8+ years of College or CCNA et al

[Chaotic42]

I have a dilemma. I need a good career. Radio News Director isn't cutting it. If it was only anchoring, I could handle it, but I don't like my job. I do, however, need it to survive.

I want a good networlking/web/programming job. If I go to school, it will take me 7 or 8 years to get a degree, at which time I will be 27 or 28. I could get a CCNA or MSCE or something to that effect in an arbitrary amount of time.

This is a big decision. Money plays into it to. At $9/hr, I'm not exactly rich.

I'm looking for any serious input you all may have. Thanks a bunch!

/me is off to change his oil.

 

[Ameesh]

if you want a carrer goto college and get a degree.

 

[Synoptic]

Certifications are great, but so is a degree. Have you ever thought about getting an associates or something like that? It is only 2 years and along with a couple certs it would make you fairly marketable.

 

[BillGates]

Screw college.. If you think you're really good, get a lower level help desk job now, which will pay decently and you'll learn lots, and prove that you are good... You'll get promoted quickly - and then make them pay for your school..

(I'm getting bumped up to level 2 support after only 8 months, and get $8000 a year for any educational programs I want, for as long as I want to keep learning, and don't have to pay it back or stick around for any length of time. The jobs are out there, just find them.)

 

[Ameesh]

why would it take 8+ years for a degree? in that much time you could get or be almost done with a PhD in COmputer Science.

 

[GigaCluster]

If you are good, you could acquire a CCNA in one year.

 

[StageLeft]

Bachelor's degree takes 3-4 and then you could get post-grad afterwards. Let me tell you right now: In this market with no experience getting some certs you're gonna find it VERY VERY hard to get an entry level networking/hardware job.

A degree is a big step and you'll start making money much later but it will also help you over the rest of your life so you have to decide which is more important.

 

[mrCide]

either way the market is tough right now.. who knows what its going to be like later..

i'd say if you can stand it go for a degree and do the certs on the side, they don't require your full attention if you draw them out a little bit (not too long)..

i really want to get a degree myself =\

 

[Chaotic42]

Well, I work now, 4am-12 or later. The problem is that I'll have to take night classes. It might take longer. I'm the Network Admin here, but that's just a title. I'm News Director first, and I told them they had to make me an admin for resume reasons. I do the job, but it consists of about 15 minutes of work a week (Nothing really breaks, and if it did, my budget is 0 anyway.)

I'd rather go to college, don't get me wrong. I'm still not sure what to do. I'm going to have to call up my school and schedule an orientation class thing today.

So how much is a CCNA exam and books?

 

[Daniel]

I want a good networlking/web/programming job.

... first thing you need to do is figure out what you really want to do, what you said pretty much to me says you like computers but aren't sure where you want to be in them. I'd read up on each field and see what really appeals to you before you make any decisions.

If you just go for the CCNA and realize you hate networking/routers then it will be completely useless and wasted time/money.

 

[Chaotic42]

Originally posted by: Daniel

I want a good networlking/web/programming job.

... first thing you need to do is figure out what you really want to do, what you said pretty much to me says you like computers but aren't sure where you want to be in them. I'd read up on each field and see what really appeals to you before you make any decisions.

If you just go for the CCNA and realize you hate networking/routers then it will be completely useless and wasted time/money.

I want to be a Network Administrator. I have about 5 years of experience with Linux, and have ran a huge FTP server, web servers, mail servers, firewalls, and all of that good stuff. That's what I want to do in life.

That said, if someone offered me a programming (like C, Python, Perl, etc) or a web admin job, I'd jump.

 

[hoihtah]

college.

think of it in this sense.

your certification will expire in few years.
but you can take your degree to your deathbed.

it may take longer to get it.
but it'll stay with your forever.
better investment

 

[dirtboy]

Originally posted by: hoihtah
your certification will expire in few years.
but you can take your degree to your deathbed.

In the end if you want to move up as a Network Admin, you'll be required to have a college degree. In the long run a degree will be worth more to you than a certification. Besides, look at the current job market for CCNA. I can tell you that the market for computer people isn't going to significantly improve in the next couple years.

 

[Shelly21]

Originally posted by: GigaCluster
If you are good, you could acquire a CCNA in one year.

I got my CCNA in a week. You dont have to be that good.

Did my MCSE in two months....

Previous experience helps......

I did need a college degree to get my foot in the door..... but that's just me.

 

[hoihtah]

seriously, these certs don't mean jack unless you have experience to back it up with.

each mcse test can be had with a week of cramming.

when i was studying for NT4 server exam... i wanted to know everything about it. spent 2 months reading every nt4 books out there.
3 days before taking the exam... i checked out some braindump sites.
when i finally took the exam... i realized that just about every question was in the braindump sites that i've visited.

i initially felt stupid for spending 2 months studying for it.
but in the end, it paid off.

i knew the material... i knew just about everything there is to know on nt4 server.
i won't get stumbled when the situation arise and i need to troubleshoot.

if you can afford to go to school...
that's the place to be.