Joseph Libowsky,
Many colleges offer Criminal Justice programs, so how do you pick “The Best College”?
Each college program is unique, whether it’s a brick and mortar school or an online program.
“The Best College” is a program where the faculty comes from the area of Criminal Justice that you want to work in, and where the college has a vibrant Internship Program.
There are the standard factors to consider for any program including community colleges, 4-year universities, or graduate schools including:
- Location
- Size
- Cost
Factors Unique to Criminal Justice Colleges
There are factors unique to selecting a Criminal Justice College, and these can greatly enhance your future Criminal Justice Career.
Criminal Justice includes many different fields including law enforcement, corrections, pre-law, just to name a few.
Finding a college program that aligns with your future Criminal Justice career goals will greatly enhance your experience.
Aligns with your Criminal Justice Career Goals?
Look at the list of faculty and see their backgrounds, many may be currently working in the field of criminal justice.
See what type of work experience they have.
Are they current or former FBI agents, police officers, prison administrators?
Find a program where at some of the faculty have done exactly what you aspire to.
If your career goal is to be an FBI Agent there is no better professor/instructor to have than a current or former FBI Agent.
When your professor/instructor can provide real-world examples from their work, and that work is what you want to do, you will gain a much richer college experience.
Also, your professor/instructor can give you first hand advice on how to pursue your career path.
A Great Internship Program
An internship in the field of Criminal Justice will give you a head-up when pursuing your Criminal Justice Career.
Not all Criminal Justice Internship Programs are created equal.
Some schools have robust internship programs where the schools maintain excellent relationships with criminal justice agencies.
Those schools often have a list of potential agencies from which to select an internship.
Other schools let students fend for themselves to find their own internship.
Most schools have information about their internship program on their website including a list of agencies their students have done internships with.
See if this includes agencies which align with your future Criminal Justice Career goals.
Get a sense of how much support the school provides students with looking for and securing an internship.