Good array of tech certs vs. Masters in CS

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TechBoyJK

Lifer
Oct 17, 2002
16,699
60
91
Who has a better shot at a job. In generalities......

I'm curious because I dropped out of college to get involved with a startup, got tons of experience, and also worked at a large hosting company doing sales and engineering... I even did work on the migration of a foreign government's websites to our datacenter, including a load balancing, IPS, firewalls, and multisite setup (meaning its mirrored across multiple DC's)

I'm trying to build up "paper" credibility because even though i have great experience, I have almost no college credits to supplement. I'm afraid people may think I gained all the experience "flying by the seat of my pants" and basically got lucky by making a few great plays. I have iNet+, Server+, Network+, and CIW-A so far, (passed A+ core, working on A+ OS right now). I'd like to knock out the rest of the certs by June 19 (my 25 bday). Keep in mind, I have experience in all the cert areas, so I have a headstart on those starting from scratch. (11 certs to take yet). After that I'd like to go after the more advanced security certs....

I'm asking this because my friend's are getting their master's degrees and even though I have important real world experience and they don't, I can't help but feel like I'm behind.........

Anyways,

Contestent #1
A+, Net+, Server+, iNet+, Security+, Linux+, Project+
MCSE
CCNA

VS.

Contestent #2
Masters in Computer Science
 
T

TechBoyJK

Lifer
Oct 17, 2002
16,699
60
91
Let's use Uof I Urbana Champaign as the college. My buddy from ISP in grade school who was my programming partner (like when we were 6) just got his master's in CS there. He envies my experience and I envy his degree. (btw, he also got a perfect 36 on his ACT)

btw, ISP was for student's that tested out of general studies and were seperated and tought things like programming, logic, etc. It tought me alot about computers, but made me kind of an introvert cause I wasn't able to be as social as the regular kids....
 
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gopunk

Lifer
Jul 7, 2001
29,239
2
0
Originally posted by: TechBoyJK
Let's use UofI Champaign as the college. My buddy from ISP in grade school who was my programming partner (like when we were 6) just got his master's in CS there. He envies my experience and I envy his degree.
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UIUC is a really good CS school... if it was me, i'd prefer to have the masters. but honestly, it seems like you are comparing apples and oranges. it sounds like you are move involved in IT work, which is probably not the same type of job that he would be doing.
 
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TechBoyJK

Lifer
Oct 17, 2002
16,699
60
91
I'd love to have teh master's too. The thing is, I already have experience, so if I wanted to go back and get my master's, I'm looking at like 5+ years of school, where as I can self study and load up on certs..... I'm not trying to figure out what was the better route, just trying to look at the cards I have in hand and how I can play them....
 
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gopunk

Lifer
Jul 7, 2001
29,239
2
0
Originally posted by: TechBoyJK
I'd love to have teh master's too. The thing is, I already have experience, so if I wanted to go back and get my master's, I'm looking at like 5+ years of school, where as I can self study and load up on certs..... I'm not trying to figure out what was the better route, just trying to look at the cards I have in hand and how I can play them....
Click to expand...

what type of work do you want to ultimately end up doing?
 
T

TechBoyJK

Lifer
Oct 17, 2002
16,699
60
91
Originally posted by: gopunk
Originally posted by: TechBoyJK
I'd love to have teh master's too. The thing is, I already have experience, so if I wanted to go back and get my master's, I'm looking at like 5+ years of school, where as I can self study and load up on certs..... I'm not trying to figure out what was the better route, just trying to look at the cards I have in hand and how I can play them....
Click to expand...

what type of work do you want to ultimately end up doing?
Click to expand...

large scale IT project management. consulting, etc.

 
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nd

Golden Member
Oct 9, 1999
1,690
0
0
You don't get a Masters in Computer Science to do "IT" work. Like another poster said -- you're comparing apples to oranges..
 
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gopunk

Lifer
Jul 7, 2001
29,239
2
0
Originally posted by: TechBoyJK
Originally posted by: gopunk
Originally posted by: TechBoyJK
I'd love to have teh master's too. The thing is, I already have experience, so if I wanted to go back and get my master's, I'm looking at like 5+ years of school, where as I can self study and load up on certs..... I'm not trying to figure out what was the better route, just trying to look at the cards I have in hand and how I can play them....
Click to expand...

what type of work do you want to ultimately end up doing?
Click to expand...

large scale IT project management. consulting, etc.
Click to expand...

if you have existing opportunities to gain work experience in that direction, then i would go for that. the master's degree in CS would only make sense if you wanted to go into software development or something like that
 
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TechBoyJK

Lifer
Oct 17, 2002
16,699
60
91
what do Computer Science people do then? programming? I don't know of any certs for programming other than like, Macromedia Coldfusion certs...
 
F

FrustratedUser

Lifer
Aug 16, 2001
22,505
4
81
Originally posted by: TechBoyJK
what do Computer Science people do then? programming? I don't know of any certs for programming other than like, Macromedia Coldfusion certs...
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They usually end up being your boss.
 
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TechBoyJK

Lifer
Oct 17, 2002
16,699
60
91
Originally posted by: FrustratedUser
Originally posted by: TechBoyJK
what do Computer Science people do then? programming? I don't know of any certs for programming other than like, Macromedia Coldfusion certs...
Click to expand...

They usually end up being your boss.
Click to expand...

my last boss was CS major.....

 
TuxDave

TuxDave

Lifer
Oct 8, 2002
10,571
3
71
Originally posted by: TechBoyJK
Originally posted by: gopunk
Originally posted by: TechBoyJK
I'd love to have teh master's too. The thing is, I already have experience, so if I wanted to go back and get my master's, I'm looking at like 5+ years of school, where as I can self study and load up on certs..... I'm not trying to figure out what was the better route, just trying to look at the cards I have in hand and how I can play them....
Click to expand...

what type of work do you want to ultimately end up doing?
Click to expand...

large scale IT project management. consulting, etc.
Click to expand...

I would probably prefer you over a M.S. if I was looking for an IT person. If I was looking for someone to help work on google or vlsi CAD, I would definitely get the M.S. person.
 
D

DAGTA

Diamond Member
Oct 9, 1999
8,172
1
0
Experience is better than anything.

In terms of paper, I'd go for the Masters. I've got a Masters in CS and it's helped me out with higher paying positions and gave me more credibility after I started my own business.
 
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gotsmack

Diamond Member
Mar 4, 2001
5,768
0
71
Originally posted by: TechBoyJK
Originally posted by: gopunk
Originally posted by: TechBoyJK
I'd love to have teh master's too. The thing is, I already have experience, so if I wanted to go back and get my master's, I'm looking at like 5+ years of school, where as I can self study and load up on certs..... I'm not trying to figure out what was the better route, just trying to look at the cards I have in hand and how I can play them....
Click to expand...

what type of work do you want to ultimately end up doing?
Click to expand...

large scale IT project management. consulting, etc.
Click to expand...

degree. You can't sell a multi million dollar consulting project that is going to be handled by a guy without a degree, unless he recently has completed 5 same size projects successfully.
 
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