Career and School Info for Computer Support Specialists in Indiana



Computer Support Specialists photo

 

Here are some tips for selecting schools, based on an analysis comparing each school to all others across dozens of factors:

Schools Concentrating On Computer Support Specialists

  • Focus: For schools with a focus on this career area, look at Ivy Tech Central Indiana, Purdue, IUPUI, and Indiana University.

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 Purdue Calumet, IU Northwest, Purdue North Central, and IU South Bend.
  • Female: For schools particularly welcoming to female students, consider Saint Mary's College and Saint Mary-of-the-Woods College.
  • Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Calumet College, Vincennes University, IU Northwest, and Ivy Tech Northwest.
  • Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Ivy Tech Whitewater, Ivy Tech Kokomo, Ivy Tech Northcentral, and Ivy Tech Northwest.

School Setting

  • Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Notre Dame, Earlham, Saint Mary's College, and Taylor University.
  • Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Hanover, Earlham, Goshen, and Manchester.

Excellence

  • SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at Notre Dame, Rose-Hullman, Earlham, and DePauw.
  • % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at Notre Dame and Marian.
  • Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Hanover, Earlham, Notre Dame, and DePauw.

 


Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State

Sort Reviews By:

Indiana University • Bloomington, IN
Studying Informatics (completion in 2004)

8/11/2011

"Overall, it was a great education and a fantastic experience. My only real complaint was the lack of job placement after graduation."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?yesI think as the program matures it will become easier for students to get jobs out of school. I found that many recruiters asked me what Informatics was. I think that will change in the next 5-10 years.
Program Reputation7Indiana University was one of the first colleges to have an Informatics program in the US. I felt lucky to be able to attend the program while it was still in the development stages.
Program Quality7My program did a good job of introducing me to the various aspects of computer science, including hardware, programming, networking, etc. My only complaint is that they did not have a good recruiting office and it was a struggle to find a job after school.
Instruction8I felt that I was very well prepared for the workforce. As I mentioned, the hardest part was just getting into the workforce.
How Difficult7I felt the workload was fair. It was not overly challenging, but I have always had a natural affinity towards technology, so the work didn't seem like work.
Hands-On vs. BookishIt was definitely a mix, but I would say it was slightly more towards being a hands on education. Each class had an associated lab with it, so you got a lot of experience working with the technology instead of just learning about it. That included classes like hardware support, programming, and networking type topics.
Schedule Flexibility6The scheduling was well done. You were able to sign up for classes based on your class rank, so by senior year I was able to have all afternoon classes and Friday's off.
Academic Facilities8Our school had cutting edge equipment and technology in the facilities. We were the first building on campus to support 802.11n as well as setup the campus's first virtual classroom. The building was completely wired with fibre so the labs had great connectivity.
Social Life8IU was a great school. We were ranked nationally as one of the top 10 party schools.
Placement Services2We only had a handful of career fairs. I was very disappointed with the career services office on campus.
Alumni Network3Less than average. The alumni network is too large. They have not supported recent graduates very well.

Trine University • Angola, IN
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2008)

9/30/2011

"I enjoyed the environment of being in a small town. The size of the university caused me to go an extra year to finish the degree. (Some of the required classed were not offered every year.)"

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?noGo to a bigger school. IT is a broad field. In IT support, you need experience in different areas to make sure you can provide the best support.
Program Reputation5There is no longer a computer science major since they changed it to informatics. I do not know about the informatics program.
Program Quality5My school has the advantage of small class size because it is a small regional college. Being small is also a disadvantage since some of the required classes are not offered every semester.
Instruction7The curriculum is designed very well and will suit any IT position. However, there is a lack of career service support.
How Difficult6Most programming class are really hard. Management and hardware class are very easy.
Hands-On vs. BookishI almost never purchased books for computer classes. Professors generally gave good hands-on experiences.
Schedule Flexibility1Half of the courses were not available every semester. Some of them were only offered once every two years.
Academic Facilities5The library was ok, but the computer lab was excellent.
Social Life5The school didn't do well in sports. There were not very many social groups on campus.
Placement Services1Career service was a joke. No career help at all.
Alumni Network2Very little to almost no activity. I've never talked to any alumni since I left school.

Purdue University Fort Wayne • Fort Wayne, IN
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2004)

10/5/2011

"College was a very exciting and educational time in my life. I enjoy the campus, classes, students and environment of IPFW. It provided me with the tools to have a great career and wonderful life."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?yesIPFW is a great place to get a degree in Computer Science. They have the tools to educate you properly and the staff has the knowledge for you to hit the ground running when you enter the workforce.
Program Reputation8Purdue is one of the very best universities in Indiana and their technical degrees are certainly well regarded. My degree has definitely made a difference in my career opportunities.
Program Quality5When I was attending this school they did not offer a program for Network Administrator or IT. I was forced to take Computer Science as it was the only computer-related program at the time.
Instruction8The instructors were very good for the program, we had a large number of instructors who worked for the university part-time and had other jobs in their field. This gave us a large amount of real life experience instruction that would have otherwise been absent.
How Difficult5I don't have anything to really base this rating on as this is the only degree I took. I spent roughly the same amount of time out of class working on assignments as I spent in class. I understand that this is about average.
Hands-On vs. BookishBecause of our instructors' real world experience, we were provided with a lot of hands-on experience and projects that involved us actually working on computers. We developed and presented software based on real world situations.
Schedule Flexibility9I took many of my classes online and several weekend courses as well. They offer a full curriculum of summer classes, although I opted to not take classes in the summer.
Academic Facilities8Campus had many computer labs and other areas for us to work including some locations specific for our degree program. They also offered many online tools to use off campus as well as discounted or free software development tools.
Social Life5When I attended IPFW there were no dorms and I had to commute and work full time so I was not involved in many extra-curricular activities. About every sport is represented at the college and there is a full gym for all students.
Placement Services5I have not had to use job placement services. I have never had issues finding job opportunities with my degree. I have transitioned to several positions after receiving my degree without any issues.
Alumni Network3I occasionally get mailings from the university but they most often pertain to donating. I have not really invested any time or effort into contacting them nor have I received anything other than mailings.

Grace College • Winona Lake, IN
Studying Art History (completion in 2009)

10/10/2011

"I think I would've enjoyed a larger school/campus vs. the relatively small campus of Grace."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?noThe school has a decent program for art history but they aren't well known enough to have any type of influence. Everyone you interview with concerning an opening asks where I attended college, failing to recognize Grace. This can be annoying.
Program Reputation4I haven't been directly involved in anything since I graduated, but I've heard that it hasn't changed much since I was there.
Program Quality9It was a very informative course and we had a lot of freedom for our final projects. Papers were never too long or demanding.
Instruction5Our professors for the most part were very intelligent and did an amazing job at teaching us information we needed to know. That said, the curriculum was outdated and the school expensive.
How Difficult4Amongst my fellow classmates, the majority of us thought the program was a bit too easy. I personally was never actually challenged.
Hands-On vs. BookishEven though our books were known to be severely outdated, we used a lot of books that were suggested by our professors collectively rather than the books the school told them to use. This seemed a little unorthodox but I believe it was the right course of action.
Schedule Flexibility5We had a lot of options as far as in-person classes or online. Also I took quite a few summer courses.
Academic Facilities2The library is quite small and everything on campus was outdated. Although in years past they've updated quite a bit.
Social Life5They always tried to push themed days during spirit week but never really took enough time to publicize about these days in advance. Overall the school did a fairly decent job of organizing events and weeks to show appreciation for students/staff.
Placement Services1We really didn't have anyone to help us find jobs after graduation. It was more a task for yourself vs. anyone else.
Alumni Network2It was poorly constructed and very difficult to gather support for anything you are undertaking or having difficulties with.

Rose-Hulman Institute Of Technology • Terre Haute, IN
Studying Mechanical Engineering (completion in 1985)

10/19/2011

"I think it helped me hone my problem solving skills. It gave me a strong background in mechanical engineering."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?yesMy school is demanding and high quality. If you graduate you have an excellent chance at a job.
Program Reputation9They keep winning US World and News Reports on colleges for best under grad engineering degrees. Grads are sought by companies all over.
Program Quality8They gave me a great education in broad areas of knowledge and the ability to apply it to new situations. The professors were knowledgeable and thorough.
Instruction9All the professors had worked in the "real world" and could transmit that knowledge. They gave us a chance to perform hands-on work in many ways.
How Difficult9Rose Hulman is a very tough school to get into and the academic expectations are high. They are nationally known for the quality of their program.
Hands-On vs. BookishLots of study time but many labs. We had a lot of actual hands on work for labs and in many of the classes.
Schedule Flexibility3Didn't have much if any summer school. Night classes were few and far between.
Academic Facilities8They had excellent facilities for work. The library had good research material.
Social Life7I met many friends and joined a fraternity. There was much socialization even though it was an all male school at the time I went. Sports were popular and widespread.
Placement Services5I didn't use them as I went directly into the Air Force upon graduation. They seemed to be able to place most people however.
Alumni Network5I get notices but I really don't pay much attention to it. They keep me in the loop but it doesn't excite me.

Indiana University/Purdue University • Indianapolis, IN
Studying Library And Information Science (completion in 2008)

11/16/2011

"I felt very prepared to enter the workforce with my training. I also feel confident in my current position as a technology specialist not just because I learned how to do it, but I also learned how to be a lifelong learner and continue my education on my own. This is essential in the fast-changing technology field."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?yesIt prepares you for many different fields in various industries. I don't know how many fields of study offer that kind of versatility.
Program Reputation10It creates an environment that allows students to attend from off campus, but still feel supported. It also prepares students to be ready for work after graduation.
Program Quality10I had lots of real-world assignments that helped prepare me for real situations I would face. I also felt that the books, class requirements and professors were well-chosen for the field of study.
Instruction10I was always provided feedback and support when needed. Instructions and assignments were very clear and easy to understand. It helps to focus on the content of what I need to learn rather than get hung up on the details of how to do the assignment.
How Difficult9It's obvious from assignments and readings that the professors were experts in the field. They expected no less than to provide us with practical exposure to problems that we might face in the field.
Hands-On vs. BookishI had professors who assigned excellent reading materials online and in print. The assignments we did relied on us working in a very independent, self-disciplined manner, so having materials that offer easy instructions, as well as practical experience was essential. An example of this was a group assignment where we created wikis for actual companies that the professor contacted. She provided each group with an industry they were most interested in, mine was the University of Notre Dame Hesberg Library, which was tied to my interest in the education/library field. The assignment relied on the materials we were provided, with assistance from the professor, as needed. This allowed for real-world experience, while working independently through the books and other resources we were provided.
Schedule Flexibility8Taking classes online and through video from my city's campus made attendance easy. One class was only available on campus and that meant a weekly commute, which was inconvenient, as it was three hours away.
Academic Facilities9The library has so many resources that it is still a site I refer back to. They have a very easy to use and navigate website, and that is primarily where I turn when I need help, as opposed to in-person assistance.
Social Life9I did go to the recreational facilities during my undergraduate years down at Indiana University, and found them exceptional and convenient. During graduate school I was not able to participate much. I was a single mother and working full-time at the time.
Placement Services8I have taken advantage of the online resources, and still refer back to those. They offer up to date resources and sites for finding jobs within the specific field.
Alumni NetworkI receive newsletters and invitations to events. I do not take advantage of those services so much.

TT Technical Institute • Indianapolis, IN
Studying Information Systems Security (completion in 2007)

11/20/2011

"I'm not satisfied at all. I wasted a lot of money for nothing. It was the biggest mistake in my entire life."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?noI would emphatically discourage others from attending this school.
Program Reputation1I have been passed over for jobs because of my education at ITT Tech. I've never come across anyone who has anything positive to say about them.
Program Quality1I was ripped off by ITT Tech. They are a joke of a school and their degrees are worthless.
Instruction1The quality of instruction was terrible. Most of the instructors were useless and provided the worst educational experience of my life.
How Difficult1The program consisted of book work and open book exams. I wonder how they even got an accreditation for the school.
Hands-On vs. BookishThe program consisted of nothing but busy work out of books. Teachers didn't even have a lecture - we were told only to read a given section and do all the exercises at the end of each chapter.
Schedule Flexibility10The program was 100% online and had weekly deadlines for the assignments. Classes were offered year-round.
Academic Facilities1The school had no online resources or libraries, as they claimed. Students were required to purchase their own access to outside libraries.
Social Life1The program was 100% online. I never had to interact with any of the other students.
Placement Services1The school didn't have a job placement service. And the only career services they had was trying to get the students to continue paying for a Master's degree.
Alumni Network1There is no real alumni network. The only happy alumni are the ones in the recruiting videos.

Ivy Tech • Fort Wayne, IN
Studying Networking (completion in 2011)

1/11/2012

"I had a bad experience with ITT when I was younger and didn't want to make a big mistake again. By comparison, I'd rank ITT with a zero."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?yesI would recommend it on the basis of top notch teaching and facilities. Also the hands on experience is the most valuable asset you will have when you graduate.
Program Reputation9They have great teachers and guidance and are looked upon highly here in Fort Wayne.
Program Quality8My instructors were top notch and help anytime you needed it. The labs and equipment were all new and in great condition.
Instruction10Teachers help whenever you need it. Classes are very thorough and there are plenty of PowerPoint presentations to go along with it.
How Difficult8I think it was very challenging for me being that I have been out of school for 20 years. They were very keen on keeping you current and testing your knowledge.
Hands-On vs. BookishIt was about 60% hands-on and 40% book work.
Schedule Flexibility10Teachers were understanding if things happened, Most of us had families which can complicate schedules further.
Academic Facilities10All equipment was top notch and most of the buildings are new also. Student : staff ratio is a decent, I never have any problem getting help if I need it.
Social Life5I pretty much keep to myself and my family. I enjoy group assignments where we got to mingle with others.
Placement ServicesI did not use their placement services, I had a foot in the door somewhere already.
Alumni NetworkI really haven't dealt with alumni network and support.

Indiana University • Bloomington, IN
Studying Telecommunications (completion in 2003)

1/25/2012

"Even though it was expensive, I still thought I got a great education. With all the resources they had it was easy to do research."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?yesI think Indiana is one of the best state schools in Indiana. They are also reasonably priced.
Program Reputation7Even though it is a liberal arts school, it still seemed like they had quite a bit of resources and classes available.
Program Quality8School has many different IT related classes and instructors that knew the material well.
Instruction8The instructors knew the material well and were very helpful.
How Difficult6Seems like I had as much work as other people with different majors.
Hands-On vs. BookishSome classes were only book focused while other classes had labs. Good mix of both.
Schedule Flexibility8Since it was a large university, they could offer lots of classes at different times.
Academic Facilities10State of the art facilities. Better than a lot of smaller schools I looked at.
Social Life7There were plenty of clubs and events you could get involved in. It was easy to find out about them.
Placement Services5They didn't help me find a job. Seemed like they didn't have a lot of contacts out in the IT field.
Alumni Network7There were plenty of resources available. It is a large campus, so technology was top of the line.

Indiana University • Indianapolis, IN
Studying Certificate Of Applied Computer Science (completion in 2004)

2/22/2012

"While the certificate did provide me some strong fundamental computer science knowledge and allowed me to officially indicate my IT knowledge, it was a very poor return on investment. I ended up having to borrow enough for both the tuition and living expenses (so twice the normal amount for the certificate). Still, even if I had not needed to borrow this extra amount, it would have been a very poor return on investment. "

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?noNo, I would recommend they save their money and go to Ivy Tech and study to get an A+, Network+ certification and get customer-service call center experience if they want to do tech support or else teach themselves programming/web development and get a portfolio.
Program Reputation1Very few businesses in Indianapolis even know what a Certificate of Applied Computer Science is. Most businesses I've encountered expect industry standard certifications - A+, Network+. From what I've observed in Indianapolis, there is no emphasis on certifications for programming/web development certifications (e.g. the Microsoft programming certificate).
Program Quality2While I did learn good fundamentals, I didn't gain sufficient real world practical experience. For instance, I took two semesters of Java programming and still didn't really learn enough to consider applying for a Java position. We barely learned J2EE programming because of the limits of academic setups. Internships and placements should have been a part of the program. Also, on the IUPUI campus, it is VERY difficult to choose the right IT program because we overlap with Indiana University and Purdue University on their programs. School of Informatics and New Media is through IU, Computer Information Technology is through Purdue, Computer Science is through Purdue. Kelley School of Business at IUPUI used to have Information Systems program (last I saw this is at IUB only now). Plus there are lesser-known programs as well.
Instruction2Fundamental computer science basics were excellent. Real world application was insufficient. I did not feel sufficiently prepared to take industry standard certifications as a backup. Not enough internships and real world projects to apply what was learning for career and better build the resume which would have been better for the area of N-tier web development that I concentrated on.
How Difficult4The hardest part of the academic work was making sure I met the assignment's deadline as well as some of the team projects. While a few classes were challenging, overall, my high school program was generally way more intellectually challenging than either of my college degrees.
Hands-On vs. BookishBook learning taught fundamentals. Projects helped with learning the material, but the projects were still quite basic and we didn't get into advanced programming needed for real world projects.
Schedule Flexibility10IUPUI is an urban university. It has always been ahead of the curve on flexible scheduling.
Academic Facilities7I didn't need tutoring for my coursework. However, there is no official tutoring center for IT-related coursework like there is for Math. There is an English class, writing for the web, which doesn't enforce the pre-requisite of taking the intro web programming class.
Social LifeIUPUI is an urban university. While it does have this stuff, I had already completed a B.S. degree and worked in the work force when I went back to school for my certificate, so I was not looking for the social side of school, just career training.
Placement ServicesThe Computer Science career services didn't seem to have many listings/matching for internships at the time (I think they may have since rolled theirs into the main campus career services). I didn't really use main IUPUI career services because at the time there were a decent amount of IT jobs.
Alumni Network2It may have changed, but last I checked the career services job listings available through the IU Alumni Association is only accessible to paying members of the IU Alumni association. I stopped paying this fee because I don't earn enough at my position (they limit me to 35 hours per week) and it's a bit circular given that I work at IUPUI now.

Ivy Tech • Indianapolis, IN
Studying Networking (completion in 2014)

3/2/2012

"I got out of it what I put into it. That works for many areas."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?maybeI would recommend depending on what your degree choice is, but not for IT.
Program Reputation8They get a bad rap just for being a community college. They have a lot of students signing up though.
Program Quality5The IT field needs certifications. The school did not offer any certifications.
Instruction9The teachers were very talented. They have a full background in what they are teaching.
How Difficult6I was challenged in this program. I really had to earn this degree.
Hands-On vs. BookishIt really depended on what class you took. Some teachers were very hands on and others lectured the whole time.
Schedule Flexibility10They have all schedules thought out. I would have appreciated online classes back then.
Academic Facilities7They were becoming outdated while I attended. I have returned recently and it is now very impressive.
Social Life5I was only there for an education. I think they had a lot of activities to choose from though.
Placement Services3I never received any assistance in this area. I tried to get help with my resume but was unsuccessful.
Alumni Network5I have not signed up for any program. I bet it would be a useful resource though.

Davenport • Merrillville, IN
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2005)

3/7/2012

"If I had a chance I would have gone to a different school. The placement program is what sold me on them but ended up falling short of promises."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?noThis school would not get my recommendation. If it wasnt for my parents I would have been done at my Associate's degree and would have tried to go somewhere else.
Program Reputation4I do not belive Davenport has a good reputation in this area.
Program Quality5The school I went to was OK. It definatly wasnt the best.
Instruction8The teachers at the school were great. I have no complaints with them.
How Difficult7The dificulty wasnt that bad. If applied, the carrer is worth it.
Hands-On vs. BookishThere was a mix of hands on and book learning. The book costs were outragous though.
Schedule Flexibility7The class flexablity was ok. I was able to take most classess when I wanted.
Academic Facilities1The facility is something different now. The closest one is in Michigan, over 3 hours away.
Social Life8The people at the school were nice. I made one friend from school.
Placement Services1The placement from the school was poor at best. They never had interships or placements for me.
Alumni Network1The school I went to has since closed.

Ivy Tech Community College • Sellersburg, IN
Studying Networking (completion in 2011)

3/10/2012

"The teachers and academic discipline kill the score for me. Other than that, I found the school to be a fun and inviting place."

Ratings are on a 1-10 scale

CharacteristicRatingComment
Would Recommend?maybeMy recommendation would depend on how you're paying for school. IvyTech is rated as the cheapest college in Indiana while providing decent courses.
Program Reputation5When I started the degree in 2008, they were known for having good computer courses. After that, everyone quickly noted their shortcomings.
Program Quality6The curricular program of the school was lacking in structure and discipline. They regularly switched class requirements around and have the tendency to hire teachers who can't provide quality information on current technology.
Instruction3I didn't really learn a whole lot from the school, it was primarily just for the degree. Most of what I have learned has been through personal and professional experience.
How Difficult5The work load and academic challenge is a joke on both sides of the scale. It can go from a super simple class that you can sleep through, to something that requires 20+ hours a week to learn nothing useful; it's just busy work.
Hands-On vs. BookishIt is all book. In a CS class, you expect to be able to dive into a computer system, but that is far from the case. It is all virtual or book study.
Schedule Flexibility10They offer in-class, hybrid, and online course schedules for spring, summer, and fall seasons. There is truly no reason for you to not be able to take a class.
Academic Facilities6There are plenty of open computer labs and classroom space, but the advisors (for this degree) are simply a joke. You're lucky if they even respond with a somewhat helpful answer.
Social Life8Ivy Tech provides quite a few social events and other things to try and get everyone to socialize. It is about once a week that they have something going that anybody can participate in.
Placement ServicesI have never used their job/career assistance services.

Online Course Finder

Find the path to your
education in 3 easy steps.


About    Contact    Privacy Policy