# Carreer Path - College or Certifications?



## Josh V (Jun 23, 2012)

Hey guys! I was just hoping for some career advice on a fellow computer lover. 

As of date, I've built my own computer from scratch, modded/gutted many computer (and parts) and I'm 17 years old. I have a strong passion for building, and working with computers. I'm also software savvy, not on the computer-language side, but with general fixes and how-to's in the practical side of computers. I'm a junior, going on to senior in August, and I'm going to be submitting college apps really soon. My uncle however, who works IT, told me, if I am not going to be a computer programmer/engineer, then I should be working on certifications and going to cert. classes and even hinted just ditching college altogether. He went to college back in the 90's and majored in something with computers, and told me that his degree/college education does not help him at ALL with his job today and said that it didn't help much in getting the certifications he needed later. 


Now I don't want to be a programmer, or full-blown computer engineer, I want to do more hands-on with computers like hardware or getting computers up and running. Now I know I won't make the highest class of living off a career like that, but I would prefer to love what I'm doing. Unfortunately, now I'm at odds with myself and have no idea what to do with myself and my passion and now come to you guys for help.

My two paths:

1. Public University (UC Irvine hopeful, major in Computer/Electrical Engineering?)
2. Obtain necessary certs.
3. Work Geek Squad for computer career foundation.
4. -lost-

My problem with this is, would an Computer/Electrical Engineering degree really help me in the real world landing/helping me in a non-computer programming career? I was thinking Computer Sciences is more of that.

~OR~

1. Local Community College 
2. More freedom in comm. college -> obtain certs. faster?
3. Work Geek Squad earlier?
4. -lost-

My problem with this path is, lots of flak from my parents who don't understand computer industry and perhaps not as strong of financial security because of no solid major degree?

P.S. 

Also, how do I get A+ Certification? I looked at some sample questions and I can answer a good 80%+ of them! :blush: (which I don't think is too shabby for a 17-year old)

Thanks a LOT!
-Josh


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

A degree is not a neccesity to work in IT and neither are certs but can help.

Experience is what counts and by experience that means in the real world not in a lab and not in your home but in the real world.

Certifications are designed to show your experience level in the real world, going for certs past your experience level can go against you when going for a job.


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## Josh V (Jun 23, 2012)

Thanks for the reply.

But what about degrees? Where does a degree kick in? I don't want to waste tens of thousands of dollars of my parents' money a year at some university for a degree that won't even help


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## greenbrucelee (Apr 24, 2007)

Like I said a degree is not a neccesity. Someone with a degree would still have to go for an entry level position like someone who does not have a degree. Although someone with a very good degree may start higher up the ladder but like I said unless you have real world experience a person with a degree and a person with no degree is the same.

Anyway most people I know in IT do not have IT related degrees, some do but most don't I dont have a degree in anything.


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## via (Jun 12, 2012)

Josh V said:


> Hey guys! I was just hoping for some career advice on a fellow computer lover.
> 
> As of date, I've built my own computer from scratch, modded/gutted many computer (and parts) and I'm 17 years old. I have a strong passion for building, and working with computers. I'm also software savvy, not on the computer-language side, but with general fixes and how-to's in the practical side of computers. I'm a junior, going on to senior in August, and I'm going to be submitting college apps really soon. My uncle however, who works IT, told me, if I am not going to be a computer programmer/engineer, then I should be working on certifications and going to cert. classes and even hinted just ditching college altogether. He went to college back in the 90's and majored in something with computers, and told me that his degree/college education does not help him at ALL with his job today and said that it didn't help much in getting the certifications he needed later.
> 
> ...


Hi Josh !

I have just read out your whole post and seems like your idea is same as me.You will be glad to know that I am still student and am doing IT job.

So you can do it as well.I must appreciate you.

Thanks :smile:


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## Old Rich (May 31, 2007)

A degree may not be necessary in the entry level job, but most larger companies will give preference to graduates when it comes to promotions . . particularly in the Supervisory and Management positions


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## BosonMichael (Nov 1, 2011)

A degree isn't required to get started in an IT career, but it will open up opportunities later in your career (like those that Old Rich describes) that would otherwise be unavailable to you. 

I would not recommend putting off an IT career in order to get a degree. Instead, I would recommend working in IT - even part time if you must - while going to school. Someone with four years of real-world, hands-on experience will almost always get a job over someone with no experience and a four-year degree.


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## Josh V (Jun 23, 2012)

I sincerely appreciate all these replies, you guys thank you very much! I have practically no one in my family to help me going down this career path, as I come from a line of medical/nursing -oriented family.

There's a small computer shop near my high school that I'm going to ask around to see if there are any small openings for a guy like me, and hopefully convince my mom to ditch a sixth period for some job experience. 

However, I must ask, are there any wide encompassing computer books that I should know/read up on? Like, a computer "bible"? Haha. I want to stay ahead of the game, but want to start reading the books that give the broad knowledge, before I go a specific line down in computers.


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## BosonMichael (Nov 1, 2011)

Not really, though if you are considering the A+ certification, I would wholeheartedly recommend the A+ All-in-One Exam Guide by Mike Meyers (current edition is 7th, upcoming edition will be 8th).


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## Josh V (Jun 23, 2012)

I was reading more about A+ certification, and saw that there was something even more basic than that - their CompTIA Strata IT Fundamentals? Is that something worth looking into before reading up into A+?


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## epshatto (Dec 23, 2010)

No. I've never once seen an employer asking for the CompTIA Strata IT Fundamentals certification.

Actually I'm not even sure what that is even really for, without looking on the site. Your basics are A+ and Network+, and maybe Security+. Also the Windows client certs Microsoft offers (MCTS).


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## BosonMichael (Nov 1, 2011)

epshatto said:


> No. I've never once seen an employer asking for the CompTIA Strata IT Fundamentals certification.


Yep, agreed.



epshatto said:


> Actually I'm not even sure what that is even really for, without looking on the site. Your basics are A+ and Network+, and maybe Security+. Also the Windows client certs Microsoft offers (MCTS).


I'd wait on Security+, but the others are worthwhile to get when starting out.


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## epshatto (Dec 23, 2010)

> I'd wait on Security+, but the others are worthwhile to get when starting out.


I agree with this unless infosec is a particular area that you're specifically interested in.

Normally us entry-level people in IT do not study or obtain the Security+ certification (Security+ is an entry level cert but not one most entry-level IT people work toward); currently I am because I like security and ultimately want to work in the field. So I should clarify that Security+ might not be relevent for what you want to do. Also even if it is you should have A+ and Network+ first because otherwise Security+ might not make a bit of sense.


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## BosonMichael (Nov 1, 2011)

epshatto said:


> I agree with this unless infosec is a particular area that you're specifically interested in.
> 
> Normally us entry-level people in IT do not study or obtain the Security+ certification (Security+ is an entry level cert but not one most entry-level IT people work toward); currently I am because I like security and ultimately want to work in the field. So I should clarify that Security+ might not be relevent for what you want to do. Also even if it is you should have A+ and Network+ first because otherwise Security+ might not make a bit of sense.


That is incorrect; Security+ is NOT an entry-level certification. The reasons I say this are twofold:

1) CompTIA recommends two years of experience working in IT networking security before pursuing Security+; that's not "entry-level". Remember, certification is designed to show employers what you already have experience doing, NOT to show employers what you want to start doing.

2) People just starting out in IT are not going to be asked to do ANY kind of IT security (except, at best, install anti-virus software on PCs). Therefore, Security+ is not relevant to entry-level positions and can, in fact, do more harm than good when applying for entry-level jobs (for the same reason why McDonalds doesn't hire people with college degrees to be fry cooks).


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## liamm (Jan 6, 2012)

Well, i am a computer science student, barely finishing the first year (last exam tomorrow), and i am working for a webdesign company for a few months. I was able to pass all my exams even though i have a job, although my grade is 7.2/10 , but it's totally worth it. There's nothing more than impresses future employers than experience, and it's very important for yourself too. What you learn in school and what you use at work is very very different..


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## via (Jun 12, 2012)

I definitely agree with you guys.Theory and practical field are two different things.


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