Technical Schools in San Antonio

When choosing a trade school, some factors you need to take into account are obvious — cost, programs available, and accreditation are a few examples. However, to ensure that you make the right decision, there are several additional concerns that you may never even have considered.  

1. Transferring Credits

If you decide that you want to move to a different school or continue your education later, you need to be able to transfer credits. The admissions offices at schools will be inform you whether they offer transferable credits.  

2. Campus

It is important to visit schools to get a feel of the campuses and decide if you will be comfortable spending your days there. Take a look at the facilities (classrooms, workshops, computer labs) to determine whether they are sufficient for your training. Schools should have the same equipment that you will be using during your career — contact relevant companies to find out what they are using.  

3. Crime

To feel safe on campus requires a low rate of crime. Check the statistics for criminal offenses at technical schools in San Antonio with the campus safety and security statistics from the Office of Postsecondary Education (OPE).  

4. Complaints

Serious complaints are logged at the Better Business Bureau. Search for schools to see their ratings on a scale of A+ to F.  

5. Success Rates

Success is measured by a few factors:

• Completion rate. The number of students who graduate. A high dropout rate may indicate a poor quality program.
• Job placement rate. Find out the number of graduates who work in a career related to their field of study and, if possible, the average starting salary.
• Student experiences. Read reviews and contact recent graduates to find out if they considered their courses useful and whether they received adequate support from their schools.

  6. Reputation

Student reviews will also help you gain a clearer picture of schools’ reputations. Take this one step further and by discovering how employers perceive each San Antonio technical school. This is essential, as reputation can have a huge impact on your chances of employment after graduation. Contact companies offering jobs in your chosen career and ask for their opinions of the schools you are considering.  

7. Contracts

Once you have narrowed down the list to just a few San Antonio technical schools, ask each for a contract. Immediately rule out any schools who refuse to let you review a contract before deciding to enroll as well as those whose contracts have different information from what you originally received. During your research into San Antonio technical schools, try to gather as much of the above information as possible. This will help you compare schools to find the best option for you.