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 Northern Virginia Community College, Tidewater Community College, Lord Fairfax Community College, and John Tyler 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
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Northern Virginia Community College, Thomas Nelson Community College, Tidewater Community College, and J Sargeant Reynolds Community College.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Southwest Virginia Community College, Patrick Henry Community College, Danville Community College, and Paul D Camp Community College.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Northern Virginia Community College, Tidewater Community College, Virginia Highlands Community College, and Thomas Nelson Community College.
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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John Tyler Community College • Chester, VA
Studying Business Administration (completion in 1991)
• 8/14/2011
"It prepared me for the job I have. The facilities were good and I enjoyed the time spent there. It allowed me the ability to move into a 4 year program, which I have just started."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | The cost is competitive, the courses offered get you ready for the workplace, and the instructors are knowledgeable. I have and would continue to recommend it. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | It is used primarily for students wishing to get into 4 year institutions. It is well known for the quality of its instruction. |
| Program Quality | 8 | It provided me with a solid foundation for my position. It was convenient and easy to enroll/attend. |
| Instruction | 8 | The instructors were knowledgeable and helpful. The material was relevant and thorough. |
| How Difficult | 5 | There were courses that were harder than others, but there were also some easy ones. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The laboratory classes required hands on work. The lectures required book learning. They suited perfectly the classes you were taking. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Classes ran the gamut from day to night classes. You could pick and choose what you wished to take. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | It had computer labs, libraries, and everything else that larger schools have. There was never a want for anything in a class. |
| Social Life | 5 | I worked and went to school, so I didn't have a lot of time for the social functions provided by the school. There weren't as many social functions as I would have wished for that were scheduled around a working student. |
| Placement Services | 1 | There was no help provided. I don't believe there is even a career placement department. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | I have never heard from the college since I graduated. I am unaware of any network or alumni association. |
Old Dominion University • Norfolk, VA
Studying Criminal Justice (completion in 2009)
• 8/13/2011
"I worked so hard to get into Old Dominion, and I was disappointed by the lack of resources available to the students. It is an excellent school, but if you are not in the "privileged" program, then you get lost in the crowd."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | My training in criminal justice and psychology definitely prepared me in every area of life. Perhaps the lack of jobs available deters me from making a persuasive answer. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | Criminal justice has such a stigma against it. Since it is now offered at diploma mills, uneducated people cannot distinguish the difference. |
| Program Quality | 6 | Old Dominion is a great school. The only downside is that there are so many students in certain programs that the quality of education and availability of outside opportunities are limited. |
| Instruction | 8 | Many people did not like the professors. They made you work; therefore, I think they gave quality instruction. |
| How Difficult | 3 | The assignment load by far outweighs the complexity of the program. I found the classes to be fairly easy. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Since I was in the science portion of the program, our assignments were very hands on. There was honestly no purpose of buying the books for some courses. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Old Dominion is very flexible with many degree programs. It offers hybrid options, additional campus locations, and online classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | The professors were pretty neurotic about their work. They knew there stuff! They were great at their jobs! |
| Social Life | 5 | I did not find it any different than any other school I attended. They were lenient about their programs and there was something for everyone. Nothing really did stick out. |
| Placement Services | 1 | There are so many students at the university, and it is easy to get lost in the shuffle. If you are a distance learning student, then you do not have any assistance. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | They rarely give updates regarding anything positive. They also beg for money and sell our information to credit card companies. |
Virginia Commonwealth University • Richmond, VA
Studying Business Administration & Entrepreneurial Small Business (completion in 2011)
• 8/15/2011
"Though some classes were terrible, they were that way because of some bad professors. I had a great education and plan to continue at VCU for my Masters in Business Administration & Information Systems."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Incredible professional and entrepreneurial experience. I feel prepared to pursue starting my own business. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | It is one of the best business schools in Virginia. |
| Program Quality | 8 | It was a good program, but some classes were just useless. |
| Instruction | 8 | My major classes were great, but the prerequisites were poorly instructed and organized. |
| How Difficult | 9 | Very intense senior classes. Extreme amount of involvement in professional situations. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | My major classes were extremely hands on. However, many prerequisites were pure book learning. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | I managed to get all my classes while working and still graduate on time. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | New business building has many resources. The library is lacking though. |
| Social Life | 6 | It's there if you find it, but as a business major, most people are professionals with little time. |
| Placement Services | 8 | I got my job with VCU through VCU. It was easy and all I had to do was talk to a counselor to sign up for career services. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I get email from them, but that is rare. |
Germanna Community College • Fredericksburg, VA
Studying Business Administration (completion in 2006)
• 9/7/2011
"I enjoyed going to school, and ultimately it prepared me for my career. I have started attending classes again this fall which will apply to a BS."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | I believe that you can spend the same amount of time in school and have a higher paying job than my school provided. If I could do it again I would obtain some sort of clinical certification. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | Germanna is the community college in our area. They are known for their nursing program, but not for their Business programs. |
| Program Quality | 7 | I learned very valuable skills in school especially regarding computer. I did feel some of the requirements were not relevant to my career path at all. |
| Instruction | 5 | The English/Grammar and computer classes were invaluable. I think there should have been more training in those areas. |
| How Difficult | 2 | I did not expect college to be as easy as it was. The work load was easily manageable. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Perhaps because it was online, all of my learning was through a book. My only hands-on courses were my science labs. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | My college was very flexible. I took the majority of my classes online. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | Germanna has a very extensive tutoring program but the library is not very well-stocked and the computers are very slow. |
| Social Life | 1 | I did not have a social experience at school. However, I did do the majority of my courses online so that played a part. |
| Placement Services | 1 | College did not provide me with any job placement assistance. I do not believe they have a career services assistance program. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | I have not heard about an alumni organization for my school. I am not in contact with anyone I went to school with. |
Virginia Western Community College • Vinton, VA
Studying Business Administration (completion in 2002)
• 9/18/2011
"I really loved my school. It offered everything I needed to graduate and become a successful administrative assistant."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would absolutely recommend my school for others pursuing the same degree. It is perfect for the student straight out of high school but yet flexible enough to offer success to working parents etc... |
| Program Reputation | 7 | Even though Virginia Western is a community college, I have heard positive reviews overall. Most of the negative reviews are from students who didn't really try. |
| Program Quality | 8 | Virginia Western prepared me in many ways for my career. The school truly offered everything I needed to be successful. |
| Instruction | 8 | The teachers and staff were qualified to provide me with the necessary info to be great in my career today. They offered help in anyway possible during school hours and sometimes after. |
| How Difficult | 5 | I did not have much trouble following the academic program. I did see some of my friends struggle with certain classes but I never felt like it was anything that a good study week couldn't overcome! |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | We did not have a lot of hands-on learning. It was more classroom related. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | Virginia Western offers many options for class scheduling. It is an ideal college for parents and full-time workers. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | The facilities were very useful! The teachers were always available for extra help and even had a center where tutors were available for help. |
| Social Life | 4 | I did not hear a lot about social events. Therefore I was not involved in any school related social events. |
| Placement Services | 5 | I would mark this average only because I did not need to take the job placement assistance. I had landed my current position at that time. |
| Alumni Network | 4 | I have only received a few letters from my school since I completed the program. Most of the correspondence didn't even relate to my degree. |
Marymount University • Arlington, VA
Studying Criminal Justice (completion in 2012)
• 9/25/2011
"I love the school academically. Unfortunately, there are other areas that the school needs to work on."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | It's one of the best private, Christian universities. It provides a quality education. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | The Criminal Justice major has a good reputation. It offers a lot of opportunities. |
| Program Quality | 8 | The Criminal Justice program at my school is very good. There are great professors who strive to teach us the information. |
| Instruction | 8 | Marymount really prepares its students for starting a career. There are internship seminars to get students in the right direction. |
| How Difficult | 10 | The workload at Marymount is very heavy. They really push their students in a way I have never encountered thus far. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | My school really focuses on hands-on training. We only use the book to refer back to get our ideas. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | My school's schedule is flexible. They offer evening and summer courses. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | There are many resources on campus. There is easy access to the library, computer labs and advisors. |
| Social Life | 5 | There seems to be a lot of activities going on at the campus. Since I am a commuter student, I don't get to come on campus to attend a lot of functions. |
| Placement Services | 5 | I am not sure about their placement services. I am still an active student. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I am still an active student. Therefore, I am not sure about the alumni programs. |
Tidewater Community College • Virginia Beach, VA
Studying Accounting (completion in 2013)
• 9/23/2011
"I am satisfies with the school. The cost is much lower than most and a lot of opportunities are available."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Of course I would recommend this school. I would tell applicant's it's cheaper but is still a quality place to learn. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | Their motto is "from here go anywhere" and they are right. It is a great place to start. |
| Program Quality | 4 | The school is ok, but it can be difficult to maneuver through. If I need help with something it gets confusing because some teachers accept something one way and another teacher will not. Also, enrolling was a stressful process. |
| Instruction | 4 | I learned quite a bit. The knowledge I gained certainly helps me in my job today as I am still working with numbers. They help you with preparing for a job in some ways but won't hold your hand through the process. |
| How Difficult | 8 | It was not easy. In accounting, it's easy to get confused because of all of the math. I would say I was taught more complex things than I actually will use in day-to-day life. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It was both. With accounting, hands-on is in the book as well. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | They are pretty flexible. I am a single mother so I need that. Also, you can do several courses online. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | There is always someone to help you. Trouble is finding the time to meet with them. If you want help, you can get it, but you do need to actually seek it yourself. |
| Social Life | 10 | They always have fun things going on. Again, I'm not that social so I don't know much about this area but I do know they do great things in the community too. |
| Placement Services | 7 | This system is decent, I never needed to use it so I don't know all that much about it. It was always easy for me to land a job. I guess that means they taught me well. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I'm sure there was support there but I have never sought it out or tried to get involved in anything extra. |
Northern Virginia Community College • Manassas, VA
Studying General Studies (completion in 2012)
• 11/25/2011
"For what I've paid to attend the college, and for the professors, the classes and degrees offered, and the amount of time I've had to spend working on outside work, I am pretty satisfied with the school. It is great for a community college."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | It is a top-rated community college in the United States. They offer many options to pursue degrees in many different areas. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | A lot of students choose this major because they aren't sure what they want to study. The staff works with you very closely to make sure you're on track to complete your degree on time with the correct classes. |
| Program Quality | 7 | Sometimes I feel that the professors don't enjoy their jobs. Some professors and classes are better than others. |
| Instruction | 8 | Although it is just a community college, I still feel that most people care about the education I'm receiving. I enjoy that I am receiving the same coursework at a discounted price. |
| How Difficult | 8 | Due to working full time, it is sometimes difficult to find time to get all of my work done. It is sometimes more challenging than other times, but I know that it will be worth it in the end. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Every class has several books that you're required to purchase and read through for different lessons in the class. They don't have a lot of hands-on learning classes, besides science classes that I've taken. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | This community college is very flexible. I am able to take classes during the day, evenings, weekends, and summers. It makes things easier when I'm trying to work around my current schedule. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | They have many different campuses, so you can take classes closer to where you live. They all have libraries, computer labs, study areas, and cafeterias. |
| Social Life | 5 | This community college offers intramural sports and clubs, but because of my busy work schedule, I don't often have time to join. We do group work in my classes. |
| Placement Services | I have never used the job placement or career services assistance. I have always found my jobs through referrals or online job postings. | |
| Alumni Network | 1 | Because it is a community college, most students move on to a 4-year university after they receive their associate's degree. Because of this, there isn't an alumni network set up. |
College Of William And Mary • Williamsburg, VA
Studying English (completion in 2011)
• 11/18/2011
"I wouldn't exchange my time at school for the world! It was everything that I wished for, and I still miss it. I am grateful for the experiences that I had there."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I feel as if undergraduate studies don't have a strong bearing on where you end up (especially if you study the humanities). Right now, the economy is so unfortunate that the best way to follow a career path is to take any entry-level position offered and work your way up. I think for an undergrad, the most important aspect of your time at college is your social development - learning to network and hold friends. For this reason, I will always recommend my school, because it has a good reputation and it was a nurturing environment. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | I don't think my college had a particularly strong reputation for its English department. Rather, the school had a positive reputation as a whole. I would say, therefore, that the reputation was average. |
| Program Quality | 8 | I think my school's English department was very strong, and it isn't the reason why I am an admin assistant; in this economy, I took what I was offered. |
| Instruction | 8 | I think the instructors at my college were very strong - intelligent and inspirational people. However, I did not give them a 10, because there are always flaws, and I do not presume to call them the best English professors in the country. |
| How Difficult | 8 | My program was very difficult. They pushed us, and I think to our benefit. We were forced to write MANY papers throughout the course of our career as English papers - probably about 5 or 6 per class. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The English department was mostly book learning, which makes sense, since we studied literature. However, there were also several courses that involved a hybrid approach - modern media studies, creative writing, etc. These allowed for more hands-on experiences. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 6 | Most of the classes offered were Mon-Fri between 8am and 5pm. There were some night classes, but very few. There were even fewer weekend classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | Our library was amazing! However, the English department's building was very small and old. Our official building has been in renovation for some time, so we were placed in the "backup" facility. |
| Social Life | 10 | My social experience was everything that I hoped it to be. I joined many organizations - a very diverse range - and made many friends. My school fostered a lot of school spirit. |
| Placement Services | 6 | My school's career center had a very heavy focus on business students, perhaps because they were the easiest to place. With this said, the career center was wonderful for general job-hunting advice, such as resume building and interview practice. |
| Alumni Network | 3 | Since my school was a public college in Virginia, most students hailed from Virginia. Consequently, the alumni network does not extend much further than Washington, D.C. In Boston, I only know one other alumnus. |
George Mason University • Fairfax, VA
Studying Communications (completion in 2005)
• 12/2/2011
"I love George Mason! I am proud to be called a Patriot and proud to have my mother there. Virginia has many brilliant schools, and George Mason is certainly one of them!"
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | My position does not require a degree. My degree certainly helps my position and certainly helped me get my position. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | George Mason has a wonderful reputation. It is close to the nation's capital, exposing students to history, progress, culture, and the world's best museums. The school is known for its law school and sterling nursing program, and the school continues to expand each year. |
| Program Quality | 7 | George Mason is a great school. While my degree was primarily focused on public relations, I do not find myself applying most of what I have learned to my position now. However, college did teach me professionalism, an absolute must for working in a major university. |
| Instruction | 7 | My position does not require a degree. However, the amount of writing I did in college does help with my position. Not only in proofreading and editing, but also in my fluency in computer programs. |
| How Difficult | 7 | My education was easy if you wanted it to be. You did have to learn a fair amount of statistics; not everyone's favorite, but I loved it. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I guess it depends on what you wanted. I believe there are professors that specialize in each or provide both. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | GMU is known for being a commuter school. That has changed in the past years with the addition of so many dorms, but a lot of the students work full time while attending. GMU is very accommodating to this. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | GMU has great libraries. Students also have access to government libraries. |
| Social Life | Growing up near GMU, I already had a circle of friends I ran around with. I, regrettably, did not participate in many of the activities the university offered. | |
| Placement Services | I did not take advantage of these services. I could probably look into them when I am ready to switch careers. | |
| Alumni Network | 8 | My parents still live near George Mason, and my mother attends, working on her master's. I am constantly aware of events and programs with the university. |
University Of Virginia • Charlottesville, VA
Studying Double Major: American Gov't; Latin American Studies (completion in 2006)
• 12/12/2011
"I think UVA is a great school in terms of value (especially as an in-state school), social life and academic rigor. I also had a great time doing other things that were offered, such as independent research and study abroad."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Since it's a job that most people can do after getting a four-year degree, it's a great opportunity to get job training. As was the case for me, working at a nonprofit, it also gave me exposure to a field (water and sanitation) that I wouldn't otherwise have known about. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | I'm not sure that it's very well known. However, UVA has a strong reputation for liberal arts. Larry Sabato in the US Gov't department is also well known as a talking head on news programs. |
| Program Quality | 7 | Even though my university degree isn't directly related to the job I'm doing, it provided an opportunity to think on my own. Also, I was able to acquire good writing and editing skills, which is really important when I'm assisting my bosses with reports and creating content for the web. |
| Instruction | 8 | A university degree isn't directly applicable to a career as an administrative assistant. In fact, I don't use most of the things I learned in school (fact-wise). However, it's a great program for learning to think and share ideas. |
| How Difficult | 7 | I think my politics degree isn't as challenging as engineering or science, but I did have to read, analyze and summarize quite a bit. When I studied abroad, I did the reading for the first month, thinking it was for the first week! |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I can't speak for the rest of the programs, but my classes were completely academic/book oriented. UVA did provide opportunities to do research or get internships, but those opportunities were only available to those who really sought them out. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 6 | In terms of being a student, it's very flexible. A couple of semesters, I only had classes on Monday, Wednesday and Friday. There isn't any flexibility online, but they do have satellite campuses in DC/Virginia. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | They have really amazing libraries. In fact, when I brought people on a tour of my school, I would always take them to visit the 20 floors of stacks in the central library. |
| Social Life | 8 | UVA is a big enough school to really have something for everyone. I had a great time in both my classes and my social life. They have lots for athletics, and I lived in a language house. |
| Placement Services | I didn't really take advantage of the job placement or career services at UVA. I have, however, used the alumni network, which I thought was really useful. | |
| Alumni Network | 8 | There's great opportunity formally to go through the alumni network for support and job hunting. Informally, people from UVA are pretty excited to meet others from their alma mater. |
Old Dominion University • Norfolk, VA
Studying Interdisciplinary Studies (completion in 1999)
• 12/22/2011
"I do not regret going to ODU or that I chose that school over VA Tech and JMU. I made the correct choice."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Without a doubt, I would recommend ODU to anyone who asked. ODU is a great school and is growing by leaps and bounds every year! |
| Program Reputation | 9 | Undergrad program is actually the pipeline for graduate education degree and cert. ODU has one of the best reputations for education majors in the state. |
| Program Quality | 9 | ODU is an excellent school with professors who actually care about what they teach. I definitely received a topnotch education. |
| Instruction | 9 | Professors stress quality of education over quantity. Hands-on learning trumps regurgitating passages and lectures. |
| How Difficult | 8 | Workload would have been easier if we just had to read a book and answer questions or summarize what we read. Instead, we were asked to look past the texts and apply what we were reading to real-life scenarios. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Stressed knowledge of theory as it applied to real-life events. What good is book learning if you can't apply it to your everyday life? | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | At the undergrad level, you have so many options that it is almost overwhelming. My last year, I only took one class on campus; the rest were at a satellite campus closer to my house or online. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | Topnotch facilities and resources. Unlimited access to library (main campus) and online resources 24/7. |
| Social Life | 9 | There is pretty much a club, organization or group for every type of interest you may have. I played club soccer and lacrosse, and I was a member of the school's backpacking club. |
| Placement Services | 7 | Internships and job placement start before you graduate. This helps alleviate the stress of finding a job after graduation. |
| Alumni Network | 10 | Active network that provides support from the day you graduate. Services range from job connections to athletic events to wedding/birth/death announcements. |
Barclay Career School • Norfolk, VA
Studying Business (completion in 1990)
• 1/10/2012
"I was extremely unsatisfied with the school. It was very expensive, and there was no instructor and/or guidance through the training. I felt that this was something I could have done on my own, without paying out the amount of money that I did."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | I highly recommend that students do not pursue an education with a "Career School." I feel that my money would have been better invested in attending the community college in my area, and that is my recommendation to everyone I speak with. |
| Program Reputation | 1 | The school's reputation was considered very poor in this area. Most companies wanted to see other training or required additional testing, due to the lack of competencies that they had seen coming out of the school. |
| Program Quality | 1 | Barclay Career School is no longer an open business. I completed the course with little to no assistance from an instructor. Our instructor left the company mid-class and we were not given a new instructor. The class continued on with self-learning and I also stepped up to assist others with their training. |
| Instruction | 5 | The curriculum was very good, easy to follow and well laid out. The level of instructor was poor, as we did not have an instructor for a good majority of the class. |
| How Difficult | 5 | I found the academic challenge to be a relatively easy accomplishment for me. I work well with learning as I go and being able to learn from a book. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | My training was extremely book learning oriented. With the absence of an instructor for the majority of the class, we relied on our books to gain our knowledge. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | The school offered many different classes to accommodate the schedules of the people. They offered morning, afternoon, evenings and weekend classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 4 | The school had some good resources. Their classrooms were well set up and we had all the equipment that we needed to excel. They did have an issue with instructors being available and remaining with the company. |
| Social Life | This was a career school, so we did not have a social experience at the school. The students attended their classes and left for the day. There was no interaction outside of class. | |
| Placement Services | 1 | Job placement and career services were promised upon entering the school, but once you completed the training, those services were pretty much nonexistent. Students were left on their own to try to find employment. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | The school stated that they would be available to assist us with job placement upon completion, but we found this to be untrue. Many of the students were unable to find work upon completion of the class. |
Northern Virginia Community College • Annandale, VA
Studying Commercial Art (completion in 1977)
• 1/14/2012
"Attending the school was fun and provided me with a good education. The skills I learned have been used in all of my jobs."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | The program I went to was affordable. It was also very thorough and I learned a significant amount. |
| Program Reputation | I don't know. Have not heard from others. | |
| Program Quality | 8 | I was provided with an excellent, well-rounded program. I had studies that concentrated on my degree area, as well as classes to broaden my knowledge of other areas. |
| Instruction | 9 | My professors were very knowledgeable in their fields. They all seemed to have professional careers outside the school. |
| How Difficult | 6 | I loved the field I was studying, so I did not find the program that difficult. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | About half of my learning was hands on. That afforded me a good mix, which made the learning fun! | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | I found it fairly easy to fit school into my schedule. I worked odd and rotating hours and was able to accommodate my work schedule and attend school. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | The school was well equipped. It provided an excellent area for study and collaboration with other students. |
| Social Life | I was working and going to school, and I did not find time to spend in the social area of school. | |
| Placement Services | I did not use my school for job placement. I was able to find a job on my own. | |
| Alumni Network | I was very much a loner while in school, attending class and then leaving the campus. Therefore, I have not found the need to use this. |
Norfolk State University • Norfolk, VA
Studying Education (completion in 1984)
• 1/22/2012
"The faculty and staff were very responsive and available for meetings. The quality of the education I received was well above the national average."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | It's a smaller school, for those who are not comfortable on a large campus. The music department/curriculum is first-rate. |
| Program Reputation | 6 | My school is not a technical school just for administration. The education piece of my learning was very well constructed. |
| Program Quality | 4 | Didn't focus on admin work much. No programs for certification. |
| Instruction | 5 | General English professors provided training. Curriculum was not broad enough. |
| How Difficult | 5 | English was always a favorite subject for me, so it wasn't a hard program. I was already familiar with most of the material. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Much of the theory and history courses were very book learning oriented. My music classes were always more hands on, but also included book studies. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 1 | As a full-time student, I didn't have much flexibility in the schedule. At the time of my attendance, online options were not available. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | Library contained a wealth of media and computer resources. Labs and classroom space (for practice) were spaced out in location, which allowed for more students to be able to use them. |
| Social Life | 8 | As a student at the school, I was involved in several music-related groups. My membership with a sorority enhanced my social experience. |
| Placement Services | 5 | Local economy dictated how often one would have the opportunity to get work in their field. Career and placement assistance was high on the list, but not very successful. |
| Alumni Network | 6 | We have regular reunions and activities. A web site was created to keep everyone in touch. |
Virginia Commonwealth University • Richmond, VA
Studying Art History (completion in 2008)
• 2/5/2012
"VCU is a good school. Everyone is very competent."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | VCU is a renowned art school. The art history program is also very good. |
| Program Reputation | I have absolutely no idea about the perception of the VCU art history program. It never comes up. | |
| Program Quality | 8 | VCU is a good arts school. The professors were great. |
| Instruction | 5 | I don't work in my major. Art history is a far cry from office work. |
| How Difficult | 3 | Art history was easy. It's mostly reading. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | All art history was taught from the text book. It's the nature of the program. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | The classes were as flexible as anywhere else. I never really needed them to be too flexible. |
| Social Life | 8 | I really enjoyed my college experience. It was a fun and new experience for me. |
| Placement Services | Never used them. Never had to. | |
| Alumni Network | I have no idea. I don't participate in alumni events. |
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