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 USC Upstate, Coastal Carolina University, Benedict, and USC Aiken.
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 Limestone, Southern Wesleyan University, Columbia International, and USC Aiken.
- Female: For schools particularly welcoming to female students, consider Columbia College and Converse.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Benedict, Morris College, Claflin, and South Carolina State.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Southern Wesleyan University, Limestone, Columbia International, and Erskine College and Seminary.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Bob Jones, Furman, Coastal Carolina University, and Columbia International.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Allen, Furman, Erskine College and Seminary, and Bob Jones.
Excellence
- SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at Furman, Clemson, College of Charleston, and University of South Carolina.
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at Claflin, Lander, Limestone, and USC Aiken.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Erskine College and Seminary, Furman, Coker, and Claflin.
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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University Of South Carolina • Columbia, SC
Studying Elementary Education (completion in 2007)
• 6/29/2011
"I loved my experience at USC. If I could go back, I would do it all over again."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | It was very hands on and the instructors are amazing. They help you with every aspect of your path. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | I rated this as average because I don't believe many know about how great the program really is unless they are in this line of work. Many choose it over the local teaching college. |
| Program Quality | 10 | They prepared me for every aspect of teaching in the real world. I knew what to expect before I started teaching. |
| Instruction | 10 | The instructors are extremely knowledgeable about schools and teaching. We were given plenty of hands on experience before being put into real life situations. |
| How Difficult | 8 | The work seemed easy at times because it was what I am interested in studying. At the same time, it was difficult because a lot is expected of you. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | We used a good combination of book and hands on learning. They had us in the classroom very early on. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 6 | Up until your internship, you have a wide variety of class times and days to choose from. When you start your internship, it is strict and you are told where to go and when. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | I always found what I needed on campus. The classrooms were old, but they served the purpose. |
| Social Life | 5 | There was a lot for younger students to do if you lived on campus. I was an older student so a lot didn't pertain to my life. |
| Placement Services | 4 | If you did an internship at a school, you have an inside angle for a job. The actual school doesn't find you a job. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I still receive alumni mailings, but they just ask for money. |
Coastal Carolina University • Conway, SC
Studying Elementary Education (completion in 2014)
• 7/6/2011
"I'm generally satisfied with my school. I felt mostly prepared for my career upon graduation."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Yes, I would recommend this program to others pursuing elementary education. The program has its flaws, but they are constantly trying to improve and most of the professors care about the students. |
| Program Reputation | 6 | The education program is known as a good one in this area, and it has been around for a long while. However, at the school itself, it is seen as one of the easiest, non-scholarly programs. |
| Program Quality | 8 | The elementary education program has been around a long time at my school, and it is very organized with experienced professors. Sometimes there were questionable adjunct professors, but no program is perfect. |
| Instruction | 8 | Sometimes I felt like the curriculum was repetitive and too theoretical. It is a good program, but I would have like to learn a few more practical or hands-on strategies. |
| How Difficult | 4 | The education courses were easier than average and many things were just common sense. The more difficult classes were some of the educational psychology and a few of the core curriculum classes. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | There was a mix of hands on and book learning in the program. This was more so in the final few semesters as students are allowed to go into classrooms and participate in the elementary classrooms and give lessons. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | Once you get further along in the program, there is little flexibility in terms of class schedule. Required classes are usually only available at one or maybe two times in the day, and only in certain semesters. However, this is probably typical of most schools. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | Resources and facilities are readily available for students. Most advisors are friendly and will make time to help students. Sometimes the faculty seems overworked, but they always try to make time for the students. |
| Social Life | 5 | As an older student, I wasn't much involved with the social experience at the school. But, from my perspective it seemed about average (clubs, fraternities & sororities, athletics, social events on campus, etc). |
| Placement Services | 5 | The school arranged for an interview day with the local school district at the end of the program and there is a career service center available for resume and portfolio help. However, after graduation, it feels like they quickly forget about you and don't necessarily help you get a job. |
| Alumni Network | 3 | I was never aware of any alumni network at my school. Although, this could have been my own lack of awareness. |
Erskine College • Due West, SC
Studying Elementary Education (completion in 1978)
• 7/29/2011
"I left Erskine ready to teach and ready to face whatever not only the classroom held for me, but life in general. I still use things I learned there, and there will always be a warm place in my heart for my alma mater."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Erskine will take what you bring to it and make it better, stronger, and more prepared. For future teachers looking for a place to be challenged and inspired while having their dreams nurtured, Erskine offers that and more. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | Just as when I took the program, it is still ranked as one of the best in the state of SC. Schools in SC still respect teachers with a degree from Erskine and know they are well-prepared. |
| Program Quality | 10 | Erskine provided a top notch education for prospective teachers. The program was a combination of the philosophies and theories as well as a rich experience in the practical hands-on learning of the field. The enthusiasm of the professors in the Education department was contagious. They cared about us as future teachers and as students. |
| Instruction | 10 | The quality of my instruction was second to none in preparing me as a teacher in the elementary classroom. Many days in the classroom, I found my professors' words of encouragement, confidence, and wisdom in my soul spurring me on to be better, calming me when I was anxious, and enlightening me in those “Ah ha!” light bulb moments when I would think, "So this is what Mrs. Oates meant!" |
| How Difficult | 7 | This was a tough one to assess for me. I found the program of study quite easy because I enjoyed it. I am sure as programs go that it was not a super easy or super difficult program. It had its challenges and there was a sufficient work load to keep me busy, but not overly so. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It was a fabulous mix of the two. We learned the philosophies and theories in the books, and then we had lots of opportunities to put them into practice. From creating attractive bulletin boards to dealing with classroom management scenarios, opportunities abounded for an experiential education. Students were encouraged to serve as substitute teachers in the local schools. A 4-1-4 program where the month of January is set aside as an interim program of study between two 4 month semesters, the head of the Education department and his wife, who was head of the Music department, in alternating January interim terms, took students on a fine arts tour in New York City. This served to count for education majors as our Art Appreciation and Music Appreciation course requirements. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | For the time, it was flexible. At that time, online options did not exist. I was able to arrange to complete my 2nd semester of Math for Elementary teachers in a summer independent study, which allowed me to graduate after 3 years. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | The facilities and resources were excellent for the 70s. I have to boast a bit here and say that Erskine was one of the first schools in the state to accept students with learning disabilities into the school and to provide them with tutors. The Special Education department was one of the first and best in the state of SC. The Director of the program oversaw the tutoring program for those with disabilities and assigned students in her department to work as tutors. She was routinely available for guidance and help. The program was a great success. |
| Social Life | 10 | My college days are among the best of my life. As I mentioned earlier, there is something about Erskine that captivates you and fills you with pride. The people in the small town embrace the school and the students, providing comforts of home to ease any homesickness. |
| Placement Services | 5 | I would say this was the biggest weakness of the program when I was there. We were taught how to write cover letters and how to develop a resume. We were prepared well for the NTE, but we were pretty much on our own once we had our diplomas in hand. I concede, however, that this might not be a fair rating on my part as I graduated in the summer after doing 2 Independent Studies over the summer out of state. Perhaps if I had graduated at a more traditional time and had remained in state there would have been more assistance forthcoming. |
| Alumni Network | 10 | There is something about Erskine College and Due West that gets into your very being. Once you have been a part of it, you are always a part of it. Alumni still stay connected through Facebook and other social networks, and Erskine has excellent alumni publications. |
Southern Wesleyan University • Seneca, SC
Studying Early Childhood/Elementary Education (completion in 2009)
• 8/2/2011
"I am very satisfied with the program from which I graduated. I felt fully prepared to be a classroom teacher, confident I could meet highly qualified standards. I also knew I would have a support system to help me during my first years of teaching."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would highly recommend the School of Education to others. They will get plenty of classroom experience before they have to be in the classroom on their own. They will have full support of the faculty and other education students. They will leave being fully prepared to impact lives as a teacher! |
| Program Reputation | 10 | Our school has a great reputation in our community. Local schools call and ask for our student teachers. In my experience, my cooperating teachers continually bragged about our student teachers when compared to other schools. |
| Program Quality | 10 | I gave my School of Education a 10. I chose this rating because I felt fully prepared to be in the classroom as a teacher. I was fully prepared and did exceedingly well on the state's Praxis tests that were required. My student teaching experience & requirements prepared me for the classroom as well. |
| Instruction | 10 | I chose to give a high rating because the quality of instruction was excellent. I had several former, retired teachers as instructors. They were able to give me information that really mattered to prepare me practically for the classroom. |
| How Difficult | 7 | I rated this as a seven because our program seemed to be above average. We were required to log more clinical hours than the state required in order to graduated. We were given a lot of project grades, and had to complete several units and a 7 week Clinical before graduation. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I rated my school as very hands-on. We did use textbooks and had class discussions, but our instructors really pushed for us to have many experiences in the elementary classroom setting. I appreciated this! | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 3 | I gave the school a 3 because there are no weekend options. However, they do have summer options and a night program for adult students and teachers seeking their Master's degrees. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | Our school has a newly built School of Education facility with a computer lab and teacher work-room included. They have several large classrooms and many resources that students need. There are also study groups and tutors available. |
| Social Life | 5 | Our school had several athletic events and organized social events. Most of the student body attended athletic events and some of our teams were National Champions in their respective leagues. |
| Placement Services | 10 | Our instructors were readily available to help us look for teaching jobs. There were several resume workshops for us, and a school board administrator visited our class to discuss job placement as well. |
| Alumni Network | 3 | I rated our alumni network as a three. I keep in touch with instructors on my accord. There is an alumni magazine that is mailed to each student with important information. However, there are not many alumni events provided. |
Southern Wesleyan University • Central, SC
Studying Special Education MR/LD (completion in 2006)
• 8/10/2011
"SWU was a large part of my growing up and learning to be a responsible, careful adult. I had so much fun, and learned so much from everyone at that school; whether it was from the professors, students, or custodial staff. When I graduated, I felt very prepared to start applying for teaching positions, and when I got my first classroom, I felt confident that I would make it."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | SWU is a wonderful school for students interested in learning in a small, Christian environment. The Education Department is exceptional and highly regarded in the local area, and the professors will do anything to help you. They will help you, encourage you, pray for you, and push you. I wouldn't trade my experience at SWU for anything. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | Although the program was small, SWU's reputation was highly regarding in the educational community in the Upstate region of South Carolina. It was rare to hear of any SWU graduate not having a job by the beginning of the next school year after graduation. |
| Program Quality | 7 | Although I thoroughly enjoyed my time at SWU, Special Education was a very small program. Very often, I had classes with the same 3 students who were also doing the same program as I. The professors were knowledgeable, there just wasn't a lot of peer based support. |
| Instruction | 8 | The instructors were extremely knowledgeable and passionate, and I felt that I learned a lot. The school focused on meaningful practicums - 1 sophomore year, 1 junior year - and most of all senior year, I was in in the classroom, either as a practicum student or a student teacher. |
| How Difficult | 8 | With only a few students in the Special Education program, I learned a high level of independence when completing class work. Also, it was difficult at times to manage the amount of time spent in practicum settings and the amount of classwork required. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | SWU really provided a good mix of both book learning and hands on learning. In the education department, the methods classes were very hands on, and the traditional core classes were more book based. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | SWU offered numerous programs at night and at various locations throughout the state. The one area lacking was online options. There were some classes that would have been very helpful to have the flexibility of online classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | For a small school, SWU had a wonderful Education building with a model classroom and lots of hands on experiences. Professors were more accessible than I would have ever imagined. Many even provided their cell numbers to the class. |
| Social Life | 10 | My social experience at SWU was probably the number one reason I stayed at a private, out of state university. While not the typical college party school, there weren't many nights that you couldn't find students in the lobbies of dorms playing cards, watching movies, or planning outings for the weekends. |
| Placement Services | 6 | I was an out of state student, and did not work with the school regarding job placement. However, it was rare for a graduate to not find a job by the next school year. |
| Alumni Network | 10 | The alumni program at SWU is very good at keeping in touch. Also, with social networking such as Facebook, it is very easy to stay in touch. |
Furman University • Greenville, SC
Studying Elementary Education (completion in 2001)
• 10/15/2011
"Choosing Furman was one of the best decisions I have ever made. Going to college anywhere else would not have come close to the experience I had at Furman."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would recommend Furman University to anyone able to attend. The school is a unique treasure that helped make me who I am today. College is about so much more than just your major and Furman gave me the opportunity to have a world class liberal arts education and world class college experience. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | Furman University has an excellent reputation. That reputation extends to the education department by default. |
| Program Quality | 5 | I believe Furman as a whole provides an excellent liberal arts education. However, the education department did little to prepare future teachers for the day to day happenings in an elementary school. |
| Instruction | 5 | Again, I do not think the education department is reflective of Furman University as a whole. Many of my "professors" in the education department lacked a doctorate degree and those that did laced any practical experience in a classroom. |
| How Difficult | 7 | The core curriculum at the university was challenging. The education department itself lacked rigor. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Furman does place a big emphasis on engaged learning. There is a good mix of all ways of learning that I hope is carrying into the education department more so now than when I was a student. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 3 | Classes at Furman were taught in a very traditional setting. Furman's population is almost 100% traditional college students so there is no need for any other option than weekday classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | Furman's resources are incredible across all disciplines. The university does not lack in funding at all. |
| Social Life | 10 | Furman is a very unique and special community. The college experience at the university is everything a student could hope for. |
| Placement Services | 5 | Furman has a good career services department that provides valuable assistance to all students. The education department is only valuable for job placement if you wish to stay in the Greenville area. |
| Alumni Network | 4 | Furman has alumni clubs around the country that are social in nature. No networks of alumni exist that are professional in nature. |
University Of South Carolina • Columbia, SC
Studying Early Childhood Education (completion in 2001)
• 10/24/2011
"Overall, I am very satisfied with my experience at USC. I felt like my years spent there prepared me as well as possible for the teaching field."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I have actually recommended the program to a few people interested in teaching, including a younger cousin of mine. I feel like the program at USC is one of the best offered in our state. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | Although the 5 year program I completed no longer exists, USC still has a strong reputation for teacher education. I know that my school currently hosts interns from USC and usually offers at least one of them a teaching position each year. |
| Program Quality | 9 | My University offered a 5th year Master's Program that I felt prepared me very well for the field. We had great professors who really cared about our success, and plenty of opportunities to work in the field with students prior to graduation. |
| Instruction | 8 | Overall, I feel like USC offered a very high level of curriculum. Most of the courses I taught were relevant, full of practical information, and included both a strong foundation of pedagogy, as well as cutting edge research. |
| How Difficult | 5 | I do believe that some of the courses could have been more challenging. To be awarded a Master's degree at the completion of the program, most courses were fairly easy for me. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I felt as though there was a good balance between the two, especially in my program. Each semester, we were required to participate in some sort of internship or service learning experience. This complemented the book learning very well and allowed us to practice applying what we learned in the classroom. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 3 | There was very little flexibility within the teacher education program. Courses were offered at few select times and students were expected to adjust their schedules accordingly. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | All of the facilities at USC are top notch. Facilities are constantly being updated and improved to provide students with the best facilities possible. |
| Social Life | 2 | Although I know there are a plethora of social activities available at USC, I did not participate in that aspect of the university. Because I was a single mom at the time, I lived off campus and had very little extra time to spend socializing. |
| Placement Services | 5 | I did not any receive any career assistance from the university, as I was offered a position within the school I interned. However, I did have a few classmates who used those services and seemed pleased. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I have not had much contact with the Alumni Association at my school. Because of this, I am not sure how strong the support offered actually is. |
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