Here are some tips for selecting schools, based on an analysis comparing each school to all others across dozens of factors:
Schools Concentrating On Home Health Aides
- Focus: For schools with a focus on this career area, look at Des Moines Area Community College.
Fastest Response From Schools
- Request Info: For the fastest information for prospective students, look at the Spotlight schools on this page.
Student Body
- Part-Time: For schools emphasizing part-time studies, consider Mercy College of Health Sciences.
- Female: For schools particularly welcoming to female students, consider Mercy College of Health Sciences.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Western Iowa Tech Community College.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Western Iowa Tech Community College, North Iowa Area Community College, Indian Hills Community College, and Mercy College of Health Sciences.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of North Iowa Area Community College, Indian Hills Community College, Western Iowa Tech Community College, and Des Moines Area Community College.
Excellence
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at Mercy College of Health Sciences.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Mercy College of Health Sciences.
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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Ashford University • Clinton, IA
Studying Business Administration (completion in 2009)
• 7/17/2011
"I liked the flexibility and I learned a lot. It was a very positive experience."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | The school is not too expensive. Also, it is very flexible. Anyone could fit school into their busy lives. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | I'm not completely sure what Ashford's reputation is. I don't live in Iowa, so I never hear about the college. |
| Program Quality | 8 | Ashford had a very flexible Master's program. It allowed me to work full-time while going to school full-time. |
| Instruction | 8 | I learned a lot in a short amount of time. There was very little busy-work. |
| How Difficult | 5 | School has never been very hard for me. This was no exception. However, Master's level classes can be a little challenging. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I took a lot of online courses. I never had any hands-on experiences. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Classes were very flexible. They also had an online program, so students could do their work in their free time. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | Professors were very flexible. There were also advisors and tutors readily available. |
| Social Life | 7 | It was a good experience, but I've attended other colleges that were more fun. I would still recommend the school, though. |
| Placement Services | 1 | I've never had any assistance. In fact, I applied for a job at the college and never heard anything back. |
| Alumni Network | 2 | I rarely hear from them. I never get any mail or newsletters from alumni. |
Mercy School Of Health Science • Des Moines, IA
Studying Nursing (completion in 2014)
• 2/19/2012
"I would have gone to a community college if I had known how unsatisfied I would be with my education here. Live and learn."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | A private school should provide more quality for the money. I don't feel Mercy provided that. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | I had heard that Mercy was an excellent school before going there. Now, I wonder who rates schools. |
| Program Quality | 3 | I am a nontraditional student, as I am an older adult who is switching careers and have kids at home. I am a divorced, single parent, and I am very busy. Mercy markets itself as being targeted to this audience, but seems to make things easier for the younger crowd and discourages the older students. Considering the amount of money spent, the amount of material taught, the hands-on experience given and the career assistance available, I am not satisfied. Much can be improved upon. |
| Instruction | 5 | The instructors know what they are teaching. The curriculum is well chosen. |
| How Difficult | 9 | The workload is very challenging, if not almost impossible, to keep up with. For students who have a difficult time with memorization, it can be sheer torture. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It would be nice if hands-on learning was started sooner. Book learning is very heavy here. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 4 | This is an area they are working to improve upon. They have received so much feedback from students needing more flexible options. |
| Academic Facilities | 4 | Facilities are fine. Tutors can be hard to find. |
| Social Life | 1 | Social experiences are the school's weakness. It is high on academics, but low on anything else. There are no sports or organized social events, other than an occasional charity event. |
| Placement Services | 5 | I received no help of any kind finding a job. I was told to just be persistent. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I have heard from no one. Not sure if this is good or bad. |
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