US Colleges >> By Career >> Computer Programmers >> California


Career and School Info for Computer Programmers in California



  School and Career Overview

Computer Programmers photo

 

Here are some tips for selecting schools, based on an analysis comparing each school to all others across dozens of factors:

Schools Concentrating On Computer Programmers

  • Focus: For schools with a focus on this career area, look at Santa Monica College, Pasadena City College, Berkeley City College, and Moorpark 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 San Diego State, Cal State San Marcos, Cal State L.A., and The National Hispanic University.
  • Female: For schools particularly welcoming to female students, consider Mills College, LA College International, and Humphreys.
  • Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider The National Hispanic University, Cal State L.A., CSU Dominguez Hills, and UC Riverside.
  • Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Palo Verde College, Mendocino College, Brandman, and Monterey Peninsula College.

School Setting

  • Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of LA College International, Pomona College, Cal Tech, and Harvey Mudd.
  • Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Harvey Mudd, Pacific Union College, Claremont McKenna, and Pomona College.

Excellence

  • SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at Cal Tech, Harvey Mudd, Pomona College, and Stanford University.
  • % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at Stanford University, Cal Tech, Pomona College, and Claremont McKenna.
  • Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Cal Tech, Pomona College, Claremont McKenna, and Stanford University.

 

Read Reviews of Schools for This Career and State

Spotlight Schools Search

1. ZIP Code near where you want to attend school?
2. What subject are you interested in?
3. What degree level are you looking for?
4. Where do you want to attend class? Online Campus Either

Spotlight California Schools Related to This Career

DeVry University

  • Locations: Alhambra, Anaheim, Bakersfield, Colton, Daly City, Elk Grove, Fremont, Fresno, Irvine, Long Beach, Palmdale, Pomona, San Diego, Sherman Oaks
  • Programs: 2 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
  • Degrees: Bachelor

The Art Institutes

  • Locations: North Hollywood, San Diego, San Francisco, Santa Ana, Santa Monica
  • Programs: 3 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
  • Degrees: Bachelor

University of Phoenix

  • Locations: Bakersfield, Beale AFB, Chula Vista, Costa Mesa, Culver City, Diamond Bar, El Centro, Elk Grove, Fairfield, Fresno, Gardena, Lancaster, Lathrop, Livermore, Los Angeles, Murrieta, Oakland, Ontario, Palm Desert, Pasadena, Rancho Cordova, Roseville, Sacramento, Salida, San Bernardino, San Diego, San Jose, San Marcos, Visalia, Woodland Hills
  • Programs: One relevant program; click the school name for details.
  • Degrees: Bachelor

ITT Technical Institute

  • Locations: Clovis, Concord, San Bernardino
  • Programs: 8 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
  • Degrees: Associate, Bachelor

Heald College

  • Locations: Roseville
  • Programs: One relevant program; click the school name for details.
  • Degrees: Associate

California College San Diego

  • Locations: National City, San Diego, San Marcos
  • Programs: 6 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
  • Degrees: Associate, Bachelor

See these schools on a map

Study from Anywhere at Online Schools Related to This Career

University of Phoenix Online

  • Programs: 3 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
  • Degrees: Associate, Bachelor, Master

DeVry University Online

  • Programs: 2 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
  • Degrees: Bachelor

Kaplan University

  • Programs: One relevant program; click the school name for details.
  • Degrees: Associate

AIU Online

  • Programs: 2 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
  • Degrees: Bachelor

Colorado Technical University Online

  • Programs: 3 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
  • Degrees: Bachelor, Doctorate

Everest University Online

  • Programs: One relevant program; click the school name for details.
  • Degrees: Associate, Bachelor

Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State

Sort Reviews By:

San Jose State University • San Jose, CA
Studying Software Engineering (completion in 2009)

• 5/8/2011

"The learning was good. Some of the rules were very rigid."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?yesI will recommend as the school is in Silicon Valley where most of the tech companies are. So good chances of getting job and good exposure.
Program Reputation7Reputation is good as the school is in Silicon Valley. Many tech companies come and recruit.
Program Quality5Some of the professors are really good but not all. Assignment quality was good. Learned a lot through assignments. Some subjects are useless.
Instruction5Amount of learning was good. Quality of curriculum was average. Classes were of 3 hours.
How Difficult7It was difficult. We needed to work on new technologies and needed to learn about them.
Hands-On vs. BookishAssignments were really good. We got to work on new technologies. Learned a lot.
Schedule Flexibility7It's good. Mostly classes are in the evening. That suits well if you are already working.
Academic Facilities7Library is very good. Professors are mostly available during their office hours. Classrooms are good.
Social Life3I made new friends. Never participated in any social events.
Placement Services7They organize career fairs every term. Many companies come to recruit.
Alumni Network5The alumni network is not that great. There is no common place where all can connect and talk.

San Diego State University • San Diego, CA
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2008)

• 5/8/2011

"I will be always proud to be a part of San Diego State University."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?yesIt is an amazing place to study. Very highly recommended.
Program Reputation10San Diego State University is considered one of the best universities.
Program Quality10San Diego State University is a prime university for many courses including computer science.
Instruction10At San Diego State University, I learned a lot. It is a perfect platform to prepare yourself for your career.
How Difficult9The grading system is very tough. It requires a lot of attention and hard work to get good grades. But this is also similar to the quality of education we get.
Hands-On vs. BookishIt is a mix of hands on and book learning. This allows the students to grasp concepts in real life.
Schedule Flexibility8It is flexible and provides a big range of options for you to pick from.
Academic Facilities10San Diego State University has a big campus and very nice facilities.
Social Life10Many social and extra curricular groups you may join. Parties are full of life.
Placement Services10We get a lot of assistance for career placement.
Alumni Network10There is a big Alumni network for our San Diego State University students. They are literally all across the country.

UC Berkeley • Berkeley, CA
Studying Electrical Engineering/Computer Science (completion in 1986)

(Overall rating not available) • 5/7/2011

"My college provided what it promised for my program. I was able to get the classes I wanted, to learn the material I wanted, and complete my degree in a timely fashion. The school's career center was a great start for my future after college."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?yesUC Berkeley Engineering was a great place to learn and meet others that I still network with today. It continues to be a great engineering school and I would highly recommend it to student looking into an engineering degree.
Program Reputation10At the time, I attended, UC Berkeley was in the top 3 programs for EECS. It had many of the top professors in the field.
Program Quality10The program offered me a lot of choices of emphasis for my major (I focused on software development by choice). There were opportunities for doing research under professors or internships with companies to get real world experience.
InstructionMore than 5 years agoI completed my bachelors 25 years ago.
How Difficult7The coursework was challenging and difficult for students who were used to doing well in high school. Even though it was difficult, the complexity in the material was probably necessary based on real-world job requirements.
Hands-On vs. BookishA lot of the engineering program was theoretical. Although we did many labs on basic functions of things, a lot of material was picked up from textbooks and lectures.
Schedule Flexibility6At the time I attended all coursework was on weekdays from 8am to 5pm. There were very few courses in my program that were offered during the summer.
Academic Facilities8I found I had access to computers, media, and libraries to fulfill all my needs. The campus internet access was great for the time I attended.
Social Life8Campus social life was great. The diversity of people at UC Berkeley allowed everyone to find multiple groups of friends who shared common interests. My best friends are the ones I made from college.
Placement Services10I was able to get many on-campus job interviews through the campus program. I received 3 job offers as a result of my on-campus interview. I did join one of the companies that I met through the campus interview and stayed on with them for 14 years.
Alumni Network6I have heard good things about the alumni program but have not made much use of it on my own. The alumni program offers social events while providing funds for scholarships and programs within the school.

University Of California Stanislaus • Modesto, CA
Studying Computer Engineering (completion in 2008)

• 5/1/2011

"I am very satisfied with my school. I just wish budget cuts hadn't hit my campus so hard."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?yesI have actually recommended both my brother, and aunt to this school to finish their education. I was very happy with this campus.
Program Reputation7My school was pretty unknown compared to the bigger schools, such as Berkeley. This campus though offers an amazing program.
Program Quality9The education level at my school was great. Sadly though with the budget cuts California imposed we started to lose a lot of good staff towards the end of my time there.
Instruction10The staff was amazing. They spent a lot of time with us making sure each student was ready for the workforce.
How Difficult10Programming is so intense that many people dropped the class. It required a lot of outside study.
Hands-On vs. BookishThe school fought very hard to make sure everything was a fair mix. This is why I was able to have enough experience to get the job I have now.
Schedule Flexibility3Classes were not flexible at all. In fact the schedule was so tight you had to schedule your life around the classes.
Academic Facilities7Budgets cuts really hit my school hard towards the end of my program. Thus we lost a lot of our advanced technology, and computers.
Social Life9Modesto is a rather small town, and almost everyone knew everyone else. Thus the campus was very connected.
Placement Services6The school does not really offer job placement. In fact most jobs offered are from employers just coming on campus.
Alumni Network6With budget cuts being imposed now more than ever this feature has waned, thus not allowing us as alumni to communicate very well.

California State Polytechnic University • Pomona, CA
Studying B.S. Computer Science & Engineering (completion in 2008)

• 5/1/2011

"I'm very satisfied because its a well known school in the country. And it has prepared me a lot for the field."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?yesYes it's a great school for sciences. And I think you will have a great experience at this school. It's a great school to have on your resume.
Program Reputation9It's a great school -- most of the top students end up working for JPL or the big defense companies like Raytheon, Boeing etc.
Program Quality8it has great professors and also provides a lot of hands-on experiences through the curriculum.
Instruction9Most of the professors have a lot of experience and have done a lot research in their fields.
How Difficult8Basically its is difficult because its needs a lot of math and programming and most of the people are not used to it. And it gets hard with senior courses.
Hands-On vs. BookishIts a combination of both but the goal of the school philosophy is to give a lot of hands on experience to the students.
Schedule Flexibility9It's good they provide classes for everybody. But it all depends on the budget since the economy is bad and it has probably gotten worse around this time.
Academic Facilities9They have good facilities that help students with their assignments and lab experiments.
Social Life4Basically its a commuter school so everybody leaves the school after classes. There are no "downtown areas."
Placement Services8They do a good job trying to provide placement for the students. They offer a lot of services, and workshops.
Alumni Network7I think they do a good job. I think they need to reach more students .

University Of California, Irvine • Irvine, CA
Studying Informatics (completion in 2012)

• 5/1/2011

"I am quite satisfied with my school. Without it, I probably wouldn't have the career I have now."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?yesIt's a great school that offers great facilities and great experience for the field. It is unlikely that you'd find a program like this at another school.
Program Reputation9I am told UCI has some of the top software engineers and researchers in the world. I would believe that reflects the school's success and reputation.
Program Quality8It wasn't perfect, but it taught me a lot, and truly prepared me for the field. The computer science major concentrated too strongly on low level programming rather than real world experience.
Instruction10As I explained in the previous question, the instruction I was given helped prepare me for work in my career choice. Without it, I would've been unprepared.
How Difficult8In a lot of ways it was like actually working, as we were given clients to work with and projects to do that could or could not be implemented by our company sponsors. We were as much at risk at failing class as we were failing our clients.
Hands-On vs. BookishAt the beginning of the year, there was a concentration on book work. However, as we moved on, hands-on began became very important.
Schedule Flexibility2There was always one class that was offered at one time, and it made it extremely difficult to do things I wanted to do (like find an internship). Given the limited faculty, however, that was understandable.
Academic Facilities10They were exceptional, and helped further my success. All the help outside of class, especially.
Social Life5I was too busy with school work and actual work to take part in any social events. I socialized with close friends, but nothing that directly pertained to the school.
Placement Services5My school didn't help my job placement at all, although I was given advice and counseling for my career options. It helped, but it was nothing to write home about.
Alumni Network5It's nothing amazing, but not bad. I don't exactly benefit from it.

University Of The Pacific • Stockton, CA
Studying Computer Engineering (completion in 2006)

• 5/5/2011

"I'm very pleased with the education I received from Pacific. It offered a great education at a great price."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?yesI would definitely recommend UOP to any student who was considering it. You'll be more than just a number.
Program Reputation8Pacific has had a reputation for being one of the top Engineering schools without a Graduate program. While they have recently added a grad program, it has retained the same level of quality and commitment to students.
Program Quality9The engineering program at my school is very small (approximately 500 students). This allows for lots of personal attention and focus on students.
InstructionMore than 5 years ago
How Difficult7Engineering is never an easy subject and always involves large amounts of work. But I believe Pacific found a good balance of preparing students for the real world without burdening them.
Hands-On vs. BookishMost engineering or science classes have a lab component to them. This enables students to apply what they've learned rather than just reading about it.
Schedule Flexibility7As long as students pass their classes and regularly meet with facility advisors prior to enrolling for courses, Pacific ensures that students will graduate in 5 years.
Academic Facilities5Pacific has several engineering only labs that are open to students. Each student is required to have a faculty advisor, to ensure that students are progressing and on track. All teachers have office hours where they can meet with student who require additional time outside of class. There are also school sponsored tutors available.
Social Life5As in all schools, the social aspect is what you make of it. The school is known for its basketball and volley ball teams, which enjoys large support from students. Frats/sororities also play a large part in the social scene.
Placement Services5I have never made use of the universities job placement or career services. However, the school does offer job placement assistance for all grads, and the Engineering department also remains in constant contact with industry and can help with job searches.
Alumni Network5I have received emails, phone calls, and mail from my school's alumni association, so I know it exists. But as of yet, I have not really been interested in attending any of their functions.

St. Mary's Of California • Moraga, CA
Studying MBA/Systems Engineering (completion in 2000)

• 5/5/2011

"I maybe rated it overall better than the individual categories because it just all fit together. Consider for example designing an airline system with people in the group who work for an airline. Much more learning than just the project itself."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?yesI think it's a waste of time to go to one of the University of Phoenix type places that charge a lot and have pretty low standards. If you can't make the commitment to go to a prestige school but want quality then I think St. Mary's is a good choice.
Program Reputation5As a minor college it's always a cut below the MIT's etc. But they do put on a good program even if not well known.
Program Quality2Good technical people and students and faculty also experienced in the real world. For a bachelors then technical content is probably most important but for a masters it's got to be based in the real world to be useful.
InstructionMore than 5 years agon/a
How Difficult3No fooling around or faking it here. Programs had to work and be well designed and professional, not for hackers.
Hands-On vs. BookishI give it a bit more towards hands on because of the projects we did. Much more of that than book reading and taking tests.
Schedule Flexibility9Very flexible with options from full time daytime to night which is what I did. And one could mix and match if desired.
Academic Facilities4Not much provided besides classrooms and profs. We had to use our own computers and that's not a big deal since everyone has one these days. Who needs a library?
Social Life5Since I was there mostly for night classes i just wanted to go home. No desire to hang out so I never did.
Placement Services4Only used the job placement office once to no great benefit. I did much better with networking on my own.
Alumni Network5Didn't really make much use of the network. They were more interested in cocktail parties than useful exchanges.

UC Irvine • Irvine, CA
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2011)

• 5/4/2011

"It gave me a good research experience and there were very good classes offered too. Even if the career center sucked, the stuff I've done sufficed to get me a good job."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?yesI would recommend this school for a grad program in artificial intelligence or graphics or algorithms. Systems, nope.
Program Reputation8It's a new school due to which even though the programs are good, the ratings aren't that high.
Program Quality9It has a very good collection of professors and lecturers. They design very good courses.
Instruction8It's a research-oriented place due to which some professors don't teach all that well.
How Difficult7They have pretty high standards and the quarter system makes it all the more stressful.
Hands-On vs. BookishMost of the courses I took were very project-oriented.
Schedule Flexibility9I haven't seen any of those programs offered. I would be the wrong person to talk about flexibility here because i haven’t felt the need for it.
Academic Facilities10The libraries are good and well-stocked. The professors are quite accessible.
Social Life5Everyone goes home for the weekend. It's a sleepy town.
Placement Services4There aren't that many computer science employers visiting the career fairs, and the career center doesn't do much about that.
Alumni Network6It's not as well-known as the bigger schools, and the alumni aren't in all that many wonderful places.

UCLA • Los Angeles, CA
Studying Cognitive Science (completion in 2011)

• 7/8/2011

"I liked the feel of the school and the different aspects of it. It was certainly better than high school and gave a pretty good mix of different things/classes/jobs."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?yesUCLA is a pretty good school and is viewed relatively well. This also includes employers and I believe it helped me get internships early on. There are also a lot of people studying computer science, so that will give people the chance to meet other future programmers. There are also some good job opportunities that you probably wouldn't be able to get at a smaller school and that could be a great help later on in your career.
Program Reputation8Because my major was very small (~60 students per year), I don't know what the ratings for it are. UCLA as a whole is fairly above average, so I would place it in line with that.
Program Quality7There was a lack of integration between courses in this interdisciplinary major. There was also a good degree of freedom in class choices, though.
Instruction7There are obviously good and bad teachers, and I would rate most of my teaches as fine. So a slightly above average rating seems applicable.
How Difficult7The computer science courses that I took were much harder than the majority of the classes that were required for my major. I also took psychology classes which were more on the 5 level, but the ones that leaned more towards science were much more difficult.
Hands-On vs. BookishComputer programming classes were very hands on, though I don't know if there could be another way to teach programming. However, in pretty much all my other classes, I would say there was almost no hands on learning.
Schedule Flexibility4There are very few online options and none in my course of study. There are also no real night classes offered for me. During the day, however, it is pretty flexible since there are a lot of different classes due to the large size of the school.
Academic Facilities7There are certainly some good resources, but you do have to search for them to a certain extent. The computer labs for the psych department were very limited but the computer labs for computer programming classes and computer science classes were pretty flexible. There were no real tutors/study groups, however, for regular students. And accessibility of professors was about average.
Social Life3I was not involved in most of the above so it was not so great. However, there seemed like a lot of opportunities for people that were looking for different activities.
Placement Services4I did not receive much help with finding internships or jobs through my school's job placement and career services and got my undergraduate experience without help from the career center. I had to look elsewhere for internships and jobs, even on campus programming related jobs.
Alumni Network5I don't really know that much about my school's alumni network and support as I very recently graduated and haven't given it much thought.

UCSD Jacobs School Of Engineering • San Diego, CA
Studying Computer Sciences (completion in 2010)

• 7/16/2011

"I am very satisfied with my school and I always miss those days of learning. It has improved my professional skills and also my social life."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?yesit is very nice place to learn.
Program Reputation9It is a famous engineering school in San Diego and very popular among the new generation because graduates are performing their jobs very well.
Program Quality9It was a very good school as they make let the students be creative and provide them all the best opportunities for their careers. A very helpful staff also make it great.
Instruction9I learned much from this school and now I am a good programmer.
How Difficult7It's quite difficult to be creative in programming since all things look imaginary and you have to make a program logical. So I found this field to be a little bit difficult ,but still quite interesting.
Hands-On vs. BookishIn school they provide hand outs to the students, but mostly prefer book learning. Professors write their own books on programming and student mostly use these books.
Schedule Flexibility5they are strict on the class scheduling. They do provide opportunities for evening students and also offer online short courses in programming.
Academic Facilities10All of these things are extremely good. Tutors, library, labs - everything is awesome. Students can get maximum benefits from these facilities. Everything is connected through a LAN with the main server.
Social Life9It is also a good source for social relationships and provides opportunities for students to connect themselves socially by arranging different annual programs.
Placement Services9At this school they provide job opportunities to the students and arrange their internships in well known software houses. They also provide them with jobs in the school.
Alumni Network9The staff was very helpful and caring and guided the students on their career paths and also made them creative to compete with the world's challenges in future.

UC Santa Barbara • Santa Barbara, CA
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2007)

• 7/27/2011

"It was the best mix of academics and social interaction. The experience was amazing."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?yesI would highly recommend UCSB to others studying computer science. It is a great school.
Program Reputation7Computer Science has been a respected major at the school for quite a while. Some very important research has come out of UCSB.
Program Quality9I was given strong fundamentals in computer science theory with a good amount of programming instruction. The relaxed atmosphere of the school helped me deal with the stress of a highly technical field of study.
Instruction8The school has a very well thought-out curriculum. A few sub-par professors lower the rating slightly.
How Difficult7The work load was heavy at times but never unbearable. Computer science is a challenging field.
Hands-On vs. BookishTheory is strongly emphasized and studied in-depth. However, most learning is done though programming.
Schedule Flexibility7Standard university scheduling. Summer sessions are very convenient.
Academic Facilities7Computer labs are well equipped and staffed. Professors can sometimes have limited availability but teaching assistants are very helpful.
Social Life10It's one of the most social schools in California. The students work hard and play hard.
Placement Services8The school participates with local business in the field for a senior project course. Also, the career fairs are well done.
Alumni Network5The alumni network seems to be better for other fields. I see a lot of activity on social media websites but nothing very relevant to me.

University Of California San Diego • La Jolla, CA
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2013)

• 7/23/2011

"Average experience. I did learn a lot."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?yesUCSD has a good computer science program, no doubt about it. If you want a decent salary and decent job prospects, go to UCSD.
Program Reputation9UCSD has a top 15 computer science program.
Program QualityIt provides me with interesting challenges, however the work hours and conditions are painful, especially for the eyes.
Instruction8School has prepared me algorithmically for what I've had to accomplish as a software engineer. The only thing lacking is building an actual product.
How Difficult9It's difficult and unhealthy, sitting in front of a computer all day.
Hands-On vs. BookishThe course moves too fast for it to be hands-on. Most of it is concepts out of a book applied cursorily.
Schedule Flexibility5Classes are provided most of the year, but some courses are offered only during specific quarters.
Academic Facilities5Old machines at best. Generally I worked on my own machine.
Social Life5No real Division I athletics = no school spirit. It's a problem with a lot of schools.
Placement Services7Generally, UCSD CS grads with at least a 3.0 GPA find a job within the first year.
Alumni Network5Young school. Not much of a network.

Orange Coast College • Costa Mesa, CA
Studying Mathematics (completion in 2009)

• 7/24/2011

"I would say as far as schools go, I would repeat the experience. I was happy with the staff, facility, and the help to my career."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?yesAs a starting point, Orange Coast College is wonderful, though it all depends on how you use it. You get out of it what you put in.
Program Reputation9I have got programming jobs based on the recommendations of my professors. Because their names carry weight in the same fields in which they teach, I would call it a good reputation.
Program Quality10The programming instruction received was excellent. I was given a clear understanding of the languages in the classes I took. I had an instructor who worked in the field, which helped me start.
Instruction10As stated earlier, my instructor was able to give me more realistic expectations about the industry. I have walked away with a strong ability to manipulate code in the languages for which I have taken classes.
How Difficult8Specificity and accuracy are the most difficult things, but when you make a habit of them, it make things much smoother. The results justify the difficulty.
Hands-On vs. BookishAlmost all my programming experience was hands on. Books were primarily used as references when we didn't remember something, or when studying for a test.
Schedule Flexibility5For impacted programs, few classes exist, limiting the time of the class. Between disciplines, this can cause chaos with overlap, and extend the time taken to achieve a degree.
Academic Facilities8The computer labs provided me with the majority of the software we worked with, and the bookstore provided books at a discount when the they did not. Bandwidth was slow, but not terrible.
Social Life7I met the love of my life in the art program, though we are now separated. The school had the potential for great involvement, and had many supporters and events.
Placement Services5There is little screening that exists for job placement and career services. Jobs are not particularly good and there are many to sort through.
Alumni Network7Alumni assist the school, which in turn helps the students. I would like it if the alumni were directly hired from the program, though that is likely due to graduating from a two-year rather than four-year institution.

California Polytechnic State University • San Luis Obispo, CA
Studying General Engineering (completion in 2008)

• 9/30/2011

"There were lots of things I did not like, such as some aspects of the student body. But I loved it overall, and I met great people, and I learned what I'm passionate for in life."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?yesAnything related to computers is going to be highly technical. Even if Cal Poly doesn't focus as much on creative outlets, its technical education is superb.
Program Reputation10Cal Poly SLO is rated pretty well for engineering.
Program Quality6My school made it very difficult to switch majors, especially between departments. I was locked into a program I didn't enjoy. On the other hand, I was first introduced to programming in a C/UNIX that was required for my major.
Instruction5Something about my college/program was just a bit too technical. I'm creative, I consider what I do for a living to be creative, but I had to discover that on my own while working as an engineer for two years and hating it.
How Difficult9Engineering was tough at Cal Poly. I was able to take more technical electives as general, which gave me a little more freedom.
Hands-On vs. BookishThe lower level courses were definitely all bookwork, but later on we got to do a lot of field and lab work that really taught a lot. After all, Cal Poly's motto is "learn by doing."
Schedule Flexibility8I was a lot more willing to take evening classes than morning classes. A lot were crowded but that's pretty typical in the higher education system today.
Academic Facilities8They had just finished a new technology building and robotics center during my last year.
Social Life7The stress of classes combined with issues in my personal life let me fairly antisocial. I didn't get much into school spirit, but had a small group of student friends and we all identified strongly with our school and town.
Placement Services8I found a couple jobs on their employment website, called MustangJobs. One was at a winery and the other was for the Atascadero Mutual Water Company. Great jobs for being a student at the time.
Alumni Network7The teachers were mostly working professionals. They were nice people and offered support but, with a few spectacular exceptions, teaching definitely wasn't their calling.

UC Berkeley • Berkeley, CA
Studying Electrical Engineering And Computer Science (completion in 2010)

• 10/6/2011

"I love the place and the people and the learning. I am grateful for my time there."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?yesIt will help you learn your programming concepts, answer those algorithm questions in your interviews, and find a job. Go Bears!
Program Reputation9EECS at Berkeley is ranked as one of the best programs in the country, alongside MIT and Stanford. I felt like it was very helpful in obtaining a job.
Program Quality9It was hard at times, it made me realize how far I could push myself. At the same time, many of the skills I learned (in upper division technical classes especially) I now apply at my job.
Instruction9I felt like I had the best professors around, who were passionate and constantly challenging our minds. We learned computers on all levels, from individual bits up to high-level software applications.
How Difficult8I felt like it was very, very hard, but that's probably because I'm not a genius and have to work at things a little longer. However, EECS does have the reputation of being the most difficult major on campus.
Hands-On vs. BookishMost of the learning is done in projects. There is still required reading.
Schedule Flexibility5Class scheduling could be a little rough. They had standard class times with summer school offerings.
Academic Facilities8Graduate Student Instructors (GSIs) and professors held regular office hours and honor societies offered free tutoring. There were lots of computer labs with decent hardware and many, many libraries to study at.
Social Life6My program had the reputation of being more devoted to academics than a social life, which I won't deny. I still enjoyed attending football games (Go Bears!), parties, and clubs, like Circle K and salsa dancing.
Placement Services8There was constant recruitment, from career fairs to info sessions. Callisto was very helpful in obtaining on-campus interviews.
Alumni Network5I haven't taken much advantage of the alumni program. I do get pestered for donations, which I gladly give.

Point Loma Nazarene University • San Diego, CA
Studying Computer Science (completion in 1982)

• 10/14/2011

"I got the degree I wanted at a school I liked. It was exactly what I chose it for: a location I liked, close to home, and with a Christian learning environment like I wanted."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?yesIt was a positive experience, and I got the degree I needed to proceed with my career. My employer was happy with my degree, and I was happy with my promotion and career.
Program Reputation5I wouldn't say that they are known especially for this major, but they're a respected school. Their reputation is more as a general Christian liberal arts university.
Program Quality4At the time I got my degree, they offered only two options for the Computer Science program: Math or Business. I wish that they had offered an Engineering option, as it would have been better aligned with the industry I worked work in.
Instruction7It was a good school, with dedicated professors and small class sizes. It prepared me well, although I was already working in the industry when I started there.
How Difficult9The higher math required for the Math Option was pretty tough. I struggled with it pretty badly in the 4th year, but I made it.
Hands-On vs. BookishThere was a lot of book learning, which was mostly intellectual. However, programming classes involved real computer equipment.
Schedule Flexibility5I worked half time and went to school half time while I completed my degree. My employer accommodated the school schedule.
Academic Facilities6I found the facilities quite adequate. They provided all of the equipment and learning resources necessary to complete the classes.
Social Life5I'm an engineer, and not the rah-rah sort. I wasn't looking for parties and social events, so I didn't go to any that I didn't have to.
Placement ServicesI never used these services. I was already employed in the industry while I got my degree, and continued with the same company (with a promotion) after I completed my degree.
Alumni Network6I am always contacted for alumni activities. Plus they have a group on LinkedIn.com. They do fine by me.

National University • San Diego, CA
Studying Software Engineering (completion in 2007)

• 10/20/2011

"NU needs to toughen its academic standards. It also needs to improve its reputation in the business world."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?noI would absolutely not recommend NU for a software degree. It is not reputable at all.
Program Reputation1No hiring manager has ever expressed interest in my university. NU does not have a good reputation for software.
Program Quality1The computer engineering program at National University is very weak. The academic standards are very low, so the degree is not very valuable.
Instruction3Some of the teachers were solid in regards to programming. The engineering teachers were very uninterested and no matter how bad the work it was graded as A/B.
How Difficult3Most of the engineering work was busy work. The computer programming was fairly good, however.
Hands-On vs. BookishWork at NU is a good mix. I've read long books on engineering principles and spent many hours programming.
Schedule Flexibility9Classes are very easy to find at NU. There is no shortage of time slots.
Academic Facilities8NU has a very nice campus in Clairemont Mesa. I found it very comfortable.
Social Life7The students at NU were personable, if not academically brilliant. I found my time there enjoyable.
Placement Services1NU provided no support for the software field. Everything I've done has been on my own.
Alumni Network1NU has a very weak alumni network. The only contacts I receive are requests for donations.

Stanford University • Palo Alto, CA
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2010)

• 11/29/2011

"I thought I received a good education from there, and I learned the fundamentals of computer science. It was a very useful experience overall."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?maybeIt provides a good education, but college is not the only thing that matters to be successful (some very successful people never even go to college). I think that all college education should be taken with a grain of salt, including Stanford and any other places.
Program Reputation8Stanford is well known for its computer science program. It has a good reputation for computer science and other technology fields.
Program Quality8Stanford is well known for its computer science program. The program taught me all the fundamentals of computer science.
Instruction8Good teachers, and teaching assistants help out with difficult things. There are also video recordings available for many class lectures.
How Difficult8There is a quarter system at Stanford instead of a semester system. That means classes go fast and it's easy to fall behind.
Hands-On vs. BookishThere is not much time to read books, since classes go quickly. Thus, most learning happens from handouts and assignments.
Schedule Flexibility9The schedule is very flexible. Attending lectures is not mandatory, and many lectures are video-recorded and can be viewed online at any time.
Academic Facilities8Everything that is needed for a student is available. There are libraries, computer clusters, etc. I wish the toilets were cleaner, though.
Social Life5I did not go to many parties or events. The study schedule is hard and takes up most of your time.
Placement Services7The career placement is good, similar to what other universities provide. In the end, it's about the person looking for the job and not about the career placement service.
Alumni Network7I do not use the alumni network. However, I have heard from others that it is pretty good.

SJSU • San Jose, CA
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2007)

• 11/29/2011

"I enjoyed my time there. "

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?yesI would recommend it to people who can't afford Uni.
Program Reputation5It's a state university; it's not Ivy League or known to be exceptional in computer science.
Instruction7Some teachers were really good and caring for us; others were not.
How Difficult8Some classes were extremely difficult.
Hands-On vs. BookishWe had computers available. They were not the latest/greatest.
Schedule Flexibility8Worked for me as a part-time worker.
Academic Facilities8I enjoyed the facilities; bowling, football fields, etc.
Social Life8I was able to make friends. We hung out in study groups.
Placement Services3No job placement. Some advice, though.
Alumni Network8There is an alumni group that does activities. They send out emails, etc.

CSU Chico • Chico, CA
Studying Computer Engineering (completion in 2010)

• 12/20/2011

"I really enjoyed my experience at CSU Chico. The one thing I am not satisfied with is the lack of industry connections."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?yesCSU Chico is a very fun school to attend. The computer engineering program will certainly challenge you and expand your knowledge.
Program ReputationI don't know what my school's reputation for my program is. I tried looking this up, but there wasn't any relevant information available.
Program Quality7This major was an excellent mix of hands-on experience and theory. I feel like I was challenged to excel in this field.
Instruction7Most of the teachers were excellent. However, some did not appear up to date with the modern state of the industry.
How Difficult9This program was very difficult. It took a lot of work to keep a decent grade point average.
Hands-On vs. BookishNearly every class I took had a lab section. This was where we did all the hands-on work. In class, it was pure theory.
Schedule Flexibility7Some classes are taught online. However, most classes are taught in the early afternoon.
Academic Facilities5The labs seemed outdated. There wasn't much research being conducted at CSU Chico, so the lab facilities contained the basics, and little more.
Social Life7The students were very friendly and willing to work as a team on several academic projects. There were a lot of fun activities downtown that were great after classes.
Placement Services8CSU Chico hosts technical job fairs twice a year. This is a great way to meet potential employers and possibly land a job.
Alumni Network2There really isn't much to say about my school's alumni support. I was offered insurance through my alumni association, and that's about it.

Stanford University • Palo Alto, CA
Studying Computer Science - Human/Computer Interaction (completion in 2008)

• 1/13/2012

"I wish I worked harder and took less time to graduate – I graduated in 6.5 yrs. However, I have no regrets about choosing the program. I've met many smart people who have become my friends."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?yesYes! You might be able to learn as much from a book elsewhere, but the people make the difference. I have learned much more from my colleagues than I have from any other aspect of my education.
Program Reputation10In Silicon Valley, having a Stanford degree opens many doors. It's nice if you are trying to get funding for your web or mobile startup.
Program Quality10I got to work with some of the smartest people in the world. I felt very privileged to have had the opportunity.
Instruction9I had really good professors at Stanford. I also learned a lot from my colleagues. The curriculum was geared towards giving the PhD student as much freedom as possible to do what he/she wanted.
How Difficult10Yes, it was difficult, but in retrospect it seemed that working hard was better than "being smart." I remember sleeping very few hours per night from 2005-2006.
Hands-On vs. BookishWe had a set of comprehensive and qualification exams that we needed to take. These were to make sure we had enough breadth and depth in our computer science education. So those exams were more "book learning." But overall, the program was geared towards gaining experience working on your own research projects, i.e.. hands on.
Schedule Flexibility10For doctoral students, there were very few class requirements. You could choose as many or as few classes as you desired. They really wanted to support your research, rather than force you to complete requirements.
Academic Facilities10Funding was hard to get early on, so I had to be a TA for many quarters. Other than that, the program provided as many resources as we needed to complete our research work.
Social Life9Since graduate students were always so busy, we never partied much. But in our lab, we quickly bonded with lab mates. I would say I made very good friends during graduate school.
Placement Services9The computer forum at Stanford was a good program to pair students with companies who are hiring. I never really used the career services directly, but I know many students are a fan of the on-campus interview system, and the career fairs.
Alumni Network9There are a lot of Stanford graduates working on startups in the area (Palo Alto, Mountain View, Menlo Park). There is a good selection of mentors, but that I have not taken advantage of this network.

University Of California - Irvine • Irvine, CA
Studying Information And Computer Science (completion in 2005)

• 1/19/2012

"I felt the education I received definitely contributed to where I am now. I'll have to give 1 point off for the price of the education though."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?yesI believe the quality of the professors and the overall feel of the campus are major draws to attending UCI. If I went back in time and redid my college years, I would definitely pick UCI again.
Program Reputation9I believe UCI's ICS program is considered one of the best in the state. It offers many different choices for students who want to specialize in a particular subject (i.e. hardware, video game programming, DBAs). Overall UCI has a really good reputation.
Program Quality9The teachers are great. Most of them make the classes interesting and conducive to learning. A couple of the professors were hard to understand though.
Instruction7I'd say I learned a great deal. However, many of the courses don't actually pertain to what I'm currently doing. Courses like documentation and software engineering do have a strong impact on career preparation.
How Difficult9The first few years are fairly easy, because the courses are mainly introductory university requirements. However, once I got into the upper division classes, things became tougher. Definitely need to have a lot more discipline when it comes to homework and studying.
Hands-On vs. BookishICS requires a lot of lab work, which is definitely all hands-on work. However, some courses like networks and software engineering are mainly taught with the book.
Schedule Flexibility8Personally, I never had issues with class scheduling (aside from classes filling up too quickly and having to go into the class to add it). I took a few summer classes to catch up when I needed to. I don't think they had weekend/evening courses for my major, and no online courses either.
Academic Facilities9The school has easy access to the resources I needed. The library has many of the textbooks and reference books I needed for research. There are a few big computer labs where I did my work. The teachers assistants were also very helpful.
Social Life7Most of the students were very friendly. I wasn't in any club or fraternity, but I made quite a few friends hanging out in the pub and the pool/arcade room.
Placement ServicesI never needed to use this service. I found work as an intern at a civil engineering firm and was always employed since then.
Alumni NetworkI don't have any affiliation with the school's alumni network.

California State University, Northridge • Northridge, CA
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2008)

• 1/18/2012

"The program was average, and even though the professors left something to be desired I was still able to learn the subjects. I also was able to receive a great internship and job through the school."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?yesThe school may not be the best, but if you are OK with working independently towards the subjects you can still come out of the program with great programming skill and knowledge. The school also has a great internship program which can help you land a job even before you graduate, like I did.
Program Reputation5The school's computer science program is accredited, so it has a decent reputation. The students know it is on the easier side though when compared to other schools.
Program Quality4The professors are not of the highest quality, and not up to date on the most cutting-edge technology. Also, the curriculum is very lax and doesn't require the amount of knowledge or skill to succeed like other schools.
Instruction4The professors are not of the highest quality, and not up to date on the most cutting-edge technology. Also, the curriculum is very lax and doesn't require the amount of knowledge or skill to succeed like other schools.
How Difficult2The classes were very easy - the curriculum for most did not provide any challenge. Also the grading was done on a curve so even those with poor grades end up with a decent GPA.
Hands-On vs. BookishThe program is more biased towards book learning and tests, and less about hands on and programming projects. There are many books for each class and extensive theory testing.
Schedule Flexibility5There is a wide variety of classes available to fulfill the degree requirements, which makes it easy to plan a schedule. There isn't much flexibility otherwise, with no weekend or evening class options and very few summer classes.
Academic Facilities5There are multiple computer labs available for student use, and the professors have regular office hours. There is a tutoring center, but only for more generic subjects like math and not specific subjects like a computer science course.
Social Life7There is an active Greek system with many events. There is a lack of sports teams on the campus but there are a few that are skilled and able to rally support.
Placement Services10The school has many job fairs so that students can get their resume out there. They also have an honors internship program which places the best students in year-long internships with top companies for their senior year.
Alumni Network1The school has an alumni network, but I never knew about it until I was going to graduate. There was no interaction between the current students and the alumni.

University Of California, San Diego • La Jolla, CA
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2009)

• 1/8/2012

"Overall, I am pleased with my experiences at UCSD. While lacking in some areas, I was able to learn from some of the best and Computer Science has helped me professionally."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?yesI use techniques and software every day that I first learned in my undergraduate studies. I would tell prospective students to make the most of their experience by getting involved in clubs .
Program Reputation10Aside from Biology, Computer Science is one of the top-ranked departments on campus. The Computer Science department receives millions of dollars each year in endowment funds allotted for research and further development of the program.
Program Quality9The UCSD computer science department focuses on bioinformatics, software engineering, embedded systems, and many other topics that are applicable to real operations at the professional level. The skills I obtained from working on projects in classes have carried over to my present job.
Instruction10UCSD computer science professors are some of the best in the world. My personal professors held PhD's from institutions such as Yale, MIT, and Brown.
How Difficult10Our program is extremely difficult. I used to have to spend hours in the computer labs completing assignments.
Hands-On vs. BookishMost classes are solely book learning. Sometimes we would have to do computer lab studies that were more hands on.
Schedule Flexibility8Classes are very flexible, allowing students many options if they plan to take their classes in the morning or night. All classes have their syllabi posted online along with course assignments.
Academic Facilities5The UCSD computer lab is extremely nice with plenty of computers for students to work on. TA hours are not that useful and are often cancelled.
Social Life7Unless a student makes an effort they will not meet very many people. I joined a fraternity and was able to meet a lot of people that way.
Placement Services9We have a career services center that is helpful in preparing students for interviews based on their major. There is a job database that has job listings in cities all over the country.
Alumni Network7Our Alumni program does nothing more than ask for donations for undergraduate programs. I have an alumni account but only ever receive emails about opportunities for me to donate.
Review your current or past school and help others make better career decisions.