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 Manhattan Community College, Queensborough Community College, La Guardia Community College, and Kingsborough 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 Utica School of Commerce, Morrisville State, SUNY Canton, and Villa Maria College Buffalo.
- Female: For schools particularly welcoming to female students, consider Mildred Elley School.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Professional Business College, Hostos Community College, Bronx Community College, and La Guardia Community College.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Westchester Community College, Onondaga Community College, Monroe Community College, and Columbia-Greene Community College.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Fordham, Rochester Institute of Technology, Concordia College-New York, and Fulton-Montgomery Community College.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Concordia College-New York, Rochester Institute of Technology, Morrisville State, and SUNY Canton.
Excellence
- SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at Fordham and Rochester Institute of Technology.
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at Fordham and Professional Business College.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Rochester Institute of Technology, Villa Maria College Buffalo, Fordham, and Bramson ORT.
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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SUNY Buffalo • Buffalo, NY
Studying Mathematics (completion in 2002)
• 8/16/2011
"Overall, I think that the school was an excellent undergraduate institution. How much you learn and where you go from there is up to the student, not the school."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I would recommend the school to anyone wishing to pursue an advanced degree. I do not, however, think that a degree is necessary for the job I do. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | The school has a decent reputation in all fields. I don't think they are known for an excellent math program, but it was definitely as rigorous as any state school's program. |
| Program Quality | 9 | The professors and classes were very interesting. I learned a lot and enjoyed doing it. |
| Instruction | 8 | The professors were excellent. I majored in theoretical math though, so there was not a lot of career preparation. It was expected that higher degrees would be obtained. |
| How Difficult | 7 | Some of the classes were extremely difficult. Most classes, however, were quite easy because they were lecture hall sized classes and you really only needed to come to the exams. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Math programs are book oriented. There is little opportunity to incorporate hands on learning. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | There was considerable class flexibility in that the school does offer online and evening courses. High attendance, however, caused some of the most popular courses to fill up quickly and make them harder to register for. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The school had many libraries and computer work spaces. A new math building was constructed while I was there, so the math classrooms were brand new and very nice. |
| Social Life | 7 | I did not participate in many school social events. The school did have fraternities/sororities and football games and many social events going on for those who were interested. |
| Placement Services | 5 | I did not take advantage of any career placement services. The school did have a career center, but I never went to it. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I can't say anything for the alumni network as I don't participate. I am aware that there exists some form of network. |
New York University • New York, NY
Studying Cinema Studies (completion in 2010)
• 8/15/2011
"I absolutely loved my experience at NYU. It offered everything I could have wanted out of a college experience."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | The school is highly respected in the industry. It also allows for a unique college experience since it is located in New York City. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | NYU Tisch is one of the most respected schools in the country for the entertainment business. I based my decision to attend on this factor. |
| Program Quality | 9 | NYU's program is one of the most respected in the country for what I want to pursue. The class sizes are small enough to allow for individual attention for each and every student. |
| Instruction | 8 | NYU provided me with ample internship opportunities and instructors who had real-world experience. This proved integral to my academic success. |
| How Difficult | 7 | The work was challenging, but interesting and informative. It came naturally to me due to my keen interest in the topic at hand. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It was an even mix. Textbooks were used, but so were other resources such as online work and hands-on projects. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | The classes were very flexible and usually there was more than one time option for each course. I never had any issues when attending and balancing my work/personal schedule with academics. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | As mentioned before, NYU Tisch is one of the most respected programs in the country. They provided us with access to everything we could possibly need. |
| Social Life | 10 | I was an active member of Greek life at my university which provided a phenomenal social experience. I made many life-long friends throughout my four years. |
| Placement Services | 8 | NYU features regular job postings and a career office where counselors are on-site and ready to talk. They can give you resume advice and help you find the job that is perfect for you. |
| Alumni Network | 10 | The school's alumni reaches out regularly and provides many networking events post-graduation. There are events that occur monthly for alumni to attend. |
Berkeley College • New York, NY
Studying Health Service Administration (completion in )
• 8/18/2011
"I'm satisfied with the school. I will be more satisfied upon graduation."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I feel Berkeley is a good school with high graduation rate. I feel when you finish at Berkeley you can get a job that leads you on the path of success. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | I never heard anyone mention anything bad about the school. There's are many advertisements put out by the school. |
| Program Quality | 8 | I think the school's program is good. I can't say I'm very satisfied cause this is the only school I've been to. |
| Instruction | 8 | The professors are very knowledgeable. Many of the them graduated from the school and enjoy their jobs. |
| How Difficult | 5 | I just feel it's average. The work load is fair but can be extreme at times. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I prefer hands on work. With online classes, though, it's more of a book learning experience. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | I love that they offer online courses which offers me flexibility. Online courses are more beneficial to me because I can balance work, school, and my home life. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The academic facilities and resources are great and available to me. I can easily access data or information that is needed in a timely manner. |
| Social Life | 8 | My overall experience has been a good one and will be greater upon completion. I would probably do it again if given the chance. |
| Placement Services | 8 | Again, the job placement assistance is great. |
| Alumni Network | 9 | I hear a lot of success stories from previous graduates. The school has very good job placement assistance. |
Excelsior College • Albany, NY
Studying Business (completion in 2011)
• 9/9/2011
"Best school ever. I could not have done it without them and I will never forget them."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would recommend it to anyone with a busy schedule or who thinks they cannot finish their degree. Online classes are not for everyone because having to keep up with work without reminders is challenging. Those who can handle this can get their degree. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | They are a huge nursing school so their business program is not well-known. I think the reputation is improving though. |
| Program Quality | 10 | Excelsior College was just what I needed in my life. I never would have finished my degree without them. |
| Instruction | 8 | I feel that I am capable of learning more, though what I have learned has done wonders for me. |
| How Difficult | 5 | Though I do not think business classes are particularly hard, some aspects of it can be. Accounting is a good example. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | A very good mix of textbook and hands-on. We always had books in class but we also needed to do a lot of outside reading and research. I feel the mixture kept things interesting. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Online school is becoming the new way for adults to complete their degree. Whether you have kids or a full-time job you can do it. They let you know this. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | Since it's online you do not ever go to the actual school. Everything is done virtually in the degree program I was in. |
| Social Life | 5 | While it's online, students are still very friendly and outgoing. However most of them live states or even countries away so you do not ever get to meet them. |
| Placement Services | 7 | They do the best they can given the economy. They provide tools and services to help you do so individually as well. |
| Alumni Network | 10 | The alumni network employs kind and considerate workers. They really encourage and help guide you to where you need to go. |
Baruch College • New York, NY
Studying Human Resource Management (completion in 2010)
• 9/19/2011
"I really enjoyed Baruch College. It was a good place to learn, meet great people and have fun. The school has a very good reputation and excellent professors who care about their students and the material they teach."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would recommend Baruch College to students who would like to pursue a career in Human Resources because there are excellent professors in the HR/Business department. I learned a lot about HR and how to work while attending Baruch College. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | The Human Resource major is not too popular at Baruch College, but otherwise it has a good reputation with good professors. |
| Program Quality | 8 | I am very satisfied with Baruch College and their Human Resource major because I learned a lot about the profession while at school. |
| Instruction | 8 | I learned a lot about my major at school, but I would have to learned a little more about Human Resources. |
| How Difficult | 7 | Human Resources was not a very difficult program, as long as you study and pay attention, most of the work is straight forward and part of any workplace. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Most of my studies were book-related. A lot of reading needed to be done in order to understand the material in class. However, some classes were based on projects and group work in order to understand the material and get the real experience. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | They offer a variety of classes at different times and days. Some classes are only offered once a semester, so the scheduling for those can be more difficult. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | The facilities in school are pretty good. The library offers many helpful resources to help students find information and a place to study. They also have a tutor center to help students in all subjects, which is very helpful. The school also has many computer rooms which is very accommodating for the students. |
| Social Life | 7 | The school would host many events for the holidays and to raise money. The school has over 200 clubs where students are invited to participate, eat and have fun. |
| Placement Services | 7 | The school has special services that help current students and alumni find internships and jobs. They also have a Career Services office to assist students in everything they might need. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | The school provides good alumni support with help with jobs and finding research and advancing in your career. |
New York University • New York, NY
Studying Musical Theatre (completion in 2012)
• 9/18/2011
"NYU is in no way perfect, and many people do not like it. I have had a great experience."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would recommend NYU to anyone wanting to work in theatre because you're living in the theatre capital of the world with access to internships and Broadway and off-Broadway shows. Many faculty members are Broadway actors. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | NYU has a top theatre program. The school I was in is well known and respected. |
| Program Quality | 7 | NYU has one of the top theatre programs in the world. I have not taken the courses I would have liked, though. |
| Instruction | 6 | Some professors are definitely better than others. I have taken classes I've loved, but many classes seem irrelevant. |
| How Difficult | 9 | The academics are very intense. Students were expected to manage a lot of work, up to five books per week. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | NYU is very book-oriented. Even acting and music classes require readings and papers. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | I have taken daytime, night, and summer classes. I do not know if weekend or online classes are available, but classes are held all day and night, even past 10 PM if need be. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | Bobst Library is humongous and state-of-the-art. There are computers and classrooms spread across Manhattan for student use. The professors can be hard to get a hold of, as most of them are part-time. |
| Social Life | 9 | I absolutely love NYU. I've made many friends, moved to NYC, and learned so much. |
| Placement Services | 6 | The career center is supposed to be very good. I have not had much luck with them. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I do not know. I am still a student. |
State University Of New York • Oneonta, NY
Studying Music Industry (completion in 2009)
• 9/17/2011
"My college provided me with a great overall experience. Even in a very isolated area of New York, the students found plenty of ways to have fun and the education experience was one that I will not forget. I made the right choice."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | SUNY Oneonta is recommended for anyone in the music industry, as they have a well-developed program and a staff of knowledgeable professors who have prior background in the field. They are recognized for these accomplishments. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | SUNY Oneonta is known for both their education and music industry curriculum. It is the second most popular major on the campus. |
| Program Quality | 9 | The college that I attended has a strong music industry program, which is not offered at most schools. It discussed the inner workings of the music industry, including label management and thorough regarding artist representation. |
| Instruction | 8 | Classes ranging from Entertainment Law to "Contemporary Issues in the Music Industry" ensured that all bases were covered. The school provided me with a thorough, well rounded education. |
| How Difficult | 5 | Although I did walk away with a great deal of knowledge regarding my particular field, the program itself was relatively easy compared to achieving a regular Business Administration degree. It has left me unable to take jobs in other fields without some difficulty. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Most of my classes stuck to the books. Professors would stray to make points or address previous legal battles and court cases, etc. The business aspects were taught directly from textbooks. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | I took both morning and evening classes, and my scheduled allowed for plenty of flexibility. Multiple classes were offered most of the time, and it was not difficult to make classes work into my schedule effectively. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The college has a gorgeous library with more than enough resources and computer labs to complete all tasks properly. There are smaller classrooms as well as lecture halls, and academic advisors were quite helpful when needed. |
| Social Life | 10 | SUNY Oneonta provided me with more of a social life than I had ever gone in dreaming of. I pledged to a fraternity, joined a Frisbee league, a marketing club and a vocal jazz organization, among other things. Parties were easy to find and the students have serious college spirit. However, the school does not have a football team, so sports were not the campus' forte. |
| Placement Services | 3 | I tried to go through our Career Development Center for help regarding employment after college, and they were less than helpful, as they only possess a knowledge of areas in Upstate NY. I was looking to work in New York City. Their resources were limited. |
| Alumni Network | 3 | I have been contacted via email regarding alumni events and pledged to a fraternity while at college, so I am in the loop via my social outlets but not via the college itself. They have never placed a call or made a significant effort. |
Interboro Institute • New York, NY
Studying Business Management (completion in 2002)
• 9/29/2011
"I loved the members of the school's faculty. They were always helpful and supportive."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | It is a great school and they provide many career opportunities. |
| Program Quality | 10 | They have great programs. When I first entered their school I had no high school diploma or GED and after finishing school I attained a GED and a an associate's degree. |
| Instruction | 10 | The school prepared me for great job opportunities, and their internship programs are great in helping one learn through hands on experience. |
| How Difficult | 1 | No problems there. The school always provided counseling and the professors always provided extra time when needed. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | We as students got to experience both hands on and book learning at the same level. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Great online options. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | The school had great facilities for use at all times - libraries fully stocked with books and computer rooms available to students and faculty members. Great counselors as well. |
| Social Life | 8 | It is an institutional school so there were not many athletic events. But there were fun social events and great academic events. |
| Placement Services | 10 | Through their job placement program I was able to find the perfect career opportunity. |
| Alumni Network | 10 | Through the school alumni organization I was able to always get great recommendations for job opportunities. |
Dutchess Community College • Poughkeepsie, NY
Studying Business Administration (completion in 2000)
• 9/27/2011
"Although I have gone on to get a Bachelor's degree later, my time at Dutchess Community College is what I value most. The core liberal arts classes and specialized courses I needed to take provided me with such a broad base of knowledge and I find that I still quote some of the "pearls of wisdom" from the best teachers there. This prepared me for the real world better than high school and better than the other college I went to for the B.A. degree."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would recommend it as it offered an excellent education at a reasonable price. It is also easily accessed both geographically and online. I think a student would need to search far and wide to find a better education at a two-year school. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | There is a waiting list for the Business Admin classes, particularly those dealing in Human Resources, so to me, that speaks of the popularity of it. Students come here not only from my county but also from neighboring states because the classes and school have been recognized as being top-notch. |
| Program Quality | 10 | The school offered a multitude of various classes in all aspects of business. There was always an advisor to help me when I wasn't sure about which courses to take. |
| Instruction | 10 | Without exception, all instructors during my time there were competent, friendly and well-versed in their areas. To this day, I can remember almost verbatim the math classes for business operations and lectures on the day to day running of business offices. I feel very well prepared for the real world, thanks to the instructors at DCC. |
| How Difficult | 7 | Some of the accounting classes were extremely difficult. The English and Law classes were labor intensive but very helpful to me now. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | For the most part, I think teachers are still "teaching to the test," knowing what will be on the mid-terms and finals of course, so they are sure to include the information in the curriculum. At this college level most of the time here we had to memorize information for upcoming quizzes and tests. There was some hands-on, but not too much of it. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Classes run all year long, starting from 8 AM and running through 11 PM in the evening. More and more online classes are being offered in order to accommodate those of us lucky enough to be employed but who want to expand our knowledge base. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | Classrooms are cramped and outdated. Computer labs are bright, hot, and well-lit. The library is fine but the assistants and the librarians are not "student-friendly,' so I did not go there often. The media department is quite helpful and tutors are recommended and provided at no cost if a student is struggling. |
| Social Life | 7 | There are many organized trips and social events such as fundraisers, dances, pumpkin-chucking, etc. My personal experience as an adult student there precluded me from joining in as often as if I had gone there when I was younger. |
| Placement Services | 1 | As far as job placement goes, sometimes there is a listing in the lunch room where students can find job openings. Career services assistance consists of "tests" that we take that tell us what type of job we are all suited for. Not very helpful, in my opinion. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | There truly is no alumni association, to my knowledge. I don't feel there is any support once the degree program is completed. |
New York University • New York, NY
Studying Dramatic Literature (completion in 2007)
• 9/25/2011
"In retrospect I love my school. I know things now that would've been crucial when I was entering the school. I think NYU should make a better effort of instructing people."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I think it's pretty pointless to spend $200,000 on an education to end up as an administrative assistant. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | I honestly don't think NYU has a reputation for their dramatic literature program. It is a program that few people know of. |
| Program Quality | 5 | I do not doubt the quality of my education. I came out with a great deal of theatre knowledge. However, there was very little practical application or guidance on post-college life. |
| Instruction | 7 | The instructors were at the top of their fields - really smart people. However, while they shared their knowledge, they didn't share how they got to that point in their careers. |
| How Difficult | 9 | My classes were a constant challenge. I had to study hard, and think in unfamiliar ways. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | As a Dramatic Literature major, it's very understandable that my program was so book learning-heavy. I don't think this was the case across the board. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | It was possible at NYU to create whatever type of schedule you needed. This was very convenient when I wanted to fit an internship or job into my schedule. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | There were copious libraries and study spaces on campus. |
| Social Life | 5 | There was very little community at NYU. Perhaps due to not having a centralized campus or to having a student body comprised of apathetic hipsters. |
| Placement Services | 4 | If you come from a finance background, NYU is great about helping you out. There's much less help as a Dramatic Literature major. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | NYU's alumni network is very targeted towards New York residents. As someone who lives in Chicago, there is not much going on here. |
University Of Rochester • Rochester, NY
Studying Mathematics (completion in 2009)
• 9/20/2011
"I loved my school and I wish I could go back to do it over again. Few of us worked hard enough and failed to apply ourselves. A second try would be hugely beneficial."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | Who aspires to be an admin assistant? One must work very hard to achieve their goals. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | It's decent. Although, I don't really think UR is really known for anything in particular. |
| Program Quality | 5 | I studied for four years, got a BA, and am still an Admin Assistant. This doesn't say much about the program. |
| Instruction | 5 | I got my degree without ever really attending class. In the negative degree weather, I didn't feel like walking to class. Provided that I kept up with class, it wasn't hard to get a BA without attending class. |
| How Difficult | 5 | Don't get me wrong, it was difficult to be a math major, but homework was worth 40% of your grade. Buy the answers to the workbook and you're pretty much guaranteed the 40%. Do the bare minimum and you get that extra 10% and that's enough to pass the class. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I think they were a good mix of both, depending on what classes you took. Chemistry and bio were more hands-on. Math and History were more book-oriented. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | I liked it since I never had to go anywhere. Most classes did not have required attendance. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | Workshops were pretty much required for every math class. It allowed the students to actually learn in a smaller setting, but it also made for two class times. |
| Social Life | 6 | We did have a lot of school spirit, events and our school colors were plastered everywhere. It was in the school's best interest to keep the students on campus due to safety concerns. |
| Placement Services | 3 | Incredibly lacking. I got an unpaid internship for a semester through the school's career center. That's all. |
| Alumni Network | 3 | I'm not even aware if the school has one. As far as I know, they just want money. When tuition was 50K per year, you'd think they got enough out of us. |
Dowling College • Oakdale, NY
Studying Psychology (completion in 2011)
• 10/5/2011
"They should put more effort in treating their smaller majors like equals in the school, and do more to promote student activities."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | It really is a school of business and education, and that's it. I would tell them to go to a school that has a bigger psychology department with labs and resources. |
| Program Reputation | 3 | There is no reputation for their psychology program. They don't even advertise that they have a psychology department. The students in the program are the ones who put the most effort in to be a part of student life and to get others involved. |
| Program Quality | 5 | Dowling has great programs for business and education majors, but their psychology department is severely lacking and neglected. The psychology club is great for students who are really interested in psychology. |
| Instruction | 5 | Some teachers were there to teach, and some were just there to hand out A's to anyone who showed up. There is a lack of motivation for the students to put effort into their work, because teachers give them easy A's. |
| How Difficult | 5 | Some classes were extremely challenging and some were a walk in the park. It is dependent on the professor. The school is not very demanding. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Most professors' lectures were just them reading straight from the textbook! Tests were based on the book as well. Some professors really enjoyed teaching and made it fun. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | They have a good array of class times and days. They had some evening and weekend hours, but not many. Classes were held in two different campuses, which was good for commuters. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | The library and computer labs were great. Academic advisors and professors were available sometimes. Classroom space was really great. There were no tutors or study groups. |
| Social Life | 5 | Clubs' events were fun when the student body actually knew about them. It is a commuter campus, so a lot of students just show up, go to class and go home. It takes a lot of effort (and free food) to get students to go to activities. |
| Placement Services | 1 | They have decent job placement for those who are majoring in education, but if you're in a smaller major, forget about even walking into the career services office. It will be a giant waste of time. The weekly internship notice for the psych department was all business-related internships. They didn't even put in any effort for students in smaller programs of study. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | Most of the alumni have attitude problems. They make a great effort to get all graduated students to be a part of the Alumni Association, but it doesn't work very well, because they are all either miserable people or snobs. |
University At Buffalo • Buffalo, NY
Studying Business (completion in 2011)
• 10/2/2011
"Amazing experience. I truly loved UB!"
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I had an awesome experience in my four years. I strongly recommend UB to any high schoolers. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | Its reputation has improved over the years. I believe it is pretty challenging, compared to other SUNY schools. |
| Program Quality | 8 | It was not as challenging as I expected. You truly have to know how to play the game. |
| Instruction | 7 | Half of my professors were Asian and could barely speak English. However, they were very intelligent. |
| How Difficult | 6 | Again, you have to know how to play the game. I figured it out very quickly. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The program at my school was right in the middle of hands on and book oriented. I prefer hands on. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | We had a two-week add/drop period. In this time, you have many options as to changing your schedule. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | There were not many options in this field. I never got tutored. |
| Social Life | 9 | I was on the dance team and in a sorority. My social life was great! |
| Placement Services | 10 | I had meetings a few times every semester with my advisor. She was extremely helpful. |
Syracuse University • Syracuse, NY
Studying International Relations/Political Science (completion in 2008)
• 10/19/2011
"SU provided a great balance of academia and social life. There were clubs and social groups that catered to everyone's interests."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Syracuse offers Liberal Arts degrees as well as degrees in business, engineering, music, communications, architecture, and other fields. It's a great place for those who know what they would like to do in the future, as well as those who are trying to figure out what their calling is. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | As I said above, Maxwell is one of the best schools in the country. It's got great professors and does a really good job preparing students for the real world. |
| Program Quality | 10 | Syracuse is a great school. The Maxwell School of Public Citizenship is one of the best international relations/political science schools in the country. |
| Instruction | 10 | The professors were always prepared and pushed the students to think analytically. instructors made themselves available during office hours, over email, and phone and were always responsive |
| How Difficult | 8 | The assignments involved a lot of reading and writing. Besides that, there were regularly scheduled quizzes and tests. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Political Science and IR are pretty book oriented; however, all students were encouraged to get internships. The Maxwell in DC semester program is designed for the purpose of giving students a taste of what working in the field will be like. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Classes that are required for the majors or are expected to be popular are scheduled in a way that gives students a number of options. I have always been able to register for the classes I wanted and keep a schedule that worked for me. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | The classrooms are comfortable and well equipped. Tutoring is always available. TAs as well as professors are there and are happy to help. |
| Social Life | 10 | SU basketball is HUGE. The stadium is always full and it's so great to be a part of something so amazing. There are always concerts going on around campus. |
| Placement Services | 8 | Although I have never used the service myself, my friends that have were pretty happy with it. |
| Alumni Network | 10 | There are SU alumni in all major cities in the US, as well as all over the world. There are networking events organized on a regular basis. |
Fordham University • New York, NY
Studying International Political Economy (completion in 2006)
• 10/15/2011
"It was a great experience. In retrospect, I would change some aspects of my experience."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Fordham is a great school. It provided a multi-faceted education that gave me many skills. |
| Program Reputation | To be honest, I'm not quite sure. I have not been the best at keeping tabs. | |
| Program Quality | 7 | The program was rigorous. I do wish that there were more internship opportunities. |
| Instruction | 6 | There were a few unimpressive professors. But, overall I was impressed. |
| How Difficult | 7 | The program was multifaceted. I was able to learn a lot in different specialties. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | This is one deficiency of the program. I wish there were more opportunities for hands-on learning. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | The schedule was very flexible. This made juggling work, a social schedule, and academics possible. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | I fell in love with the library the moment I stepped on campus. It is expansive and beautiful. |
| Social Life | 10 | I made many friends during my college experience. Fortunately we are still in touch. |
| Placement Services | 5 | I received good advice on resumes, etc. But, I did not receive much help in finding a job outside of New York. |
| Alumni Network | 7 | The alumni network is very active. I'm impressed by their reach outside of the NYC metro area. |
St. John's University • Staten Island, NY
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2003)
• 10/12/2011
"Overall, my experience wasn't great. I felt that I could have learned more, had I gone to a better school."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | There are much better schools out there. I chose convenience over quality of program/school. I would tell others not to make the same mistake. |
| Program Reputation | 4 | There are much better schools for my field of study. If I had the choice to go back, I would have gone to another school. |
| Program Quality | 5 | The computer science program at St. John's isn't the best. It is a very general program, without focus on any particular concentration, such as programming, security, network administration or project management. |
| Instruction | 4 | Many of the instructors were very old and had not worked in the field in decades. They had no recent practical knowledge of the current industry or job market. |
| How Difficult | 5 | The classes were fairly easy. Workload was never a problem, nor was balancing studies, work and personal life. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The computer lab classes were just OK. I actually learned more in regular classroom classes, even outside of my major. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 6 | The class schedule wasn't too bad. There were both day and night courses available. There were also courses offered different times on different days. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | The computer lab was pretty remedial and fairly outdated. It was upgraded and expanded after I graduated. |
| Social Life | 5 | There were some school events, but not many. I had a better time at social events organized by friends and classmates than school-organized events. |
| Placement Services | 2 | It was basically a joke when I was graduating. The school told the Computer Science grads that there weren't any jobs and didn't really offer much help outside of resume workshops and job listings. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I don't really participate in the alumni network, but I receive semi-regular communications. If there was some alumni event that was appealing, I would participate. |
CUNY Brooklyn College • Brooklyn, NY
Studying Education/Secondary English (completion in 2011)
• 10/8/2011
"It was a cheap education, compared to private schools. However, the administration often put their students' requests last on their to-do list."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | I found out other affiliated city schools only require 1 semester of student teaching. However, my school lies to all of us and says that it is "a NYS requirement." That is only a half-truth that I wish I had known before enrolling!!! |
| Program Reputation | 5 | I am truly not sure. It is not rated in the Top 50 Graduate Schools of Education in US News & World Report. |
| Program Quality | 10 | I am fulfilled through the program as it required a year of student teaching. I was placed in an excellent school and it turned out to be the best year of my life (2009/2010). |
| Instruction | 5 | Most of the professors were just demanding enough to be a challenge. However, some professors took demanding to the extreme, and it caused many of us in my program to be unhappy and overstressed. |
| How Difficult | 7 | The workload is the biggest challenge. However, if you can put your mind into the grueling amount of research papers and student teaching, it's a very rewarding program. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I say mixed, because of the ratio of book knowledge to required student teaching. Except for student teaching, it was all book knowledge, but considering the weight of the teaching experience, that was as hands-on as it gets! | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | It was convenient to have all my classes available at night, but there were many times when there was a conflict of times for required Education and English classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | The new gym was so useful, and it was free! The library is full of helpful staff members and free Wi-Fi, and it is open extremely late at night. |
| Social Life | 1 | Brooklyn College is largely a commuter school, so I had little-to-no time for socializing. There was little-to-no recruitment for fostering a social scene for its graduate students. The only real friend I had was one person who happened to be in many of my classes. |
| Placement Services | 1 | There is NO job placement for candidates in my program. It is the worst part of my program. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | Our network is called "The Magner Center." It is excellent for online job hunting, but having gone to the office in person, it was a waste of my time. The staff referred me BACK to the internet! |
City College Of New York • New York, NY
Studying Art History (completion in 2005)
• 10/9/2011
"It's a good school. I received a fine education."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | It has a good reputation. You could do a lot worse for the amount of tuition you pay there. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | It's more of an engineering school. They don't truly specialize in visual arts or art history. |
| Program Quality | 9 | It's a great school, known as the Proletariat Harvard. |
| Instruction | 9 | They attract good professors and faculty. It has a good reputation. |
| How Difficult | 8 | It was challenging, but anything worthwhile should be challenging. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Internships were required, so that provided a good mix of hands-on and book learning. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | It is a school with reasonably flexible schedules. It's not exceptional in that area, though. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | The academic facilities were decent. Could've been better, but could've been worse. |
| Social Life | 2 | I did not socialize much. I was older than most of the other students. |
| Placement Services | 5 | I did not get much career or job guidance. They do offer some of that, however. |
| Alumni Network | 10 | My alumni association is something I enjoy participating in. They offer some good benefits. |
Bryant & Stratton • Buffalo, NY
Studying Administrative Assistant (completion in 2010)
• 10/9/2011
"I didn't like the school very much. They constantly call you and email you into annoyance. But when you actually do want to talk to them, they don't get back to you until you nag them. The classes weren't greatly structured and class registration was a hassle."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | My entire experience with this school was bad. I wanted out several times and tried to transfer, but the classes here were so essential to my career that I stayed, because I couldn't find another online school that offered better classes. |
| Program Reputation | 4 | When I first applied to this school, I looked up graduation rates; less than half of the students that start at Bryant & Stratton don't graduate. I almost left the school myself. |
| Program Quality | 9 | The school offered classes essential to working as an assistant; document processing, desktop publishing and office procedures were a few of the major related courses. We also learned Word, Excel and PowerPoint the first semester. |
| Instruction | 10 | This curriculum didn't waste time on many unrelated classes, like so many others do. There were just as many administration classes as general education classes. |
| How Difficult | 8 | As an online student, semesters were broken up into sessions that lasted 7.5 weeks. I'd learn 5 months of work in 2 months; twice as fast, twice as hard. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Online teachers are slack in their work. They create slideshows as lectures and disappear for long periods of time, while we work our butts off to learn stuff straight from the book. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | My school has summer, online and day offerings. I'm not sure about nights and weekends. Online offerings were pretty much 7 days a week, though. You don't ever get a break, except summer. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | Online students have access to free hours with a tutor. After those hours are used, the college grants more free hours if needed. Campus librarians aren't great at helping online students when we call in. At one point, it took a week for a teacher to get back to me after I was harassed by a student in the online classroom. It also took days for my advisor to return an email. Staff availability is not at its best. |
| Social Life | 2 | Online students don't have any social experiences. At my first college, online students could get into an online fraternity or sorority. This school provides nothing outside of the classroom experience. |
| Placement Services | 5 | I didn't use any after-graduation service provided by the school. They do have one, but I already had jobs lined up before graduation. |
NYU • Manhattan, NY
Studying English & Religious Studies; History Minor (completion in 2006)
• 10/6/2011
"I was very satisfied with my school and the education I received! I'd go there again if the opportunity arose."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | I LOVED NYU and would recommend it, but my experiences in college had nothing to do with the work I do now as an administrative assistant. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | NYU is widely respected, as are all of the programs of study at the college. |
| Program Quality | 10 | NYU provided me with an exceptional education. However, I have sacrificed my passions of English and religion to work for a high-paying hedge fund. |
| Instruction | 10 | The faculty was brilliant and the coursework promoted independent thinking. I learned concepts as well as facts. |
| How Difficult | 10 | NYU is a top-notch school. I completed a double major and a minor, so I had an extremely full course load. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I feel like we learned, applied, learned, applied. It was both hands-on/practical and intellectual. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | There are a lot of course offerings at various times. It's a huge school, so they have a lot of options. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | They do a great job with facilities and resources. We had numerous libraries, electronic media search engines, advisors, etc. |
| Social Life | 3 | Because there wasn't really a campus, we all lived in apartment-type housing. I didn't have a typical college social life, because of the layout and the workload. |
City College Of New York • New York, NY
Studying Classics (completion in 1960)
• 10/22/2011
"The commute was reasonably convenient. The campus (South Campus, which had a lovely lawn for sunning at the time) was pleasant. And, as I noted above, I had excellent instructors in my area. There was no socializing, and most other teachers were not as thrilling as the ones in my area."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | It offers English and Business studies for those who wish to take them. One doesn't really need a specific program to become an Administrative Assistant. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | To be entirely honest, I don't hear much about this. The extraordinary professors who were there in my time are gone and their replacements don't get much press. |
| Program Quality | 10 | At the time I was in school, it was fantastic for someone in my area of study. It had superb teachers. |
| Instruction | 10 | The quality of instruction in my area (as well as in some of my other studies) was top-notch. However, I cannot say that it specifically prepared me in any way to be an Administrative Assistant. |
| How Difficult | 4 | Because the department was so small and the students majoring in Classics were so few, the professors got to know each of us very well. Since they were aware of our individual capabilities they did not bother to assign us term papers. This was a blessing which balanced out the overwork in some other areas of study. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Not much to say. There were no field trips or laboratories involved in my program. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | Most of the college's students attend full-time during the day. However, one can take some classes in the evening and I believe there are summer offerings. |
| Academic Facilities | 1 | There really were no special resources related to my program but we didn't need any. Most of us used the New York Public Library system, one of the best resources in the world. |
| Social Life | 1 | CCNY is not known for its "social experience." It is a so-called "subway school" rather than a live-in school. Students generally go to school, attend class and then return home. |
| Placement Services | 1 | The job listings they have at any given time are few and unhelpful. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | They do not really provide any support, even if they pretend to do so for fundraising's sake. |
Utica School Of Commerce • Oneonta, NY
Studying Administrative Assistant (completion in 2011)
• 10/19/2011
"Overall the school is good. I wish that they were regionally accredited."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | Depends on what you are going for and the flexibility that you would need. Also depends on the importance of the accreditation. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | The school is small so there is not a lot to consider. The companies in the area to hire individuals who have completed the program have never complained. |
| Program Quality | 9 | The school does a good job on a variety of courses. They also offer great support for students. |
| Instruction | 9 | Teachers all have times set for extra help. There are also study groups that are formed if a student needs more help. |
| How Difficult | 5 | It's a bit of both. It's not overwhelming but it's no walk in the park. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Many of the classes are on the computer, so it is a mix. I like this, as I learn faster by doing it. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 2 | They offer each class only one time during the semester. This may be morning, night, or online. And even if you need a class, there have to be at least 3 people registered or they won't hold it. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | The school has improved since I first started there. There still isn't really a ton of room. The only library is online. |
| Social Life | 8 | I wish there were more activities to do. When they do hold something, they seem to do a good job at it. |
| Placement Services | 10 | They have a great job placement program and it will follow you for life. |
| Alumni Network | 7 | The school has a great program for helping with employment after graduation. Other than that, there aren't really any alumni activities. |
Ithaca College • Ithaca, NY
Studying Health Sciences (completion in 2008)
• 10/19/2011
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I'm sure there are better schools out there for the health field but I had a great experience at IC. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | I don't know the reputation for sure, but I know it's neither particularly superb nor poor. |
| Program Quality | 10 | I thought my school did a great job of including various aspects of health care. It didn't prepare me for specific work, but rather to move on to a higher degree, which is what I intend to do. |
| Instruction | 8 | |
| How Difficult | 8 | |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The types of classes I took varied so depending on the content there was a good mix. In my science classes there were labs as part of the credit so there was a lot of hands on learning. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | There are no online or weekend courses. Some are offered during the winter and summer breaks, but not every class. They were good about classes being offered both during the day and evening, and getting to choose between meeting once a week for a longer time or several times a week for a shorter time. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | The health sciences building was very well equipped with various labs to get plenty of hands-on and computer practice. |
| Social Life | 8 | I don't usually attend school spirit events but the Cortaca Jug is a national event, and it is a huge deal at my school. The parties were great, too. |
| Placement Services | 5 | There were career services available and the people who used it seemed pleased but I never sought out their assistance. |
| Alumni Network | 3 | There is an Alumni Society but I have never heard from them and do not know what they do. I've pretty much been on my own since I graduated. |
Ithaca College • Ithaca, NY
Studying Business Administration (completion in 2011)
• 11/1/2011
"I wish I had gone to a different school - like RPI."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | This isn't the best school for business. This also isn't the best school to attend if you want a social life and an inexpensive education. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | Certain programs are better than others. Certain degrees are more successful than others. |
| Program Quality | 5 | Not a great business program. IC just became accredited as a business school. |
| Instruction | 5 | The faculty wasn't very helpful. We had to learn many things on our own about life after college. |
| How Difficult | 5 | Class were boring. Way too much homework that wasn't challenging, just time consuming. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Mostly book oriented. Textbook galore! | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | Too many classes are three times a week. These can be condensed. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | We have a great trading room. But most of the time it's locked. |
| Social Life | 5 | Nearby Cornell frats are great. Most of the parties on IC campus get shut down, and bars close at 1 am. |
| Placement Services | 5 | I have no clue what the future looks like. They don't support students who have jobs outside of college. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | Most of the alumni are concentrated in one department. There isn't a great alumni to student base. |
St. Joseph's College • Patchogue, NY
Studying Psychology (completion in 2004)
• 10/29/2011
"I was satisfied with my school for the most part. I just wish they would have helped me with obtaining a career after graduation so I could use my degree."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I think St. Joseph's is a great school but they could use improve in preparing their students for after graduation. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | I'm not sure what the school's reputation is in my major because the school is mostly known for teaching education classes for teachers. |
| Program Quality | 7 | St. Joseph's offered a great education for anyone wanting a degree in psychology. |
| Instruction | 7 | I learned a lot in my curriculum at St. Joseph's. |
| How Difficult | 6 | I don't think my program of study was very hard. I was a very diligent student which helped me succeed. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I think this school offered a lot of hands-on learning for their students and they offered tutoring whenever you needed it. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 6 | This school was very flexible with hours. I was able to attend classes in the evening and weekends which helped for my daily schedule. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | This school had a lot of academic facilities for their students. |
| Social Life | 2 | I wasn't really big into school spirit at this school because I was working and commuting to school so I didn't have time. |
| Placement Services | 3 | This school didn't have a very good job placement program; once I graduated I had to go look for a job on my own. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | The St. Joseph's alumni are always reaching out to me. |
Empire State College • Saratoga Springs, NY
Studying Human Resource Management (completion in 2010)
• 10/28/2011
"I got a degree. I was happy with the overall experience."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I am sure there are better schools out there but I am very happy of the results. This was an affordable school to go to. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | To my knowledge this program is rated decently in the state. It is not the best but for the money the quality of the education is good. |
| Program Quality | 8 | The school provided a very good curriculum. The people at Empire State College helped me get my degree. |
| Instruction | 8 | I was very pleased with the amount of knowledge I gained and actually applied to this career. The overall quality of the program and instruction was very good. |
| How Difficult | 7 | The work wasn't hard however it was challenging. The workload was high. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It was mostly e-book learning. Everything is basically digital. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | This is a distance learning school so it is as flexible scheduling as they get. Compared to other online schools the classes I took were very flexible. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The school provided very good resources. The main resources for assisting with this program were very easy to use. |
| Social Life | 5 | This was an online college so socializing did not go past being a group member of a project. In comparison to other online colleges I have tried this is average. |
| Placement Services | 5 | They offered assistance and helped however I declined. I did not see any effort to go above and beyond for a higher than an average rating. |
| Alumni Network | 4 | The entire time I was a student I did not really participate in the alumni network. It was offered but I did not see much reason or motivation to delve into it. |
Rochester Institute Of Technology • Rochester, NY
Studying Psychology (completion in 2011)
• 11/2/2011
"I'm very proud of my degree and that it came from such a prestigious school, even though psychology is not a major attraction for RIT. I worked very hard to get it. I really enjoyed my professors and classmates, but I wish there were better internship opportunities."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | I would not suggest RIT for someone pursuing a degree in psychology simply because it is a technical school, not a liberal arts college. Although I had a great experience, it's over-priced for a psychology degree. |
| Program Reputation | 4 | RIT has a very prominent reputation throughout the country because of its technical focus and the standards of excellence, however it is not so for psychology. The psychology program is quite small and not the major attraction of the school so it is closer to average. |
| Program Quality | 7 | The school that I went to for my Bachelor's degree was a technical school that has a very small psychology program. I enjoyed the environment and the people I went to classes with but I know that I paid more money than I should have considering it was a technical school not known for their psychology program. |
| Instruction | 9 | The teachers that I worked with were extremely knowledgeable and helpful. I felt very close to my professors and they really challenged me. |
| How Difficult | 9 | Since the school that I went to was technically based, the pressure was very high and it was difficult to get good grades. The expectations were high and we were pushed to our fullest extent. The focus was on technical writing and scientific knowledge. The school is also on the quarter system not the semester, so it made everything compacted into a short period of time. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I would have liked to have had more hands-on experience but the career center did not make it easy to find internships. I felt like I was on my own when it came to getting hands-on opportunities so I'm not sure how prepared I was for the working world. The book work was certainly useful, but it was not mixed in with real experience. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | The flexibility seems somewhat limited because of the fact that there are so many different programs in a very large school. Classroom space is coveted so there weren't always a lot of options for class times. I think they did the best they could but it was not ideal. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | The library was a great resource for me because they had everything I needed online and on-campus. The library has four floors so there are lots of computers and places to sit and work. Academic advisors were always making themselves available in person and via email, along with the professors. |
| Social Life | 3 | RIT has a bad reputation for its lack of social outlets. Many students are awkward and do not have very many social skills so the activities are quite limited. School spirit seemed more like something that administrators wished was happening so they would promote this in their emails without a lot of response. |
| Placement Services | 6 | The job placement opportunities are quite limited and I don't feel a connection to the department that promotes employment. I have seen it advertised that they offer services to alumni but I never find any psychology positions. This is why I work as an administrative assistant and not anything related to psychology. |
| Alumni Network | 4 | I don't feel as though I belong to the alumni group because I only receive emails every once in a while about events that expect us to contribute money. I don't feel close to people who have graduated with me because the school is so large. |
Nassau Community College • Garden City, NY
Studying Liberal Arts (completion in 2002)
• 11/23/2011
"I always say that if Nassau were a university, I'd have my doctorate by now. I love that school."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I would recommend Nassau to anyone who is not entirely sure what they are interested in doing after high school. The diverse program and people will ensure that, if nothing else, students are exposed to many things. |
| Program Reputation | NCC reputation is good, but not for anything in particular. It is more known for being a great place to go when you don't know where you want to go. | |
| Program Quality | 8 | Nassau Community's liberal arts program is fantastic, but it tries to fit everything under that umbrella. I got a great education, but not in anything specific. |
| Instruction | 9 | I took a few classes at another college after attending Nassau. I can say without hesitation, NCC professors are the best! |
| How Difficult | 8 | As I was enrolled in the honors program, the work was a bit more difficult. However, I enjoyed the challenge and knowing that I wasn't being treated like a reject or second-class student. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I took such a variety of classes at Nassau, that I had different types of learning experiences. Science and physical education classes allowed me to actively participate, while more traditional subjects were taught in a classroom/lecture environment. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | Nassau really values the working student. I had no problem at all finding classes that worked with my schedule. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | I never felt like the school needed more of anything. Resources are plentiful and professors really utilize them. |
| Social Life | 4 | Because it is a commuter school, there isn't much of a social network. People who attend, especially at night, are there to get the job done, not attend a pep rally. |
| Placement Services | As many students go on to other colleges after Nassau, there is more focus on that. I never spoke with anyone about career options. | |
| Alumni Network | Does Nassau have an alumni network? I don't think they do. |
SUNY Plattsburgh • Plattsburgh, NY
Studying Child Family Counseling (completion in 1995)
• 11/23/2011
"I wish I had learned more about what future opportunities were out there for me in the different fields I looked at while studying. I also wish I had spent more time focusing on my studies and thinking about my own future further than the next weekend. On the other hand, I made some incredible lasting friendships and don't regret a thing!"
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | Not sure if it's the best college available, but I also think that it's probably not the worst. I have nothing against the college, though; if someone were to ask me about it, I would just tell them about my personal experience and maybe give them a few pointers in what they might want to do differently. I hold nothing against the school personally. |
| Program Reputation | I have no idea what the program is like there today. I don't even know if this program still exists there today, seeing as I graduated over 15 years ago now. If it does exist still, I don't know what kind of curriculum they have - whether it has stayed the same or completely changed. | |
| Program Quality | 5 | I had a lot of the classes with one particular professor and I wasn't crazy about his way of teaching. He tended to talk above us rather than explain things in more layman's terms. His exams were also always multiple choice, and I believe in this field, sometimes explaining yourself in more of an essay answer would have been more accurate. |
| Instruction | 4 | I felt that the instructors could have been more helpful in talking to us about what careers were available to us in that field. They also could have been more forthcoming in letting us know that there aren't a lot of jobs in this field without going on to get your doctorate; at least jobs in which you can make a decent living. |
| How Difficult | 6 | I think overall, the classes weren't really difficult. But I had many classes with one particular professor who I felt was not a very good teacher. He never explained anything and never seemed to have time to answer questions. Exams were also very biased. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | A lot of my classes were solely book-learning courses. Large lecture halls - mostly psychology classes. But in my counseling classes, the class size was much smaller and it was all about class participation. Very little was spent on either the reading material or testing. Mostly role play. These were the classes where I learned the most. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 2 | For my particular degree, I had to take several classes at 8AM, because there was no other option to take these classes. They did not have weekend classes or online classes at the time. I wish there had been more options available. |
| Academic Facilities | 4 | I think that the library and media lab were sufficient at the time. There have been a lot of changes since I went to college, I'm sure. Classroom space was also sufficient. I don't think the professors were very available - at least not the ones that I had as professors - and there wasn't a lot of outside help, such as tutors or study groups. If they had these, I was never made aware. |
| Social Life | 9 | I joined a sorority, which is something I never would have thought of doing before I went to school. This turned out to be the BEST decision I made in my collegiate career, as I made many, many friends, who I am still friends with to this day. We 'entertained' frequently. But we also were out in the community doing several community service projects. I learned a lot about time management while being in the sorority as well, because we were very busy with activities, yet I still needed to find time for my classes and time to study. |
| Placement Services | 2 | In the almost five years that I attended this school, I don't once remember my professors talking to me about what I could do with this degree once I graduated from the college. I do remember that my advisor neglected to tell me that I needed a certain number of electives in order to graduate on time. In my opinion, this was a HUGE oversight of his - I am somewhat to blame, I know - but he as an advisor should have known. And in all the time I spent talking to him, he never talked to me about what my future held as far as job placement. Not once. |
| Alumni Network | 7 | They seem to send things periodically in the mail or in an email. Usually, though, they're just asking for support - financial support. I don't think they are alone in this though; I believe that most colleges/universities do the same. I wish they would send out things now and then not asking for money, but just letting us know what is going on with the college. |
CUNY York College • Queens, NY
Studying Business Administration (completion in 2004)
• 11/22/2011
"They could have done a better job preparing me for the real world. Furthermore, they lack in the graduate degree preparation."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | I wouldn't recommend the school for people pursuing an administrative career, because York is not for administrators. The best major you can go there for is occupational therapy. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | York is known for business administrative. They have a variety of majors, but mainly known for occupational therapy. |
| Program Quality | 8 | The school had many majors. However, it did a good job preparing us in our field. |
| Instruction | 8 | Most professors did a good job. They offered textbook as well as their real-life experience. |
| How Difficult | 5 | The program really wasn't difficult. Just had to focus and study. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Hands-on experience only came in co-op. We mostly referred to textbooks. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | Class schedules were pretty flexible until my senior year. Most classes were only available on one day. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | Facilities were pretty ok. Many times, the library was very crowded and it was extremely hard to get a computer. |
| Social Life | 5 | I didn't participate in many events. Beyond clubs, I didn't know too much about York's events; they had poor advertising. |
| Placement Services | 1 | They were no help, other than looking at classifieds. I can do that on my own. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | Don't know much about it. I don't believe it's that strong. |
SUNY Oswego • Oswego, NY
Studying Bachelor's Of Arts (completion in 2010)
• 11/16/2011
"I liked the school I went to, but the politics keep me from a higher rating. The school is known for its Business department, as well as Art and Science and Education."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | My college was good with their business department. Students would learn a lot heading into an admin position. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | From what I know, it is one of the best SUNY schools to offer graphic design. They are not known much for their technology, though. |
| Program Quality | 9 | I enjoyed the school I went to, because the professors were very knowledgeable. I learned a lot from them and their patience was greatly appreciated. |
| Instruction | 10 | Classes were specified for having a career. They taught things such as deadlines and reaching out to clients. |
| How Difficult | 7 | Learning about arts is always difficult, depending on what you already grasp. It's a constant learning cycle. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | My program has to be hands on. You can't learn without doing. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | Their class schedule is very flexible. I would imagine it would be like most campuses. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | The facilities have what students need, but they weren't quite the best. They definitely could purchase more up-to-date pieces of technology. |
| Social Life | 10 | Clubs and groups were offered all the time. It was easy to make friends, no matter where you were. |
| Placement Services | 4 | I don't know much about the job placement services. |
| Alumni Network | 3 | I don't know much about their alumni networking. I just know they put out a newsletter. |
SUNY Fredonia • Fredonia, NY
Studying Criminal Justice (completion in 2007)
• 11/17/2011
"I was satisfied with my school experience. It was a great college and I learned a lot there. I also made some lifelong friends."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would recommend the CJ program to others who lived in the area. However, I'm sure there are other great programs in larger cities that might appeal to a broader audience. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | I don't know of anyone who thinks poorly of my major at my school. It is not what the school is known for, but it is still an excellent program. |
| Program Quality | 7 | I disliked all the general education classes I had to take along with classes for my major. But the classes in my field of study were very interesting. |
| Instruction | 8 | Most of my professors were extremely well educated. They definitely knew the subject matter. |
| How Difficult | 8 | Criminal Justice was a difficult program. There was a lot of reading of court cases that could get tedious at times. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | My program was more book oriented, dealing with a lot of case law. I did have one amazing forensic class that had a ton of hands-on experience. I consider it to be the best class I ever took. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | There were no online classes offered. However, there were evening classes that only met 1 day a week, which was extremely convenient. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | The library was old, but adequate. Classrooms were small; there were not a lot of large lecture halls. Most professors had office hours that were convenient. |
| Social Life | 7 | Fredfest was a great social experience at SUNY Fredonia. Hockey was their greatest athletic program, and the rink was available off hours for students to ice skate. |
| Placement Services | I've never used the job placement and career services assistance at my school. Therefore, I feel unqualified to answer. | |
| Alumni Network | I've never used the alumni network at my school. Therefore, I feel unqualified to answer. |
Cornell University • Ithaca, NY
Studying Linguistics (completion in 2004)
• 11/16/2011
"I got a good education and managed to avoid binge drinking. But I don't think it prepared me for anything, hence I am running Excel reports at a company for $10/hour to pay my rent."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | In this economy, what's the point of going to school if you're just going to end up typing stupid stuff in some little company? Linguistics is fascinating, but not useful in paying your rent. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | I would say it's top tier, but not necessarily the best of the best. It's not the most innovative, but it's really good. |
| Program Quality | 8 | Cornell is highly ranked in linguistics, and the program is interesting and well taught. I just wish they had pointed out to me that with a BA, I could go for schooling other than a PhD program. |
| Instruction | 9 | It was a very good school. I wish they had suggested to me, "Hey, you know, you could also go into speech therapy!" |
| How Difficult | 8 | It was pretty challenging. But it was very interesting and I could handle it. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Everything was theoretical based. There wasn't even much of a phonetics lab. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | It was okay. The linguistics department would only have one section of a class because it was so small, but other requirements weren't that hard to schedule around it. The only thing that was really hard to fit in was foreign language requirements. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | I found the professors very accessible in my department, less so in other departments. The library is very large. |
| Social Life | I'm antisocial, so I didn't really care about organized social events. Mostly, a lot of people would go somewhere and get extremely drunk, and that was not appealing to me. The school was very large, and I only cared about hanging out with my few friends, playing computer games. I'm not an organized fun type of person! | |
| Placement Services | 2 | There basically wasn't any job placement service. They suggested to me that I apply to PhD programs, and I did. |
| Alumni Network | 3 | All they do is ask me for money. I don't have any money, but they keep asking me. |
Niagara University • Niagara University/Niagara Falls, NY
Studying Sociology (completion in 1994)
• 11/17/2011
"It was excellent in every way. I only wish I'd thought more about the major I was pursuing and how I would go about either getting a career in that major or changing the major to match the fields I'd end up in better!"
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Many schools nowadays are too modernized. Niagara University has a very small campus with close-knit students whose families often visit, and the values and well-being of the campus community is evident in the attitudes I saw, even visiting the campus again with my own children recently. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | My own children are in high school now, and we recently visited Niagara U to see if they would have interest. I was able to get a feel for how they've expanded, and it seems that every program there has enhanced greatly. NU has always had a fabulous reputation. |
| Program Quality | 10 | While I can't compare a sociology major to other schools' programs because Niagara U is the only college I attended, I can say that I enjoyed the small campus life and the genuinely caring atmosphere of the professors and administrators there. |
| Instruction | 10 | The professors at Niagara U were always available for help, and I think this was particularly easy for them, because the student-to-professor ratio was so small - especially back then. (This was 20 years ago!) |
| How Difficult | 5 | Sociology is not a difficult major, so within that range, I would rate the sociology program as a 2. However, since the pre-law program required that I took a few law-related courses, these were more difficult, and I would rate that more as a 7. So I chose the "5" as the in-between. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | From 1990-1992, the school was almost entirely book oriented. With the introduction of the WWW at NU in 1992, things became more computer oriented than before, but still a far cry from what we see today. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | Since I recently visited again with my own teenage children, I know that they have many options for schedule flexibility. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | When I was there, all of these things were top-notch. When I visited recently, they seemed to have grown tremendously, as has technology - so I would say that they have slightly above-average facilities and resources in comparison to other universities. |
| Social Life | 10 | My college days were incredibly fun! Niagara University has terrific students that usually come from good families, so the participation values as far as clubs, sports and activities go is top-notch. Since for many kids, this is their first experience out of their parents' eyesight, nightlife was also a lot of fun. |
| Placement Services | 5 | I can only go on what I've heard, because I didn't end up in my field of major. They appear to be average, but I haven't personally utilized this service. |
| Alumni Network | I can't say that I know for myself that the alumni network is good or bad, because I never actually used it, since I didn't end up in either field of work that I intended back then. |
City College • New York, NY
Studying Psychology (completion in 2011)
• 11/16/2011
"I was extremely satisfied with my school. Its conveniently located campus and positive overall experience definitely keep it as a candidate for any additional degrees I may decide on getting."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I had such a good experience at my school, why wouldn't I recommend it to others? Having a good academic environment is important, and I would want others to experience it, too. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | I've only heard positive things regarding this school. Not once have I gotten negative feedback about my major or the school. |
| Program Quality | 10 | The academic environment is stellar. I always felt on track, never up in the air. |
| Instruction | 9 | The instruction always seemed on track. It was always relevant; I never felt like I was lost. |
| How Difficult | 3 | Not to sound pompous or cocky, but I feel I am academically advanced. I didn't really feel a challenge, except for the occasional final. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It was definitely a mix. Always enough to keep it interesting and not too trite. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | I was always able to work my class schedule around my work schedule. There was never a time where I couldn't make my schedule work. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | The few times I tried to speak with professors were hit or miss. Sometimes I would be able to meet with them; other times, no. |
| Social Life | I can't really comment on this. I never really participated in those types of things. | |
| Placement Services | I haven't utilized my school's services yet. | |
| Alumni Network | I haven't been too involved with my alumni program, so I wouldn't know. |
Hofstra University • Hempstead, NY
Studying Speech Pathology (completion in 1999)
• 11/27/2011
"I received a quality education from a reputable school. I am satisfied with my educational experience."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I did not study a program specific to my current career. I would recommend my school for this career because I feel that I received the basic skills necessary to perform my current job functions. I only suggested maybe because I never researched the options and don't know if is best suited. It may not be as it is a 4 year school that can be expensive. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | I didn't pursue a career in my field of study. I am pretty sure that I would have had excellent opportunities because of the college. |
| Program Quality | 8 | I did not pursue an education specifically for the job I currently possess. I'm not sure what courses are out there for this field as have only taken some one day seminars. |
| Instruction | 5 | My educational background is not specific to my current career. |
| How Difficult | 9 | For the degree I obtained, the education was challenging, specifically the anatomy and physiology. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | There was a mix of education. Some skills required hands on learning. We had skills labs for language programs. Some required reading from books. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | I didn't have any issues with selecting courses. I was able to come up with a schedule that worked for me. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | They had the facilities needed to give me the proper education. There were labs that would allow us to practice the skills we learned. |
| Social Life | 10 | There were a lot of opportunities to participate. There were sporting events and fraternities/sororities. |
| Placement Services | I haven't used them to pursue career opportunities. I know that they have services to assist alumni. | |
| Alumni Network | 10 | It's local to where I live. I am able to gain excellent networking opportunities. |
Canisius College • Buffalo, NY
Studying Psychology/Spanish (completion in 2000)
• 11/30/2011
"Overall, I am happy with the education I received. If I could go back and do it over, I would attend another school where I could board for a more reasonable price. My salary does not reflect the amount I paid for my education."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I think a lot of factors would come into play. I would need to know what type of college experience that person was looking for. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | My school has a very strong psychology program. It is one of the reasons I chose to attend. |
| Program Quality | 8 | I feel I was adequately educated for the major I chose. There were a lot of varied courses to choose from. |
| Instruction | 8 | There was a good variety of teaching staff. Most staff was open-minded and easy to approach with questions or concerns. |
| How Difficult | 7 | I feel that the workload was acceptable. Some of the coursework involved subjects that I do not feel I needed to take. Some of the courses were not applicable to the type of work for which I was looking. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | There were not a great number of hands-on options. A great deal of book learning was involved. There was not enough emphasis on internships, etc. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | I was able to take evening classes and online classes. I was also able to take classes from other schools in the area, if they were not offered at my school. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | The library was more than adequate for what the program required. We also had access to multiple computer labs with a good number of computers. |
| Social Life | 6 | I think the social events were lacking. They did not adequately promote activities. I did not live at the school, and I felt I was not well aware of the activity options. |
| Placement Services | 5 | While I attended the school, I was not aware of career assistance services. I went back after graduation when I was dissatisfied with my career, and they helped lead me in a direction. I feel that these services could have helped me more before attaining my degree, though. |
| Alumni Network | 9 | There is a great alumni network. I am contacted semiannually about activities for alumni. |
Ithaca College • Ithaca, NY
Studying Business Administration, International Concentrations (completion in 2013)
• 12/7/2011
"I would go to another school, both for my business degree and my social life. This school was not the best place for me, but did offer a lot of financial assistance."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | The business program is only great if you are in the finance or accounting programs. Unless you are going to be in these accelerated levels, there's really no reason to have a business degree from Ithaca. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | We have a good trading room. Also, we just got accredited as a business school. |
| Program Quality | 5 | Business Administration consists of pretty much the standard courses needed for any type of office job. There isn't much you need to know to file papers. |
| Instruction | 5 | The school teaches you how to do things. There isn't much thinking involved. |
| How Difficult | 7 | There are certain courses that are harder than others and that almost have nothing to do with the entry-level jobs. The only really difficult part of college is based upon the professor you get, not the course. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | There are a couple of professors who rarely use the book and really teach. Then there are those professors who make you wonder why they even hold a class, because everything is repeated in a PowerPoint presentation. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | Monday, Wednesday, Friday classes are killers, and there aren't enough courses that are offered at night for students who really need to have a part-time or full-time job as a college student to support themselves. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The business school was just built recently. The trading room we have is a state-of-the-art training room. |
| Social Life | 3 | Most parties here get broken up before they start. Ithaca students look towards bars and Cornell parties to satisfy social endeavors. |
| Placement Services | 6 | Most people have to branch out through family or friends to get jobs. A lot of people don't actually get jobs based on interviewing for jobs. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | The best alumni are actually in the Park Communication school and the Physical Therapy programs. The Business programs don't have an extensive networking base with alumni. |
Wood Tobe-Coburn School • New York, NY
Studying English (completion in 1977)
• 12/4/2011
"I got my money's worth and a strong skill set. Would recommend to anyone."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Absolutely. Very good school. Top-notch. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | At the time I attended, the school was considered the best. I had to qualify to attend. |
| Program Quality | 10 | They provided me with a great skill set. I have always been able to get a job based on my education and work experience. |
| Instruction | 8 | Some classes and teachers were more engaging than others. I liked the overall environment of the school. |
| How Difficult | 8 | Learning to type was challenging, as was shorthand. When I got the hang of it, I excelled. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Practical experience as well as books. Role playing and problem solving utilized. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 6 | They set you up with an intensive schedule and you followed it. Heavy homework. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | Top-notch equipment and state-of-the art facility. Quality teaching staff and classroom space. |
| Social Life | 5 | I focused on the work and wasn't interested in the social aspect. I think it was something that was almost nonexistent. |
| Placement Services | 7 | I think it is probably good, but I have always hit the ground running on my own. I have friends who used their database for jobs with success. |
City College University Of New York • New York, NY
Studying Liberal Arts (completion in 2010)
• 12/4/2011
"Overall, I went to college for an education, and that is what I received. Anything extra that came with my education is simply that, extra."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | One doesn't always need a degree to become an administrative assistant, so I would tell the person to pursue any college that they wanted and not just City College of New York. |
| How Difficult | 5 | I went to a city college, so the workload wasn't a lot, although it was still college, so it was challenging. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | City College is a very "book" school more so than a hands-on school. There wasn't much learning that they were able to adapt to everyday life. | |
| Academic Facilities | 6 | City College has a great gym, beautiful campus, great professors, and a lot of student life activities daily. |
| Social Life | 6 | City College had plenty of activities. I took part in a couple, and it was always an amazing experience. |
| Placement Services | 3 | City College only helps with job placement while you are in college, and those with financial problems are first served. |
| Alumni Network | 2 | My college has no alumni network or support, even for those who graduated top of their class, like myself. |
NYU • New York, NY
Studying Public Health (completion in 2010)
• 12/6/2011
"For the money I spent, I am not satisfied. I could have gotten a better deal at a state school."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | There are far better schools out there for public health. I would tell others to do whatever they can to get into those. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | There are more established programs besides the program I went to. My program was not through an actual school of public health, which would have been better. |
| Program Quality | 2 | My program would have been good for someone who was already a professional. It is not good for someone who went straight from undergrad to grad. |
| Instruction | 5 | Most of the professors were established enough. None of them were doing anything amazing or groundbreaking, and they were all research based. |
| How Difficult | 5 | It was a fairly easy program, but there were a couple of courses that were difficult. The workload was not too much and the actual coursework was not all that challenging. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Some professors provided hands-on learning, but most provided book learning. To graduate, we had to complete an internship, though, which was very hands on. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | No weekend options, but for a master's program, all classes were at night to accommodate professionals. Summer offerings were very poor. |
| Academic Facilities | 3 | This school had worse facilities than a state school. At a state school, you get many more student resources for a fraction of the price. |
| Social Life | 5 | As a grad student, I didn't participate in school activities that much. Also, the school is not very athletic. |
| Placement Services | 2 | They don't offer any support in job placement or career services. People getting jobs are doing it from their own will. |
| Alumni Network | 4 | The alumni network caters to established professionals. Those of us looking to become professionals in the field do not get much support. |
Adelphi University • Garden City, NY
Studying Biology (completion in 1999)
• 12/16/2011
"I was young and had just completed my two-year degree at the Academy of Court Reporting. At the time, I felt that I had great technical skills and that the world was at my feet, and all I had to do was go out and find a great job."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would recommend the Academy of Court Reporting to others. However, I would never just tell them to go to school and look for a job; I would tell them to try to set up a small business or side business. It is always good to show people how to freelance if need be, as that may be a good way to get started in the field. I know someone who found work in a courthouse years after she set up her own agency and freelanced on her own. So it is always good to be realistic when you are recommending careers from two-year training school colleges. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | Both The Academy of Court Reporting and Adelphi University have great reputations. The problem is that the technology was not up to date at either school, and when I graduated, I became shocked that the technology I used in class was so hopelessly out of date. |
| Program Quality | 5 | I did not go to school to become an administrative assistant. I was a biology major, but I worked my way through school doing clerical, data entry, customer service and administrative assistant type of work. So I would have to say that my training at Adelphi was average. Before I went to Adelphi, I obtained a two-year degree in Court Reporting from The Academy of Court Reporting, and that taught me how to type and compose letters. |
| Instruction | 10 | I gave that a rating of 10, based on The Academy of Court Reporting, which was a more administrative training. I worked very hard and studied 2-4 hours a day when I was in school. |
| How Difficult | 7 | I did not find my administrative training to be that difficult. I did have a hard time getting a B average in my typing class, because the letters were so difficult at the time. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | At the Academy of Court Reporting, we were constantly typing, taking dictation, learning new stenography letters, and so on. The schooling was extremely hands on, but for legal, medical and technical terms, we studied from books, quite naturally. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 1 | When I was at the Academy, we had specific hours of 9-4. My college schedule did not get flexible until I went to Adelphi University, which was a four-year university. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | As a student, I could always stay late and study at school. I could use the typewriters or get extra training and ask the teachers for help. The teachers at the Academy were young and friendly, so it was really easy to ask them for help, and they helped. |
| Social Life | 8 | I had friends and lots of conversations in class with the other students. However, outside of school, I only had maybe three or four friends. We all kind of banded together while we were going through the classes, but cliques will form! |
| Placement Services | 3 | I only got one chance to get it right with the Academy of Court Reporting, and when I blew the interview by taking my mom with me, the Career Services Placement Coordinator never worked to find me another position again. So I had to give them a very poor rating. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | I worked with my career placement services after graduation, but I did not find a job. |
Hunter College • New York, NY
Studying Media (completion in 2011)
• 12/22/2011
"I should have gone to an Ivy or NYU, but financial situations prevented me from being able to. The school was better than expected, but not great by any means."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | This is an in-between job. I have been doing it for 6 months and will be doing it for another year before I start law school. To be honest, I think you can go to any school to be an admin assistant, as it is not particularly hard or taxing work. |
| Program Reputation | I was never made aware of the media department's reputation. I would think it is pretty good, as most of my professors also taught at NYU, whose media department has a great reputation; however, I do not feel informed enough to answer. | |
| Program Quality | 8 | The professors were good and class time was flexible. It was very interesting and I enjoyed it. |
| Instruction | 8 | Professors would keep office hours. They made learning interesting, with the use of good examples and subject matter. |
| How Difficult | 5 | Compared to another college I attended overseas, it was about the same. Maybe a little easier than an Ivy. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It depended on the professor. Some were very hands on, others were more lecture focused, and others would make you read the books more. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | I worked full-time during college, but always managed to find evening classes that fit into my schedule perfectly. Even during the summer session (in my senior year), I found classes that were time-appropriate and indexable for graduation. |
| Academic Facilities | 4 | The facilities only consisted of lecture halls and classrooms, which were pretty rundown. Apart from that, access to professors was quite good, and the library was open in the rare occasion I needed it. |
| Social Life | I chose not to take part in school-organized activities. | |
| Placement Services | 2 | When I used it, they did not manage to find anything for me. Their resume builder is not very good either. I ended up using my own contacts and Craigslist for jobs, and I had friends tidy up my resume after little success with their approved one. |
| Alumni Network | 4 | I have not taken advantage of it, but I have not heard anything about it either. |
New York University • New York, NY
Studying Comparative Literature (completion in 2010)
• 12/31/2011
"I loved NYU. It is an exciting, rigorous and highly regarded school. I think that having graduated from NYU really helped me in the job market, because it is held in such high esteem."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | NYU has a lot of very interdisciplinary departments that can help you in a wide array of careers. If you work hard, there are no limits to what you can achieve, in school and out. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | Comparative Literature is a highly regarded major at NYU. It has a reputation for being challenging, but also having some of the best professors of any academic department in the College of Arts and Sciences. |
| Program Quality | 10 | I loved the challenging and fast-paced atmosphere of the Comparative Literature department at NYU. I think that it truly prepared me for entering the workforce. |
| Instruction | 10 | Professors are brilliant, and I had the opportunity to work with a number of accomplished scholars. They were also very accessible outside of class to help with papers and other projects. |
| How Difficult | 9 | I was very challenged by the workload at NYU, but it's difficult to compare, as I never attended another university. I spent an average of 40 hours a week in class or studying. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I'm not sure that literature can be taught as hands on, so the department was primarily focused on extensive reading. Some professors tried to integrate film and art in the lectures, on occasion. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 3 | As I was in a relatively small department, I found that the class schedules were pretty inflexible. I think that for someone in a larger department, this wouldn't have been an issue. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | The NYU library is enormous and has everything that you could ever want. In addition, many of the dorms have 24-hour computer labs that you could use for printing and other late-night studying needs. |
| Social Life | 5 | NYU is so expansive that I found it somewhat difficult to make friends. It doesn't have a real campus feel to it; it is more of an urban city experience. |
| Placement Services | 5 | NYU has an online career network, but it is mostly managed by outside sources. I think that it is a lot better for finding internships than it is for finding full-time job placement after graduation. |
| Alumni Network | 3 | I haven't been involved in NYU's alumni network, because the activities don't appeal to me. I have been asked for donations, however, which seems to be the main focus of the institution. |
SUNY Suffolk • Selden, NY
Studying Secretarial Science (completion in 1983)
• 12/22/2011
"I got out of it what I needed. Managed to have a little fun on the way."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | It got me where I needed. It prepared me well. |
| Program Reputation | They don't have that anymore. | |
| Program Quality | 8 | I developed the skills I needed to do my job. It prepared me well. |
| Instruction | 7 | It prepared me well, but you can never really be fully prepared. They can't really account for every possible situation that can be encountered. |
| How Difficult | 1 | I didn't find it hard. There was nothing challenging. I never had to study. Very skills oriented (i.e., how fast you can type). |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | More focused on developing skills, so more hands on. There was some bookwork, like learning correct grammar. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | You could make your own schedule. There were plenty of scheduling options. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | Had everything I needed. All the equipment I needed was available. |
| Social Life | 6 | I socialized a little bit, but never really got overly involved. I was going to school and working a lot, so I didn't have much time to socialize. |
| Placement Services | I never used it. | |
| Alumni Network | 1 | I'm not involved. I don't care. They don't try to get me involved at all. |
Mildred Elley Business School • Albany, NY
Studying Business Management (completion in 1996)
• 12/27/2011
"I paid them a large amount of money for an associate's degree, even though it had no personal value to me. I learned very little."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | I would suggest a community college, which may offer more comprehensive course options and a smaller bill. The campus of a community college would offer a better standard of resources, such as computers, libraries, and a campus life with diverse activities. |
| Program Reputation | I'm not sure what its current reputation is. It has been a long time since I have attended that school. | |
| Program Quality | 5 | The courses were not challenging and they were very dry. However, it was a good major to do, because it got me precisely the job I applied for. |
| Instruction | 5 | The course selections were limited and there didn't seem to be any opportunity for higher-level students to be challenged. The coursework seemed out of date, and thus I still had some learning to do, once I began my job. |
| How Difficult | 1 | The academic standards were not demanding or competitive, it seemed. The work was easily manageable and somewhat inadequate. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It was a mix of hands on and book materials. I found both to be sub-par. The teachers seemed to teach down to students and oversimplify things. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | They were standard weekday day and evening courses. They didn't have any online options or weekend options. |
| Academic Facilities | 2 | It was a horrible waste of money, because computer labs, the library, and staff resources all had very limited availability. I basically did everything on my own. |
| Social Life | 1 | I didn't find myself socially compatible with most of the students. They found the work to be quite challenging, so I could not relate to them. Also, I was not aware of any athletic programs. |
| Placement Services | I do not know, as I did not utilize it. I had already had a job set up for myself. | |
| Alumni Network | 1 | It is not well known or well used. I was a mentor for new students, but beyond that, I had very little involvement with alumni support. |
Marist College • Poughkeepsie, NY
Studying Communications And Business (completion in 2009)
• 1/2/2012
"I'm proud to call myself a Marist Alumni. And I'm proud as an Administrative Assistant to have the degree backing me."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Marist is a great school right on the Hudson River. It's inspiring views, incredible professors/staff and friendly network of students and community really foster the growth and development of their students. I'd suggest Marist College to anyone ready to work and invest in their mind and future. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | Many of Marist's former students return to motivate and inspire the younger classes, which was a great addition to the heap of homework and studying. It was great to see successful business people taking time out of their schedules to come in and say "I was in your shoes, you can do it!" I was also in the Society for Leadership and Success at Marist and they were amazing. |
| Program Quality | 10 | Marist College was wonderful. I had a great experience as an adult student returning to finish a degree I had started in 2001, but everything came together and the teachers at Marist were great. |
| Instruction | 10 | Marist prepared me well for the career field I'm in. I learned how to speak to others in a professional capacity in ways I never would've experienced. I also learned a lot about business. |
| How Difficult | 8 | I think as an adult student, the challenges for me were different than a traditional student. I was balancing my home and family life, as well as a career and college, but staying determined and focused on the tasks one by one got me through. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Really a true mix. You can be as hands on as you want, but you can also refer back to the book. There were some teachers who were all by the book and others that were all hands-on. It was a great mix. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Again, being an adult student, I really appreciated the flexibility at Marist. They offer online and in person classes and have different locations to meet the needs of more busy students. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | Marist's library is one of the best I've ever experienced and their resources online are second to none. You have access to more information than you can imagine - far more than I'd ever even need! |
| Social Life | I was an adult student, so I didn't really get to experience the on-campus social life. What few events I did attend were fun and great opportunities to network. | |
| Placement Services | I was already employed when I decided to return to school, so really my degree had just helped me advance within the organization and empower my mind. | |
| Alumni Network | 10 | Marist is always calling, emailing or sending letters to keep the alumni network alive. I actually attended a very nice dinner and learned a loot about etiquette right before graduating, which afforded me the opportunity to network with teachers, other alumni and many key figures in the community as well. |
New York University • New York City, NY
Studying Elementary Education (completion in 1974)
• 1/15/2012
"I'm glad that I obtained a college education, especially at NYU. Just the name of the school has helped me obtain some very good jobs."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | If status is important to the individual, then NYU is a good name to have on your resume. However, you can probably get an education that is just as good at any of the local colleges in your area. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | NYU is one of the top universities in the country. Because of its location in New York City, it is able to attract thousands of top-tier applicants, although in my opinion, the education offered is average. |
| Program Quality | 5 | Although NYU is one of the top schools in the country, it didn't provide me with the skills needed to do my present job. Life experience and a good academic high school education seem to be enough. |
| Instruction | 5 | I don't feel that the instructors were that good. Most were graduate assistants, not professors. |
| How Difficult | 5 | The liberal arts courses were more challenging than the education courses. I had a lot of difficulty with statistics. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I didn't get a chance to interact with children until I did my student teaching. I was assigned to work at a school in Harlem, and most of what I learned in the classroom didn't apply to the real teaching situation. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | It was easy to get into the classes you wanted. They had a lot of sections. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | They had just built a new library and it was fully equipped. However, since the campus was located in Washington Square and used a lot of existing buildings that were built at the turn of the century, classroom space was cramped. |
| Social Life | 5 | I didn't socialize that much, because I was working my way through school. However, I did make some friends and attended some parties on campus. |
| Placement Services | I didn't use the career service, so I can't really rate it. Also, most of my friends didn't use the service. | |
| Alumni Network | 3 | There wasn't much alumni support. However, the school does ask you for donations after you graduate. |
Siena College • Loudonville, NY
Studying Management (completion in 2011)
• 1/11/2012
"Siena has presented me with great opportunities, and more importantly, with a great foundation of knowledge."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Siena is one of the best in the area, especially for business. I would recommend it to anyone. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | One of the best in the area. Siena College is a nationally accredited college. |
| Program Quality | 8 | It could have been more well rounded. I feel like there were areas in which I could have learned more. |
| Instruction | 10 | Some of the best and most supportive people I have ever met. I still speak to most of them today. |
| How Difficult | 8 | The difficulty got progressively harder. My senior year was the hardest and required the most work. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Initially, there was a large amount of book learning. This eventually changed to be more hands on. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 6 | Everything seemed to work out great and they could work with you if you had issues. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The resources were up to date. The school has a new finance center. |
| Social Life | 9 | Very friendly people and staff. I made some very good friends while attending college. |
| Placement Services | 7 | They were very helpful. Sometimes, due to the number of people, it was difficult to meet with them. |
| Alumni Network | 10 | We have full access to our career center. Also, alumni are always ready and willing to help. |
Hofstra University • Hempstead, NY
Studying Management (completion in 2007)
• 1/30/2012
"I was satisfied with my school, as I generally feel prepared in my field. I do wish there was more hands-on experience, but overall, my experience was good. Also, tuition was rather expensive at Hofstra, but that may be the case for business schools in general."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Overall, I would recommend this school to others in the business/administration field. While there was not a great deal of hands-on experience, the content taught was very broad and practical. Also, with a relatively well-respected name and proximity to New York City, the school offers good employment prospects. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | Hofstra's business school is generally ranked very well. However, with some bigger business schools in New York City, it is often overshadowed. |
| Program Quality | 8 | Hofstra has a well-respected business program and I felt like I learned a great deal. However, the job market is tough, and its name recognition is not as big as some other schools in New York. |
| Instruction | 7 | Most of the professors were very intelligent and helpful. However, there were a few who did not provide the insight/knowledge I would have expected. |
| How Difficult | 5 | The workload felt very light, and while there were some difficult classes/assignments, the program in general was not too difficult. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I felt that the program was very book oriented, as opposed to hands on. This may have been a function of business schools in general, but overall, there was not much hands-on experience. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | As far as the program I was in, the classes were relatively flexible. I was able to manage all my coursework and not feel overwhelmed. I also took many classes in the summer. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | My experiences with the facilities and resources of Hofstra were always positive. Strengths of note were the library, classroom space and business resources. |
| Social Life | I was involved in many personal social activities, but I did not attend many sporting events or school-organized events. I cannot accurately rate the events run by the school. | |
| Placement Services | I did not make use of the school's career/job placement services. | |
| Alumni Network | I have not had much experience with the school since graduation. I receive newsletters/requests for money, but I do not respond. |
City College Of New York, CUNY • Manhattan, NY
Studying Women And Gender Studies (completion in 2011)
• 1/29/2012
"I am satisfied, because I was able to obtain a bachelor's degree at a reasonable price and within the traditional four years. I enjoyed the coursework, professors and students. However, the lack of guidance and advisers was a hindrance."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | Yes, although I plan on advancing my current position from administrative assistant to an associate. Since I work at a women's rights advocacy organization, my degree is usable. However, if one plans to pursue an administrative assistant career, they should consider where they want to work before they choose a school. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | The program for my major has only been in existence for about ten years, so it is not well established. Also, it is a small department with minimal funding, so its reputation is not well established. |
| Program Quality | 8 | My school offered a variety of courses in women and gender studies that span all issues, from law to theory. I really enjoyed the freedom to take this diverse set of courses. |
| Instruction | 10 | The curriculum was very challenging. I was always introduced and challenged to reach a higher level of critical thinking and using a fresh lens to examine issues pertaining to women and gender. The professors were always available to discuss ideas further and provide me with more resources to broaden my understanding. |
| How Difficult | 7 | Although the program's curriculum was challenging, the class discussions were not. During class discussions, we always discussed overarching themes and concepts, rather than delving into details and making genuine connections. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | My program was mostly book learning the first three years. However, senior year, we had to do a senior thesis that was very hands on and required us to have an internship. So, it was a mix of both, with the majority being book learning. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | The class flexibility was astounding. As a student who had a part-time job, I had days when I couldn't work and days when I could only take morning courses, and my courses were always available. I was easily able to satisfy all the requirements for my major. |
| Academic Facilities | 6 | My program had a library; however, it was not extensive and the hours were very limited. Also, we only had one computer that often had to be shared with others. However, my program had free printing for current students, and that was a huge plus for me. |
| Social Life | 7 | Because my institution is mostly a commuter school, there was a lack of school spirit. However, for the students who were involved in student activities, they were very invested -- so there were a lot of events, although they were always attended by the same people. |
| Placement Services | 3 | Although there was a career center, the career advisers were not always available. Also, they were not very helpful in terms of providing opportunities. |
| Alumni Network | 3 | The alumni network was practically nonexistent. I attempted to reach out to alumni during my job search, and I could not find anyone who was willing to provide me with advice or opportunities. |
Purchase College, SUNY • Purchase, NY
Studying Photography (completion in 2012)
• 1/23/2012
"I saved a lot of money going to state school, and in comparison to my friends studying at private institutions, while they had access to expensive equipment, they did not gain any other knowledge. Purchase is an excellent school, and I am extremely satisfied with my choice."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Purchase is staying contemporary for photography, while holding on to traditional methods. It is one of the few schools doing this. You are also given opportunities to explore other arts and liberal arts. For being an administrative assistant, I think that Purchase is a good school for it. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | For my chosen field, Purchase has an excellent reputation within New York. The school, however, is not commonly known outside of New York, due to the fact that it's a public college. |
| Program Quality | 6 | I got into admin assistance through past experience, but I imagine the course offerings would help prepare one for working in the field. Specific majors offered at Purchase would definitely help prepare one for a career as an admin assistant. |
| Instruction | 7 | The professors at Purchase are extremely insightful when giving career advice. For my particular major, I was taught by a number of working photographers who were up to date on current professional practices. For my non-arts classes, my professors all had the experience and insight needed in the courses they taught. |
| How Difficult | 9 | While my coursework was not always the hardest, the amount of dedication and time needed to complete assignments was a large dedication. The workload was a lot. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I've hardly bought any books while studying. Everything has been a trial-and-error teaching method, where students were left to discover methods that work for themselves. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | Purchase has limited course offerings. There are not very many night classes. The summer and winter breaks are also only offered online. Online classes seem like a waste of money, however, because you only get the information from the textbook and very limited class discussion. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | Purchase is noted for having one of the first libraries on the East Coast. The school's limited budget does not allow for grand libraries and facilities. However, the facilities in the visual arts are above average. |
| Social Life | 7 | There is a strong lack of school spirit at Purchase College, due to it being an art school. There are events hosted by the school, such as two-day music festivals that bring the school together, which make up for the lack of sports. |
| Placement Services | 4 | Purchase offers some excellent things, like job search tools, but those are mostly unpaid internships. The career development, while available to use as a tool, wasn't always the most helpful or insightful. I haven't been offered any helpful job placement from Purchase. Every job I've had was from an outside source, such as Craigslist or walk-ins. |
Pace University • New York, NY
Studying Biology (completion in 2006)
• 1/25/2012
"It was expensive, but it had smaller class sizes, which I liked. If I could start all over again, I might not have picked it, just because of the price."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | I believe the CUNYs and SUNYs can be just as good. They are also much cheaper. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | The biology program isn't well known in my school. Pace University was basically a finance/accounting school. |
| Program Quality | 4 | The school didn't quite prepare me enough for medical school. That is why I had to choose administrative jobs. |
| Instruction | 4 | This school did not help prepare my career for me. I learned a lot on the job. |
| How Difficult | 7 | The program of study was quite hard. They didn't provide much help as to what to do after graduation. They rarely give As in their classes. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The program gave you plenty of time in the labs. I would go in the evening and finish up my assignment. The school is very good about letting students come in at various times of the day/week. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | They have a variety of class times. Usually, the core classes are all filled up and you will have to be placed on the waiting list or ask the professor if you can be added. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | The libraries are great. The library is often a quiet place and good for cramming the night before an exam. There are many study areas where you can have study groups for hours. |
| Social Life | 4 | There were many basic activities and groups. I commuted to the school, and I just wanted to leave school as soon as I was finished. Only the wealthy kids dormed; the dorm rates are expensive. |
| Placement Services | 7 | They have job fairs and career centers. They help you find a job, either outside or inside the campus. |
| Alumni Network | 4 | They send me letters every year, asking for donations. You must pay a fee in order to have an official ID card to use their computer labs. |
CUNY - LaGuardia Community College • Queens, NY
Studying Liberal Arts: Social Science And Humanities (completion in 2011)
• 1/26/2012
"The professors are great and the education is excellent."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | The school is diverse. The professors are great. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | Many students study under this major. |
| Program Quality | 9 | It's a pretty good and highly diverse school. |
| Instruction | 10 | The work was extensive, yet interesting. The professors are excellent teachers. |
| How Difficult | 7 | I found my courses to be relatively easy. However, they were writing-intensive. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Books are used in every class. Most professors solely use books. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | I am able to pick and choose my own classes and times. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | The media and library spaces are resourceful. The classrooms are small enough. |
| Social Life | 8 | The school shows a lot of team spirit. There are a lot of activities. |
| Placement Services | 5 | I received fairly good help in this area. My counselor worked with me. |
Adelphi University • Garden City, NY
Studying Art (completion in 2011)
• 1/26/2012
"I am very happy with my school. I feel like I got a very good education."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I felt like I learned a lot. I had a very good experience in my program. |
| Program Reputation | 6 | My school had a reputable program for my major. They were fairly well known for it. |
| Program Quality | 9 | My school had a very good program for my major. My classmates were friendly and the teachers were great. |
| Instruction | 8 | My teachers were very knowledgeable. They pushed us to do great things. |
| How Difficult | 6 | I had a fair amount of work to do. Some of it was fun and therefore easy, and some of it was more difficult. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | My program was very hands on. This made me learn much quicker than sitting in a classroom. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | They were very flexible. I was able to attend classes while keeping a part-time job. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The library was great. They had a lot of information on many topics. There was also a special topics room where you could meet with an administrator and see special, rare books. |
| Social Life | 5 | I had a few good friends in my school experience. However, I am very shy, so that limited me. |
| Placement Services | 6 | For other majors, it was easier. My major forced me to find my own job after college, due to the lack of jobs in my field. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | They provide career services for graduates. They continue to email you new opportunities. |
New York University • New York, NY
Studying Creative Writing (completion in 2008)
• 1/18/2012
"I feel my education has helped me get ahead in the workforce. However, I feel there were opportunities I missed out on and that I could have had a more meaningful educational experience at a smaller school."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I'm not sure if I would or would not recommend it. My professors were great, but I feel there may be better options out there. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | I feel the reputation of my school has helped me in my career. People tend to know the name, and many people in my city attended the same school. |
| Program Quality | 5 | NYU was a bit too large to effectively serve their students. Administration was disorganized and it was easy to get lost in the shuffle. |
| Instruction | 8 | My instructors were all leaders in their fields and classes were enjoyable. Curriculum was fascinating and I still use the concepts I learned today. |
| How Difficult | 5 | It could have been more challenging. Courses were always interesting, but not especially difficult. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | In my program, there was a good balance between studying texts and literature and working on hands-on projects. This was great, as it kept me engaged. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | Not an exceptional amount of weekend or evening options, but summer options are available. I believe they also did have online options, although I did not utilize them. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The school had excellent facilities. In addition to a world-class library, the classrooms were all wired for internet. Professors did keep regular office hours. |
| Social Life | 9 | One upside to the large number of students at NYU was the very diverse group of people you met. There were many clubs available to students and there was always something going on on campus that I was interested in. |
| Placement Services | 7 | I was able to find many internships through the career office. They do not have as many listings for full-time jobs for alumni. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | I have never been involved in alumni activities or reached out to by alumni services. I did not utilize any career services in finding jobs out of school. |
Queens College • Flushing, NY
Studying MLS (Master's In Library Science) (completion in 2009)
• 1/23/2012
"It was an average program for the amount of tuition. Tuition cost was my primary concern at the time."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I think this program was one of the better ones offered in the area, although I would encourage others to check out those outside of the region. It was academically average. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | I don't think the program has the prestige that other programs have. However, it is one of just three in the area to offer the degree, so it continues to get good students. |
| Program Quality | 5 | I wish they had better professors. The courses were very basic. |
| Instruction | 5 | Some of the instructors were very good. A few of them were poor and rather ineffectual. |
| How Difficult | 6 | The coursework for most classes was manageable. Academically, the program was moderately rigorous. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | This program was primarily academic. Only one or two professors encouraged hands-on approaches to the material. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | It was very flexible. I was able to take mostly evening classes while attending. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | The school's resources were average. As a city school, it was obvious that it didn't have the funding to provide all the amenities that other institutions do. |
| Social Life | 3 | This school is more of a commuter school and didn't have a real sense of community. Most students only came to campus for class. |
| Placement Services | 3 | The job placement department is ineffective. I don't think they have the number of contacts in the field that other programs might have. |
| Alumni Network | 4 | The alumni network is very small and not active. I think it's because so few actually have found work in the field. |
Pace University • New York, NY
Studying Business Administration (completion in 2010)
• 1/17/2012
"I do not think that I got everything I paid for when it comes to my degree at the school I chose. However, I was able to get out of there with a bachelor's in 3.5 years, and I learned quite a bit while I was there."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | I wouldn't recommend Pace to anyone. While it was not a terrible place, I think that there are many other school choices out there, and this one is not worth the money and hassle. |
| Program Reputation | I do not know what kind of reputation the program has. However, it is a small program, so it is certainly not something everyone is trying to join. | |
| Program Quality | 5 | The program at my school was very small. This sometimes made it difficult to get the courses that were needed/desired. |
| Instruction | 5 | The program was too small to be really effective. There was not much in terms of real-life experience available, such as co-ops or job placement. |
| How Difficult | 5 | The courses were generally not too difficult. I would consider the workload to be average, though I am not really familiar with any similar programs at other schools. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | There was a definite presence of both book learning and hands-on learning in my program. I found that the further you progressed through the program, the more hands-on activities you had. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | Overall, a lot of courses are available. However, some that are major-specific are not as flexible, because it is a small program and there are only one or two sections of a specific course. Classes do run year-long, though, and I was able to graduate a semester early by taking advantage of that. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | Study groups and tutors were readily available at my school. Computer labs and libraries were also very accessible and open all the time. |
| Social Life | 3 | There were not many organized social activities at my school and little to no school spirit. I think much of this was due to the fact that none of the sports teams played at my campus in Lower Manhattan. |
| Placement Services | 5 | The career services center is great for some programs at the school, and not so great for others. I had a hard time receiving any help from them regarding an administrative assistant position. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | The alumni network is not that strong. We receive emails and such, but we never have gatherings or events to foster networking opportunities. |
Hostos Community College • New York, NY
Studying Business (completion in 2009)
• 2/6/2012
"A good experience, but nothing special. It served its purpose."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I say go somewhere that's close by to save money. People who have more money should go to a better school. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | I guess about average. Not great, but not poor. |
| Program Quality | 8 | Great program. Professors were knowledgeable for a community college. |
| Instruction | 8 | I walked away with plentiful knowledge and confidence. The curriculum was outstanding. |
| How Difficult | 5 | It was challenging, but fair. I have a mild learning disability that was not catered to. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I learned almost everything from books and power points. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | Classes are held at flexible hours. Many students worked during the school year. |
| Academic Facilities | 4 | Nothing special, but not terrible. I had what I needed to succeed and that's enough. |
| Social Life | 2 | No school spirit. No parties, etc. It was a community college - everyone minded their own business. |
| Placement Services | 3 | I was not given any help with finding my current job. If there was assistance, I wasn't aware of it. |
| Alumni Network | 3 | Not much support at all. When you are done, you are on you're own. |
CUNY Queens College • Queens, NY
Studying Education (completion in 2011)
• 1/31/2012
"I never had a problem getting into the classes that I wanted and I never found the classes to be overly difficult or easy. I was able to get my degree in four years, while participating in outside activities and my professors were always there to help me or change a due date for me when an outside issue arose."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I would recommend it to students who live in the area and who want to be teachers. I was lucky to get into administration, but I feel that I would have been better off if I had gotten a business degree. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | The school has a good reputation based on the fact that it is part of the CUNY system and is located in New York. It also has a good reputation for professors that graduated from good colleges and for affordability. |
| Program Quality | 6 | The program at Queens College was long and rigorous. Some classes were great, while others were taught by professors who didn't seem to care and wouldn't match the students' effort. Also, the schools that we were placed into for student teaching were not the best because our cooperating teachers did not want to actually teach us how to work with the students. |
| Instruction | 6 | The curriculum was extremely relevant because it is constantly updated to meet state and national standards. I learned a lot, but there were many repetitive classes and subjects. I felt that I was almost fully prepared to be a teacher when I finished, but knew that I would have been fully prepared if they had provided me with more real-life teaching situations. |
| How Difficult | 8 | My program was long and rigorous. I had to complete more credits than my friends who were attending competing schools. I would have 130 page unit plans that were due on top of lesson plans and projects for other classes. It was extremely evident that the professors were not working with one another. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | We learned a lot of stuff from textbooks, but we also had real-life learning experiences. We do a full semester of student teaching and before that we have to complete lessons and observation hours every semester to give us a more hands-on experience. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 1 | The school's class schedule is extremely flexible. Classes are offered at night, during the day, and on weekends. They also offer summer session and winter session classes. There are some classes that are offered online, but I think that they should increase this amount because many students prefer it and it helps with work schedules. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | My school had a large library, as well as a large internet database for professional articles. The classroom space was small, and they seemed to "oversell" classes because they were crowded and individual attention was rare. There were many academic advisors, both school wide and major wide, who had plenty of office hours available. Some professors were more available then others, making themselves available by cell phone or email all the time and the school had a student tutor program, but it wasn't very good because not many students wanted to participate. |
| Social Life | 3 | I didn't have a social experience at school. They didn't offer carnivals or pep rallies and the sports teams weren't in a high enough division for anyone to care. I basically went to school and went home. |
| Placement Services | 1 | As far as I know, there is no job placement or career services assistance. The students are not provided any information and are not even given a website where they can look for available jobs. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | I have never been given any information about an alumni network and do not know of anyone who can help me get a job out in the field. No one is available to help with the program or to help with resume writing or portfolio preparation. |
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