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 Wayne County Community College District, Oakland Community College, Grand Valley State, and Macomb 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 Davenport, Wayne State, University of Michigan-Flint, and Lake Superior State.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Wayne County Community College District, Andrews, Lawrence Technological University, and University of Detroit Mercy.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Spring Arbor University, Walsh College, Andrews, and Kirtland Community College.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Andrews, Calvin, Baker College, and Kettering.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Alma, Calvin, Aquinas, and Andrews.
Excellence
- SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at University of Michigan, Kettering, Michigan Technological University, and Calvin.
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at University of Michigan, Lawrence Technological University, Ferris State, and Andrews.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Andrews, Calvin, University of Michigan, and Alma.
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
Sort Reviews By:Sorting by: • Show All Details • Hide All Details
ITT Technical Institute • Troy, MI
Studying Computer Networking (completion in 2010)
• 6/29/2011
"The majority of things were mediocre. Poor job assistance was a big time bummer."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | If you are new to to field, I would not suggest it. It's definitely for someone with prior knowledge trying to get ahead. It's also only good for those who are motivated due to the poor teachers |
| Program Reputation | 4 | The school gets a bad rep as a diploma mill. It also receives poor reviews of its teaching staff. |
| Program Quality | 5 | The program made me a jack of all trades but a master of none. The position I currently have requires you to be a jack of all trades but a master of none. |
| Instruction | 5 | Some instructors were not knowledgeable on the topics they were teaching. Information was a bit dated. |
| How Difficult | 5 | Due to the information, being dated some of the work load was easy. Because of sub par teachers, new topics at times were difficult to learn. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | A 4 Hour class consisted of 2 hours of book and 2 hours hands on learning. You would learn about a topic and then apply that knowledge. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | There were morning, evening, afternoon, and weekend classes. Instructors were very understanding of your life outside of class. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | Materials were out of date, but the field is constantly evolving so there is no standard. |
| Social Life | 1 | None that I was aware of. |
| Placement Services | 1 | They find mostly contract jobs, but the school is geared to adults going back to school, so contract work is not acceptable. They did not provide job leads until the week before graduation. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | There is not an alumni network that I am aware of. |
Michigan Institute Of Technology • Lapeer, MI
Studying Computer Science, Network Administration (completion in 2007)
• 7/9/2011
"Was very satisfied! One thing that could have been even better was an affordable tuition."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would recommend them to anyone in a field that involves computers. You WILL absolutely get the resources you need to excel in your profession. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | Their reputation is extremely good. They are known for being in the top of their field for computer information systems technology. |
| Program Quality | 10 | I felt it was adequate. I was given the skills needed. |
| Instruction | 6 | The curriculum was a bit narrow, and the information was slightly dated. |
| How Difficult | 6 | I found it about 40% easy and 60% hard. It depended on exactly what we were studying. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Very hands on learning experience. I felt like I was in the field. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 1 | I went to classes 5 days a week. I went to at least 4 classes at any given time. The schedule was very inflexible and hectic. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | State of the art equipment was available to all staff and students. |
| Social Life | 9 | Had a wonderful time. Met lifelong friends and workmates. |
| Placement Services | 1 | I didn't use any job placement services. It was not necessary. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | I didn't participate in any alumni activities. I never asked for any type of school support, nor did I attend any functions. |
Eastern Michigan University • Ypsilanti, MI
Studying Computer Science (completion in 1995)
• 7/10/2011
"I had a great time in college and met some amazing people (including my future wife!) I learned quite a bit that isn't really relevant to my current position, but I've adapted it to make it fit."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I'm not sure how much the curriculum has advanced to fit the times. Without knowing this, I would have a hard time recommending my old school. |
| Program Reputation | 6 | Not sure, it's been over 15 years since I graduated and I have not looked back. |
| Program Quality | 4 | If I had gone directly into my field out of college my rating would be higher, however, I have found a use for the programming skills I learned in college in my everyday duties. |
| Instruction | 7 | I learned a great deal that, through my own inventiveness, has remained relevant to my current position. |
| How Difficult | 8 | CS degrees at EMU were very math intensive, so much so that if you take two more math classes, you end up with a math minor (which I have). |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | we had adequate book learning (concepts) and were able to apply what was learned into the classroom the same day. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | I took classes in the mornings, evenings, and even took a few English classes on Saturday mornings. I had no problem tailoring my schedule to my needs. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | I would rank it about average. Mind you, the facilities for CS students in the early 90's consisted of a VAX or two and a single room full of DEC terminals and one heavy duty dot matrix printer that we all shared. |
| Social Life | 9 | Probably too many parties... Our football team was pretty miserable, but our basketball team made it to the NCAA semi finals in 1991 (huge event for us!) and our swim team were the MAC-10 champs every year I was there. |
| Placement Services | 2 | At the time, assistance for job placement for my degree was next to non-existant. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I'm only assuming this as I'm not at all actively involved with any alumni activities. |
Baker College • Owosso, MI
Studying Computer Systems And Internetworking Technology (completion in 2005)
• 7/17/2011
"It wasn't exactly challenging but overall I felt like my education was very beneficial and full...especially for an Associate's level degree."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | If they want to get their feet wet and don't have excessive ambitions, then the school is great. However, if they want to work at huge corporations or server farms they should probably look for a more prestigious academy. I would also recommend pursuing a CNA or similar certification after the degree. |
| Program Reputation | 6 | Other classmates have received jobs in various companies around the state. I suppose the only thing I can go on is that and that the instructors and employers seem satisfied with our work. |
| Program Quality | 7 | It does an excellent job of providing a broad education ranging from WAN administration, server administration, and computer repair and management. However, it doesn't dive deep enough into these fields... further education is left up to the student. |
| Instruction | 8 | I was fortunate to have fantastic teachers and can only speak from my experience on that. |
| How Difficult | 3 | I did not struggle with any classes, work load, exams, or any other such academic challenge. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It was a pretty good mix in general, but we definitely got lots of hands on learning. For instance, in computer troubleshooting class we would take the computers and intentionally cause certain faults so we could see what they looked like. And in routing class we were given several routers and were separated into teams to try and program them and set up routing topographies. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | For the program-specific classes, they usually only offer one section a year. If the student stays on track this isn't a problem, though. They also offer many online courses and have multiple campuses, which is why I rated it a 5. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | The tech center was fantastic. The library was also very good, and they had a great academic student support center with tutors and advisers almost always available. I never had trouble finding a study group, but classes were always small, so that wasn't an issue. |
| Social Life | 3 | No athletics. But the dorm life wasn't awful and we could always get some friends together for fun. |
| Placement Services | 7 | I did not require their services for finding a job. However, they were very helpful in placing me in an internship, so I can only assume that they would have the proper connections for good job placement as well. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I selected 5 because I have not required or looked into their alumni support. I hear, however, that it is very good. |
Wayne State University • Detroit, MI
Studying (completion in 2000)
• 8/14/2011
"I did it just for the credentials. My experience and self study weigh more."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | Certifications are carrying more and more weight. I would consider another route next time. |
| Program Reputation | 6 | The school is nationally recognized. I feel as though my work experience makes me the IT Pro. |
| Program Quality | 6 | Most of the information in the class room is stale by the time you are ready to apply it. I wish I had done more hands on work or internships. Fortunately, I love technology and studied a lot on my own. |
| Instruction | 5 | I think more hands on and real life experiences are important. The experience factor should be emphasized in most programs. |
| How Difficult | 5 | The work load was average. The practical application could use improvement. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I built my own network to practice on. More hands on work is needed in the curriculum. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | I was able to work and study because the industry runs 24/7. It was not difficult to do both. |
| Academic Facilities | 6 | Professors were 50/50 - the ones with experience were good. The ones sticking strictly to the course material were poor. |
| Social Life | 5 | I led my own very active social life. The major frats and stuff were available. |
| Placement Services | 4 | I had to hit the net myself to get results. Nobody can find your fit but you. |
| Alumni Network | 6 | I have maintained long term relationships with my co-workers and students. Being in IT is like being in your own fraternity. |
Michigan Tech • Houghton, MI
Studying Engineering (completion in 2007)
• 10/9/2011
"The education was great. I was able to land a job immediately out of college, even with the poor economy. My peers were incredibly intelligent and great resources, and we continue to maintain our friendship years after departing."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | The experience was top-notch. I would not hesitate to promote this choice to any candidates. The environment, experience, knowledgeable professors, and cost all work incredibly well for the student. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | The overall experience met the rumored qualifications. I had heard that many considered an education from the college very highly, and this was confirmed when searching for a job. |
| Program Quality | 9 | Michigan Tech was an amazing university. It provides a great atmosphere of like-minded individuals. Further, the smaller size allows for great interaction with peers. |
| Instruction | 5 | Since my education was so different from my profession, it is difficult to determine how effective their program was. I mostly picked up on administrative skills through introductions to other operating systems (mostly Linux) while studying engineering, and then learned more as a hobby. |
| How Difficult | 8 | The degree programs are almost always challenging. Students are given a decent mix of major and un-related classes to balance out the work load and broaden education. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The mix was excellent; the university was sure to give back and continue to expand its laboratories and technical resources. Students were regularly able to practice their studies using some of the latest available technology. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 4 | I didn't explore much of the outside flexibility (nights, weekends), however the push seemed to be full-time day classes. Most students went full time, and the classes seemed relatively strict in how they were scheduled. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | The resources and research facilities were top notch. The school was regularly receiving grants for research, and funneled most of the financial gains back in the university for the benefits of the students. |
| Social Life | 3 | The college was highly geared towards technical / engineering. That said, there was a general lack in social experiences, but this was mostly a result of the students who were attending (many of whom were not as sociable as other universities). |
| Placement Services | 10 | The career center was extremely helpful in placing me for jobs. I originally landed a job right out of school, in the poor economy, for an entry level engineering job. Then, after some networking, I found my next job in the IT field. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I haven't participated in any alumni events. Their support for finding careers as I was graduating was top-notch. Many employers valued students coming from my university, which helped greatly in the job search. |
Baker College • Auburn Hills, MI
Studying Computer Networking (completion in 2010)
• 11/1/2011
"Very satisfied. All my teachers were excellent and the staff was very friendly. The location is good and I only had a 10 minute commute."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | The school is very warm and welcoming. There are many programs to go into, including social fields, medical fields, and IT fields. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | I believe the reputation my school had was very good. They had a 99% job guarantee rate. They would also help you get a job. |
| Program Quality | 8 | My school, for the program, I attended was excellent. All my college professors had recently worked in the field of study. |
| Instruction | 8 | Instruction was great. All the professors were very knowledgeable. The books were very well organized and the computer lab was nice. |
| How Difficult | 8 | My program was not difficult at all. I had a lot of computer knowledge before entering the program. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Everything I had done was mostly all hands on in the computer lab. Book learning in the IT field is not the best. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Class scheduling was extremely flexible. They had many morning and night classes available to choose from. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | The academic facility I was in was excellent. The computer lab was all up to date with the latest and greatest. |
| Social Life | 4 | Not much for social activity at my school. It was a career college, not a university. |
| Placement Services | 8 | Job placement rate was 99%. They also provide internships through career services which usually turn into full time jobs. |
| Alumni Network | 9 | My school's alumni network and support was good, I must say. If there were any issues, they were tended to quickly. |
Western Michigan University • Kalamazoo, MI
Studying Computer Information Systems (completion in 2011)
• 10/27/2011
"Great school, can't complain. Prices hiked constantly which was annoying, but it is a well respected school and the teachers were of great quality."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | WMU has lots of connections with employers in the area. This, combined with a great selection of teachers in the CIS department, would definitely make me recommend it. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | Not sure about my major in particular, but WMU is highly rated as a business school. Within the school itself, the CIS program is well respected and hires professors from all over the world. |
| Program Quality | 10 | Taught me what I needed to know for the job. Helped greatly with job placement. |
| Instruction | 8 | Great teachers, but some difficulty understanding them. Always there for help after hours though, in all my classes. |
| How Difficult | 5 | Not overly challenging, but I had previous experience. Some classes had busy work, i.e. developing pointless sites that focused more on made up content than the actual implementation. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | While this might be different because I went to a business school, a lot of the material was from the book/slides. However, I did have two classes with physical hands on use of hardware once a week. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Was able to always take classes that I needed. Most were only offered at one time and my program was relatively small. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | Access to computers with all the software needed for projects was available at all reasonable hours. Also had a great CISCO lab to work hands on in with various routers, switches, and severs. |
| Social Life | 5 | Met some great people in the dorms, and I'm still friends with them today. Football games fill up our stadium about half way. |
| Placement Services | 5 | Some help provided - they helped me find a job. However, it was just as useful as craigslist and the like. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | They are out there, but mostly to request donations. Didn't help much with job placement. |
Kettering University • Flint, MI
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2011)
• 12/3/2011
"Kettering provides students the opportunities to succeed and a well-established network of connections. I was overall very satisfied with the support and education that I attained through the university."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Kettering's unique industry connections make it great for someone perusing a career in the network engineering field. However, like any college I would recommend keeping in mind that it is what you make of it. Many people have been successful from universities large and small, it is not the university that makes you successful. Rather, it is your drive and dedication that really makes you successful. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | Kettering is ranked first in the nation in Mechanical Engineering for schools that don't grant PHDs. It is also ranked very highly among employers who know the caliber of Kettering students. |
| Program Quality | 10 | Kettering has a very unique co-op program. This program connects you with employers while you are still in college. You go to school for 6 months and work for 6 months. This provides both book, and practical experience. It also connects you with several employers where you might find a real job after graduation. |
| Instruction | 10 | Instructors at KU are all PHD's. They do not allow for teaching assistants. Class sizes are 12 students on average, many are smaller than that. One lecture I took was two PhD professors and myself alone; a 2:1 ratio. |
| How Difficult | 8 | You need to understand and be very proficient at puzzle solving and grasping abstract concepts. Some courses like cryptanalysis and abstract algebra involved challenging math concepts like entropy and non-number based systems. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Kettering is the perfect mix of hands-on vs. book training. During the school semesters you learn from books heavily. Then you go to industry, and see these concepts in practice. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 2 | Due to the rigorous program, it really tends not to be flexible. Students need to be on campus to take undergraduate lectures. These lectures are not made available in the evenings. Further, there is usually only one or two night offerings in the 6pm-8pm time frame. There are no courses offered after that time frame. Busy professionals would struggle to fit a standard 20 credit course load into their schedules. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | Kettering provides free tutors for students in multiple locations, in order to help students succeed. Further, it has some of the most high-tech lab spaces in the entire academic industry. Undergraduates at Kettering are given access to wind tunnels, crash test labs, and even anatomy labs. These are things normal colleges don't expose undergraduates to. Large companies recognize the value of the labs and frequently come to Kettering and rent out labs pace to conduct experiments. This has actually lead to an entire separate and new small business incubator on campus. |
| Social Life | 3 | Because of the small student body, and the disjointed work/school cycles the university does not participate in many intercollegiate athletics. The only exception is hockey. However the student government of the university funds clubs and events, which serve as the social mixing ground for students very effectively. Clubs meet frequently, and provide students with lunches, discounts, and frequently travel together to destinations (whitewater rafting, Rock climbing, and even Scuba diving). |
| Placement Services | 10 | Kettering University's connections with employers in the co-op phases lead to natural relationships with these employers. When they need help from graduates, they come right to the same place. As an example, I recently received a personal request to interview with Google through Kettering. |
| Alumni Network | 6 | Kettering students tend to participate in the real world more than in the post-college world. There is a very small alumni network, but it tends to be retired students. Most graduates are involved and driven perusing careers 24/7. |
Online Course Finder
Find the path to your
education in 3 easy steps.