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 Miami Dade College, Valencia Community College, Broward College, and Tallahassee 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 Nova Southeastern, City College, University of Miami, and Florida Memorial University.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Miami Dade College, Saint Thomas University, Broward College, and Nova Southeastern.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Nova Southeastern, Barry, Florida Keys Community College, and City College.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Embry Riddle, Eckerd, Florida Institute of Technology, and University of Miami.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Stetson University, Eckerd, Florida Southern College, and Bethune Cookman.
Excellence
- SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at University of Miami, Florida Institute of Technology, and Eckerd.
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at Florida Memorial University, University of Miami, Nova Southeastern, and Stetson University.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Stetson University, University of Miami, Bethune Cookman, and Saint Thomas University.
Spotlight Schools Search
Spotlight Florida Schools Related to This Career
- Locations: Orlando
- Programs: One relevant program; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Bachelor
- Locations: Coral Springs, Fort Lauderdale, Hollywood, Jacksonville, Maitland, Miami, Orlando, Palm Beach Gardens, Tampa
- Programs: 2 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Master, Post- Bachelor's Certificate
- Locations: Fort Lauderdale, Jacksonville, Lake Mary, Miami, Pinellas Park, Tampa
- Programs: 7 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Bachelor
International Academy of Design and Technology
- Locations: Orlando
- Programs: One relevant program; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Bachelor
- Locations: Winter Park
- Programs: 4 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Associate, Bachelor, Diploma
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Study from Anywhere at Online Schools Related to This Career
- Programs: One relevant program; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Bachelor
- Programs: One relevant program; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Associate
Colorado Technical University Online
- Programs: 4 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Bachelor, Doctorate, Master
- Programs: One relevant program; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Master
International Academy of Design & Technology Online
- Programs: One relevant program; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Bachelor
- Programs: 2 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Coursework, Diploma
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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University Of North Florida • Jacksonville, FL
Studying Computer And Information Science (completion in 2010)
• 8/12/2011
"It got me the job I wanted, so I am happy about that."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Overall it is a very good school. It's much more affordable than going to a private or for-profit school. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | It is a good program. I enjoyed my time there. |
| Program Quality | 8 | I would have liked more elective options. Also I think there needs to be more hands on experience. |
| Instruction | 7 | There's not enough technical information and they did not provide enough hands on experience. |
| How Difficult | 7 | Some of the instructors were very good, others not so much. It came down to too much theory and not enough practical application. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Not enough hands-on experience. All theory. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 6 | Not very many weekend classes and very few online classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | UNF has a very nice library and computer labs. The classrooms have the latest technology. |
| Social Life | 5 | UNF's biggest sports team is soccer, but there is not very much school spirit. I did not attend very many social events. |
| Placement Services | 8 | I found my current job through UNF's career services. Very nice people and the website is easy to use. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I receive letters in the mail asking for money. I do not really have anything to do with the alumni association. |
University Of Phoenix • Orlando, FL
Studying Computer Information Systems (completion in 2002)
• 10/3/2011
"The school served its purpose for me as I now have two degrees related to my chosen field. The class schedule, for the most part, worked with my work schedule and I am able to present not just equivalent experience but also the academic certificates that some companies require for employment in this industry."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | As I mentioned previously, at least in my city, the program that I graduated from is no longer offered. The programs that are offered would not benefit someone interested in a career in software engineering. They also did not focus enough on teaching practical concepts or language specific syntax which would have put me far behind the curve had I not already been working as a software developer while I was completing my degree. If someone, currently working in the industry, is looking to validate their experience - to be able to say they have the degree to go along with their practical knowledge - then this would be a good school. Otherwise, a graduate from the school would be ill prepared to compete with other graduates from similar programs offered at other schools. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | I do not believe that my school still offers graduate or undergraduate programs in my major. If they still do they are not currently offered at the local campuses. I do know that unlike other schools no one looks at my degree and thinks it came from a diploma mill. |
| Program Quality | 5 | The program concentrated more on management than on the science of information systems. There were few practical programming courses in the program -, most of the technology related courses were theory based. As is probably the case in most programs of this type. even the practical courses were not based on real-world scenarios or applications of the technologies. |
| Instruction | 5 | I was working in my field while I was going to school and my employer paid for my courses, which guaranteed a certain amount of relevance to my work as each course was reviewed by the company before I was reimbursed for my tuition. There were some professors that were very experienced in their areas of expertise and they encouraged me to ask questions and explore topics outside of the specific curriculum set for the course; these side explorations have proved invaluable. |
| How Difficult | 8 | The courses themselves were not difficult. The material was familiar to me as I was already working in the field. The assignments, and in particular the group work, were more difficult to fit in to my daily life as I was working full-time and commuting 10-15 hours per week. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | As I mentioned above, the coursework was more theory than practice based. This, however, did not detract from the educational experience as I was working in the industry and was gaining practical knowledge at work that I am sure is not taught at any school to this day. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 1 | While the school did offer night classes only, as they were marketing to working adults, it was very difficult to find an alternative class if and when I had to miss the next class in the scheduled sequence. Because of their schedule you were expected to start and finish with the same group of students, however when my work schedule changed and I was no longer able to attend on a particular night, it became almost impossible to find a group that was in the right part of the sequence for me to continue with. |
| Academic Facilities | 3 | There were no computer labs to speak of unless you were taking a vendor certification course through the school. There was no library and the online content that was available through the school paled in comparison to what I could find on the internet on my own. The classrooms were utilitarian at best, providing little more than a projector, a screen, and a whiteboard for presentations and lectures. Membership in a study group was required, as were weekly meetings with the study group. Most of the professors were available via email or phone during work hours. |
| Social Life | 1 | This was a school for working adults and as such there was no social life through the school. While one of my study groups did have some social interactions that were not directly course related, this was an exception, not the rule. There were no sports teams or school organized social events at either of the local campuses during my attendance. |
| Placement Services | 5 | I am not sure that these programs existed as I had no need for them. I am sure that with the network of adjuncts that the school had, most of whom were in a position to hire or recommend a hire, that their services were satisfactory for those that needed them. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | I'm not sure that we have an alumni network. I have not been contacted by a representative of the school or the alumni network since I completed my degree. I don't think that I have ever been given preferential treatment by a hiring manager because we went to the same school. In fact, I'm not sure that I've worked with, or for, a fellow alumnus since graduating. |
University Of West Florida • Pensacola, FL
Studying Computer Science (completion in 1991)
• 11/27/2011
"Overall, the costs were reasonable. I was a commuter student, so my experiences may not be typical, but the location and distance were reasonable and convenient."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I'm not familiar with the programs currently being offered there, as my student career ended over 20 years ago. Much may have changed. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | I've never heard anyone speak of its reputation. My "major," i.e., the instructors, my advisors, etc., spun the program off into an independent institution, The Institute for Human and Machine Cognition (www.ihmc.us). |
| Program Quality | 10 | Computer Science was a new program at the time, and there were only about 20 of us in it. We had a small group of PhD's teaching us (no grad students). My advisor was/is an internationally recognized expert in the field of machine intelligence. |
| Instruction | 10 | We were taught by a small group of PhD's. Classes were small and intimate, and coursework was relevant and hands-on where appropriate. |
| How Difficult | 7 | It's difficult to relate my experience to that of others. I am a lot smarter than most people, and material that I found easy or average might not be so to the average student. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | One of the primary tools that my professors used was the thought experiment. Bouncing ideas off of other students and the instructor was one of my favorite ways to absorb new concepts. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | The university was not large enough to offer a variety of times for each course. Many programs could be completed in the evenings, but most of the more advanced programs were only available during the day. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | Labs were generally well equipped and usually staffed by instructors or professors, rather than grad students. The library was/is excellent and well stocked. |
| Social Life | I was not interested in having a social life at school. While there may have been opportunities, I didn't take advantage of any of them. | |
| Placement Services | 1 | I was invited to one meet-and-greet. There was no other job assistance offered to me at the time. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | There essentially isn't any support network. There is an alumni association, but it exists mainly to ask for money. |
Jacksonville Community College • Jacksonville, FL
Studying Computer Information Systems (completion in 2014)
• 11/25/2011
"I was very satisfied. "
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | It is very difficult to buy a set of programming books and go through them alone. It is much easier and beneficial to work with other programmers and an instructor, to learn the building blocks and methods of programming when beginning your career. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | Based on references of local programmers, this school came highly recommended. |
| Program Quality | 7 | Even advanced classes are nowhere near the skill set required in my field. Every programming course moved at a very slow pace, compared to on-the-job learning. |
| Instruction | 10 | The quality of instruction was extremely good, with the exception of needing more material covered during class. |
| How Difficult | 6 | Pace was slow, and teachers were good at building blocks and learning in stages. This prevented difficulty, but lacked challenge. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | All programming courses required programming as assignments. The nature of the coursework is all hands on. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Most programming courses were in the evening after work. This allowed me to continue working while attending school. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | Multiple wonderful computer labs. Excellent tutoring resources, excellent equipment and all needed software. |
| Social Life | Did not socialize at school. | |
| Placement Services | No experience; did not use these services. | |
| Alumni Network | I have never followed up with this. |
Florida Institute Of Technology • Melbourne, FL
Studying Engineering (completion in 1992)
• 11/29/2011
"I enjoyed FIT for the technical quality. I enjoyed UF for the above-average social experience and technical quality of education."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would recommend FIT, depending on the potential student. I would recommend UF for overall quality. |
| Program Reputation | 4 | FIT has a below-average reputation. UF has an above-average reputation. |
| Program Quality | 6 | FIT is technically adequate. The peer drive and camaraderie are not satisfactory. |
| Instruction | 6 | All required technical knowledge is given in the instruction. Some intangibles were not. |
| How Difficult | 4 | Technically, the difficulty at FIT is average. The student can assume added workload if the drive is there. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | FIT has an average mix between hands-on and book learning. UF has an above-average quality, with top labs for hands-on work and high-quality textbooks for learning. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | FIT has above-average flexibility with video classes. UF has above-average classroom flexibility. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | FIT has an average quality to their facilities. UF has an above-average quality to their facilities. |
| Social Life | 9 | FIT has a below-average social experience. UF has an above-average social experience, with top-quality sports and social events. |
| Placement Services | 3 | FIT has below-average career services. UF has above-average career services. |
| Alumni Network | 3 | FIT has a below-average alumni network. My undergraduate college (UF) has a much better network. |
University Of North Florida • Jacksonville, FL
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2010)
• 12/8/2011
"I am pretty satisfied with my school and faculty and the knowledge I gained there."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I recommend the school to everyone. It's really a good institution. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | My school was highly reputed and is the best college in this community. They are the best and they have the best faculty in teaching Computer Science. |
| Program Quality | 10 | The teaching and the faculty were really good. I learned many things that help me at work. |
| Instruction | 10 | Instructors were very good and we need to do lot of practical work to get experience for jobs. |
| How Difficult | 9 | A Master's in CS was quite difficult but the knowledge I gained from it is really adequate. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Book knowledge and hands on experience both are really important. We get plenty of them in the time period. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | We have evening and weekend classes. It's comfortable and flexible. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | We have a very big library and a computer lab. The resources were plentiful. |
| Social Life | 10 | We have an athletic group who always stood first in our interstate competitions. Students become a group and organize social events as well. |
| Placement Services | 10 | I was placed in my job from the on campus placements. We have job fairs at our school at least twice a year. |
| Alumni Network | 10 | The support I got from the alumni was really good in education as well as in outgoing activities. |
University Of Central Florida • Orlando, FL
Studying Computer Science (completion in 1992)
• 1/6/2012
"I had a good time and my degree did not cost a fortune. I was well-prepared to succeed in the "real world.""
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Since I graduated, UCF has invested heavily in its Computer Science department. Although it might not be as well-known as MIT for a tech degree, UCF is a bargain and any graduate will be well-prepared and should have no problem finding employment. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | I do not think UCF is well-known for computer science. It is more well-known for its new law and medical schools and its film program. |
| Program Quality | 5 | At the time, the major was new, so the facilities and equipment were minimal. |
| Instruction | 6 | My training in the various languages that we learned at the time was fairly in depth. Although many of the languages I learned back then are no longer used, the curriculum taught me problem solving skills I still use today. |
| How Difficult | 1 | I learn computer languages with ease, and technology just "clicks." It was not challenging, although it was for some others. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The entry level classes were mostly theory and book learning. Advanced level courses were mainly hands-on, and involved extensive code writing as a team and as an individual. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | At the time, everything was in-class; online did not exist. In the early stages there was flexibility, but as the levels increased, only one or two sessions were offered for each class. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | I have no complaints. Again, since the program was new at the time, resources were limited, but the equipment and facilities were new. |
| Social Life | 8 | On site recreation facilities were adequate, and Orlando has plenty to do off campus. |
| Placement Services | I do not know enough to answer the question. | |
| Alumni Network | because I do not network with UCF alumni. If I had a need to, I believe something would be there, but I do not know what. |
University Of South Florida • Tampa, FL
Studying Information Systems (completion in 2010)
• 1/10/2012
"I paid my tuition, had fun, and got a degree. I got a job due to my degree. College was worth it."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I love the atmosphere at USF and it was very affordable. The academics that were taught helped me in my field and I would be happy to wish someone the same luck by attending my school. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | USF Information Systems graduates never have a problem finding a job out of college. This ease to enter the workforce in the field shows that they are in high demand and the college is respected. |
| Program Quality | 8 | I feel that my program focused a little too much on dead languages such as 68k, PASCAL, and C. While at least C can be useful, more contemporary languages should have been taught such as Python. |
| Instruction | 7 | I use many things that I learned on a daily basis. Object oriented design has to be the most commonly used class I often think back on during my job. |
| How Difficult | 8 | Programming is not for the feint of heart, nor those that fail at math. The projects require a large amount of time to properly execute and often force you to work in groups with incompetent people. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I prefer hands on learning such as projects, and there were one or two in each class. Most professors leaned towards outdated materials and texts, many of which have zero to little use beyond academia. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 2 | Class scheduling was horrendous. Every semester always seemed to include just ONE class on a Friday, throwing your hopes of a three day weekend out the door. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | The facilitates have many computer labs for working on projects and several places to study quietly. The buildings are starting to show their age as they look to be 30+ years old. |
| Social Life | 8 | The social networking that occurred at school lead indirectly to my employment. Without meeting the right people in my similar field, I would not enjoy the employment I posses. |
| Placement Services | I did not use career services. I obtained my job through referrals and building a network while in undergraduate studies. | |
| Alumni Network | 8 | The alumni network helped me secure a job in less than a year after graduation. It does prove the saying true - "It's not what you know, but who you know." |
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