Here are some tips for selecting schools, based on an analysis comparing each school to all others across dozens of factors:
Schools Concentrating On Systems Analysts
- Focus: For schools with a focus on this career area, look at Columbia Southern University, Troy University, University of West Alabama, and Alabama 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 Troy University, University of West Alabama, Auburn, and University of North Alabama.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Oakwood University, Miles College, Columbia Southern University, and Faulkner.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Troy University and University of West Alabama.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Oakwood University, Columbia Southern University, Alabama State, and Miles College.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Oakwood University, University of Montevallo, Miles College, and Alabama State.
Excellence
- SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at Auburn, UA Hunstville, UAB, and UA.
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at Alabama State and Oakwood University.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at UAB, Oakwood University, Miles College, and Auburn.
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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University Of North Alabama • Florence, AL
Studying Geography (completion in 2008)
• 11/7/2011
"As from my previous comments, it is a great school on so many levels. Over 10% of the students are international students, making a rich and diverse environment in which to learn and grow."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would recommend my department and school to anyone looking at entering the same field. I actually have recruited several friends and co-workers from previous jobs into joining the department. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | The geography program at the University of North Alabama is one of the best in the state and graduates are often in high demand for their strong technical skill set. My current job was obtained mainly through contacts and from being a graduate of that department. |
| Program Quality | 10 | The University of North Alabama has one of the highest employment rates for new graduates. When I graduated from the department in 2008, the employment success rate for new graduates was 95%. The teachers have a hands-on learning approach and the department focuses on students, not on research. This allows the teachers to focus on developing the best and brightest students. |
| Instruction | 9 | The department is recognized as one of the best in the state and new graduates are better prepared than students graduating from some master's programs in the state. Class sizes are small and the teachers work with students outside of the classroom to ensure everyone has an opportunity. |
| How Difficult | 7 | It is considered a fairly challenging program. I found it to be somewhat easy but only because it interested me very much. I immersed myself into the program which made it easier for me. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The department is a fair mix of theory versus application. Typically. concepts are first learned through theory, generally lecture and reading assignments. Once general concepts are gleaned, we are trained to apply that knowledge into real-world applications. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | It is a flexible program. Several classes are offered online, but generally most require in class training. During the summer they have a wide array of options, from international travel to geomorphology tours of the US to amazing summer internships. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | The program and the school in general are under-budgeted. Our computers tended to be outdated, as did the classrooms. That said, the department works very hard, along with students, to help promote fundraising and donations. |
| Social Life | 10 | The department breeds teamwork. I have made some of my closest friendships and best professional contacts through the department. |
| Placement Services | 10 | As previously stated, when I graduated there was a 95% success rate for graduates finding immediate positions. I actually was offered my job three months prior to my graduation. |
| Alumni Network | 10 | They stay in close contact with all graduates. I live 75 miles from where I graduated and my department send someone into this area once a month for a faculty and alumni mixer. They also have a yearly alumni conference and are the only department to do so. This keeps all the students in touch with one another and allows us to create strong contacts and network with fellow graduates. |
University Of Alabama • Tuscaloosa, AL
Studying Management Information Systems (completion in 2010)
• 3/10/2012
"The school was excellent, but it is not a top tier liberal arts college. My siblings both went to liberal arts colleges and I believe they received a more customized educational experience, but for a large state school, Alabama was everything I could have hoped for and more."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | The school is great for people interested in Information systems. The program is great and the level of faculty interaction is unparalleled. I believe I was very well equipped for my career, even more so than those from higher rated schools. |
| Program Reputation | 6 | Our reputation as a school, specifically a state school, actually hurt the offerings of companies where I interviewed. Companies that actively hired from our program knew our value and treated us much better, but the state school stigma was still very prevalent. |
| Program Quality | 10 | My program allowed me the opportunity to work with real clients during the course of my education. This has proved extremely valuable not only when I first started, but it has provided me insight to help me benchmark the value I am providing to clients. It was essentially two years of experience in an educational setting. |
| Instruction | 8 | The instructors are wonderful, but the curricula in the first two years could be polished to better prepare students for the projects in the last two years. |
| How Difficult | 7 | The coursework was difficult, but more than that, it required up to 40 hours of out of classroom work per week which mimicked a real life environment. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | I had a more hands on experience. A lot of my friends received no hands on experience, though. It really depended on your field of study. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | The level of effort required for several of the degrees offered is beyond being able to offer flexible schedules, but an attempt was being made when I graduated to provide more online and evening classes. The eMBA program was also very attractive to those already working. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The computer facilities were great for the college and program I was in, but the general resources for the University could have been improved, especially the quantity of resources available for general student use. The library was great, and the advisors were there but underutilized. If you needed something you could find it, but navigating all of the resources provided was difficult. |
| Social Life | 10 | There was always something going on. Intramurals were huge, football games and basketball games were fun and very well attended. The Greek system is also a big part of the university. |
| Placement Services | 7 | The school's career center was pretty good, but the program's faculty really went the extra mile. Everyone in my program had at least 1 job offer 6 months before we graduated. |
| Alumni Network | 10 | We had alumni forums where our alumni would come back to the university and meet the current students. Our resumes we're also compiled and sent to the alumni that were able to provide job opportunities. I also still talk to people I graduated with, and meet them at alumni reunions in different cities at least once a year. |
University Of Alabama In Huntsville • Huntsville, AL
Studying MIS (completion in 2012)
• 3/14/2012
"I liked UAH, there were just a few things about the school that left a bad taste in my mouth. Overall there are really good people there who are willing to help, and it is a beautiful campus."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would recommend this school to others. The MIS program is a pretty easy path to take at UAH. The teachers are also very nice in the major. |
| Program Reputation | 6 | UAH is known more for engineering than MIS. There really is no reputation for MIS majors, just computer guys. |
| Program Quality | 6 | College was helpful for the basics. Feel like most of the classes at the end weren't needed. |
| Instruction | 5 | I didn't really learn a lot that was relevant. Basically, I got a general understanding of a few languages. Other than that, it was just class. |
| How Difficult | 5 | Not really a huge workload and professors were laid back. Classes were pretty easy but could be hard at times. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Some professors were straight from the book and powerpoints. Other professors never touched a book and used discussions and projects to teach. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 6 | Most classes were actually pretty lenient on scheduling. Professors are willing to work with you. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | UAH has very nice facilities and resources. Classes were always open and not to crowded, and there were always study groups available to students. |
| Social Life | 5 | Students are shy at UAH, so there isn't really a lot of social interaction. You always meet new friends in class though. |
| Placement Services | 3 | Though the school had systems in place for job placement, they were overcrowded. Not really much assistance due to that fact. |
| Alumni Network | 4 | Though there is an alumni network in place, it is small. Not much support for alumni of the school. |
Alabama State University • Montgomery, AL
Studying Information Systems (completion in 2005)
• 3/13/2012
"I love ASU. I still go back today and encourage others to follow the course. I think the Information Systems field is a great area."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would not hesitate to recommend this school. Some of the same teachers are there. The dean of the College of Business Administration is new, but the staff still functions well together. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | The College of Business Administration is great. It has always been a wonderful part of the entire school because they turn out some very successful analysts, accountants, and marketing managers. |
| Program Quality | 8 | ASU provided a great foundation for learning about problem solving in different areas. I would not trade this experience for anything. The classes were right on point with what I do right now. |
| Instruction | 9 | The instructors were good. They gave you a hard time if you didn't do the homework or practice learning the concepts, and that is what I needed. |
| How Difficult | 7 | The program was not that difficult if you studied the material. I believe lots of people would agree that there is a challenge, but that is okay if you are up for the challenge that these courses bring. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | We got a good mix of hands on work and book-based lectures. This was a good thing because you get to know both sides of the field. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | There were some great classes, even in Communications. I took some after 5:30 and the instructors where lively and interested even at that time in the evening. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | There are lots of places to study and I applaud the school for that. There are also multiple labs and areas to meet as groups. All of these things make the learning experience better. |
| Social Life | 10 | There were lots of different social events. I went to all of the home games in basketball and football. I even watched the band practice when I hung out on campus. That was a social event in itself. |
| Placement Services | 8 | The career placement service is good. The director that is running things keeps recruiters coming into the school at a very steady pace. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | I still stay in touch with some of my classmates, one of whom is my boss. I still see my instructors around town all the time. That is why I would say that alumni relations are great. |
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