Here are some tips for selecting schools, based on an analysis comparing each school to all others across dozens of factors:
Schools Concentrating On Elementary School Teachers
- Focus: For schools with a focus on this career area, look at Wilmington 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 Delaware State.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Delaware State.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Delaware State, University of Delaware, Wesley College, and Wilmington University.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Wesley College, Delaware State, and University of Delaware.
Excellence
- SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at University of Delaware.
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at Delaware State and University of Delaware.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Delaware State, University of Delaware, and Delaware Tech - Owens.
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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Wilmington University • New Castle, DE
Studying Elementary Education K-6 (completion in 2012)
• 8/6/2011
"I love my school, so everything I have to say about it is great. I highly recommend it to anyone that has a major offered there. I love the teachers, staff, classes, and campus."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Class sizes are small and there is a lot of hands on instruction. These two things are fundamental for anyone studying to be a teacher! |
| Program Reputation | 7 | Wilmington University just became a university recently, so it's not as well known as others in the area. However, forty percent of teachers in Delaware have some sort of degree from Wilmington University. |
| Program Quality | 9 | The class sizes were small so as a student you got extra help and the teachers were very willing to help you outside of the classroom and continue on as contacts to help you with classes later down the road. The material is all well planned out and well executed by each of the professors. |
| Instruction | 9 | The instruction is amazing. The professors are all really down to earth and easy to contact so the classes are entertaining and informative. I love the classes because with the small sizes professors can really spend more time with students individually and help them understand each piece of material in real world conditions. |
| How Difficult | 8 | You must learn every subject and have a passion for it in elementary education because you have to teach every subject. Some subjects may be difficult to teach but you really have to try and take each piece of work and remember that you will be teaching this to your students, so you must understand the material before you can truly teach it. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | LOTS OF PROJECTS! But, its much better than sitting and reading from a text book. You get involved and every hands on project really helps you prepare to teach. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | I took online courses with Wilmington University and really enjoyed them. They also offer hybrid and night classes. I have a few night classes in this coming semester. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | The computer resources are amazing, the library is decent, the classroom sizes are perfect, and the study support is great. The only qualms I have are with the advisers and laboratories. |
| Social Life | 5 | Since Wilmington University is mostly for adults going back to school, it lacks in clubs and social activities. The athletics department is large and full of spirit, but if you look elsewhere you are likely to come up empty handed. |
| Placement Services | 9 | Everyone I have dealt with in placement is very kind and helpful. They really try and find you a perfect fit for your practicum, student teaching, and when you are ready to teach a permanent job. |
| Alumni Network | 6 | The advisers can be a bit hard to get a hold of sometimes, but other than that its not too bad. Some teachers even give you contact emails and numbers in case you wish to discuss more with them at a later date. |
Vassar College • Poughkeepsie, DE
Studying Multicultural Education (completion in 1991)
• 8/11/2011
"I met my husband there. And, I greatly extended my world view."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | Vassar is not a vocational school. If you just want to learn the skills of education, go elsewhere. If you want to learn and have conversations and build relationships and teach because you love knowledge, than choose Vassar. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | Vassar is consistently rated as one of the top schools in the country. The education department produces quality teachers and phenomenal researchers. |
| Program Quality | 9 | There was a strong emphasis on theory over practice. However, I feel that I was well educated. |
| Instruction | 10 | Vassar has top professors and small class sizes. The work was challenging and engaging. |
| How Difficult | 9 | It is difficult by design. Vassar has one of the toughest work loads in the country. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | f you cannot read and write well, you will be able to by the time you graduate. A Vassar student cannot get by with tactile learning. Still, the labs offer authentic research possibilities. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 4 | This is a residential college. All classes are Monday through Thursday, and most are between 10 AM and 3 PM. Labs are on Fridays and sometimes in the evenings. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | Vassar is both current and historic. The campus is beautiful while offering the latest in media and technology. There is even a lab school on campus for the educational field study. |
| Social Life | 7 | There is no Greek system, and sports are for playing, not watching. But, there are many social opportunities such as concerts, guest speakers, film series, an on campus bar, and organized events in dorms, departments, and some that are college wide. |
| Placement Services | 1 | It doesn't exist. A Vassar degree should be enough. |
| Alumni Network | 4 | It's out there, but I don't use it. Since the school is national, there are more connections on the east coast and in large cities. It is not like a state university, where everyone you know went to the same school. |
Wilmington University • Dover, DE
Studying Educational Technology (completion in 2006)
• 9/25/2011
"I believe that my eyes were opened to available technology, and I was taught how to incorporate technology in the classroom. Additionally, I was given resources to assist me in utilizing this technology."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | With technology constantly changing, it is difficult to go to grad school, learn about available technology, and then become the technology expert. Instead, it is important to become familiar and comfortable with what's available and then become aware of the resources available to learn about new technology. Wilmington University does just that. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | One of the teachers who was in my technology classes is now the applied technology specialist in the district. I believe that my school has a good enough program to be considered for specialty jobs, but it is not going to make any top ten list. |
| Program Quality | 8 | My school is very active in acquiring new technology and keeping the curriculum up to date. Delaware pays teachers better than most states. |
| Instruction | 8 | I feel the program opened my eyes to various technology tools to use in the classroom. I think it would have been beneficial to incorporate a grant writing course to teach teachers how to acquire these tools. |
| How Difficult | 7 | I was challenged, but was able to earn a 3.9 GPA. I had to put in a lot of time and hard work, and it paid off. That is my idea of a fair program. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I feel it was a pretty fair mix. Usually, the text was used to provide background learning and for reference. Then, we had opportunities to apply our knowledge/skills to various tasks - such as creating a virtual field trip or web quest. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | I was able to work full time and complete my master's degree. Summer courses, online courses, and evening courses were offered in order to accommodate teachers' schedules. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | I felt that the school had everything I needed. I did not feel that it was lacking in any type of resource. |
| Social Life | 5 | If you wanted to get involved, you definitely could. You would need to take the initiative of seeking groups and events. Most of my social interaction took place with classmates. Since we were in grad school and working, the focus was more on getting the degree. |
| Placement Services | 1 | I don't recall any person or program that was available to assist in job placement. It is possible that I didn't notice it because I wasn't looking for it. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I listed average because I do remember receiving phone calls/mail from them, so I know they make efforts to keep you involved. But the fact I can't remember anything specific tells me that they weren't too over the top about contacting me. |
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