Neumont University Reviews Educational Bang for Your Buck

Neumont Univeristy: Proven Bang for the Educational Buck

President Obama is introducing a new scorecard to measure a university's "bang for [the] educational buck." Neumont University has long been advocating for this sort of institutional-value reporting by publishing an annual Return on Investment.

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SALT LAKE CITY, Feb.14, 2013  -- In last night's State of the Union address, President Obama stated, "My administration will release a new "College Scorecard" that parents and students can use to compare schools based on a simple criteria- where you can get the most bang for your educational buck."  Utah's Neumont University couldn't agree more.

 

Neumont University's President, Edward H. Levine , has long been an advocate of measuring universities on student outcomes and return on tuition investment, not research and athletic programs.  "A college education is one of the most substantial investments a family will make, and universities have an obligation to weigh the cost of tuition against the expected earnings of their graduates. At Neumont University, our student loan default rate is low, graduation rates are high, and more than 96 percent of our graduates are employed in their field -computer science- upon graduation. What's more, we have not raised tuition for five consecutive years. We are proud to be a nimble educator where student outcomes are a priority."

Over the past three years, companies ranging from local technology firms to industry giants like Microsoft and IBM have been competing to hire Neumont's top talent, making offers designed to attract Neumont graduates with generous average starting compensation ranging from $60,000 to $100,000, travel and equipment allowances, stock options, and student loan reimbursements. Considering Neumont's $72,000 tuition cost (before scholarship), and Neumont's compressed 2.5 years to a bachelor's degree schedule, Neumont graduates enjoy a return on their tuition investment that is unparalleled in higher education. Laura Parson , Neumont's Director of University Relations says, "A focus on relevant education and graduate outcomes has consistently been a cornerstone of the Neumont approach. Neumont works with industry leaders to build a curriculum designed around the education and skills that are in high demand. "

Michael Ziminsky , age 20, was aggressively pursued by some of Neumont's top employer partners and received multiple offers with generous compensation packages well above the $60,000[1] national average for computer science graduates before he accepted an offer as a Software Engineer at TripAdvisor. He has said of his education, "The real world project experience I have gained from Neumont's classes and Enterprise projects has been invaluable throughout the interviewing process - my transition into the workforce will be nearly seamless.

ABOUT NEUMONT UNIVERSITY

Neumont University has long been praised by industry leaders like Microsoft, Amazon, Google, IBM and even the Department of Education[2] for its innovative, paradigm-shifting approach to computer science education.  Neumont has re-engineered the traditional four-year college degree into an intense, 2.5 to 3.0 year course of study where students are enrolled year-round in a full-time schedule that replicates the work environment – with no summers off.

Neumont University offers the following programs with a focus on digital science:

• Bachelor of Science in Computer Science
• Bachelor of Science in Software and Game Development
• Bachelor of Science in Business Technology Operations Management
• Bachelor of Science in Web Design and Development

From day one, students are immersed in a rigorous, project-based curriculum and complete up to three quarters of Enterprise Projects, a sequence of mandatory team-based development projects with real deadlines for employers like IBM, Nike, and Bosch. As a result of this professionally-focused academic approach, over 80% of Enterprise Project partners hire the Neumont graduates who work on their project teams, and over 96% of Neumont graduates are employed in field within six months of graduation[3]. Neumont graduates work for a wide variety of companies including Google, IBM, MSNBC, Microsoft, Nike, Bosch, Johnson and Johnson, and TripAdvisor, and accept offers with average first year compensation of over $62,400[4].

More information is available at www.neumont.edu. 

[1] www.nace.org: NACE Salary Survey, September 2012 Executive Summary

[2] www.neumont.edu/news: 2006 Spellings Report: Commission on Higher Education, and 2010 Chronicle of Higher Education "Career Colleges Deserve a Say."

[3] www.neumont.edu/results: Employment statistic is calculated using verified data for the 95% of 2009-2011 B.S. in Computer Science graduates who opted into Neumont's Career Services Program. Neumont University verifies employment by employers in writing. Neumont University does not guarantee employment for future graduates.

[4] www.neumont.edu/results: Salary statistic is calculated using verified data for the 93% of 2011 B.S. in Computer Science graduates with verified first-year compensation. Neumont University verifies first-year compensation by employers in writing. Neumont University does not guarantee first-year compensation for future graduates.

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SOURCE Neumont University

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Neumont Student Reviews - Answers on Yahoo

Yesterday, a prospective female student asked a question on Yahoo Answers that could be useful to all potential Neubies:

How is Neumont University?
Hello, I'm a senior in High and been looking at Neumont for quite some time. I'd like anything form STUDENTS about their experiences there. Classes, (I'm planning into going to the Gaming Program there) how does the "after school with a career" thing work, and just anything else positive. I'm seriously considering this school, and I want to hear it from "the mouth of the beast" My main reason is I found this site with horrible reviews on Nuemont and liked to know if their true or not, I don't believe them to be true, so I'd like to know from the actual source.

Click here to read all the responses, but a few excerpts that might be particularly useful are below:

Maverik posted:

I'm a student in my 6th quarter. I know what site you are talking about...it's called CollegeTimes. The site has been deleting every positive comment we students place on the site...and has now disabled comments. If you read some of the comments they even show that there posts missing that had legitimate questions.

As for how good Neumont University is, they had a 100% placement rate last quarter. 100% of people got a job in THIS economy. The school has some positives and negatives, but most of us are going to college for that very reason - to get a job. As stated, they are only nationally accredited, but they are working on regional accreditation. This means it will be difficult to transfer the credits to another university. However, if you can handle the workload, the payout is definitely worth it.

The choice is ultimately yours however, but I just wanted to make sure you heard from an actual student.

Dakotah writes:
Hi! I'm an actual student from Neumont University in my 6th quarter (graduating next spring) and Neumont actually is an extremely great school. Unlike other colleges, Neumont mainly focus' on what the industry actually wants from a developer. If it's the website I'm thinking of, they've been after Neumont for a while. Those reviews are usually left by students who dropped out/couldn't handle the work load so they didn't get what they wanted. The website I believe has actually threatened to sue Neumont if the school tried to get the horrible reviews taken down.
As for the education itself, I have honestly never been so involved with school in my entire life, or actually have never been satisfied with the amount of things that I've learned, until I came to Neumont. I learn something new everyday, and I guarantee if I had gone to another college, I would've switched majors loooong ago. We have some of the greatest teachers, who have years and years of industry experience teaching us, which is extremely great because rather than have someone with a teaching degree, we have someone that can actually tell us useful information about the industry. We work with many languages and rather than dip our toes into each language we jump in head first into the language.
As for the "after school with a career" thing, it's completely true. Neumont sets up tens of companies to visit Neumont and recruit workers. There's a new company here almost every week, and mostly the companies are returning just because we have some of the most dedicated and knowledgeable people leaving the school every three months. Basically, if you don't leave Neumont with a job blame it on yourself, and not the University. If you really want more information you can check neumont.edu and visit the forums where you can talk to students of all degrees or message Karick Heaton who's email address is on the Neumont website. Hope this helps!

Null Pointer dishes it straight with:

I'll give you my honest opinion:

Neumont is an awesome school. I've learned so much in my 10 quarters in the program and I don't regret coming here. The teachers are extremely helpful for the most part and even if you can't get help from a teacher there are tons of students that would drop everything to help you out. (Especially since you're a girl ;) )

I can't speak for the game degree, but I HAVE taken two game development classes from the instructor and he is amazing (I hope you read this Jamie).

I CAN speak for the Computer Science Degree and I'll say that it's worth every penny. When you leave this place you'll be more experienced & qualified than anyone from anywhere else. Our senior instructors are top notch and they will open your mind to things that you wouldn't learn for years or even ever. (I'm talking about you Halladay) You don't get 100% job placement by being a diploma factory & having a mediocre program.

That said, Neumont isn't a cake walk. From the beginning you'll be in class for at least 6 hours a day, there will be some days where you have to pull an all nighter to finish all of your assignments, you may even have to skip a weekend because you have so much homework.

Neumont IS hard work, but as you continue through the program you get used to the workload and things become easier. Don't think that you'll drown under the workload. I've been in the hospital twice in Mountain Biking accidents while at Neumont and I've STILL managed to stay here.

It's all about your determination. If you WANT to stay here. Nothing will stop you. That's life.

Socially, Neumont is perfect for just about anyone. The students here are very accepting, there aren't any 'cliques' per se...we have groups of people that hang out regularly but any group is pretty easy to get into. (Once again, it'll be much easier for you since you're a chick)

If you're more of an extrovert, SLC is FULL of attractions, and activities that'll keep even the most adventurous person occupied. Neumont also sponsors outings to various places. Just a couple of weeks ago, we took a trip to the Brighton Ski resort for a full day of skiing with lessons and rentals.

With any school, you're going to have some negatives, and I'm not going to BS you into believing it's all sunshine and butterflies. There have been some not so good teachers that have taught here, but they were quickly removed within a couple of quarters. If you're an activist (someone who likes to change things) you'll probably get frustrated with how slowly things change (if ever). The policies are pretty set, and unless there's some outcry things will probably remain as is. The administration USED to be really involved in student life, to the point that it felt like we were being babied. However, they have backed off since then(so don't believe those reviews that say we have no freedom). That's really all I can think of. I've never really had a problem with anything here, these are just things I've heard from other people (but they complain about everything anyway lol).

So, with all that said, unless you're getting accepted to MIT or something, I would definitely recommend Neumont to you. This place isn't perfect, but no school is. Honestly, I'd bet you $100 that you'll find some of the same complaints no matter where you go. It's just the way college is I guess.

Anyway, I hope this was helpful to you. Good luck in your college search and I hope to see you around sometimes.

The Search Continues

Many young people try to focus on what it is that they are going to do in order to support themselves for the rest of their lives at about the same time they are going to college. One successful young man at Neumont University has proven that he has what it takes to get out there and earn what he deserves. Tyrel Alastair Hunter is a graduating Neumont student who was just offered a job with Robert Bosch LLC and will be entering the Professional Development Training Program in computer science. Long name short he has a big foot in the door to a big company. The road to this grand opportunity was not easy but with the drive and passion that Tyrel has shown, he deserves all of the perks that come with getting such a nice job offer.

Tyrel, like any other graduating college student, had to jump through many hoops and follow many strict guidelines and task in order to receive this offer. Unlike most graduates though, Tyrel proved to the employer that no matter what the stipulations he would step up to the plate and hit it home. From sending in his resume and looking dashing during the meetings to flying all the way to the main office in order to undergo a secondary interview Tyrel has stuck with it due to his desire to obtain the position he was fighting for. All in all he has proven that no matter the task Tyrel will be there in the end, finished and ready for a new one.

I asked him about any advice he would give students looking to obtain a job out of college, or any advice for students getting ready to look for a job. He highly recommends keeping your resume up to date with your latest projects as well as being prepared to ask a few questions yourself during an interview. He suggests being involved in non-class room projects in order to show your skills and have something that you aren’t afraid to show the code to. He says do not be afraid to overdress for an interview and to be well groomed and any part time job experience in the field is a big help.

Time to Kick Back by Dylan Goelz

After all is said and done, and those 10 harsh weeks of school for the quarter are all finished up, what is it that the students of Neumont University do to occupy their times, while waiting on the next quarter to roll around? 

Well I talked to a few/many students before the last week of school and I was told that almost every student (in my Cohort '25' at least) would be going home for the break. This means that out of 30+ students only 5 or so students would be staying here in Utah to relax. Now this came as a shock to me because I thought that most students would not be able to afford something like this. But again, the college blind eye has deceived me.

For those students that went home there are a few situations that they experience while visiting their old family and friends after 3+ months away from them. The first thing would be them having to sit through a long trip back to wherever they are from. There may be a few students from the states a little closer such as Idaho or Colorado but a 17 hour train ride to get to Los Angeles seams a little daunting if you ask me. I digress because in the end each and every student who ventured home for the break between quarters where able to relieve some of the homesickness on them, as well as some pressure hopefully.

For the few students that did stay back to enjoy Utah’s many tourist attractions or just to relax in the student housing, or wherever they may be staying, there are a few activities to participate in: I, for one, am one of the few students that were able to stay back and enjoy the surroundings and wonderful weather as the seasons here are changing. A few activities to partake in would include the miniature golf-course and batting cages within walking distance of the school. If that doesn’t strike your fancy then maybe a few hikes or a nice camping trip to enjoy this time of year, there are always the dollar theaters open year-round to serve those of us who enjoy movies but don’t quite have the pocket for the more expensive theaters.

As you can see there are many activities that students may partake in during the break here at Neumont. I listed but a select few, and there are countless more options. Salt Lake City caters to many different tastes and characteristics of the people in this beautiful city. Whether it be the music scene or the nature scene, shopping or relaxing, there is always something here to occupy your time. Then again we can just sit in Neumont housing and play 15 hour lan parties with our friends or maybe try to get a leg up on the next quarter and learn some new skills in the coding genre. 

Whatever be your choice in the end, you can never go wrong here at Neumont due to the sheer variety of choices of activities here in the beautiful South Jordan, Utah.

A Coder's Day

The alarm goes off at 6:30 A.M. and I get out of bed. I go through my morning routines of eating breakfast and brushing my teeth as the morning drowsiness slowly wears off. At 7:30 A.M I have finally woken up completely and I head out the door to get onto the shuttles that will take me to Neumont University. Every day I look forward to this due to the vast amounts of information taught through the experienced and intellectual teachers at this school. There isn’t a day that goes by where I do not learn something.

I get to school at 7:45 A.M. or so and I head up to my first class of the day. I pass a few friends in the halls, converse in the elevator’ s with a few students, and I eventually get to my final destination. The day goes on, and after a few gripping classes I get my lunch break and while at lunch I take this opportunity to do some work that is due in a few days. I sit down at a table with my computer and a plate of food that was just purchased in the commons area. After checking a few emails from teachers and staff I begin cracking down on some code I need to get done for one of the many coding classes offered here. Two hours later I look up and realize that I have class in 20 minutes and wonder where the time went. After writing a few more lines of code I set off to my afternoon classes.

The routine is to sit down, unpack your laptop, plug it in, and get any documents you need open to be open and ready for when the class starts. After a few lectures and a few team work assignments we finish the class and it hits 5:00 P.M. I say goodbye to everyone for the night and head home to work on the homework assigned to me throughout the day. I get home and make myself a cop o’ noodles which is one of my favorite meals. I sit down and put on some headphones to listen to my favorite bands while doing the work and I get cracking. A couple of hours later I am finished, so I call up some friends from home and chit chat for a while all while a few other students at Neumont are running problems with code against my head so that I may help them figure it out.

At a regular college this would be all that I do. At Neumont they strive to provide activities whether student sponsored or not. Every day consists of new challenges and new experiences. Every morning I can guarantee I will wake up and learn something that day or do something that will teach me what to do or what not to do. Well I can guarantee that throughout the week but on the weekend I can’t guarantee anything but me sleeping in until 12:00 P.M. and playing some great LAN games with some fellow Neumont students.

Dylan Ray Goelz

DRG

Buster Burger - Free Fries for Neumont Students

Hey, it's Free Fry Wednesday at Buster Burger for Neumont students, tomorrow, Wednesday, May 4th, may the 4th be with you.

Buster Burger 

1078 West South Jordan Parkway, South Jordan(801) 446-5800
Just flash your Neumont ID for free fries with your order at Buster Burger
Tomorrow and enjoy all that starchy goodness for free.
The reviews from Neumont students and staff are positive so far:

• Chewy Buns
• Skin on Fries, Five Guys Style
• All the toppings you can imagine BBQ, jalapenos, sauces, and more

If you're a burger guy, with access to wheels for lunch check it out then post your Buster Burger reviews here.

Wanted - Student Social Marketing Guru for PT Work

While this blog exists to help address spam content online about our University, and to share the positive message about the amazing things Neumont is doing, and the amazing accomplishments we've enjoyed in the past, a really strong Neumont Reviews Blog would be run by a current, or former Neumont student.

Ideally, this blog would feature content that compliments Neumont's Facebook efforts, the Neumont forums, and drive interesting dialog about our school, our courses, and the area businesses (how about a review of Espress Yourself coffee, or Cafe Mona Vie?)

The Neumont student reviews blogger must be a student or alumnus in good academic standing, with an interest in social marketing, and possessing strong written communication skills. We anticipate this position will take 2-5 hours per week and allow a great amount of autonomy.

For more information, or to apply to become the Neumont reviews blogger, email jobs@neumont.edu or check in with Stacy Cahoon Hughes on the third floor.

For other Neumont campus employment opportunities, visit the student employment section of Neumont's website at: www.neumont.edu/students/student_services.html