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 Nassau Community College, Suffolk County Community College, Boricua, and School of Visual Arts.
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 Long Island University-Riverhead, Mercy College, College of Staten Island, and Elmira College.
- Female: For schools particularly welcoming to female students, consider Russell Sage College, The College of New Rochelle, Long Island University Brentwood, and Bank Street.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Medgar Evers College, Metropolitan College of New York, The College of New Rochelle, and Wagner College.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Long Island University-Riverhead, Metropolitan College of New York, Long Island University Rockland, and Long Island University Westchester.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Sarah Lawrence, NYU, Pratt Institute-Main, and Skidmore College.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Hobart William Smith Colleges, Houghton College, Skidmore College, and Russell Sage College.
Excellence
- SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at University of Rochester, NYU, SUNY Geneseo, and Binghamton University.
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at Hunter College, Lehman College, SUNY Geneseo, and Brooklyn College.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Yeshiva University, Skidmore College, Hobart William Smith Colleges, and Rochester Institute of Technology.
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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Mercy • Dobbs Ferry, NY
Studying Education (completion in 2012)
• 4/29/2011
"I got so sick I was wasting money that I quit with 3 classes to go."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | They do not prepare you to be a teacher, they do not provide services to get you in any door, basically do not help you with anything and take your money. |
| Program Reputation | 1 | I am hardly considered because I enrolled here. |
| Program Quality | 1 | I found out after I started that most principals think the school is a joke, and I think so as well because it has not helped me prepare for the job. |
| Instruction | 1 | They talk about most things which are common sense. |
| How Difficult | 4 | Some classes deal with more information but it is just they do not cover HOW to do the job. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The classes are almost solely based on books or articles on the internet. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | I had a mentor which made it easy to schedule times after work. |
| Academic Facilities | 2 | It was okay. They had enough places on campus. |
| Social Life | 1 | I did not live on campus so perhaps this would of been better. Plus I already have a family and house. |
| Placement Services | 1 | There is none. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | I could not reach out to anyone to help to get me anywhere. |
SUNY Oswego • Oswego, NY
Studying Early Childhood, Adolescent Education (completion in 2004)
• 7/5/2011
"I enjoyed this school. All of the reasons previously stated lead me to say that."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Great overall experience. Will prepare you for any teaching position. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | The school is known as one of the best teaching schools around. Some former students also recommended me. |
| Program Quality | 9 | It is probably the best school that accepted me for this program. It had helpful professors who understood you. |
| Instruction | 9 | This prepared me well for my career. It challenged us and we learned a lot. |
| How Difficult | 7 | This didn't challenge us academically as much as it was just a heavy work load. As with most education programs, we had to student teach. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | This was the most hands-on course I had taken, primarily because I taught hands on to gain experience with children. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 4 | You had to be able to student teach during school. Not much flexibility there. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | There are plenty of resources to accommodate students. There are computers throughout the school for students to use. |
| Social Life | 8 | The community is wonderful. It is not hard to find people with common interests. |
| Placement Services | 9 | Job placement was great. Student teaching helped me to get my job more. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I haven't heard much of it. I don't think there is one, actually. |
CCNY • Harlem, NY
Studying Education (completion in 2014)
• 7/2/2011
"Overall, I am satisfied with my school."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I would recommend the far more prestigious Colombia, however, under financial limitations, CCNY does a decent job. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | CCNY does not have a overly prestigious Education major. However, it has landed me an excellent job in one of the greatest schools. |
| Program Quality | 7 | My degree and training have allowed me to properly fit the mold of a teacher. It has also prepared me for general situations that I deal with on a daily basis. |
| Instruction | 5 | Instructors did not have time to fully devote to individual students, as class sizes were enormous. Other than this, quality of instruction was acceptable. |
| How Difficult | 4 | The program was not necessarily a difficult one, but a demanding one. It including several field projects. |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | In terms of flexibility, my school is very accommodating. Summers programs are offered and evening courses also are in full swing. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | As a city operated school, budget cuts often led to a lack of additional resources. However, this crisis occurred more prominently after my own graduation. Therefore, based upon personal experience, my rating is as high as it is. |
| Placement Services | 9 | City College assisted me with job placement, to an extent. Although the current job I hold is due to networking I have done on my own. |
| Alumni Network | 10 | CCNY's alumni network has been extremely useful. Their ongoing newsletter ensures I do not miss the several annual gatherings. |
Hunter College • New York City, NY
Studying Deaf Education (completion in 2001)
• 7/3/2011
"Overall, it was mediocre. It lacked vision."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I've heard that it's changed a lot since then. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | I'm always surprised when I tell people I went to Hunter, and they are very impressed and talk about how prestigious it is. Their undergrad program is open enrollment, and their grad program accepts almost everyone. The classes weren't difficult. |
| Program Quality | 2 | It has probably changed since then, but the topics covered (like teaching literacy) were taught the same way, and other information (like writing lesson plans) weren't covered at all. Also, they only offered two semesters of American Sign Language, and I had to go out and learn sign language on my own after that. |
| Instruction | 5 | Some professors, like my classroom management professor, were great. Others, like the one on math instruction for elementary school students just seemed to cover terminology, and not real world information. |
| How Difficult | 5 | The classes tended to be interesting but not very advanced or challenging. The hardest part was a year of full-time, unpaid internship teaching in the classroom. Between classes, commuting and teaching, I was away from my house at least 12 hours a day, and had to take out a loan to cover living expenses. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | One year of full-time interning is mandatory. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 1 | Each class is offered once every year or two, and only at one time. They are all offered in the evening, though. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The library is great. They offered free computer usage and free tutoring. |
| Social Life | 1 | At the grad level there was no housing offered, and extremely few social events or clubs. The program was mostly for older people with families. |
| Placement Services | 8 | While enrolled, they had a great office where you can find jobs. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | So far, I haven't received any help. I found both of my teaching jobs on my own, and haven't heard from the college other then a yearly request for donations. |
Manhattan College • Nyc, NY
Studying Special Education (completion in 2010)
• 7/15/2011
"It is a decent school. I wish I had attended a normal college in a college town, however."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | As far as places to get your education degree, there are cheaper places to go. There is nothing spectacular about manhattan. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | Manhattan is not really known for its education department. It is more an engineering school |
| Program Quality | 7 | Manhattan is a good school. The teachers are very hands on. |
| Instruction | 5 | I learned an appropriate amount for my current job. Some of the curriculum was unnecessary, though. |
| How Difficult | 4 | It was not very hard at all. Compared to my friends in Engineering, the education major is a breeze. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Half my education was spent in the classroom. The other half was tutoring children in a school. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | Evening classes are hard to come by. During the day, Monday through Friday, the flexibility is good enough. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | The library is very good. The rest of the school - not so much. |
| Social Life | 7 | It was good and had close proximity to the city. As such, everything is very expensive. |
| Placement Services | 5 | I guess it is alright. I didn't really use the job placement or career services, however. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | Manhattan is not a big school. Therefore, its alumni network is pretty small. |
Dowling College • Oakdale, NY
Studying Masters Of Elementary Education (completion in 1991)
• 7/12/2011
"I became very disenchanted by the time I graduated when I realized how hard it was to get an actual public school teaching job. I met people who were guaranteed a job because of who they knew, not what they knew. It was a bit depressing. I have never had a public school job. That's where the money is and it's a club you can't penetrate."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | I would tell others not to become a teacher. I would say pursue another program because teaching is more about who you know and who you suck up to rather than a vocation anyone can pursue. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | It's been a long time and I don't live in the area so I really don't know what their reputation is anymore. I went there because at the time it was okay and near my home. |
| Program Quality | 5 | I don't think these programs prepare you for the reality that teaching is highly competitive, almost as much as some super professions like acting, to find a real job. I believe colleges need to give you the real scoop on how teachers need to network very early in their careers or be willing to move anywhere, or teach ANYWHERE for poor money, just to work. |
| Instruction | 6 | I believe I was well trained to teach thanks to my classes. However, my practical experience was quite negative. I had a very nasty and jealous teacher supervising me in HER class room and she often thwarted my progress by making me feel incompetent. When I had my own class room, I was fine and did a good job. |
| How Difficult | 1 | Compared to my BA degree (in English), getting my Masters in Education was very easy. There was a lot of work but it was just papers and so on, all very simple (but time consuming). |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | We did a lot of simulated lessons in my classes. You are supposed to plan lessons and teach the other students or work in small groups. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | My classes in grad school were mainly at night. I did take one weekend class. |
| Academic Facilities | 4 | I chose the school for the location. The facilities were okay. At the time, the school was not stellar. It was almost just a step above a community college. I don't know how it is rated now. |
| Social Life | 4 | As a grad student, I commuted. Unlike in undergraduate school where I lived on campus, I did not interact a lot in grad school. I worked full time and went to grad school full time or part time. |
| Placement Services | 2 | Again, no one helped me do a darn thing once I graduated. There was no offer of placement. They took the tuition money and said good bye. |
| Alumni Network | 2 | No attempt was ever made to help me find a job. When I graduated, it was 'you're on your own.' |
St. John's University • Staten Island, NY
Studying Elementary Education (completion in 1999)
• 7/12/2011
"My experience at st. John's was very positive. I feel I was very qualified after receiving my education there."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I feel that someone who is looking for a small campus with a lot of individualized attention would get just that at St. John's. The educational standards exceed those of other schools in the area. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | St. John's is a well-respected school in the area of education. Being from New Jersey, I was looked upon in a favorable way having graduated from St. John's. |
| Program Quality | 10 | St. John's provided a rigorous educational program. I was given many opportunities to participate in the field as well as in the classroom. |
| Instruction | 10 | The coursework in the area of teaching was up-to-date and relevant. I was well-prepared to enter the field. |
| How Difficult | 8 | The coursework was moderately difficult given the amount of research papers that were required. It was also difficult balancing fieldwork with traditional coursework. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I felt there was a good mix of hands-on and book learning. In education it was important to have the experience in the classroom as well as from books. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | When I attended, there were several opportunities to take the same classes during the day or night. There were also weekend opportunities. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | The campus at St. John's was beautiful and historic. Even though the buildings were older, we had the latest technology. |
| Social Life | 5 | I was not involved in sports or other social events. However, there did appear to be several organizations present on campus for students to belong to. |
| Placement Services | 10 | There will many opportunities to practice writing resumes, interviewing, and how to create a portfolio. There were several job fairs on campus as well. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | St. John's continues to send me emails and mail regarding upcoming alumni events. I have also been asked to volunteer in mentoring programs for new students. |
University Of Buffalo • Buffalo, NY
Studying Literature (completion in 1992)
• 7/13/2011
"they wanted us to achieve. They help all they could to get us there."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | It's a very good school. For all the above reasons. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | It has a good reputation for teaching. People i know are still going there. |
| Program Quality | 8 | They were very thorough. I feel I learned a lot from them. |
| Instruction | 9 | They had a student teacher program. It was very helpful in preparing me to teach. |
| How Difficult | 7 | There was a lot of work but it came easy to me. I enjoyed it. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | There was a mix. We student taught and studied from books. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | There were options for weekends and evenings. I took advantage of them. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | It's a good sized school. It has nice computers. |
| Social Life | 9 | They was always something going on. People were very nice. |
| Placement Services | 8 | They helped to find me a job. Although, i did not get many options. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | I don't remember much. |
University Of Buffalo • Buffalo, NY
Studying Literature (completion in 1992)
• 7/13/2011
"They wanted us to achieve. They helped all they could to make sure of it."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | It's a very good school for all the above reasons. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | It has a good reputation for teaching. People I know are still going there. |
| Program Quality | 8 | They were very thorough. I feel I learned a lot from them. |
| Instruction | 9 | They had a student teacher program. It was very helpful in preparing me to teach. |
| How Difficult | 7 | There was a lot of work but it came easy to me. I enjoyed it. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | There was a mix. We student taught and studied from books. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | There were options for classes on the weekends and evenings. I took advantage of them. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | It's a good sized school that has nice computers. |
| Social Life | 9 | There was always something going on. People were very very friendly overall. |
| Placement Services | 8 | They helped to find me a job, although I did not receive many offers. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | I don't remember much. |
CUNY Brooklyn College • Brooklyn, NY
Studying Secondary English Education (completion in 2011)
• 7/18/2011
"The best requirement of my program was student teaching, and that was by chance. There are a handful of excellent professors I have encountered. Otherwise, I hated my experience at this school."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | Brooklyn College is very segregated. In addition, 98% of the staff are not flexible. If you can't afford to commit to a year of unpaid student teaching in my program, there are other CUNY schools that only require one semester of student teaching. Of course, Brooklyn College would never tell you this. I have dealt with a ton of lying by the administration, but there are a few professors who have made this journey worth it. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | CUNY Brooklyn College is well known for its education field. Also, the acceptance rate is low. |
| Program Quality | 10 | CUNY Brooklyn college required one year of student teaching at a local school, for which I was placed in a grades 6-12 school. It was the greatest year of my life and I could not imagine doing anything except teaching. |
| Instruction | 8 | The instruction would have been a 10 if all the professors were more flexible. Though the content was excellent, a few professors' deliveries of the material were lackluster, and I never enjoyed being a part of those classes. |
| How Difficult | 6 | Though the course load was always demanding, it was always doable. A few education courses were ridiculous, in my opinion, while the English courses were always grueling. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The only hands-on learning in the English/Education programs are group work, involving pen and paper! It is 100% book oriented, though there are usually presentations scheduled for students in both of my subjects. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | I have took quite a few summer courses in Education and English. For only a few fields, there are weekend classes. My graduate program offers all its courses in the evening. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | Free wifi is available in most areas of Brooklyn College. The library is excellent, though the classrooms in Boylan Hall are too small and lack air conditioning and SMART Boards. |
| Social Life | 1 | As it is a commuter school, I have not socialized with anyone except a few students in my classes. Strangers rarely, if ever, interact. There is a new dorm building which opened in the past year but I don't even know where it is. |
| Placement Services | 5 | I know my school has what is called "The Magner Center" which offers services to its students looking for work. However, it is not widely known on campus. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | I don't know of an alumni network. I am just graduating now. |
St. Bonaventure • Olean, NY
Studying Education (completion in 1990)
• 7/20/2011
"Bonas is about community. This helped me learn about teaching more than anything could ever have."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | It is not only a great place to learn, but a great place to grow up. I would definitely recommend it to aspiring teachers. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | From my understanding, the education program there is still thriving. It is and was a great program. |
| Program Quality | 9 | Bonas had a very thorough education program and I was pleased with it. It was a small school but consequently had a tight-knit community and it taught me a lot about social interaction. |
| Instruction | 7 | The on-the-job student teaching program at local schools was definitely helpful. A good deal of the teaching theory I learned was useless. |
| How Difficult | 5 | I wouldn't consider the actual studying difficult. I think the hardest part is putting the theory into action. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | A teacher is meant to teach. A book is not. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 6 | They have seasonal classes that were definitely helpful. More night classes would have been helpful, though. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | They had and still have, I believe, a very all-inclusive library selection of resources. They were very good providers of labs and classroom spaces to work in. |
| Social Life | 10 | Bonas is an incredible social atmosphere. |
| Placement Services | 5 | That was one category they were rather weak on. They didn't really put out a wide-reaching span of feelers for jobs. |
| Alumni Network | 10 | I still get emails to this day telling me about reunions and events. I've been back to Bonas many times since graduating. |
Hofstra University • Hempstead, NY
Studying Elementary Education (completion in 2010)
• 7/25/2011
"I loved Hofstra and it helped me land a job. Everyone is nice there and the teachers are great!"
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | The teachers have a wealth of experience and the education courses are very easy. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | Hofstra is a great school and has a great reputation. On many job interviews, people have been impressed that I went to Hofstra. |
| Program Quality | 9 | The school helped me a lot in preparation for teaching. The classes were easy. |
| Instruction | 9 | I learned a lot from my classes at Hofstra. The teachers had tons of experience as teachers themselves. |
| How Difficult | 1 | Education classes were extremely easy. The teachers had tons of experience and were very flexible. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Some classes were hands-on while others were book learning based. Most of the classes were filled with discussions from books. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | Classes are offered on Monday-Thursday. All graduate classes are offered after 4:30pm. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | All of the class rooms had SMARTboards. The library was amazing. |
| Social Life | 9 | The parties were great. Hofstra students have a ton of school spirit. |
| Placement Services | 7 | They provide education graduates with interviews at different school districts at the end of the year. They have a great career service center. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | They are always sending me information on alumni events. They provide graduates with a career website exclusive for Hofstra alumni. |
University At Buffalo • Buffalo, NY
Studying Biological Sciences (completion in 2008)
• 8/1/2011
"I was very satisfied with UB. The University at Buffalo allowed me to graduate with a good job and taught me everything I needed to know."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | The University at Buffalo will teach you what you need and want to know. It also offers a great social life and is a fun, open, and strong school with both an academic and an extracurricular presence in the educational community. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | The University at Buffalo is a good school. It does not have a great reputation as an educational school, though. |
| Program Quality | 7 | The University at Buffalo has an excellent education program that couples learning in the classroom with hands on experience. My only complaint is that UB is not known as a teaching school and is viewed as having fewer credentials. |
| Instruction | 10 | We learned most everything we needed to know before going into the job field. This was thanks to lots of hands on experience hours. |
| How Difficult | 5 | My field was easy for me because I am naturally good at biology. It might differ from person to person, though. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | We learned both from the book and in the classroom. The majority of our practical knowledge was from hours of hands on experience. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | Classes are flexible to some extent. Some classes are offered at all times of the day and are very flexible, while others are only offered at certain times (ie. math in the morning). |
| Academic Facilities | 6 | The University at Buffalo had amazing resources and many technology centers for students to use. The only problem was that they were almost always crowded. |
| Social Life | 9 | The University at Buffalo has a very active social life. I was in the ultimate frisbee club, mock trial, a frat, and was involved in many organized events. |
| Placement Services | 9 | The University at Buffalo's job placement assistance was great. The experience I received before graduating allowed me to find a job even before I graduated. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | The school has allowed me to stay in touch with many alumni. However, the alumni network and support system is still undeveloped. |
Queens College Of NY • Flushing/Queens, NY
Studying Major In Elementary And Minor In Psychology (completion in 2002)
• 8/6/2011
"I felt that the first 2 years I was in college were a waste because I was required to do prerequisites and before getting into my dual majors. The degree took me 5 years to complete. If I had the chance to not do the prerequisites I would have been done sooner."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | Since we have the options of studying online, it is more flexible and easier to complete. Yes the campus has many learning options in class, but at the same time, the years are being wasted. Today online degrees can be done in 1-2 years. I wish they had this option earlier when I was in school. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | I presume it is good because it has been a very full seated program every year. The school I applied to teach at hired me right away because Queens College is noted to have a good reputation. |
| Program Quality | 5 | It is easy to take all the courses that a college provides, however they fail to explain what it is like to deal with children's different types of behaviors. I basically felt that the courses in college were a waste of my time when all they made me do was projects that were useless and were never put to use when I was a teacher. The internships were the only experiences I enjoyed and in which I learned. |
| Instruction | 4 | I felt that the lesson plans taught by my college professors were very different when I was teaching in a regular public school. They had different standards and requirements that change over time. |
| How Difficult | 10 | It was extremely hard because of the work load requirement. I had to do a lot of readings, projects and endless paperwork. I had to do my internship, work part-time, and go to college full time. I feel it is extremely hard if you have to do everything all at once. I felt it was difficult to multi-task. In the end, all the courses I learned in college were never used while being a teacher. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | We had hands on activities where we were put into groups in small activities and then we had the chance to participate and discuss as a group. We had a lot of book-learning where we would learn about different type of educational approaches. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | It was demanding because if you are an education major, it is a full time credit course according to their schedule because of the internship that was part of it. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | After September 11, 2001, my professors did not give me grades that I felt were fair. They gave me the same grades as my sister who also majored with me. The College has great facilities available, such as the library, and it is a beautiful campus. However, when 2001 hit, my grades suffered because professors did not understand that I am an individual who is an American and wants the best for my people. I am not a terrorist, but they made me feel like that. |
| Social Life | 10 | The college has some social events that were interesting, such as the diversity of clubs that were held in the Student Union. They had the Afghan club, Jewish club, Muslim club, and sometimes parties to which they invited other college students. I was basically way to busy to go to any of these events. However, when I finished my degree in 2002, I ended up back in the Afghan club as a secretary/treasurer which was a rewarding experience |
| Placement Services | 1 | My school has not helped me in job placement or on my career path. I have put myself in the market looking for a job on my own. I built my own resume and faxed it to any school that was hiring. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I am not very familiar with the school's alumni network. I did not participated or put attention towards it. |
Brooklyn College • Brooklyn, NY
Studying Masters Of Science In Teaching As A Literacy Specialist (completion in 2004)
• 9/1/2011
"I did not think that it was the greatest school. However, I did receive my degree and that, of course, was the goal."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I would not recommend it based on quality of instruction. I would recommend it based on price. |
| Program Reputation | 6 | The program is generally thought of as 'good enough.' The price is very reasonable and so people go to that school. |
| Program Quality | 7 | Some of the professors were not highly qualified. They'd only been teaching as long as, or less than, I had. |
| Instruction | 7 | The professors were well prepared. However, I don't feel the content of the lessons was especially useful. |
| How Difficult | 4 | Even though I was working full-time and going to school at night, I did not find the program particularly challenging. There were a lot of group projects involved. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Most of the learning we did was book based. However, my thesis was based on a case study of one of my own students, so that was very hands on. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | Day classes and evening classes were offered. This was very helpful to students who worked full time. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | The library was adequate. Professors held regular office hours and were also very willing to advise via email. |
| Social Life | 2 | It is a commuter school with no athletics dept. There were very few on-campus activities. |
| Placement Services | 5 | I marked this as average because I do not know. I already had a job while I was attending classes so I never sought out any job placement assistance. |
| Alumni Network | 2 | I think that I have been contacted by the college maybe twice since graduating. There is not a strong alumni network. |
Potsdam State • Potsdam, NY
Studying Math (completion in 2000)
• 9/13/2011
"Yes, the school was located in a tranquil area. It is a very pretty and scenic place to study."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | The school has a great education department. You will learn enough to get and keep a good job! |
| Program Reputation | 5 | Many people choose this college because of its location. Potsdam has high standards and a great reputation. |
| Program Quality | 10 | I felt that the school had a great math department with fantastic professors! There were many resources on-hand at the college. |
| Instruction | 5 | I feel that the instructions were fast paced. I did learn a great deal but wished we could have had more time to process the info. |
| How Difficult | 5 | I feel that the work load was acceptable. It did not feel overwhelming. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I was a Math major. Everything was learned from the book. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | A few courses were offered in the evening only. This made having a life after 5 PM difficult. |
| Academic Facilities | 6 | Potsdam offered outstanding tutoring services. I used the services in my last year and it helped a great deal. |
| Social Life | 5 | If you were involved in athletics there was a great deal of "brotherhood." Athletes supported each other not only in sports but also academically. |
| Placement Services | 4 | There wasn't a lot of guidance. Once in a while they would put on a job fair. |
| Alumni Network | 7 | Letters do come frequently in the mail. There are also quite a few events throughout the year. |
Brooklyn College • Brooklyn, NY
Studying Elementary Education (completion in 2011)
• 10/4/2011
"It lacked major support. It also lacked a social scene."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | There are better options out there. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | It is nationally recognized for its teacher program. Otherwise, I cannot comment further. |
| Program Quality | 9 | My graduate experience was at a secular school. So although the courses and professors were very good, I did not feel at ease in the environment. If I had stayed in a private school, I would have given a 10 rating. |
| Instruction | 8 | The workload was demanding enough, but not impossible. The professors were all brilliant but some were obviously more understanding of our tight schedules than others. |
| How Difficult | 9 | See my previous answer. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Mostly book experience in my program. The only hands on experience was the 1 year of unpaid student teaching we had to complete. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | My school offered both weeknight and weekend courses. However, more than a handful of times, there was a conflict for courses that all my colleagues had to take. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | The library was open very late at night. It also provided free printing! |
| Social Life | 1 | I was on campus very often but never seemed to meet anyone, as it is largely a commuter school. The only friend I made was a man who was in quite a few of my classes. |
| Placement Services | 5 | We have an office called "The Magner Center” that provides job assistance. However, once students graduate, there is NO placement. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | The English Department was extremely supportive. The Education Department never wanted to help its students! |
Dowling College • Oakdale, NY
Studying Elementary Education (completion in 2007)
• 10/20/2011
"I finished my program quickly. It was very expensive and they didn't help me."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | It's too expensive. It doesn't prepare you or help you academically. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | It's the only college in the area that offers this program. Compared to the other ones, it's not too bad. |
| Program Quality | 1 | My school was one of the only schools in the area that offered my program. I feel that they took advantage of this and over charged students. |
| Instruction | 1 | Schooling was VERY easy. Teachers never showed up for classes and gave the entire class A's no matter what. |
| How Difficult | 1 | Very easy program. Teachers gave us all the same grade for all amounts of work. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Very hands in terms of doing projects. I never had to buy a book. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | They had some offerings, but Stony Brook University had many more. This was a private school and only offered the bare minimum. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | Some were good and some were bad. Most professors just wanted to go home early and collect a paycheck. |
| Social Life | I never participated in them. I heard that they have a good football team. | |
| Placement Services | 1 | Dowling didn't even try to help me find a job. When I asked for assistance, they told me it's a tough market and to try again in a few years. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | Dowling College did not help me find a job or reach out to me during my educational experience. They have no problem asking me to donate to their school, though. |
State University Of New York College At Oneonta • Oneonta, NY
Studying Childhood Education (completion in 2007)
• 10/21/2011
"I felt well prepared upon graduation. I knew what to expect when entering the classroom."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | My school prepares its students through its rigorous curriculum. I recommend it because it gives a solid foundation in literacy and math concepts, as well as a plethora of useful classroom tips. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | In-state, my college had an amazing reputation. Out of state, the school was not widely known. |
| Program Quality | 10 | My college prepared me with a background of knowledge. It allowed me to explore my own teaching, discipline, and grading philosophies. |
| Instruction | 10 | I spent a lot of time doing in-classroom observations and volunteer hours. The curriculum was thorough. |
| How Difficult | 6 | It took most hours of the day to complete my degree, which consisted mostly of hands on projects. There was plenty of time for reflection. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | There was a lot of on the job learning arranged and required. The tests sometimes did not correlate with the texts. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | I would have rated ten, but online courses were not widely available for my undergrad work. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | Accessibility of professors was extremely good, yet I couldn't give a 10 due to the availability and compatibility of academic advisors. My first advisor was not even in my major. |
| Social Life | 5 | There was no football team, so it lacked in school spirit and athletics. They tried to do a good job of promoting Residence Life events, though. |
| Placement Services | 4 | I've never had to use the job placement office. For a student teaching semester, the school provided a specific job placement office within the education department. |
| Alumni Network | 3 | I haven't met any alumni. I don't have any contacts in my state who are alumni of my college. |
St. John Fisher College • Pittsford, NY
Studying Childhood Education (completion in 2009)
• 11/4/2011
"I have a job because of my school. In this area, that is not common."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | In the end you have a job and a network of current teachers who know you. That is very valuable. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | It is a newer program. It isn't too popular due to all the other programs offered in the area. |
| Program Quality | 5 | The classes are appropriate. The teachers are just average. |
| Instruction | 5 | The instruction is average. Most learning is done as an aide in a classroom. |
| How Difficult | 4 | |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Most of the experience is in a classroom with children. There is little book work. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 4 | There are no online offerings. There are minimal summer courses. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | There are several computer labs. The library is great. |
| Social Life | 1 | As a commuter, you are an outsider. There are not very many social events. |
| Placement Services | 7 | The networking while in school is great. The actual service is average. |
| Alumni Network | 3 | Once you graduate, there is little support. You need to get all the help you can get while you are still a student. |
SUNY Buffalo • Buffalo, NY
Studying EDM Secondary Math Education; Students With Disabilities (completion in 2011)
• 11/4/2011
"Great education at a reasonable price."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | State schools are much less expensive than private, and you get just as good of an education. |
| Program Reputation | 6 | The reputation was good; but not "Ivy League." |
| Program Quality | 7 | The education was relevant. I do wish I would have gotten more help finding a public school job - I am at a private school and the pay is low. |
| Instruction | 7 | It was very research-based. Interesting and relevant. |
| How Difficult | 5 | The program was rigorous, but I enjoyed the work, so it was not so bad. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | There was plenty of both types of learning. Again, instruction was very research-based. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | Was able to take night courses and Saturday courses. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | Buildings are kept up; technology is used; online materials are available. |
| Social Life | 5 | Classmates were nice; Teachers friendly. |
| Placement Services | 2 | Really not helpful at all; Not very involved after your graduation. |
| Alumni Network | 3 | I have not networked with others from that school; the school population is so large that it was hard to really connect to others. |
Columbia University Teacher's College • Manhattan, NY
Studying TESOL K-12 (completion in 2007)
• 10/29/2011
"I received a great education from many instructors. However, others were so bad that they have tainted the whole experience."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I do think I received a better than average education there. However, because it is prohibitively expensive, especially for those pursuing a career in education, that I wouldn't be able to recommend it to absolutely everyone. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | At the time I attended, Teachers College was ranked the number one school of education in the country. Although it has dropped slightly in rankings it is still impressive for many people who look at my resume. |
| Program Quality | 8 | The education was excellent as far as teaching methodology goes. However, practical issues were not readily addressed. |
| Instruction | 7 | Some instructors provided excellent instruction, balancing methodology with practical application. Others, however, refused to recognize the realities of working in an urban school. |
| How Difficult | 5 | The work at this school was no more or less difficult than my undergraduate work. At times, it was actually easier. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | As we were required to complete many hours of student teaching, there was a definite hands-on component. However, classes focused way too much on methodology alone. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 1 | Classes were only offered in the afternoons and evenings. No weekend courses were offered. Many classes began very early in the afternoon, before I could reasonably finish work and commute to school. Only one section of most classes was offered as well. |
| Academic Facilities | 4 | Instructors were very reluctant to provide office hours, etc. The library was beautiful but contained many old, outdated books. The computer lab was too small for such a large school. Many of the classrooms were extremely old with broken furniture, etc. |
| Social Life | 1 | I don't know about any social events, except for a department roundtable here and there. Nothing really went on there. |
| Placement Services | 3 | They have not helped at all in terms of job placement. They provide a great deal of assistance with obtaining the teaching certificate, but afterwards they disappear. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I occasionally receive emails from my graduate school. For the most part, however, after receiving my Master's and teaching certificate they fell off the radar in terms of communication. |
Fordham University • New York, NY
Studying Childhood Education (completion in 2010)
• 10/25/2011
"I am very satisfied with my school and I did enjoy the experience. The campus was memorable and I do not regret attending this college."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would recommend my college for this particular career because it really prepares you for your future. It helps and guides you through the job process as well. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | My college has a very decent reputation on this course and its overall satisfaction is good. Many students were offered jobs after graduation. |
| Program Quality | 10 | My college had offered an amazing course in childhood education. I was able to fully grasp the foundation of this major. |
| Instruction | 9 | I was able to learn everything I needed for my career in childhood education. The professors were very helpful. |
| How Difficult | 8 | It was very challenging but I was able to gain a lot of knowledge through this course. They gave a lot of work relating to my subject and major. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The requirement was mainly to read the text rather then any hands on work. I believed that I was able to learn a lot quicker by reading the text. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | The schedules were very flexible. I was able to have either morning or evening classes, as well as weekends. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | The campus was beautiful and enormous. There were computers and resources in each library inside the campus. |
| Social Life | 7 | There were a couple of parties that were thrown on campus but overall it was a very peaceful environment. I had participated in school spirit by showing up to the games. |
| Placement Services | 8 | The school had helped me find a job by the time I had graduated. I was admitted into a program that specialized in training teachers and even paid for my Master's. |
| Alumni Network | 9 | The school's alumni network is very helpful and supportive. They had helped me find my first job. |
Marist College • Poughkeepsie, NY
Studying History Education (completion in 2007)
• 10/24/2011
"I could not have been more satisfied with my school. I felt as if the school was made for me. My experience was perfect."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Marist is a great place to go if you are looking for a career in teaching. Job placement is exceptional upon graduation. I guarantee it would be a great experience. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | My school's reputation is very good. When I graduated, I would have given it a 6 but Marist is on the rise in terms of recognition. I assume it will be a 10 in years to come. |
| Program Quality | 10 | Marist is becoming one of the top schools in the country. Their education program was enlightening. I could not have made a better choice when choosing where to attend college. |
| Instruction | 10 | The instructors at Marist were extremely helpful. There is a minimum of 25 students per class which made the students feel like they really knew the professor. This made learning easy. I felt fully prepared to enter the workforce as a teacher right after graduating. |
| How Difficult | 6 | Although my experience was excellent, the work at Marist was not difficult. I always felt like I was learning new things but I never felt challenged. The workload was mediocre. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Marist was a perfect mix of hands on learning and book learning. It was up to the student to choose how they wanted to learn. This was something I found to be very helpful because I am a hands on learner. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | I had extreme class flexibility. There are numerous summer options including night classes. Classes range from eight in the morning to nine at night. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | The library at Marist was exceptional. There are numerous computer labs all around campus. A new building dedicated to computers was completed earlier this year. All professors were required to have specific office hours where they could meet with students. Tutors were also available for every subject. |
| Social Life | 9 | Marist was a very social school. Everyone had top notch school spirit and there were parties every weekend. Aside from the girl's Basketball team, who win the division almost every year, the sports are not great. This is the only reason I gave this category a 9 instead of a 10. |
| Placement Services | 10 | Marist is one of the top schools in the country in terms of job placement. There are many ways in which assistance was given to me at graduation. They are extremely helpful. |
| Alumni Network | I have not attended any alumni events yet. I have heard from others that the network and support is good. It is hard for me to give my personal opinion because I have yet to experience it. |
The College Of St. Rose • Albany, NY
Studying Childhood Education (completion in 2009)
• 10/30/2011
"I was very satisfied with my school. Many of my frustrations with my degree are due to things outside of their control. I enjoyed the courses, the professors and found the program to be engaging and beneficial."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would recommend the program based on the professors and connections you can make there. The courses were good, but that was due to the staff more then the subject matter. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | The College of St. Rose is considered one of the best educational preparation programs in the area. Nationwide they are not as well known, but they do have an excellent reputation in the state. |
| Program Quality | 7 | I felt my program was excellent. The coursework was varied and covered almost every subject I required. The only thing I found lacking was instruction on special education and classroom management. |
| Instruction | 8 | The professors were exceptional. They were not only qualified academically but had a lot of actual classroom experience. They were knowledgeable and engaging, always had time for their students and several stayed in touch once we finished their course. |
| How Difficult | 5 | I would like to say the work was challenging, but really it was often as challenging and you made it. If you wanted to go above and beyond you could, and if you wanted to do just enough to get by that was also okay. It was easy to get an A, and the professors were often very forgiving about due dates. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | My program was incredibly hands on. We were constantly doing observations, being shown experiments or classroom activities and staying busy. While we had textbooks they were always used outside the classroom. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 4 | Classes in my program were only offered at one of two times, around 4 pm or around 8 pm. While this was convenient for working a job while attending school it was at times frustrating to leave class at 10 pm. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The school was small but the resources offered were excellent. We had our own library as well as the campus-wide library. There was easy access to computer labs and hours were excellent. I never used tutors or study groups but I know they were available. |
| Social Life | 4 | While many things were available, I did not usually attend. They were geared more towards the undergraduate population and since I lived in the area I did not feel the need for social activities. |
| Placement Services | 5 | My school is fighting a losing battle in regards to job placement. There were/are few jobs available so it is hard for them to offer much. However, they do offer mock interview opportunities and resume review. |
| Alumni Network | 4 | The graduate alumni network is not active at all. I have never been approached by an alumni association and am not aware of any activities or networking that is going on. |
SUNY Cortland • Cortland, NY
Studying Elementary Education (completion in 2003)
• 10/25/2011
"I was satisfied due to the fact that my program had me in the classroom early on, rather than later. The opportunity to be in the classroom sooner prepared me for what I would encounter when teaching on my own after graduation."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Education is a great career because you are making a difference in a child's life. As a teacher, you have the opportunity to help children set goals and achieve them. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | SUNY Cortland has an excellent reputation for Education, primarily Physical Education. Since it is a NY State College they are up to date on the recent changes in education certification and requirements. |
| Program Quality | 8 | SUNY Cortland prepared me for what to encounter in the classroom. I was required to complete an extended student teaching block at the primary and intermediate level. All of my professors were teachers prior to their work at the college level. SUNY Cortland also guided me through the necessary steps leading to NYS Teacher Certification. |
| Instruction | 8 | All of my education was relevant to what I would encounter in the classroom. In a class that focused on teaching reading we learned about how to teach children who do not speak English as a first language. |
| How Difficult | 6 | My classes were challenging and engaging at the same time. They involved observations in the real classroom including various grades, subjects and Special Education. I was required to design entire units with lesson plans for individual lessons (ex. the solar system unit within individual lesson on each planet). |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | As an education major I found my program to be very hands-on. I was in classroom during my second year, where as other schools don't get students into the classroom until their third or fourth year. I was observing and working with teachers and students early on. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 4 | There was not too much flexibility in scheduling since many classes required you to visit a classroom during school hours. Summer courses were possible but it was up to you to locate school districts with summer school programs to complete assignments. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | SUNY Cortland had a Teacher center on campus. You could go the teacher center to find academic support, as well as actual teacher editions of texts used in classrooms. Academic advisors were also available to discuss schedule conflicts and courses prior to registering. |
| Social Life | 5 | SUNY Cortland had exceptional sport programs, including intramurals. The Greek life was open and inviting to all students. |
| Placement Services | 8 | SUNY Cortland, at the time, had a job placement program in New York City. Career Services also helped students locate schools in other countries where you could work to teach children English. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | I never spoke with any alumni from my program. My school did have an Alumni Weekend/homecoming but the activities didn't seem to involve current students. |
SUNY Geneseo • Geneseo, NY
Studying Childhood/Special Education (completion in 2011)
• 11/27/2011
"I really liked my time at SUNY Geneseo. In fact, I plan on returning there to pursue my graduate degree in Literacy."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Although the program for education at Geneseo was rather rigorous and sometimes tedious, it really prepares students for success in the teaching field. I would recommend it to anyone who wants to go into teaching. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | Geneseo is known in the SUNY system as being a "teacher's college." Most public schools in the area tend to hire Geneseo graduates because they know the amount of work we had to do while at school. |
| Program Quality | 9 | The School of Education at SUNY Geneseo is a very good one. It is regimented and prepares teacher candidates for succeeding in the field |
| Instruction | 8 | I learned a great deal about behavior management and differentiated instruction while at school. The professors seemed to generally care about the students and wanted us to become the best teachers we could. |
| How Difficult | 9 | Geneseo required us to do a lot of work for student teaching as well as in all the classes. We had "key assignments" that, in order to pass the class, we had to pass the assignment, and some were quite difficult. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The school tried to provide a nice balance between book learning and hands-on learning. This was nice and helpful for those students who liked a change of pace every once in a while. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | The class flexibility at Geneseo could be better. Since it is a smaller school, not many classes are offered at a bunch of times so sometimes it was hard to get into a class you needed easily. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | The school had a whole downstairs section of the library dedicated to teachers and teaching resources (i.e. puppets, picture books, etc). The school also held seminars on how to use SMARTboards and other technology, which we also had on hand in the school. |
| Social Life | 8 | Although Geneseo was a small school, people were generally friendly with one another. Most students went to hockey games at school, so that helped to unify the school a great deal. |
| Placement Services | 9 | The career services system at school is a very good one. One can open up a file with career services and put recommendations, resumes, etc. in it and the school will keep that information on record for 20 years. |
| Alumni Network | 9 | Geneseo keeps in touch with all the graduates by e-mail about job openings and other professional development workshops in surrounding areas. This helps us stay connected and become better teachers through the opportunities Geneseo lets us know about. |
The New School • New York, NY
Studying Writing For Children (completion in 2009)
• 12/4/2011
"I loved the people I met. I learned a ton."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I would recommend the program to people who want to be good writers and good writing teachers. I wouldn't recommend the program to those who want to get a teaching degree. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | This is one of the best programs in the country for writing for children. It was a great way to meet other people who love to write and love children. |
| Program Quality | 9 | I loved being able to meet famous authors. I also enjoyed how fabulous the other students were. |
| Instruction | 7 | I am certainly a better writer and better at teaching writing as a result of my education. But it would be better to be certified as I would get paid more. |
| How Difficult | 9 | I had to read at least 700 pages a week and write at least 20. Along with a full time job, it was exhausting. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | We spent a lot of time reading, but we also got to spend a lot of time networking with other writers. Because there were so few people in my program, we got a lot of individual attention. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | I took all classes at night, which was great and convenient. But I'm not sure if I could have taken them at any other time. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | They had great computer labs. But the library was not that big. |
| Social Life | 5 | There were not a lot of social events for the grad students. But any that I attended were great. |
| Placement Services | 3 | I've never been contacted about any job placement services. As a result, I don't know how good it is, or if it exists. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I'm not sure how other schools are at networking. I would love help finding a higher paying job outside of New York. |
Hostos Community College • Bronx, NY
Studying Child Education (completion in 2009)
• 12/18/2011
"I am satisfied with my choice of school, because of their outstanding programs and accessibility. This school does not have enough resources needed to give a 10 rating."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | There are better schools out there. Some of the teachers in my program were not as interesting or hands on as I would have liked. |
| Program Reputation | 6 | My school reputation was ok. My program was seen as an easy program to choose as a career. |
| Program Quality | 7 | I am pretty satisfied with my education program, but it lacks certain lessons, such as how to solve particular situations faced on a daily basis. |
| Instruction | 8 | It was good, but there is always room for improvement. |
| How Difficult | 5 | My teachers were very good in explaining the curriculum. My teachers were also accessible, and after-school tutoring was also offered. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The program is more textbook. This program would be a 10 if it provided more hands on for problem-solving situations. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | My school flexibility was poor. Night classes were limited, as well as online classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | My school had many resources, including computers and an enormous library. They were available 24 hours. |
| Social Life | 7 | I did not participate in many activities. The activities the school offered were not very appealing. |
| Placement Services | 4 | Job placement program was very poor. I don't know anyone who was offered a job through the school's job placement program. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | There were many support programs in my school, which included tutoring for all majors. There is needed improvement for online support. |
SUNY Cortland • Cortland, NY
Studying Literacy PreK-6 (completion in 2004)
• 12/17/2011
"I had a very good experience with my choice of school for my career. I feel that I had a good foundation before going into my classroom."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would highly recommend this school to anyone looking into teaching. It has a wide variety of specialties for any teacher. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | I believe they continue to have a decent reputation. I know that they have now added a Special Education major, which many people were looking forward to. |
| Program Quality | 8 | The school did what it could at the time when I was there - things at the college level are very similar, in that they continue to change and develop for the better. If I could afford to go back, I would, to continue my education and grow with the changes in education. |
| Instruction | 7 | SUNY Cortland gave me my basic foundation in education. But it is truly the students and my professional development throughout the years that have helped me to continue to grow as an educator. |
| How Difficult | 6 | My undergrad work was pretty easy and the workload was not too difficult. The grad work was much more intense, but I feel that I learned and grasped more out of the work than in my undergrad. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | My undergrad was very much book oriented and a lot of theory. However, my grad work was much more related to my job as a teacher and was very hands on - I also felt that it was very rewarding. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | I was a full-time student and worked full time. SUNY Cortland had many opportunities for me to take my classes early or later at night. I was very satisfied at the times of classes I could choose from to help me be successful. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | All areas were updated and accessible to me as a student. Most libraries and computer labs were open at a variety of hours, and for the most part, any support that a student needed was available as well. |
| Social Life | 5 | The school itself and most students involved had a lot of school spirit, and it was a very social area to be involved in. Unfortunately, I was not around much for such things, because I worked full time while going to school full time. |
| Placement Services | 5 | SUNY Cortland is about average when it comes to job placement and assistance - it is not the college's fault that it is located in a very hard employment area. However, many graduates do move out of state and are very successful in getting jobs. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I am not an active alum. They seem to mail a good amount of information and it seems accurate - I just don't pay much attention to it. |
New York University • New York, NY
Studying Journalism (completion in 2010)
• 1/8/2012
"I loved my experience. I got a great job and some great friends, and I learned a lot."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I'm not sure about NYU's education program, but it helped me find the right contacts and programs to get involved in education. The school prepared me for whatever career I'd choose to get involved in. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | NYU journalism grads end up in great programs. However, this is largely because the school is in the journalism epicenter of the world. |
| Program Quality | 6 | I love journalism. My school's program helped me get involved in the workforce. |
| Instruction | 6 | I got to do some awesome internships. However, the academic work I completed wasn't always the most relevant. |
| How Difficult | 5 | My professional work was difficult. Academic work, however, was quite easy. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | This depends on the class. Some professors prefer book-oriented learning and others prefer more project-based learning. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 6 | Many different times of day were offered. However, these classes filled up quickly, and often first or second choices couldn't be had. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | NYU's resources are incredible. From libraries to advisors to professors, the resources are at our fingertips. |
| Social Life | 6 | NYU isn't the best at "school spirit," since it isn't a traditional public school. However, the people at NYU are smart, social, and funny, and it was a great social experience. |
| Placement Services | 6 | Advisors help undergraduates find internships. But beyond internships, job support is sparse. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | At NYU, our alumni resources reach across the country. However, the network isn't very supportive in terms of job placement. |
SUNY Stony Brook • Stony Brook, NY
Studying Education (completion in 2008)
• 12/22/2011
"It was just okay. It didn't help me for my future much."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | It didn't help me with my future. I don't feel it was a stellar experience. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | Many people talk say it's a great school. The education department has a good reputation also. |
| Program Quality | 5 | I don't feel it's any better or worse than other programs. It didn't stand out. |
| Instruction | 4 | Many professors just didn't seem to care much about students. Some professors were extremely biased and close-minded. |
| How Difficult | 2 | It only required a bit of focus to get a good grade. I didn't find it difficult to get all As. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | We did entirely book learning. No hands on at all. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | Very tight on schedule not very willing to change. Staff was not very accommodating or friendly. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | Most of my classes were online. However, when I went to class the classrooms were new and up to date. |
| Social Life | 5 | I didn't involve myself and took many classes online. It seemed when I was on campus that other students sometimes engaged in social activities. |
| Placement Services | 1 | I never even received an offer for them to help me. I feel that I should have been helped especially given I did very well overall. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | They call me often, but I do not involve myself with that much. I don't feel it's any better or worse than other schools. |
Niagara University • Niagara Falls, NY
Studying Elementary Education (completion in 2014)
• 12/27/2011
"Sometimes I regret having finished, it was a comfortable setting and was conducive to learning. I wish I could go back!"
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would definitely recommend it. They have a wealth of experiences available to students. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | It is a well-attended college with good academic standing. |
| Program Quality | 10 | I feel confident when I teach, my experiences have served me well. |
| Instruction | 10 | I received a well-rounded education, I'm well-versed in many areas. |
| How Difficult | 10 | Theology was not my best field of study, though the professor was very intelligent. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It was hands-on. I would have liked to be in my chose field of study for additional experience before going out in the world. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | Scheduling was very accommodating to the student. Classes were offered all day long, on evenings and on weekends. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | Resources were abundant. There is also an on-campus art gallery which features many acclaimed works. |
| Social Life | 8 | I am a loner. The times I did engage socially was pleasant, there were many opportunities available to the student body. |
| Placement Services | 9 | The job market is not in good shape, but counselors try to make use of the resources and help students find jobs. |
| Alumni Network | 10 | I often receive emails on the latest updates. I live in the area of my school and am able to attend events. |
SUNY Oneonta • Oneonta, NY
Studying Elementary Education (completion in 2009)
• 12/23/2011
"I was very satisfied with my overall experience. My major seemed to benefit me in many ways."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Yes, this school was a great fit for my career. I apply the concepts I've learned every day at work. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | One of the reasons I chose this school was because of its reputation for the major. It definitely lived up to it. |
| Program Quality | 8 | SUNY Oneonta was a great choice for my major. It is known as a very good school for education. |
| Instruction | 8 | SUNY Oneonta prepared me for the career that I have chosen. I have learned a lot about teaching children. |
| How Difficult | 5 | I was able to excel in my program, while still being challenged. It was a great fit for me. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Depending on what classes you take, there are many different options of hands-on and book learning experiences. I preferred the book learning. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 6 | My class schedule was flexible. If I had to leave for a weekend, I was not far behind in my classes. I also had most of my evenings free. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | I always found a quiet place to complete my work. Also, my professors were easy to get in touch with and very helpful. |
| Social Life | 5 | The social experience was just like most other colleges. Because of my flexible schedule, I was able to get involved in many clubs and activities. |
| Placement Services | 5 | Career services were helpful. However, I had to go out of my way to meet with them. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | The alumni network is decent. It would have helped me more if it was larger. |
Pace University • New York, NY
Studying Education (completion in 2007)
• 1/13/2012
"I had an amazing undergraduate experience and education. Attending Pace highlighted to me just how much the school lacked in terms of the teachers, facility, sense of community, and opportunities to get involved."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | Absolutely not! I feel that much better education programs exist and those should be utilized over Pace's program. The school is only interested in applicants' money, not in creating a network of lifelong learners who are elite in their fields of study. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | Pace has a solid reputation amongst all the international students who attend the school. For the average NYC high school student, however, who is living at the poverty level, the school is simply to expensive to afford. |
| Program Quality | 3 | Pace University was convenient to commute to, but the "professors" merely had masters degrees. The quality of instruction I received was substandard. |
| Instruction | 2 | I cannot remember a single article, book, or task I learned in grad school that changed me as a person or as a teacher. Pragmatic teaching strategies and curriculum was learned on my own, not through my graduate classwork. |
| How Difficult | 6 | It was difficult to juggle working full-time with the time demanded of graduate school. Although the work was not taxing, it did consume time and that was a juggling act. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The school was book and lecture dominated. Very few projects and tasks were geared towards experiential practice and teaching. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | This aspect of the degree program was convenient, in that I completed my coursework in the evenings and several classes every summer. I never had a problem getting to class on time. |
| Academic Facilities | 3 | The main campus building was clean and conveniently located next to city hall and the subways. The library had tight rules and limited hours and I never visited a professor during office hours. |
| Social Life | 1 | The Teaching Fellows were not recruited to get involved with anything on campus! I feel like I really missed out. I would have enjoyed and benefited from participating in campus events. |
| Placement Services | 2 | I received no assistance here. However, I already had a full-time job. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | I am unsure if Pace University even has an alumni network. I have never been contacted by the school. |
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