Here are some tips for selecting schools, based on an analysis comparing each school to all others across dozens of factors:
Schools Concentrating On Paralegals And Legal Assistants
- Focus: For schools with a focus on this career area, look at 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
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Arizona Western, Phoenix College, and Pima Community College.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Yavapai College, Phoenix College, Coconino County Community College, and Pima Community College.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Yavapai College, Phoenix College, Pima Community College, and Arizona Western.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Yavapai College and Arizona Western.
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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Arizona State University • Tempe, AZ
Studying Political Science (completion in 1998)
• 5/5/2011
"I am very satisfied with the degree I received from ASU. It prepared me just enough for going out into the real world. It could have done more, but it was sufficient."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | If you are looking to go into paralegal studies, I would highly recommend going to a specialty trade school. You would be better prepared there. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | Arizona State University is an excellent college. it has always been rated in the top 100 universities in the U.S. |
| Program Quality | 8 | Again, I would recommend taking more classes based on law. It is important to have more legal study classes because coming out of school with just a political science degree is not enough. |
| Instruction | 9 | The instructors are very knowledgeable. They have been highly educated and know what they are talking about. |
| How Difficult | 7 | The difficulty level is relatively high. Some of the classes are more difficult, but none were too extreme. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | My degree did not really lend itself hands on activities. I spent most of my time in lectures and discussions. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | The class schedules are very flexible and I usually had no issues getting into them. There were a few here and there that filled up quickly, though. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | ASU has excellent resources to help students with their studies. The information and study materials are constantly being updated as well. |
| Social Life | 9 | ASU has excellent alumni and student organizations and school spirit. Everyone is proud to be at ASU and that's why there are so many fun events to partake in. |
| Placement Services | 6 | I had a relatively difficult time finding a job out of college that fit my degree. The degree I studied did not translate too well to the job I landed. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | I am constantly receiving new alumni information in the mail. |
University Of Phoenix • Phoenix, AZ
Studying Criminal Justice (completion in 2009)
• 6/27/2011
"I liked the flexibility of the school. I disliked the non-personal feel of the learning."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I would not recommend it to anyone who I thought may need extra services. For people that can learn by reading books and answering questions without further instruction, it would be fine. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | There are many good and bad reviews found online about this program. With a school this large I think it would be impossible not to have bad reviews. |
| Program Quality | 6 | The program offered a wide array of classes to help me with my career. The downfall was that there were so many students in each class it felt as if I was teaching the material to myself. |
| Instruction | 1 | The degree did not prepare me for the clerical duties I preform in my job. The degree gave me a vast knowledge of our country's legal system. |
| How Difficult | 5 | I did not struggle in my classes. I know of a few other students who did struggle, and the instructors were not very helpful. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The entire degree involved only reading and writing. The online program offers little to no hands on opportunities. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | My degree was fully offered online. This worked well for me because I have small children at home. |
| Academic Facilities | 6 | The school offered an extensive online library with many databases full of articles for academic research. The library always provided plenty of resources for my work. |
| Social Life | 1 | The classes were too short to get to know anybody. the school offered no social activities for online students. |
| Placement Services | 1 | When I enrolled my counselor told me that there were job placement services. When I graduated they did not offer these things and pestered me to enroll in a BA program. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | I was never told about an alumni network. I know they have one but to my knowledge there is no purpose to it. |
University Of Phoenix • Phoenix, AZ
Studying Human Resources Management (completion in 2008)
• 7/13/2011
"My only issue with the school was that I had to go through the system to convince the school that I should not have to take remedial courses when I am in my last semester and preparing to graduate. Fortunately, the school agreed and I did not have to take any additional courses. This was an oversight on my academic advisor's part and I did not feel that I should have had to bear the consequences."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | The school has a wide variety of academic programs and its online system is very user-friendly. Attending school online requires a lot of discipline; however, it is very accommodating for students already working full-time. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | I notice that the school advertises heavily to recruit new students. I would imagine that based on the commercials they do have a good reputation of attracting students, especially given the fact that they offer an adequate on-line program. |
| Program Quality | 8 | I had some issues with the school trying to tell me at the end of the program that I was missing some remedial courses that I should have been made aware of when I started the program. I attended my classes on-line and I found that to be more time-consuming than sitting in a classroom. |
| Instruction | 8 | The professors were very knowledgeable in the courses they taught. I graduated from the program feeling like I had truly learned something and that it was worth the tuition. |
| How Difficult | 8 | It was more time consuming to take the program online since the students always had to show that they were participating in the classes. I found it difficult sometimes to work in groups in the on-line setting. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I was able to meet in a "chat room" and have online discussions with the instructor and students. I was also provided with ample reading materials that I could print and read. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | I chose the school because of the flexibility to work full-time and attend college online and not be confined to the classroom at a certain time of the day. However, this meant that I had to regularly connect to the classroom on a daily basis to show that I was participating in the program. Some students dropped out of the program because of the time commitment. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | Gaining access to the online library was very user friendly. I also found that the professors were accessible more so than they would have been in the classroom setting. |
| Social Life | 9 | Although the classes were conducted on-line, I was able to bond with some of the classmates who lived in different states. We felt connected to the group and did travel to meet with each other at least one time. |
| Placement Services | 5 | I am not familiar with the University of Phoenix' job placement services. I, fortunately, have not had the need to reach out to the university to assist me in finding employment. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I occasionally receive emails from the school to attend more classes, but I do not feel like I am a part of the alumni network. I have not personally tapped into the resources that the school offers for alumnae. |
Mesa Community College • Mesa, AZ
Studying General Education (completion in 2000)
• 8/5/2011
"I loved my school. I felt it was a high quality education for a very good price."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Yes, MCC has a wonderful selection of courses of study for everyone. And if you are uncertain of what to study, they have many resources to try to figure it out. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | MCC is a really great school. At the time I went there it was one of the largest community colleges in the country. Class sizes were small and the professors were really good. |
| Program Quality | 9 | I liked my school. The professors were wonderful and gave you a lot of one on one attention if you needed it. |
| Instruction | 9 | I didn't really study law - I studied general education. I got this job and was able to learn so much. |
| How Difficult | 6 | I didn't have a difficult time with my course of study. If I did have any difficulty, there were many options for finding help. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I would say for the most part my experience was mostly book learning oriented. Some classes were hands on when applicable. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | MCC had an excellent schedule. You could find classes at all times and days and if you didn't find a class offered at the time you needed, most were offered online as well. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | MCC has one of the best libraries in the state! High tech and user friendly! The advisors were very helpful and most of the staff was very supportive. |
| Social Life | 3 | I can't fault my school for my social experience while attending. I worked to pay for school, so I had little time to socialize. There were many options offered, though. |
| Placement Services | 9 | The career assistance office was great. They helped me find my job, which led to a great learning experience. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I can't really comment too much. I have not utilized any of my alumni networks or support groups. |
Brookline College • Tucson, AZ
Studying Associates Of Arts - Paralegal Studies (completion in 2010)
• 8/27/2011
"I am very satisfied with my school because it gave me the opportunity to make a career and ultimately a better life for myself. They are very helpful and understanding."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Overall, Brookline has a number of wonderful instructors who truly care about their students. I would recommend any hard working person to this school. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | Lots of people are enrolling in the paralegal program at Brookline College. The number of people enrolling has grown significantly. |
| Program Quality | 10 | I was very satisfied with Brookline College. They gave me all the tools and resources to become a paralegal, and made sure I kept up with everything. |
| Instruction | 7 | I feel I had a great education and that my instructors were knowledgeable. I've applied many things I learned at Brookline into the real world and my career. |
| How Difficult | 8 | Being a trade school, Brookline had a heavy workload. Often times I wouldn't have time for anything else, but eventually it did pay off. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | While we had text book and were required to work from them like any other school, we were also able to get a very hands-on approach. We had mock trials and often would mock a lot of legal paperwork. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Brookline offers online classes, and you are able to pick a schedule that best fits you. One can take courses during the summer as well. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | Brookline has wonderful resources that were very helpful to me while I was studying there. I was usually able to email my instructors with a quick reply in return. |
| Social Life | 5 | While there was an occasional party/event, Brookline was mostly very work-oriented. We didn't have a lot of time to mess around. |
| Placement Services | 8 | Brookline has great direct employment rates and plenty of connections. They will set up interviews with companies that are satisfied with your performance. |
| Alumni Network | 9 | Brookline's network is great. Graduates keep in touch and there are reunions. |
University Of Phoenix • Phoenix, AZ
Studying Political Science (completion in 2010)
• 9/1/2011
"I am satisfied because I was able to get a good job out of school. I would not have been able to work for this employer otherwise."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I would recommend only going to this school in certain circumstances. If you cannot get into or cannot afford to go to a state university or a Private School, I would suggest the University of Phoenix. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | Some employers do not recognize the university of Phoenix as a legitimate University. This tarnishes their reputation quite a bit in many people's eyes. |
| Program Quality | 6 | I am relatively satisfied with my education from the University of Phoenix. I believe that I could have received a better education and more credibility from a state or private university. |
| Instruction | 6 | It was a lot of “teaching myself” kind of work. I learned very little from the actual professors themselves. |
| How Difficult | 6 | Even though I didn't learn much from the professors, I was able to teach myself most of the material. I could also email the professors with questions. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | This was mostly book learning. I never really had any hands on experience, unless I conducted it myself. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | Being an online institution, it is very flexible. Sometimes, however, the assignments are due in a short period of time. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | They do not have many resources for the students that take their classes online. You can visit the actual campus, though, if you really need to find resources for help. |
| Social Life | 5 | There were never any social events or school spirit events that took place while I was attending. You really don't expect much from an online university. |
| Placement Services | 6 | I was able to find a job relatively quickly upon graduation. I did, however. have to do all the work to get this job. The school did not help in any way to find me a good career. |
| Alumni Network | 4 | I don't believe the University of Phoenix has much of an alumni program. I have yet to receive anything in the mail from them regarding this. |
Arizona State University • Tempe, AZ
Studying English (completion in 2009)
• 9/6/2011
"I got a degree, I got out, and now I have a job. My degree was a great experience, and it has all worked out OK, but my degree did not prepare me for real-world careers."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I might not recommend the English program to someone who wants to be a legal assistant, but ASU has other programs that could lead more directly to that career. My degree did expose me to a lot of interesting ideas, and I loved it, even if it wasn't the most career-oriented program. |
| Program Reputation | 3 | ASU is not known for its liberal arts, and it seems like the administration is content to assign resources to programs containing words like "sustainability" and "biotechnology." English is not known for its involvement in these things. |
| Program Quality | 4 | Arizona State University is a big school with a lot of resources, but the English program is clearly not a priority. My professors were underpaid, and the program didn't have enough money to offer challenging courses. |
| Instruction | 7 | My professors were well-educated and articulate, and they did the best with what they had. It may not have prepared me for much of a career, but the program was fun at the time. |
| How Difficult | 5 | It really depended on the professor. Some were very demanding, while others seemed to enjoy assigning juvenile, ridiculous assignments. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It was an English literature program, so reading was the primary objective. Having said that, many professors shied away from the few hands-on possibilities, or even intense classroom discussion. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | The English program made a great effort to schedule classes at many different times. They really tried to accommodate older/working students. |
| Academic Facilities | 6 | There was a problem with understaffing, and some of the class rooms weren't in the best shape, but I have to say that the university library was impressive. That went a long way in supplementing the program. |
| Social Life | 2 | There seemed to be little to do outside of Greek life, which didn't interest me. Because the university is so large, it can be hard to find a sense of cohesion. |
| Placement Services | 1 | Utterly worthless. Not even worth using. |
| Alumni Network | 4 | I really have no idea. There isn't really anyone I want to stay in touch with. |
Brown Mackie College • Tucson, AZ
Studying Paralegal (completion in 2011)
• 10/15/2011
"I have questions about charges that have gone unanswered. The bookstore is ungodly expensive."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | Poor job placement. Many of the students had concerns with staff that went unresolved. |
| Program Reputation | 3 | They are always advertising on television. Many of the students, however, are disgruntled with the school not living up to its word. |
| Program Quality | 4 | The general education courses were terrible. The law courses were much better and more in depth. |
| Instruction | 5 | Some teachers were good, others were terrible. Overall, I think everyone over there tries. However, you can not trust admissions. |
| How Difficult | 5 | Most of the material was easy to get through. A few of the law courses, however, required a lot of work. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Pragmatic aspects need improvement. Some document writing in the courses was helpful. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | Evening classes were available. Most of the teachers will work with you if things come up. |
| Academic Facilities | 3 | Computer lab is small and insufficient for the number of students. Outdated software, poor library. |
| Social Life | 5 | A few of the people made me nervous. I suppose you have good and bad people everywhere, however. |
| Placement Services | 4 | At the end of my program I was on my own. This probably depends on the program. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | This school may not have alumni programs. I know they had a couple of clubs, but nothing related to alumni. |
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