Here are some tips for selecting schools, based on an analysis comparing each school to all others across dozens of factors:
Schools Concentrating On Network And Systems Administrators
- Focus: For schools with a focus on this career area, look at Rio Salado College, University of Advancing Technology, Arizona State, and Pima 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 Arizona State, Northern Arizona University, and University of Arizona.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider South Mountain Community College, Arizona Western, Cochise, and Phoenix College.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Yavapai College, Mohave Community College, Phoenix College, and Cochise.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of University of Advancing Technology, University of Arizona, Northern Arizona University, and Rio Salado College.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Northern Arizona University, University of Advancing Technology, University of Arizona, and Arizona State.
Excellence
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at University of Advancing Technology.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at University of Arizona, Northern Arizona University, and Arizona State.
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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University Of Phoenix • Phoenix, AZ
Studying BS - Information Systems (completion in 2014)
• 6/25/2011
"This school provided me with the opportunity to complete my degree while I was working full time. Additionally, I was able to put the degree and business knowledge together with my technical experience."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I would recommend it to anyone with the caveat that it is a degree to go along with your experience, which was incredibly beneficial in my situation. This degree would not get you a certification that would allow you to obtain a network administrator job without prior experience. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | As there are no hands on classes available, the degree earned at UOP is more of a degree to go with the experience that someone already has. It can get you a foot in the door at a company that is willing to work with you, but if you do not have networking experience, this will not get you a job as a network administrator. |
| Program Quality | 7 | The University of Phoenix provided me with excellent general knowledge but little technical expertise. There were no hands on classes in the program - it was all book learning. |
| Instruction | 8 | Learning from instructors who actually worked in this field during the day was quite valuable. The curriculum would be vastly improved if there were several hands on classes required for graduation. |
| How Difficult | 8 | The quantity of work expected was average for an advanced learning institution. Writing papers and working with groups provided a challenge for most students. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | As I stated earlier, there were no hands on classes when I went to UOP. I have heard that this has changed in the years since I graduated. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | UOP offers online and in class options for both evenings and weekends. You are able to work with advisors to find the schedule best suited for you. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | All libraries and resources are available online, and they are comprehensive and easy to use. Study groups are mandatory, classroom space is usually new and clean, and professors are always available should you have questions outside of class hours. |
| Social Life | 7 | This is a college for working adults - if you fall into that category you should not have any issues. I personally found the people in my classes to be a benefit to my learning and am still close to many of them years after the program has ended. |
| Placement Services | 1 | The school does not provide job placement services. I do not think this is unusual at a university. |
| Alumni Network | 7 | I suppose the alumni network is valuable - I receive emails and newsletters on a regular basis. There are also networking groups and message boards that I have not yet taken advantage of. |
University Of Phoenix • Tucson, AZ
Studying MCSE (completion in 2003)
• 7/17/2011
"I feel like the loan debt that I have is impossible to pay off using the certification that I have. I feel like I paid for a certificate that is far less valuable than a true college degree."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | There are far better ways to make money in the computer field than working on networks. Database admins and developers are more in demand. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | The University of Phoenix is what it is. It's a step above diploma mills, but is recognized as a satisfactory way for working professionals to increase their education. |
| Program Quality | 1 | I had an odd situation in that I started the program with ten other students who all dropped out along the way. The final half of the program was just me and the instructor. |
| Instruction | 3 | I feel like I received the book knowledge. However, I don't feel like I was taught practical application. |
| How Difficult | 5 | Because of my unique circumstance, there weren't any group projects to work on. I didn't even go to a class room during the last part of the program. The teacher would call me once a week to go over the reading assignment and quiz. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The beginning classes in computer repair were hands-on, but the Microsoft part of the classes I did 100% using the book. I didn't have access to a Windows Professional machine. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 1 | As I recall I only had one choice when it came to scheduling. At the end, it was extremely flexible, but there was only me and the instructor to coordinate with. |
| Academic Facilities | 3 | I only had access to the computer lab/classroom. There weren't any tutors made available to me. |
| Social Life | 1 | There was zero social interaction after the rest of the students dropped out. University of Phoenix doesn't have athletics. |
| Placement Services | 1 | I never heard anything from them. I don't even think they have a career services assistant. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | I have never heard from them since I finished. I don't think I even received my diploma from them. |
University Of Phoenix • Phoenix, AZ
Studying Networking And Telecommunications (completion in 2007)
• 9/16/2011
"I believe our system of higher education in the US needs a lot of work. It does not make sense to burden high school graduates with such extreme debt to gain higher education."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | I would instead recommend the armed services. My best friend did that and has made more money than me for years. It's that military experience employers love. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | Online degrees always have a lesser reputation than regular traditional ones. I think Phoenix is probably the most reputable out of the online schools though. All I know is that I didn't have an issue finding work with the degree. |
| Program Quality | 5 | The Phoenix curriculum is filled with a lot of writing. It is a way of weeding out the people who don't know the material and hope to get C's by participating. |
| Instruction | 7 | I know that most of the professors cared. There were just some policies in the school that hampered their instruction. It was a sufficient mix of programming, networking, and business administration. |
| How Difficult | 7 | To be in this field requires experience and a great motivation to learn IT. I have been messing around with computers since I was a child so things just came full circle for me. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Lots of reading was required, though many topics required just as much discussion. It was a good mix. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | I loved being able to sleep in and take my classes when I wanted. Phoenix is the definition of flexible. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | I really liked their Center for Writing Excellence and the University Library. They had a lot of topical information for my purposes and I found help most of the time. |
| Social Life | 7 | I was on campus for a year and finished online when I moved back home. I didn't party much the first year but everything looked nice. |
| Placement Services | 3 | I didn't have any assistance from them in this topic. I didn't expect any either. |
| Alumni Network | 7 | I did not use the alumni network and cannot comment on it accurately. |
University Of Phoenix • Phoenix, AZ
Studying Management Of Information Systems (completion in 2005)
• 1/21/2012
"The coursework was less than challenging, and the degree is not well respected. Overall, it was not a worthwhile experience."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | The school does not have the best reputation, and does not measure up to the online competition now available. The school seemed to rush students through each class so the next tuition payment would come quickly. |
| Program Reputation | 3 | The overall reputation of the school is not stellar, and its graduate degree programs are not considered challenging. In my experience, this degree is virtually worthless. |
| Program Quality | 3 | The coursework overall had little to do with the degree. There were only a couple classes that dealt directly with technology and its integration into business operations. |
| Instruction | 4 | Some of the instructors seemed rather disinterested, and almost seemed to be bothered with the work. That being said, a few instructors were quite good, but they were few and far between. |
| How Difficult | 3 | The text books did not go into a great deal of depth, and seemed to be on a high school level, certainly not a graduate school level. My nephew took a similar course of study at Rutgers and his course of study was much more difficult. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The weekly assignments consisted of readings and writing essays based on what you learned. This was a fairly effective method of reinforcing what was studied. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | Taking the classes online provided a fair amount of flexibility. There were weekly assignments due, and class participation in the forums was quite flexible. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The text books arrived promptly, and there were significant resources available online. Some professors were easily accessible and quite responsive, but most were of average availability. Study group support was average. |
| Social Life | 5 | Attending school online creates a difficult atmosphere for creating a social experience. The school provided a 'lounge' type forum where students could go to just chat about general topics. That said, the school did little to create a sense of school spirit. |
| Placement Services | 1 | I have never been contacted by the university, nor any alumni group. As far as I could tell, there was no job placement or career assistance program at this school. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | Since completion of the coursework, I have never been contacted by a representative of the university, nor by any alumni group. The alumni support from this school is non-existent. |
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