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 Bergen Community College, Essex County College, Union County College, and Camden County 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 Fairleigh Dickinson - Metropolitan and College of Saint Elizabeth.
- Female: For schools particularly welcoming to female students, consider College of Saint Elizabeth.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Stevens Institute of Technology and Fairleigh Dickinson - Metropolitan.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider College of Saint Elizabeth, Drew, Fairleigh Dickinson - Metropolitan, and Camden County College.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Drew, Fairleigh Dickinson - Metropolitan, and College of Saint Elizabeth.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Drew, Stevens Institute of Technology, College of Saint Elizabeth, and Fairleigh Dickinson - Metropolitan.
Excellence
- SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at Stevens Institute of Technology and Drew.
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at Stevens Institute of Technology.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Drew, College of Saint Elizabeth, and Stevens Institute of Technology.
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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New Jersey Institute Of Technology • New Jersey, NJ
Studying Computer Science & Engineering (completion in 2005)
• 9/15/2011
"I'm satisfied as the institute helped me in providing me a career goal and helped me by instilling good team spirit in me."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Though there are few drawbacks, I'll recommend the school due to its friendly and encouraging atmosphere, amicable teaching staff and nice campus environment. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | The school is on the East Coast and its proximity with the NY. The fees are also moderate which make the school an attractive option. |
| Program Quality | 6 | The institute provides a good pedagogy of subject orientation but lacks in quality research-oriented programs. |
| Instruction | 7 | The professor are quite knowledgeable but still they are not motivating enough towards research-oriented education. |
| How Difficult | 6 | Due to the lack of original research, it was almost like mugging up the book and giving the answers in the exams and earning a degree. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The institute does not focus much on research. As a result, most of the teaching methodology is focused towards theoretical knowledge. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | The institute provides flexibility to have evening options, or pursue the program along with an outside job. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The institute has a well-connected library with most of the other network institutes providing access to a plethora of journals and other books. The buildings on campus provide almost all amenities a student would want from a campus such as nice cafeteria, good classrooms, high speed WLAN connectivity, etc. |
| Social Life | 8 | Institute has a nice playground with basketball and tennis courts. Annual sports championships bring a good sports spirit among the pupils. |
| Placement Services | 8 | A good training and placement cell provides good scope for internship and job placements. The institute is able to attract a good number of companies to the campus. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | The NJIT alumni association is well-connected and we have regular meetings. The university portal provides a good interface to connect with the alumni. |
Rowan University • Glassboro, NJ
Studying Mathematics (completion in 2003)
• 10/9/2011
"I had an amazing experience and wish I didn't have to leave. I can't think of anything I would change about the school or my experience there."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I've had great success after graduating from Rowan. I would detail my experience and the amazing professors to anyone looking for a career in Software Engineering. |
| Program Reputation | 6 | Rowan is on the rise, but currently they are more known for their Engineering program (not the software variety). Most people who learn where I graduated have no opinion - either good or bad - of the University. |
| Program Quality | 9 | The Mathematics teachers at Rowan are very hands on. One professor worked with me to write a paper that was published. I'm sure at Ivy League schools you get better renowned professors, but you can't beat Rowan for having professors that care. |
| Instruction | 10 | Rowan's math professors are top notch and they offer a flexibility in course selection that allowed me to get the background in computer programming that I needed. I also learned a foundation in problem solving that is much more helpful in Software Engineering than any programming course I took. |
| How Difficult | 8 | I thought it was challenging, but never felt that it was too difficult. The work load was very manageable for me, since it mostly involved studying and learning concepts. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | As mentioned in previous answers, the professors were always looking to engage students outside of the classroom and the book. Writing a paper with one of my professors taught me more about learning math than any book did. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | When I graduated, online courses were the only place in which I felt they were lacking. I worked a full time job through most of college and was able to accomplish this thanks to night and Summer classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The professors were extremely available, as was space in which to work with them. The library was standard for a college, but I never felt I was lacking anything while there. |
| Social Life | 3 | Rowan is more of a commuter school, so I think that does lead to a lack of school spirit. I'm not someone who seeks out school social activities, though, so it may be that I just didn't take advantage. |
| Placement Services | 7 | Overall, the job placement is standard. They offer web based as well as in-person help. They did help me get my job, so I have a particular affinity for them. |
| Alumni Network | 3 | I did not get much contact with alumni before or after I graduated. I'm not someone who seeks that kind of thing out, so that may have more to do with me. |
Ramapo College Of New Jersey • Mahwah, NJ
Studying Computer Science And Mathematics (completion in 2004)
• 10/25/2011
"For the cost of my education and the experience I had there, I'm very satisfied. The only thing lacking was a stronger research department."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | It's a small school that allows you to interact with the professors directly. The curriculum is also geared toward developing more well-rounded individuals, so you graduate with not just experience in your field but with exposure to many areas. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | Several of my classmates have gone on to get PhDs at respectable universities, including some Ivy League schools. Others are currently working at Google or abroad in Japan for video game programming. |
| Program Quality | 8 | The curriculum and resources are challenging enough. I've found my training comparable to other students who graduated from top notch schools, and several of my classmates are doing very well career-wise. |
| Instruction | 8 | I had two wonderful professors that came from two different sides of computer science - one worked in academics and one worked in the finance industry. Studying under them allowed me to learn theoretical and practical aspects of my career. |
| How Difficult | 9 | It was a small school so we didn't have many resources. In our artificial intelligence class, we had to make do with Lego Mindstorms, which at the time had very little resources (memory, parts, etc) so we had to be clever in our programming. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Half of the professors are very theoretical. The other half encouraged more practical applications to problems. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 4 | Since it was a small school, they only offered some high-level classes once a year. So if you failed or missed registration, you would be delayed for an entire year. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | Professors were very accessible. We didn't have TAs - it was the professors that taught full time. The labs had updated technology but was generally small / limited. |
| Social Life | 7 | There are a lot of clubs and a lot of diversity on campus. The school was always promoting events and made it easy for students to participate. |
| Placement Services | 4 | At the time, the computer science program was still very small. I landed a job through my classmate and professor, not through the school's career services office. |
| Alumni Network | 3 | We don't really have any events that give alumni a chance to meet up and network after they've graduated. It was also a commuter school so students did not bond much as many lived at home or went home during weekends. |
School Of Engineering - The College Of New Jersey • Ewing, NJ
Studying Electrical And Computer Engineering (completion in 2009)
• 12/2/2011
"My aim was to get a decent job. I got that, so I am happy."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | The technical field is in great demand, and you can acquire the technical knowledge here. We are lacking in terms of resources, though. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | Many people are now enrolling. With the challenging market, most of the people are looking to get technical knowledge. |
| Program Quality | 8 | I got my job and I am very happy with it. That is the purpose of me joining this program. |
| Instruction | 8 | They provide a very practical education. They also support you in finding a good job. They help you in building your career. |
| How Difficult | 7 | I didn't have a technical background, but their labs and instructors made me understand things easily. Laptop usage helped me a lot. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | You get a lot of opportunities to do hands on. That is very crucial for success. The lab instructors are also very knowledgeable here. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | It is quite flexible. They can waive courses as well, if needed. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | You can find all kinds of books. You have a laptop, so you can easily access what you need online. |
| Social Life | 7 | I am not that social I guess. The college gives enough opportunities to have growth here. |
| Placement Services | 7 | They helped me in finding my job. They also helped me prepare for the interview. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I didn't receive a lot of support. I believe the college lags there. |
NJIT • New Jersey, NJ
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2004)
• 12/28/2011
"School has helped me to settle well in my job. The help of professors and the infrastructure is very motivational and encourages a good study environment."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Very good infrastructure. Very good professors and teaching methodology. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | The school is very well reputed and attracts lots of students around the globe. It earns a good rank in the overall academic excellence. |
| Program Quality | 8 | The school had very good infrastructure support. The pedagogy was in line with the current industry trend, to get well set and pursue the career. We had a very good lab and computer center. AI and Networking lab support was simply very good. |
| Instruction | 7 | Professors were highly qualified and had designed the course in line with the industry trends and demands. The professors' style of teaching was comprehensive and interactive. |
| How Difficult | 7 | Computer science is the driving force of almost all sectors, and courses are not at all easy. Algorithms and data structures require a meticulous mind to design a solution that not only works, but also saves resources. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Program structure is very flexible. Open-book exam methodology enables logic-driven problems to be answered. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | School provided good flexibility to choose courses according to one's schedule. It offers flexible courses to choose from in case one is working as well, like weekend programs, distance learning via e-content, etc. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | Very good lab support, which is a must for engineering. Very good library and access to the same. |
| Social Life | 8 | Annual fest is held, which hosts lots of extracurricular events. Social events and sporting events keep students involved. |
| Placement Services | 8 | Very good, attracting major companies worldwide. Placement cell performs activities that keep the institute well known among recruiters. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | We have alumni registration, which connects us with all the alumni members. The get-togethers and newsletters help in knowing what is happening with other batchmates and alma mater activities. |
Montclair State University • Upper Montclair, NJ
Studying Computer Science (completion in 1996)
• 12/26/2011
"It's what you bring to your education that determines what you get out of it. In the case of Montclair State, I was able to develop the knowledge and skills I wanted so I was largely satisfied with it."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Even though the tuition is four times higher now, I think it's still a bargain (especially given comparable growth in tuition at other institutions). Additionally, I have no reason to suspect the facilities or resources available to today's student have deteriorated any since the time when I attended. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | The first year I attended Montclair State was the year they received accreditation for the BS degree for Computer Science from the Association of Computing Machinery (ACM). Any college offering an accredited degree requires this formal acceptance of it's curriculum, I am not aware nor do I believe Montclair State has lost this accreditation since my matriculation. |
| Program Quality | 5 | Montclair State was a state school, so it wasn't Ivy League and no one speaks of the recent start-up taking place in the Richardson Hall computing labs. However, I was always of the belief that you got out of your education what you put into it, so the libraries and computing facilities were adequate at that time (which was early 1990s), i.e., it was on the National Science Foundation (NSF) backbone so we had the Internet. |
| Instruction | 6 | I was already a computer whiz kid in high school, so there wasn't a tremendous amount that I learned at university except in some of the more theoretical courses like database theory and compiler design. My instructors had a mix of computer information science research and practical real-world experience, though. |
| How Difficult | 3 | The challenge in my workload was primarily what I added myself, including minoring in Physics and Mathematics. I could have completed the degree requirements in less than 4 years. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I was able to lead team software development projects in courses, as well as research communications satellites for planetary exploration on Mars. Unfortunately, I was not able to lead the actual creation of a planetary exploration satellite, I would have liked that, but Montclair State couldn't afford to let every student build a satellite, so that was understandably hands-off, literature-based research. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 6 | I often took general education courses during evenings and over the weekend. A good number of courses were offered during off-hours, including courses within the Computer Science major, but they may only be offered once every-other semester. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | As I mentioned earlier, the library and computer resources were important to me in shaping my own education and research. I was not disappointed in the facilities that were then available to me (in the early 1990s). |
| Social Life | 9 | At the time I attended Montclair State, the female/male ratio was approximately 7:1. Few other colleges can match that ratio, it's due to the university's history. |
| Placement Services | 3 | I had to find my first job after graduating on my own. The university has some placement assistance for students who purchase credit-hours doing internships, but their job openings for application software engineers after graduation were very sparse and mostly limited to just help desk placements that paid almost nothing and involved very little software engineering. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | As a public school, the alumni network isn't as powerful or impressive as it might be at an Ivy League university. However, being that I am more comfortable with machines than with interacting with people, I can't say I have used the school's alumni network very much, there just isn't a not applicable option. |
Stockton College • Pomona, NJ
Studying Information And Computer Science (completion in 1995)
• 1/9/2012
"I was very satisfied with my school. Getting my degree really helped me get my life on track for a while there."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Yes, especially if they live in or near South Jersey. It's the best school in the area for the price. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | Locally, the school has a very good reputation, especially at the local FAA Technical Center. Outside of that area, I think most have never heard of it. |
| Program Quality | 7 | Stockton has some good computer science professors. You are, or at least were, pretty much guaranteed to at least be able to get a job at the nearby FAA Technical Center in Atlantic City upon graduation. |
| Instruction | 7 | Very competent and helpful professors. They are willing to go out of their way to help guide you. |
| How Difficult | 7 | Most of the required courses were a piece of cake. However, the high level mathematics courses were quite challenging. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Lots of hands on computer labs. Great computing facilities. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | The class scheduling was always pretty flexible. My wife and I both attended school while raising our first child and it was possible to take most of the classes we wanted. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | Great computer labs. Of course, I may be biased since I used to work in them. |
| Social Life | 7 | Very diverse group of people - young and old alike. |
| Placement Services | I never used the job placement services. I know they exist. | |
| Alumni Network | I have not used the alumni support network. I probably should give it a shot. |
Rowan University • Glassboro, NJ
Studying Electrical And Computer Engineering (completion in 2011)
• 3/4/2012
"I feel I got a top notch education for little cost. I enjoyed the time I spent there, both working on projects and just hanging out."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I enjoyed it. I got a good education. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | Rated in the top 15 of some rankings. Reputation of the school is growing and many companies in South Jersey know the school and the high quality of its graduates. |
| Program Quality | 10 | I enjoyed the projects and the classes and the price was low. |
| Instruction | 10 | I learned from well known subject matter experts. Most of my curriculum was transferable to my career. |
| How Difficult | 8 | I spent many hours working on projects and assignments. These required a strong group and individual work ethic. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | We had many labs that taught the theory which we then applied hands on. We also had a course that was mainly hands on. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 6 | Some night classes were offered. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | It's a newer engineering school, so labs were newer. The school had a large library on site. |
| Social Life | 9 | Many events were hosted by student groups. Athletics weren't big events. |
| Placement Services | 9 | Always received emails with new job listings. Helped with resume building classes. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | Haven't been an alum for long, but it seems about average. Some of my classmates were able to get jobs working with and for Alumni. |
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