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 Tri-C, National College-Youngstown, Columbus State Community College, and Lorain County 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 Davis, ETI, and Trumbull Business College.
- Female: For schools particularly welcoming to female students, consider Trumbull Business College, Davis, Ohio Business College-Sheffield, and National College-Youngstown.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider University of Northwestern Ohio, Davis, Tri-C, and Ohio Business College-Sheffield.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Marion Tech, Tri-C, Sinclair Community College, and Stark State.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Cedarville University, University of Northwestern Ohio, Miami University-Oxford, and Eastern Gateway Community College.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Cedarville University, Mount Vernon Nazarene University, Miami University-Oxford, and University of Rio Grande.
Excellence
- SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at Cedarville University and Miami University-Oxford.
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at Trumbull Business College.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Cedarville University, Miami University-Oxford, Mount Vernon Nazarene University, and University of Toledo.
Spotlight Schools Search
Study from Anywhere at Online Schools Related to This Career
- Programs: One relevant program; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Doctorate
- Programs: 2 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Associate, Diploma
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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Knox County Career Center • Mount Vernon, OH
Studying Business Technologies (completion in 2005)
• 8/16/2011
"Overall, the education I received was worth my time and effort. I met great people that I am still in contact with. I received many opportunities to tutor individuals and learn how to express what I know and understand about the field."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I overall had a great experience and would suspect that others could also have those same great experiences. I believe firmly that this educational opportunity has allowed me to acquire the job I have today. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | I don't remember ever hearing anything relating to the reputation of the specific program, but I was told by my parents and others that have gone to the KCCC that their overall experiences were positive and they learned much of the necessary skills for their specific trades. It became very beneficial when competing for jobs. |
| Program Quality | 10 | I really enjoyed my education at KCCC. The teachers treated everyone like adults and worked with you, instead of directly ruling over you as an authority. |
| Instruction | 10 | Much of the work required interactive exercises (presentations, hands-on activities related to the field etc.). If I had difficulty learning a specific subject or item, the instructors would allow for the extra time to talk about any issue. |
| How Difficult | 8 | It wasn't too challenging for me, because I enjoyed the type of activities provided. However, many others had difficulty, especially when it came to the financial activities. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The general education part was very book oriented; however, when it came to my area of study, it was a very hands-on type of learning. This included performing many of the activities you would do working in a business setting. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | It was the usual 9 to 3 or 4 academic schedule. They also offered some night courses for specific programs; however, those hours and classes did not pertain to my course. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | They did provide a small library and school counselor. I never utilized them, though. |
| Social Life | 10 | There were many in-school events that I participated in, especially volunteer opportunities. In my program, we also participated in two organizations that served as a supplemental educational opportunity to reinforce what we were learning in the classroom. |
| Placement Services | 5 | N/A. I never took advantage of assistance. I'm not sure if they offered that type of assistance, to be honest. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | N/A. I never received direct support from the KCCC after graduation. |
Kent State University • Kent, OH
Studying Political Science (completion in 2008)
• 8/20/2011
"I had a great experience in a comfortable atmosphere. I never had a problem and I enjoyed the close knit community college feel it had within the departments."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | It is all a matter of preference. You could learn a lot here, though. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | I haven't heard of it being nationally ranked for political science. It is known for its history program, though. |
| Program Quality | 8 | Kent State University is known as a wildly liberal college with a lot of political ties. The May Day tragedy speaks for itself. |
| Instruction | 6 | It is really difficult to teach someone about an opinion and world view. I learned a lot about how to get my points heard and be able to back them up. |
| How Difficult | Most of the work involved essays or long answer questions. I think having to spend time in the field and taking a class would be way more difficult. | |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Most of my science courses were hands on. The majority of the courses for my major were book learning. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | Most of the small branch Kent State schools provided flexibility for those with crazy schedules. The main campus is targeted for more young, traditional students. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | There are great buildings on the very sprawling campus. They left the sculptures and bullet holes in the buildings left from the May 4th tragedies. |
| Social Life | 9 | I made tons of friends. The professors were helpful and easily understood. |
| Placement Services | 1 | Kent is a 4 year school. There aren't many 4 year public colleges that assist in career placement. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | It's not Ohio State or another big 10 college. Most people just come and go at Kent State. |
Sinclair College • Dayton, OH
Studying Business (completion in 1999)
• 9/22/2011
"I really liked the flexible schedule and atmosphere. The reputation of the school also was a contributing factor."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | The school is affordable. I would recommend the school because you can get a great education and not go into complete and total debt behind it. Also the school allows you to transfer credit hours to other schools. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | Sinclair is a college with a great reputation and the business program has been around for a long time. Affordability and flexibility are some reasons for the great reputation. |
| Program Quality | 10 | The school offers flexible hours and is also very credible. |
| Instruction | 10 | Instructors are experienced and talented in their craft. |
| How Difficult | 5 | The classes are graded on a combination of tests and papers. I have no trouble writing papers and found the classes manageable. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | There was a fair balance of text book training and hands-on training. The library and internships provided hands-on training. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | The school offers evening and weekend hours. The school also offers online courses. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | The facilities are high tech and current. I found everything that I needed while attending. |
| Social Life | 5 | I did not take many opportunities for the social or athletic organizations because I attended as an adult. However, the school does not have a football team, but they do offer many sports training classes. |
| Placement Services | 2 | I was never approached regarding job placement assistance, though I never pursued job placement either. |
| Alumni Network | 3 | Sometimes I get mail from the alumni network. However, I don't have a formal relationship with alumni nor have they personally reached out to me. |
The Ohio State University • Columbus, OH
Studying Political Science And Psychology (completion in 2009)
• 9/20/2011
"I loved going to OSU and I'm glad that I did. I recommend it to others in the area."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I can't imagine why anyone would be pursuing this career. If they are, it seems there are probably cheaper schools. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | I think both are very well-respected nationally. I don't know that this really affects my degree though. |
| Program Quality | 8 | Both the Psychology and Political Science programs are highly rated. I felt as though I got exactly what I expected from my education. |
| Instruction | 6 | Like most liberal arts degrees, I'm left qualified to only really work as a desk jockey. Sadly, this isn't really a reflection on the programs but on our culture and economy as a whole. |
| How Difficult | 3 | I didn't find these programs very challenging. I never purchased, let alone read, the assigned texts and got mostly A's. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Everything was book learning, with the exception of the internships that I had to locate on my own. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Classes were offered almost any time of day. I found it very easy to move my schedule around. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | A lot of new construction; I never had any real issues with facilities. Some buildings are extremely old and I heard complaints from professors and other students. |
| Social Life | 7 | There are a lot of sports-related events - too many in my opinion - and found them to take precedence over academics. |
| Placement Services | 5 | I didn't really use these services as I live on the other side of the country now. I know that both the school as a whole and my college offered these services though. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I have no idea as I do not participate in any alumni events. However, it is my understanding that almost anywhere you go there are OSU alumni events. |
Lorain County Community College • Elyria, OH
Studying Business Admin (completion in 2011)
• 10/16/2011
"They accommodate people with flexible schedules and internet courses. I love the partnership program that allows me to get my BA through a university right on site."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | They have excellent professors. They also offer a large selection of 2, 4, and 6 years degrees. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | They are one of the best community colleges around, recognized for their partnerships with other universities. |
| Program Quality | 10 | Very good program. They have a program to help working adults. |
| Instruction | 7 | Overall most teachers knew what they were doing. Some have never worked in the field. |
| How Difficult | 7 | Again, they offer accelerated programs which are helpful. But they don't give a lot of first hand experience. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It is a mix of the two. It depends on what degree you're getting. Very good hands on for nursing, for example. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | They offer night classes as well as weekend and internet classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | They offer many labs and studying facilities and also have a huge, brand new library. |
| Social Life | 3 | It is not a school for socializing. They do offer sports. |
| Placement Services | 3 | I was not aware of job placement programs. They do not make them readily available. |
| Alumni Network | I do not get involved with the alumni. I just want a degree and have no interest seeking friendships. |
Ohio University • Athens, OH
Studying Accounting (completion in 2011)
• 11/16/2011
"I received an excellent education from this college. Despite this fact, it has been very hard to find a job in my degree area."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | It is an excellent university, with benefits to all different demographics. The best advice I could give to someone going there would be to live on campus and live it up! |
| Program Reputation | 7 | Accounting continues to be one of their best programs. It challenges the students and makes them work very hard. |
| Program Quality | 9 | The accounting program was very hard and demanding. The knowledge I gained in college will help me in the future. |
| Instruction | 7 | Most of the professors knew their subject areas. Students also helped me learn throughout college. |
| How Difficult | 8 | Accounting was very difficult, with a lot of students dropping out. We had to maintain a 3.0 GPA to stay in the program. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | A lot of group activities were presented, rather than book study. We actually worked with live clients to gain that firsthand experience. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | They let you take classes whenever was convenient for you. Sometimes it was hard to get the good times, because other students scheduled before you. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | All resources I needed were ready and available to meet. There were several academic tutoring services and help along the way for students. |
| Social Life | 5 | I commuted from home, so therefore, I wasn't very social at the college. Other than that, the overall social well-being of the school was pretty important to other students. |
| Placement Services | 6 | They try to help as much as they can, but it's hard in certain areas. They haven't reached out to me yet for assistance in finding a different job. |
| Alumni Network | 6 | I haven't been able to register with the alumni association yet. They need to do a better job at reaching out to their alumni. |
Columbus State Community College • Columbus, OH
Studying Law Enforcement (completion in 2009)
• 12/8/2011
"I was able to get my degree with minimal cost to myself. The classes were great and flexible."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would send anyone to this school who had a small income to pay for school. They are willing to help you out and it's a quality school. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | They have reasonable fees. They are open to anyone who wants to attend college. |
| Program Quality | 10 | My school was very flexible with scheduling. The fees were also reasonable. |
| Instruction | 10 | The staff was knowledgeable. They always gave secondary means to contact them, even after graduation. |
| How Difficult | 5 | I was challenged in some classes. Other classes were not a challenge for me. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | My school had a good mix of hands on versus bookwork. Some teachers were strictly book, but most used a variety of teaching methods. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | They always have several time offerings for classes. They also list similar offerings over different times of the year. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | They have a good library. Advisors are readily available for questions and assistance. |
| Social Life | I did not participate in activities with the school. I was a single mother and did not have extra time. | |
| Placement Services | I have never used them. I am not sure how their assistance services work. | |
| Alumni Network | I do not use the alumni network. I assume that it is of good quality. |
Sinclair Community College • Dayton, OH
Studying Business (completion in 2002)
• 12/6/2011
"I believe the community school, for what it is, provided a great opportunity for me to learn and gain the knowledge to set forth on a journey of a career. I would certainly recommend Sinclair Community College to anyone who wants a future career in business."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Yes, I would provide the information for future people looking for schooling and would certainly recommend this school, whether for an associate's degree or to begin a four-year degree. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | The school rates very high in the field of business. It is rated one of the best community schools in the area. |
| Program Quality | 8 | Sinclair was well rounded in their business knowledge of the opportunities outside to provide the best representative to train and evaluate for a career in the business field. |
| Instruction | 8 | The information that was provided during the curriculum and course study was educational. I was provided with a great deal of information to further my career. |
| How Difficult | 7 | The workload was manageable while I was also working, but the academic challenge during the term made it exciting to learn. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The classes, for the most part, were small, so that gained the opportunity for hands-on learning, which, in my experience, is more helpful when learning. The online classes provided a great deal of assistance, as they were very detailed. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | I was working during the time I was taking courses. They provided online courses and evening classes to coincide with my work schedule. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | The resources of fellow students, online assistance, and personal assistance from the professors were exceptional. The opportunity to have small classes also maintained the one-on-one dedication that most need. |
| Social Life | 5 | With it being a community school, there did not seem to be to much interaction in reference to sports. There were a lot of colleges in the surrounding areas where the sports were more pertinent. |
| Placement Services | 6 | I was not provided the opportunity for career placement when I graduated. They had options of choosing areas that were currently hiring, but nothing was assisted in reviewing optional careers. |
| Alumni Network | 10 | The network for Sinclair was amazing. The student body, the teachers, and the online support were great. Every aspect of the campus had an outreach for you when needed. |
Sinclair College • Dayton, OH
Studying Business (completion in 1999)
• 12/31/2011
"The school was great. The instruction was great."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would recommend the school, because I specifically used things that I learned from the school on my first job and on my job today. The training is state of the art and so is the school. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | The school has a great reputation in all of their programs, and their business program is no exception. They are known for providing quality training and education at an affordable price. |
| Program Quality | 10 | I feel that the program was well taught and the hours were flexible for adult learning. The tuition was very reasonable. |
| Instruction | 9 | The information learned was very helpful and consistent with what I do on my job. The instructors were very open about the wide range of duties an administrative assistant may have. |
| How Difficult | 5 | I did not find anything very difficult about the training. However, there was extra help if needed. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The training did have a lot of bookwork; however, the internships were very helpful for the hands-on training. The bookwork also had exercises that put you in real-life situations that provided a mixture of hands on and book training. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | The school has an extremely flexible schedule, offering evening and weekend hours. The school also has multiple classes running per term. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | The school has state-of-the-art resources. Classroom space is large and the laboratories and computer labs are always updated and available. |
| Social Life | 7 | The social experience at the college was what I wanted it to be. When I attended the school, I was an adult and not very interested in traditional college functions. So, I feel that I got just the right amount of social experience from the college. |
| Placement Services | 2 | I was never approached or asked if I needed job placement. However, my first career job resulted from an internship that the school placed me at. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | I did not know the school had an alumni network, because I never met with any alumni, nor was there any request for information from me to participate in any alumni program. I feel that this program could be better. |
Youngstown State University • Youngstown, OH
Studying Business (completion in 2008)
• 1/13/2012
"Attending YSU was the best decision I ever made. At YSU, I was always on the dean's list and I was able to get assistance from tutors and my professors. They made going to college fun and rewarding."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | YSU is a great place to obtain an education. This is an upcoming university. They are building many new facilities and resource centers. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | In Youngstown, YSU has a stellar reputation. I would say that their reputation is improving throughout the state. |
| Program Quality | 10 | I loved everything about YSU. The professors were great and there were so many resources available. |
| Instruction | 10 | My professors were more than qualified. Their expertise allowed them to provide excellent lessons. |
| How Difficult | 5 | For the most part, the work associated with my degree was easy. The most challenging coursework for me was accounting. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | My coursework at YSU was both hands on and book learning oriented. While most of our classroom work was from our texts, there were always assignments that required us to complete work in the field. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | I worked full-time while going to school. I was able to schedule all of my classes after work. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | Some of the resource centers are dated. However, the library is very user-friendly. In addition, they have a host of tutors available for any subject at the Center for Student Progress. |
| Social Life | 10 | I enjoyed going to YSU. I had a lot of fun at the football games. I did not go to many parties. |
| Placement Services | 10 | Their job placement program is very helpful. The program is free for students for one year after their graduation. |
| Alumni Network | 10 | YSU's alumni association has provided valuable benefits that have allowed me to grow my career. In addition, I enjoy meeting fellow alumni. |
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