Here are some tips for selecting schools, based on an analysis comparing each school to all others across dozens of factors:
Schools Concentrating On Software Engineers For Applications
- Focus: For schools with a focus on this career area, look at Arizona State, Pima Community College, Embry Riddle - Prescott, and Paradise Valley 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 Arizona State and Northern Arizona University.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Cochise, Pima Community College, and Arizona State.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Central Arizona, Cochise, Paradise Valley Community College, and Coconino County Community College.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Embry Riddle - Prescott, Northern Arizona University, Arizona State, and Cochise.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Embry Riddle - Prescott, Northern Arizona University, Arizona State, and Eastern Arizona College.
Excellence
- SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at Embry Riddle - Prescott.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Embry Riddle - Prescott, Northern Arizona University, and Arizona State.
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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Arizona University • Tempe, AZ
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2003)
• 5/8/2011
"This was one of the best decisions in my life."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Because of the standard. |
| Program Reputation | 6 | The curriculum was regularly updated to include all latest technologies. |
| Program Quality | 7 | The curriculum was regularly updated to include all latest technologies. Ranks highly in national and international rankings. |
| Instruction | More than 5 years ago | |
| How Difficult | 7 | The curriculum was regularly updated to include all latest technologies. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | We had equal opportunity. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 6 | Summer offerings, online options are available. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | Libraries, media and computer resources, laboratories, classroom space, academic advisors are available for students at all times. |
| Social Life | 6 | There are groups which does these things in organized manner. |
| Placement Services | 6 | NA |
| Alumni Network | 5 | Not attended any of those. |
University Of Phoenix • Online, AZ
Studying Information Technology (completion in 2008)
• 7/6/2011
"I feel completely satisfied with the education I received from the University of Phoenix. While it has not noticeably impacted my career growth, it has afforded me a degree of self-confidence to know that I now compete on equal footing in the workplace."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I would recommend the University of Phoenix online program to anyone who is self-motivated and consistent for the long term. Students who require more hand-holding and socializing should consider a more traditional approach. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | Because I don't pay too much attention to school reputations, I'm answering this one with 'average.' In all honesty, I have no basis upon which to rate the school's reputation. |
| Program Quality | 8 | While the University of Phoenix does a lot of advertising, the courses are largely self-taught and the grading is based on team projects. Teams often include slackers, so a student's grades may not reflect their own efforts, but instead the efforts - or lack thereof - of others. |
| Instruction | 5 | At the University of Phoenix online, instructors do very little actual instructing. They are primarily facilitators, providing reading material and handing out assignments. An unmotivated student with a good memory can receive a good grade without transferring much information to long-term memory. |
| How Difficult | 3 | The program was quite simple, to the point of having online students at one point identify the parts of a computer. While that may be relevant in a classroom setting, online students clearly know what the mouse and keyboard are for if they have made it far enough to see the test. The programming classes were quite remedial, requiring virtually no advanced techniques. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The programming classes required some hands-on training, but virtually everything else was completely by-the-book. Of course, an IT program offered on-line is likely to have difficulty providing hands-on experiences remotely. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | The University of Phoenix has awesome flexibility for day-to-day assignments within a class. They are less flexible with the length of time between classes, but that is to make sure that students remain engaged. I was able to work evenings or early mornings, weekends or week days. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | Online schools do not require the array of facilities that brick-and-mortar schools do. The U. of Phoenix online classes included access to research databases, and all required reading was made available online - so the facilities were adequate for the venue. |
| Social Life | 1 | I have not kept in touch with any of my classmates; the online nature of the school made it impractical. Socialization over the Internet does not engender school spirit. |
| Placement Services | 1 | I am unaware of any placement or career service assistance from the University of Phoenix. Perhaps because I am already ensconced in a good career, I have blocked out this service. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | University of Phoenix alumni are frequently contacted after graduation. Often this is a solicitation for advanced degree programs, but sometimes it is just to chat. I appreciated the nice touch when, after taking a month off for chemo and radiation, the school representative contacted me to check on how I was doing. |
University Of Phoenix • Phoenix, AZ
Studying Computer Information Systems (completion in 2003)
• 7/29/2011
"It was flexible for my working schedule, and that is the biggest plus. I would have given a higher rating if it was more hands-on and had a decent system for professional (employment) networking."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I would have to find out if the person was really interested in future management (MBA) and if there was better professional networking. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | I don't think they are even offering the CIS program at the MS level anymore. I believe that they have funneled most of the programs into MBAs. Considering my earlier comments, that is probably a good thing. However, considering that many IT people will not recognize the pertinence of the MBA, the school may not get as many candidates. |
| Program Quality | 5 | UOP was very generic when it comes to information systems. I learned more about programming in my 2-year degree. Most of my MS was administrative stuff. I probably could have gotten the admin stuff by getting an MBA. |
| Instruction | 5 | Like any other university that I have attended, there are instructors that are very good, average, and bad. I find that the better instructors made the content seem more pertinent and interesting. Those that were there just for the paycheck were definitely less effective. |
| How Difficult | 5 | To me the administrative part of the education was easy... but boring. The most fun was actually building systems when the opportunities arose. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | When I say that it was more book oriented, keep in mind that I include all reading resources. There was very little hands-on experimenting or coding. Any coding that was done, in a few classes, was a small part of the total curriculum. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | At the time, there were many classes offered at different times. Several classes did not require physical attendance. A few classes could be finished over the course of multiple terms. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | The library, while it had many new resources, did not have the abundance of book resources that I have seen in larger universities. Also, the online resources had almost no static content...Sometimes a book would disappear from the site. |
| Social Life | 5 | I was not really into the social aspect of the school for my MS. It was a purely technical decision to obtain my MS. I did make one acquaintance, however it was not a lasting one. Consider what I commented about employment services and realize that there was not a hearty network for that sort of thing. |
| Placement Services | 1 | I do think that UOP could have done much better by offering a network that would lead to rewarding job opportunities. Basically, there is little direct return, for the school, in getting jobs for students. |
| Alumni Network | 3 | Once you are out the door, there are few resources available that can't be obtained elsewhere and for cheaper. It's not getting any better with many universities having to tighten their fiscal belts. |
University Of Advancing Technology • Tempe, AZ
Studying Software Engineering (completion in 2002)
• 10/11/2011
"My school gave me the tools to get a job in IT. For that it did what it was supposed to do."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | The longer I've been out of school the more I regret not going to a standard four year university. If a person doesn't care about those things, then I would recommend the school without a doubt. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | From what I see in postings to the school's LinkedIn group, grads do seem to get jobs in pretty good companies, so it must be somewhat good. |
| Program Quality | 8 | My school taught me all the fundamentals I needed to know to start a career in software engineering. The school is nationally accredited, but it's by one of the lesser know accrediting bodies, and as such it doesn't carry as much weight as someplace like a well known school like ASU, UCLA, or MIT. I regret that sometimes, especially when searching for a job. A nice, nationally known university would be nice for the resume. |
| Instruction | 9 | I had one class in which the instructor was just awful. The class was supposed to teach you some concepts that played directly into the follow-on class the next semester. This instructor did not do that and really hampered my initial work in the follow-on class. Every school has an instructor like this - it's just the nature of the universe, so I brought my rating down one point for it. |
| How Difficult | 7 | The assignments were interesting and made me think, but I really didn't have to put in much effort. I'm not sure if that's because I'm that good at programming or if they just weren't challenging. Not having studied programming anywhere else I can't really say. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | We spent a lot of time in front of a computer coding. If not coding the instructors were providing examples on an overhead projector. Most instructors required that the students be the ones operating the computer connected to the projector and encouraged participation from the other students in class for the examples. Books were mostly for reference material when trying to code. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | At the time I attended the school classes were offered in two different "blocks." One block attended classes during one time frame and the other during an earlier time frame. Depending on what time you wanted to go to school determined the block you attended. During my time there they phased out the two blocks, but were extremely helpful in helping us transition to the new times as they knew our lives were built around being able to attend classes at certain times. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | The library was a little small, as it is a small school. The remaining facilities were very well suited to the curriculum and professors were readily available. |
| Social Life | 3 | The school provided a couple of sponsored activities, but not much. Being a small, trade focused school, there aren't any athletics. |
| Placement Services | I can't speak to this. I found my job in the software field on my own without their assistance and I did not go to them before I got my job. | |
| Alumni Network | I haven't really participated in any alumni events, nor have I required the support of the school post graduation, so I can't really answer this question. However, I do know that they are active in a LinkedIn group. |
Northern Arizona University • Flagstaff, AZ
Studying Project Management (completion in 2011)
• 12/1/2011
"I would recommend NAU to anyone. The education I received was top-notch."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I am currently working as an applications developer, but I would recommend this program to anyone who wants to pursue a career managing other programmers. This program took the skills I already had and made them better. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | NAU is a top-ranked state school in Arizona. The master's program has been ranked as one of the best in the country. |
| Program Quality | 10 | The program I completed was very diverse and organized. Also, the material in the classes was close to real-world situations. |
| Instruction | 10 | The professors were knowledgeable in many areas, giving a well-rounded educational experience. The courses allowed us to tailor our material to our current jobs. |
| How Difficult | 10 | NAU used a traditional course schedule, which was very demanding. The courses were writing and math intensive. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The program had a good mix of hands-on and book learning. There were a lot of lab-type assignments that required us to use the material we were learning in real projects. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | The master's program I attended was offered on campus and online. The program was also offered at multiple campuses across the state. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | In an online program, the teachers and teachers' assistants made themselves available at all hours for questions and issues. Also, the counselors stayed in contact throughout the program to keep you on track. |
| Social Life | NAU has numerous clubs and athletic options available. As an online student, I was not a participant. | |
| Placement Services | NAU and the alumni relations offer career transition assistance. I have not used this service. | |
| Alumni Network | 10 | The alumni network has excellent career support from other alumni. Also, the alumni network offers benefits and discounts. |
Arizona State University • Tempe, AZ
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2014)
• 1/28/2012
"I had a great college experience (the type you hope to have when picking your college) and got a great opportunity for a good future afterwards out of ASU. I met a lot of interesting people and made some connections that should help me for years. Definitely satisfied."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I enjoyed my time at ASU and got a good job out of it afterwards. It was a good choice for me and it would be a good choice for most other people as well. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | ASU doesn't have a very good reputation as a university itself. However, the engineering department is pretty well known, so that makes up for ASU's party school reputation. |
| Program Quality | 8 | Computer Science was taught very well at my university. Of all the teachers I had, most were very insightful in what to expect after college. |
| Instruction | 8 | I learned around ten computer languages while working here, including Java, C, MIPS, Prolog, etc. I also completed a business minor, which I hope will help me to start my own business at some point. |
| How Difficult | 3 | It was hard at first when trying to learn all the new computer languages. However, once you get that down, ASU is a snap. There wasn't a lot of work to be done either, just enough to get you an understanding. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I never used books when I was at ASU. Homework was programming based, but if any homework problems came out of a book, the questions were usually posted online. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | ASU has classes at pretty much any time you can take one. There are evening classes, summer classes, and online classes. And now, you can take a semester worth of classes in just one half of a semester. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | Tutors, professors, and advisors were always available to the students whenever they were needed. Classrooms and laboratories were huge and the computers had all of the programs a computer science major could need. Libraries were open all night, which was good for those who needed to focus. |
| Social Life | 3 | As a party school, there was never a shortage of those. However, sports and school spirit were pretty abysmal, and there were never any organized social events. |
| Placement Services | I chose because I never used any of my school's job placement or career services assistance. As I said before, I got my job from a friend. | |
| Alumni Network | 7 | There are over 70,000 students there at a time, so it's impossible not to build an alumni network. I actually got my job from a connection I made while at ASU. |
University Of Phoenix Online • Phoenix, AZ
Studying Masters Of Information Systems (completion in 2012)
• 3/10/2012
"The school is a little expensive, but for a person with a family and a job, there is no better option. Overall, it was a good experience."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | It depends on their goals and situation. I would recommend it to a professional with a family. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | I know of no positive or negative accolades for the MIS program at the University of Phoenix. Overall, I consider it middle of the road. |
| Program Quality | 5 | The University of Phoenix provided a program structure I was able to complete. However, the course work and professionalism was average to sub-par. |
| Instruction | 5 | The MIS program at the University of Phoenix did very little to prepare me for managing people or projects. I was a highly skilled developer prior to entering the program, and the program added little value above and beyond my pre-existing base. |
| How Difficult | 6 | The workload at the University of Phoenix was manageable. I have a family and worked throughout the entire program, but was able to complete the program on-time and with a good GPA. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Being online and a Masters program, the entire program was book based. There were no 'hands on' activities. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | The classes required a lot of effort, but were flexible within the week as to when you did the work, allowing you time to fit the work into your schedule. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | This is a difficult question to answer for an online school. The online classroom is one of the best I have worked with, better than BlackBoard or Moodle. The library was great and had great resources. Overall, the online facilities did a great job of supporting me. |
| Social Life | 1 | I participated in no events. I interacted with no other students other than during team assignments. Other than graduation, there were no events for online students. |
| Placement Services | 2 | The job placement web site is very poor and did not have jobs at my level. When applying for a job locally I had asked for assistance with my resume, but no-one at the University of Phoenix would assist me. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I feel unqualified to answer this question. I know that the university of Phoenix has an alumni network web page. I have not yet taken advantage of it. |
University Of Arizona • Tucson, AZ
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2002)
• 3/14/2012
"Overall, the University of Arizona has a great computer science program. I learned a lot, was definitely challenged, and came away with a degree that has helped me advance my career."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | The most important aspect of a successful software engineer is that they really love their job. Any university can only provide you with a very basic knowledge of how to get it done, and it's up to you to constantly be interested and continue learning and advancing the field. The University of Arizona was a great start to my career. They helped instill in me a passion for software that has carried through to my job. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | The University of Arizona has always been a leading edge research university in all engineering disciplines, and computer science is no exception. Graduates can expect prospective employers to have positive feelings about a degree earned here. |
| Program Quality | 10 | The instructors were top notch. Their research into the cutting edge of computer science always provided a great backdrop for the classes. |
| Instruction | 8 | The problem with computer science instruction is that, unless you want to do research, everything you learn is immediately out of date. A big focus of my program was on keeping up with the latest and greatest in the field so that my skills are always top notch. |
| How Difficult | 5 | Computer Science requires a strong background in math. If you start with that, the classes aren't incredibly difficult. Some of the more challenging programming assignments can take a lot of time to complete, but there were plenty of resources to help you along. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | There are plenty of books provided in the computer science program, but the real learning takes place when getting down to actually writing code. I found that the books were used to provide a foundation, but I really had to stretch myself to put into practice what was written. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | When I attended the university, it was just barely getting into the online arena. At this point, however, they have realized that online classes are very important, and they've made great strides in that direction. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | The university has a very large computing center that is equipped with the modern computers and all the software a computer science student could need. The assistance at the computing center tend to be graduate students from the engineering programs, and so are well versed in anything you'd need to know. |
| Social Life | 5 | I didn't really have much of a social experience outside of classes and group projects. The workload kept me so busy, so I didn't have much time for it. The school does have a strong athletics program, which is generally well regarded. |
| Placement Services | 5 | The university regularly provided job fairs, and offered assistance with creating a good application for jobs. The onus is still on the student to apply for, interview, and ultimately accept a job offer. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | The university has never made any particular effort to reach out to me as an alumnus, other than sending me paperwork for making donations. This is about the same as my undergraduate institution. |
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