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 Truman College, Daley College, Harold Washington College, and Wilbur Wright 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 Midstate College, National-Louis University, Chicago State, and Northeastern Illinois University.
- Female: For schools particularly welcoming to female students, consider Midstate College.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Saint Augustine College, Olive-Harvey College, Kennedy-King College, and Chicago State.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider John A Logan College, National-Louis University, University of St Francis, and Governors State.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Wheaton College, University of Chicago, Northwestern University, and Lake Forest College.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Monmouth College, Blackburn, Knox, and Illinois College.
Excellence
- SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at University of Chicago, Northwestern University, University of Illinois, and Wheaton College.
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at Saint Xavier University, Northwestern University, University of Chicago, and National-Louis University.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Toyota Technological Institute at Chicago, University of Chicago, Knox, and Northwestern University.
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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Patterson Technology Center • Effingham, IL
Studying Technology In The Dental Practice (completion in 2011)
• 8/12/2011
"Great things can be said about the Patterson Technology Center. I am very satisfied."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | It's a great accomplishment. The advantages outweigh any thoughts of regret. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | It's tops in the industry and it's a first for a dental dealer to offer a technology center. Others will soon copy, that I am sure of. |
| Program Quality | 9 | Most of my education was done online. I love that I was able to work on my education on my own time. |
| Instruction | 9 | The materials were well designed and thought out. The work was focused on the areas I needed to get my certificate. |
| How Difficult | 5 | As I worked on just what I needed to complete the classes on my time frame, I would say that the challenge was easy, but then again, I did have to learn some new technology and apply myself. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | As we are pre-hired before we attend any schooling, we are able to see first hand what kind of technology is in the field. This gives a better insight to what is expected and what we need to learn. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Again, I can train at my pace and I am doing classes on my schedule. There is no pressure. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | Way ahead of other dealers. A very extensive technical library is available online. |
| Social Life | 3 | As most of the schooling is done online, this area lacks positives remarks. Any outside interests can be pursued on your own. |
| Placement Services | 10 | We are selected from our existing jobs and hired directly for this job. We are sent to training by the company. |
| Alumni Network | 3 | As technicians, we're are really kept apart. There is now way for us to communicate or be involved with other techs or the training center, except to order parts. |
DeVry • Addison, IL
Studying Technical Management, Concentration In Hospitality (completion in 2009)
• 9/26/2011
"I felt like I was able to complete my degree in a fair amount of time. However, I wish that I had better class choices."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | If someone was looking to complete their degree online, I'd recommend this school. For pursuing a career in customer support, you don't need training so much as common sense. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | To be honest, I'm not sure about the school's reputation for my major. My school was chosen because I could complete all my courses online and it was convenient for me. |
| Program Quality | 6 | I wish I would have had more classes pertaining to my concentration. I do believe that my business foundation was adequate. |
| Instruction | 6 | The business background was good. Sometimes I felt rushed through a class, though, because they only last for 8 weeks. |
| How Difficult | 7 | The material was challenging, but since the exams and homework are all open book, if you work hard, it's fairly easy to maintain a high GPA. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I feel that DeVry is a mix of both. Book learning is extensive, but all classes have been taught from the approach of how you would use the material in the professional world. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | I have never had a problem getting the classes I wanted. Not all classes are available at all times, though. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | All of my classes were taken online. The online school library has proven to be a tremendous resource, though, especially for paper writing. |
| Social Life | 5 | I rated this average because I was unable to rate it as not applicable. The only "social" thing I was involved in with my school was the induction into the honor society. |
| Placement Services | 5 | Career services worked extensively with me to develop my resume. I have not used them to job seek. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I don't utilize these services at my school. I do receive newsletters, but do not pay much attention to them. |
Chicago University • Chicago, IL
Studying Computer Engineering (completion in 2004)
• 9/25/2011
"It taught me what I needed to learn. I recommend this school to anyone."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | The school was very useful, and without it, I would be nowhere. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | My school has a great reputation and promises success. One should definitely check it out. |
| Program Quality | 8 | The school was great and fulfilled all my necessary requirements. It contained many programs that were useful to my job. |
| Instruction | 9 | The professors were excellent and made learning interesting. If you were in need of help there were instructors that offered tutoring. |
| How Difficult | 6 | The difficulty was average - sometimes easy and other times difficult. But it depends on the person. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I believe it's an equal a mix of the two. But I prefer the hands on work, which makes learning fun. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | The faster you sign up for classes, the more flexible it is. But overall the schedules are great. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | Everything was within reach. And the professors assisted you with any problems. |
| Social Life | 10 | People are very friendly there and making friends and connections is very simple. |
| Placement Services | 7 | The school has some connections to future jobs. This will come in handy when you want to do internships. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | It has a network but I personally had no use for it. But others might be able to take advantage of it. |
Western Illinois University • Macomb, IL
Studying Instructional Technology And Telecommunications (completion in 2000)
• 9/30/2011
"I completed the program in my projected timeframe with mainly good professors. I had a lot of knowledge that I was able to bring back and apply to my job."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I already have recommended this university. It is not hard to sell educators on weekend classes. It also was obvious that they had a wide variety of courses to meet any technology need. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | When I started the program, very few colleges were offering any advanced technology degrees. I already had another masters in education, but wanted a doctorate in technology. I had to settle for another masters since I could not find a doctorate program in technology. |
| Program Quality | 8 | It is hard for any school to have an in-depth technology program. When they write up the requirements, technology has already changed and the program is dated. |
| Instruction | 8 | I had many excellent, outstanding professors. I also had a couple that really were not good. |
| How Difficult | 3 | It was easy because classes were held on weekends - 8 hours at a time. Plenty of time to concentrate, but not a lot of time for homework. I also thought it was easy because I had been using technology for decades. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Very little required book learning. It was mainly using technology/computers. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | This program was offered through weekend academies and through regular class offerings. The weekends were perfect for me. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | I did not like the fact that the only computers were Macs. I had hoped there would be some PCs. |
| Social Life | 8 | We seemed to be a small group going through the weekend academy classes. We usually had the same core group in every class. It made group projects much easier. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | They call for money every once in a while, but I don't give them much of a chance. I do not like to be bothered by alumni calls. I really do not know much about the alumni offerings. |
Loyola University Chicago • Chicago, IL
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2009)
• 10/6/2011
"The quality of education was great, but the cost of attending may be somewhat high. Most of the knowledge gained at this school could be achieved elsewhere for a lower price. However, it is a great institution with an unbeatable location."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | This school is great for people either starting off knowing exactly what they want to do with there life or those who are undecided. The facilities and the faculty can justify the tuition costs, as long as they are utilized to their full potential. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | While other programs at the school get more attention and prestige (pre-med and pre-law programs, for example), the quality of education for all programs/majors is pretty uniformly world-renowned. Everything from the electronic resources to the knowledgeable faculty provide an environment apt for learning. |
| Program Quality | 8 | There are a multitude of classes to choose from, depending on each person's interests. The curriculum and professors are engaging and challenging. |
| Instruction | 7 | Each teacher has their own unique style. There is much to learn from these classes, but each style may not be the most effective for every student. |
| How Difficult | 6 | Depending on which classes are taken, the challenges vary widely. However, classes with the most to offer are often the ones with the highest work load. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Much of the program involved book learning, which is great for historical and informative lessons, but some people prefer a more hands-on approach. In certain classes, creativity was encouraged, but not every class gave this type of opportunity. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | The class schedules are pretty rigid, without much room for flexibility in terms of which classes are offered at which day/time. Sometimes a class is only offered once per year (not semester), which can conflict with other classes and requirements. However, many classes are offered at night, when some students are more available. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | The school facilities have been consistently updated to be state-of-the art. Major reconfiguration of both campuses, involving major construction for most of the past decade, has been the norm for most of the past decade, bringing new technology, space, and other resources to students year after year. |
| Social Life | 5 | Social ties were always more focused around non-locals, since the commuters usually spent little time on campus beyond going to class. However, there are always school events and athletic activities that brought people together from the whole community (and not the just students). |
| Placement Services | 9 | The career center is staffed by some of the hardest working people in the school. The sheer quantity of resources and services offered is staggering. Making an appointment with a career councilor is painless, and the networking and professional connections alone are worth it. |
| Alumni Network | 9 | From the early days of the undergraduate career up through the time after graduation, the student and alumni support programs are always offering extremely helpful advice, support, and encouragement. The alumni program is very proactive in reaching out to graduates, and the school is known for its generous support from alumni. |
Northern Illinois University • Dekalb, IL
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2011)
• 10/25/2011
"NIU provided me with the knowledge and tools to succeed in the world beyond. I owe all of my success to NIU."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | NIU provides all the tools needed to become a proficient and adaptable programmer. This is very important in the field. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | At my office, the majority of people graduated from NIU, over 1,800 miles away. This is a profound statement of the reputation and success of graduates of the program. |
| Program Quality | 9 | NIU has prepared me for the world of mainframes. However, they do not encompass newer technologies to the curriculum. |
| Instruction | 10 | All instructors were competent and masters of their subjects. They were great professors. |
| How Difficult | 5 | The difficulty of Computer Science is subjective. Some people understand it, some don't. However, NIU properly handled both cases with great instruction and workload. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | In computer science, you learn by doing. NIU stressed this in their curriculum. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | The school provided many opportunities to suit all student's needs. I never had a problem fitting in any classes. I received 2 degrees in 4 years. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | NIU had top of the line equipment. They even had their own 360 system! |
| Social Life | 10 | I met most of my long term friends randomly in college. These are the bonds that last. |
| Placement Services | 9 | In these harsh times, NIU students continue to receive many job offers. NIU prepares students for the real world. |
| Alumni Network | 7 | Alumni services provided networking opportunities and recruitment for careers. They also provided seminars for extra curricular learning. |
Northeastern Illinois University • Chicago, IL
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2011)
• 11/27/2011
"It was economical and very flexible, so I'm pleased with that. Overall, I'm not sure that this particular program is applicable to my chosen career path. It seems better geared towards those who want to do heavier programming."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | As far as cost and flexibility, I would recommend it. For those who are looking for a prestigious school to have on their resume, I would not recommend it. I did, however, learn a lot - it's all about what you put into it. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | The program is less than vigorous. Many students band together to pool their work, and unfortunately, this is known about the student population and reflects poorly on the school. Also, the school is more known as a teaching college than a strong science university. |
| Program Quality | 5 | The program should be a bit more challenging. Also, some of the courses are out of date, and the program should incorporate more job-applicable content. |
| Instruction | 7 | Instruction quality varies wildly by professor. There are some professors who I would say are excellent and who care deeply about whether their students are learning. Other professors (thankfully, a minority) don't seem to care as much about the course content or their teaching style. |
| How Difficult | 7 | There were a couple courses that I found extremely challenging, due to the nature of the subject matter. There were a couple courses, however, that were less than challenging, and perhaps downright easy, due to the lack of commitment from the professor. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | For me, it was a mixture. A majority of classes required hands-on learning, which is key for topics like programming. However, there were a few classes that were very book-centric. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | I worked full time for most of my academic career, and the schedule allowed me to do so without hampering my work schedule. The CS program focused mostly on night classes, and it is geared towards working adults. |
| Academic Facilities | 6 | There were tutors available, but mostly for lower-level classes and during FT working hours, which made it difficult to take advantage of. The library hours were average, but should include expanded weekend hours. |
| Social Life | 4 | Social activities were geared towards undergraduates who weren't working full time. There are little to no activities that are open or available to those working full time. |
| Placement Services | 4 | The job placement services are minimal. There are some services for resume review, but that is about the limit. My department's job services are okay - they allow you to sign up for email alerts for available positions. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | The alumni program seems more focused on raising funds than on helping alumni. There are few alumni resources available from the school as a whole. There are some from my department that are valuable. |
DeVry University • Addison, IL
Studying Technical Management (completion in 2008)
• 11/15/2011
"Although I wish to switch roles within the IT industry out of personal reasons, I would not trade my education for anything. In my time, I have attended colleges and universities, and none can compare or come close."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would absolutely recommend my school to others. Regardless of the role you are seeking within the IT industry, DeVry can fully prepare you for a successful career. |
| Program Reputation | 6 | Many businesses still see DeVry as a trade school, and may not see the current curriculum to be of collegiate-level. On the other hand, I've met several employers who will seek candidates from this school before looking elsewhere. |
| Program Quality | 10 | DeVry University is a very demanding and challenging school. I have yet to see a similar quality of education elsewhere. |
| Instruction | 10 | The quality of instruction at that school has set the bar in my college education. Regardless of subject, all of my instructors are veterans within their respective areas. This experience comes through in how they approach their classes. |
| How Difficult | 8 | Although I am highly experienced, I still found the course work challenging. IT in itself, is a highly technical field that may not come easy to most people. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Although books were utilized in course work, instructors always focused on hands-on over anything else. I consider this to be paramount since many items that individuals experience in the field, are not textbook examples. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | Classes are quite flexible. They not only offer night and weekend classes, but online as well. When I attended, I was able to take the majority of my classes online, and take some at my local campus on the weekend. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | All equipment at my facility was state-of-the-art. In addition, they had a software agreement with Microsoft and other major vendors to provide industry-standard software free of charge (included in my tuition), or at a discount. |
| Social Life | 7 | Since my school lacked any formal sports programs, our extra-curricular activities were centered around professional organizations and clubs. I cannot speak to this area fully because I lacked the time to participate in any of them. |
| Placement Services | 8 | Their online job portal is quite powerful. However, I was unable to personally land any job from that. Mainly this comes from the fact that I am considered overqualified due to my experience-level, and they are simply looking for students who are new to the field. |
| Alumni Network | Their network does not seem any different to me than other universities or colleges. On the other hand, I have not utilized their services enough to derive a proper opinion. |
University Of Illinois • Springfield, IL
Studying Management Information Systems (completion in 2010)
• 11/30/2011
"I was confident after attending the program that my skills had been improved and that I would be able to utilize those skills in my career. The faculty and advisors were very friendly and easy to work with."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Relatively low cost of attendance and flexible scheduling allow the program to be available to a large number of people. Integrating into a world class university system allows great opportunities for career advancement. |
| Program Reputation | 6 | The University of Illinois at Springfield is relatively new in the University of Illinois system which overall has a tremendous reputation in the computer field. The MIS program is well-regarded but not in the same arena as engineering. |
| Program Quality | 10 | The University of Illinois system is one of the top schools in the computer science and computer engineering arena. The professors I had the pleasure of working with were very knowledgeable in the field. |
| Instruction | 9 | Teachers were very helpful in explaining material and keeping up with changing tools. I always felt I could ask a question if something was unclear. |
| How Difficult | 7 | After having worked in the field for many years there were often topics that I was very comfortable which made it easier to complete assignments. I was able to work full time while completing my degree. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | There's a good mixture of lab and project work as well as focus on textbook learning. Many professors found good ways to blend the book learning directly into labs and group projects to allow students to help one another. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | The MIS program is available as a fully online degree which allows tremendous flexibility. Class loads can be designed to allow individuals to continue to pursue current or other interests or career paths. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | Newer facilities and large library system helped to facility an easy path to growth. Strong relationships with vendors such as Microsoft allow discounted or free software to help expand knowledge. |
| Social Life | I attended the program as an online student, so I did not participate in social experiences at the school. | |
| Placement Services | 8 | A large alumni base is present to help facility job placement. Staff in the career centers helped with resume creation and application process. |
| Alumni Network | 9 | The university is part of the Illinois system that includes over 80,000 students and millions of alumni. Alumni are present throughout the state and country helping to make connections for job references. |
Eastern Illinois University • Charleston, IL
Studying Computer Technology (completion in 2005)
• 11/28/2011
"I got a great deal out of it. I have fond memories of the institution."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | It's a nice school and the people are helpful. However, they are so far behind on technology that I cannot recommend it. |
| Program Reputation | It's just that nobody knows about our school. We are known more for being a teacher's college. | |
| Program Quality | 3 | They failed to keep up with current technologies. They relied more on COBOL than Java or C or Ruby. |
| Instruction | 7 | Instructors were very good. They concentrated on expanding knowledge and were very approachable. |
| How Difficult | 3 | They seemed to be more focused on building the program. Far too many non-native English speakers. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I have to say it was a very good mix. It felt like both were emphasized. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 3 | Classes had few alternatives. This is due to the small size of the program. |
| Academic Facilities | 4 | The technology is great with new computers, etc. However, classes often failed to take advantage of the resources. |
| Social Life | 10 | We had many social gatherings both on and off campus. The staff held many events and many were run by students as well. |
| Placement Services | 7 | They got me a great internship. I ended up getting hired full time. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | It's non existent! I have never met a single alumni. |
University Of Illinois At Springfield • Springfield, IL
Studying Liberal Studies (completion in 2012)
• 12/15/2011
"I am extremely satisfied with the level and quality of instruction and the instructors. My only issue is the cost of tuition. As a working parent, sometimes the costs of attending is prohibitively high, and I at times have had no choice but to miss a semester."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would recommend this school for anyone who is interested in obtaining their degree online. They also do have a Computer Science degree that is available entirely online. As far as my career is concerned, I would not recommend a career in IT to anyone. My goal for the future, after completing my degree, is to find a new career path outside of IT. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | I have heard only good things about my chosen program of study. UIS also rates well among other schools. |
| Program Quality | 9 | I am going to school to complete a degree in Liberal Studies. Overall, I find that I enjoy my classes and the instructors are topnotch. |
| Instruction | 8 | All of my classes are online, so I have not had the opportunity to meet my instructors in person; however, I will say that all collaboration that I have experienced online and over the phone has been great. They also know their subjects and I find them to be a valuable resource whenever I have questions or concerns. |
| How Difficult | 7 | I find the level of difficulty to not be too much for me to manage. This is not to say that I do not work hard for my grades, since there is sufficient challenge. I get out of it what I put into it. If I put in the time to study, the content is not as difficult as it would be had I not studied (naturally). |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Much of what I do is book learning and online collaboration. There are some hands-on exercises; however, I am sure that my status relegates me to fewer of such experiences, in comparison to those who attend on campus. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Based on my online status, I feel that I have the ultimate scheduling flexibility. I can study at 1:00 am if I choose. There are some areas that are still scheduled, such as tests and exams. These are still fairly flexible, since we are given a window of time to complete them. |
| Academic Facilities | My facilities are all contained within my home office. I have not had the opportunity to take advantage of any of the facilities on campus. | |
| Social Life | Since I am an online student, I have not had the chance to take advantage of the UIS social scene. Since I will remain online-only until I complete my degree, I do not see this changing. | |
| Placement Services | I have not graduated yet, so I have not taken advantage of any job placement programs. I hope to do so in the future. | |
| Alumni Network | I have not graduated yet, so I am not considered an alum. I plan to graduate in the fall of 2012. |
University Of Illinois At Chicago • Chicago, IL
Studying Psychology (completion in 2010)
• 12/17/2011
"In terms of my degree (psychology), I was fairly disappointed. However, working for the school's IT department was a fantastic experience, and it allowed me to learn a great many things I can now use to find work after graduation."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | Because I started working for the IT department without a background focusing on that field, I cannot say if it is better or worse than other schools. However, the computer science department seems well funded, and my coworkers, who do come from that background, speak highly of it. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | A number of well-known psychologists teach and do research here. It's a highly ranked school. |
| Program Quality | 4 | My major required very few classes to achieve, allowing me to take more classes I was actually interested in. Also, it didn't focus on the subject matter I had been expecting it to. |
| Instruction | 5 | Most of the courses were taught by TAs or held in giant lecture halls. Everything was taught out of the textbooks, which I found very poorly written. |
| How Difficult | 3 | Most tests were Scantron based. The papers were written along very strict guidelines, and thus easy to complete. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Most psychology courses I took at UIC emphasized what was in the textbook. The texts were easy to read, but did not challenge the student or provide any motivation to find out more about a topic. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 6 | It's a major commuter university. Students need more flexibility in their schedule because of this. Despite that, the school still tends to follow a fairly archaic education structure. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | Access to research material is excellent. Many of the professors, however, seem to resent teaching classes. It is obvious they would rather be doing research. |
| Social Life | 4 | UIC is a commuter school. The majority of the student population lives off campus, either with their families, or in other arrangements. Living in the dorms is quite expensive. |
| Placement Services | I have not yet taken advantage of any job placement programs the school offers. This is mostly because there aren't any, as far as I can tell. If they do exist, they're difficult to obtain or learn about. | |
| Alumni Network | 6 | As I am currently working for the school in an IT capacity, they offer a 900-hour program after graduation. This means we're allowed to keep our job for 900 hours of work, while we search for other jobs. They also tend to hire from within. |
University Of Illinois At Chicago • Chicago, IL
Studying Psychology (completion in 2010)
• 12/17/2011
"In terms of my degree (psychology) I was fairly disappointed. However, working for the school's IT department was a fantastic experience, and it allowed me to learn a great many things I can now use to find work after graduation."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | Because I started working for the IT department without a background focusing on that field, I cannot say if it is better or worse than other schools. The computer science department seems well-funded, and my co-workers who do come from that back ground speak highly of it. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | A number of well-known psychologists teach and do research here. It's a highly ranked school. |
| Program Quality | 4 | My major required very few classes, allowing me to take more classes I was actually interested in. Also, it didn't focus on the subject matter I had been expecting it to. |
| Instruction | 5 | Most of the courses were taught by TAs, or held in giant lecture halls. Everything was taught out of the textbooks, which I found very poorly written. |
| How Difficult | 3 | Most tests were Scantron-based. The papers were written along very strict guidelines, and thus easy to complete. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Most psychology courses I took at UIC emphasized what was in the text book. The texts were easy to read, but did not challenge the student, or provide any motivation to find out more about a topic. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 6 | It's a major commuter university. Students need more flexibility in their schedule because of this. Despite that, the school still tends to follow a fairly archaic education structure. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | Access to research material is excellent. Many of the professors, however, seem to resent teaching classes. It is obvious they would rather be doing research. |
| Social Life | 4 | UIC is a commuter school. The majority of the student population lives off campus, either with their families, or in other arrangements. Living in the dorms is quite expensive. |
| Placement Services | I have not yet taken advantage of any job placement programs the school offers. This is mostly because there aren't any as far as I can tell. If they do exist, they're difficult to obtain or learn about. | |
| Alumni Network | 6 | As I am currently working for the school in an IT capacity, they offer a 900 hour program after graduation. This means we're allowed to keep our job for 900 hours of work while we search for other employment. They also tend to hire from within. |
Richland College • Decatur, IL
Studying Computer Information Services (completion in 2001)
• 1/30/2012
"It was a means to an end. The price was right and it gave me a piece of paper called a degree that employers look for. I had to self study for certifications, though."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | It is a good starting point and the price is right. Due to the low cost, it is a good way to get a degree and get into the work force within 2 years. |
| Program Reputation | 6 | It was a Community College that is highly esteemed, but in the CIS major, there were hits and misses when it came to instruction. If you happened to get a good teacher, you learned so much more. I am weak to this day in DB management and ACCESS due to poor teachers. |
| Program Quality | 6 | It was extensive in theory, but there were not enough hands on lab environments. Part of the problem was that one of senior instructors had a major illness during my last semester of college. |
| Instruction | 6 | It varied from class to class. Some senior professors were incredible, but several classes were taught by instructors that were only part-time or had outdated knowledge of the IT field. |
| How Difficult | 8 | I took a full case load of classes while still working 30 plus hours per week and still being a father and husband at home. Many classes were taken over the summer and on Saturdays. I often studied well into the night and got only 3-5 hrs sleep. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The book learning was usually pretty good with good quality books that were well written. However, some instructors did not even use our required texts. The hands on labs could have definitely been better. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | Pretty flexible in that I took several courses over the summer. Additionally, I took some evening classes and also a Saturday class. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | The library was fantastic, offering many areas for quiet studies and meeting rooms for projects. The computer lab was not extensive enough, however. |
| Social Life | 2 | I was an older, married student. I had friendships and study partners but did not get involved in much besides Honor Fraternity. The school had no sport teams. |
| Placement Services | 3 | They did help with finding internships, but nothing else. Some instructors had some leads for jobs and gave good recommendations, but it was not coordinated with the school. |
| Alumni Network | The school's alumni network is non-existent. They helped you initially find internships, but no follow-up or follow-through ever came to fruition. |
William Rainey Harper College • Palatine, IL
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2002)
• 2/11/2012
"The learning experience at this school was very satisfying. It helped launch the career I have today. The coursework was challenging and informative."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would recommend this school, based on the thorough education the program provides. This program helped me launch the career I have today, and based on my success, I would recommend this school to those interested in similar careers. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | I think the program is held in high regard, as potential employers have mentioned this in the past. This was a 2-year program and may not be held as highly in regard as a 4-year program. |
| Program Quality | 10 | The instructors were very knowledgeable and the training they provided was insightful. The technology used was very up to date and provided a solid foundation of real-world experience. |
| Instruction | 10 | The instructors were easy to understand and made the classes comprehensible. I learned so much from the hands-on coursework, which provided valuable experience. |
| How Difficult | 8 | There was some challenge involved with learning new concepts on a regular basis. With the hands-on part of the training, it took a little getting used to, working inside a computer and with various components. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Hands-on experience at this school was superb. The software and hardware were topnotch. Though not as valuable as the hands-on training, the books were very up to date and insightful. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | The schedule was very accommodating, with courses running throughout the year, including summer and evening offerings. Weekend classes were also available at an accelerated pace. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | The technology was very up to date and provided a solid foundation for building a career upon. The classroom size was probably 20 students maximum, which was beneficial to the learning experience, because of the access to the instructors. |
| Social Life | 6 | It was easy getting along with other students sharing the same interests as myself. There weren't any off-campus social events, because this was a 2-year school that did not have boarding. |
| Placement Services | 4 | The really was no job placement program. Some of the instructors provided information on various career paths. |
| Alumni Network | 6 | After training was complete, there wasn't too much correspondence with fellow alumni. The instructors were helpful as far as employment advice, but there wasn't much contact outside the classroom. |
Northern Illinois University • Dekalb, IL
Studying Computer Science (completion in 1992)
• 3/12/2012
"I learned a lot of real-world skills, got my degree, and work in the field to this day. They tried to do the best job that they could with the resources that they had, but they were never on par with MIT!"
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | My son is now enrolled in the NIU CompSci program and loves it. Better yet, I have examined the syllabi and course curriculum very carefully. They are teaching these kids real-world skills that will not "expire" as quickly as the knowledge that I learned did. Therefore, I feel that NIU CompSci grads today have a far greater skill set to draw upon than I did at the time of graduation. There is no substitute for field experience though, and after spending so long in this field I will stand by that statement forever. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | My son currently attends NIU for the same type of program that I did (CompSci/Network Engineering) and the program has grown to be very robust. Not only are relevant courses taught, there are also far more opportunities for interning and certifications. |
| Program Quality | 6 | I graduated in 1992, which was not too long after the start of the "true" Personal Computer. Most of my school's curriculum was based on the administration, programming, and maintenance of "legacy" mainframe computers, which are no longer players in the industry. I must stress that this was no fault of the school; it was simply the technology of the time. |
| Instruction | 6 | In 1992 the industry hardly existed outside of command-line driven PCs, early versions of MS Windows, and MacOS. My school did not train for these machines, rather they were used as terminals to access mainframe (time-sharing) computer systems. |
| How Difficult | 8 | There was a lot of emphasis on archaic programming languages (FORTRAN, COBOL) and not much on object-oriented languages as we use today. Also, since the WWW was in pre-infancy HTTP was not widely used if at all. They had a great program on cabling, physical setup, etc. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | PCs hardly existed then. When they broke, strangely, we did not fix them. Instead we found outside contractors who would. Programming exercises had to be laboriously entered via terminal into a very slow mainframe and "human" help was not really available. Therefore, I feel that "book learning" was at least 80% of the CompSci program circa 1992--if not more. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | I'm not really sure how to answer this. When I attended, classes were very inflexible, filled up quickly, and (worse yet) the school's overburdened computer system took up to eight hours to return simple programming exercises. My son has a far easier time. There are satellite campuses, tech centers, and assignments can be completed from anywhere (of course) via the Internet. |
| Academic Facilities | It depends on the time period. In 1992 it was hard to even get assistance from the overworked TAs and professors. Today, with the expansion of the CompSci program, help is far easier to come by. Then, of course, the Internet is a fantastic resource to use to ask questions. I wish that I could do it all over today in the modern era! | |
| Social Life | 7 | NIU is almost notorious for "social" events. Well-attended football games, parties, a huge Greek system, immense communal dining halls and dormitories, etc. all contributed to this. In fact, it took considerable effort to study, in all honesty. |
| Placement Services | 2 | As far as career placement went, I was completely on my own. The only exception to this was my internship (gotten through the school) which taught me far more practical information than I ever learned in a classroom. |
| Alumni Network | 3 | Like most state colleges, alumni support is nearly non-existent. I have made some decent networking contacts through NIU's Alumni Club, granted, but usually all they want is money (as if I didn't pay them enough!) |
Glenbard East • Lombard, IL
Studying Electronics (completion in 1997)
• 3/13/2012
"I choose a great school for my education. I wouldn't have changed anything if I could go back and do it again."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | This school had a huge range of classes. I would highly recommend this school to anybody wanting to get into electronics. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | The school was a top pick for electronics. I had a great time and enjoyed my stay. |
| Program Quality | 10 | Overall a great experience. I enjoyed the hands on experience and a great staff. |
| Instruction | 10 | The quality couldn't have been better. I learned an abundant amount about electronics. |
| How Difficult | 10 | This was an extremely tough course. Every Friday was a quiz. You would really have to study to keep up a good grade. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I'd say we had a good mixture. We had lots of hands on experience but there was a fair share of book learning. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | There were no weekend options and this would be a great idea for this school. They were flexible within times. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | This was a huge part of my learning at this school. I had a hands on experience with circuit boards. I was able to learn and create many different types of boards. |
| Social Life | 10 | This school had a outstanding athletic support. We had strong school colors. Black and red were always worn on home coming games. Very proud school. |
| Placement Services | 10 | Job placement was a huge help. I was able to acquire a job within my first year. |
| Alumni Network | 9 | The network support was great and I learned many things. |
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