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 ASA Institute, Kingsborough Community College, Nassau Community College, and Suffolk County 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 Farmingdale State College, Trocaire College, New York City College of Technology, and Mercy College.
- Female: For schools particularly welcoming to female students, consider Trocaire College, Mildred Elley School, and Daemen.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Medgar Evers College, New York City College of Technology, NYU Poly, and NYIT.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Mercy College, Sage College, Medgar Evers College, and Adelphi.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of United States Military Academy, Columbia, NYU, and Cornell.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of United States Military Academy, Union College, Alfred State, and Houghton College.
Excellence
- SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at Columbia, Cornell, RPI, and NYU.
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at Columbia, United States Military Academy, Cornell, and Baruch College.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Union College, Cornell, Rochester Institute of Technology, and Hartwick.
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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University At Buffalo (Buffalo.edu) • Buffalo, NY
Studying Business Administration (completion in 2008)
• 6/25/2011
"University of Buffalo was an awesome school to attend. There are very few things I would have liked to change. They need to spend more money on their football team."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | Maybe, It depends on if you want to be a network administrator from the beginning or not. I never intended to go for business administration, but electrical engineering didn't work out and it didn't really fit for a network / systems administrator either. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | They are working on a program called UB 2020. It looks like they are trying to elevate all aspects of the school to Ivy League status with this program. |
| Program Quality | 8 | The courses were very well planned out (as in the order in which you had to take them). The class size could have been better in some of the core classes like HR and accounting. |
| Instruction | 7 | Teachers understood the material. Teachers were willing to work with with me regarding scheduling and missing classes. |
| How Difficult | 5 | Work itself was not challenging, though I did start out as an electrical engineer. Though it was not challenging, there were lots of group projects, which did eat up a lot of time. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Learning is primarily book-related. Hands on learning was done mostly in a group situation. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Scheduling was done online. As long as you logged on right when it opened, you could get any spot you wanted. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | Computer and workshop labs were excellent. Libraries were out of date, but well kept. |
| Social Life | 7 | There were plenty of groups to join and take part in. Athletics at UB are hit or miss. The basketball team is awesome, but the football team is terrible. |
| Placement Services | 4 | They were horrible. Very little help from the school and their placement employees. The only helpful thing was their website. |
| Alumni Network | 7 | I can't give an accurate rating on this as I do not actively participate in it. That being said, from the alumni website and from my friends in it, it doesn't seem too bad, just expensive. |
Wagner College • Staten Island, NY
Studying Secondary Education (completion in 2011)
• 6/24/2011
"I won't know if I got what I paid for until after I graduate with my BA."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | It isn't the top school for educators, but I'm sure it will do. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | There are a lot of interstate students. It has an okay reputation in Staten Island. |
| Program Quality | 6 | The school in a way is only as good as its students. Teachers can't really fail all the students who deserve to fail because then it make their own and the school's numbers look bad, so to compete, many of the classes are dumbed down for the sake of the students just wanting to get a degree and go home. |
| Instruction | 7 | We have some exceptional professors, and a lot of old lemons. |
| How Difficult | 3 | The hardest part of an intensive class in Wagner is showing up. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | This would really depend on your major, and your professor. Art and science is hands on while english is all book. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | It has it for the basic classes, but as you advance in your learning, the classes become more limited |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | There is something available for everyone's interests. |
| Social Life | 8 | This is a party school, there is no doubt about that. |
| Placement Services | 10 | Like I mentioned before, you will leave with connections. If you graduate from Wagner with a degree in dentistry, you will be automatically accepted into the NYU program for your doctorate. |
| Alumni Network | 10 | Depending on your major, this school's tuition is banked on the fact that you will have connections when you leave this school with a BA. |
Meadowbrook • Carmel, NY
Studying Networking (completion in 2006)
• 7/2/2011
"It is a typical school. Nothing special here, just a good, inexpensive education."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | If you are looking for the cheap way out, Meadow is for you. It is worth the money. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | Good reputation. Good reviews online. |
| Program Quality | 5 | The program was difficult but rewarding when done. |
| Instruction | 10 | I learned a lot at Meadowbrook. Meadow was a great school. |
| How Difficult | 10 | Very hard school. Challenged your mind. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | A mix of hands on and book. Half of professors relied mostly on books. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Great schedule. You can choose classes online. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | Great campus, lots to do. I was always on campus doing activities. |
| Social Life | 10 | Everyone has a lot of pride at Meadowbrook. Meadow was a great school and had top sports teams. |
| Placement Services | 10 | Great placement program. Very helpful in finding a job. |
| Alumni Network | 10 | Great networking school. Tightly woven. |
SUNY Albany • Albany, NY
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2014)
• 7/5/2011
"The school prepared me well for my career and also found me a job."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | SUNY Albany is great at helping its students. It helped me find my job, and offered me great support when I was in need. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | SUNY Albany has a good computer science program. There are better ones in other schools, but my school's program still prepared me well. |
| Program Quality | 10 | My professors were very knowledgeable of the subject. I feel very qualified for my job. |
| Instruction | 10 | I have learned a lot from my professors. They have prepared me well for my career. |
| How Difficult | 8 | There were many days in which I did nothing except study for an exam. Some concepts were difficult to understand. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | There was a lot of lab work we had to do. There was also a lot of book work. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | I scheduled all of my classes when I wanted them to be. There were many weekend and evening options. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | There were many books in the library concerning my studies. There were also many TAs and advisors offering support. |
| Social Life | 7 | I often had to study a lot, so there wasn't too much socializing. I found many friends in my field of study. |
| Placement Services | 8 | They immediately helped me find internships in the field. They also helped me find a job. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | There weren't many alums that were able to help me. I have only met one, but he was very nice and guided me. |
CompTIA • Nyc, NY
Studying CompTIA (completion in 2010)
• 6/29/2011
"If I didn't expect to be satisfied, I wouldn't have gone."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | 100% to new network admins. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | Very reputable. |
| Program Quality | 10 | It provides what you expect from it. It's highly recognized in my work field. |
| Instruction | 7 | It does not fully prepare you for everything, but provides you with basics. Extensive but broad network knowledge. |
| How Difficult | 3 | Not challenging at all. For the most part you're able to learn on your own which makes it perfect. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Really well balanced. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Very nice schedule that allows planning ahead of time. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | Very good resources and help. I can not speak for it since I have not used any. |
| Social Life | 10 | |
| Placement Services | 5 | It's well recognized, but I have not gone through any job placements. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I did not use alumni resources, and thus can not speak for them. |
Brooklyn College • Brooklyn Ny, NY
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2010)
• 7/2/2011
"Very good school, good teachers, highly ranked."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Yes I would, since I ended up getting a good job thanks to my school! |
| Program Reputation | 9 | Brooklyn College is known for its good computer program, and also has a high rating overall. |
| Program Quality | 9 | The teach about all computer fields, very good professors, very helpful staff. |
| Instruction | 10 | Professors are very knowledgeable, and will always explain and help with a smile. |
| How Difficult | 7 | Some programming classes were difficult, mainly because of the old programming languages. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Some classes were book oriented and some were not. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | I chose the classes and the hours, which made it very comfortable to study. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | Very good and efficient academic facilities. |
| Social Life | 9 | There was very nice spirit, and it was a good environment to study. |
| Placement Services | 5 | I had to find my own job, but it's OK. Not complaining. |
| Alumni Network | 10 | Very solid alumni network, always backed by good staff. |
Monroe Community College • Rochester, NY
Studying Computer Systems Technology (completion in 2008)
• 7/4/2011
"The school was alright. People were very social and it was a good experience. Some of the material learned was outdated and needed to be updated."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | If you want to go for a 4 year degree I would say MCC is a good way to save money. The computer courses will mostly prep you for a 4 year college, but you will need to re-learn some incorrect material you were taught. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | MCC is a community college. Usually people continue on to a 4 year school such as RIT. If you are going for computer related courses, MCC is a recognizable college in the Rochester area. |
| Program Quality | 6 | Before I obtained my degree a wide range of fields were explored, such as networking, computer repair, and programming. There was a lot of hands-on material which is important when it comes to learning new technologies. |
| Instruction | 4 | My mathematics, networking, and physics teacher were awesome. Most of my other teachers who taught computer related material were not familiar with techniques used in the real work force. Other teachers taught material that was completely wrong and wanted you to learn it (Such as ALL cookies are viruses). |
| How Difficult | 6 | Since I picked up computers at a early age most of the computer related courses was review for me. However, other students in the course did find the course challenging. Depending on which teacher you had, the work load varied. The work load I had throughout the course was well balanced. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | For my degree a lot of the computer work was very hands on. A lot of times we would do hands-on work outside of the laboratory. Of course we were still assigned questions from the book to do for homework. There were normal lectures, too. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | The flexibility is fairly good. It is important to register a month before the deadline to get the opening you want. The college offers classes over the winter and summer breaks, during the evenings, weekends, and also online. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | MCC has a great library that spans a couple of stories. Depending on the class they could be fairly tight, but I never felt like I did not get assistance when I needed any. The college has a computer lab with around 200 computers and usually one was available. If not you may had to wait around 10 minutes or so. I did not need any tutors or study group support. Professors were fairly accessible. Usually if you sent them a email you would get a reply same day. Their schedules were posted on their doors so you could easily schedule an appointment if needed. |
| Social Life | 3 | I did not go to any college games for the school. There were not a lot of dorms so there weren't any big parties there. Overall there wasn't a lot of MCC spirit either. There were many different small clubs that people had organized, though. |
| Placement Services | 3 | Most of the jobs provided by the college after graduating were could be obtained without a degree. A lot of the jobs offered were data entry related. |
| Alumni Network | 3 | There wasn't much of an alumni network at the college. A few teachers said I can use them as references but that's about all. |
New York Institute Of Technology • New York, NY
Studying B.S. Telecommunications & Network Management (completion in 2010)
• 7/5/2011
"I got what I needed. I earned my degree summa cum laude, and have moved on."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | The basic information is there. You get out of it what you're willing to put in. My advice would be to concurrently be studying for Cisco/MS certifications. |
| Program Reputation | 6 | The reputation seems to be solid all around from those unfamiliar with the school. Personally, I saw too many people graduating with me that I know performed badly throughout their college years. |
| Program Quality | 5 | For a program that is supposed to be centered around preparing you for employment in the telecom/network field, there is a huge lack of real world training. The majority of the instruction was general theory, and not a whole lot about how things work in practice and what you'll be expected to do in a networking position. There was also a complete lack of information on professional certifications, things that I could have easily been studying for and completing while in school. |
| Instruction | 7 | The instruction was good, at least on what was taught. Intelligent professors would provide the basic information well enough. They just did not go far enough in truly preparing the students for their chosen career paths. |
| How Difficult | 5 | I attributed my relative ease of college with the fact that I was older when I attended. After doing work in communications in the Army and developing a good work discipline, schoolwork seemed almost too easy. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | While some courses gave a little hands-on experience, it was mostly textbook driven. Most hands-on work came from electronics & physics courses. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | Class schedule options were very good. Every class could be taken after work hours, if so chosen. The only downside would be that some courses are only offered once a year and depending on prerequisites, it took planning years in advance to ensure all classes were taken in a timely manner. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | Textbook and internet access were great. However, no dedicated networking labs were as of yet present. This was in the works for the 3 years that I attended, but was not completed by the time I graduated. |
| Social Life | 5 | Older students were great. It was disappointing seeing the younger students that would not apply themselves in the least to their studies, but they would still move towards their degrees. |
| Placement Services | 7 | They perform very well with attempting to place young students with internships. They have very good resume counseling, and do not just give you a form template. |
| Alumni Network | 7 | They do very well about keeping people informed of ongoing and future programs and events. After having moved to Texas, I don't keep up much with the Alumni program, though I receive the emails at least monthly. |
RIT • Rochester, NY
Studying Applied Networking And Systems Administration (completion in 2009)
• 7/11/2011
"I have a cushy government job and I love what I am doing. The cost for tuition was not as bad as some schools."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | If you want to be in networking/systems administration, RIT is THE place to go. There are no better labs/professors/facilities in my opinion. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | RIT was the first accredited school to offer an IT degree in 1991. 90% of my graduating class in my major got jobs right out of school. |
| Program Quality | 10 | RIT provided lecture and associated lab courses in all areas of routing, switching, sysadmin, security, malware, wireless, data storage, etc. The teacher-student ratio was amazing, usually no more than 1-15. The hardware and software was always up to date, and I had access to the latest and greatest, thanks to partnerships between RIT and hardware/software vendors. |
| Instruction | 10 | I walked away with a high level of knowledge retention compared to other majors (in my opinion). The combination of spoken lecture, online reading assignments, and online and in-lab projects helped to explain how to do xyz. All professors were required to have Ph.D.s. |
| How Difficult | 10 | RIT is on the quarter system, so 10 weeks and out. Versus the 16 weeks of a semester, it was really challenging. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I never read a book while I was there. Textbooks are a thing of the past. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | I was able to take classes that ranged from 2-4pm to 6-8pm. Summer has some classes, but not as many. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | Labs were always up to date. Plenty of free tutoring and support. |
| Social Life | 1 | RIT has no football team, enough said. The aspect of being social does not exist at RIT. |
| Placement Services | 10 | The Coop and Career services office helps you find jobs. The online Jobzone is nice. Every year there is a career fair for students and alumni to meet with potential employers. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | They send out emails every once in a while. Sometimes there are events in my local area for alumni. |
SUNY Stonybrook • Stonybrook, NY
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2005)
• 7/10/2011
"Very satisfied with my school. I achieved my degree and got a job."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | This school is not for everyone. Your chances of landing a job graduating out of this school is not guaranteed. |
| Program Reputation | 6 | This school is not know for IT and computer science. it's mostly known for its medical programs. |
| Program Quality | 7 | Program is fundamentally sound. Good foundation for building your career |
| Instruction | 8 | High quality instruction that is relevant and up to date. I guess it depends on what you are pursuing. |
| How Difficult | 9 | Very challenging program. Lots of books to read and hands on work. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Mostly learning from books. Depends on your major of study. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | Due to the growing number of students, it is tough to select courses near the end of registration. Only after registration do you have the chance to switch classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | Good enough resources for me to complete my major. Mostly old computer equipment in labs. Needs some updating. |
| Social Life | 7 | Depends on your personality. This is not a party school. |
| Placement Services | 5 | Depends on the job market. Job placement staff tries their best to get you a job. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | Alumni network is good. You are listed if you are a member. |
Excelsior College • Albany, NY
Studying Computer Software (completion in 1995)
• 9/2/2011
"It was ideal for me. It provide me the greatest flexibility to meet degree requirements while working full time."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | It would depend on their individual situation. If they had attended multiple schools in their past, then definitely. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | The computer software field has dissolved and changed into many more specialized fields. This was done to address the needs of the industry. |
| Program Quality | 5 | Excelsior college is a non-traditional college. Credits towards your degree are earned at other colleges and universities and submitted to them for approval. |
| Instruction | 5 | See above answer. I did not attend any classes there. The majority of my course work was completed at Northland College, Pace University, and the New School for Social Research. |
| How Difficult | 5 | The computer software major was relatively easy for me. I've excelled at computers since I was young. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Again, this would depend on where the student obtained their credits. This is because the courses are not offered through Excelsior college. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Since all credits are through other institutions you can find a university offering the course you need with the scheduling that works for you. This provides for ultimate flexibility. |
| Academic Facilities | 3 | I've never visited the school. Everything was completed at other universities. |
| Social Life | 1 | Since it is a form of distance learning I had no interaction with other students. However, I did have good interactions with other students at the other schools I attended. |
| Placement Services | 5 | I can't comment on this. I was gainfully employed full time in the field before, during, and after getting my degree through Excelsior College. |
| Alumni Network | 6 | I regularly receive communications from them. However, I've never made use of any of their services. |
New York University • New York, NY
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2006)
• 9/26/2011
"My school provided a great environment for me to learn what I was interested in. I was able to find a career in something I love, and so I am pleased."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Even though NYU lacks some facilities that other schools may have, such as a helpful alumni base and a campus, it offers many benefits. Teachers are helpful and job placement is easy with such a well-known name on your resume. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | NYU is an expensive school known for its great location within NYC. They are more known for business than anything else, but the computer program is fairly well known. |
| Program Quality | 7 | The work was fairly relevant to the real world. Job placement was OK at best - could have been better for the cost of the program. |
| Instruction | 9 | Instruction was straightforward and clear. Teachers tried to use real world applications in the classrooms. |
| How Difficult | 5 | The program was not too hard for somebody genuinely interested in technology. Overall, the work was realistic and not too demanding. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Some classes were totally based on book and theory. Other classes applied real world applications to help us learn. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | There were many different class times available. I was able to work part-time while studying. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | NYU has a lot of money that is constantly used to improve buildings and increase the size of our huge library. Overall, facilities were first class and accessibility to professors was great. |
| Social Life | 7 | NYU has no campus. But because it is located in the middle of Manhattan, the rest of the city made up for the lack of spirit within the school. |
| Placement Services | 3 | At first, alumni were able to help me find a job. Since then, the school and alumni have been of little help when it comes to placement. |
| Alumni Network | 4 | I met a few alumni who helped with the job placement initially. Since then, I have not been able to contact anyone. |
University At Albany, State University Of New York • Albany, NY
Studying Biology (completion in 2010)
• 10/13/2011
"UAlbany offers a good value for the tuition. It provides good instruction and academic opportunities at a very competitive price."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | UAlbany offers a good value for the educational dollar. The science departments have very good reputations. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | UAlbany has a good reputation for the life sciences. It is popular with pre-med students. |
| Program Quality | 8 | UAlbany is a great value. For a very reasonable tuition it provides fantastic educational opportunity. |
| Instruction | 7 | Classes were not too large once you got past the 100 level courses. Budget cuts started to become a problem in my senior year. |
| How Difficult | 5 | Some of the core Biology courses were quite challenging. For example Human Physiology, was very intensive. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Budget cuts have reduced a lot of the hands-on learning. Often laboratory classes have been reduced to computer simulations. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 3 | Most classes meet between 8AM and 5PM. There are a small number of evening classes. There are no weekend classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | There is a large, comprehensive research library. There is a separate Science Library on campus. |
| Social Life | 8 | UAlbany is notorious among some as a 'party school.' There is a very robust campus social scene. |
| Placement Services | 2 | The university has essentially no job placement assistance. The alumni association has an informal social network. |
| Alumni Network | 4 | The alumni association spends most of their time fund raising. There are a few good benefits, however. |
Regents College • Albany, NY
Studying Literature In English (completion in 1993)
• 11/29/2011
"There were no real-time online classes when I started my degree. Excelsior has upgraded since then. That would have made it perfect!"
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Excelsior is tailored to people who don't have time to attend brick-and-mortar classrooms. It allows a flexibility for those who don't have time to waste in travel to and from a classroom. It's been in business for decades. It provides a recognized degree and is accredited. Excelsior has long been a friend of businesspeople, as well as the military. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | Regents (Excelsior) has long enjoyed a good relationship with the military. It also is used by corporations to assist employees in obtaining a degree that is comprehensive, inexpensive and tailored to the individual's learning style. |
| Program Quality | 9 | I am a Navy veteran and have lived all over the country. My parents didn't have the money in the 1970s to send me to college. Regents, now Excelsior, was a real opportunity for me. |
| Instruction | 10 | Instruction in my classes came from some of the most prominent colleges in the US, including UCAL Berkeley, University of Wisconsin and St. Thomas University. I was also able to apply actual credit for what I learned in military schools, as well as DANTES credits. |
| How Difficult | 6 | I enjoyed my courses. I enjoy learning almost anything. In my opinion, enjoyment creates a better learning environment. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Excelsior is tailored to the individual. Those who learn hands on, do hands on, and those who prefer book learning can choose to do book learning. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Classes are held in other schools throughout the US, as well as online through distance learning at other schools, through testing and evaluation. That makes Regents (Excelsior) a 24/7 school! |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | Facilities are nationwide. They are limited only by the scholar's imagination. |
| Social Life | 5 | All activity by current students is done online, through their own initiative. However, there are opportunities for online chats, etc. If you are looking for the full live-in college experience, this is clearly not the right institution! However, if you want a recognized degree that is extremely affordable with a fantastic, flexible schedule, Excelsior is the place! |
| Placement Services | 7 | It's better than most. Obtaining a job depends on skills in being interviewed, as well as job skills and transcript, in my opinion. |
| Alumni Network | 9 | Excelsior has a longtime established alumni association. And yes, even though it was one of the first distance learning opportunities available, they still solicit alumni. |
Hunter College (CUNY) • New York City, NY
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2005)
• 1/11/2012
"The staff is fantastic and the school is affordable."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I may not necessarily recommend my school but more the idea of getting a degree. For someone in New York City or who desired the experience of living in the area then this school would be a great choice as they offer a variety of other programs. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | CUNY has a very specific CSCI program in AI and language acquisition. There is some focus on graduate research at the CUNY schools. |
| Program Quality | 8 | The Hunter College Computer Science major is very generically focused and provides a variety of classes to prepare for the real world. In addition the program prepares students for potential graduate programs. |
| Instruction | 8 | It's a good program in general. The classes do not apply to the real world but give a generic sense of knowledge and the ability to find the appropriate resources when needed. |
| How Difficult | 6 | While the general elective classes are average, the computer science courses tend to be significantly more challenging. Staff at the school is excellent and class size (CSCI) is small. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Since the program focuses on high-level knowledge in the CSCI field, the hands-on experience is somewhat limited. Other classes and general education offer more labs and hands-on that higher level concentration courses. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | The schedule is on par with other Colleges and Universities. No weekend classes but some evening classes were offered. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | It was a great city campus. Facility and networks were accessible right in the center of NYC. |
| Social Life | 6 | Since the school lacks a real campus and is in the center of Manhattan, some of the social events are somewhat different than other colleges with dedicated on-campus dorms. The school offers quite a bit of social activities with clubs and other athletic events (albeit outdoor sports events may be off campus). |
| Placement Services | 3 | No real work placement here. The program gives the opportunity to do some independent studies outside the school. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | The alumni network is simply a newsletter and so on. The school also sent out other communication and reunions for alumni. |
Baruch College • Manhattan, NY
Studying CIS (completion in 2012)
• 1/17/2012
"My school is fine. I wish there were more courses and better professors to teach the subject."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I would recommended that students go to City College since it specialized in Technology. Baruch is more finance based, but the programs are only OK. |
| Program Reputation | 6 | My school is a business school, so they lack the full specialties of network administrator. The few CIS classes are minimal but still fit the requirements for the degree. |
| Program Quality | 6 | The CIS program is beneficial to my knowledge of networks, but I wish the school would specialized more in this area. I would like to focus more on SQL Servers. |
| Instruction | 7 | I learned a lot from the school, but more through preparation and gaining experience in a professional workplace. I helped manage the databases of some networks and managed security. |
| How Difficult | 8 | It is not that difficult. You just have to stick to the text and the examples concerning real world networks. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It's based more on books. The school makes money through their own books, and some written by certain professors. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | Great flexibility of hours. Sometimes it's hard to get certain classes depending on the semester. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | The resources are great. Every room has a computer on the school's network, which is great. The media available in the computer lab helps greatly. |
| Social Life | 10 | There are a lot of great people at the school, including clubs, frats and parties. They have days for clubs to meet and hold fundraisers. |
| Placement Services | 6 | Job placement is not that great, but the internship program is great. Students can find internships and certain jobs through job fairs held in the school and email notifications of jobs. |
| Alumni Network | 3 | It's hard to get in touch with the alumni through the network. It's easier going through the office, instead of the network. |
SUNY Binghamton • Binghamton, NY
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2000)
• 1/16/2012
"It was a very good value, and I was able to get a job easily. I would recommend it if you couldn't get in somewhere warmer."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | To pursue a career as a network-administrator, you don't need the four year BS in CS I got at Binghamton. However, it's a solid degree, and worth pursuing if you enjoy a challenge. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | Very well respected. |
| Program Quality | 8 | The curriculum was taught by mostly academics, with little real-world experience. As a result, I graduated with a high GPA, but relatively few real-world skills. |
| Instruction | 6 | There wasn't much career preparation. I have heard it has improved, but not when I was there. |
| How Difficult | 6 | It was challenging, but doable. I spent many all-nighters, but that's part of the CS experience. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Mostly hands-on. In CS, there are many projects, assignments, etc. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | There was lots of flexibility, night classes, plenty of times offered. I was always able to get into the classes I needed. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | SUNY throws tons of money at the facilities. They are getting nicer and nicer each time I visit. |
| Social Life | 5 | I wish I went out more; but that was my decision. It's a great college town. |
| Placement Services | I don't think we had job placement. If we did, I never used it. | |
| Alumni Network | 6 | I was part of a Computer-oriented Special Interest dorm; they are a great alumni network. Other than that, there is no alumni relations. |
Hudson Valley Community College • Troy, NY
Studying Computer Information Systems: Systems And Networking Admin (completion in 2011)
• 1/8/2012
"I paid much less than a four year institution for a great education and I enjoyed it very much. I felt that, overall, the education was exceptional, and socially it was fantastic. My only real complaint was job placement."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I actively recommend my school to anyone thinking about it. It was well worth the time and money. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | They are extremely well regarded in this area. Their reputation is expanding due to a new program that allows the entire degree to be done online. |
| Program Quality | 10 | Most of my teachers worked in the field they taught. Most of my classes were using real software we use now and on real equipment. |
| Instruction | 8 | I wish they'd covered MCSE a bit more. What we covered in school doesn't begin to actually touch what the work entails - there's no WSUS. |
| How Difficult | 8 | It was extensive. However, I was able to do it and maintain a side job without difficulty. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I'm not sure about other programs, but mine was extremely hands-on. I've heard most of the science programs at the school are like that as well. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Evening and weekend classes were available, as well as online and some summer classes. I took all night classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | My school was among one of the best for facilities. Technology was brand new, and is updated every 3 years. All other spaces are well-maintained. The professors were generally easy to get a hold of, as were advisers, and tutoring was widely available. I never used the library. |
| Social Life | 10 | I made some great friends at school. The clubs I was involved in were extremely active and well-funded. |
| Placement Services | 1 | I was never contacted about job placement, despite having requested it. I was very lucky to have found my job. I was also disappointed by the job fairs offered by the school. |
| Alumni Network | 3 | I occasionally get e-mails and opportunities to network. However, I never received an alumni card, nor offers to assist me with job placement. |
Hudson Valley CC • Troy, NY
Studying Information Technology (completion in 2004)
• 2/4/2012
"It helped me in terms of giving me education needed to get to where I am today. I found my own job, but the teachers and the school gave me that opportunity to learn what I needed."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Go to school for two years at a community college and come out looking for a job in a field that is always looking. |
| Program Reputation | 6 | I can't speak about the program, but the school itself continues to grow and get better. It is becoming larger and larger and may soon start considering going from a Community College to a full blown University. |
| Program Quality | 5 | It is a community college - they gave me the foundation and I had lots more to do in the field after I graduated. |
| Instruction | 5 | I learned what I had to learn - I barely got through, but still got what I needed. Some teachers were more experienced than others in the field. |
| How Difficult | 6 | It was difficult, and it was a lot of work. I don't know how it compares to other universities, but for me, it was plenty of work and enough to get me ready for the next step. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I would say that we spent more time working on our computers than learning from books. We were always working on PC's even when the teacher was speaking. It was a mix, but it's such a computer oriented field, that I feel we tended to use computers more. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | It was nearly 10 years ago now that I began my courses there, and they were even offering online courses back then. I have to imagine they are much further along now. They always offered nights and weekend classes and catered to those schooling while working. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | I would say the campus was above average - and I assume it is even nicer now. The technology building was brand new in 2001 and that is when I began. It is a beautiful center and the rest of the campus offers all that's needed. |
| Social Life | 7 | I participated in athletics and the sports program was fantastic and accomplished. I enjoyed my career as a soccer player there and we were ranked nationally and fared very well. |
| Placement Services | 1 | I found my own job with no help from the school. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | There isn't one. |
Dowling College • Oakdale, NY
Studying Computer Science (completion in 1996)
• 3/14/2012
"I earned the degree I needed to advance in my career. I also learned a great deal from my professors."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | There are many better options close by. Although I had a good experience, their computer science program is not very strong. |
| Program Reputation | 2 | They are not known for computers. Their specialties are education and aviation. |
| Program Quality | 5 | The school was very good for theory. However, it was not very strong for practical application. |
| Instruction | 8 | The professors had very strong knowledge in their fields. They were also very good at conveying that information to their students. |
| How Difficult | 7 | The earlier classes were not challenging at all. However, once I progressed in the program, they became more challenging, and more interesting. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | They were not very good at hands on. The theory was excellent though. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 4 | Many of the upper level classes were only offered once a year. Therefore, if you didn't time things correctly, it would push your graduation date further back. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The professors were always available to help out and kept long office hours, and they gave us their home numbers if needed. The computer lab was always well staffed and had long hours. |
| Social Life | 5 | I was working full time while going to school, so I didn't participate. However, they did have many options for socializing. |
| Placement Services | 6 | I was fortunate to not need this program, as I was already working as a network admin while studying. However, they did find several of my classmates jobs. |
| Alumni Network | I don't avail myself of any alumni networking. However, they seem to have a strong system in place should I ever need it. |
Briarcliffe • Long Island, NY
Studying Networking And Computer Technology (completion in 2014)
• 3/26/2012
"Although it is a good school and I have good things to say, I do not like the idea of learning irrelevant information. I highly recommend certifications and a more hands on approach."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would recommend my school to others. But encourage them to take in the information necessary and don't feel like it will be all useful in the real world. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | They are an affordable school for the program offered. There are more prestigious schools, but they cost more. |
| Program Quality | 7 | The school is very good for students looking to pursue a career as a computer support specialist or any other position in the IT field. However, the information and the classes have been very insignificant to the knowledge and skills that I have needed on the job. |
| Instruction | 6 | As I said previously, the school is very good for students interested in Information Technology, whether it's on the computer or networking side. However, the amount I've learned and the relevancy has been very minimal. Most of the knowledge and skills that I have in order to do my job effectively has been acquired on the job. |
| How Difficult | 8 | The difficulty is average. The type of work is text book work, so most of the classes are just reading out of the book and taking exams rather than a hands on approach. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Most of the work was textbook. There was minimal hands on work. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | They provide for a flexible schedule. I was able to attend classes while working. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | Their labs and computers are up to date. They had the resources to demonstrate the information we had read in the textbooks. |
| Social Life | 7 | Although it is a good school and I have good things to say, I do not like the idea of learning irrelevant information. I highly recommend certifications and a more hands on approach. |
| Placement Services | You can network and find with a position right after graduating. It offers younger people a job in a competitive job market to pay back loans. | |
| Alumni Network | 8 | Although I am not an alumni, I know of a few people who were able to arrange an entry level position once they graduated. It allows for younger people to get a position in a challenging job market. |
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