CSU-Global grad school, boot camp & Certs

New2ITinCali

I'm considering grad school. I already have my Bachelors in IT Management, I'll be taking the Network + soon and I plan on taking the CCNA. I would like to attend a bootcamp for CCNA and I could get a big discount on the boot camp, but I have to be enrolled in school. I've been looking at CSU-Global for IT Management and utilizing my enrollment status to attend bootcamps for cheap rates so I can earn certifications at the same time. "Kill 2 birds with 1 stone" type of thinking.

Here's my questions, anyone attend CSU-Global?and would a Masters and certs make me more of a competitive candidate in the future as I do plan to progress?

I currently work as a Network Analyst and oddly, my company values degrees over certs. Nobody here has a cert, but many people are going back to earn degrees.

Clm

The best thing you can do is have all three (Certs,Degree and experice). Question why take network+ if your going to take CCNA?

New2ITinCali

Clm wrote: »

The best thing you can do is have all three (Certs,Degree and experice). Question why take network+ if your going to take CCNA?

Well Network + because I don't have any certs, so I suppose I need to get my "feet wet" and start with an entry-level cert since I have no experience in taking cert. exams. I really HATE tests! so I think starting low will prepare me for the higher exams, such as CCNA, CCNP, etc. I love networking and will probably stay in this area of IT as long as I can. I do like security and was hoping to become a CISSP, but if that doesn't pan out, I'm fine with staying in networking and earning any networking related certs as I progress in my career.

revbox

Clm wrote: »

The best thing you can do is have all three (Certs,Degree and experice). Question why take network+ if your going to take CCNA?

Not sure about OP, but I started out taking a lot of entry-to-associate level certs when I start my cert quest a few months ago just because of my own insecurities/anxiety. I've been employed in enterprise IT for about 15 years now, but had never worked on any of my certifications and I never finished college. Since April, I think I'm up to 25 now on LinkedIn and though my biggest "wins" are the GRCP and A+, they still served their purpose as confidence builders and getting me used to the testing process. I realize where I am today is because of my own fault at being complacent, but I sleep no more. I'm doing Network+ and Security+ before the end of July. I'd like to get the ICND-1 before the end of August. I've booked my SSCP for the end of September. Somewhere in there I'll try to squeeze in the Linux Essentials with the goal of eventually getting the Linux trifecta certs before the end of the year.

Kudos to those of you who set the bar high with your initial cert attempts. I have a colleague who decided his first time out he wanted to do the GSEC. I believe he'll pass on the first attempt just because I know his skill set from working with him so long. I however needed to pick the low hanging fruit just so that I started to believe that I could.

New2ITinCali

revbox wrote: »

Not sure about OP, but I started out taking a lot of entry-to-associate level certs when I start my cert quest a few months ago just because of my own insecurities/anxiety. I've been employed in enterprise IT for about 15 years now, but had never worked on any of my certifications and I never finished college. Since April, I think I'm up to 25 now on LinkedIn and though my biggest "wins" are the GRCP and A+, they still served their purpose as confidence builders and getting me used to the testing process. I realize where I am today is because of my own fault at being complacent, but I sleep no more. I'm doing Network+ and Security+ before the end of July. I'd like to get the ICND-1 before the end of August. I've booked my SSCP for the end of September. Somewhere in there I'll try to squeeze in the Linux Essentials with the goal of eventually getting the Linux trifecta certs before the end of the year.

Kudos to those of you who set the bar high with your initial cert attempts. I have a colleague who decided his first time out he wanted to do the GSEC. I believe he'll pass on the first attempt just because I know his skill set from working with him so long. I however needed to pick the low hanging fruit just so that I started to believe that I could.

Thanks for your reply. I feel the same way, I have "test anxiety" so that's why I'm starting from the bottom and I'll eventually work my way up. I have inquired with some boot camps and I could get a huge discount if I'm enrolled in college, so that's why I'm thinking if I enroll in a Masters program and during the program I can earn certs by studying through reputable boot camps, I'd make out pretty well (I think) or I'm hoping, at least.

Can I ask you what materials did you use to study or did you attend any boot camps??

revbox

I've been using Pluralsight for watching videos while working or driving in the car ($29 a month, $299 a year for regular membership). For CompTIA, I use Professor Messer's video series (free) and his course notes ($10 each). For Microsoft, I use the Microsoft Virtual Academy videos (free) along with the Microsoft Press books. VMWare and Apple were also pretty straight forward with free videos and/or PDF materials available directly from them.

Every exam I've taken and passed has been via work experience and self-study. My employer will pay exam fees, but I haven't asked to attend any boot camps simply because a $2000 - $5000 boot camp for an exam with x < $500 exam fee is ridiculous in my opinion. I'll save my boot camp requests for if I ever decide to go higher than CCENT in Cisco or do anything with GIAC.

If you are considering paying for a boot camp out of pocket, just make sure you do your research. It is a lot of money to waste on something to not give you a good ROI.