Here are some tips for selecting schools, based on an analysis comparing each school to all others across dozens of factors:
Schools Concentrating On Secondary School Teachers
- Focus: For schools with a focus on this career area, look at Kennesaw State, Georgia State, Savannah College of Art and Design, and Augusta State.
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 Armstrong Atlantic State, Columbus State, Georgia Southwestern State, and Augusta State.
- Female: For schools particularly welcoming to female students, consider Agnes Scott, Wesleyan College, and Brenau.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Fort Valley State, Paine College, Albany State, and Georgia State.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Brenau, Wesleyan College, Mercer University, and Columbus State.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Savannah College of Art and Design, Clark Atlanta University, Covenant, and Agnes Scott.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Wesleyan College, Agnes Scott, Berry, and Covenant.
Excellence
- SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at University of Georgia, Mercer University, Covenant, and Berry.
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at Reinhardt College, Albany State, Emmanuel, and Brenau.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Agnes Scott, Wesleyan College, Berry, and Paine College.
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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Georgia Southern University • Statesboro, GA
Studying English Education (completion in 1987)
• 10/29/2011
"Of course there is always room for improvement at any school, but I had a college experience I wouldn't trade for anything. My academic, social, and professional lives were all enriched by my experience at Georgia Southern."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I have always recommended Georgia Southern to aspiring educators. Over time I have recommended it to my students, many of whom are now graduates of my alma mater. One of my daughters pursued the same program there, and is now also a teacher. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | The school is recognized throughout the state as one of the best places for future educators to study. It has long been known as "the teacher's college." It may not be the premier university in the state, but it is well-known for its education studies. |
| Program Quality | 7 | Georgia Southern has always had a great program for future educators. It is not one of the top tier schools in the nation, but I had a good experience there. It prepared me for my career. |
| Instruction | 9 | I was pleased with my instructors. Of course, there were a couple that didn't meet the high standards I developed. For the most part, my instructors were well-informed and challenged me. They prepared me to teach my subject, and I learned lots of information, perspectives, and techniques that stick with me to this day. |
| How Difficult | 7 | My studies were challenging, but I was able to rise to the occasion. I was teaching and raising two small children while working on my Master's degree. I was able to take classes and study around my busy schedule. It required help and patience from my family. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Of course, as an English education major, my studies involved a lot of book learning. There was also a lot of practical training. Much of the time spent in the undergraduate program is in student teaching. I had a wealth of in-classroom experience before I completed my bachelor's degree. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | I was able to get my Master's while working full-time, raising a family, and living more than an hour from campus. The availability of evening and summer classes made it possible. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | The availability of resources is second to none. I have even gone back to campus to use the library and media many times over the years since completing my degree, mostly for professional purposes. My professors were very accessible, much more than they would be at a larger university. The library was, and I believe still is, open 24 hours a day. That was a God-send for me as a student there. |
| Social Life | 10 | I was really pleased with the social experience I had in college. I was involved in a lot of campus-sponsored events and organizations, and made many friends. |
| Placement Services | 9 | I received adequate career assistance as an undergraduate. I know the job placement and career services are still very good, because one of my daughters is a recent graduate of the school, with a degree in education, and received excellent service in this area. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I haven't really needed to rely on that, but I'm sure it is adequate for those who do. I'm proud to be a graduate of Georgia Southern, but am not involved in alumni activities. |
The University Of Georgia • Athens, GA
Studying Science Education (completion in 2008)
• 12/21/2011
"The program could have been put together better, but considering that there aren't many physics programs or many students in mine, it was good."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | Its a good school, but I might look around some more first. I don't think there really is another good alternative within the region, especially when the HOPE scholarship is factored in. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | It is the only schook in the state to offer a science education program on this level. It is one of the best schooks in the state. |
| Program Quality | 7 | Teaching is a good job where I have the chance to impact kid's lives in possitive way each day. Combine that with teaching a subject that I love at a high level and you get a great job. |
| Instruction | 8 | I studied hard in school and prepare for my lessons each day. When teaching Physics you can't really "mail it in." |
| How Difficult | 7 | The education part of my degree was very easy, but I had to complete most all of the Physics courses at UGA. That provided me with a challenge. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | We had good mix of the two through labs and class work. The land provided the hands on experience, and the classwork gave more than enough book work. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | In a large school you could take classes anytime. I was able to take summer an "Maynester" classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | We had a science library. The Physics labs were good, but there weren't really any labs as part of the education program. |
| Social Life | 8 | I found some really good friends my freshman year who I keep up with today. I also found many other great friends in my program. |
| Placement Services | 4 | There wasn't much effort put into placement by the school. There was a program for it, but is was not used much. |
| Alumni Network | 4 | We are not that well connected. I recieve mail from them, but it is mainly for money. Im not convinced that any alumni network is that good though. |
Piedmont College • Athens, GA
Studying Education (completion in 2012)
• 1/7/2012
"My dissatisfaction with teaching should not be taken as a reflection of the school I attend for my master's. The school is probably about average. My bad attitude towards teaching stems from the actual job, not the training I received for that job."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | To be brutally honest, I would not recommend anyone go into teaching, at least not at the high school level. However, if one intends to teach, the quickest way to certification is through a place like Piedmont. It will not impose a severe academic burden; only a financial one. When the school year is up, I plan to leave teaching and return to journalism, despite the pay cut. |
| Program Reputation | 2 | I don't know how Piedmont is perceived within the education community. Certainly, I was hired on a provisional certificate, and they knew where I was going to school, but they were more concerned about the state certification than where I did my coursework. |
| Program Quality | 5 | Piedmont is essentially a diploma mill. They take people like me who already have a BA in the subject matter, and run them through a two-year master's program in Education. It works, but it is hardly the best preparation for teaching. |
| Instruction | 3 | This is a diploma mill; if you can pay the (very high) fees, you will most likely pass. I have been stunned to see the low-quality work that is accepted in some classes, especially since these are supposed to be graduate-level courses. |
| How Difficult | 1 | The technology requirement is a joke. Georgia requires a technology course for all teachers, but learning to change fonts in Excel is not technology. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Earlier classes were more book oriented. Later classes were more hands on. Some of the book versus hands on depends on subject matter as well. English classes are more book-type courses, as they ought to be. Other classes, like assessment, are definitely more hands on. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | I will give kudos to the school for their evening and late afternoon classes. Working teachers can get a master's and remain employed at the same time. Summers, of course, are a mainstay at this type of school. Some English classes are only offered once a year, but that's not a big deal, since most have some alternatives. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | I don't have any experience anywhere else in another master's program, so I have to simply say that Piedmont generally provided the tools I needed. We formed our own informal study groups, but I did the same thing as an undergraduate, so I take that as a given at any school, not just Piedmont. |
| Social Life | None of us in the master's programs are here for socializing, and the school doesn't assume we are. We do meet up outside of class for coffee and whatnot, but most of us are married, working, or just plain busy. The main campus in Demorest may be different, but the Athens campus caters to older students in a master's program. | |
| Placement Services | 6 | The placement service is actually not that bad. I managed to find a job prior to completing the master's program. I got my provisional certificate, and Piedmont was helpful in that respect. Being a diploma mill, they are plugged in to most schools in the surrounding counties, as well as their home campus location. Athens is a satellite campus, not the main one. |
| Alumni Network | 2 | There's a website and that sort of thing, but the emphasis is on getting a job, not networking, once you graduate. I have kept in touch on my own with a couple of acquaintances who graduated prior to me, but that's about it. That was done on my own, not through an organized effort at Piedmont. |
Georgia College & State University • Milledgeville, GA
Studying Psychology And English (completion in 2011)
• 3/5/2012
"I love my school. Everyone cares about each other and wants each other to excel in life. It's a great feeling and a wonderful thing to share."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | My school was wonderful. It solidified my feelings about my career and it helped me to prepare for a great job in a wonderful school. I am overjoyed that I picked both my university and the school that I currently teach at. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | My university has a strong reputation for both psychology and English. I'm proud to say where I graduated from and what my degrees are in. |
| Program Quality | 9 | I think that my school could do a slightly better job of getting parents involved, but I also understand that parents have other demands. The English program that I work with is good, but I also think a greater emphasis should be placed on other text aside from American classics. |
| Instruction | 10 | I received a lot of field experience and tutoring experience before starting my current job. Being in front of the classroom, making lesson plans, grading, and meeting parents are not scary or unknown events for me. I had experienced all of that before I graduated from my university. |
| How Difficult | 8 | I had a lot of work to do in my university, to prepare me for the challenges of teaching. My university really edited my plans, reviewed my exams, and changed my teaching mindset before allowing me to graduate. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | We had a great mix of hands-on and book learning. Monday/Wednesday/Friday were book learning and Tuesday/Thursday were hands-on learning. The next semester, we switched; we were in the classroom 3x a week (hands on), and 2x a week, it was book learning. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | We have every kind of class available, and of course, a student can pick and choose what they want. However, sometimes classes fill up very quickly and the flexibility is lost, because a student has to take whatever is available. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | My school has a lot of resources for students to learn as much as they want. If we did not have a book, movie, or other resource, we could use interlibrary loan, request the media from another school and have it shipped for free. Learning is easy. |
| Social Life | 8 | Our school puts a lot of energy into the social experience. However, we lack a football team, so there will always be that element missing from a school experience. |
| Placement Services | I did not have to use their job placement services. I had placement with a school when I was in college, but I have not used my college to find a job. I found my current job on my own. | |
| Alumni Network | I cannot say for sure what the network is like, because I have not really participated in it. I know several things are available on Facebook, but I have been too busy to notice. |
Kennesaw State University • Kennesaw, GA
Studying Educational Leadership (completion in 2004)
• 3/3/2012
"I am satisfied because I obtained the degree I wanted. I also maintained a 4.0, which will help when I go back to do my doctorate."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | It depends on their goals, time constraints, etc. I will not be obtaining my doctorate from there, because they have limited online options. |
| Program Reputation | 6 | The school thinks it has a wonderful reputation in the state, but that is a misconception. Many people know that this school tries to make things harder on students so the school can look like it has tougher program. |
| Program Quality | 7 | Unfortunately, it was very theory-based and there was not enough practical information. They were more concerned with how things should be, rather than what is reality. |
| Instruction | 8 | Some of the professors were very knowledgeable. These were usually adjunct professors who still dealt with real high schools. |
| How Difficult | 4 | The program was difficult. There was quite a bit of busywork that really didn't help me much in the real world. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | There was very little hands-on learning. It was mostly lecture-based. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | Graduate programs are pretty much only offered on site. There is not much in the way of online instruction for advanced degrees. |
| Academic Facilities | I really didn't use the school's resources. I did most of my work on my own. | |
| Social Life | I was an adult when I went back to school. Therefore, I didn't really participate in social activities. | |
| Placement Services | When I went back for my master's degree, I already had a job. Therefore, I didn't use their placement services office. | |
| Alumni Network | 2 | I only hear from the alumni network when they want money. I have no idea where my former classmates are. |
Georgia State University • Atlanta, GA
Studying Applied Linguistics (completion in 2003)
• 3/18/2012
"I received an excellent education at GSU. The program lived up to its promise."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | It is an excellent and flexible program with accessible faculty and good resources for students. I would highly recommend it to others looking to complete a similar degree. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | Georgia State has a good reputation, thanks to the credentials of its faculty. The school provides good teaching experience through its intensive English program. It also has a PhD available in the same major. |
| Program Quality | 9 | Georgia State has a wonderful Applied Linguistics program. Their teaching staff has stellar credentials, and they are helpful and approachable. |
| Instruction | 10 | The program has an excellent combination of coursework and practical experience. I learned a lot and felt well prepared upon completion of the program. |
| How Difficult | 7 | I found it challenging, but not overly difficult, provided I had the time to invest. I managed to work while completing my degree. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | There is a good mix of book and hands-on learning, with coursework and practical requirements. We had to complete 100 teaching hours in addition to our classes. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | I managed to work during the day and complete my class in the late afternoons and evenings. I also had an online class available. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | The professors were very accessible and helpful. The library was well resourced and computer resources were available for research. |
| Social Life | As I was an older student, I didn't take part in any school activities outside the program. | |
| Placement Services | Given that I moved away from the area after graduation, I didn't receive any job placement assistance. I'm not sure if it would have been available or not. | |
| Alumni Network | 4 | I haven't heard much from the department since becoming an alumnus. I think if I had stayed to work in the Atlanta area, I would probably have kept in touch better with the school and program. |
Reinhardt University • Waleska, GA
Studying English (completion in 2011)
• 3/21/2012
"I liked Reinhardt, but it was shrouded in controversy. Bedbugs were always a nightmare, and arrests seemed to be commonplace amongst the faculty and staff."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | No, I would not recommend Reinhardt to others seeking my career. Reinhardt was not the best choice for my program, but I was lucky enough to gain the knowledge I needed to get a job. |
| Program Reputation | 1 | Reinhardt is a small school. Roughly 1500 students. |
| Program Quality | 8 | I received a good amount of information in my content area. I left my university with a good idea of what I was going to do with my life. |
| Instruction | 7 | Reinhardt provided me with a base knowledge for my content area. Reinhardt did not provide adequate career preparation. |
| How Difficult | 2 | I never studied for tests or quizzes. Papers were graded on a curve for every class. Class work was assigned as group work 90% of the time. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Reinhardt offered a good many courses that featured hands-on learning. Book learning was also a big factor, especially in my program. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 1 | At such a small school, it was very difficult to find courses offered more than one semester in the 3 years I was there. My program of study was very pre-scripted. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The library at Reinhardt features more than 20 computers and a great many books. It had a lot of books and resources, but did not feature many research resources. |
| Social Life | 4 | School spirit and tradition was nonexistent at Reinhardt. The athletic teams were unresponsive to student activities, and attendance at athletic games wasn't up to par. |
| Placement Services | 5 | Reinhardt provided a great number of websites and activities to help students find jobs. The career counselors would assist in any way possible to get information to students about jobs. |
| Alumni Network | 4 | The people from the alumni office tried hard to get the alumni to attend on-campus activities, but often were unable. I believe if Reinhardt had a more quality-based mindset on activities, they would achieve better attendance. |
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