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 Wayne County Community College District, Oakland Community College, Grand Valley State, and Kettering.
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 Davenport, Wayne State, University of Michigan-Flint, and Lake Superior State.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Wayne County Community College District, Andrews, Lawrence Technological University, and University of Detroit Mercy.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Spring Arbor University, Walsh College, Andrews, and Kirtland Community College.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Andrews, Calvin, Baker College, and Kettering.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Albion, Alma, Hope College, and Olivet College.
Excellence
- SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at University of Michigan, Kettering, Michigan Technological University, and Albion.
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at Kuyper, University of Michigan, Lawrence Technological University, and Ferris State.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Andrews, Calvin, Albion, and Hope College.
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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Kalamazoo Valley Community College • Kalamazoo, MI
Studying Computer Support (completion in 2010)
• 4/29/2011
"I'm pretty much satisfied. I received an Associates degree in Computer Support and I got my A+ certification for free. I'm just worried that I haven't found a job yet in my field. Since I live in Michigan, the job market is pretty tough."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would recommend my school since the prices are lower than other colleges and universities. Also, some programs prepare students for immediate employment after 2 years. This is ideal for students who don't have time to pursue a Bachelors degree. |
| Program Reputation | 6 | I think my school has an above average reputation since their AITP student chapter consistently places at the annual conference. Some students have qualified to work at the school in IT departments and some have been hired by local companies. |
| Program Quality | 5 | I think they could have prepared students for the job market better by providing more realistic and hands on training. I also believe they should assist students looking for jobs in their field. |
| Instruction | 7 | The career preparation could have better but I did receive an opportunity to get free certification in my field. I believe that I learned relevant skills in IT from my hardware, Microsoft Server 2008, and Desktop Support classes. However, in my basic networking class I believe that I did not receive the proper training. I think there should have been more hands on homework assignments. |
| How Difficult | 6 | The difficulty was slightly above average since most IT classes involve above average difficulty. However, since some instructors accepted late homework assignments, that made some classes easier. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I thought that there could have been hands on learning in my basic networking class. I thought we could have spent more time making Ethernet cords and working with routers and switches. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 3 | I don't believe that classes were that flexible in my field of study since some classes were not available during fall or summer semesters. There were no online classes available, weekend options, or flexible hours during the evening. Some classes that students needed were even canceled for the semester since their were not enough students signed up. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | My school had a computer lab and hardware lab available. Computer lab hours were available were pretty flexible but the hardware lab hours were not flexible. Professors were readily accessible after class and even had office hours. The library hours reasonable and provided adequate reference materials. Tutoring services were provided free of cost to students. I didn't care for the academic providers since their advice was too general. |
| Social Life | 7 | There were several athletic teams at my school but I didn't know much about them. There were several student ran groups at my school. They also had opportunities to participate in local walks/runs. |
| Placement Services | 4 | The school has some basic services available to assist with job placement. They assist with writing resumes, job letters, and mock interviews. But besides that they don't provide much assistance. There have been some paid internship initiatives that only a select few students could qualify for. Supposedly they would be offered employment from the companies providing their internship. |
| Alumni Network | 3 | There aren't that many resources available to help students get a job once they graduate. None of my professors offered to give me a reference. |
University Of Michigan • Ann Arbor, MI
Studying Psychology (completion in 2010)
• 8/11/2011
"I would be a lot happier had I chose a path in college that mimicked my career now. With that said, I had a great time."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | If psychology, yes. if a person pursues psychology and takes the time to do volunteer work and goes on to future paths, great. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | Good programs, great teachers. Lots of different research projects to do. |
| Program Quality | 8 | I really enjoyed what I had learned. I do wish I had thought about it further - I am currently not in the Psychology field, so it's sort of funny how things go. |
| Instruction | 10 | Top notch professors and graduate student assistants. Definitely had all the resources I needed. |
| How Difficult | 9 | Michigan was more difficult than I had thought. Makes sense now that I am done - Wish I had knew that earlier. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Mostly book and theory based. Wish there was more real-world stuff. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | Most classes are during the day. There are not many classes in evenings. It's hard to get some classes since the older students have more credits and get priority. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | Great professors, very understanding. Will work with you to provide support and guidance. |
| Social Life | 7 | I should have partied more in the first 2 years of school, seems like I missed out! Definitely great spirit with football and events. |
| Placement Services | 8 | Appear to be good and provide help for 6-8 months post graduation. I have not used their services, but I have heard good things. |
| Alumni Network | 10 | I have not donated, unfortunately. I work close to the development office and see that they put in many hours. |
Western Michigan University • Kalamazoo, MI
Studying Computer Information Systems (completion in 2008)
• 9/13/2011
"Great school and good professors. A few more great professors would be awesome."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | My education helped me get my job and the knowledge I needed for that job. I would recommend my school to anyone pursuing a job in IT. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | I'm not really sure. I think it is middle of the road. |
| Program Quality | 7 | Good professors that care. Not a lot of TAs, but a lot of career professors. |
| Instruction | 6 | I was taught well and learned a lot. It was a good start, but it left a lot to learn once on the job. |
| How Difficult | 6 | It seemed easy to me because I wanted to do the work. It was a good challenge. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | A lot of labs and hands on work. There was some book learning that sometimes should have been more hands-on. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | A lot of flexibility in class times. Not a lot offered during the summer, though. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | Great computer labs and libraries. They do need to offer more study group support. |
| Social Life | 7 | A lot of school spirit and good athletics. Fun parties and good organized social events. |
| Placement Services | 9 | Had good staff to help and a lot of resources. Had good job fairs. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | Haven't reached out much for support, though I hear a lot about successful alumni. |
WM. D. Ford Vocational Tech • Westland, MI
Studying Electronics (completion in 1996)
• 9/18/2011
"The education was free and it allowed me to gain a further understanding of electronics. I actually was employed about eight years later as an electronics bench tech - so it definitely helped!"
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | The school is really for working students looking to do something to improve their careers and place some job training on a resume. It works for that and you actually can learn something worthwhile. |
| Program Reputation | 3 | The electronics program is worth three credits to the local community college. It was basically a way to get something on paper, as compared to an institute of higher learning. |
| Program Quality | 7 | The instructor was excellent and my voc/tech class was quite engaging. I really enjoyed the hands-on part of the class. |
| Instruction | 5 | I went to school to learn electronics, so it did not prepare me for my ultimate career of IT. I learned a great deal and the school prepared me more for my hobby of ham radio. |
| How Difficult | 7 | Electronics is challenging. There is a lot to learn, both in theory and labs. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | At least 80% of the class time was spent in the labs. Electronics is hard to learn without seeing what is going on. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | With four sessions throughout the day it was easy to find a time to go. I was in high school at the time so that wasn't a problem at all. They offered summer classes and two evening sessions but no online options. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | There were no facilities to speak of. The school had a class for about 40 students with a few rows of lab equipment and that was it. |
| Social Life | 1 | Throw a bunch of high school kids in a room and you get a party. It's not a very good learning environment. There was no school spirit at all, no athletics program. Parties existed but really because we were high school kids, and no organized social events. |
| Placement Services | 3 | These were non-existent. The school simply didn't do job placement. |
| Alumni Network | 2 | The voc/tech school I attended is lacking in both these respects. Essentially it was a career prep school so I'm not surprised at this. |
ITT Tech • Troy, MI
Studying Computer Network Systems (completion in 2010)
• 11/1/2011
"The school overall was not too bad. However, I thought for the money I had to spend that I would have received more knowledge from the program."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I would base this on the knowledge of the person who was interested in the school. I would not recommend this to someone such as myself who knew about 50% of the program and was teaching some of the teachers my knowledge. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | ITT Tech is pretty well known for the CNS program. They are well liked when I was looking for jobs also. |
| Program Quality | 6 | The school was great. The teachers lacked knowledge in the general education courses and I outsmarted them often. A lot of the entry level classes were super easy and were required. |
| Instruction | 8 | The teachers at the school were good in the higher level classes. They were all in the field and had good experience which made the course smooth. |
| How Difficult | 5 | The program was not super challenging. I am young and have been with computers more than half my life, which makes it easy for the program. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The school was a mix of hands on and reading. It depended on the class and on how much lab time we actually had. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 6 | Classes were pretty easy to fit in. I was able to work full time and attend classes full time. |
| Academic Facilities | 6 | The school's computers were a joke. They were old Dells and were always broken. The library was very small and always crowded. The computer labs were always crowded and you had to wait in the hall to get on them. |
| Social Life | 5 | The school did not have many activities. The few they had were lame and very childish. |
| Placement Services | 1 | ITT Tech kept notifying me of jobs right above minimum wage that were far away. My friend finally got me a job and then they said they were the one who got me the interview... WRONG. |
| Alumni Network | 6 | The school's support was average. No one went above and beyond to help. |
University Of Michigan Flint • Flint, MI
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2000)
• 11/28/2011
"I would say that there were some good courses that I took and I gained excellent computer knowledge. It would have been nice if there were more courses offered."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would recommend this school to my friends, because it has much improved since I graduated. There are more professors and more courses are offered now. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | My school's reputation was average, due to not having enough professors to teach all the courses. It would have been better if there were a better choice of courses to take. |
| Program Quality | 10 | I had an excellent computer science program that taught me how to fix computers and how to program computers. |
| Instruction | 10 | Most of the professors I took courses from had an excellent knowledge of the material. |
| How Difficult | 5 | The academic challenge was to keep up at least a C average in college. I had to study really hard, and I went part time to manage the workload of my courses. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I would say that part of the course was reading from a textbook, and then there was a lab where there were hands-on activities. There would be an assignment in the book that you would do in the hands-on lab. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | The class schedule was flexible. At times, there was more than one professor to teach the same course. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | There were several computer labs that could be used to work on homework assignments. There were also plenty of tutors available to help the students. |
| Social Life | I did not take part in too many social events in college. I mostly focused on my studies and keeping up my grades. | |
| Placement Services | 10 | My school had an excellent job placement service. I did not utilize it much, though. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I would have to say that the support has been good. I do not have anyone in my alumni network that I know that well. |
Baker College • Auburn Hills, MI
Studying Computer Network Administrator (completion in 2010)
• 12/6/2011
"I was very satisfied with Baker. The staff is very nice and the school's location is in a good area."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would recommend it for anyone looking to start a career. The job placement guarantee is fantastic. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | They have a good reputation. Everyone there is very friendly. |
| Program Quality | 8 | My school was very good with the program I used. A few of my friends attended as well. |
| Instruction | 8 | Instruction was topnotch. Professors at this school all have worked in the field in which they teach. |
| How Difficult | 7 | IT was somewhat difficult. There was a lot of material to learn if you are not familiar with IT. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It was about 60% hands on and 40% book learning. In the computer field, you must be hands on with the PC. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | Scheduling was very flexible. You can choose from morning, afternoon, or evening classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | They had a computer lab with everything we needed. |
| Social Life | 3 | Baker is a career school only. They do not have any activities to participate in after school. |
| Placement Services | 9 | They guaranteed 99% of graduated students to be placed in a job. Career services helped find me a job; they were excellent. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | Internal support was excellent. If there were any issues, they would have it taken care of very quickly. |
Eastern Michigan University • Ypsilanti, MI
Studying Linguistics (completion in 2012)
• 12/16/2011
"Not a top school, but still pretty good. I wish it garnered more respect."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I got a good education. However, my career hasn't yet taken off as I had hoped. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | We have sent students to other great PhD programs. However, the school doesn't care much about the department. |
| Program Quality | 9 | Too many non-major students got to take the higher-level classes, which watered down my education. But the professors really knew their stuff. |
| Instruction | 9 | The professors are very talented and enthusiastic. I was challenged often. |
| How Difficult | 7 | You just need to learn how to write papers. After that, it's simple. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I have had both kinds of classes. It depends on the faculty. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | They offer a lot of night classes. It's a big commuter school, so scheduling is pretty solid. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The LINGUIST List is based out of Eastern. Also, the classes are small and the professors are very helpful. |
| Social Life | 5 | I didn't make too many friends. There is very little club activity. |
| Placement Services | 5 | I didn't really make use of it. I have heard mixed things, though. |
| Alumni Network | Haven't used it much. Don't know what is offered. |
Mott Community College • Flint, MI
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2006)
• 1/9/2012
"I was able to get a degree that led me to a paying job in my field. Attending school allowed me to complete the goal I set out for."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | Someone looking for a local community college with flexible classes would find it adequate. Someone looking for a more-rounded university experience might not be fulfilled. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | While it is not a school that specializes or is well known, the courses are adequate to give someone a way into the field. In the immediate area however students know they can get a good education. |
| Program Quality | 5 | The school I attended has a acceptable computer sciences department. I was able to gain knowledge through my classes. |
| Instruction | 6 | Working with computers most of my life, I had a good deal of preparation before I even started classes. I was able to fine-tune the skills that I brought with me. |
| How Difficult | 6 | I understand the fundamentals of programming and am a quick learner. I was able to adjust my workload to accommodate other activities in my life. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | There was a good ratio of book learning that accompanied real time in front of the computer. The text usually served as a guideline for computer tasks. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Mott knows the type of students who attend their school and make classes are extremely flexible. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | A new library gives students the kind of resources they need to better familiarize themselves with their studies. Computers are up to date with current technology allow students to be at the forefront of their field. |
| Social Life | 5 | Personally, my experience was purely educational and other priories limited my social experience. That said, there are athletic teams, groups and many gatherings for a diverse group. |
| Placement Services | 7 | Mott is dedicated to educating a workforce and improving the community through employment. If there is a position to be filled, they will do their best to find someone to fill it. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | Through my years and classes I have made contacts through peers and teachers that allow my to converse with others in the field. Working in the area that I studied in school allows me to perform well. |
Oakland University • Rochester, MI
Studying Integrated Studies (completion in 2008)
• 1/28/2012
"My degree got my foot in the door at my current job because I had it on my resume. I did the rest."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I might consider asking folks to go for a different major. The IT majors are much happier and more set to enter the field that I was. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | I haven't heard much, good or bad. I'm the only person I know who went with the integrated studies program. |
| Program Quality | 9 | The integrated program allowed me to take the classes I wanted to take without having to stay in the confines of a traditional degree program. It allowed me to focus on the psychological aspects of managing technical people (which I would like to do in the future...not doing it now). |
| Instruction | 3 | I don't learn well in classrooms. I could have used more hands-on work. |
| How Difficult | 5 | I was able to graduate with moderate effort. Half of my classes didn't require much work. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I received no hands-on training. Everything was theory and book knowledge. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | I was able to work full time and go to school. There were no problems with either. |
| Academic Facilities | 6 | The library was incredible for research. The professors were available. |
| Social Life | 3 | OU is a commuter school. I didn't do much with classmates. |
| Placement Services | 1 | I had to use my own networking ability to find my job. I received no help from OU. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | I received no assistance after graduating. The OU gym is also horribly overpriced for alumni. |
Macomb Community College • Warren, MI
Studying Programming (completion in 2006)
• 2/6/2012
"I'm very pleased with Macomb. However, I wish I had focused more on a four-year degree earlier."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I'd recommend taking the classes here needed to transfer to a four year school. But the entire curriculum isn't always necessary. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | They're less focused on big-picture computer science. This puts it at odds with the four-year CS schools in the area, such as Oakland. |
| Program Quality | 6 | Good, but more skill oriented than big-picture oriented. The program was structured differently than most four-year schools, and thus transfer options are limited. |
| Instruction | 10 | We had excellent IT instructors. These were some of the best professors I've ever known. |
| How Difficult | 2 | Well, it was easy for me. Your challenge may vary. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | We started coding on the first day. Very little wasted time. Mostly hands-on learning from the beginning. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Online classes provide 24/7, asynchronous options. On ground we have two campuses with a variety of class times, including evenings. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | Some, like academic support and the library are really good. Others, like financial aid are not. |
| Social Life | 3 | I didn't engage in any of this. I signed up for one club early on, but was never called back. Never pursued it further. |
| Placement Services | 5 | They exist here, but I didn't use them. I was hired into the college. |
| Alumni Network | 4 | I was hired into the school. Outside of that, support for alumni is rare. |
Oakland University • Rochester, MI
Studying Biology (completion in 2011)
• 2/13/2012
"Oakland is a solid school. There are some disadvantages to being a small school, but the advantages usually outweigh them. They are also undergoing big advancements and are growing by the year."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | Both biology (my major) and computer science (my career) are good programs at Oakland. Because it is a small school, the opportunities may be more personal or hands on, but there are not as many of them. Also, not having a big-name school on my resume has been difficult when applying to graduate schools. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | Biology is not the main source of attention at Oakland University, but Oakland is known for allowing undergraduate students hands-on opportunities that other schools do not in all areas of study. This is probably due to the small class sizes and personalized instruction. |
| Program Quality | 7 | Although my degree is not relevant to my career, this is the career I sort of fell into. Oakland University did a good job covering all of the topics in biology one would need to continue on to further studies. |
| Instruction | 7 | Class sizes for all courses at Oakland University are small and instructors are generally caring about their students' success. |
| How Difficult | 7 | Some courses at Oakland require a lot of work, while others do not; it depends on the instructor and the subject. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Labs are required for all majors, but I would have preferred a little more practical or hands-on learning in addition to all the bookwork. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | This really depends on the course. The 100- and 200-level courses have lots of options on all days and times, but once you get to the 300- and 400-level courses that are major-specific, there may only be one or two sections or times to choose from. This is the downside of going to a small school, but I feel that the personal attention is well worth this inconvenience. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | There is a tutoring center that is open roughly from 8 am to 10 pm, Monday through Thursday, and they tutor virtually all 100- and 200-level courses. They also tutor some 300-level courses. Professors have a mandatory amount of office hours they're required to have, and most are willing to meet at other times or have additional hours. Once you know your major, your advisor will be an experienced professor within that department, and they usually have an open-door policy that makes it easy to talk to them when you need something. Before you know your major, there are non-specific advisors that can help pick out majors or classes, and they have normal business hours. |
| Social Life | 5 | Greek life at Oakland is minimally important to the social atmosphere. From my experience, the best places for social interaction would be at club meetings. Clubs include everything from intramural sports to special interest groups. |
| Placement Services | 4 | There is a website where you can search through companies that open jobs to Oakland students first, but I never found openings in computer science or biology. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | There are options if students truly wanted to reach out to alumni, but I never felt it was particularly advertised or needed. |
Wayne County Community College • Detroit, MI
Studying Computer Information Systems (completion in 2005)
• 2/27/2012
"The school is located in a prime location in a major city. Plenty of things to do in the area and great resources like public library, governmental offices, and art museums."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | If they can expand services and improve I could definitely recommend it. However, at it's current status probably not. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | Unfortunately WSU has one of the worst Computer Science programs when compared to other Michigan universities. Lawrence Tech and Michigan have more advance programs. |
| Program Quality | 9 | I feel my education prepared me well for my career. I advised anyone who is interested in a particular career to research schools to get the best training. |
| Instruction | 10 | I took classes that prepare me for my role in IT. CSC 101, Programming courses, hardware courses, and business classes to develop my cognitive skills in my field. |
| How Difficult | 8 | I encountered many challenges in my programming courses, such as UNIX where I found myself staying late in computer labs to correct syntax errors to allow the program to execute. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It's a combo, you will have to purchase some type of reading material as well as use BlackBoard or some other online tools to submit work. Grades are usually posted online along with quizzes, and exams. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 1 | Some courses would probably require you to wait a year to attend. With only one professor teaching the course, if they decide to not teach the following semester you're not able to take the class. |
| Academic Facilities | 1 | These services are almost none existent for the Computer Science Department. Some computer labs are not even available to undergrad students. |
| Social Life | 9 | WSU Have many programs established for student entertainment. These events are usually advised on the pipeline website. |
| Placement Services | 1 | Enrollment services are below average at this school as there is a delay of processing information. Career Services are almost non-existent, especially to transfer or returning students who did not attend freshman orientation. |
| Alumni Network | 9 | I meet many instructors who where willing to meet outside classroom hours to increase your level of success. |
Baker College • Flint, MI
Studying CIS - PMP (completion in 2012)
• 3/8/2012
"I think Baker does a good job of preparing their grads for a career. They are a career focused school and touch on a number of topics to better prepare you."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I think if you can handle the intense 6 weeks of classes, then you will learn a number of things, including skills you will need in the working world. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | I think my school has a good reputation in Michigan. I don't think they are heard of much outside of Michigan. |
| Program Quality | 10 | I think my school's program was very intense and prepared me for a career. They did a good job covering all aspects. |
| Instruction | 10 | The professors in my courses were very knowledgeable and helpful. Most of them worked in the field they were teaching in and were very helpful. |
| How Difficult | 10 | Baker College has a reputation for being a tough school and I think the CIS program proved that. They focus on a number of language and programming classes that are difficult. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Being an online atmosphere they are extremely book focused. When I took on campus classes, they were very hands on as well. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | They make courses plentiful and make it easy for all types of people, especially working professionals. The courses only being 6 weeks also helps. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | The only resource I used was the online library, but over the course of 8 years that I was attending the college they made great improvements. The tutors were also a great help and always available. |
| Social Life | Baker College does not have any extra activities. | |
| Placement Services | 2 | I think the career services dept needs some help. They mainly focus on jobs in Michigan and even though they are part of a national program it doesn't post many jobs outside of Michigan. |
| Alumni Network | I am not sure, I have not had that experience yet as I just finished my degree in February. |
William Tyndale Tech • Madison Heights, MI
Studying Network Technology (completion in 2002)
• 3/25/2012
"I learned a lot of key information that helped me along the way. The biggest downfall was losing the avenue to different companies and markets once the school closed."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | I would recommend to anyone who wants to pursue a career in IT to attend a four year institution. They are typically more stable than two year programs. A degree along with the appropriate certifications will carry you a lot further to obtaining your dream job. |
| Program Reputation | 1 | I don't believe anyone remembers the school under the name that I attended. There were two name changes while I attended as well. |
| Program Quality | 7 | I received a lot of training. This training was very useful on the job. |
| Instruction | 8 | I was able to apply most of what I learned directly to the workplace. I was also able to use this knowledge at home on my personal computer. |
| How Difficult | 5 | The programs was as difficult as you made it. If you studied and participated in class you were almost guaranteed to succeed. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Most often we would split classes between lecture and hands-on training. Sometimes they were done at the same time. This provided a perfect balance for the students, especially if something made sense on paper but was difficult to execute. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | There were some evening and Saturday classes available. Overall most classes were Monday-Friday and during business hours. Most of the students who attended were displaced workers. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | Everything that was covered under the course guidelines was readily available in labs and libraries. There were designated break/fix locations and a server/network environment that was available to all students. |
| Social Life | 4 | There were no sports or after school functions excluding graduation. The only outside activities were organized independently by students. |
| Placement Services | 10 | Before completion I had an internship at a Fortune 500 company. Afterwards I went on to join the workforce at one of the largest IT firms in the country. This was all thanks to the job placement I received from the school. |
| Alumni Network | 2 | Shortly after completing the course the school was shut down. Most instructors and students scattered all around the country. There was no further contact between the school and I. |
Baker College Of Owosso • Owosso, MI
Studying Computer Networking (completion in 2012)
• 3/28/2012
"Baker has normally had me satisfied. If I could go and do it all again, I probably would not choose Baker. I think I would go to a bigger college that had more to offer for both my degree and socially."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would recommend Baker to other future students. However, I would really only recommend it if they were only focused on school and were not looking for the "college experience." Baker doesn't offer much more than the classroom for that. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | Baker isn't known as a bad college, but it also isn't known for too many programs. Many of the campuses kind of compete with each other; some are more about the medical field while others are more about tech fields. |
| Program Quality | 5 | Baker College has an okay program. There are better schools, but Baker is more affordable. It does help you to get employed in your field or a similar one after graduating (I am still attending for my bachelor's). |
| Instruction | 5 | It varied greatly from instructor to instructor. Some taught very well, but I had some poor ones. I was taking a night class that only met once a week for ten weeks. The instructor was only there six of the ten times. |
| How Difficult | 4 | Most instructors at Baker didn't assign too much work. Many of the teachers gave more in-class work. Some of the teachers were very good at this, allowing us to learn in class. I noticed many students rushed work or didn't read the chapters and only looked up information outside of class. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Many of my classes had hands-on training. In any computer-related class, we were on a computer. Usually, your first 25-50% of class was lecture, and then the rest would be a lab or assignment using your computer. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | Classes are very flexible at Baker. There are many times for core classes, but some of the higher-level classes are only offered once a year. It is also fairly easy to reschedule a test when you can't make it to a class. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | There are decent resources at Baker. They offer 24/7 computer access. You can borrow books from their library, and they also have access to MSU's and UofM's libraries. They also have free tutoring. |
| Social Life | 2 | This is pretty poor. Baker tries but normally fails here. There are some programs that go on, but much of it is nothing special and not many people come. There aren't any clubs or anything to join. Plus, more than half of the students who live on campus (in Owosso) normally go home for the weekends. |
| Placement Services | 9 | Baker normally advertises heavily on its graduates getting jobs related to their field of study. Currently, I believe it is 95%, but I am not sure how they get their stats. |
| Alumni Network | I have only had my associate's degree for a couple of months. Plus, I am still a full-time student, so I haven't experienced any alumni programs, etc. |
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