Ranger Archive

At the age of 18 im preparing to go to college. my only beef is this. i know i want to work in an IT department for a company (networking specifically) and i was wondering what all you IT people out there playing this game did to do the same thing. should i go to a four year school and get a b.s. in computer science? or go to chubbs institute or tech school something along those lines? thanks guys

If you want to work for a large company I would definately urge you to go for a BS in Computer Sciences or Information Systems or some such. You can get in the door sometimes and work your way up through the ranks with no formal training - its what I did. However, its becoming a much harder road to travel and the opportunities are quickly evaporating in this economy. Large corporations are always looking for good college recruits however. Many colleges will hire from an university even when a position is not truly needed. Why? Because it costs alot of money for the corporations to get in the door at recruiting day and if a company doesnt maintain a certain hiring level on campuses they can lose the ability to actively recruit. The four year degree takes a lot of time and money but the pay off in long term success is well worth the effort. Good luck

You may want to do IT now, but you may not always want to. I recommend getting the C.S. (or some other engineering) degree. That degree will open up LOTS of things for you far beyond networking. For most engineering jobs employers will want a degree or a good amount of relevant experience or both. For IT, there MAY NOT be as much emphasis on thedegree (depending on the employer), but that degree provides you with more leverage in salary negotiations, advancement, etc..

Say you're working in the IT department and a really cool programming job becomes available. Sure, you can teach yourself whatever programming languages required and maybe some basic design concepts, but you won't have the years of software engineering and theory background that a C.S. grad willhave. You actually will know how a computer works from a more pure perspective instead of an applied perspective.

Generally, you will have more earning potential and options with a degree than without. Plus that degree shows employers that you had the perseverance to stick with that tough 4-5 year program.

Remeber the dot-com boom? There were lots of self-taught folks or folks who dropped out of school to join the boom. Now that the dot-com bubble has burst, MANY of these same people are STRUGGLING to find work in the technology sector, especially when having to compete against folks with degrees that are also looking for work.

Going IT is definitely not a bad way to earn a living, but IMHO you limit your options without a degree.

Good Luck!

If you want to get into IT, you have 3.5 options:

1. Get really good at your job (working on/with computers and networks), start with a company somewhere below IT and work your way up by impressing people (worked for me).

2. Get a CIS degree and do the same thing. Most CIS graduates I've seen get stuck starting out working as a junior programmers, working with EDI or working with database applications (the latter two moreso than the first two)

3. Get an engineering (CompSci) degree. A lot more versatility here....mostly in programming, but there's no end of things you can do with it. (Working on this now, just so I can apply for government law enforcement jobs -- otherwise, I'd stick with my resume)

3.5 Go to a tech school. Unless you're getting Cisco certification out of it, you'll pretty much be relegated in many folks' mindset as a "technician for life", but you can get around that as #1 does.

Overall, do the grind, and get the CS degree. Add an MBA if you want to turn into a manager someday.

cisco is not all it is not "all that",..lol trust me

bah,..it is late,..

cisco is not "all that".

A good way to retain maximum flexibility would be to get a four year degree in either Electrical Engineering or Computer Engineering. By starting out with a pretty wide open degree you can pick the area you want to work in after taking four years to figure out what area of computers/technologyit is you really enjoy.

I highly recommend a degree in engineering, it will give you the maximum competitive advantage when you enter the job market. That's just an engineer talking though.

If you want to really open up your options get a BSEE (Bachelor of Science: Electrical Engineering) and get you minor (or double major) in Computer Science. CS degrees are (unfortunately) a dime a dozen anymore. Seems that everyone and their cousin has one. (This doesn't mean they are good or actually know what they are doing though). In your CS program you'll get your CISCO (and better) certifications. (NOTE: You'll have to go to an independent testing agency in order to obtain your CCNA or higher). Oh, and as far as starting dollar amounts go (totally dependent upon what part of the country/world you work in) you can expect to get from $35K to $95K per year. Broadrange I know, but these numbers (and higher) are possible to attain. Just keep in mind that there are a LOT of IT/CS people out there now.

If a CS program is offering certifications (CISCO, etc.) DO NOT enroll in that CS program. A solid CS program will not offer these certifications due to the inherent limitations of these certifications. Any CS program worth their salt will be teaching computing fundamentals such as algorithms, data structures, design methodology, Operating Systems, computer architecture (Assemblyand understanding the bridge between hardware and software), and lots of Math (Calculus, Linear Algebra, Differential Equations, and more!) and a fair amount of Science (usually they require a physical science like Physics and/or Chemistry). If you see a CS program that doesn't require a curriculum like what I described above, then it's probably a glorified Information Systems program. This not a knock on IS, but when comparing an engineering disciplineand a "business" discipline there is a difference in breadth.

Engineering degrees (including CS) will make you more attractive in the long run because what an engineer learns can be applied to ANY job. The reason you take so much Math and Science in your lower division engineering is two fold. First and foremost, the scientific/technical/engineering problem solving thought process must be engraved into your being. This can only be accomplished by...well...solving problems. In Engineering you learn by DOING, not just reading. The other reason obviously is to provide you with a level of competency in order to do the upper division work which is much more specific and focused. Throughout college engineering there will be plenty of classes that will not apply to your major directly, but will help engrave that engineering thought process. This will provide you with a wide breadth of knowledge that will make you very attractive to an employer.

Engineers can pursue careers in pretty much any industry, because the way we think providesus with a solid, time-tested methodology for solving problems regardless of the problemdomain.

You can't go wrong with engineering, trust me...

I am a Senior Software Engineer for a large International Software Corporation. A four year degree is enough to get into the job regardless if it is Engineering, or CS. Starting pay tends to be the same. Once you are in the job your education will have to continue to compete, especially since the industry took a nose dive a year or so ago.

I personally only have one year of college but I went the certification route. I am a Certified Microsoft Solution Developer (.NET), Software Developer (.NET), Database Admin (SQL Server),.. a Sun Certified Java Developer (J2EE), Certified Oracle DBA and a handful of others.

The college diploma only helps your resume get noticed. To tell you the truth as a hire/fire Lead I can tell you that expereince and knowledge is more important to me.I will usually hire someone with two years of expereince and no college over someone with a four year degree only. Of course its a catch 22 because Human Resources usually wont forward me resumes unless the person has a degree because of company policy.

If Iwere youI would go to a Tech school that concentrates networking, concentrate on getting triple certified and in two years you can be in a solid networking job. The military is another way to get training and job expereince. Especially since you no longer have to sign away four years of your life (And face it .. the Air Force is just a college party in uniform )