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 Northern Virginia Community College, Tidewater Community College, Germanna Community College, and Lord Fairfax Community College.
Fastest Response From Schools
- Request Info: For the fastest information for prospective students, look at the Spotlight schools on this page.
Student Body
- Part-Time: For schools emphasizing part-time studies, consider James Madison, Bluefield, Norfolk State, and Virginia State.
- Female: For schools particularly welcoming to female students, consider Sweet Briar College, Hollins, and Mary Baldwin.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Virginia State, Hampton, Norfolk State, and Ferrum.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Southwest Virginia Community College, Bluefield, Patrick Henry Community College, and Danville Community College.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Southern Virginia University, Washington and Lee University, University of Richmond, and Hampton.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Ferrum, Hampden - Sydney, Virginia Military Institute, and Sweet Briar College.
Excellence
- SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at Washington and Lee University, William and Mary, University of Virginia, and University of Richmond.
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at Washington and Lee University, University of Virginia, William and Mary, and University of Richmond.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Washington and Lee University, Sweet Briar College, Hampden - Sydney, and University of Richmond.
Spotlight Schools Search
Spotlight Virginia Schools Related to This Career
- Locations: Arlington, Chesapeake, Manassas
- Programs: 2 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Bachelor
- Locations: Alexandria, Arlington, Ashburn, Chesapeake, Fredericksburg, Glen Allen, Manassas, Midlothian, Newport News, Virginia Beach, Woodbridge
- Programs: 5 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Associate, Bachelor, Master
- Locations: Arlington, Fairfax, Manassas, Reston
- Programs: 4 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Bachelor, Master
- Locations: Chantilly, Norfolk, Richmond, Springfield
- Programs: 4 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Associate
DeVry University's Keller Graduate School of Management
- Locations: Arlington, Chesapeake, Manassas
- Programs: One relevant program; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Master, Post- Bachelor's Certificate
- Locations: Arlington
- Programs: One relevant program; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Doctorate, Master
- Locations: Chesapeake
- Programs: One relevant program; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Diploma
See these schools on a map
Study from Anywhere at Online Schools Related to This Career
- Programs: 5 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Associate, Bachelor, Master
- Programs: 3 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Bachelor
- Programs: 17 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Bachelor, Doctorate, Master
- Programs: 5 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Associate, Bachelor, Master
- Programs: One relevant program; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Bachelor
Keiser University eCampus Online
- Programs: 3 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Associate, Bachelor
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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Strayer University • Ashburn, VA
Studying Business (completion in 2007)
"Teachers are from the business world. They were able to bring real world examples and case studies into the program."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | The program was easy but doesn't get enough respect in the D.C. area to really help improve careers. Did provide the foundations to build on as I begin to pursue Master's programs. Also, sometimes it seemed the school cared more about the money and less about the students. This could be because it is a for profit university. |
| Program Reputation | 2 | Again, not as respected as traditional schools. |
| Program Quality | 2 | Strayer University doesn't carry the weight in the real world that traditional universities do. |
| Instruction | 8 | Professor's bring real world example's to compliment the text book examples. |
| How Difficult | 1 | Program designed for continuing education, so workload not exactly heavy. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | ||
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | Very flexible with a fair amount of online classes available in addition to nights and weekends. |
| Academic Facilities | 2 | Facilities were in dire need of updating. |
| Social Life | 1 | Most students were adults so there really was no school spirit. |
| Alumni Network | 2 | Almost non existent. |
Christopher Newport University • Newport News, VA
Studying Applied Physics And Computer Science (completion in 2000)
• 9/18/2011
"The knowledge and experience I gained at CNU proved to be priceless as I left the nest and moved into the real world. My graduate internship at NASA directly led to being hired as a computational engineer after my graduation. This opened doors later in life and all came about directly from my experience at CNU."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I recommend CNU PCSE without reservation. If I had the chance to do it all over again, I would, and I look back on those days with very fond memories. I made friends for life, and learned things I never could have imagined. I obtained a sense of creativity fused with scientific ability and applied technical proficiency which serves me well to this day. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | The department is involved in numerous science education programs throughout the community and a nationwide experiment with an interactive classroom delivery system. Faculty have research collaborations worldwide and the department is closely connected with the government laboratories on the peninsula (TJNAF and NASA). |
| Program Quality | 10 | The strength and uniqueness of the PCSE department, and its degree programs, lie in its multidisciplined, yet integrated nature. The closeness with which the faculty interact enable outstanding relationships which improve the advancement of sciences, CNU itself, but most of all, the students. Resource availability is unparalleled, and opportunities for real-world experience abound. |
| Instruction | 10 | The Physics and Computer Science program is integrated, so the two programs complement each other. This allows for shared resources and valuable collaborations. These attributes strengthen the department in ways not available to single discipline departments. |
| How Difficult | 7 | The work itself is difficult. However the high faculty-to-student ratio, and hands-on, hardware-oriented, applied components are presented in a way that is attractive to students and provides the important practical experience needed for future development. The availability of equipment, personnel, and expertise mitigate the technical difficulty of the curriculum. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | CNU PCSE offers the perfect mix of hands-on and textbook work. Students were required to learn how to leverage, maintain, administer, and secure heterogeneous computational systems without any loss of theoretical academic rigor. This allows for rich and versatile graduates to excel in their chosen field after moving on, as I did. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 4 | While undergraduate schedules are the usual fare, there are no online options. Graduate classes are almost exclusively offered in the evening, to allow working students to pursue advanced studies. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | Beyond the introductory courses, many sophomore, junior, and senior level courses also have hands-on, hardware-oriented, applied components which are presented in a way that provides the practical experience needed for future development. The hardware and software used throughout the curriculum are updated frequently to provide high quality educational tools. The practical orientation of the program is tied to the economic development of the local community through collaboration, consulting, and education. |
| Social Life | 10 | The graduate department was like a family. The students were very helpful, and we always found time for social functions ranging from highbrow cocktails and billiards to heavy metal and strobe lights. School spirit was strong and was bolstered by the addition of the CNU football team while I was there. The various other student sports programs, social and cultural functions are sponsored weekly for those seeking to get more involved with the student body. |
| Placement Services | 9 | The Career Planning center offers services beginning in the freshman year with selection of major through senior year and the final resume and job search. Career coaching is comprehensive, free, and available to alumni for life after graduation. CNU actively solicits companies and other entities to post jobs with their Career Center so local students can find jobs without relocating. |
| Alumni Network | 3 | After graduation, I was always able to maintain key relationships with peers or mentors for the purpose of collaborations, questions, or recommendations, but I always had to initiate contact. I never heard much from the school after graduation except for solicitation for donations. |
Central Virginia Community College • Lynchburg, VA
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2007)
• 9/19/2011
"I was very satisfied with every aspect of the school. I am very grateful of the position that they have put me in for my future."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Fantastic business and technology professors. Great staff, great facilities to help put you on the right career path. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | They have great Business Management and Technology departments. I owe my skills to the wonderful staff. |
| Program Quality | 10 | My training was very thorough. It taught me how to diagnose issues with customer's products as well as providing one-on-one support for all of their needs. |
| Instruction | 10 | I learned a lot from seminars and head office training. They taught me how to put the customer first and provide great service. |
| How Difficult | 5 | I have been working in customer service/repair for quite a few years. I had self taught myself over the years so it became second nature when it was time for official training. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I found it to be a perfect mix of hands-on and book work. They also had a lot of options for working on the computer as well. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | They offer great online classes. They also offer night options for those who are working their way through. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | The school had a wonderful library and facilities. Computer labs were great and up to date. Professors were always willing to help. |
| Social Life | 9 | Great friends and friendly staff. Lots of events such as parties and fraternities. |
| Placement Services | 10 | They were great. They had me placed into a desirable position in no time. |
| Alumni Network | 9 | They were great with helping place me into a job. They also offer many other valuable resources to help me on my career path. |
Virginia Tech • Blacksburg, VA
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2012)
• 10/1/2011
"I loved Virginia Tech. It was a great four years and I was sad to have to leave. I always felt at home and can not imagine being anywhere else."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would recommend Virginia Tech to anyone who wants to pursue a CS career! It was fantastic. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | I think our school's reputation for CS is fantastic. Our research is expanding the knowledge of our department world-wide and some of the best technology is unfolding from our school. |
| Program Quality | 9 | The Computer Science department at Virginia Tech was outstanding. It was very challenging at all times and made us think outside the box to solve problems. |
| Instruction | 6 | The professors were not as accommodating as they could have been. I had one professor who did not even teach his own lecture for three months. |
| How Difficult | 10 | Our program was one of the hardest to complete. Many of the students were "weeded out" over time because of the hard courses. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Most of our classes were a mix of book learning and hands-on learning. We were given programming assignments and basically taught ourselves with the help of textbooks and resources. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | Class flexibility could have been better. Senior year you always hope to have Fridays off, or be done with classes by 2pm and not have to start before 11am. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | Virginia Tech has a Computer Science lounge made available only for CS students. This was great to study, get help, sleep, or work on a programming assignment. |
| Social Life | 10 | I am very outgoing so I had a great social experience at Virginia Tech. I went to all the football games, tailgated, participated in Relay for Life, and always had a busy Friday night and weekend with friends. |
| Placement Services | 9 | Career services was excellent at providing opportunities, on-campus interviews, and one-on-one sessions with employers. They will do everything they can to ensure a job for you. |
| Alumni Network | 10 | Our alumni department is great at getting former students back to the school to talk about job experience, interviews, or support. |
Strayer University • Woodbridge, VA
Studying Business Administration Management (completion in 2008)
• 10/15/2011
"I am very proud to be a Strayer University alum. I guess, as far as reputation goes, if I was to be interviewed for a job and the other applicant had an MBA from Temple University (but our job experience and other training were identical), then I may have a disadvantage. However, one day, I expect that the Strayer University name will be more recognized/admired than present highly regarded learning institutions. Strayer is located in several states."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | My friends range in ages 30 to 60. Therefore, I would recommend Strayer, because it caters to the working professional to help them meet their education needs. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | As a privately owned university, Strayer University is highly regarded, as it is accredited by the Department of Education's accrediting body and has a Business Administration regional accreditation. Strayer is also ranked as one of the top MBA online programs in the nation. Unfortunately, I have read some blog entries of snobs that down Strayer, because its Business Administration regional accreditation is not the same as other schools, such as UNC. Although I don't have all the facts, Strayer's regional accrediting body (for Business Administration) was developed back in the 80's, whereas traditional universities were established approximately in the 30's. Point being, the Department of Education recognizes Strayer's accrediting bodies. |
| Program Quality | 8 | The courses were challenging, as well as the required dissertation. However, the customer service/administrative support still needs improvements. |
| Instruction | 4 | I felt that the quality of the materials, courses and interaction were great. However, although the MBA program, with a concentration in Management, prepared me to manage an office or an institution, it did not prepare me for the subject matter expertise needed to be a logistician. |
| How Difficult | 10 | Working on my MBA required me to put in 8 to 16 hours per week, in addition to an already demanding work schedule. My weekends were obligated to school. Some of the course materials, like Quantitative Methods, were somewhat overwhelming, but I did earn a B in the course. In short, when I graduated, I felt I earned it. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Strayer has IT labs, and its classes are fun to attend, as the instructors are great during class. However, the online program really focuses on the book. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | Strayer University's classes are flexible, as the school caters to the working professionals. However, I was required to turn in weekly assignments. Therefore, I worked all day Saturday (usually 10 am to 12 midnight) and sometimes Sunday too, to finish up assignments, take tests, etc. The reason for a rating of 8 versus a 10 is that NOVA, a state-run school, requires its online students to turn in its assignments by the end of the course's quarter. I preferred Strayer University's online program, because requiring me to turn in my assignments at the end of the week kept me organized and disciplined to reach my objective. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The campus has a small resource center (not really a library), because most directives, policies and references are kept digitally. I needed a template for my dissertation so I could quickly conform to Strayer's policy on formatting. Therefore, their forum is fine for me. However, for students who do not have access to the internet and do not take online courses, I think it would be more beneficial for them to be able to stop by the campus library and get a book before or after their classes. |
| Social Life | 1 | The instructors talked the talk during class, but were less than helpful after class. The staff at Strayer was nice at times, but did not seem to all be on the same page regarding policies. No sports team, no get-togethers. In short, it is a privately run institution. |
| Placement Services | 5 | Strayer provides monthly scholar magazines. Strayer also has an awesome website with links to several networks. That is all good stuff. Unfortunately, the one-on-one interaction with staff and those that are to help implement career services, is not all that good. That is my opinion. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | Strayer University provides me a monthly scholar magazine that gives recognition to new graduates, success stores and networking activities. Strayer gives students and graduates all the tools for networking and continuous development. |
Virginia Tech • Blacksburg, VA
Studying Aerospace Engineering (completion in 2013)
• 10/27/2011
"The campus is very beauteous. However, public education ALWAYS has its drawbacks."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | Go to Georgia Tech for Aerospace. Otherwise, go here! |
| Program Reputation | 6 | Better than average. However, it is still less than 15th in the nation. |
| Program Quality | 5 | The school is lower than 15th in nationwide ratings. Research is done here at a very low rate and getting a degree in Aerospace Engineering is looked down upon by the department. |
| Instruction | 7 | It is hit or miss with the professors. Some are okay, but many spend too much time talking about unrelated experiences rather than the subject matter. |
| How Difficult | 7 | It may be difficult compared to other majors, but not difficult generally. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Lots of design lab experience and other theoretical hands-on experience. However, not much experimental experience is available unless in a specialization with lots of exposure. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | Daytime options are diverse. However, not much in other areas are available. No evening or online options for Aerospace Engineering. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | Many resources and facilities are available. Full size campus for every student's use. Academic advisors are limited in scope considering they are major specific. |
| Social Life | 7 | Too concentrated around FOOTBALL! I wish the girls would wear dresses more often. |
| Placement Services | 9 | Many career fairs and networking opportunities. However, not all job market niches are available. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | Not much support. However, there is enough for it to catch your attention. |
George Washington • Ashburn, VA
Studying MS IST (completion in 2012)
• 11/21/2011
"The program is rewarding for the curriculum, prestige, and name."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | The school is great for those who want to be a part of a weekend executive cohort. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | GWU is a well known school in the Washington DC area, and possibly further out in the country as well. |
| Program Quality | 8 | The program is challenging, and fulfilling. |
| Instruction | 8 | The program teaches management of IST, and does a good job. I feel more confident and am able to think strategically regarding IT concepts. |
| How Difficult | 8 | I have spent many hours at my desk studying for class. Managerial Statistics has been a tough course and most people are struggling. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | We perform quite a bit of classroom and book-work. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | The class schedule is fixed, but you have an allowance of 1-2 days you can miss without falling too far behind. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | There are plenty of rooms. Tutoring is not available at our level, but our cohort helps each other out. |
| Social Life | 7 | As in most graduate programs, social experiences are non-existent. |
| Placement Services | 8 | GWU uses GWORLD to help employers find students who fit their job requirements. |
| Alumni Network | 7 | I have heard one notable alum who built and sold a start-up for 123 million dollars. It is motivational to know these alum exist. |
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