Here are some tips for selecting schools, based on an analysis comparing each school to all others across dozens of factors:
Schools Concentrating On Automotive Mechanics
- Focus: For schools with a focus on this career area, look at Dalton State and Valdosta State.
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 Valdosta State.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Dekalb, Albany Technical, Savannah Technical College, and Central Georgia Technical College.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Dekalb, Flint River Technical College, Lanier Technical College, and Central Georgia Technical College.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Columbus Tech, Dalton State, College of Coastal Georgia, and South Georgia Technical College.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Valdosta State, North Georgia Technical College, South Georgia Technical College, and Dalton State.
Excellence
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Altamaha Tech, Southeastern Technical College, Southwest Georgia Technical College, and Valdosta State.
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
North Metro Tech • Acworth, GA
Studying Automotive Technology (completion in 2004)
• 2/3/2012
"I entered the workforce with a great deal of knowledge about automotive repair, but little experience to put that knowledge into action. I am thankful that the school taught me to analyze and diagnose problems, but it fell short in providing the experience needed to be ready to be an independent technician."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | It will give you a good background if you have little experience in automotive repair, but it will not make you a master tech. I would suggest going to school and working at a tire shop that does basic services, before seeking employment at a large shop or dealership. You will ultimately learn more with on-the-job training and experience. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | The school has a good reputation for automotive technology, because the head of the department is highly respected and well known. He was a BMW technician and shop foreman for many years and stays current on many different makes and models. |
| Program Quality | 7 | My school provided a thorough education on principles and theories of automotive technology and repair. It did fall slightly short in hands-on training during classroom time, but an internship provided the time needed in a shop environment. |
| Instruction | 7 | My instructors were very knowledgeable about automotive technology, and I learned basic principles needed to begin a career. They should have incorporated more real-life repairs into class experiences than they did. |
| How Difficult | 6 | Some classes were more challenging than others, just like any other school. Difficulty depended on the teacher and the subject. My automatic transmission teacher was much more difficult than others, but so was the subject. The classes that the majority of the people struggled with were electrical classes. We learned Ohm's Law and were tested over voltage, resistance, and amperage, while reading electrical schematics. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It was much more book learning and visual demonstrations than hands-on work. The time spent in the shop was usually a teacher demonstration or two to three people participating, due to a large number of students. I would have liked it to be more hands on, because I would have been better prepared when I got into the workforce. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 1 | The automotive classes were only offered at one time and one quarter of the year. If I missed a summer quarter, I would have to wait until the summer quarter of the next year before the class was offered again. Basic classes such as math and English were offered at numerous times and every quarter. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The school had numerous shops and approximately 30-40 vehicles. They had a great deal of equipment to learn on and use to repair vehicles. The teachers had their personal tools at the school many times, but students were allowed to use them sparingly. They wanted students to bring their own basic tools to the school. |
| Social Life | 1 | It was a small school that had no sports teams or intramurals. I believe there may have been a few clubs, but I was not part of any of them. The automotive department was in its own building and I rarely interacted with students in other majors. |
| Placement Services | 1 | There was no job placement that I knew of when I was there. I had to go out and basically beg people to take a chance and give me an internship. After my internship was over, I stayed on and worked for the company for almost four years. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | I don't even know if they had an alumni network then. The school has since merged with Chattahoochee Tech, a much larger school system. I hope it is better than it used to be, because I can't remember being contacted a single time after graduation. |
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