What to Look For in a Criminal Justice School

Have you made the choice to start a new career in the field of Criminal Justice?

Opportunities in the Criminal Justice field are unlimited, but before you undergo the necessary training and education, you’ll want to find the school that’s right for you.  Two things you’ll want to consider are school reputation and location…

School Reputation

Choosing a Criminal Justice school based on school reputation is an important factor.  It’s a well-known fact that if you choose a recognized school with a good reputation, you will have better chances of finding speedy job placement once your training is completed.  Not only will it look impressive on your resume, but some employers may even recruit from these schools as a result of the good schooling and training they expect these students to have received.  It’s impossible to predict the exact quality of your schooling, and your future career but you can give yourself the best chance possible of getting a quality education by choosing a school that has a solid reputation for excellence.  Often these top schools come with a hefty price tag, but this is not always the case.  Your state or local community college may have an award winning program at a fraction of the cost.  And don’t forget to look into scholarships and other forms of tuition assistance.  Do yourself a favor and do the necessary research on the school you may be considering to make sure that the school you choose will be working for you to help advance your career. 

Location:

Tuition is expensive enough, without the commonly overlooked expense of travel and transportation.  Therefore, you’ll want to take a minute to consider how much time it will take you to get to school each day.  If you have an hour commute each way, you may need to ask yourself if the time spent traveling could be better spent another way.  This may not even be a consideration for you if you have decided to live on campus, or if the two hour commute is worth going to the school of your dreams, but if there is a closer school that offers comparable opportunities, it might be worth a second look.  School is time consuming enough without adding in the time it takes to get there.  And always look into what happens once you arrive at school.  Will there be parking available for your vehicle, or will you need to pay a fee?  Will you have park and then take a bus to get to your classes?

On top of the cost factor, you’ll also want to choose a school in a location that is safe.  Some schools may offer services such as an escort after dark, but you’ll want to make sure you choose a location where you feel comfortable as you’ll be frequenting the campus and surrounding area often.  You’ll also want to make sure that you are close enough or have access to places like grocery stores and pharmacies.  And if you will be working while going to school, it’s good to choose a location where there are job opportunities.  Even better, a location with several applicable opportunities in the field of Criminal Justice will prove invaluable in finding job placement once you have completed your education.