I got scammed and I feel so stupid...

[cornbread]

I read the warnings about the school not being good. I took them with a grain of salt.

Here's my story:
I went to a local tech school back in 98-2000 took A+ course, didn't take the test since at the time I thought it wasn't worth that much. I took their Network + course and took the test, passed. I dropped out shortly after that point and started working a lot of contract jobs like installing pc's and such. I slowly started veering away from the IT industry.. Had some problems - I'm bipolar, I'm on disability right now and I don't want to be on disability my whole life. I've finally gotten on a combination of medicines that works and it's helping me to function normally again, and I'd like to get back into the workforce and make myself a life for me and my wife. I signed up for the Univeristy of Phoenix's Axia College Associates IT degree. I'm in my first week of class and I'm attending full time and the classes are a joke. One is Communicating in a Business Environment and the other is Learning Skills for an Info Age. People say I'm smart, but I don't feel that I'm all that smart, but damn, these classes have got to be for idiots. College is supposed to be a challenge and I don't see that in this program.
I can't believe I have lowered myself into taking this crap, but I'm going to finish up this class and find another school to go to, and actually take classes that aren't online.
I don't know what I should do, so I'll lay out my options and ask what you would do.

There is a local private school, Virginia College, which offers a network tech and network engineering program which is kind of pricey, but the quality of the courses are worth the cost. The teachers actually prepare you for the certifications and such, and leads up to an associates or a bachelors degree program if you like.

There is also the local community college, which offers the typical MIS degrees and such..
If I were to go to a bachelors program it would be an hour and a half commute with the public school. It's only a 30 minute commute to Virginia College though, but they are a private school which offers a bachelors program but credits wouldn't transfer to a public school.

Enough Rambling now, what should I do??

 

[jagec]

One possibility which a lot of people do is go to community college for a couple years to get their prereqs out of the way for cheap, and then transfer to another college, either private or state.

 

[ranmaniac]

Originally posted by: cornbread
I read the warnings about the school not being good. I took them with a grain of salt.

Here's my story:
I went to a local tech school back in 98-2000 took A+ course, didn't take the test since at the time I thought it wasn't worth that much. I took their Network + course and took the test, passed. I dropped out shortly after that point and started working a lot of contract jobs like installing pc's and such. I slowly started veering away from the IT industry.. Had some problems - I'm bipolar, I'm on disability right now and I don't want to be on disability my whole life. I've finally gotten on a combination of medicines that works and it's helping me to function normally again, and I'd like to get back into the workforce and make myself a life for me and my wife. I signed up for the Univeristy of Phoenix's Axia College Associates IT degree. I'm in my first week of class and I'm attending full time and the classes are a joke. One is Communicating in a Business Environment and the other is Learning Skills for an Info Age. People say I'm smart, but I don't feel that I'm all that smart, but damn, these classes have got to be for idiots. College is supposed to be a challenge and I don't see that in this program.
I can't believe I have lowered myself into taking this crap, but I'm going to finish up this class and find another school to go to, and actually take classes that aren't online.
I don't know what I should do, so I'll lay out my options and ask what you would do.

There is a local private school, Virginia College, which offers a network tech and network engineering program which is kind of pricey, but the quality of the courses are worth the cost. The teachers actually prepare you for the certifications and such, and leads up to an associates or a bachelors degree program if you like.

There is also the local community college, which offers the typical MIS degrees and such..
If I were to go to a bachelors program it would be an hour and a half commute with the public school. It's only a 30 minute commute to Virginia College though, but they are a private school which offers a bachelors program but credits wouldn't transfer to a public school.

Enough Rambling now, what should I do??

A reputable program would have courses that are transferable to other colleges. If you're interested in a Bachelor's degree, I'd go to community college and take courses that would allow me to transfer to a state or private 4 year university.

 

[Wheezer]

Originally posted by: cornbread
I read the warnings about the school not being good. I took them with a grain of salt.

Here's my story:
I went to a local tech school back in 98-2000 took A+ course, didn't take the test since at the time I thought it wasn't worth that much. I took their Network + course and took the test, passed. I dropped out shortly after that point and started working a lot of contract jobs like installing pc's and such. I slowly started veering away from the IT industry.. Had some problems - I'm bipolar, I'm on disability right now and I don't want to be on disability my whole life. I've finally gotten on a combination of medicines that works and it's helping me to function normally again, and I'd like to get back into the workforce and make myself a life for me and my wife. I signed up for the Univeristy of Phoenix's Axia College Associates IT degree. I'm in my first week of class and I'm attending full time and the classes are a joke. One is Communicating in a Business Environment and the other is Learning Skills for an Info Age. People say I'm smart, but I don't feel that I'm all that smart, but damn, these classes have got to be for idiots. College is supposed to be a challenge and I don't see that in this program.
I can't believe I have lowered myself into taking this crap, but I'm going to finish up this class and find another school to go to, and actually take classes that aren't online.
I don't know what I should do, so I'll lay out my options and ask what you would do.

There is a local private school, Virginia College, which offers a network tech and network engineering program which is kind of pricey, but the quality of the courses are worth the cost. The teachers actually prepare you for the certifications and such, and leads up to an associates or a bachelors degree program if you like.

There is also the local community college, which offers the typical MIS degrees and such..
If I were to go to a bachelors program it would be an hour and a half commute with the public school. It's only a 30 minute commute to Virginia College though, but they are a private school which offers a bachelors program but credits wouldn't transfer to a public school.

Enough Rambling now, what should I do??

i don't know how old you are or what work experience you have as far as people and working relationships, but do not be so hasty to blow off the classes you deem for "idiots".

I was in the workforce for 23+ years and learned to develop skills over time that enabled me to deal with people on a variety of levels in all types of situations. Most fresh college grads don't have that luxury. Most are out of high school going right from one educational venue into another with very little working skills under their belt.

The classes you describe are important, I had to take similar classes when I went back to school and I can tell you that much of what they try to impart on you, you will learn to develop in a work environment. It will not prepare you for everything at anytime, but there is more to working that "going in, doing your job and going home".

A LOT has to do with how you interact with people and that can be harder than any class you take.

I will guess that similar classes will be required at the other school you spoke of.

Employers often have a hand in guiding what gets taught at local community colleges.

They give the schools information as to what they are seeking in potential employees, and these classes are designed to help guide you in the work environment and how to communicate with people is very big on their list. They want people who know not only their core jobs but also people who can work with others effectively.....often that may be more important.

An employer can teach you the technical stuff on the job as you go, but they cant teach you how to communicate effectively with your coworkers and your bosses and not be an a$$hole.

 

[cornbread]

The classes seem to try to teach people to have some common sense, which someone in college should already have in my opinion.

Originally posted by: Wheezer

Originally posted by: cornbread
I read the warnings about the school not being good. I took them with a grain of salt.

Here's my story:
I went to a local tech school back in 98-2000 took A+ course, didn't take the test since at the time I thought it wasn't worth that much. I took their Network + course and took the test, passed. I dropped out shortly after that point and started working a lot of contract jobs like installing pc's and such. I slowly started veering away from the IT industry.. Had some problems - I'm bipolar, I'm on disability right now and I don't want to be on disability my whole life. I've finally gotten on a combination of medicines that works and it's helping me to function normally again, and I'd like to get back into the workforce and make myself a life for me and my wife. I signed up for the Univeristy of Phoenix's Axia College Associates IT degree. I'm in my first week of class and I'm attending full time and the classes are a joke. One is Communicating in a Business Environment and the other is Learning Skills for an Info Age. People say I'm smart, but I don't feel that I'm all that smart, but damn, these classes have got to be for idiots. College is supposed to be a challenge and I don't see that in this program.
I can't believe I have lowered myself into taking this crap, but I'm going to finish up this class and find another school to go to, and actually take classes that aren't online.
I don't know what I should do, so I'll lay out my options and ask what you would do.

There is a local private school, Virginia College, which offers a network tech and network engineering program which is kind of pricey, but the quality of the courses are worth the cost. The teachers actually prepare you for the certifications and such, and leads up to an associates or a bachelors degree program if you like.

There is also the local community college, which offers the typical MIS degrees and such..
If I were to go to a bachelors program it would be an hour and a half commute with the public school. It's only a 30 minute commute to Virginia College though, but they are a private school which offers a bachelors program but credits wouldn't transfer to a public school.

Enough Rambling now, what should I do??

i don't know how old you are or what work experience you have as far as people and working relationships, but do not be so hasty to blow off the classes you deem for "idiots".

I was in the workforce for 23+ years and learned to develop skills over time that enabled me to deal with people on a variety of levels in all types of situations. Most fresh college grads don't have that luxury. Most are out of high school going right from one educational venue into another with very little working skills under their belt.

The classes you describe are important, I had to take similar classes when I went back to school and I can tell you that much of what they try to impart on you, you will learn to develop in a work environment. It will not prepare you for everything at anytime, but there is more to working that "going in, doing your job and going home".

A LOT has to do with how you interact with people and that can be harder than any class you take.

I will guess that similar classes will be required at the other school you spoke of.

Employers often have a hand in guiding what gets taught at local community colleges.

They give the schools information as to what they are seeking in potential employees, and these classes are designed to help guide you in the work environment and how to communicate with people is very big on their list. They want people who know not only their core jobs but also people who can work with others effectively.....often that may be more important.

An employer can teach you the technical stuff on the job as you go, but they cant teach you how to communicate effectively with your coworkers and your bosses and not be an a$$hole.

 

[zinfamous]

Originally posted by: cornbread
The classes seem to try to teach people to have some common sense, which someone in college should already have in my opinion.

common sense for IT people? or common sense for people in general? it sounds like these courses are basic in terms of CE/IT knowledge for you, but may not be for many other getting into the field. (I don't know shit about IT, for example)

that isn't common sense.

It sounds painful, but you often have to just suck-up these lame classes and get through them to get where you eventually want to go. Talk to the professor/administrator (it's an online class?) It it's as basic as you say it is, the best course of action for you would be to strike up a relationship with the instructor and make sure that they know you aren't the ave idiot. Being a pre-req, you have to deal with it, no matter what. Creating a contact at this point is the most important thing for you.

 

[cornbread]

Originally posted by: zinfamous

Originally posted by: cornbread
The classes seem to try to teach people to have some common sense, which someone in college should already have in my opinion.

common sense for IT people? or common sense for people in general? it sounds like these courses are basic in terms of CE/IT knowledge for you, but may not be for many other getting into the field. (I don't know shit about IT, for example)

that isn't common sense.

It sounds painful, but you often have to just suck-up these lame classes and get through them to get where you eventually want to go. Talk to the professor/administrator (it's an online class?) It it's as basic as you say it is, the best course of action for you would be to strike up a relationship with the instructor and make sure that they know you aren't the ave idiot. Being a pre-req, you have to deal with it, no matter what. Creating a contact at this point is the most important thing for you.

Good point.

 

[EagleKeeper]

Going to a school that offer courses that are not transferable to other schools should generate a big flag.

 

[jpeyton]

Go to community college instead. One that has credits that will transfer to a different school.

 

[techs]

I Pm'ed you.

 

[Wheezer]

The classes seem to try to teach people to have some common sense, which someone in college should already have in my opinion.

and I whole heartedly agree with you...unfortunately too many people regardless of age don't have this ability.

but like I said most colleges will have these classes in their curriculum.

 

[warmodder]

Originally posted by: jagec
One possibility which a lot of people do is go to community college for a couple years to get their prereqs out of the way for cheap, and then transfer to another college, either private or state.

This is good advice. If you maintain a good gpa you'll be able to transfer into just about any school you could want.

Are you trying to get away from IT? If so this is a good way to pursue other career options.