Lawrence Technological University (LTU)

Founded in 1932, Michigan's Lawrence Technological University is based on the simple notion of "Theory and Practice"-taking abstract ideas and applying them to real world problems. The university offers about 100 academic programs across its four colleges, as well as numerous mentorship, internship, and practical research opportunities via the Centrepolis Accelerator, the school's manufacturing business accelerator. Just 2,300 undergraduates means "small class sizes with one-on-one opportunities," and plenty of certification, coaching, and consulting support through "professional programs for helping with future careers." LTU has an excellent reputation with companies that recruit and hire students, and the "potential for high quality jobs after college is very helpful and exciting." Resources are readily available, and all undergraduates receive a laptop or tablet, with over 80 percent of students receiving some form of financial aid.

Professors at LTU "are extremely flexible and truly do want to help you and see you succeed," which can be seen in their willingness "to accommodate special situations." They are also "clearly knowledgeable in their fields and do their best to share that experience with students," running application-based courses with the most "up-to-date labs and tools" that are centered around "creating problems and processes to outline the everchanging industry standards and practices." One student says: "In my computer networks class the professor brought in material to create our own Ethernet cords." Students feel they leave with a lot of experience, thanks to instructors frequently bringing in "guests from popular companies to explain how our work is tied to real life work scenarios" and working to show "the application of the theory you learned in class."

With having a small campus comes having a close-knit student body, and there is "a strong sense of community" where "everyone really looks out for each other." As one student says: "If you ask for help from any of your peers, you'll receive it or you'll solve the problem together." Despite its small size, this is a "group of diverse students who come from different backgrounds, race, and countries." Students do say that there is "a large percentage of commuters," but the school is working on changing that into a more "typical college on campus student body." Around half of students are athletes and many are also "a part of Greek life or a part-time on-campus job."

Most out-of-classroom socializing comes by way of clubs, intramural sports, and "a great array of organizations which allow for anyone to find their interest." At least once a week there is an activity hosted by a student organization "that is fun and interactive to attend," and for those who prefer to "often play games on our computers," the school also coaches across various esports. While there are also "some casual parties surrounding Greek life," on the whole, students here are busy with "lots of studying [and being] devoted to school and a career afterwards."

The Office of Career Services at Lawrence Tech offers a wide range of resources and personalized advising for students looking to prepare for their careers. While many undergrads take advantage of traditional professional development methods such as career fairs, resume workshops, and online job databases like Handshake and CareerQuest, Lawrence Tech also places a large emphasis on work-based learning where students enjoy “working with companies nearby [and] having an internship/Co-op.” As one enrollee notes, “Although not mandatory, a large number of students complete some type of career-related employment while in school.” Co-op assignments are full- or part-time work opportunities with companies in the nearby Southfield and Detroit areas and are especially relevant for students seeking engineering, construction management, or math and computer science careers. With its proximity to the heart of the U.S. automotive industry, many LTU professors bring an industry background to their classrooms as well, allowing students to learn what their prospective jobs “would really be like outside of school” without having to leave campus.