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 Central Piedmont Community College, Fayetteville State, Winston-Salem State University, and East Carolina 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 Methodist University, Mount Olive College, Shaw University, and Chowan.
- Female: For schools particularly welcoming to female students, consider Bennett, Peace College, Meredith College, and Salem College.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Livingstone, North Carolina A & T, North Carolina Central University, and Elizabeth City State.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Montgomery Community College, Mount Olive College, Edgecombe Community College, and Pamlico Community College.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Duke, Bennett, Elon University, and Johnson C Smith University.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of St Andrews Presbyterian College, Chowan, Livingstone, and Brevard.
Excellence
- SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at Duke, UNC, Elon University, and NC State.
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at Duke, Johnson C Smith University, UNC, and Campbell.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Bennett, Duke, Brevard, and Wake Forest University.
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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Gardner Webb University • Boiling Springs, NC
Studying Business And Business Education (completion in 2008)
• 5/7/2011
"I'm up to my ears in school loans for a school I didn't like. This business degree I worked my butt off for isn't working it's butt off for me, let's just say that!"
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | You could attend a state school for half the cost. Plus the programs there would be larger and more extensive with a better mix of hands-on and in-class learning. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | They get good reviews but overall, they aren't noteworthy. Most of the awards they get are based in Christian literary journals and not in actual business journals. |
| Program Quality | 7 | The program was well organized but the professors were sometimes unprepared. I wish I could say that every class was beneficial, but they really weren't all pertinent to my current career. |
| Instruction | 4 | The professors were sometimes apathetic and unprepared. The programs they provided to help students gain experience or make connections were few and far between. |
| How Difficult | 6 | Most classes only required a few nights of studying to ace each test. It really wasn't as thorough or challenging as I wanted it to be. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I prefer hands-on learning, but the school's curriculum doesn't offer much of this. The majority of classes I took were 100% book learning. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | They do provide a large and constantly rotating selection of classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | The library was below average. They had almost no current books and the labs were always closed. Classrooms were locked nightly. The dorm lobbies were always full of movies and games. |
| Social Life | 7 | It was a small school, so there wasn't much. The teams weren't good so the athletics didn't provide much entertainment. |
| Placement Services | 2 | I contacted the school's career services for 3 months prior to graduation. I was given two applications for receptionist positions and never heard from the office again despite several calls. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | There wasn't one. The alumni board was boasted and flaunted while we were in school but I haven't even heard from them since I graduated. |
Wake Technical Community College • Raleigh, NC
Studying Criminal Justice Technology (completion in 2010)
• 7/18/2011
"I am very satisfied with my school because I feel that I learned a great deal of information. The professors were great and taught me a lot and helped me whenever I needed it. The program is one of the best that I know. It allowed me to finish my degree quickly and I learned while I did that."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | This school will allow you to learn a lot about your career. It gives you the hands on experience that you need to be able to succeed in your field. The teachers are great and the facilities are available when you need them. Wake Technical Community College is a great school to learn at. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | The criminal justice program at Wake Technical Community College has one of the best reputations. It is one of the most sought after programs in this area. Police officers from all over North Carolina come to be a part of the program. |
| Program Quality | 10 | The school that I went to for my degree is excellent. I loved being able to go to a community college, close to my home. The teachers were all great. I loved what I studied and felt like it was absolutely the right direction for me. Wake Tech is a great school. |
| Instruction | 10 | Wake Technical Community College is a great school with great professors. The professors were always on their A game. I always felt comfortable and understood what they taught me. |
| How Difficult | 5 | Many of the classes in this degree program were intense and I had to take a lot of time to understand the information. With my teachers help, I was able to succeed. The difficulty of this degree is moderate. It is hard, yet it is doable. It will make you strive to know the information better. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | My degree was in Criminal Justice Technology which means that it had a lot of hands on work, as well as book work. I think that this school has a great mixture of both. You learn from the book, but then you take what you learned and you apply it in a hands on manner. This allows you to learn more. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | They have classes all the time. I have to say that is something that I loved about the school. The classes were always available when I needed them. Whether I wanted a night class or a morning class, one was always available. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | This school has amazing facilities. The library and other facilities are always open and available to the students. I love the fact that the library is open and has a lot of computers to assist students with their needs. |
| Social Life | 1 | Social events are not big at Community Colleges. I did not have any social experiences, unless it was someone that I met during one of my classes. |
| Placement Services | 3 | Job placement is something that they are not very good at. I am still looking for a job in that field and I graduated over a year ago. I did contact the school to try to use their job placement services, but they never contacted me back. I still work as a sales manager because I can not find a job. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | I have heard nothing from Wake Technical Community College since I graduated. They do not have a good alumni program at all. |
University Of North Carolina In Wilmington • Wilmington, NC
Studying English (completion in 2011)
• 7/22/2011
"I wish that my life had not taken me to Colorado for only one reason; I wish I could have pursued my graduate degree at UNCW."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | UNCW offered the best educational experience of my undergrad career. I would be honored to attend the university in the future. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | All of UNC's campuses receive national recognition for their English programs as well as their overall program options. |
| Program Quality | 10 | UNCW has exceptional faculty. I have been to three schools, and by far, UNCW surpassed the quality of education that I had received previously. |
| Instruction | 10 | Exceptional faculty. All of the faculty are leaders in their respective fields. |
| How Difficult | 8 | Classes were fairly challenging until my final year. At that point they because very challenging, so I think I had it pretty easy the first three years. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | English majors with a Literature focus, like myself, are all book oriented. I would rate us more "brain-on." | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | I had classes even when I was late signing up, and I was always able to find classes that worked around my full-time work schedule. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | I was never without resources. UNCW prides themselves on student support. I didn't even need a computer if I couldn't afford one. The library services allowed laptop rental with just a student ID. |
| Social Life | 5 | I was a non-traditional student so my involvement with activities was limited. |
| Placement Services | 5 | I say average because I had no help in job placement. However, having studied at UNCW has landed me several interviews with companies who are familiar with their reputation for excellence. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | If you are involved in the alumni association, it is easy to stay connected. If you are not, you never hear from them. |
Wake Forest University School Of Economics • Winston-Salem, NC
Studying Economics (completion in 2005)
• 9/16/2011
"Wake Forest is one of the nation's best private schools. If I had to start all over again I would not hesitate to choose Wake Forest."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Wake Forest is one of the nation's best private schools. If I had to start all over again I would not hesitate to choose Wake Forest. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | Wake Forest's major concentrations are Law and Medicine. However, the School of Economics boasts impressive ratings. |
| Program Quality | 10 | Wake Forest is one of the nation's best private schools. If I had to start all over again I would not hesitate to choose Wake Forest. |
| Instruction | 8 | Although economics in general does not teach you the interpersonal skills you need to be successful in sales, it does give you a solid foundation of business structure and US economics. All interpersonal techniques to make the sale had to be learned post-college. |
| How Difficult | 10 | Wake Forest is extremely selective in their applicants. The admittance rating is around 15% of all applicants. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Wake Forest provided a 50/50 mix of textbooks and hands-on learning. Many professors believed in trial and error, learning while doing. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 3 | Wake Forest is not a university that would be a good option for those needing flexibility. They expect their students to be full-time, with school being the center of their day. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | The bookstores and libraries on campus were, and still are, extremely modern and up to date. Any questions you have are easily answered by professors or found via media sources. |
| Social Life | 7 | Wake Forest is not known to be a party school. However, the social life among campus was never lacking. |
| Placement Services | 10 | Job placement directly out of college was extremely simple. My employer saw Wake Forest on my resume and hired me on the spot. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | My school regularly updates alumni on current events. However, being that I now live out of state it is much harder to feel involved. |
East Carolina University • Greenville, NC
Studying Business Administration (completion in 2008)
• 10/23/2011
"I would love to return to get my MBA. East Carolina set me up for success!"
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | It was a well rounded program that can facilitate growth for anyone looking to get into business. The wide range of studies will suit just about anyone. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | Not the best in the state, but a lot of people know about the school and what it has to offer. Lots of influential alumni are concentrated in the RTP area of our state and ECU is known for that. |
| Program Quality | 9 | The quality of instruction and the range of courses available were very fulfilling to me. Internship programs were also available to prepare us for the job market. |
| Instruction | 9 | All of the instructors that I had actually had experience in the job market in their fields. My adviser in particular was a great role model for me. |
| How Difficult | 7 | Lots of the topics covered seemed like common sense stuff to me. The hardest part was covering government regulations and tax issues. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Pretty equal in both aspects. Lots of technology is incorporated so that we could interact with people outside of the school. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | Some classes were harder to get into than others. Night classes were sometimes available to provide flexibility. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | The College of Business was particularly well funded compared to the other Colleges on campus. Overall, the school's facilities were on the smaller side but were adequate. |
| Social Life | 10 | Everyone was really into football games and tailgating. ECU has a reputation in the state as a party school so students from other colleges would come to party. |
| Placement Services | 9 | Internships were provided for all students. We also had job fairs every semester to create job opportunities for students. |
| Alumni Network | 9 | I get a monthly newsletter about events and other alumni. We are also provided with web casts of continuing education topics. |
East Carolina University • Greenville, NC
Studying Business Administration (completion in 2008)
• 12/4/2011
"I enjoyed my time at ECU. I feel that during a different economy, my education would be more beneficial."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | I am not currently working in my chosen field. I do not think that it is necessary to have a master's degree to be a sales manager. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | The MBA program at ECU is very well known in the state. The program is also well known nationally, for catering to distance learning. |
| Program Quality | 10 | I believe I received a good education that was challenging, but also supportive. I believe that in a different economy, I would be able to find a career in an area that would better suit my education. |
| Instruction | 10 | I received support from the majority of my professors and felt challenged at the same time. I feel that I was given the tools to be able to implement and make business decisions on the job. |
| How Difficult | 10 | I was challenged in the majority of my classes through research papers, presentations, projects and exams. Although I was challenged, I always felt my professors were there to support me. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I definitely had to read a lot of chapters, but we were also given a lot of cases to work. This gave us an opportunity to implement what we were learning in a more realistic way. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | My program offered day and night classes. The whole program was also available online. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | We had a lab that was only available to the MBA students. We also had access to the school library. |
| Social Life | 10 | The university had social activities planned several times a month. My program also had a graduate business association that threw socials once a month. |
| Placement Services | 1 | I have not received much support with job placement. I feel the program should add more internship opportunities. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | Since graduating, I haven't felt the alumni network has benefited me in finding employment. While in the program, I felt a lot of support. |
Appalachian State University • Boone, NC
Studying English (completion in 2002)
• 2/16/2012
"I enjoyed Appalachian State. If given the opportunity again, I would choose it again."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Getting a degree anywhere is key to a successful career in the real world. Appalachian State is a well-rounded school and it will prepare its graduates for careers in various fields. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | Appalachian State's English department has an average reputation. You get out of it what you put into it. |
| Program Quality | 10 | I chose my major because I loved the program. The professors were top tier. |
| Instruction | 10 | I am a well-spoken and well-rounded person as a result of my English degree. That is in no small part due to the wonderful professors. |
| How Difficult | 8 | It was challenging. As an English major, I had to balance a tremendous amount of reading with a tremendous amount of writing. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | You can't earn an English degree in a bubble. You have to have hands-on writing tutorials. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | They were very flexible. I loved the option of having evening classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | Appalachian State is a growing institution and this growth began around the time that I was there. I got a taste of some of the great development. |
| Social Life | 8 | I was in a fraternity, so there was always a good time to be had! Football games were also fun opportunities. |
| Placement Services | 3 | Unless you were a business major, there weren't a lot of resources. Most of the companies that came to visit wanted business majors. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I live in NC, which is where the school is, so there is a large network, but I'm not sure about places outside of NC. |
Coastal Carolina Community College • Jacksonville, NC
Studying Arts (completion in 2007)
• 2/17/2012
"Overall, it is a decent place for someone who is unsure of the career they want to pursue. Very good dental hygiene program, but you have to be put on a waiting list."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would recommend this school to the average person who is unsure of their career path. There are many different avenues of careers the school has to offer. |
| Program Reputation | 6 | This is probably the most common study at this particular college. Most people come to this community college because they are unsure of their career path. |
| Program Quality | 5 | A very basic education program. No consistency when it comes to same class expectations. Professors are all on different pages, even if they are in charge of the same studies. |
| Instruction | 7 | The business leadership and psychology classes were really the only classes that helped me and could be applied to my current career. |
| How Difficult | 6 | Decent professors who show average concern in growing their students. Overall, the workload was very high, but not too extreme. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | For the most part, many subjects were book-based. The only classes that were not book-based were physical education and home ec classes. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 6 | I had no issues with the school's schedule flexibility. My counselor was always able to work around my work schedule to ensure I made all my credits. |
| Academic Facilities | 6 | Overall, my school had a pretty good amount of resources. The only things we were missing were more computers with internet access throughout the campus. |
| Social Life | 8 | Very dedicated to my school and the fellow students who studied with me. Very involved in all school activities. |
| Alumni Network | I am not a part of the alumni network. |
North Carolina State University • Raleigh, NC
Studying Psychology (completion in 2005)
• 1/21/2012
"I was very satisfied with the mix of programs that I decided to take. To supplement my Psychology BA, I took 4 semesters of Chemistry, Biology, Genetics, and Calculus - all of which were not required for Psych students. If I had only gone through the with the minimum requirements, I don't believe I would have been as satisfied with the school/program."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Psychology is the study of human behavior. In sales, predicting/adapting to the behavior of your clients is crucial. Psychology at NC State helped prepare me in my everyday interactions as a salesperson and helped me understand a large variety of clients. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | The undergrad reputation does not stand out, but the graduate level psychology school is well respected in the organizational psychology field. |
| Program Quality | 9 | NC State takes a scientific approach to the study of psychology. Instead of focusing on abnormal psych studies, they have a focus in practical research for subjects like business in Industrial/Organizational Psychology. I find that to be more useful in my career than if I was to study some abnormal issue like multiple personality disorder. |
| Instruction | 9 | While summer classes were typically taught by graduate students, the majority of my classes were led by seasoned professors. The study of psychology is really the study of human behavior and the way the program is organized you are constantly applying that predicted behavior to real world issues. In that way it is extremely applicable. |
| How Difficult | 5 | Overall, it is not a difficult field of study. I did like the focus on research - that made the program more challenging since we had to learn quantitative analysis. But apart from that aspect, it was not a challenging program. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | They had a focus on research in the psychology department - even with the undergrad program. They required you to complete at least one year-long research program and that alone made for a very hands-on experience. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | I elected to take a class every summer. Most of the classes offered over the summer were very relevant to my program - not just a series of electives. I also took some evening classes and did not have to sacrifice to do so. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | The professors were approachable during their office hours, but were not overly welcoming. They seemed to value time in their own research labs and time with graduate students disproportionately higher than time working with undergrads. |
| Social Life | 5 | NC State has a good sense of community. As with most large schools we are in a high profile athletic conference and the social events organized around big games were a great college experience. |
| Placement Services | I did not utilize my career services office. They seemed to focus mostly on finance and engineering students. | |
| Alumni Network | In the 6 years since graduation, I have not once been contacted by the alumni association. There is no known network for job resources or community of fellow alumni. |
Louisburg • Louisburg, NC
Studying Business (completion in 1996)
• 1/28/2012
"I enjoyed the program, the people and the overall experience."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | It has continued to receive great reviews. The campus has improved and sports are doing better then ever before, offering many options for scholarships. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | It's well-known and I chose the school based on that. |
| Program Quality | 10 | Professor were prepared with lessons plans that related to everyday life. |
| Instruction | 10 | They allowed hands-on projects that apply skills you were learning to real work. |
| How Difficult | 7 | It was not unachievable but was a welcomed challenge. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Both teaching styles were used. The hands-on was more helpful but the book information still had to be integrated for the skill and the knowledge. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | Each class had certain times but all was done in advance at registration. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | All facilities were up to date. |
| Social Life | 10 | They're well-known for sports and were proud and successful for athletic participation. |
| Placement Services | This was not offered. | |
| Alumni Network | 5 | There was some communication but not much. |
NC State University • Raleigh, NC
Studying Business (completion in 2007)
• 3/21/2012
"I feel like I had a great college experience. It prepared me to be out on my own."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I think any schooling is better than no or less schooling. It really helps prepare someone for a future career. Also, with the way the job market is right now, any edge someone can get is better. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | They are a major contender in the NC University system. They are one of the most popular schools to choose for high school students in NC. |
| Program Quality | 8 | When I was at NC State, they were constantly improving their program. They had seminars on a regular basis for students to gain even more knowledge than just through their degree program. |
| Instruction | 9 | My instructors were always available to me. There was also an additional set of tutors and instructors for anyone in the program. |
| How Difficult | 9 | The accounting classes were the most difficult. They moved quickly - there wasn't any time to get left behind or you'd be lost. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | There were many ways to get involved as a student. I was a part of a few organizations (cultural arts as well as a scholars program) and there were many other ones that I did not take advantage of. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | There were multiple offerings for each class I wanted to take. The classes were offered in both traditional semesters as well as during the two summer semesters. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | NC State had a lot of resources for students. They are also constantly evaluating and improving all of those resources. |
| Social Life | 9 | I learned a lot at college. It truly prepared me for my future both on a personal level as well as on a professional level. |
| Placement Services | 7 | They help you prepare to enter the workforce after graduation. Before I graduated I even had help preparing for interviews by doing mock interviews. |
| Alumni Network | 6 | I receive periodic mailers from the school, but there isn't much other than that. I am not extremely active in the alumni activities. |
Rockingham County College • Wentworth, NC
Studying Paramedic/Business (completion in 2001)
• 3/23/2012
"The school had classes available immediately. The process was easy to get registered and everyone was very helpful."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | It was a smaller community college that makes it easy for someone to fit in. They have a good mix of the classes that someone would need for just about any AA degree. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | The instructors work in the field and have good knowledge of the job. They give practical advice, not just book advice. |
| Program Quality | 5 | The school is more geared for medical and industrial programs. |
| Instruction | 9 | Most of my classes were in Paramedic and they were well prepared. |
| How Difficult | 10 | Class was 4 days a week 4 hours each night, plus work and lab. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Had to have the book to learn the basics, but the professors were great at doing hands on practical applications. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | I think the class schedule is comparable to other schools. There are day and evening classes offered. Doesn't seem to be any different than other colleges I looked at. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | Classroom space was good. Library had nice space and places to study. Professors were easy to get a hold of. |
| Social Life | I didn't really get involved. Not enough time. Worked, school and study time didn't leave much room for that. | |
| Placement Services | Never used them. Those services are given there, I just didn't have to utilize them. | |
| Alumni Network | I have no experience with this. |
East Carolina University • Greenville, NC
Studying Business Administration (completion in 2011)
• 4/13/2012
"I was very satisfied with the school. It was affordable, convenient and offered a good education with credibility."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would recommend the school to others. It provides a quality education at an affordable price. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | I believe the school has a good reputation for turning out well rounded business students. It is tough to determine the quality of other students since I rarely visited campus. |
| Program Quality | 10 | ECU's program was easy to follow and affordable. I also was able to take the majority of my classes online which helped me continue to work. |
| Instruction | 8 | Some classes were helpful, like Negotiation and Entrepreneurship. Others were a waste of time, like Biology or Physical Education, but were mandatory for a degree. |
| How Difficult | 7 | I was able to cruise through 85% of my classes with little to no studying. Only a few, like statistics, really required a lot of work. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I found most of the classes to be very oriented towards book learning. Only a few professors tried to connect the dots between concepts discussed in the textbook and the real world. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | The university was extremely flexible in offering online, evening, Fall, Spring and multiple Summer sessions. I found it extremely easy to work full time and attend class full time. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | The professors and advisors were very easy to communicate with via email and phone. I didn't visit any of the on campus facilities like libraries, computer centers, etc. |
| Social Life | As an online student, I didn't really participate in many school spirit activities. There were several events scheduled specifically for online students so the university made extra efforts to keep those students engaged. | |
| Placement Services | I believe the university has a good job placement service although I never used it. I worked full time while obtaining my degree and was able to obtain a better job shortly after graduating. | |
| Alumni Network | 7 | The alumni network appears to be very supportive though I haven't used them much. They publish e-newsletters that I occasionally glance through before deleting. |
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