CUNY John Jay College of Criminal Justice Reviews

"Tell us about your college experience.My college experience was a very fun one. Right in Manhattan, all of my friends were there, did a lot of cool things and learned a lot about my field and myself in the process.Would you get the same degree if you could start over?I would choose the same degree, I have a very fulfilling career now with much room for promotions and possibly working for federal agencies.What advice can you offer other students?Try your best to keep your debt to a minimum. It is sad to say but "you can be anything you want to be" isn't exactly a term that is feasible anymore."

"Perhaps the biggest pro of the John Jay Criminal Justice graduate program is that the courses that are offered are very practical in the sense that they don't just focus on theories. They focus instead on pertinent issues facing the criminal justice system today and how they can be explained and/or addressed. What's more, the research components for these courses are enjoyable because of the large degree of flexibility afforded to the students in terms of the subject(s) we wish to research. Not to mention that many of the professors are also criminal justice professionals, so their insight can be extremely thought-provoking during a lecture. However, if there is any major flaw with John Jay, I would have to say that it lies with the administration. This is mostly due to the fact that there are so many students attending John Jay that complications can arise in the administration process. Yet, while mistakes can, and have been made, if you are able to point out an error made on the administration's behalf than they are willing ti work with you to correct it."

"This program is renown and held in high esteem by many law enforcement agencies. The work is familiar but far too similar to the undergraduate curriculum. However, there are plenty of research opportunities for students to take advantage of, which allow for valuable laboratory experience. Unfortunately, graduate students do not get enough grants and have to rely on loans to pay academic expenses. Other than that, the program is fine."

"Pros- very competitive school for criminal justice, one of the top criminal justice program in the nation,program is very diverse, and very affordable Cons- no on-campus housing, late classes"

"The only con of the Master's of Forensic Psychology program is that there are no graduate assistantships available to students. However, the staff is very helpful to students in finding other means of paying for school."

"Professors are all current or former experts in their own fields. My professors consisted of former FBI Agents, lawyers, academics, and even a former NYC Corrections Department Comissioner. Evening classes are convenient to working professionals. Only downfall was a lack of school spirit/cohesion. Very much a cummuter school. Lacks any real identity. Overall, the CJ Graduate program was a great value for the price."

"The MS program in Forensic Science at John Jay College is one of the nation's premier graduate programs in forensics. With faculty who are leaders in the field, new laboratory space, and several crime labs nearby with internship programs, the graduate experience at John Jay is top notch."

"I feel that I have learned a lot at this school in just the one semester I have completed. Most faculty is helpful and understanding. The only improvements that could be made are in the affordability of living and the accessibility to all of the resources that are available."

"I feel as though the teaching staff at John Jay is, for the most part, extremely knowledgeable and very highly esteemed professionals in the field. Being taught by individuals with such experience is extremely rewarding and worth the cost. However, I have noticed that this school does not offer the best financial options for international students. The cost of tuition is truly high, especially when adding in the cost of living in NYC since there are no residence buildings at John Jay."

"John Jay is a wonderful institution. The faculty employed are all current or former practitioners in their respective fields. The coursework is rigorous, highly competitive and constantly evolving to keep up with our ever changing criminal justice system."

"My program has prepared me for research in my future work in psychology both through research labs and informative coursework. My only complaint would be the lack of clinical work in courses."

"The classroom size is small and personable. Each professor is willing to help you out and answer any questions you may have. They are very knowledgable in their prospective fields."

"I hold an undergraduate degree from this institution. My scores are reflective of my experience in that program."

"The graduate program is very competitive, and if you obtain your graduate degree from John Jay, you are much more likely to be able to get a very good job from top companies and agencies after graduation, as these top companies and agencies draw from the graduate population. That being said one of the biggest downfalls to the school in general is the fact that they do not offer housing for students. Unless you live in the NYC area, you are forced to find an apartment, or pay a lot of money upfront to live in a nice dorm (not associated with the school)."

"John Jay provides excellent educational opportunities in its respective graduate programs and is a great program for the price, particularly for in-state students. The one real down-fall of the program is that there are few options for housing, and even fewer options for affordable housing. This limits the possibility of students to attend, who do not already live in the NYC area or who do not have enough money to support the hefty price tag of EHS housing options."

"I went in to my graduate program at John Jay College knowing that it was going to be difficult. I was right - but I've never been more pleased. The quality of academics at John Jay is incredibly high, and I know that I'm getting the education that I wanted. Since the program is part of the CUNY system the tuition is incredibly affordable. Since John Jay is consistently rated among the top ten programs in the country, I know I'm getting my education at a steal. I've been very pleased with the course offerings, career opportunities, available internships and extra curricular opportunities, and the value that the institutions obviously places on its graduate students."

"The staff are currently employed in their field of expertise and are able to provide students with up to date information. Professors are extremely resourceful. Work load is reasonable. Class discussions are extremely insightful."

"This is great school great professors but loans are troublesome for Masters Program"