Here are some tips for selecting schools, based on an analysis comparing each school to all others across dozens of factors:
Schools Concentrating On Sales Managers
- Focus: For schools with a focus on this career area, look at Wayne County Community College District, Oakland Community College, Grand Valley State, and Macomb 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 Davenport, Wayne State, University of Michigan-Flint, and Finlandia.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Saginaw Chippewa Tribal College, Wayne County Community College District, Andrews, and Lawrence Technological University.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Spring Arbor University, Bay Mills, Walsh College, and Andrews.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Andrews, Calvin, Baker College, and Kettering.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Adrian College, Albion, Alma, and Hope College.
Excellence
- SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at University of Michigan, Kettering, Michigan Technological University, and Albion.
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at Kuyper, University of Michigan, Lawrence Technological University, and Ferris State.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Andrews, Finlandia, Calvin, and Albion.
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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Davenport College • Grand Rapids, MI
Studying Business (completion in 1991)
• 5/8/2011
"If I had to do it over again, I would definitely choose this school. I would certainly recommend it to anyone."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Yes I would. They would definitely get their money's worth. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | It gets a lot of recommendations from counselors. There is a high job placement rate when you finish. |
| Program Quality | 9 | It is a very good school that offers a lot of hands-on training. The teachers are committed to helping you succeed. |
| Instruction | More than 5 years ago | |
| How Difficult | 6 | I did not think it was very hard. The teachers helped a lot, so that made things a lot easier. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | They give you an equal amount of both. You come out well prepared for your future career. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | There is excellent flexibility. They have weekend and evening classes as well. It met my schedule perfectly. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | It has a lot of resources, including everything I needed. I did not have to look elsewhere. |
| Social Life | It is a very social college. There are many groups and social events. | |
| Placement Services | 9 | They have a 90% job placement rate. They give the students a lot of help to further their careers. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | They will help you look for a job. They want you to succeed in your career. |
Grand Rapids Community College • Grand Rapids, MI
Studying Marketing (completion in 2000)
• 5/8/2011
"I got what I paid for, and I learned what I went there to learn. I earned my degree and am very happy and thankful for that."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | It all depends on a person's financial status, willingness to learn, and how long they want the program to take. It all comes down to the person. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | I would rate it as average. It was exactly what you needed to get a degree and nothing more. It could have been better, but at the same time it also could have been worse. |
| Program Quality | 5 | It was good. Not great, but good. They taught me what I needed to know to get the degree, but didn't really go out of their way to help me. |
| Instruction | More than 5 years ago | I attended College more than 5 years ago. I cannot answer this. |
| How Difficult | 5 | I would say it was average. It was your typical work load. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Honestly, the school does pretty good of balancing this. It's quite impressive for a smaller school. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | The class flexibility is pretty good. Being that it is a community school, there are a lot of kids fresh out of high school there, and there are also many adults trying to finish up or further their education as well. |
| Academic Facilities | 6 | They would fall close to average, but they are making really good strides at becoming a better, more equipped school. They do take their schooling and teaching pretty seriously. |
| Social Life | 1 | Once again, being that it is a community college, you pretty much get what you'd expect in terms of social interaction. They don't have school spirit, team unity, etc., and I wouldn't really expect them to, honestly. |
| Placement Services | 2 | Bless them, they try to help. They try their best to place you in a job, but they really do fall short in this department. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | Being that it is a community college, they really do not have any of the resources and other frills that the bigger schools have. The school was good, but only really had what I needed to get by. |
University Of Michigan • Ann Arbor, MI
Studying Social Studies (completion in 1988)
• 5/8/2011
"Once again, it was a great university. I feel they've helped me get where I am."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | U of M is a great school for those looking to get into any career field. A degree from there is excellent anywhere. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | U of M is a top rated school. We also had some world-renowned social studies professors at the time teaching there. |
| Program Quality | 9 | U of M was a great school to go to at the time because it was full of ambitious people. It is a top rated university. |
| Instruction | More than 5 years ago | |
| How Difficult | 5 | I certainly had to study, but not overly much. It was harder than high school, but still wasn't very stressful. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It was a good mix of classroom/book learning and hands-on learning. I benefited equally from both. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | Like any large college, there were lots of classes offered at many different times. I was always able to schedule around my working hours. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | We had a huge, well stocked library, and all of the facilities were quite nice. The campus was beautiful. |
| Social Life | 9 | Given that it is a huge school, there were plenty of social opportunities. I always had plenty of friends to spend time with. |
| Placement Services | 5 | I never used these services, but I knew people that did. In the end, I make more than they do, but they are satisfied. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | To be honest I never really used it. I graduated and found my job by myself. |
Michigan State University • East Lansing, MI
Studying Political Science (completion in 2011)
• 5/7/2011
"I enjoyed my school, and there were satisfactory resources available to me, but I would not choose the same school again. If I could re-do my college experience, I would pick a smaller school that could give me more personal attention. My school was not the problem here, so I was mostly satisfied with the school itself. But I would have been happier if I had chosen a different place to attend college."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | My school's business program is highly competitive, and would be a fantastic school for anyone pursuing a degree in management. Regardless of the major they choose to pursue, I do think MSU is a good school for anyone who wants to pursue higher education for the sake of academic learning. I felt that even though I was not given a complete network for stepping out in to the real world, I did grow as an individual, which has made me a desirable candidate for the jobs I have pursued. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | For being a part of an agricultural college, mostly known for its sports teams, the MSU political science department is comprised of highly advanced academics, who have taught at and attended surprisingly prestigious universities. Although most of the money in this department has gone towards the Ph.D. program in Political Science, the resources trickle down significantly to the undergraduate program. |
| Program Quality | 7 | I think that academically my school's program was very good. I do wish that they had prepared me better for finding a career, however. For me, college felt more like an experience that expanded my intellect and made me a more well-rounded person, but I do not think it gave me a very good sense of how to find a satisfying career opportunity. |
| Instruction | 7 | This rating refers mostly to my lack of career-oriented preparation. My satisfaction with the academic portion of my education was very high, but I felt that there was little reference to any real world application of what I was learning. |
| How Difficult | 7 | Some of my program's courses were quite challenging, while others were not. But all of the work was manageable with the right investment of time. I was challenged in my studies mostly because I held a full-time job while attending college. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | My academic experience was almost exclusively textbook style learning with very few exceptions. Several of my classes did require group projects, and I took a few 'lab' classes that were more hands on. Despite these few exceptions, my college education was still less 'hands on' than my high school education. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | Most courses were only available during traditional class hours, but the school did offer some night and online options. Unfortunately, being a major university, their priority was not on allowing flexible scheduling, as much as it was on getting traditional students to finish their degrees. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | Library and research facilities at my school were very impressive, and all of my professors made it clear that they were available to us as needed. Even though I did not take advantage of most of them, there were many support organizations and tutoring services available. |
| Social Life | 10 | Michigan State University is a highly diverse campus, and there are a number of clubs and social groups one can join. I found myself able to connect with many different groups, and took advantage of several different activities like theater, music performances, and sports. |
| Placement Services | 5 | I'm sure that if I had pursued them avidly I may have found some benefit from these services. Unfortunately, peers who had taken advantage of these opportunities were basically faced with a few cookie-cutter solutions and opportunities, but nothing truly meaningful or valuable. |
| Alumni Network | 4 | Even in my classes that were exclusively geared towards graduating seniors, I was never formally introduced to the support network available to me. Basically, in my opinion, the alumni network consists of nothing but a website. There is an organization with dues that I can pay to be a member, but having had no formal explanation (or demonstration) of the tangible benefits it would provide me, I don't see the point of joining. |
Saginaw Valley State University • Saginaw, MI
Studying Business Operations And Communication (completion in 2009)
• 7/27/2011
"I am satisfied with my overall experience. It was what I expected and got me where I wanted to be."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I do recommend my school to others. This school would be a good option for most people. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | The general public knows that this school is well thought of and is an above average college. It is very popular. |
| Program Quality | 10 | The courses are challenging, but very stimulating. The program at this school was thorough and exactly what I was looking for. |
| Instruction | 10 | The instructors at this school definitely have a strong reputation. What they stand for commands attention. They are unbelievably well practiced. |
| How Difficult | 10 | This course of study is very challenging. It is difficult to stay focused and committed, especially with work and other things that can distract students, but it is doable. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | There are more book skills provided than hands on experience. Most real life experience comes from the skills you learn in the work place. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | This school is flexible, and offers many different courses and classes. It fits into many different lifestyles easily. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The school's appearance is impressive, as well as are the facilities provided for students. It is a relatively small institution, though it doesn't appear to be. |
| Social Life | 8 | There is astounding school spirit at this college. There are many school organized events that are helpful and enjoyable for students. |
| Placement Services | 5 | This school does not have a very in depth job placement program. However, completion of any course greatly aids students in job placement. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | There is no alumni network to my knowledge. The school does not sponsor any events for such things. |
Northwood University • Midland, MI
Studying Business Management/CIS (completion in 2009)
• 9/20/2011
"I really enjoyed my experience at Northwood - I loved the professors, one on one training, smaller classes, and much more."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I definitely would recommend Northwood to anyone as it is a great school for prepping you for the workforce. It is a little more expensive, but I believe you get what you pay for. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | Northwood has always had a great reputation for business programs. When I was going there it was rated #2 in the U.S. among private business colleges. |
| Program Quality | 8 | I thought the program I chose was very helpful in preparing me for the field. I felt I got a lot out of it. |
| Instruction | 8 | I felt it was very well put together and geared toward career preparation. It was very hands on so it made you feel like you were in a real situation vs. straight book learning. |
| How Difficult | 6 | I felt it was about average for what I expected. I was in the fast track program so the work load was a little more than normal, however the class met half the time. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | As I mentioned previously, Northwood was a very hands on school, especially with the Business programs. I believe that hands on is so much more effective to prepare you for the real workforce. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | I feel the class options were fairly flexible with anyone's schedule. They had online classes, independent studies, and day or night options for most courses. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | We had everything very accessible to us. Our final projects for most classes were group projects so it was mandatory to have group studies and utilize our available study resources. |
| Social Life | 8 | There were a lot of different activities, events, and sports scheduled to get students involved. I really enjoyed the sports events. |
| Placement Services | 8 | Northwood had a great career services program. They really helped you and gave you the resources you needed to help you get a job after graduation. They provided anyone close to graduation with a private database of jobs for the students to apply to. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | Our alumni was great. There were always activities and new things to get the students involved. |
Northern Michigan University • Marquette, MI
Studying Economics (completion in 2006)
• 9/25/2011
"I just wish I could've found a better paying job in my field. The advisor told me I can do whatever I want to do, however, that's a load of garbage because companies don't want you without some kind of experience. College is overrated, not just NMU."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | It all depends on if they want a job in their field or they want to go down an entirely different path like I did. I would say it's a cheap alternative to other schools. |
| Program Reputation | 4 | They could require harder classes, such as they do with the business program. There should've been less electives and more required classes. |
| Program Quality | 6 | NMU was great. The location was wonderful. It didn't feel like a huge university. |
| Instruction | 5 | The education provided was good. The economics program is not a part of the business school so there are not the same pre-requisites as other schools. |
| How Difficult | 3 | It could've been harder. They could've had more requirements. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Although the entire school required laptops, it wasn't very hands-on. It's very book oriented. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | Online classes were a big thing at NMU. This was great since I was a working mother. They could've expanded their offerings a little more, though. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | We had a laptop initiative. We had all the information at our fingertips. |
| Social Life | 10 | There were lots of opportunities for socializing. I made my best friends there as we met in classes and chatted online afterwards. |
| Placement Services | 5 | They work to help place you. However, there need to be more than just minimum wage jobs available for them to place you in. |
| Alumni Network | 6 | It's as good as far as I know. I don't really get into that. |
Grand Rapids Community College • Grand Rapids, MI
Studying Marketing (completion in 2002)
• 10/18/2011
"I was satisfied in that I did graduate and receive my degree. I do often wonder if I would have been better off transferring and graduating from a larger, more prominent school, though!"
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I would recommend it to those who have limited time or funds or as a starter school. I would highly recommend it if you want to advance to try other schools after starting out at the community level. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | I would say as far as managing goes, they are average. They are average because they do just what needs to be done to get students out the door and nothing more. After all, once again, they are a community school. |
| Program Quality | 5 | The school is a good school, but since it is a community college it really doesn't specialize in anything. I wish I would have gone to a school that specialized in Marketing. That may or may not have helped me to advance higher or faster, but it would have been nice to have at least tried! |
| Instruction | 8 | The instructors that I had were very good. There is always one or two that could be just a little better, but as a whole their instruction as far as sales and marketing went was very great! |
| How Difficult | 3 | Marketing and Sales Managing is a semi easy course of study. Simply because honestly, a lot of it is common sense or something that just clicks right from the first time you hear or read it. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It is very book learning for. In fact it is all book, and that can be very good for book learners, but frustrating for those who are not! | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Classes at Grand Rapids CC are very flexible! They really work around everyone and everything! I loved this about the school! |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | Again I would rate the school as average. And again, I am only rating it as average because it is a simple Community College. |
| Social Life | 1 | There really is no social aspect to this school. For the most part students want to get in and get out after their classes! Definitely a school for busy people! |
| Placement Services | 2 | They really offer no job placement help. They offer little help, but really should offer a lot more help in the long run. I often times wonder if I could have advanced further had they been more helpful in this! |
| Alumni Network | 1 | There really is no alumni network at a community college. I would say half of the "alumni" moved onto bigger colleges to finish up their degrees, and the rest of them are now working at local low paying jobs. |
University Of Michigan • Ann Arbor, MI
Studying Organizational Studies (completion in 2010)
• 11/3/2011
"I wouldn't trade my experience in for anything. I loved attending Michigan and would run back there in a heartbeat if I could."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would definitely recommend it to anyone, especially anyone who lives in Michigan and can get the instate tuition. It's quite affordable for such an accredited university. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | It's an excellent program. It deals with non-profit businesses and touches on sociology. It's a smaller program. |
| Program Quality | 8 | It was a great program. Very interesting classes and the teachers were excellent. |
| How Difficult | 7 | It was challenging but doable because I was doing something I loved. I was doing something that interested me so the work didn't feel like it was that tough. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It really was a mix. Maybe a little more book learning and writing, but I got to do internships that helped me learn about businesses. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | I am pretty sure that they offer classes that meet outside of the regular time, but I'm not sure. I was lucky enough to just be able to go to school full time with help from my parents. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | Libraries at Michigan are wonderful. They are old, beautiful buildings and there are so many places to go study. |
| Social Life | 8 | Everyone is wonderful in Ann Arbor. It's a very chill and accepting environment with the school there. |
| Placement Services | 5 | It was okay. I took a test that told me what I should be, but I'm not sure that the results were too accurate. Look at what I'm doing now! |
| Alumni Network | 7 | Michigan has a huge alumni program. People from U of M moved all over the world. That is something that I have in common with people that will never falter. |
Central Michigan University • Mount Pleasant, MI
Studying General Management (completion in 2012)
• 11/26/2011
"Overall, CMU had great academic opportunities. I feel as though I was given all the tools I needed to succeed and attain my degree with a high standard."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | CMU has a great program. I would recommend it to anyone that is willing to work hard for what they want. However, those who do not work hard to stand out, will not. Therefore, perhaps those who are lacking in motivation should go to a more private school, where they might have a better shot at opportunities. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | Central Michigan University has one of the best business programs in the state for business majors, aside from some of the private scholarships in the area. Furthermore, the campus has a very good reputation for putting extra effort into the business program. |
| Program Quality | 8 | Central Michigan University has a very structured B.S.B.A. degree. It has a core group of classes that all business majors take, and then these classes branch off into individual major classes. So, I feel as though CMU has given me a well-rounded business education, but maybe did not prepare me for what management exactly entailed. |
| Instruction | 9 | Overall, Central Michigan University provided me with a wide variety of business classes to prepare me with a strong business education. Also, the classes were challenging and overall of high quality. |
| How Difficult | 4 | I felt as though my classes for management classes were easy. The workload was not too overwhelming and was not extremely challenging. However, the general business classes were all quite difficult, specific, and challenging. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | My program was a good mix of book learning and hands-on learning. In some classes, I would put together portfolios, work in teams and even create hypothetical businesses. These were usually my business information systems classes and introductory business classes. However, some of my classes were more book learning. These included my business and law classes, as well as my accounting and economics classes. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 6 | CMU has a wide variety of classes. However, the business school's strict schedule makes it very hard for younger students (with less credit hours) to get to register for the classes they must take before they fill up. For example, my freshman year, I was unable to sign up for a business calculus class and an introductory class for business information systems, since they filled up before it was my turn to register. Because of this, I ended up being one semester behind. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | Central Michigan University has a very wonderful campus for academics. The brand-new library was a great resource that provided a great area to study and do further research. All of my professors were always easy to reach, had long office hours, and were more than willing to help me succeed. These professors could also provide students with tutors, which were usually graduate assistants of the professors, if they should need help. |
| Social Life | 4 | My social experience was lacking, but not at the fault of CMU. I was involved in many clubs and groups, so I found that I did not have the time for athletics and parties. Normally, I would spend much time studying, because my curriculum was challenging. |
| Placement Services | 8 | Central Michigan University's career service office is very thorough in aiding in employment. On a smaller level, many professors go out of their way to provide good students with letters of recommendation and advice. Also, the career services department provides career days and opportunities to meet with recruiters. They also provide a private website, with access only to CMU students, with jobs available in the area for business majors. Finally, they provide resume critiquing and mock interviews in order to prepare students for future opportunities. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | Personally, I did not get too involved with alumni affairs. However, many alumni provided countless scholarships to the school of business students. Also, there were many events, such as career days, set up by alumni organizations. |
Northern Michigan University • Marquette, MI
Studying Psychology (completion in 2011)
• 11/29/2011
"I loved not only the education I received but the community I became a part of. I also thought my professors were excellent and I know have a lot of opportunities."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | It is a great school in a small town atmosphere. You get a great education and are not lost in a classroom that is too big for individual attention. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | Though my school was small, the classes were also smaller and you got a more hands on approach. There were many courses you could participate in. |
| Program Quality | 10 | The class sizes were very small and you were able to get to know your teachers. The classes were also very interesting. |
| Instruction | 10 | The teachers were very well prepared and cared about the students. I learned a lot from all of my teachers. |
| How Difficult | 7 | There was a large work load in my program. With hard work though I found the classes very intriguing and worthwhile. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Some classes focused more on books while others were more hands on. In psychology it was a mix of both since you were learning both history and lab work. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | There were numerous classes that were offered online. I also took many of my credits during the summer. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | There was a writing center where you could go for assistance in helping correct your papers. There were also numerous study groups for every course, and were usually taught by an old student. |
| Social Life | 9 | Sporting events were very popular at my school and I went to many of them. There was also many fundraisers and events to help the community while also bringing students together. |
| Placement Services | 7 | If you needed assistance there was always someone there to help. They were willing to help you get into contact with a variety of different fields. |
| Alumni Network | 9 | I get emails all the time letting informing me on alumni information. My school was and still is a very close knit community. |
Eastern Michigan University • Ypsilanti, MI
Studying Criminal Justice/Management (completion in 2005)
• 1/8/2012
"I think EMU has more to offer since I graduated than before, but all in all, it was a pretty good school. I feel like I received a good education, but I am not using my degree currently, which is bittersweet."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would recommend it. The class sizes are good, allowing you to ask questions. The campus is a moderate size, and they have a great student center and great learning resources. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | EMU is rated one of the best criminal justice degree programs in the country. Perhaps it is because of the experience all of the professors bring. |
| Program Quality | 6 | I thought some of the classes prepared me for a career in criminal justice, but not all that well. I felt like the teachers were just trying to get you through the classes, instead of applying those skills to your career or to any career you may fall into. My finance classes probably helped me the most, but even those were pretty basic, due to my major. |
| Instruction | 9 | All of my classes were related to my field of study (criminology and criminal justice). I thought they should have had an introduction to criminal justice careers in the beginning, which could have helped students decide if this was a good fit for them. |
| How Difficult | 7 | I wrote a lot of papers and did a lot of research, which I learned the most from. Criminal law and statutory law taught me the most. Analyzing cases on my own helped me to learn and apply the law better than any classroom work or testing. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It was all book learning, which was unfortunate, because in my program, we could have really benefited from doing some hands-on work with the police or law enforcement. We are also very close to Canada, so we could have done internships with border patrol or something. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | They offered classes at night, once a week, for those who were working. They also offered traditional class schedules. EMU also offered spring break and summer one-week classes, which I took advantage of. They really accommodated everyone! |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | Since I graduated, they have really updated the campus. The library has always been phenomenal, but they have a new student center and have updated two of the buildings on campus with the latest technology. |
| Social Life | 7 | Most of the students who went to EMU were not the type of people I hung around with, but I did make friends in the dorms my first year. I also was the vice president of my student government, which was fun. |
| Placement Services | 10 | I have been linked up with career services since I was still in college. They have assisted me with job leads and with reviewing my resume. I have been offered so many jobs since I have gotten involved with them. |
| Alumni Network | 7 | They have contacted me a couple of times to update my file, but they don't make much of an effort to get the alumni involved; they pretty much just want money. Also, they do have an association that you can get involved in, but it is not clear what they really do. |
Western Michigan • Kalamazoo, MI
Studying ISO/TS 16949 (completion in 2002)
• 3/11/2012
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Instructor was very good. Applied lessons to real applications immediately. |
| Program Reputation | Unknown, as it was simple cert program. | |
| Program Quality | 5 | It was a simple cert program. Could have learned as much reading on the topic. |
| Instruction | 5 | Instructor was good. Entertained and taught students at the same time. |
| How Difficult | 1 | Hands on workbook style. Answers to questions easily found in text. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Program was workbook based. Hands on examples of lessons took place. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | Programs are available for off campus training. |
| Academic Facilities | Did not visit campus. Cert program was at a company based location. | |
| Social Life | Again, I did not visit the campus. The cert program was at a company based location. | |
| Placement Services | Did not use that service since I was already employed. | |
| Alumni Network | It was a 4 day cert program. Fellow students were my coworkers. |
Western Michigan University • Kalamazoo, MI
Studying Sociology (completion in 2005)
• 4/12/2012
"WMU has a solid reputation, the cost was reasonable, and the quality of the facilities was impressive. The administrative duties of the University usually ran smoothly."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | WMU does have a respectable business school with high placement for the graduates. I would not recommend spending money on a general degree, like the one I received, since it may not be critical to job success. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | WMU is known as a solid state school. Compared to some bigger state schools or private universities, WMU is definitely lacking in funding and competitive degrees. |
| Program Quality | 5 | Sociology helps in sales, since it allows me insight to human interaction in social settings. But since most of my skill set was acquired on the job, I feel like my degree isn't worth as much as I paid for it. |
| Instruction | 5 | I've been reading a lot of sales books that do in fact have some crossover to Sociology. But most of the training that I receive is more hands on. |
| How Difficult | 3 | Both sales and Sociology came very easily for me. Interesting topics are much easier to learn and understand. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Most courses were designed to be in class. Not too many field trips out of class or hands on experiences. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | Classes were relatively flexible, many of the professors would allow a certain number of students to join even when the class enrollment was filled. This combined with a broad spring/summer schedule and night classes was very helpful. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | WMU is doing a good job expanding and investing in campus facilities. They are also adding new curriculum, and since the campus isn't sports driven, the focus is usually on the student facilities. |
| Social Life | 5 | Athletics were not a priority. Student parties and organized orientation events were always fun to go to. |
| Placement Services | 3 | Again I was fortunate enough not to need the University placements. But many of my friends did find this service helpful. |
| Alumni Network | 3 | I'm unsure about the effect of the alumni network, since I found my job in a different state, and my position doesn't really have any association to the University. I've heard that many graduates do in fact find the networks beneficial, but in my case it was unnecessary. |
Eastern Michigan University • Ypsilanti, MI
Studying Physical Education (completion in 2010)
• 4/11/2012
"I loved EMU."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would definitely recommend EMU to anyone going into the field of Physical Education. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | They are well know for being one of the top institutions in this area of study. |
| Program Quality | 8 | They have a great faculty and staff. The campus is small, but still has a large university feel. |
| Instruction | 9 | The instructors are awesome and allow you to get to know them personally, which makes it easier to learn from them in the long run. |
| How Difficult | 8 | You have to take a lot of anatomy/physiology/kinesiology courses. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | We were pretty hands on, though I thought a few classes should have been more hands on. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | The classes are offered multiple times throughout the week to give student the choices that fit into their schedules. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | The program could use an upgrade in facilities and equipment. |
| Social Life | 8 | Great social network on and around campus, both intramural and off campus. |
| Placement Services | I did not use their services for job placement. | |
| Alumni Network | I don't take part in alumni relations at this point of my life. |
Western Michigan University • Kalamazoo, MI
Studying Management (completion in 2011)
• 4/2/2012
"I am very satisfied with my school for all the reasons mentioned. I feel that my school really catered to my academic success by the facility, courses, instructors and additional resources. When I graduated last year I felt that my education really prepared me for a career in the management field."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Westerns business college has passionate professors that actually have practical experience in management and want you to succeed. With a new facility, all the resources you could ask for are right in the same building. With career fairs, clubs, organized events, etc., there are many opportunities to create the necessary connections needed to find and succeed in a career after graduation. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | The reputation of my program is growing. As stated earlier, we are fairly well known and recognized by many organizations. As the program grows we are becoming more and more well known and reputable. Our program provides great training in management, or any area of business, and provides great opportunities to expand our knowledge and skills outside of class. I've heard from many that they came to Western because of their exceptional Business program. |
| Program Quality | 9 | Western's business college is fairly well known and they provided many opportunities outside of class to enhance our skills through clubs, career fairs, presentations and competitions. I felt there was a good variety of classes offered to really allow students to study what they were interested in. The Management major itself had different areas of focus you could choose from, for example Small Business or Multicultural Management. |
| Instruction | 9 | Many of the professors were very experienced in the field of management and were able to provide real life examples and situations to better prepare us for the management world. I felt that, other than the occasional graduate assistant teaching the course, the professors were very passionate about teaching and always willing to stay after class to answer questions. |
| How Difficult | 8 | I gave an 8 overall for difficulty because I felt that the workload was high but the material wasn't necessarily that challenging. I had a few classes that were difficult but for the most part they were just a lot of work. For example, I took a course called Project Management. The course was really interesting because we had an actual client that we were able to advise and manage the process of him starting up his own business. We had to have weekly meetings with the client and work outside of normal class hours to get the project done but it was enjoyable and not necessarily hard, just time consuming. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It was a really good mix. There were a lot of classes and simply lecture but there were hands-on as well. As stated above, my Project Management class was hands-on as we had our own client to manage. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Scheduling was never an issue. Classes were offered from 8:00 am to 9:00 pm, on weekends and during the summer. There was a good variety of classes and most had more than one section to provide many students the opportunity to take the course. Also, if the course was full you were able to E-mail the professor and most times they would either work something out to fit you in, or notify you if someone dropped the course. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | The business college at Western was relatively new and we had a building devoted completely to business students. Within the building there was a library, printing lab, counselors office and a cafe with space to study. This was really convenient because it prevented one from having to walk all the way across campus between classes. With everything right there it made it easier to set aside time to meet with professors or print out homework. I really enjoyed the new facility and think it really aided in my academic success. |
| Social Life | 10 | I really enjoyed my social experience at Western. Western is a bigger campus with a great emphasis on making social connections, especially freshmen year with dorm life. Sporting events and parties were a great way to meet people but there were also a lot of organized social events that catered toward making valuable business connections. I feel that the connections I made through my social life were important, but the ones I made with my fellow management students will benefit throughout my career. It's great to have these go to connections that understand and can give valuable incite into management decisions or issues. |
| Placement Services | 10 | We are known for career placement after graduation. I don't know the exact statistics, however, counselors are very effective at placement and our students are easily able to find jobs right after graduation. Our students are also very successful at local career fairs with organizations based on the reputation of our program. |
| Alumni Network | 7 | I must say that I am not that involved in the alumni network. I feel that there was a lot of information provided to us right after graduation, however, now I don't hear much from them. I have not explored the network much but I do know that friends of mine have attended the meetings and receive the newsletter and find it beneficial. |
Northwood University • Midland, MI
Studying Business Management (completion in 2000)
• 4/2/2012
"I enjoyed going to school there and respect their status in the business arena. Hopefully one day it will help me when the economy picks up."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | They are a highly recognized business school in Michigan and they offer traveling to other countries if you are available for the programs. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | They are purely a business oriented University based on Free Enterprise. |
| Program Quality | 10 | They are specialized, so I rate them a 10. They have a good reputation for business. |
| Instruction | 7 | The instructors all have business degrees and working experience. This makes them very knowledgeable about the work force and careers. |
| How Difficult | 8 | There were lots of Finance, Accounting, and Math classes including the general business and general education. No goof off classes making my degree more specialized. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It was pretty even between hands on and book learning. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | I did classes at the Flint extension campus, online, and seminars in Midland, plus a few weekend courses. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | I didn't have much access because I didn't attend their Midland campus where most of this is available. |
| Social Life | 4 | Met a lot of people near by that work hard and have families. It was easier to relate to them, rather than young kids coming out of high school. |
| Placement Services | 5 | It seems to support mainly men and the Auto industry, so it hasn't really helped me. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | Haven't really used it much since I've been out due to the economy in Michigan. Most of the jobs are auto industry. |
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