a Jesuit institution, even students in the business school had to take some foundation arts and science courses. I felt that this type of course load definitely prepared me to be an adult, where you not only need to understand the ins and outs of your profession, but you also need to be a well rounded individual to be successful."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Absolutely I would recommend the accounting program at Fordham. I would recommend Fordham in general to anyone who wants the college experience of having the feel of united campus, but also having New York City at your fingertips. The well rounded education you get there truly will prepare you for any career. The career services department does a great job liaising with many, many employers in the greater NYC area. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | The big four have an active recruiting presence on campus and I know many peers who were able to easily get a job after graduation (in 2006, when things were good job-wise). From this experience, I get the sense that Fordham has a good reputation in the field. |
| Program Quality | 10 | Given that I don't have anything to compare it to, I have to say that I am very, very satisfied. I learned from a wide range of professionals, from scholars to adjuncts working in the fields. My classes were very challenging and gave me a real sense of the field in the real world. |
| Instruction | More than 5 years ago | n/a |
| How Difficult | 7 | I'm a pretty good test taker, so I might not be the best judge of difficulty. I thought that the workload was fairly heavy, in terms of weekly homework amounts. However, I did feel very confident in my ability to prepare for and pass exams with ease. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Especially in the business school, there was a good mix of rote book learning and case studies, real-world research, and in-class exercises that made the learning feel hands-on. My favorite class was an operations class where we actually set up the different types of manufacturing systems (JIT, assembly line, etc) in the classroom to study the differences. Definitely a great hands on experience. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | Fordham provided night classes, as well as options to take classes on our Manhattan campus (I studied in the Bronx). During my time there, I did work, so having these options made making a flexible class schedule a lot easier. Also, though I didn't take advantage of them, I know there were summer study options. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | I spent a lot of time studying in Fordham's library. There were lots of computers and desks there to study. Also, many of the dormitories themselves had quiet space inside for studying. I found that if I needed a professors assistance, they were always willing to make time to meet with me, even outside of office hours. The camaraderie in the business school was palatable, so forming study groups was easy and fun. |
| Social Life | 8 | I had a great group of friends at Fordham, living on campus. There is a lot of school spirit, even though some of our sports teams aren't the best. People still line up for football and basketball games. There was definitely a sense of community shared throughout the school that really made it feel like a family. |
| Placement Services | 10 | I found that both the career services office and Beta Alpha Psi (business information fraternity that had great relationships with the big four and brought them in for talks very frequently) were great resources for finding job placement out of Fordham. The career fair was especially helpful, as all the big four were on campus at once and easily accessible. I found that I always knew where to get assistance when I needed it. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I don't participate much in my school's alumni network. They do reach out to me quite frequently though, so my sense is that if I wanted to participate, I would have a wide array of resources at my disposal. |
Stony Brook University • Stony Brook, NY
Studying Accounting (completion in 2008)
• 4/30/2011
"It was a great school, I would definitely recommend it."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | As I said, the facilities are great, and so are the professors. If you can deal with a lack of parties, it's a great school. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | I'm really not sure how well regarded their program is. I think it was fantastic, however. |
| Program Quality | 9 | I was prepared well. After I graduated, I felt as though I knew more than my peers in other schools. |
| Instruction | 9 | My professors were incredibly knowledgeable. They were all former CPA's themselves |
| How Difficult | 7 | It was not easy, at times it was extremely difficult. The work was always manageable though. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It was mostly book learning. No real hands on, but it's tough to get hands on with accounting. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 3 | The classes were offered when they were offered. There was not much leeway. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The facilities are fantastic. The library is amazing, and there was even a separate place for accountants to study. I wish they were open 24/7 though. |
| Social Life | 3 | It's a big commuter school. Most people went home on weekends. |
| Placement Services | 4 | I was not given much help. I fostered connections on my own. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I only get contacted for donations. I wish they would do more for me. |
University Of Rochester • Rochester, NY
Studying MBA With Double Major In Accounting And Finance (completion in 1978)
"I felt I received an excellent theoretical education which helped me throughout my career. I have no regrets about my choice of school I attended."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I felt I received an excellent education, but that was 35 years ago. My sense is that the school continues to provide excellent education to students, but I am too far removed from it to be sure. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | Rochester is generally rated within the top 20 or so programs for finance. They seem to have languished for the past number of years, never being able to break out into a truly world-class school. |
| Program Quality | 8 | My school did an excellent job in proving a theoretical background for my chosen profession. On the other hand, it did a somewhat poor job of teaching or providing exposure to the practical issues faced by an entry level auditor. |
| Instruction | More than 5 years ago | |
| How Difficult | 9 | Rochester provided an excellent theoretical education with emphasis on current research. As students we were expected to study and analyze current journal articles and theories being promulgated by leading finance and accounting academics. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | My education was mostly book and lecture-oriented. There was very little exposure to "real-world" environments. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | When I attended school the scheduling suited me well, with a variety of day and evening classes available. I cannot speak to their current scheduling. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | When I attended school I felt I had access to good resources, including modern classrooms, a well-stocked library and good computer lab resources. I cannot comment on the resources available to students today, but I have no reason to assume that are anything less than excellent. |
| Social Life | 2 | This was a graduate school education. As such, there was very little emphasis on the social aspects that are more typical of an undergraduate experience |
| Placement Services | 5 | Well, they did help me get a job 30 years ago when I graduated! I cannot comment on their current career placement success, as I do not have experience. |
| Alumni Network | 4 | For most of the past 30 years the only communication I have received from my school has been appeals for money. Only in the past few years has there been much of an attempt to build and maintain a network for professional purposes. |
Niagara University • Niagara Falls, NY
Studying Bachelor's Of Business Administration In Accounting (completion in 1995)
• 5/8/2011
"I would not be where I am today without the quality education I received. I also was the beneficiary of a substantial academic scholarship, and was in the Honors Program. This significantly limited my financial burden after graduation."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Again, I would not be where I am without the quality education I received. Also, the network of proud Alumni is an excellent tool to utilize. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | Several years after my graduation, Niagara's business school became accredited. This added to their reputation. |
| Program Quality | 10 | I was well prepared to embark upon my certifications and career. The courses also covered current topics. |
| Instruction | More than 5 years ago | |
| How Difficult | 8 | The entry level courses were a breeze. The auditing courses were dreadfully hard. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Internship was required. So was a lot of studying. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Night classes were available. Weekend classes were also available for the MBA program, but I do not recall any such classes for undergrads. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | The libraries were adequate for my studies, and the Niagara Falls Public Library was also only 3 miles away. The academic advisors were stellar in helping me choose the best electives to round out my education. |
| Social Life | 10 | Basketball games against Canisus were always fun! Go Purple Eagles!!! |
| Placement Services | 5 | Within the business program, placement and assistance was plentiful. However, I graduated with several friends with different degrees that did not receive as much assistance as I did. |
| Alumni Network | 10 | I have remained active with the University and with the Alumni Association. This has allowed me to network not only with other CPA's, but with several other professionals to gain additional clients. |
Syracuse University • Syracuse, NY
Studying Accounting (completion in 2010)
• 7/12/2011
"Syracuse University provided me with a great undergrad and graduate experience, both inside the classroom and outside. I feel that in my time at school I learned and grew as a person thanks to the opportunities afforded me by the University."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Syracuse University provides an excellent educational experience to prepare students for the future. Additionally, there is major big 4 recruiting to help the student to start their career in the future. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | In the NYC area, Syracuse has a very good reputation, very much above average. While this is true, Syracuse doesn't have the prestige of other schools overall. |
| Program Quality | 10 | I feel as though I came into auditing with more knowledge than my fellow first years and that this was due to the instruction of Syracuse University's professors. There are also many networking opportunities due to the proximity to NYC. |
| Instruction | 10 | Syracuse University is very good at career preparation. I attended school in the middle of NY state's conversion to a 150 credit requirement and I feel as though my professor's were always there to clarify which classes needed to be taken and how to achieve the 150 credits. I also feel that the master's program provided me with interesting and relevant complementary topics to accounting in areas such as finance and supply chain management. |
| How Difficult | 8 | I feel as though I always had more work to do than my friends or roommates and that it was more challenging. While I feel that my challenge and work load were above average, they weren't "extremely difficult." |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Every class obviously came with a text book that was followed, but in every class I had a group project. These projects were group case studies in which I worked with other people to solve an issue based on what I learned in class. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | While completing my undergrad I was able to finish in 3 years due to credit transfers from summer courses. In this time I also was able to study abroad at an Irish university with all credits transferring in to my program of study. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | It is very easy to receive free tutoring in most courses. The university is always building new buildings to maintain the best facilities. Academic advisors are highly knowledgeable in their field as well as in the student's particular course program. |
| Social Life | 10 | Syracuse has a lot of school spirit, especially when it comes to basketball. Students gather together for sporting events at the Carrier Dome and travel near and far for other games. There is also a great Greek life presence at Syracuse University. |
| Placement Services | 8 | Within the business school job placement is very high. The career center works very hard to bring various recruiters from different firms in to be sure that students are hired. |
| Alumni Network | 10 | Syracuse University alumni often work in the NYC area and the school does an excellent job of bringing alumni back to campus to recruit. Many events are often held to help students network with alumni, including having young alumni associations to match students with mentors who are in their first few years of the student's chosen career field. |
New York University - Stern School • New York, NY
Studying MBA - Accounting (completion in 1990)
• 8/15/2011
"I felt that the school provided a very average education. I came out knowing the basics of what I needed to know, but not much more. Additionally, I felt that I got very little in the way of preparation to start actually working in the real world."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | I think that there are far better schools than the one I attended. If it was much less expensive, I would recommend it for its reasonable value. However, given the fact that it is very expensive, I think a person's money would be better spent elsewhere. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | From what I understand, others view NYU as a strong school. I have had many people express that they view my MBA from there as a very positive attribute. |
| Program Quality | 6 | The professors at my school were generally very average. I feel the teaching was very "textbook" and didn't provide opportunities that actually helped me once I entered the working world. |
| Instruction | 5 | Several of the professors did not speak English well and were extremely difficult to understand. In general, the professors imparted the basic information they needed to, but their teaching was nothing special. |
| How Difficult | 6 | There was a wide range of difficulty between the different courses. Basic accounting was very easy, while statistics was somewhat difficult. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The program involved a lot of textbook work and teacher lectures. For the most part, these were bland and rote. There were a few instances of case studies, but they were superficial and not very substantive. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | I was able to work full time and take many of my classes at night. This was extremely helpful since I otherwise would not have been able to work simultaneously. |
| Academic Facilities | 2 | I don't remember ever using a library as I just used my own text books. The computer resources at the time were primitive, but it was also almost 20 years ago. |
| Social Life | 7 | There were a number of people in my individual program with whom I forged strong social connections. However, opportunities for connecting with people outside of my specific program were nonexistent. |
| Placement Services | 1 | I don't remember ever having contact with a job placement office. Also, after graduating, I don't remember receiving any literature or anything else indicating that such services were available. |
| Alumni Network | 2 | I don't recall ever having any contact with alumni. There were never alumni events or contact lists provided. |
Baruch College • New York, NY
Studying Accounting (completion in 2011)
• 9/24/2011
"Overall I was satisfied with my school. I feel like I learned a great deal, although not enough for the CPA exam. Again, this is the nature of accounting. It is impossible to learn everything in that short period. I am satisfied with what I learned, the time it took, and the overall experience."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would recommend this school. Baruch is affordable and provides a great education. It is definitely "more bang for your buck" than other schools. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | Baruch's reputation in accounting is very good. It is known as a business school where one of the largest programs is accounting. I believe that it is in decline though. |
| Program Quality | 8 | Baruch College has a good reputation in the business world for their accounting program. I was very satisfied with the level of education I received. |
| Instruction | 6 | In terms of accounting content I think the instruction was very good. However, in terms of career preparation there was very little. Many of my professors did not work in the corporate world or left the corporate world long ago for academia. As a result, they were unable to prepare us for working in the private sector where most of us would end up. |
| How Difficult | 9 | Accounting, by nature, is a very difficult and complicated field of study. It is further complicated by the fact that it is constantly changing. The program was very challenging academically and very time consuming. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Most of the learning at Baruch was book learning. I think this is the nature of accounting in general. Accounting is very much about learning various rules and methods and requires a lot of reading. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 4 | There was not much flexibility in terms of the program. Classes were not offered frequently enough and filled up very quickly and waitlists were common. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The school's resources are pretty good. The professors would make themselves available during certain days and hours. The library was technologically advanced with lots of online resources available. Classrooms were a little crowded and the seats were very close together. I never made use of other resources so I am unaware of how good they were. |
| Social Life | 5 | There were many opportunities for social experiences at the school, but because many of my classes were scheduled at night I couldn't participate. As a result, I did not socialize very much during my time at Baruch. |
| Placement Services | 5 | I believe that Baruch does as good a job as any other school in job placement and career services. I did not make use of these services but I did do some research about it. |
| Alumni Network | 7 | I have not really used any alumni resources or support. I am aware that there is a large network of alumni that is available to me. |
New York University • New York, NY
Studying Taxation (completion in 1964)
• 11/2/2011
"It provided me with an excellent foundation and background for my then new career. I was glad that it was there for me and that an evening program was available that met my needs."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I thought that the program was excellent. I would say that any student seeking an MBA would be well served by NYU. |
| Program Quality | 10 | Being able to attend a fine university at night while working full time was an excellent use of my time at that point in my life. The educational experience dovetailed nicely with my job at that time in a corporate tax department and my planned career in tax accounting. |
| Instruction | 10 | NYU has an acclaimed MBA program that I found lived up to its reputation. I enjoyed learning from professors who worked in the real world in tax accounting and could bring their experience into the classroom. |
| How Difficult | 8 | The course work in an MBA program is challenging, especially going at night, working full time, and being in the Army Reserve all at the same time. As I had transferred to a business program as an undergraduate, I was required to take 44 credit hours out of a maximum 48 credit hours in order to earn my MBA. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | This program did not have any hands-on work. It was strictly textbook oriented. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 1 | When I attended, the only options were day or evening classes. Attending at night, our class schedule was really limited with no choice of class schedule options. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | I made no use of NYU's library and, of course, many of the facilities available today did not exist when I attended. We did have access to our professors if we wished. |
| Social Life | 1 | Attending at night, there were no social activities. Most, if not all, of the students had full time jobs. |
| Placement Services | 10 | I have no reason to believe that NYU's MBA program is anything less than it was over 40 years ago. I do not know that for a fact, though. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | I have never had any communication from NYU since my graduation. Perhaps it is because of the school that alumni of the MBA program are not contacted after graduation. I have never been inclined to make contact. |
Lander College For Men (A Division Of Touro College) • Queens, NY
Studying Accounting (completion in 2009)
• 10/27/2011
"It was a great school. I learned what I needed to and did a lot of work, but I got out of there in 3 years thanks to summer classes. It was definitely a great school."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I believe that the school really helps you learn and grow. It was a great experience. It was hard and is only for the serious student. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | We have a high rate of graduates who get jobs and a very good reputation. It is known that you will work your butt off, but it will pay off. |
| Program Quality | 8 | We had top notch teachers who owned their own firms and just teach on the side. They were very knowledgeable and helped us with any problems we had. |
| Instruction | 6 | I learned most of what I really know from on the job training. I obviously learned about debits and credits and things like that, but until you actually sit down and do it on the job, it's not the same. |
| How Difficult | 10 | I had a huge workload and it was a very competitive school. we all worked very hard and killed each other trying to get better jobs and internships. The workload was not so bad - it was the studying and the tests that were to extremely difficult part. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | They were very good at mixing it up. Also, there were lots of extra credit questions to help with the learning. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | Online classes were non existent and summer classes were the same ones offered during the year. There were lots of choices and lots of people in the classes, but we all learned a ton. No class was bigger then 30 students - they wouldn't allow it. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | The library and other facilities weren't the best. We would usually google something or go to the library a few blocks away. We studied a lot of the time together in groups so we were able to help each other out. |
| Social Life | 5 | I met a lot of students but was getting married at the time. so I didn't really socialize with new people. |
| Placement Services | 8 | The school found a lot of people jobs. Not everyone received a job right away, but those who didn't just studied for their CPA exams. |
| Alumni Network | 10 | Because we're a well known school in the accounting world, a lot of us were able to get jobs in big firms right away. I work for a smaller firm in long island because it offers better pay and way better hours. But the alumni are always there when you need something. |
St. John Fisher College • Rochester, NY
Studying Management (completion in 1977)
• 11/17/2011
"I felt that the degree was the key to employment success. That remains the case after over thirty years."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | St. John Fisher is a fine school. It offers the academic and non-academic interactions that can lead to personal success. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | St. John Fisher has been known to produce outstanding accounting graduates for decades. |
| Program Quality | 5 | I entered St. John Fisher the first year that they offered the Management major. The requirements for graduation were far easier than they became in later years. |
| Instruction | 3 | The newness of the major required several courses in the major be taught by those of uncertain ability. They were replaced as the major grew within the college. |
| How Difficult | 2 | The first time any new major is offered, it is often either too difficult or too easy. In my case, it was too easy, and the courses were more difficult for future students. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | At the time, the learning was a mix. Currently, I understand, it is a similar situation, but it is more influenced by the student's course selections. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | Since 1977, the college has grown and now offers a wide variety of learning experiences that it did not when I attended. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | The school has improved its academic support for the Management major since I attended. |
| Social Life | 10 | Current students enjoy a social experience comparable with other similarly sized colleges. In 1977, the college had just admitted women and the social scene was vastly different. |
| Placement Services | 5 | At the time of my graduation, services were very poor. At present, they are comparable with other similarly sized institutions. |
| Alumni Network | 10 | In the accounting field, St. John Fisher has an ample and willing alumni network locally and throughout the nation. |
St. John's University • Queens, NY
Studying Accounting (completion in 2011)
• 1/11/2012
"I am very satisfied with my school. I believe my school has done everything I needed. I thought the school was very helpful in starting my career by helping me with resumes and finding an internship."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would recommend others to this school because they do a great job of helping students get into the working environment. They help students find internships, which is very helpful to college students. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | The school has a very good reputation for the program. My cousin went to this school and liked it; many people have come through this school and became very successful. |
| Program Quality | 7 | I think the school is very good for my program. My school works hard to make everyone at our school successful through internships. |
| Instruction | 7 | I believe my school did a good job with instruction. I learned a lot and they helped me prepare for a job through the career center. |
| How Difficult | 7 | I thought the difficulty of the program was easy in the beginning but got more challenging as the years went by. I believe the work we had was challenging but we were able to complete everything. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | This school has a mix of hands on and book learning. There are many times where we have to do book learning but there also times where it will be hands on learning. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | I think this was average because the school at times would not be flexible about the class times. If you didn't get the class you wanted then you had to go to the dean and hope that there were some extra spaces for you in the class you want. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The school has good resources for students to study and be successful. They have the library which open 24 hours and many other spaces where students can study in peace. They also have a tutoring center to help students. |
| Social Life | 7 | I think the social experience is good but can be better. There are many events at the school but I believe they could have more school spirit. |
| Placement Services | 8 | The career services center is extremely good here. It was very good because they helped students create resumes, prepare for interviews and also find internships. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | I believe this school had a great alumni network. They always have alumni at school trying to help students. |
NYU • New York City, NY
Studying Finance And Accounting (completion in 2009)
• 2/22/2012
"The experience at NYU was strong. However, the overly competitive culture was detrimental to learning."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | It is an extremely competitive environment. However, if you survive, it can be extremely beneficial for you. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | NYU's Stern School of Business is extremely well known and respected. There are a great many people in high places who have graduated from the program. |
| Program Quality | 8 | NYU had an excellent program. While it did push me into a certain field, I felt prepared for reality. |
| Instruction | 9 | It was a very relevant course of study that was as practical as it could be. |
| How Difficult | 9 | The classes were difficult. However, due to the grading curve, it was made further difficult. As we were measured against each other, there was a high degree of competition. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | There was a fair balance between hands on and classroom training. They also helped provide internships, allowing for more hands-on learning. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | I was able to graduate while playing baseball. This forced me to take classes Monday-Thursday, and the schedule accommodated. |
| Academic Facilities | 6 | The facilities were strong. We had an easily accessible Bloomberg terminal. However, the advisors were constantly changing and failed to provide good advice. |
| Social Life | 5 | I did not drink until I was a senior. This hindered my social experience at NYU. However, the baseball program was a great experience. |
| Placement Services | 1 | The career center was extremely unhelpful, going as far as to provide me with inaccurate advice. Once I was out in the real world, they further failed to assist me in finding a job. |
| Alumni Network | I have not utilized the alumni network a great deal, but I assume it is average. |
Baruch College Of The City University Of New York • New York City, NY
Studying Accounting (completion in 1989)
• 3/4/2012
"Baruch offered me an affordable education that turned me into an accountant. At the time, it was considered a serviceable but entirely commonplace degree. Now, it is a school that has been recognized as a first-class institution."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | There may be no better bargain in New York (other than pizza at $1 per slice). For accounting in particular, there is no degree that will provide a more suitable background. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | When I attended, Baruch was a cheap public alternative to a prestige degree. A prestige degree has never been a requirement for entry into the accounting profession, so, at the time, the lack of prestige was not an issue. Now, Baruch has a very solid reputation and is considered a bargain degree for all of its majors. |
| Program Quality | 9 | I graduated with a very solid foundation in accounting, and the school was very helpful with job placement. |
| Instruction | 9 | The instruction was heavy on both theoretical and practical levels, so that I was well-prepared to start working (while at the same time contemplating entering a PhD program.) Most of my instructors were PhDs and all were CPAs, and teaching was considered as important as publishing. |
| How Difficult | 7 | The graduate coursework was the curriculum of an undergraduate accounting degree, condensed into classes that took half of the time (a two semester undergraduate course became a one semester graduate course). This led to a hefty work load. The curriculum was taught well, though, and was inherently manageable for a full time student. There was a thesis requirement for the major, which required extensive research. I don't think that a thesis is often required for an accounting major. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Speaking only from my experience, there were no internships offered or required (and I really can't say what is happening now). I did have an assistantship, however, which provided experience that would have been helpful had I chosen to pursue a career in academia. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | They offered all classes in the evening hours so that a part-time program was easily arranged. At the same time, there were enough classes offered so that a full time program could be arranged fairly easily. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | I confess that Baruch today is not the Baruch of yesterday (when I attended). Computers were in their infancy and, although there were computers available, there was nothing like there is today. The library has been upgraded significantly and new buildings have been purchased. Professors were always accessible; I just hope that this hasn't changed. |
| Social Life | 5 | I found lots of wonderful friends, but because the school was (at the time) primarily for part-timers, the social aspects took a back seat to academics. The clubs were really for undergraduates (who seemed to participate quite widely). |
| Placement Services | 8 | Even 25 years ago, all of the accounting firms and many private companies recruited extensively at the school. From what I understand, they now have the kids take seminars in job-searching prior to their participation in the school's placement program. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I am not involved in any alumni activities, and I have never sought support for job placement or such. I receive the alumni magazine, however, and it is a good quality publication. |
Rochester Institute Of Technology • Rochester, NY
Studying Accounting (completion in 2007)
• 2/26/2012
"I am very satisfied in that my degrees have helped me succeed in my professional career. This school has no doubt helped me succeed in life. My only negative would be is that this is a pretty expensive college."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | This school will prepare you for all aspects of accounting. In addition, it will prepare you to help you succeed in passing the CPA exam. Furthermore, by participating in the co-op program, you will gain work experience that will help you when you graduate. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | Locally, my school is well known in the community for having an excellent reputation and program. On a national level, however, I'm not so sure the brand name is well known. |
| Program Quality | 10 | The knowledge gained at my institution helped prepare me for real world work and life situations. My school also allowed me to participate in a co-op program that allowed me to work in my field before graduating. |
| Instruction | 10 | The classes I took were all relevant to the work that I am doing today. The instructors also provided real world experience that I can now relate to today. |
| How Difficult | 8 | The courses and work load were challenging and rigorous, but fair. I had a lot of work to do, but at the same time I was able to work part time and achieve a good school vs. family balance. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | This I rated as a mix because it really depended on the professor that was giving the instruction. I had professor's that went page by page through a given text. On the other hand, I had professor's that taught more through real life experiences. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | I rated this a 10 because classes were offered in the mornings, afternoons, nights, and on Saturdays. I was able to work during the day, take classes at nights, on Saturdays, and during the summer also. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | Our classes were always small, and my largest class had about 20 students. In addition, professors always took time out of their busy schedules to have open office hours. |
| Social Life | 5 | On a positive note, the school has many student activities, including athletics, clubs, and social events. I did not have a chance to participate in many of these as I worked 30 - 40 hours a week while taking a full load of classes at the same time. |
| Placement Services | 10 | My program required a co-op as part of the requirement to graduate. I had the opportunity to be hired as a co-op for 20 weeks and gain a tremendous amount of work experience before I graduated. This experience helped me get interviews once I graduated. |
| Alumni Network | 6 | My school continues to reach out to me for alumni events, donations, etc. However, at the same time, I feel that the main reason for reaching out to me is to gather donations. |
Dowling College • Oakdale, NY
Studying Accounting (completion in 2011)
• 3/7/2012
"Overall, the school has been good to me. The professors are very helpful and actually do care about grades and students' careers."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | If you are intimidated by the big universities and want to go to a small college, then Dowling College might be a good fit. They offer flexible classes and the accounting professors are very helpful. The professors care that you progress in your career and will offer helpful advice. |
| Program Reputation | 4 | The college is more know for its teaching programs. I believe the accounting program is starting to grow accountants become more in demand. |
| Program Quality | 6 | The professors are very knowledgeable of accounting. Most of the professors are CPAs and one professor is the CFO of the College. |
| Instruction | 4 | Most of the classes are straight lecture. This at times can be boring, however I believe it's the only way you can really teach accounting. |
| How Difficult | 6 | At times it was difficult. For example, advanced accounting had certain topics that were challenging, such as liquidating a partnership. Tax classes were straightforward because either you knew the tax code or you did not. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Classes are small, which is a good thing. However, the accounting classes did not provide help in any accounting software such as quickbooks or peachtree. These are programs I had to learn on my own time and I have had to use at work. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | Dowling College is very good at having flexible classes. They offer online classes and late at night classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | Dowling College does offer free tutoring, which is very helpful. The librarians are very knowledgeable. However, the library does require more computers. |
| Social Life | 2 | It's a small college, and therefore there is not much going on. You do not get the feeling of school spirit around the campus. |
| Placement Services | 3 | The school did not provide really much help with job placement. I had to find the current job I have on my own. They offer internships with firms, but not enough to give an opportunity to everybody. |
| Alumni Network | 4 | The school did not provide me with much help in this field. I believe this is in part because it is a small private college. |
NYU • New York, NY
Studying Accountancy (completion in 1999)
• 3/9/2012
"The program has led me to a position in a big 4 firm. In addition, the program is well recognized by my peers and employer."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | The program provides great learning and employment opportunities. However, the tuition is very high, and I would believe similar eduction can be received at other schools for a lower tuition. |
| Program Reputation | 6 | Graduates of the program have good employment opportunities. In addition, the program is widely recognized by potential employees. |
| Program Quality | 6 | The program provided a good technical accounting background. The program also provided the chance to intern. |
| Instruction | 6 | One instructor was a CPA and had appropriate industry work experience. Also, other instructors had detailed tax knowledge and taught it in simple terms. |
| How Difficult | 6 | The work was technically challenging. In addition, there were many assignments to complete in a short period of time. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Access to an internship program provided good hands on, real life experience. But, there was also a fair amount of book based technical reading and learning required. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 4 | The schedule was not very flexible as there weren't many options for key or core courses. Also, popular time slots filled up very quickly. |
| Academic Facilities | 6 | The school had a library with the most current accounting literature. The facility also provided easy access to computers. |
| Social Life | 7 | The school's administration holds many sponsored events. The student body also actively holds social events. |
| Placement Services | 6 | The program is well recognized, and there are many graduates working in high paying positions. Many graduates have been hired by big 4 firms. |
| Alumni Network | 6 | There are many alumni working in CPA firms. In addition, the alumni gets together quite often. |
Siena College • Latham, NY
Studying Accounting (completion in 1979)
• 3/21/2012
"I felt I received a better education at the community colleges the first two years of my education. The professors were there to teach. They did not have businesses outside of the school. They stayed after class for help or had specific times available for extra help. One particular professor at Siena purposely created tests that were mostly comprised of work we had not done yet so we would fail the test. He later curved all the grades at the end of the year. We were all seniors and thought we were not going to graduate. I did speak to him 15 years later when I ran into him. He had a teacher that did this to him. So, he did it to others."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | I really did not feel I received a good education there. I feel most of my education came from the community colleges. Siena is private school. Most of the elective classes are taught by priests. Since I am Jewish, I did not really feel comfortable there. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | I don't know anyone who is attending Siena college. I do not hear anything about their reputation anymore. |
| Program Quality | 7 | Siena College had a wonderful reputation at that time. You were practically guaranteed a job if you graduated. However, I found the accounting teachers to be too busy with their outside practices to really give a quality education. Some of them left right after class and graded on a curve basis deliberately. |
| Instruction | 7 | Some accounting instructors had outside businesses so they did not have time to help after school. They would do their 45 minute class instruction and leave. |
| How Difficult | 9 | I only went to Siena for last last two years so the courses were more advances and hence more challenging. The Cost Accounting class was the most difficult. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | There was not much hands on education going on back in 1979. The professors came in and did their 45 lecture and then left. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | They offered day and night classes. They also offered summer courses that were approximately 6-8 weeks of all day Saturday classes in elective courses. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | Siena College has all the amenities of other colleges. There was lab work associated with some of the courses. There was adequate classroom space. I do not remember any tutors or study group support. Most of the professors had jobs or businesses outside of the school. They were not available for extra help. |
| Social Life | 5 | Siena had all the social activities. They pride themselves on their basketball. They also have a radio broadcast from the college. I did not live on campus so I did not partake in most of the social aspects of the school. |
| Placement Services | 5 | They do provide job placement services as does any other college. They also sponsor in house career days. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | For the first 5 years I received calls from the alumni association for annual donations. I have not heard from them since. I only heard from them for donations. |
New York University • New York, NY
Studying Accounting (completion in 2002)
• 3/30/2012
"I got out of the school what I put into it, which was not very much. The reputation of the school was huge in my career."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would say yes because of the doors the name opens. Also, if you work hard, it can provide a great education. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | The school seems to rank highly in most ratings. Lots of alumni have become famous. People always know my school when I mention it. |
| Program Quality | 5 | It had a bad tax program. It had a very good intro to accounting program. |
| Instruction | 5 | Some of the professors seemed to think we knew more coming in than we did. Some of the professors were very good at relating textbook material to their experiences in the real world. |
| How Difficult | 10 | We were graded on a harsh curve. It was very competitive. There was lots of reading and homework. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The school flew us overseas to meet directly with European countries. The school had numerous famous guest speakers. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | Options were very flexible. I was able to tailor my schedule however I wanted. Night classes were offered and they kept Fridays pretty open for us. |
| Academic Facilities | 4 | Given how expensive the school was, I expected better facilities. The school was not very tech savvy. |
| Social Life | 2 | The school and students were all very focused on future jobs, not on school spirit. I thought the administration at times tried to get the students into it, but it just never worked. |
| Placement Services | 2 | The school did virtually nothing to reach out to me. The school did not make it known how to take advantage of these services. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I get frequent alumni emails. They do a decent job of putting events together, but they could do more. |
New York University • New York City, NY
Studying Business (completion in 1982)
• 3/29/2012
"I am very satisfied with my school and its coursework. However, the price was very high."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | It would be easy to find a school with just as good of a program in Business. NYU was, and still is, a very expensive school to attend. |
| Program Reputation | I don't know NYU's current reputation for their business major, as I graduated in 1982. | |
| Program Quality | 9 | NYU's business program is very in-depth. It is also taught by competent professors. |
| Instruction | 10 | I've never had an issue learning with any of my professors. As far as I can remember, the instruction was of high quality. |
| How Difficult | 7 | It was challenging at times, but it was very rewarding with effort. Other students failed, but the ones who worked hard passed. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I cannot remember the course being more book oriented or hands-on oriented. I never had an issue with understanding any of the topics. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 3 | It's not very flexible. However, I was able to work two jobs while studying there. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | While I attended, NYU had an amazing library. We also had access to several large libraries throughout the city. I never sought out tutors nor study group support, but as far as I can remember, the resources were never lacking. |
| Social Life | 3 | I primarily focused on my studies. I didn't participate in many social events. |
| Placement Services | They did not assist me with finding a career, or at least they didn't have a program like that while I was attending. | |
| Alumni Network | I'm not affiliated with the NYU alumni network. |
Online Course Finder
Find the path to your
education in 3 easy steps.