# Back to College or Cert School?



## ao3lane (Mar 8, 2011)

Hello all,

I am a recently laid off construction manager who is looking for a career change. I already have an industrial studies degree and at my age (32) am hesitant to go back to college but am willing if its the best choice. My question is about these schools that give a 5-10 day test prep sessions. Are they more for the experienced IT professional or would you advise someone with the time and money to go that route? I was looking at the getting my Network + then following it up with the classes on the link below. 

Network Administration | CompTEC


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## Ninjaboi (Dec 27, 2010)

Hello ao3lane, welcome to TSF.

The test preps usually don't have prerequisites other than you willing to dedicate time for study. I'd suggest those for your Net+. It's never too late to go back to school, it's always a good experience for you. Just ensure your willing to make the dedication requirement before investing money into it.


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## ao3lane (Mar 8, 2011)

But would I be getting a vastly superior education going back to school or are the classes I mentioned somewhat equivalent? Just afraid of blowing 8 grand on cert training and then having to go back to school anyway. Most of the classes on the above link are near a thousand each.


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## Ninjaboi (Dec 27, 2010)

In my opinion, not really. If your just wanting to get your certification and the knowledge with it, I'm sure that the 5-10 day test prep sessions would do just fine. Some people learn better in a cramming environment instead of a structured one ( not to say the sessions are cramming environments ). If you go to school again, you'll definitely learn the material at a different pace, and will probably go over topics not touched in the test prep sessions. However, the certification tests go over specific things, which the test prep sessions would be more prone to assist you with them.

In the end, it's what you decide is best for you. If you'd like to prepare for the certification test and that's your only direct goal at the moment, take the test prep sessions. If your wanting both the certification and possibly a better job opportunity ( if your aiming for degrees ) then go for the classes. Either way, they both seem to point toward your certification. Now if one is far more expensive than the other, I'd take the cheaper one lol. Most of this is just opinions though. If I was in the same position, and they were about the same price, I'd go for the classes.


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## tim19889 (Jan 24, 2010)

If you just want your Network+ certification and want to save some money, you might consider getting Mike Meyer's All in One Network+ book and just preparing yourself with that. I studied for and passed the Net+ test in 90 days and literally only spent $40 preparing for it, which was on the book. Also, Professor Messer has a lot of really good free Network+ videos to watch, almost 11 hours worth, which can be found here: 
Professor Messer's Free CompTIA Network+ Certification Training Course | Professor Messer - CompTIA A+, CompTIA Network+, Certification Training

Not sure if this is the way you want to go or not, just thought I'd suggest it though.


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## ao3lane (Mar 8, 2011)

I want to pursue a career path and was looking to get the MCITP cert. but was unsure if this was enough to get my foot in the door somewhere for employment. Didnt know if being certified was equivalent as a B.S.


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## SportsITjunkie (Mar 8, 2011)

I know someone with 13 different certifications with no computer related degree and has a great job in the field, he is also an instructor where I am currently enrolled. It really depends what you want to do. I'm personally trying to get certified in as many areas as possible. I'd rather have the certs and gain exp in the field in 2-4 years instead of still being in class working on my degree. Thats just me .


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## ao3lane (Mar 8, 2011)

Okay so I just signed up for A+,Network+ (120 hrs), MCITP Enterprise (200 hrs), and CCNA Firewall Security (64 hrs). I figured if Im changing careers I better jump in feet first and do it all. Thanks for the help I had here and wish me luck!


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## ao3lane (Mar 8, 2011)

ao3lane said:


> Okay so I just signed up for A+,Network+ (120 hrs), MCITP Enterprise (200 hrs), and CCNA Firewall Security (64 hrs). I figured if Im changing careers I better jump in feet first and do it all. Thanks for the help I had here and wish me luck!


Duration for all is close to 30 weeks. Hopefully 11,000 grand worth of certs is enough to get my foot in the door?:4-dontkno


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## tim19889 (Jan 24, 2010)

Maybe. It seems that everyone wants experience though more than anything. Also the ccna and mcitp certs you're really not supposed to get unless you have a few years experience to back them up. Having them without and experience can actually hurt you in your job hunt. If you're looking to start in a helpdesk/field technician type position, I'd recommend you get the A+, Network+ from Comptia, and the MCTS:Configuring Windows 7 cert from Microsoft. That will be more than enough to get you into a good entry level position, then you could start working on the ccna and mcitp certs. That's what I'm planning to do anyhow . Also volunteering is a great way to help get your foot in the door.


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## Havlicek1 (Mar 18, 2011)

I went to an 8-month technical school that trains you to pass the A+ exam. I passed the exam, but I spent thousands of dollars on the school. If I could do it over I would have studied on my own. What matters is whether you know the technology or not. It doesn't matter how you learned it: in a school, on your own, etc. The one advantage the schools have is that they can provide access to hardware and software that otherwise you might not have access to.


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

ao3lane said:


> Duration for all is close to 30 weeks. Hopefully 11,000 grand worth of certs is enough to get my foot in the door?:4-dontkno


You have spent 11k on some classes to do some certs? I hate to be the bearer of bad news but just to inform you that you do not need classes to take certifications and make sure this place does not overcertify you for your experience level.

Look at the certs in my sig, I have done all these by self study paid for the exams and books myself and I think in total I will have spend about £500 or a $1000 to you.


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

Havlicek1 said:


> I went to an 8-month technical school that trains you to pass the A+ exam. I passed the exam, but I spent thousands of dollars on the school. If I could do it over I would have studied on my own. What matters is whether you know the technology or not. It doesn't matter how you learned it: in a school, on your own, etc. The one advantage the schools have is that they can provide access to hardware and software that otherwise you might not have access to.


Actually some employers will be more interested in people who have self studied over ones who had to take a class because IT is a constant learning experience if you dont,wont or can't keep up by learning yourself and needing classes all the time you wont get very far.

But you are correct in the fact that you do need to know the technology, some people are very good at passing exams but don't really know the subject whereas some people know the subject but are not very good when it comes to exams.


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

tim19889 said:


> Maybe. It seems that everyone wants experience though more than anything. Also the ccna and mcitp certs you're really not supposed to get unless you have a few years experience to back them up. Having them without and experience can actually hurt you in your job hunt. If you're looking to start in a helpdesk/field technician type position, I'd recommend you get the A+, Network+ from Comptia, and the MCTS:Configuring Windows 7 cert from Microsoft. That will be more than enough to get you into a good entry level position, then you could start working on the ccna and mcitp certs. That's what I'm planning to do anyhow . Also volunteering is a great way to help get your foot in the door.


agreed. The CCNA is for people who already work with cisco switches and kit and your 100% correct that the OP should be doing A+,N+ and MCTS windows 7.

There are certs for beginners and certs for people who already work in IT.

Begginner certs are: A,N+,MCDST (retires in June), MCTS and MCITP windows vista and windows 7.

Certs for people with experience in a job not a lab are:MCSA,MCSE,CCNA,CCDP,CCIE,any sharepoint exam, and everything else.

Having high level certs without the job experience to back them up can be as bad as having no certs and qualifications. Because employers will expect you to know what you are doing with no training required apart from to show you where the cofee machine is.


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## tim19889 (Jan 24, 2010)

Hey Brucelee, good to see you back here again man


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

tim19889 said:


> Hey Brucelee, good to see you back here again man


Thanks


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## ao3lane (Mar 8, 2011)

greenbrucelee said:


> You have spent 11k on some classes to do some certs? I hate to be the bearer of bad news but just to inform you that you do not need classes to take certifications and make sure this place does not overcertify you for your experience level.
> 
> Look at the certs in my sig, I have done all these by self study paid for the exams and books myself and I think in total I will have spend about £500 or a $1000 to you.


I know I don't NEED the classes to take the exams but I have the time and money to take the prep classes one after another and earn the A+,N+, and move through the MCITP Enterprise and I already have a job prospect after I finish A+ & N+. I appreciate all the feedback i'm getting but am I way off base doing it this way? They also gave me a credit to come back and take the CCNA prep class when ever I want. The provide all the hardware to practice on in the labs.


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

ao3lane said:


> I know I don't NEED the classes to take the exams but I have the time and money to take the prep classes one after another and earn the A+,N+, and move through the MCITP Enterprise and I already have a job prospect after I finish A+ & N+. I appreciate all the feedback i'm getting but am I way off base doing it this way? They also gave me a credit to come back and take the CCNA prep class when ever I want. The provide all the hardware to practice on in the labs.


just make sure you do not get your CCNA until you actually have experience in a job of supporting CISCO kit.

I know too many people who have had to hide the fact that they have the CCNA and other high level certs on their CV/Resume because they didn't have any experience and no network manager in their right mind will hire someone with high level certs which are designed to show your experience level if you have no experience.

Good luck with the job prospect.


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## Stephen Bowles (Jan 28, 2011)

Wow...

I'm just going to say something that was said to me once. The problem with these types of things, is they prepare you and test you for current hardware/software, which will change. The best option is to get a job in the field and learn as you go (level 1 IT Technical Support Help Desk job would be a great start, if you have no experience). College degree will help you to get that first job, which obviously would be higher than a level 1 IT tech, unless you got a really low grade...

I'm going to assumae the certificates will do the same, some employers may prefer them, but someone with a high-class degree (especially if they had a year of experience at some organisation) might take the job from you.

Probably a bit late to say this, (may not be my opinion, just stuff I was told).

Still though, I'd think your plans put you ahead of most, so good luck!


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

Stephen Bowles said:


> Wow...
> 
> I'm just going to say something that was said to me once. The problem with these types of things, is they prepare you and test you for current hardware/software, which will change. The best option is to get a job in the field and learn as you go (level 1 IT Technical Support Help Desk job would be a great start, if you have no experience). College degree will help you to get that first job, which obviously would be higher than a level 1 IT tech, unless you got a really low grade...
> 
> ...


Yes experience is everything. If you have no degree and no certs but lots of experience you will have a better chance than someone with a degree but no experience or certs and no experience.

Apart from entry level certs, certifications are designed to backup your experience level.

A degree isn't a neccesity to get into IT but oviously it can help. I know someone who is 28 has no degree but lots of certs he has been working in IT since he was 16 years old. He now earns $225000 a year as an IT consultant.

He was headhunted by a company in the US (Idaho) from his company in the UK where he did techsupport and consulting 4 years ago where he was earning 100k a year.

I have no degree and a lot of people I know in IT have no degree or have a degree in an unrelated subject. If you really want to work in IT the best thing to do is start at the bottom and work your way up so get some entry level certs and get a Tier 1 helpdesk job and progress.

Networking is very hard to get into regardless of wether you have a degree or networking certs usually positions in networking need experience before anything else.


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## ao3lane (Mar 8, 2011)

Just wanted to say thanks for all the help that has been given here. This has been by far the most helpful forum I have been to!ray:ray:ray:ray:


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## Justin79 (Mar 28, 2011)

What ever you choose to dont over pay for anything esspecally cert schools. My advice is get your AA and go get a few entry certs get a job and work on your BS or on a higher cert but one at a time cert school usually is not the best route because they are a buisness too and are in it to make money and will over certify you for your experiance. The best is to go to school and you can get certs at school too while getting your degree one at a time insted of getting pushed up to a CCNP or MCSE with out any foundation knowlage or experiance


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