Here are some tips for selecting schools, based on an analysis comparing each school to all others across dozens of factors:
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 Champlain and Lyndon State.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Champlain and Middlebury College.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Marlboro College, Middlebury College, Bennington, and Champlain.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Bennington, Marlboro College, Middlebury College, and Saint Michael's College.
Excellence
- SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at Middlebury College, University of Vermont, Saint Michael's College, and Champlain.
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at Middlebury College.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Marlboro College, Middlebury College, Bennington, and Saint Michael's College.
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
University Of Vermont • Burlington, VT
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2010)
• 5/4/2011
"I am completely satisfied since the school has prepared me well for the real world. I have all of the necessary skills in order to get a good job in the industry."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Based on everything I have previously said, I would highly recommend the school. They have good teachers, good grasp of the important material, many job opportunities after you finish, etc. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | We have a very strong computer science department. If I recall correctly, we are mentioned in a couple of academic publications about this very topic. The department works hard to make students succeed. |
| Program Quality | 10 | It prepared me well by providing a solid basis for learning programming languages as well as the more theoretical constructs of computer science. Overall, I have the tools to succeed in the software industry in the real world. |
| Instruction | 9 | Considering I am working for my own company, I would say that they did an excellent job in imparting the knowledge and skills necessary to succeed in the real world. They don't teach every single programming language in existence, but the ones they do teach certainly help you to be able to understand the constructs common to any language. The theoretical side of things is quite in-depth, and if you consider a Masters degree, you will most certainly delve further into that area. |
| How Difficult | 8 | A computer science degree is going to be a challenge and involve a heavy workload no matter what. That said, if you work hard and stay focused, it is pretty easy to do well. And on the upside, if you manage your time well, there is still time left over for social activities outside of your studies. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It has a good mix of both book and hands-on learning. The book learning comes from the theoretical concepts of computer science -- automaton theory, discrete structures, algorithm analysis, while the hands-on learning comes from the learning of various programming languages. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | Some courses are only offered at certain times of the year, so beware of that. However, with the remaining courses, there is usually some flexibility, with multiple sections, times, and semester options. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The professors are vary knowledgeable and personable, so you can always seek them out for help if needed. In addition, there are TAs around for almost every class. We also have access to very nice computer labs for doing our programming work. |
| Social Life | 5 | There is a society for the computer science department that holds many events during the year. In addition, there are parties frequently held by other groups, and there are also many athletic events during the year. |
| Placement Services | 7 | There is a special department at the university responsible for helping with career development, as well as handling co-op placements too. I would highly recommend getting involved in co-op in order to get a taste for the real-world while still working towards completing your degree at school. It's the best of both worlds. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I don't participate in the alumni network really, so I can't comment on it with any inside knowledge. From what I'm told, it is supposedly pretty decent, but I can't confirm or deny that with absolute certainty. |
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