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 Santa Monica College, Pasadena City College, Berkeley City College, and Moorpark 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 Bethesda Christian, Cal State L.A., Cal State Stanislaus, and MTI College.
- Diverse: For a diverse student body, consider Rio Hondo College, Cal State L.A., UC Riverside, and UC Irvine.
- Adult Learners: For lots of adult learners, consider Palo Verde College, Mendocino College, Cerro Coso Community College, and Claremont.
School Setting
- Out of State: For geographic diversity, take note of Santa Clara University, USF, University of Redlands, and Bethesda Christian.
- Dorms: For a residential campus environment, take note of Simpson University, Point Loma Nazarene University, UC Irvine, and Concordia.
Excellence
- SAT: For students with high SAT scores, look at Cal Berkeley, UCLA, Santa Clara University, and Pacific.
- % Accepted: For selective institutions, look at Cal Berkeley, UCLA, Cal State San Bernardino, and CSU Channel Islands.
- Class Size: For small class sizes, look at Pacific, Claremont, Santa Clara University, and Point Loma Nazarene University.
Student/Alumnus Reviews of Schools for This Career and State
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University Of California Santa Cruz • Santa Cruz, CA
Studying Philosophy And Biochemistry (completion in 2000)
• 7/25/2011
"I think I got a good education and had caring, excellent, and engaged professors. I don't think the reputation of the school enhances my career choices."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | While I didn't study systems analysis or anything to do with computers or information sciences, my Philosophy degree prepared me very well as a thinker and as a writer. If someone knows they want to do business analysis, however, I might suggest a more career oriented program. UCSC focuses on pure learning as opposed to career focused. There was, last I looked, an undergraduate program in information management, but it is not a focus of the university. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | I am not sure about the school's reputation in philosophy, but I believe UCSC has a good reputation in Biochemistry. Some of the best biochemists in the world, one a contender for a Nobel Prize, teach undergraduates there. |
| Program Quality | 6 | Generally, UCSC was a good school although I was not as prepared for the GRE as I expected to be in Biochemistry. In Philosophy, I feel that I learned to think well and it probably made me the analyst I am today; however, I didn't feel that I got the breadth of the history of philosophical thought that I wanted. |
| Instruction | 6 | The quality of the instruction was very high in most cases. The instructors were very interested and experienced. I do think the philosophy program prepared me to think and write well. The biochemistry curriculum was focused on chemistry and didn't prepare me as well in biology so my performance on the GRE was less than stellar. I would have enjoyed greater breadth in the philosophy department; however, this is a comment on the curriculum, not the instructors. The instructors were exceptional for the most part in both programs. |
| How Difficult | 7 | The biochemistry degree in particular was quite difficult, although I was able to get A's. This was a function of the course of study more than the university in general. Physical chemistry, quantum mechanics, and biochemistry in general is difficult material. In Philosophy, it was the complexity of the reading and the writing requirements that were difficult. Kant, Hume, and Heidegger are just plain difficult to read and understand. I think the courses themselves could have been more challenging. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Most courses are taught in the traditional lecture and reading assignment way. Students have good access to join faculty in research so there are opportunities for hands-on learning, but it is not the focus. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 6 | At the time, there were no weekend or online options. Evening and summer options were available. Evening classes were mostly in sections; however, they were not designed as an alternative for working people. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The library system is excellent because you have the entire University of California system if the actual library doesn't have the book needed. Media and computer resources seem average. The laboratories seem average in terms of resources available; however, the ability of undergraduates to take part in high quality research is exceptional. Most classrooms are nice - perhaps slightly above average. The availability of tutors is OK. One thing that is truly exceptional is access to professors. Top UCSC professors are available to undergraduates and even teach introductory courses. |
| Social Life | 3 | I believe this was my fault because I was slightly older, lived off campus, and didn't make friends easily. I believe the social atmosphere at UCSC is average to slightly above average. |
| Placement Services | 5 | I didn't take advantage of job placement and career services. I don't believe they have a large program for this. They certainly didn't advertise it when I was an undergraduate. |
| Alumni Network | 6 | I haven't used the alumni services much. I am not sure they have exceptional post-degree support, but I'm concerned that I'm not a good judge of this. |
Harbor College • Los Angeles, CA
Studying Business Information Systems (completion in 2009)
• 7/26/2011
"I was very satisfied with the school because I achieved what I wanted through effort and determination. I was able to overcome all the obstacles that can be found in many educational institutions of higher learning."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | Maybe I would it to recommend someone, but what matters most is one's level of effort and determination. It does not depend on the instructor; it depends on and begins with you in showing motivation and the ability to learn to become what you want to be in the future. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | The school is average in terms of reputation of my major. The reason for this is that the school is very small and only has a few students in the academic major I was studying. |
| Program Quality | 5 | See my previous answer. |
| Instruction | 5 | The instruction was excellent in helping to overcome all forms of obstacles, such as the lack of equipment and books. |
| How Difficult | 5 | The program wasn't too easy, and neither was it too hard. All that mattered was a student's determination and effort. Without hard work there was no way a student could be successful. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The school had both hands on and book learning to ensure that students understood materials properly. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | The class schedule was extremely flexible and the faculty did an excellent job of ensuring that students adhered to their schedules and class hours. |
| Academic Facilities | 5 | The facilities in my program weren't good enough. I'd propose or support more proper funding from the department of education towards buying more equipment for the school. |
| Social Life | 10 | In terms of social events such as clubs, I would argue the school to be the best in this field. The school has many organizations for those with different interests. |
| Placement Services | 5 | The career and job placement services are on average. The reason for this is a lack of staff with expertise in this important department. |
| Alumni Network | 10 | The alumni network was excellent. The school had a very supportive staff that supported students and the entire alumni the best they could. |
Sacramento State University • Sacramento, CA
Studying Biological Sciences (completion in 2008)
• 8/13/2011
"I wasn't involved enough in school to get the most out of it. However, it was difficult to utilize the resources available."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | It's very cheap compared to private schools. And it's very convenient for people in Sacramento who want a 4 year degree and can't afford to pay for a UC. But it won't be a complete education and it might be an uphill battle, depending on the faculty at the time. |
| Program Reputation | 2 | They cut essential classes out of the core merely to accelerate people to graduate. The classes I took to get a BS are not required any longer and what used to be a BA curriculum is now for a BS in Biological Sciences. |
| Program Quality | 7 | The most informative and knowledgeable professors were the last professors I had classes with. Their teaching methodologies helped me get better at studying and learning, but I was already finished with school by then. |
| Instruction | 6 | Some of the professors were challenging and helped me adjust my learning style, but some just allowed me to blow off class, which became a problem for me down the road. It was apparent which professors loved their job and which were just collecting a check. |
| How Difficult | 5 | There were very hard classes and very easy classes. They all evened out to be average. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The school didn't have a lot of money, so it was mostly theoretical. Hands on stuff was with equipment that no one had used in decades. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 1 | Most of the necessary courses had ONE session which was in the middle of the day, making it impossible for people who have full time jobs to take courses. Community colleges nearby are much more accommodating and have more class sections available. |
| Academic Facilities | 4 | Computers are old and there are a lot of people in class. There are no official tutors at all; study groups are formed by students within individual classes, and there is no help in facilitating them. Labs were filled with equipment that no modern industry labs would use, so the lab experiments were largely useless. |
| Social Life | 1 | I didn't have a lot of time and didn't have a car, so I couldn't participate in extracurricular stuff since it was usually late at night, after the buses stopped running. There were also membership fees which were pretty steep for plain membership. |
| Placement Services | 1 | There was no job assistance. Our career center was a room with computers and one person who would just direct you to Monster.com or newspapers. |
| Alumni Network | 4 | A lot of the professors tried to be unapproachable and intimidating in instruction so they would not be bothered by students during office hours. Since a lot of the staff was tenured, there was no way to break them of this attitude, and so some of the students suffered. |
Azusa Pacific University • Azusa, CA
Studying Management Of Information Systems (completion in 2009)
• 10/29/2011
"I had literally attended a total of nine colleges over the years working toward my degree. This allowed me to experience a wide variety of different methods of teaching. By far the Christ centered focus of APU was the best of all these college experiences."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I have recommended APU to a lot of potential students. Especially when I hear of students who are not feeling encouragement or care from the school they are at, I tell them about my great experience at APU. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | The school's reputation is good and getting better. I have looked at the US. News and World Report rankings and they are coming up in those ranks. |
| Program Quality | 10 | The education I received at APU was as good as any other school, but the concentration on a Christian education made it a much better learning environment. I also felt like for the first time the school actually wanted me to do well in my studies. |
| Instruction | 8 | Very good instruction, but I did have a couple of teachers who were adjunct teachers and therefore were not teachers by trade. This allowed for some difficult classes, but also there were other times when these same teachers brought real life experience to the classroom that really helped solidify the information. |
| How Difficult | 8 | The particular program I was enrolled in was more focused on essay style than test style grading. This was good for me since I enjoyed writing more than I did taking tests. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The program I was in was very hands on and I think this was one of the big reasons I excelled there. Academic theory though books was definitely part of the course work, but the focus was on hands on learning. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | The program I was in allowed me to work full time and go to school at night. This was very flexible and allowed me to complete my degree while keeping my job. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | I had full access to all the computer labs and libraries that I needed for my studies. This was a great resource and allowed me to do well while I was attending. |
| Social Life | 7 | I was very focused in my studies, but I did make friends and still have those relationships today. The school encouraged working groups that sprouted friendships. The school does have a great athletic department but I didn't do much in the way of game attendance during my time there. |
| Placement Services | I already had a job while I was in school so I never participated in these services. I did have professors who encouraged students to keep in touch with them for later career needs, but I never tested this. | |
| Alumni Network | 8 | The school does an excellent job of encouraging alumni to keep in touch. There are resources and networks created specifically for this. |
Chapman University • Orange, CA
Studying Business Administration (completion in 2001)
• 10/29/2011
"Chapman is a great place to obtain your degree. They are a Christian based school with a strong academic program."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | I would highly recommend Chapman! There is so much to gain, both academically and socially, at this school. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | Chapman has a very good reputation. Their business school is well known in Southern California. |
| Program Quality | 8 | Chapman is a great business school. They offer many useful courses taught by knowledgeable professors. |
| Instruction | 8 | The instructors are knowledgeable. They provide quality instruction. |
| How Difficult | 5 | The academic program is comparable to other business schools in the area. The courses are challenging, but not too difficult. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Most courses are very book learning oriented, though, I did take a course that included a weekend team building retreat. I was so impressed with all that I learned!! | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | Classes are offered at different times throughout the day and evening. Chapman also offers an adult program, offsite, which offers evening and summer classes. |
| Academic Facilities | 8 | The campus offers many options and resources for courses. They have a ton of space to accommodate classrooms, libraries, etc. |
| Social Life | 8 | There are social events for all ages. They accommodate both the younger students and the older/working adults. |
| Placement Services | 8 | Chapman has a network of professionals and alumni. There is an entire program to assist with job placement and career services. |
| Alumni Network | 9 | The alumni association has a great communication network. They have many avenues to communicate, including the school website, Facebook, and other such sites. |
San Jose State University • San Jose, CA
Studying Computer Science (completion in 1985)
• 12/12/2011
"Nothing I can complain about. I was at the right school."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Why not? If I was happy there, someone else should be happy also. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | SJSU computer academics rank 22nd, I think, for some time. This should mean something to the academic world. |
| Program Quality | 9 | During my time at SJSU, the school provided the latest studies in computer science, so I was quite happy. It was also near where I lived. |
| Instruction | 9 | The whole experience with SJSU brought me to what I am today. The broad curriculum made me able to cope with new technology and has equipped me with knowledge that surpasses time, in terms of technology. |
| How Difficult | 9 | Though the challenges were at times tough, especially when it came to programming languages, I was able to pass all the academic requirements. The instructors were always there and making sure their students learned and understood everything before the term ended. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | SJSU provided both hands-on and book learning equally. The labs were particularly sufficient. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | During my time there, it was easy arranging my schedule. I never had difficulty in that area. |
| Academic Facilities | 9 | I never had problems with facilities with SJSU. They were pretty much updated. |
| Social Life | 9 | I was a party animal. I enjoyed my social experience a lot, especially my freshman year. |
| Placement Services | 8 | I never got any assistance with job placement from SJSU. I know that it exists, though. |
| Alumni Network | 7 | I know the SJSU Alumni Association is quite active. I never get the chance to be involved, though. |
Santa Monica College • Santa Monica, CA
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2012)
• 1/11/2012
"They prepared me well for my career. I was able to start a new job with a good understanding of what was expected of me because of that."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | If you are smart enough, this career path is fun and high-paying. |
| Program Reputation | 10 | The college has top transfer percentages and are very picky about who they hire to teach math and sciences. |
| Program Quality | 10 | My college was very tough. They are one of the top community colleges for transfers to four year universities. |
| Instruction | 10 | Instructors were current in their field. They had firsthand knowledge of the subject matter. |
| How Difficult | 8 | The programming side was easy; the math requirements were tough, especially in the upper level calculus classes. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | It was a good mix of textbook and classroom instruction. Tons of programming assignments and computer work. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 3 | Certain classes were only held during the day. This made it difficult to complete the major. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | The teachers pride themselves on providing top-notch counseling on the subject material. The computer lab is up to date. |
| Social Life | 5 | I did not participate in other programs other than in my degree area. I did hear about many on campus activities and athletic events. |
| Placement Services | Never heard of outplacement services from the college. They provide no career assistance. | |
| Alumni Network | I have never even heard of an alumni association. Beyond that, I have never heard of the school counselors providing support and job placement in my area. |
Valley College • San Bernardino, CA
Studying Accounting (completion in 2014)
• 3/10/2012
"The price is very low and almost anyone can afford it. It is also five minutes from my house."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | maybe | It would depend on the location of the person that I would be recommending. If it was my neighbor, I would definitely recommend it. |
| Program Reputation | 5 | There are three other community colleges nearby. They all seem to offer the same things. |
| Program Quality | 7 | I enjoy my school. It is nice, just not as nice as other schools in nicer areas. |
| Instruction | 7 | So far, all of my teachers seem to know what they are talking about. The only bad thing is that sometimes they are unavailable to answer questions. |
| How Difficult | 5 | Some people may find the classwork difficult. I enjoy the work so it doesn't seem that hard. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Most of the work is out of a textbook. Even the lab-class that I took was still mostly out of a textbook. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 9 | My college offers a very flexible class schedule. They have classes at all times, plus online classes and hybrid classes. They even have a select number of classes that meet off campus. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | When I first started attending, their facilities were pretty outdated. They just finished building a new library which is state of the art, and they are currently rebuilding many of the other classrooms. |
| Social Life | 3 | I've been to a few parties but I haven't been to any organized events. That is not because they don't offer them, it's because I have just chosen not to go. |
| Placement Services | 3 | This may be because of my limited research done so far. I am unaware of any job placement programs. |
| Alumni Network | 1 | I am currently attending a community college. I am unaware of any alumni groups related to my school. |
West Los Angeles College • Los Angeles, CA
Studying DBMS (Database Management Systems) (completion in 2012)
• 3/14/2012
"I'm satisfied with the knowledge they gave me and the overall experience given by the school. Tuition fees are really worth the cost."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | Yes I would. Given what I gained from my school, it is really worth going. Also, professors and staffs are accommodating and trustworthy. I gained a lot of experience going to this school. It provides high quality education. |
| Program Reputation | 7 | We are known to be one of best schools in the state of California. Programs are known to all. |
| Program Quality | 10 | The course I've taken have been excellent. They also offer programs for extra-curricular activities in addition to the courses. |
| Instruction | 8 | The school provides high quality instruction to students enrolled. Knowledge gained is excellent and is also enough to land a great job. Discussions were related to course topics and current technologies were taught. |
| How Difficult | 10 | Difficult. Students must finish an individual thesis involving a business application of Data Mining and Business Related topics. Coverage of the scope of the thesis was big. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | They tend to balance the hands-on and book learning in our college. There are specific hours for written learning and programming/hands-on work. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 8 | |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | We have the latest technologies in our Server rooms to provide students advanced learning skills. |
| Social Life | 8 | Not into parties, but my social experience was good. I made lots of colleagues and friends and hung out with them often. |
| Placement Services | 8 | Placement office provides good career seeking programs to those who are about to graduate. Also, we are informed through text or phone call when certain companies announce job openings. |
| Alumni Network | 8 | A good network among alumni of the College. They participate in College affairs. |
Cal Poly Pomona • Pomona, CA
Studying Computer Information Systems (completion in 2006)
• 3/15/2012
"Overall, Cal Poly provided a good education to prepare for a career. The school also provided good assistance with finding a job."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | The CIS program has a good reputation with many employers. Many companies actively recruit students from the school. |
| Program Reputation | 9 | The CIS program has a good reputation and DoD certification for computer forensics. There is also a very well regarded IT audit program. |
| Program Quality | 8 | The CIS program has a good reputation with many employers. Many professors were well qualified and well regarded in their fields. |
| Instruction | 8 | Many classes provided hands on labs which greatly helps in learning a concept. Multiple course tracks were available to focus more intently on a particular subject (networking, app. development, etc). |
| How Difficult | 7 | Quarter system makes classes very fast paced. However, most assignments could be completed with proper time management. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | Many classes required hands-on time in labs to complete projects. In addition, there were "service-learning" projects which involved interacting with the surrounding community to complete a graded project. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 5 | Very few online classes were available. Many classes were only offered in one section, so there is no choice as to when to take the class. |
| Academic Facilities | 7 | Professors were generally available several hours a week for office hours. There were very limited tutoring resources available for CIS majors. |
| Social Life | 4 | Majority of students commuted, which limits the amount of activities on campus. No football team to rally for, and therefore there was little visible school spirit. |
| Placement Services | 8 | The school provided a decent career center with resume help. The CIS program required taking a course in IT careers and provided resume and interviewing help. |
| Alumni Network | 6 | There is minimum networking and support from the alumni network at Cal Poly. There is better networking through former members of the student run clubs. (MISSA). |
Santa Rosa Junior College • Santa Rosa, CA
Studying Computer Science (completion in 2014)
• 4/4/2012
"I was greatly satisfied. It was what I hoped it would be."
Ratings are on a 1-10 scale
| Characteristic | Rating | Comment |
|---|---|---|
| Would Recommend? | yes | The Computer Science department is strong as SRJC. They will prepare you for the field adequately. |
| Program Reputation | 8 | From those who have heard of it it's great. But it's not well-known. |
| Program Quality | 10 | I feel the courses were easy to pass yet prepared me for the job. |
| Instruction | 9 | Some of the teachers were better than others. The overall instruction was better than average. |
| How Difficult | 9 | It is a challenging subject. However, If you're interested it's not as challenging as you might think. |
| Hands-On vs. Bookish | The classes were small. Everything about this field is hands-on and the classes reflect that. | |
| Schedule Flexibility | 10 | They offer regular classes. They also offer night, weekend, and online courses. |
| Academic Facilities | 10 | All the facilities are great and newish. The library is huge. |
| Social Life | 7 | It's not a sports kind of school. I never heard of any parties but that may be because I was in the Computer Science courses. |
| Placement Services | 10 | I hear it's good. I didn't use it. |
| Alumni Network | 7 | I was able to hire someone from the JC after getting my job I have now. The network itself isn't that active. |
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