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 Nassau Community College, Suffolk County Community College, School of Visual Arts, and Monroe 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 Long Island University-Riverhead, Mercy College, College of Staten Island, and Elmira College.
- Female: For schools particularly welcoming to female students, consider The College of New Rochelle, Long Island University Brentwood, Bank Street, and Daemen.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider The College of New Rochelle, Wagner College, York College, and Long Island University Rockland.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Long Island University-Riverhead, Long Island University Rockland, Long Island University Westchester, and Long Island University Brentwood.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Columbia, NYU, Colgate, and Pratt Institute-Main.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Colgate, Houghton College, Hartwick, and Saint Bonaventure University.
Excellence
- SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at Columbia, Cornell, Colgate, and NYU.
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at Columbia, Cornell, Hunter College, and Colgate.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Yeshiva University, Colgate, Cornell, and Rochester Institute of Technology.
Spotlight Schools Search
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Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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Binghamton University • Binghamton, NY
Studying Math (completion in 1997)
• 10/28/2011
"The school, professors and financial aid were all great. Help finding a job would have been nice."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | It is a good school with a strong reputation. It prepares for more than a bigger pay check. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | They have a very strong program in Topology. They also have a very good program in Abstract Algebra and Stats. |
| Program Quality | 7 | A very strong Math program. But like most Master's program in Math, nothing at all applies to teaching High School. |
| Instruction | 3 | I received a degree that increased my pay. But I gained no valuable knowledge to help teach at a high school. |
| How Difficult | 6 | It is a very high rated school. The profs are top notch. They supply TA positions. They expect good math students in return. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | There is a standard procedure for graduate-level Math. I don't believe there could be an exception. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | I never had a choice of two times for any course. Many courses may not be offered very year and no courses were offered in consecutive semesters. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | There are no tutoring services for grad students but facilities were excellent. |
| Social Life | 5 | My social life there was poor. But I was not there for the social life. I made no attempt to even see what was available. |
| Placement Services | 2 | I received no help before I left. When I ran into a problem, I called them. I got just general ideas that anyone would already be doing. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I receive a magazine from them regularly but that is all. |
BMCC • New York, NY
Studying Teacher & Literature (completion in 2005)
• 10/30/2011
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Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | |
| Program Reputation | 4 | |
| Program Quality | 3 | |
| Instruction | 3 | |
| How Difficult | 4 | |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | ||
| Schedule Flexibility | 4 | |
| Academic Facilities | 4 | |
| Social Life | 5 | |
| Placement Services | 4 | |
| Alumni Network | 4 |
Buffalo State College • Buffalo, NY
Studying Art Education (completion in 2001)
• 10/30/2011
"Overall, I think the school helped prepare me for the realities of teaching. The observation and hands on time made sure I knew what I was getting into prior to my student teaching experience."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I have already recommended Buffalo State. A few of our graduates have decided to go to college for education, and I have recommended the Buffalo State program. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | Buffalo State has one of the better art education programs in the country. They have a large and well-developed program. |
| Program Quality | 7 | I found certain classes to be more useful than others. Some courses offered information that I could apply right away to my own teaching, while others felt more like requirements for the degree that had no actual relevance. |
| Instruction | 7 | Instructor quality varied by class. Some professors were excellent, and modeled good teaching, while others did not practice what they preached. |
| How Difficult | 8 | Most of my classes where writing intensive, and required serious time and effort. A couple seemed inappropriately easy for a Master's level class. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | we were required to do observation hours in classrooms each semester. We also went to an elementary school for our methods class the semester before we student taught and presented a unit with the classes there. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | I was able to take evening classes and summer classes in order to finish my degree. Some courses were only offered at specific times. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | The art education department had a computer lab for the program's majors only. The library had a ton of teaching resources. |
| Social Life | 2 | I didn't really participate in any school related activities. They had social events, I just didn't choose to be involved with them. |
| Placement Services | 7 | The career development center helped by providing reference letters and assisting with my resume. They didn't do a whole lot in terms of job postings and helping me actually find a job. |
| Alumni Network | 3 | There is a career development center that was able to help me when I first graduated with my Bachelor's degree However they offered nothing additional after completion of my Master's. |
Marist College • Poughkeepsie, NY
Studying Social Studies And Secondary Education Major (completion in 2009)
• 11/7/2011
"I had a great time, made a bunch of friends, and learned a lot, which allowed me to become the great teacher I am today. I loved the school and it was some of the best years of education that I have experienced."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Yes, the school was very cost-effective and I learned a lot. It was a great time and the experiences I had there will stay with me for the rest of my life. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | Marist College is pretty small, so its reputation is not very big to begin with, but in terms of the program itself, it is one of the best education programs in New York. |
| Program Quality | 9 | I was very satisfied with the education program over at Marist. Me and my adviser discussed going abroad to Ireland to enhance my history and education learning. It was a great choice, because I learned a lot and experienced a unique culture. |
| Instruction | 10 | All of the education teachers provided me with a good amount of advice for when I would have my own classroom. They set me up with my first student-teaching experience and it helped me a great deal. I learned a lot and Marist gave me a good educational foundation. |
| How Difficult | 5 | The workload was not difficult. I was very studious and therefore found all my education classes very easy. For my history classes though, there was a ton of reading. I was able to get through it, though. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The school incorporates both hands on and book learning into its curriculum. I was sent to a bunch of different schools to student teach and observe. Also, our classes provided us with a lot of book learning and typical in-class curriculum. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | I took a winter course, a summer course and a study abroad session over spring break. The class flexibility is great and the college also offers a good amount of night classes if that fits better into the student's schedule. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | My school had a huge library and a bunch of computer labs. It was very helpful when completing all of my courses. My adviser (history and education) were both very helpful and worked together to ensure I completed my classes on time. |
| Social Life | 8 | The Marist Red Foxes were not the greatest sports teams, but it was still fun going to the games. I had a great time and made a lot of friends. The parties were great and I have a lot of respect for the school. |
| Placement Services | 9 | I am proof that the school has a great job placement service. I was able to get a career at my school just a year after graduating. Most students that were also in my program got jobs as well. The career services was a big help in directing me where to begin my student teaching. |
| Alumni Network | 10 | This school had a great alumni system. The academic service office has a list of Marist alumni that you can call to talk to about your major. These alumni will help you with searching for jobs, as well as advice for what to do when you do find a job. |
University Of Rochester • Rochester, NY
Studying Biology (completion in 2010)
• 11/28/2011
"I believe that I received a great education and was given opportunities that other people did not have. Not many students would have an opportunity to receive a degree in Linguistics and Biology, be involved with Greek life, play rugby and have a job."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | Teaching is not based on school or a major. Teaching is a job that someone has to really want to do. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | I believe that the reputation is fairly good. Most people seem to know Rochester as a science school and recognize it as a 'good' school. |
| Program Quality | 9 | I am very happy with my choice in schools, because they offered interesting classes and small study workshops, and in general, it was a rigorous education. I believe they did an excellent job teaching me how to think. |
| Instruction | 8 | I believe my school was very up to date on the newest knowledge and it was very relevant to the biotechnology industry. My school, however, did not prepare us very well to look for and get jobs. |
| How Difficult | 9 | My specialization in Molecular Genetics had more requirements than most other degrees. I also chose to pursue a second degree in Linguistics, and that added to the difficulty. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | We had some labs, but most classes were very book and text-based learning. Hands-on experiences mostly came from internships and jobs. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 4 | The scheduling was inflexible, because upper-level classes only had one option, and the classes were offered only once a year or every other year. This was due to the small number of students at Rochester. However, larger classes were offered once a semester and had more than one section. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | There were plenty of classrooms of varying sizes. Professors regularly held office hours, as did TA's of the class. Labs were newish. Our libraries were excellently stocked with books, journals and other resources. |
| Social Life | 8 | I was involved in rugby and Greek life, which increased my social experiences. If I was not involved in these activities, I would not have had as many opportunities. |
| Placement Services | 5 | During college, there were job fairs and potential internships, but they were very limited and focused on the Rochester region. I feel that they have increased this, as they have recently offered webinars on how to search for a job. |
| Alumni Network | 9 | My school provides regular emails about news at the school and continues to offer support of the Career Center. They have also offered webinars on pursuing careers. |
SUNY Potsdam • Potsdam, NY
Studying English (completion in 1999)
• 11/27/2011
"I'm pretty satisfied with my school. I say this because earning this degree enabled me to get a job teaching high school English, and also allowed me to earn a little more on the pay scale."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | no | If someone were pursuing my career, I'd recommend that they skip the M.A. in English and pursue a teaching degree. That would make it easier for them, I think. |
| Program Reputation | 4 | I don't believe my school has much of a reputation for this program. They're mostly a four-year-degree school, and they offer few master's programs. |
| Program Quality | 6 | I received my M.A. in English, but took no teaching classes. I had to go through a separate, alternate route to a teaching program to learn the theory behind educational instruction. That's why I'm not entirely satisfied with my M.A. degree. |
| Instruction | 6 | I believe the quality of instruction was average. Some professors were wonderful, and others were not. |
| How Difficult | 4 | I found the program to be pretty easy. I didn't encounter much difficulty while studying for my M.A. in English. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The program I was in was extremely book learning oriented. At it was an English degree, there was no real hands-on learning. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 6 | I recall a normal amount of flexibility in regard to class schedules. It seemed to match where I went for my undergrad degree. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | I recall my school's academic facilities being pretty good. The library was recently renovated (when I went there), and the other facilities and resources were also pretty good. |
| Social Life | 5 | My social experience at the college was okay. I won't say it was because of the availability of school spirit, athletics, etc. It was mostly because I was there earning my master's degree, and I didn't spend a lot of time doing what undergrads did to socialize. |
| Placement Services | I didn't use my school's job placement and/or career services programs. I'm sure they have them, but I'm not really aware of what they are. | |
| Alumni Network | 8 | My school's alumni network and support seem pretty good. I am not involved at all, but I do receive their alumni magazine and emails. |
SUNY Fredonia • Fredonia, NY
Studying Childhood Education (completion in 2007)
• 11/27/2011
"I learned about being a learner to become a better teacher. I am highly satisfied with my experience in college and how it prepared me for my career. Staying there for my graduate work was an easy decision."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I often talk about my college experience with the college students whom I mentor each semester. Also, I have worked with our high school offering assistance and tips to graduating high school seniors. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | I chose Fredonia State because of its highly acclaimed reputation for preparing qualified teachers. I mentor college students at SUNY Fredonia who agree. It is a known teaching school. |
| Program Quality | 10 | I had adequate time working in my field. The courses prepared me for the theoretical aspects of teaching children. |
| Instruction | 10 | While relevance changes in my field, I was prepared to enter the career force at that time. The tools I got from the instruction I received helped me to succeed. |
| How Difficult | 9 | There was so much to learn and so much to practice which added to the difficulty factor of my profession. It was a synthesis of putting what was taught in the classroom into practice. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | While nothing beats the total immersion into the field of teaching, our college definitely offered experience in real classrooms each year. There was always an opportunity to share and try what we learned in college. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | There are a variety of evening classes to accommodate students. I even took several Saturday classes to help my schedules. The summer and January term offerings are extremely helpful. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | I don't have a negative word about the academic facilities at Fredonia State. There is an array of media available, as well as conference rooms and preparation centers. |
| Social Life | 10 | Fredonia State has a variety of athletic programs and social mixers worked right into the calendar. It is simple to network and meet other professionals. |
| Placement Services | 8 | The Career Development Office is helpful in organizing yourself for job interviews. The deadlines necessary for graduation also help to make sure everything is in order at the CDO. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I receive alumni paperwork in the mail, though it is mostly for donations. There is a publication that is circulated that tells of alumni success, which is interesting. |
Bard College • Annandale, NY
Studying MFA In Painting (completion in 1985)
• 12/14/2011
"The program worked out well. Independent study with excellent evaluation was perfect for a MFA."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | This is a great way to get a degree while holding down a job. The instructors are excellent. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | This is a well-known program. It is highly recommended. |
| Program Quality | 9 | The instructors in the program were excellent. The low residency aspect was also convenient. Some of the other students were not as focused as they could have been. |
| Instruction | 9 | The instructors were very accomplished artists. They were excellent teachers and I learned a lot. |
| How Difficult | 5 | It was really up to the student to put in the effort. You got out of it what you put in. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | This was a hands-on program. Everyone painted. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | Students worked on their own during the year. They are residents in the summer and mostly work independently. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | I have not been back so I don't know what the facilities are like now. At the time they were adequate. Students had their own studio space. |
| Social Life | 6 | We had weekly meetings of all MFA students who were helpful for cross-disciplinary understanding. There were many other activities too. |
| Placement Services | 5 | There was not much help career-wise when I was there. Again, living nearby would be helpful for contacts. |
| Alumni Network | I don't have a lot to do with alumni events. If you live in the nearby area it could be helpful. |
Brooklyn College • Brooklyn, Nyc, NY
Studying Spanish Literature (completion in 2001)
• 12/26/2011
"I learned a lot about the things I wanted to learn. My professors were really good."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would recommend it, because the professors are really good and it all worked out for me. I worked full time, went to school and graduated without having to take school loans. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | I think that if a person lives in Brooklyn, that's the best college they can attend if you want to study Spanish. If they go there, they will have great professors. |
| Program Quality | My professors were great. The schedule was great. I was able to have a full time job during the day and study at night. | |
| Instruction | 10 | My professors were native speakers of the given language and had also studied it. My professors were very demanding. |
| How Difficult | 8 | It was a little bit difficult because I had to read a lot, but I like reading. It was also a little bit difficult because all my exams were essays, but I like to write. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I had to read many books because I was in the Spanish Literature program. This is why it was very book-oriented. We also had class discussions. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 7 | Most of the classes I took were offered at night, which was great. They didn't offer Spanish classes during the weekends, which was disappointing. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | The professors were great. The library was big and it was open on Saturdays. |
| Social Life | 1 | I didn't attend social events and didn't see much school spirit. |
| Placement Services | 8 | I knew they had a job placement program. I received many brochures from them, but I didn't use their services because I had a job already. |
| Alumni Network | 5 | I remember using the computers at the library. |
SUNY Oswego • Oswego, NY
Studying Vocational Technical Education (completion in 1993)
• 1/4/2012
"I appreciated that it was an accelerated program. I felt somewhat locked in, as it was the only option to secure my credentials."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I guess I would have to, as this is the only option for this program. It has been many years since I went to school and maybe things have improved. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | In NY, this is the only school that provides the program for certification. I believe the reputation is good. |
| Program Quality | 8 | For the most part, I found that the program was good. There were some classes, mostly taught by adjuncts, that did not seem relevant to teaching; they seemed to be merely an additional hoop to jump through for credentials. |
| Instruction | 8 | Most of the instructors were very well prepared and seemed to want to impart their knowledge. For the most part, the information was relevant. |
| How Difficult | 7 | In general, learning comes easy for me. There were some students in the class who seemed to have much difficulty, especially with the practical exercises. I was already teaching, so I found those particular classes fun. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The facilities were below par and the access to anything other than a classroom was nonexistent. Many of the instructors did try and make the best of what they had to work with. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 6 | I went to evening classes. It was an accelerated program, so I didn't have to drive in December and January. I'm not sure about the other options. |
| Academic Facilities | 4 | I had to drive 50 miles one way to attend class at a satellite site. It was in a county office building. The facilities were below par and not very comfortable after teaching all day. |
| Social Life | I was a nontraditional student attending evenings at a satellite site. I was not involved in the average activities of a younger person who lived on campus. | |
| Placement Services | I was employed in a full-time teaching position while in the program. I did not use these particular services. | |
| Alumni Network | I never used the network. I was already employed when I started the program. I had no interest in any of the support services. |
Cornell University • Ithaca, NY
Studying Human Development (completion in 2006)
• 1/13/2012
"I had a tremendous experience studying at Cornell and I wouldn't change it for anything. I think that there are so many opportunities there and I was fortunate enough to take on many of them."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Cornell suits people from all over the world, in any study. This is the motto of the school and it truly delivers. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | I believe Cornell to be a frontrunner for nearly all sciences, including human sciences. I think that other schools look to Cornell for advice in how to make improvements, simply because it is such a successful program. |
| Program Quality | 9 | The school provided me with an excellent basis for understanding people and how important relationships are in their personal and academic development. Cornell allowed me to grow as a person through these courses. The expert professors were incredible and I was lucky enough to do research with one of my professors, which taught me a great deal. The major was small within the College of Human Ecology, which helped in the program's success. |
| Instruction | 9 | The teachers are extremely professional and knowledgeable, and they are experts in the field. Many of the professors I worked with were not only known in journals worldwide, but were excellent teachers, based on their methods of teaching. |
| How Difficult | 7 | Many people at Cornell believe this program to be easy compared to others, but I found it very challenging. It allowed you to choose your courses, and I chose a lot of courses within the school of Agriculture and Life Sciences, which had all of the Education courses. This allowed me to grow as a person dedicated to education, as well as stick within my major of Human Development. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I was able to conduct research with professors, which allowed me to get hands-on experience working with children in schools. My education courses also allowed me to intern at schools as a way to get into hands-on learning, instead of only the book learning that most of our classes entail. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 6 | I was able to take a good amount of Education courses, but it was not necessarily easy to do this. I will say that Cornell was extremely open to me taking these courses, but the program is so rigorous that I had to overwork for a few semesters to fit these into my schedule. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | There are over twenty libraries at Cornell that are housed with endless opportunities and resources. I never found resources at Cornell to be lacking, and I think that there was always a healthy support system of professors, tutors, and teaching assistants. |
| Social Life | 8 | Cornell is very fun, because the Greek scene is very big, as well as Cornell hockey and basketball. It was a fun place to be spending my undergraduate education. |
| Placement Services | 8 | Despite the recession, I did not have trouble getting a job; first, as a researcher in children's media, and then, as a high school teacher. I think that Cornell does a great job of having career fairs and other such opportunities. |
| Alumni Network | 7 | There is a great support group of alumni, although I have not used it as much as I should have. I recently attended my five-year reunion and heard from many people about the networking they have done since graduating from Cornell. Although I did not network much, I believe the alumni network to have a great support system for such opportunities. |
Teachers College, Columbia University • New York, NY
Studying Organizational Leadership (completion in 2010)
• 1/6/2012
"I feel confident and prepared to teach and lead a school. The professors were simply amazing."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I have recommended the school to a number of acquaintances. I believe it is a tremendous opportunity and investment in education. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | The school is ranked in the top 5 nationally for this program. I consider this extremely good. |
| Program Quality | 10 | The program was extremely well developed to provide real-world experience in educational leadership. I feel confident to move ahead in my career in education. |
| Instruction | 10 | The professors were the best in their field and literally wrote the books on the topics we discussed. While it was heavy on high-level school theory, it provided the opportunity to study certain topics in more depth. |
| How Difficult | 8 | It required careful planning and time management. The capstone project at the end to design a new school was time-consuming, but very rewarding. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Very hands-on activities and capstone project. I would say that there was a tremendous amount of reading required, but that was done for homework. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 1 | Prescribed curriculum and inflexible. This was not a problem as we worked with a cohort, but it was not flexible. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | The school libraries are among the top libraries in the world for education. I was able to reserve study rooms frequently for group projects, etc. |
| Social Life | 2 | As a summer school student, I did not get to experience the traditional graduate school activities. Also, as someone who lived out of state, I had difficulty making friends. |
| Placement Services | 7 | I live in a different state, and most of their job opportunities are closer to the school. However, if I were to move closer to the school, it would be wonderful. |
| Alumni Network | 9 | There are frequent alumni events and job opportunity emails. Because I reside in a different city, I have been surprised at the number of opportunities. |
SUNY College At Oneonta • Oneonta, NY
Studying Adolescence Education/Spanish (completion in 2010)
• 1/16/2012
"I would recommend this school to anyone. The town is great, but more importantly, the school provides so many opportunities for growth. The professors are professional and always willing to help. They were also some of the most intelligent people I have ever met. Any future educator would be so fortunate to have attended a school like Oneonta. I wouldn't change where I went to school for anything in the world."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | This school is ideal for teaching. Training educators has been what they do for over a hundred years. I don't believe another program even comes close in the way Oneonta prepares you for the classroom. Of course, they cannot guarantee each student a job, but they will give each one the skills needed to stand out in a competitive job market and show future administrators exactly what kind of teachers they need to hire. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | My school was the first state "normal school" or teaching training school, so it is renowned locally and nationally as an accredited institution for future educators. There is a lot demanded of an education major at Oneonta, but the preparation one receives before entering the classroom independently is very thorough. They have, in my opinion, one of the best education programs available in this country. |
| Program Quality | 10 | Oneonta was a fantastic school with knowledgeable professors in the field of education. In our language department too, we had mostly native speakers of Spanish teaching, which helped develop my language skills far beyond anything I was able to accomplish in high school. |
| Instruction | 10 | The curriculum for my program was stringent and specific; however, I felt very prepared, once I was in the classroom myself. Our professors were all educators themselves, so they brought real-world experiences with them to our classes, so that we could learn and grow from their successes and pitfalls. |
| How Difficult | 9 | The education program was rather difficult at times, especially for foreign language. Our professors demanded a lot from us as students, and before graduating, we had to produce rather large work samples to show to prospective school districts; however, my experiences in my undergraduate program helped shape me and prepare me for the difficult task that the first year of teaching is. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Our learning was definitely mostly hands on. We were required to be in the classroom every semester observing and often taking part in activities. For methods, we completed a required number of classroom hours, as well as many work samples used to mark our progress as an educator and evaluate ourselves and our observations. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | For my program specifically, it was rather difficult to be flexible, as many classes were taken in sequence and some were only offered in the fall. However, there were some winter/summer classes and many evening classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | Our library was essential to my workflow as an undergrad. The quiet areas were where I was able to conduct the most research and accomplish the most. They also had resources available specifically for Education majors, such as a section of textbooks currently used in public schools. |
| Social Life | 10 | I was able to meet some great people through my program. The education department hosted several events throughout the year to introduce us to each other and to prospective students. In addition, the foreign language department was small and close-knit. Every professor knew every student's name and introduced us to each other. In addition, there were many clubs and events offered by the school that provided opportunities to meet new people. |
| Placement Services | 7 | Our department guided us through every step for getting certified, fingerprinted, and looking for jobs. They also introduced us to OLAS, the website used for finding teaching jobs locally. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | I receive newsletters and emails constantly updating me about alumni functions. Also, there is a separate website where alumni can be recognized for their accomplishments and share about their experiences at Oneonta. |
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