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 Wayne County Community College District, Oakland Community College, Grand Valley State, and Macomb 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 Wayne State, University of Michigan-Flint, Lake Superior State, and Lawrence Technological University.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Wayne County Community College District, Andrews, Lawrence Technological University, and University of Detroit Mercy.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Spring Arbor University, Andrews, Northwood University, and Kellogg Community College.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Andrews, Calvin, Baker College, and Kettering.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Albion, Alma, Hope College, and Olivet College.
Excellence
- SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at University of Michigan, Kalamazoo College, Kettering, and Michigan Technological University.
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at Kuyper, Kalamazoo College, University of Michigan, and Lawrence Technological University.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Andrews, Calvin, Albion, and Hope College.
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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Wayne State University • Detroit, MI
Studying Computer Science (completion in 1994)
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | It is a fairly good school. It allowed me to be competitive in the job market. |
| Program Reputation | 4 | WSU is known fairly well for computer science. It is more of a research based university. |
| Program Quality | 8 | It was a good school close to home. It was in an urban setting with a diverse student body. |
| Instruction | More than 5 years ago | |
| How Difficult | 9 | Programming takes a lot of skill. It also requires a great deal of challenging course work. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | A lot of programming and computer science coursework was done in labs and on computers. The hands on nature of programming and the widespread availability of computers made this a very hands on program. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | A lot of courses were offered at night. This suited me very well. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | They had many computer labs. Classrooms were very ample. |
| Social Life | 2 | I did not interact much with other students. Organizations on campus were not really visibly present. |
| Placement Services | 5 | Career planning and support was fairly impersonal. They seemed like they did not really care. |
| Alumni Network | 6 | I have made some contact with other alumni. The school sends me updates occasionally. |
Baker College • Auburn Hills, MI
Studying Programming With Java Option (completion in 2010)
• 8/16/2011
"The school provided me with the education needed to get a job in my chosen career. However it did not follow up with much support after I graduated."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | It would depend on what their goals are and what their budget for education was. There are better schools out there, but this one was very accessible and affordable. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | It's difficult to rate this one. All I can do is offer my perception of the program contrasted with what I know of other programs. |
| Program Quality | 6 | Baker college's programming courses were adequate, however the technologies they teach are starting to become outdated. They need to update the core technologies they teach to remain a viable school with regards to IT training. |
| Instruction | 6 | The school did prepare me at a very basic level. The programming languages they teach are relevant, however they are not cutting edge. I received a very basic introduction to VB.Net which ended up being a language I use regularly. Had more extensive .Net training been available I would have been better prepared for my first programming job. |
| How Difficult | 5 | The difficulty was not very high. The difficulty was such that I did learn what I needed to. However, it was not such that I needed to apply myself; rather I had to force myself to learn more than was required. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It was a solid mix of book learning and hands on learning and experimentation. There was required reading, but almost all readings involved corresponding practical assignments and activities. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | The flexibility is excellent. They offer classes at all different times throughout the day and week. They also offer complete online programs with accelerated courses available. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | They provided adequate facilities. Nothing was particularly cutting edge, however they offered everything required to succeed in the courses. |
| Social Life | 5 | I did not participate socially at this school. I attended classes, but did not get involved with any extracurricular activities. I also did not socialize with my classmates. |
| Placement Services | 3 | I never hear from my school in this respect. They did send e-mails regarding job fairs when I first graduated, however I haven't heard anything from the school in many months. |
| Alumni Network | 2 | I rarely hear anything from my school any longer. I'm not even sure they have an alumni network like most schools. I rarely hear from them regarding support or job fairs either. |
University Of Michigan-Dearborn • Dearborn, MI
Studying Computer Information Science (CIS) (completion in 2013)
• 10/10/2011
"I am very satisfied with my school. They provide plenty of help, whether for academic or career reasons."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would definitely recommend my school to anyone wanting to be a computer programmer or engineer. All of the professors are extremely knowledgeable in their fields of study. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | Being located in Dearborn, my school has many skilled professors that know so much about the field of programming. I feel confident asking them any question. |
| Program Quality | 9 | My school, I believe, is one of the best in the country for engineering and programming majors. My main lab instructor has worked for Ford Motor Company for 30 years and is extremely knowledgeable in many programming languages. |
| Instruction | 7 | With programming, you can only teach so much in the classroom. So much of what you do has to be learned with hands on experience that you learn by building programs yourself. |
| How Difficult | 9 | This type of degree requires a very heavy workload, as it is very math based. Expect to take many math courses and spend long hours on programs. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I had many hands on courses later on in my major that were geared towards programming, but my early prereqs were more geared towards book learning. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | U of M Dearborn is very flexible when it comes to class scheduling. I don't believe weekend classes are offered, but classes are offered year round. I have taken many Summer classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | Resources at my school are excellent. We have a 4 story library and a giant science building filled with a giant computer lab, plus many science labs for experiments. |
| Social Life | 7 | There are a huge number of social events on campus, but things like athletics can be somewhat limited. We have a smaller campus. |
| Placement Services | 8 | My school has a great job assistance program. I entered my internship program my junior year and was able to go to many interviews in my field. |
| Alumni Network | 10 | The alumni support has been outstanding. Many of my professors are graduates from years ago, and have plenty of career knowledge to pass down. |
ITT Tech • Troy, MI
Studying Software Programming (completion in 2010)
• 11/9/2011
"Overall I was pretty satisfied with ITT Tech. I feel some things were lacking, but overall it was a good experience."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I would recommend this school depending on someone's location and how much computer knowledge they already have. This would be a great school for a select few people. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | The program at ITT Tech was pretty well rated. I feel as if it was a 7 due to some things I've mentioned. |
| Program Quality | 7 | ITT Tech had a decent programming program. I feel the teachers' knowledge was lacking in some areas. |
| Instruction | 6 | I feel I knew a lot of the information going into school. The outcome was still decent as far as knowledge gained. |
| How Difficult | 5 | This program was not very difficult for me. I have a very strong background in computers. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | There was a good mix of hands on and book reading. Usually half the class was learning and the other half was in the computer lab. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | They had 3 different blocks for class times. This helped if you worked because you could still manage classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | I feel the library and computer lab could be better. This was due to having old technology and PC's and there weren't enough to go around. |
| Social Life | 6 | I was able to get along with a lot of classmates. Some people I could not warm up to, but that was fine. |
| Placement Services | 5 | ITT Tech did not do very well with job placement. I had to find my own job. |
| Alumni Network | 6 | The network support was not very strong. They did not do too much to find what was needed or fix certain situations. |
University Of Michigan • Ann Arbor, MI
Studying Psychology (completion in 2010)
• 12/9/2011
"Could have had more fun and got better grades. Pretty satisfied where I am now, though."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Yes, although it seems that no matter what degree one gets, knowing people is what matters. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | Seems to be great. People are getting good positions if they pursue them. |
| Program Quality | 8 | As far as research and opportunities go, they existed, but I did not use them. If I had gone with a computer/IT related program, I may be better off now. |
| Instruction | 8 | Professors were good and so were the GSIs. Work was tough but worthwhile. |
| How Difficult | 9 | It definitely was not easy to earn an A. It was easy to get by, though. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The most was book-based, at least in the programs I have been involved in. Very theoretical. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | Not many evening classes. Most everything was during the day and upperclassmen got dibs. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | Quite good and good hours. Professors can be hard to get a hold of, but when one does, it's great. |
| Social Life | 10 | Lots of clubs and activities. Active campus life and parties. |
| Placement Services | 8 | I am happy that I had an IT job in undergrad. My boss put me in contact with other departments looking for people to fill positions, and I got a job. |
| Alumni Network | 10 | They will not leave me alone, so to say. Lots of opportunities to stay a part of Michigan. |
University Of Michigan • Ann Arbor, MI
Studying Computer Programming And Electrical Engineering (completion in 2013)
• 1/22/2012
"I love my school and wish I could keep going here. I just might stay for a post doc."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Michigan is such an amazing school. It is highly recommended that you attend here. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | My school is in the top 10 in the US. Employers find Michigan degrees highly desirable |
| Program Quality | 10 | Teachers really focus on helping their students, and the material, while difficult, is very manageable. Also, the students are very friendly and all work together well to help each other succeed. |
| Instruction | 8 | Teachers are very easy to talk to and work with. Office hours are very useful for talking to a professor about homework or class material. Many classes are taped or available online if you happen to miss a lecture. |
| How Difficult | 8 | I spend 10-15 hours a week on the homework and projects and easily 20 hours studying for the exams. You have to spend a lot of time working to do well here. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Largely hands on, but the knowledge of how things work is critical in learning. Also, the tests pretty much come out of the book, as does the HW. The projects are very unique though. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | The courses are pretty rigid and you don't get much choice on your classes. I have to take MWF classes nearly every semester. But you do get to choose your social science and minor classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | There are plenty of office hours and tutoring available. Also, study groups and professional fraternities and organizations are there to help you. |
| Social Life | 10 | There is so much school spirit and energy here at my school. I love it. I also joined a social frat and love going there to party and have a good time before football games. |
| Placement Services | 10 | There are lots of career fairs to help students find jobs. Also, the career center really tries to help you get a job by offering resume critics and other help. |
| Alumni Network | I haven't had the opportunity to work with any alumni, but I have heard the network is really good. Also, the school makes it easy to meet with alumni at the League, but I haven't had the chance to do that yet. |
Central Michigan University • Mt. Pleasant, MI
Studying Philosophy (completion in 2009)
• 2/26/2012
"It provided an overall satisfying experience. Some things could have been better, but I got mostly what I wanted out of my education."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | It just depends what they want out of a university experience. Also, I don't have much experience with the programming part of the school that is pertinent to my career. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | It's a state school liberal arts major, so it's average. I am not aware of a reputation either way about it. |
| Program Quality | 8 | My major was not directly relevant to my career path. Previous programming experience is what got me the job. |
| Instruction | 7 | It was great for philosophy. Since it was not a computer programming major, however, I cannot comment on that aspect, aside from the logic classes. |
| How Difficult | 8 | It was challenging enough, with a decent workload. However, compared to what it could have been, it was not too bad. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It mostly depended on the subject/class you were studying. For philosophy, we did a lot of reading, but then also spent a lot of time in classes discussing ideas. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 6 | There is a large variety of class times and days during the normal school year. There are also some online offerings, though a limit of summer offerings. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | There were plenty of classrooms available for philosophy. Many were set up as seminar-style rooms, which is beneficial to discussion-oriented classes, such as philosophy classes. The professors were also great and very accessible. |
| Social Life | 7 | There wasn't much school spirit compared to other schools, but that didn't bother me. The football team did not have too much of a following, and new tailgate rules did not help boost attendance at games. There was usually an abundance of parties, though. |
| Placement Services | 5 | It has a decently developed career services office. I did not find it useful in my job search, though. |
| Alumni Network | 2 | I have not benefited from an alumni network or alumni support through CMU at all. There aren't too many opportunities to do so. |
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