2 Year Plan- Doable?

whotime

So i have developed my 2 year plan in the hopes of completing all of this by Christmas 2016.
1. Graduate WGU with BS:IT
2. Obtain CISSP cert
3. Obtain HCISPP cert
4. Begin/Finish MSISA from WGU
5. Begin MBA in IT at WGU


Now there might be some setbacks or things will come up, but I believe that I can obtain at least 3.5 of these in the 2 year span. I know first order is to complete the BS:IT. Now I might be able to mix in some studying for the CISSP in there. To do that I might take 3 months off after my BS for studying. Then I will get into my MSISA. Now if I finish my BS and have allot of WGU time still on my calendar then I will start the MSISA immediately and add in studying for the CISSP. The HCISPP cert is if i am only in healthcare at that point.
[h=1][/h]Any Thoughts on this??? All comments and suggestions are accepted and appreciated.

srabiee

How many credits are you transferring into your BS degree, and how many have you completed so far?

Why are you wanting to obtain a BS, MS, MBA, and CISSP all in two years time? What is the reasoning behind this?

Is it doable? Probably not if you want to be realistic about it. I'm sure there are some out there that could pull it off if they absolutely killed themselves over it, but again, not realistic.

whotime

srabiee,

I know it is a reach. I need 50 CU to complete my BS. I am wrapping up my first 2 classes before my semester ends. (horrible semester at work so havent been able to focus.) So I should have 5 CUs done this semester but after talking with my Mentor with the amount i transferred in I only need 3 to stay eligible.

On the 2 year plan the BS is the given one. Follow that up with do I get my CISSP, and then go for my MSISA. Or do I do the MSISA first and then take the CISSP.

I stated I wouldnt get all 5 Done, but if I get BS, CISSP, Start or be half way on MSISA in 2 years then the MBA will be there for 3rd year.

Myreasoning is that I am 31 with 3 kids. In 8 years my daughter will be going to school and I need to be able to have a high enough paying job that I can help her, plus help my other 2 as they come up. With my current job experience and me obtaining these degrees I can do that.

Khaos1911

Whew, ambitious. Go for it!

P.S. I just stopped in to say hello to a fellow Memphian.

whotime

Cool, Khaos where are you located?

22306

i did 54 credits already and i just started in sept.. im doing linux this sat

nelson8403

Your plan is very ambitious, it's possible but it depends on how determined you are, there can realistically be no breaks in your 2 years, 50 CUs is an extremely large amount of classes, if you average 2 weeks a course and each course is 3 CUs then you're looking at 2 terms left. You can take 2 masters level classes while you are still enrolled at WGU, so if you finish day 1 of your second term you can complete two classes then you have to wait until the end of the term to start your masters program, that is 1 year roughly right there already gone out of your 2 year plan.

I'm taking the MSISA and I'm hoping to finish within a year as well, but it is extremely ambitious, it seems that every class has 3-4 10-20 page papers to write, and depending on how comfortable you are with the material it can take a week or two to complete each task. The MSISA and the CISSP both do follow the same basic outline so you should be prepared to the CISSP after you get the MSISA.

2 years is definitely achievable for 3/3.5 tasks, it is near impossible to complete everything within 3 years even with the WGU time table, it will be a minimum of a year for your bachelors unless you complete 14+ classes in this term, then you have to wait until term break to do your masters which is very difficult to complete in a term, so you may have another year for that, then an additional year for the MBA, since you'll be in the same situation.

whotime

Nelson, I see what you laid out there and agree. But lets say i start my last term for BS with 1 class. I knock it out and then do my 2 MSISA classes in the first 4 weeks. That leaves me the remainder of that time to study for the CISSP and pass it prior to getting into the MSISA fully. If I can achieve this then that would be awesome.

Now dont get me wrong life is going to get in the way as it already has for this semester but if i can stay the course and complete things efficiently I dont know why in 3-3.5yrs im not a BS, MSISA, MBA, CISSP and probably be going for another major cert?

bryanthetechie

Keep in mind that WGU will admit you to a master's degree program before you finish your BS with them, and they'll open up the first master's classes to you in your last BS semester if you have completed your last BS class. That way you can use the materials and be ready to turn in work for your first MS classes as soon as you start the MS program. They don't openly advertise that this option is available, so you may need to ask your mentor about it. The key is to show WGU that you are serious about continuing with them through an MS and you should be good to go.

Otherwise, it's a very tough but possibly doable plan. My concern with highly-accelerated study plans are 1) How deep are you actually getting into the information vs. just getting by enough that you can check off the completed box?, and 2) Much of that information will not "stick" long term (this is the problem with intensive language programs where folks forget most of what they learned even a few weeks after they stop practicing the language). I say go for it, but I also encourage you to slow down if you feel that you aren't retaining the information for long. This is your career, make sure you know the material.

210mike

What's your work experience like? I only say this because you might be putting the cart before the horse a little regarding upper level education and advanced certifications. MSISA, CISSP, those are all wonderful things, but you need a solid work foundation to build upon as well. If you list those on your resume, but only show 3 or 4 years of low level IT work experience, it can actually hurt more than help.

I poked through your post history, seems you're into strongman stuff so I'll try an analogy. Right now you're basically deciding to hit the gym for the next 2 years with the goal of winning the America's strongest man contest. Possible? Maybe, but I would set smaller, more frequent and attainable goals. Focus on getting X number of CU's done at WGU this term towards your BS, then set another goal, and another. Go from there.

nelson8403

That is true that you get more study time for the CISSP but it just depends on your level of knowledge in the field. If you can study and pass for the CISSP in 2-3 months then you can probably achieve this, then you'll have some time to work on some more MSISA classes (even though you can't turn them in until the term starts) but I've heard more cases where people finish in 2-3 terms rather than being able to finish two masters in 2 terms.

Khaos1911

whotime wrote: »

Cool, Khaos where are you located?

I'm still in Memphis, whotime.

Jon_Cisco

If it's what you really want to do you could make it happen. Assuming you are able to absorb that much information in the time frame. Nobody online can tell you that.

You might want to consider how much you are giving up to force such a tight schedule. Your children might not remember you as being a part of your life during that time. Only can decide what is more important. I say go for it because the hardest part of most things is often getting started.

Good Luck!

whotime

Khaos I meant were do you work? PM Me

tkerber

I hope you're not married..

In all seriousness this plan is possible but like many others have said--it doesn't really leave any room for error or breaks.

GarudaMin

Why put a timer on it? I'd say, make all 5 your end goals. Then start with your #1 (BS:IT). Focus on it, then once you are done, move onto the next one. Putting timer gives you unnecessary pressure (I can understand that it can also make it into motivation). But in this case, it's unnecessary pressure that can lead to burn out. Baby steps....who knows by focusing one task at a time, you may have achieved all 5 in 2 years time.

Nersesian

I did something similar where I finished up my BS and rolled right into my MBA. I just started on the MS IS&A program, so I know I'm a little outside your time frame, but it can be done. The MBA capstone took me a bit, so keep that in mind. You're going to need to absolutely push hard on the paper-only objectives in order to allow time for the certs and team objectives. I don't know yet what my CISSP study path is going to be, but I don't expect that to be an easy one. I decided to go with the degree program before the CISSP like Nelson indicated, since I've got limited exposure on some of the domains.

You can do it, but I hope all of your other obligations are covered. Work, home life and personal requirements all need to remain in sync for two years, which can be really difficult to do. I don't have any children, my wife is focused on her career goals and I don't have much of a social life and even then I struggled with my self imposed deadlines. At some point about halfway through the MBA, I stopped caring about my timeline and promised myself I would get something (anything) accomplished every day. Its a juggling act, so best of luck.

whotime

Absolutely, and that is the plan i plan to do.