| DeVry University has its roots from way back in 1931 | | | | professors, but also the ability for them, as students, |
| as a film and radio repair teaching establishment. | | | | to learn at a higher level. |
| Today it is amongst the largest schools run for profit | | | | The overall quality of education is considered to be |
| in the United States. The University as a company | | | | quite good by both current students and federal |
| also finds mention in the '100 best Corporate Citizen' | | | | regulators. However, unlike less rigorous competitors, |
| list ranked at number 11. Through the years, over a | | | | the quality of the education comes at a price. The |
| quarter of a million students have graduated from | | | | school is quick to place students on probation, should |
| the University. Its total number of enrolments | | | | the student's grades fall even a little. Such a strict |
| according some estimates is around 50,000, which is | | | | discipline is perhaps good when you look at the |
| a tad lower than that of Phoenix University. | | | | future employability of the student. Tie this with the |
| DeVry University boasts of 70 odd locations from | | | | figure of 90 % of the university graduates (who |
| where students can take classes. Students can also | | | | actively pursued employment or were already |
| take online classes. The most important attribute of | | | | employed when they graduated) finding jobs in their |
| the University is the range of programs offered. | | | | referred field within 6 months. While certainly there is |
| There is something for every body - full time, part | | | | some room for the University to have fiddled with |
| time, night study or weekend classes or pure online | | | | the figures, this number is nonetheless quite |
| classes. By offering both online and brick and mortar | | | | impressive. It is important to note, however, that in |
| classes at a variety of locations, students find they | | | | light of this statistic the University qualifies their 90% |
| are able to find the combination that best suits their | | | | claim by omitting some students who were never |
| needs. | | | | employed before or during their education at the |
| The university is fully accredited and offers various | | | | university, and are finding it a difficult job to get |
| courses in areas of Electrical Engineering, | | | | employed. Some students argue that this is because, |
| Telecommunications and Business Administration at | | | | despite the quality of education, the reputation of |
| both undergraduate as well as graduate levels. This | | | | the school remains sub-par amongst employers. |
| differentiates the school from some of the other | | | | The universities price tag and associated fees are on |
| online universities, like Capella, that have repeatedly | | | | par with its other online competitors, but it is |
| failed to receive accreditation for its programs. Of | | | | important to note that this does not always mean a |
| particular note, is the business school, which has a | | | | bargain compared to other public brick-and-mortar |
| strong focus on business management. Management | | | | universities. |
| education is imparted via, the Keller Graduate School | | | | One of the major deficiencies of DeVry University |
| of Management and as such is quite focused and | | | | appears to be its administrative department. Students |
| current in its curriculum. | | | | frequently claim to have difficulty in dealing with the |
| Another good thing about the university is the | | | | financial aid department as well as with the other |
| 'part-time job services', which offers to find part time | | | | student services departments. |
| jobs for students wanting to earn while they learn. | | | | Many students express some serious displeasure with |
| Students can earn from $6.5 to $10 per hour at | | | | the marketability of their Devry degree. They are |
| entry level. But students have often been seen to be | | | | finding that despite the quality of education and rigor |
| complaining about the frequency with which the job | | | | of the university, that some employers do not yet |
| postings are updated. Even the limitations of the job | | | | regard the school as equivalent to a more traditional |
| board, however, are a stark improvement over some | | | | four year brick-and-mortar school. Another cadre of |
| of its online competitors which do not even offer the | | | | students report, however, that they have found the |
| service at all. | | | | benefits of having the degree a very tangible benefit. |
| Online education is imparted in collaboration with | | | | Other than this deficiency, however, it appears that |
| CertifyOnline, which provides DeVry with the | | | | in the actual business of teaching and learning, DeVry |
| reference materials, tests and online labs. This enables | | | | surpasses its online competitors. The question facing |
| availability of courses and reference materials in | | | | incoming students, is however, what is the ultimate |
| synchronous format with live instructions as well as in | | | | purpose of that college degree. |
| archived video media. The class sizes are small and | | | | Jean-Paul Chortillion enjoys writing about online |
| offer personalized attention. That said, many | | | | education. For more information, see this review of |
| students find that the formulated testing and | | | | DeVry University. |
| teaching limits not only the creativity of their | | | | |