Here are some tips for selecting schools, based on an analysis comparing each school to all others across dozens of factors:
Schools Concentrating On Executive Secretaries And Administrative Assistants
- Focus: For schools with a focus on this career area, look at Metropolitan Community College-Longview, Blue River, and Ozarks Technical 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 Patricia Stevens College, Southeast Missouri State, Central Missouri State, and Northwest Missouri State.
- Female: For schools particularly welcoming to female students, consider Patricia Stevens College and Metro Business College.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Patricia Stevens College and Lincoln.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Three Rivers Community College, Crowder, Patricia Stevens College, and Metropolitan Community College-Longview.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Patricia Stevens College, Northwest Missouri State, Lincoln, and Southeast Missouri State.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Northwest Missouri State, Lincoln, Southeast Missouri State, and Central Missouri State.
Excellence
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Metro Business College, Lincoln, Southeast Missouri State, and Central Missouri State.
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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Southwest Baptist University • Bolivar, MO
Studying English And Education (completion in 1988)
• 8/12/2011
"I made great friends at my school and still communicate with some of them. I know they would be there if I needed them. The instructors are the same way... they always cared. The curriculum was challenging and relevant."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | With the instructor-to-student ratio being much lower than at state schools, the material was presented in a closer, much more friendly atmosphere. You could get closer to your instructors and actually know that they knew you. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | Students still want to attend SBU for their challenging coursework and for the excellent student body experiences. It is a faith-based university and the atmosphere is very upbeat and hopeful. |
| Program Quality | 10 | The university I attended had less than 10,000 students and the professors knew their students by name and made it a point to take an interest in their career goals and achievements. They were there to talk to and to give you a push if you needed that too. |
| Instruction | 10 | My career choice ended up being something different than what I studied in college, except for the written communication skills I learned in my English courses. I also learned to be diligent in my efforts and stick with it. |
| How Difficult | 8 | The education program at SBU is challenging and is one of the best in the state. I enjoyed the challenges that the research papers provided and the fact that I was able to choose my subject matter on many occasions. The passion involved in something I was interested in made the research that much more exciting and interesting. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Whenever there was an opportunity to present something orally instead of in writing, the instructors were very acquiescent. I enjoyed preparing lessons and presentations rather than writing essays and theories. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | Back in the 80's weekend classes were not very desired, but I know that evening classes were offered for adult and non-traditional students. As a "kid" I had no interest in weekend school or evening classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | Computers were just coming around. In fact there were 5 Apple computers in the library for anyone wanting to try them out. So my research was done on microfilm, microfiche, and with magazines, books and newspapers. It was actually more enjoyable than it sounds. I was never unable to get any resource I needed. |
| Social Life | 8 | SBU did provide social activities, but it was certainly not a "party school.” There were adequately chaperoned events and lots of sports to choose from if you were into that. |
| Placement Services | 5 | Again this is a service I have never utilized as a student or alum. I'm sure considering the standard at which they do everything else that it is an excellent service. |
| Alumni Network | 9 | As far as I can tell they seem to be pretty aggressive in keeping in touch with alumni. They send out a quarterly magazine with information about former students and they always make sure to invite alumni to homecoming events. I have never attended or made any effort to participate in alumni activities. |
Columbia College • Kansas City, MO
Studying Business Management And Human Resources (completion in 2011)
• 9/26/2011
"They have a great program and better prices than other schools. I was able to attain my degree much faster with their accelerated program than with a traditional program, and they know most of their students have lives, full-time jobs, and families."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I have recommended the school to a few people because of the great programs and affordability. Another advantage they have is their online options for classes. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | This college is one of the top private colleges in the area. They are nation-wide and have great programs. |
| Program Quality | 10 | The instructors are very knowledgeable. The program is great and the advisers work with students and promptly answer questions. |
| Instruction | 6 | I would have liked to learn more about human resources, and less about general business. The program seems more for entrepreneurs beginning their own business. |
| How Difficult | 7 | The program is accelerated and therefore the work load is increased over a regular program. Because of this it is very challenging. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Most classes are very book learning, but as you get into the upper level classes, there are more case studies and group activities. There are not too many hands-on things you can do in my area of study. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | They have 5 semesters per year and offer evening and online classes for most programs. I wish they would offer a remote or online nursing program, though. |
| Academic Facilities | 4 | The campus I go to is a remote location and it is very small. The regular campus is much too far from my home to go to, and I cannot take classes at the remote location either because it is still an hour drive from my home. |
| Social Life | 7 | I didn't go to school for the extracurricular activities and they do not offer many at the remote location. It was perfect for what I was looking for. |
| Placement Services | 7 | They just started a new job search service, so depending on how well it works, this rating could increase over time. Other than that, I have not really used their services. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | They have a newsletter and some social gatherings, but it is fairly general. The administrative support is exceptional, though. |
Lindenwood University • St. Charles, MO
Studying Creative Writing (completion in 2009)
• 10/17/2011
"I got the quality of instruction I wanted. Also, I got it on my own schedule."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Lindenwood is an excellent school for any career path, or for the working adult. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | The reputation is good. I researched it before applying. |
| Program Quality | 9 | Excellent instructors. The program fit my schedule. |
| Instruction | 9 | Experts in their field. Small classes allowed for personal attention. |
| How Difficult | 3 | I found it easy because I'm a writer, I love writing, and it's a writing program. As they say, if you do something you love you won't work a day in your life. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It's a writing program, so workshops were the heart of the program. This is a hands-on approach for sure. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Very flexible; the program fit my schedule perfectly. Definitely a great program for working adults. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | Hard to rate since I never needed to use the facilities. Instructors were highly accessible. |
| Social Life | 10 | Made some excellent friends and career contacts. Met a person who helped me get my current job. |
| Placement Services | I didn't need them and don't know about them. | |
| Alumni Network | 8 | Excellent. I'm still connected with many classmates and instructors who work in my industry. |
Webster University • St. Louis, MO
Studying Business Administration (completion in 2009)
• 11/18/2011
"It was a good experience. I am in debt after school with a job I don't care for and it took me a long time to find it. It may just be the economy, but that soured my view of college."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | It has a great business program and very flexible class schedules. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | It has a great international business program that is recognized worldwide. The business school is the biggest school at Webster. |
| Program Quality | 7 | I enjoyed my time at Webster. There was nothing terribly special about it, though. |
| Instruction | 7 | I learned a great deal and the instructors were great, but their career placement and the help they provided after college was not sufficient. |
| How Difficult | 5 | The workload was average and the challenge was nothing I couldn't overcome. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | There was a good amount of lectures. There were also plenty of simulations and role-playing that helped the students to better understand. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | They provide weekend classes, night classes, day classes and online classes. They accommodate everyone. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | They have a great library and a plethora of resources in the business school, such as advisors and professor with open-door office hours. |
| Social Life | 6 | I enjoyed school. I sometimes wish I had gone to a state school with more school spirit. |
| Placement Services | 3 | After graduating, I struggled to find any career, even ones that were not in my field. They are not very proactive in helping students prepare for post-graduation. |
| Alumni Network | 4 | The only reason they contact alumni is to ask for money. There are no purely social gatherings. |
UMKC • Kansas City, MO
Studying Creative Writing, English, Classics (completion in 2011)
• 11/30/2011
"If I'm getting into debt, I want something concrete when I get out of school. It seems unfair to spend such an enormous amount of money and come out of school with an average job."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | I would recommend that someone only go to college if they can get in free. I would also recommend, given the first condition, that he or she go to college somewhere with a strong academic reputation. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | I believe the reputation is average. Most people seem to be neutral on the subject. |
| Program Quality | 3 | UMKC is a commuters' school with a pretty average staff in the creative writing field. I wouldn't say they are terrible, but they are certainly mediocre. They have a much stronger literature staff. |
| Instruction | 3 | I honestly didn't learn much through the creative writing professors at UMKC. Most of what I learned took place through outside readings, written by professional writers. |
| How Difficult | 3 | The creative writing major is hardly challenging. It's certainly challenging to write well, but all you have to do is meet a few easy requirements to pass. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Most of my learning took place on my own, through reading and studying. I could have done without most classes. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | This is the draw to the university. They offer a great variety of times and days. |
| Academic Facilities | 3 | The campus is rather visually off-putting. Most spaces look like general office spaces. They are not appealing. |
| Social Life | 3 | There isn't a strong student community at UMKC. Since it's a commuter school and there are a strong variety of ages/demographics, this seems to add to the difficulty. In addition, very few people are interested in sports, school spirit, etc. |
| Placement Services | 2 | It's hard to blame it on the school due to the economy, but career placement has been poor. The school also doesn't do much to reach out to individual students. I didn't even know there was a career center until months after I'd graduated. |
| Alumni Network | I don't know anything about the alumni program at UMKC. I've never been informed or contacted about it. |
University Of Missouri-Columbia • Columbia, MO
Studying Communications (completion in 2002)
• 12/21/2011
"I was very satisfied with my school. I was glad I chose a large university. I felt satisfied with my decision, both academically and socially. It was a fun school, but I learned a lot."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | The University of Missouri-Columbia was a great school. I was very happy with it. It is large enough that it offers a lot to many different types of people and many different majors. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | Mizzou is most well known for the journalism program, but the communications major also has a very good reputation. I have many friends in my major at Mizzou who have very good jobs. |
| Program Quality | 6 | My major was communications, which is a fairly broad major. While I did not plan on becoming an administrative assistant, I feel like it prepared me very well for the job. |
| Instruction | 7 | It was a very broad major, but it prepared me very well. I learned a lot about working in a business environment and public speaking. |
| How Difficult | 7 | Most of the classes in my major were a lot of work. Most involved group projects, term papers and making speeches. They were fairly time-consuming. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The classes in my major were very hands on. Most classes had some type of project or group projects to help you in real-life business situations (such as planning a fundraiser for a not-for-profit company and having people in the company judge your project). | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | Early on, it was somewhat difficult to get into the classes I wanted to. As it got closer to my senior year, I was able to get into them more easily. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | They have great facilities. From what I understand, they have only gotten better. The library was great. You have to take a course just to get familiar with the library your freshman year. The advisors were very helpful. |
| Social Life | 10 | The sports were great. I was in a sorority, so I met a ton of people that way. There were many organized social events. It was a very fun school. |
| Placement Services | 8 | I visited the career center many times while I was in college, and I thought it was fairly helpful. |
| Alumni Network | 7 | I did not get my current job through the alumni program, but I know Mizzou has a very good alumni program. When I first got out of college, I looked for a job through my alumni association, but I was looking for a job several states away, so it was not quite as useful to me at that time. |
Southeast Missouri State University • Cape Girardeau, MO
Studying General Studies (completion in 2008)
• 12/29/2011
"I'm satisfied with the degree I got. The online classes were convenient and I was able to finish my degree in a reasonable amount of time."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I enjoyed the school and have no problems with it. However, I don't think you need a degree to be an administrative assistant. |
| Program Reputation | The school has a good reputation in this area. I do not know how most people perceive the General Studies program. | |
| Program Quality | 10 | My degree was in general studies, so I took a wide variety of classes. I was very satisfied with the school and the classes I took. |
| Instruction | 7 | The school was very good; however, my classes weren't specific to my job or administrative work. I rated it a seven because I could do my job without a degree. |
| How Difficult | 5 | Most of the work was done online, which helped a lot in terms of time spent. The intellectual work was average for other college programs I have participated in. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Everything was taught online. It was very book and writing oriented. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | SEMO had classes in the evening, on weekends and during the day. I did the majority of my classes online, which was extremely flexible. |
| Academic Facilities | I took most of my classes online. I do not have a lot of experience with the facilities. | |
| Social Life | I took my classes online. I did not have any social experience with the school. | |
| Placement Services | I received no assistance in career planning or finding a job. | |
| Alumni Network | I know SEMO has an alumni group. The only experience I have is receiving a newsletter. |
University Of Missouri-Columbia • Columbia, MO
Studying Health Sciences (completion in 2011)
• 1/5/2012
"I enjoyed my time there and I liked most of my teachers. I found that each teacher was completely different in their teaching style and I gained a new understanding from each."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I was one of the first people to graduate in my major. The school is well known for many other things, and I would definitely recommend it for those. I was pleased with my education there, but I also switched majors halfway through my college career so I did not research my major at any other schools, I simply just switched majors at a school I was already enrolled in. |
| Program Reputation | The Health Sciences program has only been around for about two years now. The program has not had very much time to gain a reputation. The school itself is known for journalism. | |
| Program Quality | 8 | Health Sciences was great at my school, but my degree does not match my current career. I would rather be working within a medical clinic or on my own doing something to use my love of art. |
| Instruction | 8 | I generally had professors who were very interested in my education and enthusiastic about the subject they were teaching. I appreciated the ability to use so many different types of media to learn. |
| How Difficult | 7 | Most of the time it was pretty average but on some occasions things were tough. I especially found the online classes difficult to keep up with, only because the use of online media made more options available for teachers. Keeping up in class and with online class work got to be confusing. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Many professors had a hand in actually creating the textbooks that we used so they were keen on using the books. But we also had a lot of hands on experience, a lot of group project learning, and in some instances a lot of walking around campus and outside to learn. Most classes relied on guest speakers to provide accounts of real life situations that we would be facing in the work force. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | I have never had problems with class schedules. Most of the time I only had class on Tuesdays and Thursdays. There are so many online and night classes available and courses during the summer that it was no problem to get what I wanted. I could have done my entire degree online if I wanted to. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | I went to several tutors, we had online help 24/7, the use of Facebook for classes to create groups was becoming more popular with teachers, online blackboard sites for each class was helpful, classes were usually pretty small so teachers could spend more one on one time with you. Overall I felt like I had many options. The health library was very quiet and provided a good atmosphere for learning. |
| Social Life | 10 | I loved it at my school, and I don't even drink because of health reasons! Having the title of inventing homecoming meant a lot to my school and was a huge deal. My entire family came in for the event. Even events planned by campus were found everywhere. There was always something to do and everyone was always welcome. |
| Placement Services | 8 | The job placement system is very good, but it is even more helpful if you are looking to stay within that state. Getting a job at the school is fairly easy as they provide several opportunities. If you wanted to move out of state, the help is there but it is less than if you wanted to get a job in the state of Missouri. |
| Alumni Network | 7 | The alumni association at my school seems to be pretty involved. The whole year however, it basically revolves around homecoming and rallies around that one event. During that time I hear from the alumni the most. |
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