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 United States Naval Academy, Montgomery College, Towson University, and The Community College of Baltimore County.
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 Coppin State and UM Baltimore County.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Coppin State, Prince George's Community College, Montgomery College, and UMUC.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Hood, Hagerstown Community College, Montgomery College, and Harford Community College.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of United States Naval Academy, Loyola, Washington College, and Washington Adventist.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of United States Naval Academy, Washington College, Loyola, and Washington Adventist.
Excellence
- SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at United States Naval Academy, UM Baltimore County, Loyola, and Washington College.
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at United States Naval Academy and Coppin State.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at United States Naval Academy, Washington College, Loyola, and Washington Adventist.
Spotlight Schools Search
Spotlight Maryland Schools Related to This Career
- Locations: Millersville, Owings Mills, Rockville, Rosedale, Suitland
- Programs: 2 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Master, Post- Bachelor's Certificate
- Locations: Beltsville, Towson
- Programs: One relevant program; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Certificate
See these schools on a map
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
Sort Reviews By:Sorting by: • Show All Details • Hide All Details
University Of Maryland, College Park • College Park, MD
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2010)
• 7/12/2011
"I have never had a problem in my professional career in which I was ill-prepared because of my education. As an in-state student the tuition was affordable. The professors understood any personal problems that came up."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Maryland has a very tough Computer Science program; however that is where you do most of your hard work. Once you get to the professional world, the hours get shorter and the work comes easier. The Computer Science program at Maryland will give you all of the tools to self-learn and succeed in a programming career. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | I believe Maryland is ranked in the top-15 in Computer Science in the United States. Maryland came in the top 5 for U.S. colleges in a worldwide programming contest. |
| Program Quality | 9 | Maryland has a nationally ranked Computer Science department. The lecturers were very approachable and most of the professors were smart as well as good communicators. |
| Instruction | 8 | I feel that I was generally prepared well with programming skills, algorithms, and computer security. One skill that was not taught was source code management. Tools like subversion, git, and CVS were not taught. |
| How Difficult | 8 | The majority of the programming classes would have coding projects that took 15+ hours a week. Only 1 class did I need less than 10 hours a week. Many projects would have public tests so that you would know where you stand before the project is due. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Programming is mainly taught through coding projects. Many algorithm and design classes are taught using multimedia. Books were used as references for the most part. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | There weren't any weekend or night classes for Computer Science. Many classes were on Monday/Wednesday and Tuesday/Thursday schedules. There were many summer classes that met every day and could be used to fulfill degree requirements. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | The computer labs were very accessible and open 24 hours a day. There are over 10 libraries at Maryland. |
| Social Life | 7 | Basketball and Football are two big sports at Maryland. Greek life is somewhat relevant. Basketball games are the height of school spirit in my opinion. |
| Placement Services | 6 | I never used the job placement service, however other students that I know did use it successfully. I found more success using craigslist and jobfox to find jobs. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | Rarely would alumni come to classes and talk to students. I never used the support network to get an internship or job. |
University Of Maryland University College • Adelphia, MD
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2011)
• 9/29/2011
"Overall, it was a great school. I think it is best-suited for older students who don't care for the ordinary college environment."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | It is convenient for anyone who doesn't have a lot of time. They also offer multiple sections for the courses for each semester which makes scheduling a breeze. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | The school has a pretty good rating in IT overall but I'm not sure about CS. They are known for their Information Assurance program. |
| Program Quality | 6 | As with most programs, there were very intense classes as well as some easier courses. Some of the topics were a little outdated and the syllabus should have been updated to reflect current technologies. |
| Instruction | 8 | All of the programming courses were extremely relevant to being a Software Engineer. The Calculus courses also help with understanding Cryptographic algorithms and programs. |
| How Difficult | 8 | The further into the degree/college courses the more difficult the classes. "Probability and Statistics" was very challenging. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Programming is something that can only truly be mastered by being hands-on. All of your programming courses require you to write your own code. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | One of the great things about the school is being able to attend online. This makes it easy to fit school in any schedule. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The school as a great online library and they collaborate with other schools in the area. If you need a book that they do not have they'll ship it from another school. The academic advisors are also readily available. |
| Social Life | 1 | I did not have the option of attending regular college socials. The school was seriously lacking in this department. |
| Placement Services | 4 | I received no job assistance help. Finding a job was basically left to me to do. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | There hasn't been any alumni support from my university. I also have not received my yearbook. |
University Of Maryland, College Park • College Park, MD
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2011)
• 10/2/2011
"My school offered many challenging and rewarding experiences. I greatly enjoyed the time I spent at the University of Maryland. I also appreciated the generous financial aid I received."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | The University of Maryland's Career Center is very helpful as I continue my career in Software Engineering. The University offered challenging and engaging courses that help me regularly in my work. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | In my work environment, people talk favorably about the University of Maryland's programs. We are well-ranked on U.S. News among Computer Science programs. |
| Program Quality | 9 | The major was challenging but I learned a lot. The courses I took prepared me for my job. |
| Instruction | 8 | Instructors were very attentive of student needs. They were fair and gave engaging assignments. |
| How Difficult | 9 | The courses were mentally stimulating but could at times be very difficult. CMSC412, the Operating Systems course, was very challenging and took up much of my time when I took it. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Most of my courses were programming-intensive. It was challenging and fun to learn a concept in a book and then try to apply it in a project. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | Summer and Winter courses were regularly available. But, I don't know of many online or weekend offerings for courses in my major. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | Computer labs were very accessible. The McKeldin Library was an excellent place for study and resources. |
| Social Life | 9 | The school was very engaged in sports, particularly in basketball. Many social networking events were available during my time at the University. |
| Placement Services | 10 | Emails about available interview opportunities were very frequent. Many workshops to improve resumes and interviewing skills were available. |
| Alumni Network | 7 | Many regular emails about alumni activities are sent out. Many networking events for alumni are available. |
Review your current or past school and help others make better career decisions.