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 Tidewater Community College, Germanna Community College, James Madison, and Christopher Newport University.
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 James Madison, Regent University, Bluefield, and Norfolk State.
- Female: For schools particularly welcoming to female students, consider Sweet Briar College, Hollins, Mary Baldwin, and Randolph College.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Hampton, Norfolk State, Longwood, and George Mason.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Regent University, Bluefield, Shenandoah University, and Central Virginia Community College.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Southern Virginia University, Hampton, Regent University, and Sweet Briar College.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Randolph College, Sweet Briar College, Southern Virginia University, and Lynchburg College.
Excellence
- SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at University of Virginia, Virginia Tech, Christopher Newport University, and James Madison.
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at University of Virginia and Bluefield.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Sweet Briar College, Randolph College, Eastern Mennonite University, and Lynchburg College.
Spotlight Schools Search
Spotlight Virginia Schools Related to This Career
- Locations: Arlington, Fairfax, Manassas, Reston
- Programs: 4 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Bachelor
- Locations: Chesapeake, Newport News
- Programs: One relevant program; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Associate, Bachelor, Diploma
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Study from Anywhere at Online Schools Related to This Career
- Programs: 4 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Associate, Bachelor
- Programs: 3 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Associate, Master
- Programs: One relevant program; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Bachelor
- Programs: 9 relevant programs; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Associate, Bachelor, Master
- Programs: One relevant program; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Associate, Bachelor
Jones International University
- Programs: One relevant program; click the school name for details.
- Degrees: Master
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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Christopher Newport University • Newport News, VA
Studying Communications Studies (completion in 2008)
• 9/26/2011
"My major was excellent, and hearing of other communications majors it seems like I learned a great deal more than them. Of course school is what you make of it, and I decided to take my classes to the next level whenever possible."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | CNU provides an excellent theoretical base for communications work. However, the small class size isn't something that's meant for everyone. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | Overall, CNU has a great reputation. However, they are a very small university. I'm not sure if the Communications program is well known, but I do think that CNU is well represented at communication related conferences. |
| Program Quality | 10 | My school focused mostly on theories of communication, and less on PR. There were probably only a couple of classes that dealt with journalism or broadcasting. I think it was helpful to be so well versed on theory, because understand the art of persuasion helps me do better with public relations, especially when pitching stories to the media. |
| Instruction | 10 | My professors were brilliant, and all were published in various journals. |
| How Difficult | 8 | Having small class sizes, it seems that the teachers taught us a lot more than I would have picked up at a larger university. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | We didn't take many field trips or anything, but most of my work was in a group. Even still, it seems like we did a lot of work splitting up reading assignments, and not necessarily working on projects where we created material. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 6 | Most of the classes I wanted to take were offered in the evening. I wasn't a fan of evening classes, but for some reason all of my professors were. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | Our library was under construction during my time at the school, so resources were limited. However, I was able to access journal articles through my home computer, so that helped a great deal. |
| Social Life | 9 | I made a lot of friends while at school, and still keep in touch with many of them. |
| Placement Services | 9 | I got a job within 6 months of graduating. The economy definitely played a role in my ability to find a job though. I'm pretty lucky. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | I don't attend alumni events, but have found many networking opportunities with other alums from CNU. Many CNU students seemed to move to the Washington, DC area, so that helps a great deal. |
James Madison University • Harrisonburg, VA
Studying Media Arts And Design (completion in 2003)
• 11/10/2011
"The balance between social activities and learning was perfect. It prepared me for a career and left me with a vibrant social network."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | The balance between school and social life is manageable. You leave the experience feeling prepared to enter the workforce with important contacts and close friends. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | I can only grade on what I have heard from colleagues and friends. In general the school's overall reputation has improved. |
| Program Quality | 7 | Because of the changing landscape of social media, my program was not up to date on those trends. Overall all, I was pleased because I learned about the marketing mix which is important information when entering PR. |
| Instruction | 8 | Very satisfied with the quality of instructors and their use of actual campaigns as a reference for discussion. I was instructed in a variety of topics (marketing, PR, graphic design, print publication), which was extremely helpful in my preparation for a career in PR. |
| How Difficult | 8 | The program was challenging and workload at times was heavy. Group work was encouraged and taught project management skills and task delegating. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Book learning was a major part of the learning experience. In terms of hands-on, we used learning software and presentations to large groups. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | We had summer offerings which many participated in. Online options were not offered. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | We had the latest Mac computers and design software. Our libraries and laboratories were open until late at night and in the morning to accommodate for students' schedules. Teachers were also made available for consultations. |
| Social Life | 10 | One of my favorite things about JMU was the diverse social experience. There are many different groups and organizations. Community service was a big think at JMU, and many of my circles came from those activities. |
| Placement Services | 9 | We had career fairs and resume reviews. I participated in all these activities during my senior year. The career services department also had a full time office with resources that was extremely helpful in my job search. |
| Alumni Network | 7 | We have local alumni networks which get together often in the NY area mostly for social activities, which then lead to networking. |
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