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 University of Washington Bothell, Bellevue College, University of Washington - Tacoma, and Spokane Falls 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 Gonzaga, University of Washington - Tacoma, University of Washington Bothell, and Eastern Washington University.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Bates, Heritage, Highline Community College, and North Seattle Community College.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Grays Harbor, City University of Seattle, Peninsula College, and Spokane Falls Community College.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of University of Puget Sound, Antioch, Gonzaga, and Seattle University.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Northwest University, University of Puget Sound, Saint Martin's University, and Whitworth University.
Excellence
- SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at University of Puget Sound, University of Washington Seattle, Gonzaga, and Whitworth University.
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at Whitworth University.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at University of Puget Sound, Gonzaga, Antioch, and Saint Martin's University.
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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Seattle University • Seattle, WA
Studying Double-Major In English Literature And Philosophy (completion in 2007)
• 7/24/2011
"I appreciated the small classroom experience and the diversity among the staff and students. I probably would have also done well at a larger public university with a more active social network, though."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | As much as I loved my school, my specific college (Arts and Sciences) wouldn't be ideal for someone interested in sales. This career was probably pretty unusual for someone who graduated with my credentials. SU does have a fantastic business school that I would definitely recommend, though. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | Seattle U is a well-respected private university. It has a great reputation for those who know of it, but since it isn't a nationally-known or Ivy League school, I gave it an 8 rather than a 10. |
| Program Quality | 8 | Seattle University offers a well-rounded education in liberal arts. I'm pleased with my degree and the university I chose. I didn't give it a 10 only because I found some of the classes to be less challenging that I expected them to be. |
| Instruction | 7 | The curriculum could use some revision. Modern language, for instance, is a required subject but one that doesn't offer more than one professor for certain languages. The professor of the language I chose had an extreme teaching style that didn't work for me, so I had no other options in pursuing that language. Small things like this could use some attention. |
| How Difficult | 6 | English Lit and Philosophy both require a very great deal of reading. This isn't a problem in and of itself, but it isn't always accounted for when professors assign essays and such that require a week's worth of reading beforehand. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Considering the nature of my degree, I suppose book learning IS hands on. A few senior level classes required field trips, book readings, etc. But for the core curriculum classes such as history, there weren't as many field trips and such as there could have been. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 3 | On-campus presence is extremely important at SU. They do not offer any online classes, and while there are some evening classes, the available courses aren't so extensive that you could accomplish a night degree there. Summer courses are available, though I didn't take them (chose to work instead). |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | I gave this only a 7 because the library was being rebuilt during most of my time there, meaning that I did most of my on-campus studying in the business school or interim library. The facilities were decent and professors were always available to meet in their offices, but this was a rather large inconvenience for someone who had to commute to campus and spend most of the day there. |
| Social Life | 6 | Since it was a private school that pressed the importance of a small classroom experience, there was a pretty well knit sense of community among the students. We always received bulletins by e-mail about the athletic events and other goings-on. It was by no means a party school. |
| Placement Services | 7 | While I think these services were available, they weren't pushed. This may or may not have had something to do with my ending up in a sales position that was unrelated to my degree. I could have pursued my school's job placement options and probably have made more of them. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I gave this a 5 because I am not especially involved in the alumni network. I know it's active, because I often receive mail from them. But I can't speak to the quality of it because I've never chosen to participate. |
Bellevue Community College • Bellevue, WA
Studying Business (completion in 2012)
• 9/12/2011
"For a community college, it was good. As a college... it was fair."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would recommend it because it saved me money. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | It's a community college. The degree is offered everywhere. |
| Program Quality | 10 | I really enjoyed the atmosphere at Bellevue Community College. The professors there are quite professional and well informed on their topics |
| Instruction | 8 | I felt that the degree was too vague. Most of the stuff I know was taught to me on the job. |
| How Difficult | 7 | Some of the classes required for the degree were difficult. The professors helped me quite a great deal. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Most of the material came from books. A lot of the classes were taught off of powerpoint slides. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | They offered many classes at many times. The professors worked well with my work schedule. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | The school offered a lot of resources for studying. Many professors were willing to help us when we needed it. |
| Social Life | 4 | People were very focused and quiet outside of class. I did meet a couple interesting people in class. |
| Placement Services | 1 | There is no job placement help. I didn't need any though, because I already had a job as a sales rep. I went to school to advance in my career. |
| Alumni Network | 4 | The school does not do a good job of keeping us informed of the alumni. There is no newsletter. |
Pierce Community College • Lakewood, WA
Studying Social Sciences (completion in 2001)
• 10/12/2011
"A good value if you really just need that credential. Very well meaning instructors. Good for those not wanting to get wrapped up in the social events."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | It depends on if you require fundamentals. If you already have an excellent grasp of the fundamentals, then move on. If you require these fundamentals then you should go there. Just be sure to have a good support structure by getting to know your professors and asking plenty of questions. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | The reputation is decent. It was a good value for the money to get your degree. It adds validity to your resume. |
| Program Quality | 5 | I did not feel that I got sufficient real experience that was able to translate over to my position. There was more focus on fundamentals rather than building up your ability to function at a high level in the business world. |
| Instruction | 5 | The instruction was of decent quality. It lacked relevance to my major and did not provide me with advanced knowledge to excel in my career choice. |
| How Difficult | 4 | Lack of challenge. Lack of advanced learning. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | This felt more like what high school should of felt like, and I think more hands on work would have benefited me. I still appreciate the degree and the benefits I have received from it. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 6 | I liked the early morning classes and took as many as possible. I wish there were more classes available in the early morning. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | I was able to get tutors for math and other fundamental classes, but they did not have any business or social science tutors available. The professors were accessible and mostly supportive. Computers were harder to come by. |
| Social Life | 3 | Not a very organized school socially. I was not even sure what was going on half the time. |
| Placement Services | 1 | I received no assistance with career placement. When I visited the job placement department, I received little to no assistance. |
| Alumni Network | 3 | The alumni network has never reached out to me nor was I ever made aware of one. The support comes from other students and your instructors. |
Bellevue Community College • Bellevue, WA
Studying Internet Technology (completion in 2003)
• 11/27/2011
"I was quite satisfied with the School. I left Hawaii to attend it, and I was glad that I did. I also met my future wife here!"
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I definitely would recommend it. The school is great, the campus is nice and in a prime area where you can find places to eat after, or you can find an apt very close to campus. It is also on a major bus line and easy transportation if you don't have a vehicle! |
| Program Reputation | 10 | I think this School has a great reputation. BCC has changed it's name slightly to try and appear bigger than it was and I think it's fantastic for them. |
| Program Quality | 9 | This school was great for the program I was in. In the end, it is not the career I pursued, but I still felt I learned a lot and as a result I have been able to help my wife in creating online sites. |
| Instruction | 9 | I felt they did a great job preparing us for our future and I also thought the instructors did their jobs well. I didn't struggle at all with the course material and found it rather easy, but I know some who did struggle. |
| How Difficult | 3 | I found the curriculum to be quite easy. On the other hand, I witnessed many who did not. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | There was more book learning than hands on. In some courses, it was all programming and in a way, that was necessary. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | I found the offerings quite good. I still wish there had been a broader selection of hours and more classes offered online, but it was reasonably good. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The library was great! I was always able to find the computer programs and/or text that I needed for my work. |
| Social Life | 5 | I didn't really attend social events. I am more introverted than most, so this was not a big thing to me. |
| Placement Services | I did not contact the school's job placement or career services assistance. I ultimately found an unrelated job because I enjoyed it so much and the pay was great. | |
| Alumni Network | I did not really pursue support from the school alumni. I would assume that it was probably good, as the school has grown tremendously since graduating. |
University Of Puget Sound • Tacoma, WA
Studying Business Leadership (completion in 2009)
• 11/28/2011
"I was satisfied because I enjoyed it and I think I learned a lot. I am unsatisfied because I wish it would help me to find a better job."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I don't know if it really provided me with the tools to do sales. It prepared me for a leadership business position, which will help down the road. But it definitely is not beneficial right away. |
| Program Reputation | 6 | I think it has a relatively good reputation. It is a private school too so it is harder to get into. |
| Program Quality | 6 | I enjoyed my school and thought it was a good school; however, I wish I had gotten a more specific degree rather than business. I was in a specialty honors program, which helped me because it was more structured but I wish I had focused on something more particular like a marketing degree. |
| Instruction | 6 | Some teachers were great, others weren't. I think the quality of the learning was great, but wish I had focused in more on one subject. I took a range of classes, which is not very helpful trying to find a career in this economy. |
| How Difficult | 5 | Some classes were harder than others so I think overall it was average. I had some classes where with two to three hours of homework a night, but others I would rarely have homework or have to even study for tests. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It was a combination of both, depending on the teacher. Some focused more on the book while others rarely used it. I preferred the hands-on approach. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | The class schedule flexibility was great and I for the most part didn't have to take classes on Fridays or I could have at least a few days off a week. I enjoyed later classes, and for the most part didn't have too many early classes and never had weekend classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The library was amazing and had great computers with good programs. They also had a writing center, which was helpful when I used it. |
| Social Life | 9 | I had a great social life and a lot of friends. I was in a sorority and really enjoyed my college experience and miss it a lot. |
| Placement Services | 5 | They helped me a few times writing cover letters, but I never got the job. They also had a lot of resources but again I did not use it much. |
| Alumni Network | I'm not really sure because I never utilized it. They had one and maybe it would have been more beneficial if I used it more to try to and learn more about possible careers and to network. |
Green River Community College • Auburn, WA
Studying Business Administration (completion in 2004)
• 12/11/2011
"I like the school a lot. That's why I chose it. I also knew the current faculty president, which was a plus."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Green River has a good structure. Many professors are professional and super smart. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | Many 4-year colleges in the area, such as UW in Washington state, look to Green River Community College as the place they want their students from. They have a great reputation. |
| Program Quality | 5 | My school was current on technology, but was a bit behind on equipment. |
| Instruction | 6 | They taught me everything I needed for my current position. I am satisfied with my education and feel that the professors taught me well. |
| How Difficult | 10 | The math credential needed for business admin is hard. I don't utilize most skills learned in that department. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Certain class assignments had hands-on training that was class interactive. As far as community interaction, most was simulated. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Most classes are available online. We only needed to be on campus around 50 percent. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | Buildings are a bit dated. Mostly built in 60s and 70s. |
| Social Life | 10 | I started a pool-playing club. I was president of this club and had a lot of support from most students. |
| Placement Services | 1 | I got little job placement. I had to find my own job. |
| Alumni Network | 9 | I was nominated for student body president and I had a lot of support. Good alumni communication. |
Seattle Pacific University • Seattle, WA
Studying Finance (completion in 1987)
• 12/13/2011
"I was satisfied with my education and friendships. SPU could do a MUCH better job helping construct a meaningful business network; even those who attended Ivy League schools, with their ability to contact alumni who have management positions, or are in companies that can help them."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I dislike the religious aspect of SPU, so I would only recommend it to someone who has strong religious leanings. Outside of this aspect, the education is great, I loved the campus, and I found the environment to be topnotch! |
| Program Reputation | 8 | While I no longer live in Seattle, I do hear from friends that live there that SPU maintains a well-respected program, at least in the local market. Because SPU has good benefactors from the Seattle area, they are able to keep their programs topnotch. |
| Program Quality | 8 | I feel that my degree was very well constructed and my professors were well qualified. My only wish was that there was more follow-up on educational opportunities. It would have been great to have a way to keep up on my subject matter. |
| Instruction | 10 | All professors were highly qualified and had experience in the fields they taught. I liked the fact that none relied on associate professors or student teachers. One professor had 7 books published on economics, all very readable! |
| How Difficult | 5 | I found college to be very straightforward, mostly because I learned to be a self-starter early in life. Generally, if you do the work and ask questions, you can learn about anything, at least well enough to pass a test. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | SPU did rely on lectures and printed materials, but there were many labs and outside projects. I did like the fact that I could pass a course, even when disagreeing with the professor. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | I was able to take classes during the day, evenings and weekends. I believe this is pretty normal. We also had some summer options. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The facilities were fine; certainly adequate. For the time, we had state-of-the-art computers and materials. |
| Social Life | 10 | The most important thing to me coming out of college were my friends. I not only made lifelong friends, but also, in once case, a business partner. Having access to a friend/professional network has been fun and useful. A better professional network would have been fantastic! |
| Placement Services | 9 | In my case, it worked very well. I was accepted at HP into a sales training program before I completed my junior year. I did find that it was pretty much all up to me. The interview coaching was not great; about what you would expect from an academic. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | The SPU alumni network is very scattered and focused ONLY on raising money and the religious aspects of the college. I would expect a highly rated alumni network to have more of a focus on the different schools, in my case, business. |
University Of Washington • Seattle, WA
Studying Visual Communication Design (completion in 2006)
• 2/6/2012
"It's very expensive for a degree I never use. They had disappointing resources."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | It was way too much money to spend on a school who doesn't care about their students. I was very disappointed. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | My school claims to have a good reputation. Other graduates have found good jobs. |
| Program Quality | 2 | I did not feel I was prepared for the job market. I did not feel my professors cared. |
| Instruction | 1 | The professors were not interested in developing students. There is too much emphasis placed on politics at universities. |
| How Difficult | 8 | Very demanding assignments. It was nearly impossible to pursue other interests. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The curriculum consisted of month-long projects. Not much book learning, I could have used more. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 1 | We have a class schedule I could predict three years in advance. It was unheard of to switch a class or take an elective. |
| Academic Facilities | 4 | They are average. Nothing exceptional. |
| Social Life | 3 | I only had time to meet people in my major. It was a very demanding schedule. |
| Placement Services | 1 | I asked for assistance many times and no one was qualified to help. No one was trained at career counseling. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | I know nothing of the network other than when they request money from me to join. I have not met anyone of them. |
Central Washington University • Ellensburg, WA
Studying English (completion in 1998)
• 2/28/2012
"I liked the school and the program. They were good in every aspect."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | It was adequate, but there are better schools. People should make their own decisions about their career path. |
| Program Reputation | I have no real knowledge of the current program's reputation. People continue to graduate and obtain work. | |
| Program Quality | 8 | High-quality, knowledgeable instructors. The school fosters an attitude of creativity and expression. |
| Instruction | 10 | The instruction received was always pertinent to real-world situations. It allowed me to communicate effectively in my current line of work. |
| How Difficult | 5 | Nothing too difficult, but consistent work. The focus was on consistency, not on difficulty. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | This was even across the board. Not too much or too little of book learning or hands-on instruction. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | The flexible options are available, but they are not a focus or promoted option. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | There are plenty of resources. They are open at all hours of the night and day. |
| Social Life | 5 | I was focused on study rather than recreation. Nice college town with plenty of good opportunities. |
| Placement Services | I have never used this program at my university. | |
| Alumni Network | 2 | Haven't heard from them yet. Haven't been invited to any activities or functions. |
Washington State University • Pullman, WA
Studying Environmental Science And Regional Planning (completion in 2001)
• 3/21/2012
"I believe my college experience was a little above average. Although I ended up not going into my field of study for employment, I feel that the education I received was very good and only I kept myself from pursuing a career that fit my education."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | I would have to get back in touch with the program and see what it offers today before I would make a recommendation. It was a great experience for me, but I do not know enough about the current offerings to make a good decision. |
| Program Reputation | I cannot speak to WSU's current reputation for their ESRP program. I am not employed in my field and so I am not as in touch with the current standing within the field. | |
| Program Quality | 8 | Washington State has a great ESRP program. I always felt connected to my major and the professors were always engaged and available. |
| Instruction | 8 | I actually am in a career outside my field, so career prep I am not sure of, but I felt ready when I left. Instruction I would rate very highly. I got a lot out of my classes and the instructors were great. |
| How Difficult | 6 | I would say this degree is slightly tougher than average. Mostly due to the advanced Chemistry and Biology courses that are required. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I would say due to WSU's rural location I got more hands on outdoor experience than I would have in a more urban campus. Not to say there wasn't plenty of book work, but there was a lot of extra activity outside the classroom that was easier there than it would have been in some other locations. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | I would say WSU has the same options as any other comparable university. You take certain courses during the summer, and there was sufficient flexibility in class offerings to make your schedule work. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | Again, I would say that WSU had average facilities and resources. What I believe were above average were the instructors and the fact that WSU is located in a rural setting which allowed for a lot of hands on study. |
| Social Life | 5 | I had a lot of fun there. It was a typical college campus a lot of school spirit, and of course a lot of parties. |
| Placement Services | Did not use these programs when I graduated. Maybe if I had I would be working in my field. | |
| Alumni Network | I cannot speak to this. I have not been active as an alum, nor have I searched out for any post graduation support. |
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