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 STLCC - Meramec, Park University, STLCC - Florissant Valley, and Metropolitan Community College-Penn Valley.
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 Patricia Stevens College, Drury, Maryville, and Missouri Southern.
- Female: For schools particularly welcoming to female students, consider Patricia Stevens College.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider STLCC - Florissant Valley, Patricia Stevens College, Webster University, and Park University.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Webster University, William Woods University, Metropolitan Community College-Penn Valley, and STLCC - Florissant Valley.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Park University, Rockhurst University, William Woods University, and Missouri Southern.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Rockhurst University, William Woods University, Missouri Western, and Drury.
Excellence
- SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at Rockhurst University and Webster University.
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at Avila.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Rockhurst University, Missouri Southern, Missouri Western, and Avila.
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
Sort Reviews By:Sorting by: • Show All Details • Hide All Details
University Of Missouri • Columbia, MO
Studying Political Science (completion in 2010)
• 5/6/2011
"I really liked my school. I felt like the guidance counselors in particular were very helpful in getting me through everything."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I would recommend my school with a few caveats. You have to make sure to be a self-starter, because it is a big school and no one is going to hold your hand and make sure you go to class. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | The University of Missouri has a good academic reputation. This is especially true of the public policy school, which is where I took classes. |
| Program Quality | 7 | My school gave me an excellent education, but no real help in terms of finding a job after college. I feel like that is really important for a program to do. |
| Instruction | 8 | I felt like the higher level classes were of great interest to me. Furthermore, I felt the professors who taught those classes really knew what they were teaching. |
| How Difficult | 7 | I feel like the academic program was challenging because it was very holistic in nature. There were comprehensive requirements in everything from math to philosophy that went along with getting a degree. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I didn't have a lot of in depth, hands on type of training at my school. However, the stuff that I learned was very applicable, and I did learn how to code data/run research programs that required a lot of hands on work. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | I feel like there is some flexibility in class times. I myself took my last 2 classes via distance learning, as I had gotten a job in IL. |
| Academic Facilities | 6 | There are ample facilities for my program at my school. However, they are old and money is not being allocated to renovate them. |
| Social Life | 8 | I felt like the social environment at MU is excellent. This is helped by the excellent sports program at the school, I think. |
| Placement Services | 3 | I touched on this earlier. They are basically non-existent in my program. The journalism program, I hear, has excellent placement. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | My school has a large alumni network. However, I've never been positively affected by it. |
University Of Missouri Saint Louis • Saint Louis, MO
Studying Political Science Major, Business Minor (completion in 2009)
• 7/6/2011
"I hope that UMSL builds even a stronger reputation so that it may not negatively effect me in future employment opportunities."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | It depends on the person's goals and financial situation. |
| Program Reputation | 6 | The school is pretty good. There are better universities in the St. Louis area, but UMSL is the affordable option. |
| Program Quality | 7 | The degree program was great, but I wish I would have had a few more classes related to legal topics. |
| Instruction | 7 | I am happy with the amount of knowledge I acquired, but I wish I would have had more legal classes. |
| How Difficult | 8 | College Algebra and three semesters of Spanish made the degree difficult. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It depended on the course. Most of the courses had heavy reading, a few science courses were more hands-on. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | I planned and arranged most of my courses, so of course the classes fit around my schedule. |
| Academic Facilities | 6 | The facilities did seem crowded, but all the people were friendly. |
| Social Life | 4 | Most people at my college were there just to acquire their degrees. Socializing was not the priority. |
| Placement Services | 7 | They provide a website on which they post new listings. I have not had too much success with the site, but I did register on it. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I do not have much contact with the program. |
Columbia College • Columbia, MO
Studying History/Political Science (completion in 1999)
• 7/23/2011
"I was able to pass the program in 3 years because of the flexible program schedule."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | It's affordable and the quality of education is superb. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | Since, my graduation there has been an increase in the number of students entering into the program. I haven't heard of any negative feedback. |
| Program Quality | 10 | The quality of the teaching was excellent. The program focuses on the history of the judicial system, as well as on procedural and substantive legal topics. |
| Instruction | 10 | The professors were always eager to explain topics that were not easily understandable. |
| How Difficult | 8 | Because of the nature of substantive law, it takes time to digest the information and to ask questions. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It provides a mix. Professors give instruction based upon books, but also target the discussions through real life experience. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | The program offers flexible programs including online, evening, and day options. It also allows students to hold part-time or full-time status. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | They have good research facilities. The library system, although limited, but does collaborate with the larger university, so students always have access to information. |
| Social Life | 10 | I participated in student leadership programs and there were opportunities to participate in civil leadership. |
| Placement Services | 5 | The professors were always providing job leads. The career counseling services were always inviting students to take advantage of their services. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | The college always sends requests to update contact information. There are many activities for alumni to network. |
Webster University • Kansas City, MO
Studying Legal Analysis (completion in 2008)
• 9/7/2011
"The program is too young to be very effective. It is nice to have the main campus' reputation to prop up Webster - Kansas City on my resume."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Though I believe the program needs to become more well rounded, having the degree and certification offered provides a foot in the door to this career path. It will become better with time. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | I believe that the main Webster Campus enjoys a good reputation for this program. In Kansas City, it is new and small, so I do not believe that it has gained any reputation by itself yet. |
| Program Quality | 4 | The Legal Analysis program did not instruct us on everyday tasks like drafting and filing pleadings. I fear I am ill prepared for a law firm, should I leave from this position. |
| Instruction | 4 | Almost all of the classes were taught by the same instructor. The employment law class was aimed at business students, so it covered the Human Resources perspective. |
| How Difficult | 5 | The research and analysis classes required many hours of work, just as you would expect from any university. Reading requirements were also as expected. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The legal research classes were very hands on. We spent much class time working on Westlaw. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 3 | It was nice for me that classes were offered in the evenings. However, for someone working a job with less conventional hours, the schedule was quite limited. There were no daytime or online classes available for this degree program. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | I found the instructors to be mostly good at being available to students. Electronic resources were being upgraded, as well. Advising was by appointment only and advisers were not well acquainted with an individual's situation, even when given much time to prepare. |
| Social Life | 1 | This is a school for working adults. There are not many social opportunities available. |
| Placement Services | 5 | I did not receive any help with job placement, but I did not seek it. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I don't know much about the alumni chapter, except that it exists. I have received one or two emails regarding their activities since I graduated. |
Rockhurst University • Kansas City, MO
Studying International Studies Focusing On Latin American Politics/Spanish (completion in 2008)
• 3/7/2012
"The program has a great reputation and I learned enough to help progress my career. However, in comparing it to the state university I attended prior, I believe it should take itself more seriously. Treat the students not like high school kids, but serious students ready to learn to progress their lives. I believe the major problems lie with the teaching staff."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Although my experience has had its ebbs and flows, I was a part of a night program taught by attorneys. The other programs might approach their students and teaching methods in a different manner. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | It is a well respected and established institution. It is a private college and so is very expensive. |
| Program Quality | 5 | I rated my paralegal program a 3. The teachers are attorneys, not professors. As such, I feel that they are too busy and unconcerned to teach such an intense and expensive program. |
| Instruction | 3 | I rated my paralegal program a 3. The teachers are attorneys, not professors. As such, I feel that they are too busy and unconcerned to teach such an intense and expensive program. |
| How Difficult | 7 | The amount of studying at home along with the testing system is appropriate for the program. I generally spend 1-2 hours a night studying. While it's a lot of work alongside a full-time job, it is what I signed up for and was, I believe, fair. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I read quite a bit every week, which I respond to from my academic training at University of Missouri-Columbia. However, during class time the teachers generally stray from the textbook and open up a free discussion about that week's topic. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 6 | I'm unsure what this question means, exactly. However, the classes are fairly and appropriately scheduled relative to time and days of week. The teachers are always willing to work with students as far as their schedules are concerned, specifically within the paralegal program, as the classes are in the evening. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | There's an adequate library, computer rooms, copiers, and study/hangout areas relative to the student population. In my experience, my advisor has been extremely patient, helpful and informative. |
| Social Life | 8 | The school offers a tremendous amount of activities for student involvement. I receive numerous emails a week on various events going on within the school and the community. |
| Placement Services | 8 | There are numerous job boards around campus. My advisor is always helpful and informative. Upon completing the program, the students are guided on where to find job openings within the community. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | The advisors and other support staff are always there to answer questions and keep students updated on new and upcoming opportunities, i.e. job postings, events, school organizations. |
Online Course Finder
Find the path to your
education in 3 easy steps.