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 Metropolitan Community College-Longview and Ozarks Technical 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 Central Missouri State.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider STLCC - Forest Park.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider STLCC - Forest Park, Crowder, Metropolitan Community College-Longview, and State Fair Community College.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Ranken Technical College, Central Missouri State, STLCC - Forest Park, and Ozarks Technical Community College.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Central Missouri State, Linn State, Ranken Technical College, and Mineral Area College.
Excellence
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Linn State and Central Missouri State.
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
Sort Reviews By:Sorting by: • Show All Details • Hide All Details
Ranken Technical College • St. Louis, MO
Studying Electrical/Electronics (completion in 1997)
• 12/23/2011
"Taught me my life skills. Give a man a fish and feed him for a day. Teach a man to fish and feed him for life."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | All new technicians need to be trained in this field. The computers and electronics are so advanced, the novice can no longer do the repairs. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | Extremely successful institution. Very prestigious trade school. |
| Program Quality | 10 | I was taught to understand various things, including how to diagnose and how to read electrical schematics. |
| Instruction | 10 | Instructor taught in a hands-on style and got all students involved one on one. |
| How Difficult | 10 | There were 22 people in the class, and I was one of three who passed. Extremely advanced. Very challenging. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Most instruction took place in the shop. Some, but not a lot of classroom activity. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Instructor came to our shop and taught the entire company of mechanics after hours, for 5 nights a week. Only had to attend 3. |
| Placement Services | I did not get any help. The company I was working for paid for it all. | |
| Alumni Network | 1 | Have never been contacted. Not one time. |
Ozarks Technical Community College • Springfield, MO
Studying Automotive Technology (completion in 2005)
• 3/15/2012
"I have been nothing but pleased with my decision to attend OTC. Having it on my resume has helped me at least 3 times in either jobs with new companies or wage negotiations."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would always recommend people attend a public tech school like OTC over a private vocational school. OTC in particular has been a great boost to my money-earning potential, and I would easily be making $4-6 less per hour without it. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | As mentioned above, OTC is highly respected in this part of the country in automotive and other fields. I would never recommend any school but those similar to OTC due to the extreme cost of similar, but private, schools. Even when cost is not a factor, OTC shines due to the quality of instruction and instructors. |
| Program Quality | 8 | The school I chose is a very good community college/vo-tech school that is highly respected in this area, unlike other tech schools I've seen in other cities I've lived in. OTC (Ozarks Technical Community College) is far less costly than many private auto-related tech schools, such as UTI or Lincoln Tech. |
| Instruction | 9 | The instructors I had were very knowledgeable about the career, and not just how to repair cars. I feel the knowledge they shared about how to navigate the field itself was at least as valuable as actual car repair information. |
| How Difficult | 6 | Most people who were in this program were already mechanically inclined, and I was no exception. What I needed (and received) was more detailed information about specialized techniques for cars I'd never worked on before. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Eighty percent of the course for Automotive Technology at OTC is hands-on. However, there is appropriate, related classroom study as well for things such as wiring diagrams, test plans, etc. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | I was able to work almost full-time while attending OTC full-time due to their flexible schedules. This was a major factor in my choice to actually attend OTC and not just remain a tire tech. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | OTC has a huge Automotive Technology facility with all the tools and repair resources we needed and then some. I can't even fathom what else would be needed. |
| Social Life | 7 | OTC is a very casual, friendly environment, and students are not looked down upon by faculty or staff. I felt like there was more interaction between instructors and students due to smaller class sizes. |
| Placement Services | I didn't need any job placement help from OTC. I also didn't need any career service help from them, either. | |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I don't really have any experiences with this aspect of OTC. I had a job in the field during and after school already, and didn't need their help getting one. |
Online Course Finder
Find the path to your
education in 3 easy steps.