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Computer Technician and Support Specialist Training and Career Info in Arizona



  School and Career Overview

Computer Support Specialists 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 Support Specialists

  • Focus: For schools with a focus on this career area, look at Rio Salado College, University of Advancing Technology, Arizona State, and Pima 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 Arizona State, Northern Arizona University, and University of Arizona.
  • Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Dine College, South Mountain Community College, Arizona Western, and Cochise.
  • Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Yavapai College, Central Arizona, Mohave Community College, and Phoenix College.

School Setting

  • Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of University of Advancing Technology, Embry Riddle - Prescott, University of Arizona, and Northern Arizona University.
  • Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Embry Riddle - Prescott, Northern Arizona University, University of Advancing Technology, and Dine College.

Excellence

  • SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at Embry Riddle - Prescott.
  • % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at University of Advancing Technology.
  • Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Dine College, Embry Riddle - Prescott, University of Arizona, and Northern Arizona University.

 

Read Reviews of Schools for This Career and State

Spotlight Schools Search

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2. What subject are you interested in?
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4. Where do you want to attend class? Online Campus Either

Spotlight Arizona Schools Related to This Career

DeVry University

  • Locations: Glendale, Mesa, Phoenix
  • Programs: 2 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
  • Degrees: Bachelor

University of Phoenix

  • Locations: Chandler, Mesa, Nogales, Phoenix, Tucson, Yuma
  • Programs: 4 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
  • Degrees: Bachelor, Master

ITT Technical Institute

  • Locations: Phoenix, Tempe, Tucson
  • Programs: 4 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
  • Degrees: Associate

DeVry University's Keller Graduate School of Management

  • Locations: Glendale, Mesa, Phoenix
  • Programs: One relevant program; click the school name for details.
  • Degrees: Master, Post- Bachelor's Certificate

Brown Mackie College

  • Locations: Phoenix, Tucson
  • Programs: 3 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
  • Degrees: Associate, Certificate, Diploma

Argosy University

  • Locations: Phoenix
  • Programs: One relevant program; click the school name for details.
  • Degrees: Doctorate, Master

CollegeAmerica

  • Locations: Flagstaff, Phoenix
  • Programs: 5 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
  • Degrees: Bachelor, Master

Collins College

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

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Study from Anywhere at Online Schools Related to This Career

University of Phoenix Online

  • Programs: 5 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
  • Degrees: Associate, Bachelor, Master

DeVry University Online

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

Walden University

  • Programs: 17 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
  • Degrees: Bachelor, Doctorate, Master

AIU Online

  • Programs: 5 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
  • Degrees: Associate, Bachelor, Master

Ashford University

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

Keiser University eCampus Online

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

Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State

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University Of Phoenix • Phoenix, AZ
Studying Information Technology (completion in 2008)

• 8/15/2011

"Overall I am satisfied with my education. The only two drawbacks were lack of hand-on assignments and the school's reputation. However, the classwork performed and class flexibility made it a good choice for me."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?yesFor working adults the University of Phoenix is an excellent choice. It provides the flexibility needed to balance work, school, and family. For a student fresh out of high school, I would recommend a brick and mortar school.
Program Reputation3As I mentioned in an earlier response, the online nature and advertising methods of the school concern me. In addition, the online environment did not provide adequate opportunity for hands-on lab work. I am concerned that a theory based education may not be as valuable to employers as one where students performed lab work.
Program Quality5Although I feel as though I received a quality education from the University of Phoenix, I am concerned about the school's reputation. I feel as though my degree may be looked down upon by potential employers because the University of Phoenix is mainly an online school that does quite a bit of television advertising.
Instruction8All instructors are professionals in the fields they teach. They were all able to provide relevant instruction due to their experience and backgrounds.
How Difficult8Although the assignments could be very challenging, I never had difficulty making an A in all but two of my classes. My concern here is that I suspect many instructors simply gave an A for on time submission of an assignment.
Hands-On vs. BookishBeing an online school, my education was nearly all book learning. The University of Phoenix has a policy of "writing across the curriculum" meaning that demonstration of learning is achieved through the student writing papers.
Schedule Flexibility10My degree was earned entirely online. This environment allowed me to complete coursework whenever and wherever I could. Classes were five weeks in length and it was expected that students took only one class at a time so they didn't become overwhelmed.
Academic Facilities8Although it was online, I still rated the University high in this category because the online library and student discussion areas were extensive and easy to use. In addition to books, the library contained endless articles pertaining to seemingly every subject.
Social Life5This is difficult to answer with an online school. Although there were no parties, organized social events, etc., school spirit seem high among my online classmates.
Placement Services3I have seen very little if any interest from the University as far as job placement is concerned. Other than the alumni website, there has been no mention of job placement assistance. In fairness, I was already employed at the time of graduation so I may not have seen the assistance that may be available.
Alumni Network5The University of Phoenix has an alumni network that consists mostly of a website and email reminders about happenings and upcoming events. I rate it average because I have never seen anything on the site or in the emails that will provide great assistance to me.

University Of Advancing Technology • Tempe, AZ
Studying Software Engineering (completion in 2012)

• 8/15/2011

"I would recommend the school to absolutely anyone looking to get into computer programming or graphic design. I never had a bad experience with the school."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?yesAbsolutely I would. The amount of knowledge you get from the school is expansive. You leave the school with a firm foundation in the subject matter you were taught.
Program Reputation10I would say that UAT is the top notch, premier computer technology school. That is all they focus on and it shows in the quality and passion.
Program Quality9The school is expensive, but the instructors and professors are amazing. They only have a few degree paths, but they teach them well.
Instruction10The school was always on the leading edge of technology. Sometimes we got software before it was released to the public with deals from Microsoft. I felt the classes always went above and beyond to make sure we understood the material.
How Difficult7Lots and lots of trial and error is a part of learning to program computers. Once you start to learn the languages, though, it starts to feel like second nature. You have to be very analytical.
Hands-On vs. BookishTechnology is hands on, and you can only learn so much from a book. We always had great book resources and used them often, but we were always putting our learning to practical use.
Schedule Flexibility7They have your standard Monday - Friday classes, but no night classes. Their online classes were great, and you could take a double full time load if you had a high enough GPA.
Academic Facilities10Anything you could ever imagine you'd need was provided. The software provided to you was free and state of the art.
Social Life9The school offered and planned trips to E3, ComicCon, and other developers expos. There was always something to do and somewhere to go.
Placement Services7I did not use the services provided by the school as I was already employed, but the general word was that the services were adequate and useful. I am sure that if needed, I would have been happy and quickly placed.
Alumni Network8It seemed that everyone, faculty and students, were always on the same page and interested in the same things. The campus felt less like school and more like a family. Everyone always helped each other and the resources available were amazing.

University Of Phoenix • Phoenix, Az, AZ
Studying Administration & Management (completion in 2010)

• 9/12/2011

"I was able to attain a degree with this program as well as a 4.0 GPA."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?yesI would recommend UoP just because of the flexibility and learning environments. It would work for traditional students as well as parents and people who have to work.
Program Reputation10They are a very well-known school. The majority of my colleagues have chosen this online learning environment.
Program Quality5It seems like it just covered the basics. It was an online program so I didn't receive the one-on-one experience that I needed.
Instruction3The teachers were often very knowledgeable. They taught what they did for a living.
How Difficult1The workload was very easy. Since it was online I was able to work my own schedule.
Hands-On vs. BookishIt was a mix between the two, depending on what the class was about.
Schedule Flexibility10Since its an online environment I was able to manage my own schedule an choose when I wanted to log into the classroom.
Academic Facilities5The students have access to many online resources as well as campuses located across the US. They had many tutoring programs in place.
Social Life3They had a learning team environment which put you in touch with your classmates. Being that it was online there were rarely any onsite events.
Placement Services1I do not have any experience with this though I do know that they offer these services.
Alumni Network5I haven't had that much experience with the alumni program.

University Of Phoenix • Phoenix, AZ
Studying Information Systems (completion in 2010)

• 11/10/2011

"School advisors and counselors walked me through all steps in achieving my goal. Advisors where available around the clock regardless of my time zone."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?yesThe school has helped my achieve goals in obtaining advanced education. Military members have the opportunity to enroll, regardless of their physical location.
Program Reputation8Many of my co-workers are pursuing degrees with the university, including my spouse. Online education has become a way of life for full time families.
Program Quality8The school offered programs for full-time employees. The degree path also offered a variety of career choices upon completion.
Instruction8Each professor understood the sacrifices that were made to obtain the degree. All instructions were straight to the point and understandable at all levels.
How Difficult5The program was pretty easy because of my background in computer systems. The program also provide examples to help figure out problems.
Hands-On vs. BookishI completed most of my course of study online so I depended on books for 75% of my education. Working online opened more doors for research and instruction.
Schedule Flexibility10There's online participation and my hours where great. I had time to maintain a full time job and spend time with my family.
Academic FacilitiesOnline participation.
Social LifeOnline participation.
Placement ServicesI've had a full time job before I enrolled, but I've received several job offers through the alumni website.
Alumni Network5The alumni offers a variety of jobs that coincide with the career discussion through emails and posts on its website.

Rio Salado College • Tempe, AZ
Studying Applied Science In Computer Technology (completion in 2011)

• 11/11/2011

"I gave it a "2" only because I finished so fast. Other than that the school was a total loss."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?maybeI would only recommend if they already had most of the knowledge they needed for the courses.
Program Reputation5The school is known for online education and most people think that it is too easy. I thought some of it was but not all of it.
Program Quality5The school is poorly run and the advisers have no clue what any of the courses are about. You basically teach yourself from books as the classes are "team taught" and getting assistance is almost impossible.
Instruction2Some of the curriculum is incredibly easy.
How Difficult5It's average because half the courses are too easy and the lack of assistance makes the other half difficult. I flew through the courses in 8 weeks a piece.
Hands-On vs. BookishThe assignments were completed on the computer, so that was hands on. The assignments all came from very expensive books that were only available at the school.
Schedule Flexibility10Flexibility is why they are still around. You can start any course on any Monday and take them in either 16 or 8 weeks intervals.
Academic Facilities5I once used the library and the school has ten computers. The academic advisors were not well-informed.
Social LifeI didn't take anything but online classes.
Placement Services1I have not heard from anyone since finishing my certificate, even though the certificate can be used towards a Bachelor's degree they offer.
Alumni Network1If there is an alumni program I have never heard from them. I am not sure I want to as I was not impressed with the school.

Northern Arizona University • Flagstaff, AZ
Studying Information Systems (completion in 1999)

• 11/20/2011

"College is a fun period for a guy's life but it's expensive."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?yesBecause I attended... any other reason?
Program ReputationI really don't know how it is. I've never cared.
Program Quality6When it comes to IT support, generally it's know what you know but what you can do. NAU provided a healthy level of knowledge, but the most I learned was on my own.
Instruction5I really don't have a context for comparison to other schools. I was satisfied.
How Difficult5I don't have really have a rule of thumb for comparison. I have no complaints.
Hands-On vs. BookishIt's a liberal arts school, I didn't expect much.
Schedule Flexibility6It worked with my schedule, I have no complaints.
Academic FacilitiesI have no point of comparison with other schools. They sufficed for my intent.
Social Life10I had a great time. It was fun.
Placement Services2It could have benefitted from improved networking opportunities.
Alumni Network2I had to find my job on my own. It probably would have been easier if the school networked with the community.

University Of Arizona • Tucson, AZ
Studying Computer Science & Math (completion in 2007)

• 1/12/2012

"Science isn't very useful without being able to apply it. It's not worth spending thousands of dollars to be told that you must take classes that they don't provide."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?noI'd have gotten much out of my money on training programs provided by companies like Microsoft, Cisco, or both. Certifications from those companies would have cost far less than college and would be far more useful.
Program Reputation10It is difficult to get accepted into the program but graduates are extremely desirable. They are consistently in the top ten in the world.
Program Quality7The instruction was good and I learned a lot, but there was too much theory and not enough practical use. I grasp theory so quickly that I didn't need the lengthy instruction on that, but I struggle with practical application and received little help.
Instruction5The instructors were among the best in the industry, and they were generally very fair. I just wish they were more helpful in assisting students to apply the theory we learned.
How Difficult9I first went to another school, where I got all A's and B's but didn't learn much. At UofA I got B's and C's but learned more in one semester than in two years at the previous school.
Hands-On vs. BookishThere was little assistance with hands-on learning. I once talked to a professor about it and was told that they expected me to figure out the hands-on part myself because they wouldn't help. They told me that if I want help with hands-on learning I should have gone to a technical school, not a science school.
Schedule Flexibility7In my program, classes were usually available at good times and I was able to get into them. However, general education classes required by the school were usually unavailable, making it very difficult to progress toward a degree.
Academic Facilities9I've seen other schools, including the university my wife currently attends. UofA had significantly superior facilities to other schools I've seen.
Social Life5The school has a very active social life. Unfortunately, everything is generally geared to Greek life rather than serious students.
Placement Services1I received no job placement assistance. I've had periods of unemployment but receive no help from the school to find new jobs.
Alumni Network1I've had no support from the school at all. The only thing I get from them is a request for money to support the useless alumni association.
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