Here are some tips for selecting schools, based on an analysis comparing each school to all others across dozens of factors:
Schools Concentrating On Public Relations Specialists
- Focus: For schools with a focus on this career area, look at Community College of Philadelphia, Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Abington, Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Altoona, and Pennsylvania State University-Penn State Berks.
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 Manor, Erie Business Center, University of Pittsburgh-Titusville, and Keystone.
- Female: For schools particularly welcoming to female students, consider Cedar Crest, Carlow, Rosemont College, and Manor.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, Cheyney, Community College of Philadelphia, and Keystone.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Eastern University, Chestnut Hill, Waynesburg University, and Carlow.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of UPenn, Carnegie Mellon, Villanova, and Lehigh.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Washington & Jefferson College, Grove City, Lycoming, and Valley Forge Christian College.
Excellence
- SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at UPenn, Carnegie Mellon, Lehigh, and Villanova.
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at UPenn, Lincoln University of Pennsylvania, Lehigh, and Carnegie Mellon.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Carnegie Mellon, Allegheny, Washington & Jefferson College, and Lehigh.
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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Penn State • University Park, PA
Studying Journalism (completion in 2003)
• 8/11/2011
"My degree is from one of the most recognizable schools in the country. It is said that there is a large group of alumni in every state."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | The school was great as far as classes are concerned. I also had some great professors. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | The school is accredited for journalism. I'm not sure about now, but when I graduated, it was one of only two in the state that fit that category. |
| Program Quality | 8 | I went to school for journalism. However, now I work in public relations. |
| Instruction | 10 | The school taught me a lot about how to write journalistically. I also had a lot of great professors. |
| How Difficult | 6 | Some of the classes were difficult. Others, however, were quite easy for me. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The school provided a good mix of hands-on opportunities in my major. Outside of these, there was a lot of book work. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | There were a lot of options for classes. Students could also take classes at different campuses as well. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | The radio lab was quite good. I didn't take the TV class, so I am not familiar with that lab. |
| Social Life | 9 | The school is an hour from my hometown. A lot of people I knew also attended. |
| Placement Services | 1 | There is a good placement service now that did not exist when I graduated. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | They should have more mixers for alums. Although they are the largest group of alumni, they are a pretty closed group. |
University Of Pittsburgh • Pittsburgh, PA
Studying MBA (completion in 2010)
• 9/21/2011
"For all of the reasons above - I was very satisfied. Great professors, network, etc."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I had a great experience at Katz. I would (and have) recommended it to others. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | Katz has a great reputation. The part-time program is ranked a bit lower but that's only when studies distinguish... which they usually don't! |
| Program Quality | 10 | I went to school part-time and worked full-time. Pitt had a great part-time program and really catered to working students. The classes were diverse and easily applicable. |
| Instruction | 9 | I loved grad school. The professors were very knowledgeable, accessible and understanding. Readings were up-to-date and relevant. |
| How Difficult | 6 | I think the part-time MBA program at Pitt was easier than the full-time program. Professors were aware of the schedules of working professionals. The work load was thorough but it wasn't too challenging. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Katz was very hands-on, which I liked. It made much more sense for business students. We had project courses which allowed us to further expand our hands-on experiences. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | The school had great offerings for part-time students. I wish there were more online options. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | I was very pleased with all of the facilities. The libraries are great and easily accessible. Equipment and computer labs were up-to-date. Upgrades were made to the business building to better suit students' needs. |
| Social Life | 10 | Katz and Pitt provided great opportunities for students. As previously mentioned, I was very pleased with the community that was created for part-time students. |
| Placement Services | 5 | Since I was in the part-time program I don't have much experience with job placement as I was already employed. I've heard good things from other students. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | The alumni network for Pitt in general seems to be quite good. I find that the MBA alumni network is really geared towards the full time student alumni. The program for the part-time students was so specific that I wish a bit of the outreach was as well. |
Slippery Rock University • Slippery Rock, PA
Studying Communications (completion in 2007)
• 1/18/2012
"I wasn't very satisfied with my program. I was pleased with the assistance in finding a career, though."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I wouldn't recommend it for the course of study I took. However, the Slippery Rock faculty did help me find my career. |
| Program Reputation | 2 | As I said before, the program seems designed for those who want to coast along. The difficulty level was low. |
| Program Quality | 4 | The information was valuable. However, the quality of instruction was rather low. |
| Instruction | 3 | The professors were extremely apathetic. They didn't apply any real world experience, only textbook concepts. |
| How Difficult | 1 | It seems like the program was oriented to slackers. Everyone just coasted along. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The classes were designed around a single textbook. I really think they could have used more hands-on experiential learning. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | I was able to schedule early classes during the day, which I really enjoyed. The university also provided me with the opportunity to schedule a three day weekend. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | The school was definitely not lacking in media and computer resources. However, I wish some of my classes had been smaller. |
| Social Life | 8 | The number of parties and social events on campus were always a plus. Athletics were lacking. |
| Placement Services | 6 | Slippery Rock actually helped me find my current position. Their career assistance programs were useful. |
| Alumni Network | 2 | The size of the university led to little involvement by alumni groups post graduation. I haven't been invited by anyone to come back on a personal level. |
Slippery Rock University • Slippery Rock, PA
Studying Communications & English (completion in 1999)
• 2/6/2012
"I am proud to say I am an alumni of Slippery Rock University. The school may be small, but they put great thought and planning into their curriculum to ensure that graduates can compete with others who graduated from a bigger, better-known school."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would absolutely recommend Slippery Rock University. It's affordable, has a diverse student body and network of professors, an array of practical opportunities and various educational resources to foster the success of each student. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | Although the school is small, Slippery Rock's Communications Program is widely known in western PA. However, Pennsylvania has a number of universities for prospective students to choose, including University of Pittsburgh, Carnegie Mellon University, Duquesne University, Robert Morris, and so on. |
| Program Quality | 7 | The university I attended has great, knowledgeable professors, but the campus is located in rural Pennsylvania, so the closest internship experiences were in Pittsburgh. Pittsburgh is a great medium-sized city, with countless professional opportunities. However, internship opportunities in the communications and public relations fields are not very diverse. |
| Instruction | 8 | The professors are experts in their fields and have tremendous experiences to draw on. Many own communications or PR agencies. Others have worked as lobbyists and speech writers. The syllabi and overall curriculum promotes practical instruction, as opposed to lecture-focused. It's less lecture, more hands on. Students learn how to develop strong relationships with editors and journalists, and gives solid strategies for pitching stories and finding placement opportunities using media directories and editorial calendars. |
| How Difficult | 5 | The coursework is not very difficult; a great deal of writing is required. Internships are required at both the Junior and Senior level. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Slippery Rock empowers students to take on practical study and makes these kinds of opportunities readily available. Professors are known for setting up "real life" assignments via local Pittsburgh businesses that serve as practical classroom projects, and help secure invaluable internship opportunities that help reinforce their knowledge and strengthen their skills. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | When I attended the University there were a number of non-traditional students attending classes. The course schedule is very flexible. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | Slippery Rock University has a number of educational resources including, computer centers, tutors, software relevant to field of study, laboratories, academic advisors, and so on. |
| Social Life | 8 | Aside from the academics, there is a great deal for students to participate in including: sporting events, academic and non-academic clubs, shopping outlets/malls, volunteer work, university sponsored dances, sorority/fraternities, theatrical shows, plays/musicals, and parties, etc. |
| Placement Services | 6 | The university's career center actively helps student's find viable internships. I also know they offer resume review services, as well as career fairs. However, I have not participated in these services. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | The University is small, with nearly 8,000 attending annually. They contact me for updated information and donations. I believe alumni participation is slightly above 50%. |
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