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 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 Mt Sierra College, San Diego State, Cal State San Marcos, and Bethesda Christian.
- Female: For schools particularly welcoming to female students, consider Mills College, LA College International, and Humphreys.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider ICDC, Rio Hondo College, Cal State L.A., and CSU Dominguez Hills.
- 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 UC San Francisco, Cal Tech, Pomona College, and Claremont McKenna.
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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Modesto Junior College • Modesto, CA
Studying Computer Networking (completion in 2011)
• 8/11/2011
"My school had a good mix of professors who knew their material very well and knew how to explain it easily, with hands on learning that I feel benefits me most. The labs were very informative and definitely helped me understand the topics better than just by reading the book."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | MJC has helped me get a jump start on my career and I am now an IT Technician because MJC helped me learn the necessary topics required. If it weren't for MJC I would still have huge gaps in my knowledge of computers and how they work, and I would have a hard time trying to find a company that would be willing to hire me. |
| Program Reputation | 4 | MJC is known mainly for producing nurses and doctor's assistants. The school is in an almost rural setting away from a lot of high-tech companies, and therefore doesn't have much of a reputation for computer networking or computer science in general. |
| Program Quality | 9 | Although my school is in a fairly small city, they had a decent lab for us to work in. My favorite part of the school was my professor, though. Not only does he have a PhD, but he knows how to explain even the most obscure topic in a way that made sense to me. The computers in the labs were a bit dated but each student got their own computer to work on. |
| Instruction | 10 | My main computer science teacher has a PhD in computer networking, and I learned at least as much from him in two years as I did on my own in 10 years. He would answer questions students may have had, even if they were off-topic. They also had discounts for students on certain Microsoft products so the students could practice at home. |
| How Difficult | 5 | I found the work not challenging at all the first year due to previous experience, however by the end of the second year I almost had a hard time keeping up and had to study a couple of hours each night. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Most of my core computer science classes had either optional or mandatory labs coupled with the lectures. The lectures usually went over a certain topic, with the lab tying in how to use the technology in a work environment. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | MJC offers classes year round, including two condensed courses during the summer. They also have online classes for many of the courses I took. I was able to take computer science courses I already knew online while taking more challenging courses in person. MJC also offers courses Monday-Saturday during the fall and spring semesters and they have night classes for anyone that may work during the day. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | MJC has a decent sized library, with many videos and magazines as well as books. They have 3 or 4 different public computers labs, and at least as many classroom computer labs. MJC also offers study spaces around campus and each professor is required to stay before or after class for at least an hour so students can ask questions and get assistance. |
| Social Life | 4 | MJC is a small community college, and as such, school spirit is barely present among most students. They do have competitive sports, and play other schools in their division. They have parties every month or so, but attendance is usually low. |
| Placement Services | 7 | MJC has a job placement office, but does not actively look for work for students. Instead they have a bulletin board with jobs the local companies have posted. When asked about employment, most students (myself included) are directed to the bulletin board. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I actually have not used many alumni resources from my school, and I was not fully briefed on all the resources the school offers. I do not know much about their alumni program. |
San Diego Mesa College • San Diego, CA
Studying History (completion in 2011)
• 8/15/2011
"I absolutely loved attending Mesa. I thought it was exactly what I needed."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | You can't beat Mesa for the combination of cheap education with quality teaching. The facilities are outstanding and the staff mostly cares. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | No school has a high degree of emphasis for History. Sad given that it is a great basis for knowledge. |
| Program Quality | 5 | It's a community college. I can't have high expectations. They do, however, focus on the students and their achievement. |
| Instruction | 5 | I had some instructors that were fantastic that I liked. I also had some that were fantastic that I didn't like. I had others that were poor and I did like. Kind of a mixed bag! |
| How Difficult | 5 | I got all A's. I don't have any basis for comparison. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It's a college and not a technical school. Books, tests, and papers are the order of the day. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | Class sizes are large, but space is still limited. There are some classes that everyone needs which get filled quickly and others that get very little attention. Pretty standard. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | The Library/LRC is amazing. The staff there is wonderful, and the atmosphere is one of genuine caring for learning. |
| Social Life | 5 | Social experiences are dependent on the people that are trying to make friends. That will be hard or easy depending on the person no matter what the school environment is. |
| Placement Services | 1 | Mesa has a website that is for finding a job, but it is run by another company. They have some career counseling but I don't know anyone that has used it. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | There is no such thing as an alumni network at this college. There is some tongue in cheek allusions between graduated friends, but that's about it. |
DeVry West Hills • West Hills, CA
Studying Electronics & Computer Technology (completion in )
• 8/13/2011
"I got the training I wanted, but not what I needed. And for far less cost, you could do just as well at a local vocational college."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | DeVry makes a living off their name and their frequent TV ads. But the overall experience is not worth your money. |
| Program Reputation | 3 | Most firms see DeVry as a diploma mill. You can have a better rep going to a vocational school. |
| Program Quality | 2 | The ECT program provides enough training to be a computer tech, but just barely. Not enough time was spent on actual problem solving. |
| Instruction | 5 | They had good instructors with a wide variety of experiences. But the curriculum is designed to pump out grads, not to teach. |
| How Difficult | 5 | The compressed schedules used at DeVry can be tricky. If you can't keep up with the material, you can complicate your class schedules. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | All technical classes have a mix of coursework and labs. The two are designed to compliment each other throughout your training. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 4 | Most campuses are too small to have more than a few of each classes, which only gets worse the higher up you go. This can add months to your training as the classes you want are not available at your convenience. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | Libraries and technical materials are readily available. The instructors are helpful and usually easy to get access to away from class. |
| Social Life | 1 | Nobody goes to DeVry for social activities. Some clubs and such are encouraged, but the general feeling is that we're here to get training and get jobs. |
| Placement Services | 1 | You do all the work yourself. One may as well stay at home and peruse Monster.com for all the good they do. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | Once they have your money and you get a diploma, you may as well be invisible. Career help was miniscule at best. And the only contacts you get from them afterwards are to get you to sign up for more classes. |
UCLA • Los Angeles, CA
Studying Electrical Engineering (completion in 2009)
• 9/24/2011
"I was very satisfied. UCLA provided a very strong curriculum for solid-state devices. I got many opportunities to do research in this field."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Yes. UCLA has the resources to allow students to excel in science and engineering. The professors are very adamant that students learn and push every student to reach their maximum potential. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | UCLA has one of the strongest circuit program in the nation. In solid-state devices, UCLA has three fabrication rooms (clean rooms), which is rare for a university to have. Clean rooms cost several thousands of dollars to run. |
| Program Quality | 7 | UCLA prepared me for a good career in Electrical Engineering for solid-state devices. They gave us a mix of hands-on (lab) experience and theoretical concepts. |
| Instruction | 8 | The instructors were very knowledgeable and very helpful during office hours. The instruction was typically fast-paced, but that is how it had to be in a quarter system. |
| How Difficult | 9 | In the classroom we were always challenged by our homework and exams. We were ranked based on how well we did on the homework from moment we submitted our first assignment. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | UCLA works hard towards teaching the theory and tries to get students hands-on experience with laboratory courses. The laboratory courses serve as the foundation for hands-on learning. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | UCLA has extension courses and some online degree courses. Overall, their online degree system is fairly new. For Electrical Engineering, there are few options - pretty much a set schedule. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | Libraries were extremely convenient. They are open 24 hours during finals sessions and staff is always willing to help you find something or point you to the right resources to do your research. |
| Social Life | 5 | I wasn't very social during my time at UCLA. I spent a lot of my time working in the lab and studying for classes. I went out maybe once or twice a quarter with friends. |
| Placement Services | 7 | UCLA holds career fairs every spring and fall quarter to help students find jobs. They also have companies hold information sessions every month. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | Alumni network hosts several events to benefit the community throughout the year. They also hold special alumni job networking services for those looking for work. |
San Jose State University • San Jose, CA
Studying Computer Engineering (completion in 2009)
• 9/23/2011
"I was able to get internship after 2 semesters of coursework. Also, in my current job I am still applying the concepts I learned."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | The evening classes let you work during the day. Coursework helps you improve in your current job or learn a lot of new skills/technologies to get a new/better job. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | The program is very well received in the industry. Most graduates find internship or jobs during or soon after the completion of the degree. |
| Program Quality | 8 | The program was very good and very relevant to the current needs in the industry. But, I wish some of the teachers were better. |
| Instruction | 8 | Curriculum was very relevant to the software industry requirements. Quality of instruction was good, but could have been better. |
| How Difficult | 9 | Work load was as heavy as expected in a graduate program. Academic challenge was difficult as projects and assignments required one to quickly learn new technology, which sometimes was not mature and had issues, leading to wastes of time. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The courses require learning new technologies and applying them in the assignments/projects. Learning is mostly hands-on. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | Most classes were in the evening, so that was helpful. Sometimes 2 courses were at the same time, so someone interested in both had to wait to take one of the courses in another semester. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | Great library with helpful resources. All students required to have personal computing resources, so no media/lab was required. Classrooms are sufficient. Advisors/teachers are generally available during their office hours or after class and are very helpful. |
| Social Life | 5 | Not much of a social experience as it is a commuter's college. I was working full-time along with taking the classes, so there wasn't much time for social events at the school. |
| Placement Services | 8 | School regularly held placement camps and provided training and help for better resumes and interviews. More companies need to be attracted to the job fairs. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | There is an alumni network and support system in place. But, I do not have enough information to evaluate their role and significance. |
Mendocino College • Ukiah, CA
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2010)
• 9/21/2011
"I am not satisfied, but I did get a good job from the degree. The campus is good, the teachers are nice, but the money just isn't there, so the teacher motivation is minimal and the resources are scarce."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | Go to a real school! Some good options are UC Berkeley, UC Irvine and UC Chico, all of which have much better computer science departments. Mendocino College is only a good option if you don't have enough money to move somewhere else or can't get the right amount of financial aid. |
| Program Reputation | 1 | Every student knows that the computer science department is largely discarded, that it has been replaced by self-teaching at home or on a job. My school is known for its football team and not much else. |
| Program Quality | 2 | The school I attended used to be decent, but after budget cuts over the past few years the CS department took a huge hit, and lost three full-time teachers. The networking classes, MCSE certification, and C++/Visual Basic programming classes were the first to go. |
| Instruction | 3 | I did not get my career until after graduation, as it required a degree to apply. The degree is largely worthless in what it taught me; the teachers were quite miserable (although occasionally enthusiastic about the subject), and most of what I learned was simply teaching myself via doing local tech support for anybody I knew who needed it. |
| How Difficult | 6 | The difficulty is rated a six, mostly because of the incompetence of the teachers. The work load was average for the classes I took, but the teachers were extra critical because there were so few people taking the classes in the rural community I live in. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The book learning is almost practically unavailable. The program is very hands-on and the professors advocate hands-on learning whenever possible. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | The classes offer a wide variety of weekday, weekend, evening, summer, and online options. The one problem is that there is usually only one time that the class goes, not several options. So if you want to take a given class, you must sign up for the day and time of their choosing. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | Facilities were surprisingly good! The library is well-stocked, computers are good and labs are often available. Classrooms are roomy and comfortable and the professors are all accessible by phone, email, or in person. |
| Social Life | 1 | There is no school spirit except at football games, and there is no on-campus housing dorms so there isn't much going on socially on or around the campus. |
| Placement Services | 2 | I don't know much about this, which is a sign itself. I know it exists but I do not know if it works well. I didn't use it. I know that the school has a really unlikable person in charge of this department, and that can't be good. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | There simply isn't one. It's a community college and the alumni network consists pretty much only of your teachers remembering your name when you visit them years later. |
Heald School Of Technology • Concord, CA
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2006)
• 9/28/2011
"I like my school overall. They provided me with my first career."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I think I would recommend my school if someone wanted to have a quick education. But if they wanted to get a four year degree, I would have to send them elsewhere as Heald does not offer a BS. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | The rating I chose was because of two reasons. First, because my own experience with them, and second, because in two jobs that I have had since graduating, both employers took into account that I attended Heald when they hired me. |
| Program Quality | 8 | The classes provided allowed me to have the best education possible. The teaching staff were all people who had been in the industry for years. |
| Instruction | 8 | The instructors always gave real world examples of situations that we might run up against. The curriculum taught was diverse enough to allow me to choose my career path of choice. |
| How Difficult | 8 | The program that I chose was difficult yet fun because I really love working with computers. Again, it was very diverse and moving from one course of study to the next was sometimes overwhelming. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Almost every class had something hands on. All the instructors made sure of it. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 1 | There was a rigorous schedule of classes that we had to follow. There was no flexibility in the hours. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | We had access to excellent laboratories and study facilities. While there were no tutors, we did have some great TA's and the professors always had office hours. |
| Social Life | 3 | The only social activities were ones that students put together. They usually happened after big tests. |
| Placement Services | 5 | I found that at best, my college was able to provide leads to potential jobs. I had to venture outside of this service in order to find adequate employment. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I received minimal support from the alumni staff for help with resumes. They were, however, helpful in providing job leads, so I guess it all evened out. |
Riverside City College • Riverside, CA
Studying Business Administration & Cisco Systems (completion in 2012)
• 10/5/2011
"My school is pretty affordable. It is also where I have learned everything I know about Computer Networking."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would Recommend my school to anyone who is good at learning material at a fast pace. I would also recommend this school to anyone willing to dedicate their time to Cisco networking, because the program at RCC is helpful. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | My school has a great reputation as an affordable way to earn an Associate's degree. My college is also an accredited two year college and offers many ways to learn a variety of subjects. |
| Program Quality | 8 | Riverside City College was very affordable and offered all of the courses required for my Associate's degree. |
| Instruction | 7 | In the Cisco courses my teacher and others around me offered support in helping to learn the course materials. Other RCC courses were taught more out of the book, which I found to be a bore sometimes. |
| How Difficult | 9 | There was a very high dropout rate in my Cisco course. I have been told from others who have dropped out of Cisco that the concepts were too difficult for them to understand. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Classes at RCC tend to be taught out of the book, but at the Cisco program, more of the material was taught with a hands-on approach with real world routers and switches to help assist is students how to learn the material. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | Cisco is once a week at the class. the rest of the class and all tests are completed online at your convenience, and are available throughout the semester. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | RCC offers many accommodations to students. The library is two stories and offers access to over fifty computers. |
| Social Life | 9 | My two best friends I met in the Cisco learning academy at RCC. Without these two friends, I would probably not have found the resources they had that gave us the ability to more efficiently learn the Cisco material. |
| Placement Services | 8 | There is a job placement department at RCC. The Job placement department in the Cisco academy connection is very helpful as well. |
| Alumni Network | 9 | Cisco has a great Alumni connection for the learning academy, including RCC. |
San Mateo Community College • San Mateo, CA
Studying Computer Support Specialist (completion in 2005)
• 10/24/2011
"I was satisfied with the courses because of the mix of excellent students and facilities and the instructors weren't awful. I would recommend that they keep their courses up to date."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | For the pricing it is a good school to attend. I would probably base my decision on how much money a student is able to spend on education. |
| Program Reputation | I haven't been back to the school or talked to any current student at the school so I'm not really sure. Maybe if I contacted one of the current students I could give a more complete response. | |
| Program Quality | 5 | It seems like the program is very cookie-cutter in nature. They don't teach you real world skills. Of the things I learned in school I maybe use 20 percent at work. I do admit that it laid a solid groundwork on which to build on. |
| Instruction | 3 | The quality of instruction is low in comparison to real world skills. The career preparation aspect of it needs some updating as well. |
| How Difficult | 3 | I have quite a bit of experience in the computer field, specifically hardware. Because of this, the course seemed very easy. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The courses used lots of text book training which limited our real world experience to what was relevant 5 years ago. In the computer industry it is extremely important to keep courses fresh due to constantly changing technology. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 4 | Their schedule was fixed for the classes I took. I did take a couple of online courses that were completed at my own pace so there was a bit of flexibility. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | In this respect the college was very accommodating. I had tons of time to access computer resources and the library. Study groups were great and tutors were always available. |
| Social Life | 6 | These activities were always available and school spirit was high. I didn't dedicate much after school hours to these activities though. |
| Placement Services | 2 | As with most community colleges job placement is virtually nonexistent. I had better luck finding a job by going at it myself. I found a job within a couple of months using Craigslist. |
| Alumni Network | 9 | One thing I really enjoyed was the other students and the ability that we had to network and help each other out. The facilities were always available to us. |
Heald College • Rancho Cordova, CA
Studying Information Technology (completion in 2003)
• 10/24/2011
"I was not impressed with the school. I am disappointed that I wasted my money there instead of going to a real university. That's why I am going back to college to do it right this time."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | You're not going to get what you pay for at Heald. I would never recommend it to anyone. I always steer people toward real colleges. |
| Program Reputation | 2 | Since I have left, they stopped providing the Information Technology program. Also, considering it's not a true university, people look down on it. |
| Program Quality | 4 | The classes were way too easy. It was all very basic and could have been much more challenging. |
| Instruction | 4 | In some classes I seemed to know more than the teachers. There definitely wasn't enough hands on experience which would help you out in the real world job. |
| How Difficult | 3 | I was working full time while going to classes and it wasn't a burden at all. I feel like they could have been much more challenging with schoolwork. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | There was way too much book. Not enough hands-on at all. This poses a problem especially in the technology field because everything you do is hands-on. You can read something in the book on how to fix it, but actually being faced with the situation is much different. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | They provided classes at all times. I was able to go to work full time while going to school at night. |
| Academic Facilities | 3 | There isn't much to Heald College. It's run more like a business than a school. |
| Social Life | 2 | Everyone who goes there attends simply to get in and out. There isn't much of a social aspect there. There are no sports teams, no clubs. You're there to get your degree and leave. |
| Placement Services | I do not know to be honest. I never used their services to help me find a job. | |
| Alumni Network | 2 | I honestly don't even know much about their alumni network. Once I graduated I never looked back. The degree there didn't really help me get my job now, it was the knowledge I already had and the way I answered the questions in the interview that did it. |
Santa Monica College • Santa Monica, CA
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2000)
• 11/29/2011
"I got what I paid for. I just wish that it had an ongoing component."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | If you want to get a undergraduate degree in computer science from USC or UCLA, SMC is the school to go to. Just make sure you know what school you are transferring to so that you get the classes you need. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | They are number one in transfers to UCLA and USC. So if I wanted to transfer to a top local school, I went to the right school. |
| Program Quality | 10 | At the time the education was very relevant and would have made a good stepping stone had I continued. |
| Instruction | 8 | The instructors knowledge was a little dated but I learned a lot that I was able to use in the workplace. There was some repetitiveness but that's to be expected for the audience they are teaching (teenagers and 20's). |
| How Difficult | 5 | Some classes were difficult, and others were easy. It all depends on how much you know when you come in. I knew a lot. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | There was a mix of book time and hands on, but I wish there had been more time in the lab. All book learning is theoretical and employers don't value that. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | They had nights and summer, but no weekend classes. I would have appreciated weekend courses. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | There was not enough technical resources available. I would have liked a fully-outfitted server lab with all the bells. |
| Social Life | 1 | The events were designed for new high school graduates not for people of all ages. There are quite a few adult students like me. |
| Placement Services | 1 | Only entry level positions seemed to be available, and none of them really required the degree. They didn't seem to have any industry relationships. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | SMC's alumni network seems to be a fund raising organization. They say they have events for graduates and students but it seems designed just to extract money from them, not to help them with their careers. |
University Of California Santa Barbara • Santa Barbara, CA
Studying Philosophy (completion in 2006)
• 12/14/2011
"I can't complain about my college experience. It's a bad job market with or without a degree, but I met many cool people in college."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | IT does not always require a degree, so you may not need to go to college to get an IT job. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | I have heard UCSB has a pretty good reputation worldwide. I don't know whether my particular major is well regarded. |
| Program Quality | 5 | My major was philosophy, which does not improve my job prospects much over not having a BA. There are better, more employable majors, like engineering. |
| Instruction | 8 | UCSB instructors were among the best. UCSB has a well-deserved, good reputation. |
| How Difficult | 6 | My major was difficult, but not that hard. BS majors are much harder. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | UCSB tends to be focused on theory and book learning. CSU schools have a reputation for more hands on and practical learning. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | Overall class flexibility at UCSB was pretty adequate. Classes tend to fill up fast for undergraduates at UCSB. Summer offerings were pretty good. UCSB doesn't offer much in the online course options at this time. |
| Academic Facilities | 6 | Computer labs and libraries at UCSB are topnotch. I can't speak to the other aspects of the school facilities. |
| Social Life | 6 | UCSB has a reputation as a party school. However, this is an oversimplification, as many UCSB students are very serious about learning. |
| Placement Services | I never had to use UCSB's career counseling, so I can't say for myself. Most of my classmates had no trouble finding employment after college. | |
| Alumni Network | 5 | UCSB's alumni network is too big to feel personal. The only time I hear from UCSB is when they hit me up for money for their alumni association. |
San Jose State University • San Jose, CA
Studying CS (completion in 2009)
• 12/17/2011
"I'm very satisfied with the school. I'm very proud to say that I earned my bachelor's degree from San Jose State University."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Yes, I definitely recommend this school to everyone who is interested in a career and sports. They will get all sorts of knowledge from this school. You won't regret your decision, just as I don't. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | The reputation is not bad. |
| Program Quality | 8 | It was good going to college and learning the things that I learned. The college has very supportive staff and nice surroundings. |
| Instruction | 9 | It was not that tough for me to prepare for my career. I have learned a lot from the program. |
| How Difficult | 7 | It is not that difficult if you have a plan for what you do. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Some courses were book oriented and some were hands on. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | There is not much flexibility, but it suits working students, so there is not much of a problem with the schedule. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | Academic facilities are really good. We have a very vast collection of titles in our library, and they fetch the books if we really need some. Labs are state of art in this college. There are also study groups, where the students in the program help each other if they have any doubts, and these are really very helpful. |
| Social Life | 8 | Sports are the most exciting part in the whole program of mine. I have been a participant of the marathon from the college, so you can understand how good we are at sports. Almost every individual from the college is involved in a sport. |
| Placement Services | 7 | Job placement is very good. They try very hard to help us get the jobs that we dream of. Career services assistance is really very good here. |
| Alumni Network | 10 | I have been getting a lot of support from the alumni frequently, and that's very good to have. They are all very friendly. |
San Jose State University • San Jose, CA
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2009)
• 12/17/2011
"I'm very satisfied with the school. I don't regret the decision to enroll at all. I'm very proud to say that I got my Bachelor's here."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I recommend it to everyone who is interested in a career or the athletics. They'll get a great education from this school and won't regret the decision at all. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | It's not bad. It's challenging for us and there's a lot of competition within the college. |
| Program Quality | 8 | It was good going to college and learning so much. The college has very supportive staff and it's a fun area. |
| Instruction | 9 | It was not too tough for me to prepare for my career. I have learned a lot from the program and I rely on many relevant things from my education background. |
| How Difficult | 7 | It was not too difficult if you have a plan for what you want to do. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The course is very hands-on and we have theoretical knowledge. Some of the courses are book-oriented and some are hands-on. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | There is not much flexibility but the timings can work for employed students. There are not many problems with the schedule. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | Academic facilities are really good. We have a vast collection of titles in our library and they fetch books from elsewhere if we really need them. Labs are state of the art and there are study groups where all students can get help if they need it. |
| Social Life | 8 | Athletics are the most exciting part of the whole program. I ran a marathon at the college! Almost every individual can be involved in some intramural or activity. |
| Placement Services | 7 | Job placement is very good. They try very hard and help us get jobs that we dream of. Career services assistance is really very good here. |
| Alumni Network | 10 | I have been getting lot of support from the alumni network and that's very good to have. They are all very friendly. |
University Of California, San Diego • La Jolla, CA
Studying Human Biology (completion in 2011)
• 1/17/2012
"My school has adequately prepared me for the real world. The rigor of the programs really pays off and makes everything else much easier."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Yes. I would recommend it because we have an excellent alumni community and a good record of students and where they get hired (mostly big name companies like Google, Microsoft, Amazon, etc). The student body is large, meaning that you will have to compete, but this encourages a lot of self-growth and a sense of camaraderie. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | UCSD has one of the top biology programs in the US. In terms of computer science, we are average. Our university is heavy on the sciences and engineering. |
| Program Quality | 5 | My major has nothing to do with my career choice. I was able to self teach the skills necessary to work this job and was trained from the beginning. |
| Instruction | 5 | My education had little to do in terms of preparation. I did take courses in programming, but since my job is more on the support side rather than engineering, I had no real use for it. |
| How Difficult | 4 | The academic program (minor in computer science) provided sufficient challenge and would have been more difficult if it were my major. The workload was very reasonable since it was only a minor. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | We focus on both, but book learning is rare. Books are meant to supplement lecture and do not always contain all the relevant information. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | Though no weekend classes are available, we do have the option of building our own schedule to suit our needs. We also have summer offerings to get ahead or catch up on certain classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | Our computer science and biology departments are very large. The labs we have available to the students allow almost 300 students each quarter to partake in the courses. |
| Social Life | 5 | Social experiences may be a bit lacking due to the heavy emphasis on learning and science. Though it exists for those who seek it, often times it is more time consuming than beneficial. |
| Placement Services | 7 | We have a website dedicated to job listings that list compensation and qualifications. A career services center allows easy access to on campus and off campus jobs. |
| Alumni Network | 7 | The support network caters to your home town. I receive newsletters regarding local alumni events and this really helps me to stay in touch with the community. |
San Jose State University • San Jose, CA
Studying Business MIS (completion in 2007)
• 1/18/2012
"I enjoyed my time there at SJSU. The school is very diverse."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I have a good career thanks to SJSU. I would recommend it to others. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | SJSU has a great reputation at the moment, from what I've heard. They are very popular. |
| Program Quality | 8 | SJSU was a great school for my major. The program was an up and coming major that has proven very popular. |
| Instruction | 9 | Instruction was excellent. I learned a good amount. |
| How Difficult | 8 | Once I passed my lower division classes, the work load with regards to my major increased. It was time consuming but not overwhelming. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It depended on the teacher. Some followed the book, while other professors were a little bit more hands on. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | SJSU offered weekend, evening, summer, and online options. However, since there are so many students and not enough classes to go around, adding classes can be somewhat difficult for plenty of students. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | SJSU provided a huge library and resources for students to use. Students there will find that they have the tools to access any information they might need. |
| Social Life | 6 | I tended to go to school and leave after I am done. A lot of students there are local. |
| Placement Services | 5 | Some professors at the school assist students with job placement. However, not all professors do. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | SJSU did provide their own online alumni network. They still try to reach out to past students to stay involved with the school and the community. |
Software Education Of America • Brea, CA
Studying MCSE (completion in 2000)
• 1/25/2012
"I learned what I needed to and I was able to start my career."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | The school has folded. I would recommend taking a few classes from another school to make sure this is what you want to do for a living, though. |
| Program Reputation | Again, the school has folded. It no longer has a reputation since it isn't around anymore. | |
| Program Quality | 7 | Instructors used real world examples. They taught more than just the info necessary to pass the certification test. |
| Instruction | 7 | I learned more then what I needed. I was able to pass every certification test I took. |
| How Difficult | 7 | It was challenging, but fun. Passing everything wasn't easy, but was worth it. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | There were many hands-on labs. There were also many real world examples. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | There were multiple tracks - day and night. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | The school had expanded while I was there. There was always someone you could get help from. |
| Social Life | 3 | I met plenty of new people, although there were no athletics or other events. |
| Placement Services | There is no place to get help since the school doesn't exist anymore. | |
| Alumni Network | The school has folded. There is no support network now. |
Victor Valley Community College • Victorville, CA
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2000)
• 1/21/2012
"I got my degree and now I have gainful employment. I guess we both did our jobs."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | If you're low on funds, then yes, I would recommend the school. Otherwise, I would suggest that you go to a four year college. |
| Program Reputation | I really don't think they have a good reputation in the field of CS. They don't really offer half the stuff they used to. Everything seems to be about nursing programs. | |
| Program Quality | 5 | At times it almost seemed like a self study program, although the people that worked in the computer labs were mostly helpful. |
| Instruction | 6 | They used to have a lot of classes in the IT field. The last few years they've had a lot of cut backs in their computer science program. |
| How Difficult | 7 | It probably wasn't that hard for the average person. Sometimes I'm slow to catch on. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | They let us take apart computers and put them back together again. Once we were in the program for a few months, students from around campus would bring in their computers to be fixed. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | They were just getting into online classes. The evening options were pretty good. |
| Academic Facilities | 6 | The computer labs were pretty nice. There was always an open station for me to work at. |
| Social Life | 1 | I went to school to study. I never had any time for nonsense. |
| Placement Services | 1 | When I went there, there was no job placement help, other then students working in the labs or the cafeteria. |
| Alumni Network | Since it's community college there didn't seem to be any support in this area. I could be wrong since I never sought any help. |
Heald College • Rancho Cordova, CA
Studying Information Technology (completion in 2003)
• 2/6/2012
"It's an extremely overpriced, poor education that didn't help me get anywhere. The job I have now was entry level and I learned along the way."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | The school doesn't provide this area of education anymore, it's overpriced, and they don't' teach you enough. |
| Program Reputation | 1 | They don't even offer the degree that I received anymore. The only thing IT-related is networking, but it seems like they are more focused on other areas and steering away from technology. |
| Program Quality | 4 | Hard to learn from a textbook, it's better to have more hands on experience. The best way to learn how to work with computers is just throwing yourself into it and getting by with either Google or trial and error. Going to school for stuff like this almost seems pointless. |
| Instruction | 3 | Teachers didn't really know what they were talking about. I really didn't learn anything new. |
| How Difficult | 2 | Not much homework, wasn't very hard. I breezed through school. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Too much related to textbook. If we're going to be learning how to deal with hardware issues or software, we need to actually work on computers more. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | They offered night classes but no weekends. |
| Academic Facilities | 3 | There was a computer lab that you couldn't use half the time. No library or labs. |
| Social Life | 2 | There were no athletic programs, parties, organized social events or school spirit. It was a place where people just went to get their degree. |
| Placement Services | 4 | I only used their service once. They always talked about how great they were, but the only thing they got me were bad temporary jobs. |
| Alumni Network | I have no idea, I don't even have any contact with the school. |
Victor Valley College • Victorville, CA
Studying Computer Science/Business (completion in 2005)
• 2/2/2012
"It was what it was. I needed to finish my Associate's Degree and VVC was the closest college available. I had attended trade school prior to VVC and VVC was much more satisfying academically."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Again, it's what was available in this area. I would recommend the CISCO program as a must-try class, but I would avoid the programming classes. |
| Program Reputation | 3 | While Victor Valley is well known for their computer classes in the High Desert, the reputation doesn't extend to the valley (L.A.) below. As a community college, its reputation leaves much to be desired. |
| Program Quality | 5 | Victor Valley has an excellent Cisco program. I found the beginning programming classes too difficult for beginners. The hands-on training for computer repair, wiring and networking is great. |
| Instruction | 5 | The teachers knew their subjects, they didn't just pick up a book and read. Most instructors were very willing to share their knowledge, both on the assigned subject and on other computer-related subjects as well. |
| How Difficult | 3 | The classes (computer repair, networking and wiring) were very simple. The programming classes were very difficult and the Cisco class was on the hard side. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The Cisco class has a complete Cisco lab that teams wired and programmed from the ground up. The networking, wiring and computer repair classes also provided many hands on examples. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 1 | The one or two classes offered are IT. There is no flexibility with class schedules. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | The computer classes had state of the art equipment. There was usually someone available for assistance, but tutoring was very limited do to the small scope of the program. |
| Social Life | 5 | VVC offers social activities, sports, ASB, drama, etc. For the most part I did not participate in any activities other than class. |
| Placement Services | 1 | There is no job placement available at the school. There is no career services assistance available at the school to my knowledge. |
| Alumni Network | What alumni network? I haven't had contact with any classmates since class ended. There is no structured alumni support group. |
University Of Phoenix • Ontario, CA
Studying Business (completion in 2002)
• 2/7/2012
"I enjoyed the program of study at Chaffey College. It helped me to realize my dream of joining the staff of the Computer Technology division of my company."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Yes. I have recommended programs at Chaffey College to others. I strongly believe in the vocational approach to education. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | Chaffey College has a good reputation among students and the community. Many vocational programs at Chaffey College receive national recognition in areas such as food service, automotive tech, computer tech, etc. |
| Program Quality | 10 | I received my technical education at Chaffey College, which is a community college. I completed several courses to obtain computer certificates in networking and database management. These vocational classes helped me secure my current job. Some classes were online and some were in the evenings, which made it flexible for me. |
| Instruction | 8 | Some instructors were more knowledgeable than others. But overall, the instruction is good. |
| How Difficult | 6 | Using online lab environments made completing classes easier. But there was still the challenge of taking classes in the evenings and working a full-time job during the day. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Many of my classes included hands-on lab experiences. Some classes were only book taught because they focused on theory and not necessarily on application. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | Classes are held during regular day schedules. But, the college is also very aware of the needs of working adults and provides a good variety of evening courses. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | The college has procured bonds funds for building improvements that will continue for another 5 years. The technology hardware used in classes, labs, and in the library are regularly updated. |
| Social Life | My goal at Chaffey College did not include time for social activities. I think if I was a first time student, I would have sought out more social involvement. | |
| Placement Services | 9 | Many students who complete vocational training at Chaffey College go on to jobs that are in high demand, such as with Verizon, Google, and CISCO. Chaffey College also sponsors internship jobs for students with potential. |
| Alumni Network | I am not aware of an alumni network. I have never been contacted regarding alumni networking from the University of Phoenix or Chaffey College. |
Mount San Jacinto College • Menifee, CA
Studying Computer Science Information Systems (completion in 2011)
• 2/12/2012
"The school was just another typical community college with a surprisingly nice computer program. Very nice if you want to learn some practical experience and knowledge to apply in the real-world field of IT."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would recommend this school based just on the value of your dollar. The instructors are actually surprisingly knowledgeable. Before indebting yourself to a technical school, look at a junior college like this one. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | They are pretty good on a unit per dollar basis, as long as you are able to secure financial aid. Compared to ridiculously expensive programs through technical schools like ITT Tech, this provides a very complete solution to help you out in the actual IT field. |
| Program Quality | 7 | The teacher and campus were actually very nice for a community college. My only complaint would be the obvious number of people there just to get some extra credits and not actually focused on computer careers. |
| Instruction | 8 | The teachers were all very skilled and knew what they were talking about. However, some of the teachers were slightly boring, although that comes with the territory. |
| How Difficult | 6 | Although the work was somewhat challenging and there was a good amount of it, I came into this program with a considerable amount of experience, making many assignments very easy. The only other thing would be the number of people in class, making one-on-one time with the teacher hard to get. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The computer program was very hands on, which is why it is so very easy to learn. I wish all subjects were as field-like as the computer classes were. I'd say we spent more time on the computer actually practicing theories than reading about them. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | This school had a great selection of classes and schedules. The only problem was that there were far too many students for how few classes there were. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | Great facilities; very new with great faculty (sometimes). The online access and classroom space were typically very good. The only problem was actually getting into the class. |
| Social Life | 5 | There is barely any school spirit to speak of and I'd be surprised if anyone knows much at all about the school's athletic events or social events. It's more of a "get in and get out" type of school. |
| Placement Services | 8 | At the school, they seem to focus a lot on actually placing you in a job, but as with all things, it really comes down to what you do, not what someone tells you to do. That said, they do a great job of 'nudging' you in the right direction. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | This comes with being a community college, but once they get you through, there isn't much of an alumni program. They are fantastic at supporting you through school, but not so much once you're done. |
SDSU • San Diego, CA
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2012)
• 2/27/2012
"Glad I got the degree. Teachers were nice."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Accessible teachers. If it is an option it is better than not going to a university at all. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | It's known as a party school with decent academics. |
| Program Quality | 5 | Mostly academics. Very little hands on. |
| Instruction | 6 | Good instructors. They were willing to spend time explaining things. |
| How Difficult | 6 | Computer science requires a lot of math and can be hard. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Almost no hands on. Everything was book-based. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | Hard to get classes I needed. Comp Sci was impacted. |
| Academic Facilities | 6 | The facilities were not high-tech. Professors were available though. |
| Social Life | 5 | It was OK. I met a lot of nice people. |
| Placement Services | 5 | They did not help me. I tried the job placement boards but no help. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | It's not too big or prestigious. |
Rio Hondo • Whittier, CA
Studying Radio & TV (completion in 1976)
• 3/7/2012
"I enjoyed my time there, and was given excellent training for future endeavors."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I have not been back recently, and do not know if the program is still offered. |
| Program Reputation | I have not checked recently and do not know if this is available. | |
| Program Quality | 8 | They have a good radio program with excellent teachers. |
| Instruction | 7 | The teacher was a former business professional. |
| How Difficult | 8 | Assignments were always within your range, and allowed us to spend time on air. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The radio station on-site, and on-air positions were provided to students. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | I do not know about weekend courses, but attended many evening and summer courses. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | The library was excellent, radio station was well-equipped and fully functional. |
| Social Life | 5 | I only attended activities within my social state. The school provided many free options for interaction with other students. |
| Placement Services | 5 | Teachers had many friends within the industry and provided auditions if you wanted. |
| Alumni Network | I do not use the service, and can't speak to it. |
Institute Of Technology • Modesto, CA
Studying Computer Networks (completion in 2007)
• 3/6/2012
"I was able to learn the skills I needed to find a job in the field I wanted. It wasn't too expensive as compared to other options."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I already recommend it to my friends. Several attended and now work with me at the same company in IT. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | I've met a few people who recognize the school. My boss actually prefers people who have certificates over degrees for this field because you're more focused on the actual tasks. |
| Program Quality | 7 | Everything was well organized and my teachers were great. I learned everything I needed to get a job. |
| Instruction | 7 | My teachers were great. I had many teachers from the armed forces who had a lot of experience to share. |
| How Difficult | 7 | It was a lot of work and required dedication. I was at school 5-6 hours a day with 3-4 hours homework. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I did a lot of hands-on at school and a lot of book learning at home for homework. It was a nice mix and I liked it. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | My teachers let me do what I need to do to make class work for me. As long as I got my work done I could come to whatever class I needed to. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | We had some nice new computers and some terrible old ones. The network equipment was the same way: some new some old. |
| Social Life | 5 | We had a few parties but the school was mostly about learning. It wasn't a college atmosphere it was more about learning and going home to work. |
| Placement Services | 1 | Help services basically didn't exist. I found my own job by job-hunting every day. Once I found my job the school tried to take credit for it. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | They didn't have one as far as I know. I can't comment much more on something that doesn't exist. |
UCLA • Los Angeles, CA
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2000)
• 3/9/2012
"It was a wonderful experience that I won't forget. Both academically as well as socially. The friends and relationships you build in college last a lifetime."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | If you're looking for an engineering degree from a very good school, but with the opportunity to branch out into other areas and interact with other people from around the world in one of the most beautiful college campuses, UCLA is for you! |
| Program Reputation | 8 | UCLA had professors who had software running on Voyager, and professors that worked on the first "IMP" or router to help build the internet. However, when ranking against CMU, MIT and CalTech, UCLA was not in the same league. |
| Program Quality | 8 | It was hard, but the coverage of networking, operating systems, programming languages as well as a mix of hardware and software classes creates very well rounded graduates in my opinion. |
| Instruction | 8 | Like any other major university in California - class sizes were large, there isn't much personal attention, but the opportunity for someone to succeed was there. The courses and quality of the classes were very high. Anyone with the aptitude can succeed if the investment in effort is made. |
| How Difficult | 8 | I consider myself very intelligent and got anywhere from a B+ to A in the classes where I applied myself. In the classes I didn't or couldn't understand, I would get a B. It wasn't easy, and some classes were definitely hard given the high dropout rate in Computer Science, but it wasn't impossible. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Lots of theory, but one was required to write an operating system, create a programming language, build an 8086 chip, and build websites and games, which made it very hands on - this definitely helped when having to find a practical job after graduation. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | I never encountered a scheduling issue. I was very aggressive and even tried to accomplish most of my requirements in 3 years when the average when I was attending was extending to 5 years in order to graduate. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The engineering school had pretty good resources. Sun/Unix as well as Windows machines were available. I only rate it an 8 when I happened to see the resources the MBA students had at the Anderson School on campus - and that I would rate as a 10. |
| Social Life | 10 | UCLA has tremendous school spirit given its long sports history. I'm proud to have attended the school - and the fact it wasn't just an engineering school (it's also known for many other majors) created a balanced and fun environment when compared to schools like Harvey Mudd and CMU. |
| Placement Services | 10 | I got tons of interviews through my school when I graduated. What more can you ask from the school? |
| Alumni Network | 5 | UCLA has an alumni network, but it's not on par with what I have seen from MBA programs from top schools around the US now that I've been exposed to them. |
Chaffey College • Rancho Cucamonga, CA
Studying Computer Science (completion in 1999)
• 3/10/2012
"I value the education that I received through Chaffey and more than 10 years down the road I am now successful in my field, having moved up to management. I have a secure position with great benefits and I get to learn all the time in this field."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | An education is only as valuable as what the student does with it. In that sense, I believe that Chaffey would be a great place for an adult learner who wants to quickly get into the field and start making things happen. |
| Program Reputation | 6 | I do not know if Chaffey has any specific reputation for computer science. Many students were engaged in general studies, business, or certificate programs and the school did not promote one area over another. |
| Program Quality | 6 | I have found that on-the-job training is the best way to gain skills in this field. Technology related fields are constantly moving and anyone in this field must strive to continually educate themselves in order to stay abreast of the trends and latest technologies available. |
| Instruction | 6 | This was an Associate program and offered classroom examples that exposed students to the basics of the technology field, but not enough depth to really prepare the student for the real world. Anyone coming out of college with very little real job experience is going to have to find an employer willing to take a risk on them to gain the valuable experience needed for this field. |
| How Difficult | 6 | I found the workload very easy, but I have always been an excellent student and not had to work very hard to understand and complete my coursework. I also enjoy new technology and that makes it easy to remain engaged during lectures and hands-on labs. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I think that is what I liked most about choosing computers for my field. There is only so far that a book can teach you and then you have to move to a hands-on environment to really learn. I work much better doing than through words and this field really offers you that opportunity. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | Chaffey offered a typical schedule of classes. 1999 was a little before online classes became so popular with technology that supported the classes. They did offer summer, evening and some weekend classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 6 | Chaffey offers a computer lab to students in computer based classes. The lab was sufficient to our needs as students, but nothing extraordinary. |
| Social Life | 5 | I was an adult student with a child, so I was more focused on my education than social activities. The school does have a football team and I recall flyers for other social activities, but I did not participate in these. |
| Placement Services | I had a job lined up right after graduation, but the school did not assist me in my job hunting activities. They may have offered this service, but I did not attempt to take advantage of it. | |
| Alumni Network | 2 | Chaffey College is a junior college and does not offer any alumni activities that I am aware of. I have not received any correspondence from the college since I graduated. |
California State University Fullerton • Fullerton, CA
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2012)
• 3/20/2012
"I am grateful for my education but wish I had gotten more experience. CIT would have been a better experience for me."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | CSU Fullerton is not a tech school. I would not recommend the school to future Comp Sci students. |
| Program Reputation | 6 | Fullerton isn't known as a great Comp Sci college. CIT is way better, which is why I wish I went there. |
| Program Quality | 6 | Fullerton isn't known for being a Comp Sci college. I would have gone somewhere else if I didn't change my major from Business. |
| Instruction | 7 | |
| How Difficult | 8 | I like challenging material so I am picky. CSU Fullerton was not hard enough for me. I would have liked more. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | A very good 50/50 mix. I prefer hands on so I would have liked a little more. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | The class schedules were horrible. It was impossible to get classes in order and all the classes had the same exact times. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | The computer labs were lacking. They could all use a major upgrade. |
| Social Life | 7 | CSU Fullerton was a big school which created a lot of social interactions. I still have friendships from people at college. |
| Placement Services | I never looked for job placement help. I found a job on my own so this doesn't apply to me. | |
| Alumni Network | I have not yet sought out information on this. I plan to in a few years when I'm further out of college. |
Riverside Community College • Riverside, CA
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2010)
• 3/25/2012
"I was pretty satisfied with the school and the programs that they offered. I was very pleased with the amount of courses I was able to complete online verses going to the campus and having to find a baby sitter."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | It depends on what their circumstances are. I am a divorced, single parent who needed to finish a degree. For someone else just starting out I might recommend they go straight to a four year university. It would definitely depend on the circumstances. |
| Program Reputation | I'm not sure of my school's reputation. | |
| Program Quality | 7 | It took a while to finish the degree since some of the required classes were not available when I needed them. |
| Instruction | 8 | The professors were pretty good and the convenience of online courses made it a pretty good choice of school. The professors were readily available either on the discussion boards on via email. |
| How Difficult | 6 | I thought it was pretty difficult because a programming class is required and I'm not good at programming at all. But I took course and it wasn't as hard as I expected it to be it just turns out I'm really not a good programmer. The other required courses weren't that hard because I had been working in the IT industry for so long already most of it I already knew. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I would have to say it's a pretty good mix. Especially with taking online courses. You have to have the necessary software and/or applications in order to complete the assignments and that makes it hands on. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | It was very flexible, especially since they offer a lot of Saturday classes and online courses. The online courses can be completed at any time of day so long as you meet the due dates for the assignments. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The computer labs and libraries are readily available for this program of study. Usually there's a professor in the lab to help you with any questions you might have regarding the assignments. |
| Social Life | I'm not sure because I didn't participate in any of these events. | |
| Placement Services | I'm not sure of my school's job placement program because I didn't use it. | |
| Alumni Network | 5 | It's only a JC so I guess it's pretty average. I am connected to a few of my classmates on social networking sites and they are very supportive. |
University Of California, Santa Barbara • Santa Barbara, CA
Studying Geography (completion in 2010)
• 3/28/2012
"Between the social scene and my program, I loved UCSB. I would go back in a flash."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Great education and location. There are many people passionate about your career and some very excellent professors. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | UCSB has and will continue to graduate very talented students in the GIS (geography mapping) field. We are viewed as top tier, if not the best, in the country. |
| Program Quality | 8 | My school ranks very high for Geography. Many students go on to work for Google Maps or other digital imaging companies. |
| Instruction | 6 | I had both good and poor professors. Poor professors were usually foreign, and had trouble communicating to students. Good professors were usually very interactive with the students. |
| How Difficult | 10 | Learning how to program and map specifically for satellites is extremely difficult! It is a somewhat new technology in an ever changing field so it is tough to stay ahead of the curve. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Some classes were all book, you had to read and you had to answer questions based off of what you learned. More classes were hands-on, the teacher will guide you through the problems and then turn you loose. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 3 | Classes are extremely impacted so getting into any class is a big deal. Flexibility is out the window, there is usually only one opening and you have to take it. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | My program had some money, and a couple computer labs, but compared to the rest of the school, didn't have as many resources. Due to its small-ish size we had great access to professors. |
| Social Life | 10 | My school was ranked the top ten party school in the country. We were located right on the beach and I made tons of friends. It was the best time of my life. |
| Placement Services | 7 | There's not much assistance from the school directly. If you work hard though, you could build connections through professors and that helps a lot. |
| Alumni Network | 3 | I blame not having a football team for our alumni network being so weak. There's also never been a big push from our current alumni program to make it happen. |
Cal State University, Fullerton • Fullerton, CA
Studying Management Information Systems (completion in 1997)
• 3/26/2012
"I was moderately satisfied with this school. I would have liked a more vocational school like ITT tech for MIS focus instead."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | If you are focusing on the business side of MIS, I would recommend Cal State Fullerton's MIS program. However, if you are focusing instead on the IT side of MIS, then more vocational schools or private colleges might be more useful. Especially now, as Cal State budgets are cut more and more. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | Cal State Fullerton has a good reputation for instruction. Their business program is one of the best in the state. |
| Program Quality | 6 | My school taught me a lot about management and business, with some systems and development. However, most of it was not applicable in the real world. |
| Instruction | 8 | There was good instruction at Cal State Fullerton. However, I would have liked more industry level teachers. |
| How Difficult | 9 | Cal State Fullerton has a lot of classes in the MIS program that weed out the weaker students. Without much help available, it was extremely difficult. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | My major was very book oriented. It had some lab courses, which were helpful in learning systems and applications. But I would have liked more hands on courses. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | When I went to school, there weren't many online options. The weekend scheduling was limited as well. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | The library was the best I've seen, including their resources available. However, the computer labs were out of date at the time. |
| Social Life | 4 | CSF was a commuter school. Not a lot of on-campus life was available at the time. |
| Placement Services | 4 | Job placement at CSF was horrible. Jobs were out of date, and not helpful. Online resources were better. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | The alumni network had some good resources. However, most of the issues I had were with their job resources, which were out of date. Plus the alumni sources were only available with a fee when better online services were free. |
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