Computer Training - Finding A School

You've made up your mind that you're going to attend a school and get some kind of computer training, whether it be computer programming, web design, networking, computer repair, or even just data entry. The question is, what school do you go to? How do you even go about picking a school? What should you look for in a school? How can you tell a good school from a bad one? The last question is sometimes the hardest one to answer but hopefully, by the time you're done reading this, you'll have a good idea of what to be on the lookout for.

The first thing you will notice about any school is how much it costs to go there. The price ranges, depending on the course of study, can be all over the map. Some schools can charge as much as $5,000, like the famous Chubb Institute for one of their programs. Other schools may be as cheap as $1500 for the same program. Does that mean Chubb is better or are they just overpriced and you're paying for the name?

Fortunately, in most cases, you get what you pay for. Chubb has a reputation of having the best instructors to go along with the best programs and that's the first thing you look at, the school's reputation. Dig up all you can about the school. Ask people in the community. Visit message boards. Do as much research as you can before making your decision. Of course, there is going to be good and bad said about everything, but the good should outweigh the bad if the school is top notch.

The next thing you have to do is see if the school itself will satisfy your needs as a student. You may not know what those needs are so here is a short list.

For starters, you want to make sure that the tuition includes all books and supplies. You don't want to sign up for a course that costs $5,000 and find out that books and lab time are extra. Get all the costs right up front when you visit the enrolment office.

The next thing you want to ask is if the instructors themselves are certified by the state. Unfortunately, because most computer schools are private schools, state certification is not required. This doesn't mean the instructors are not qualified but it does leave room for doubt. If the school hires anybody off the street who just happens to say he can teach, you could be in for a very unpleasant experience.

After that, you need to ask about lab time. In most computer courses, there is a lot of hands on work. You need to make sure that you will have access to the lab during hours that you can attend. The last thing you want is to find out that lab hours are from 2 to 4 each day and you have a part time job during those hours. Ideally, you want a lab that's open all day and night. Many schools will have this option.

Finally, you want to ask about job placement services. This is probably the most crucial area of any school. No matter how good the training, it is difficult to land that first job without a good placement center that has access to major companies. This is where a school like Chubb has a big advantage over many schools as Chubb is a company by itself and they hire many of their own students if they are qualified.

By looking at the above things when choosing a school, you have an excellent chance of finding a computer school that is just right for you.

Michael Russell
Your Independent guide to Computer Training