CCNA Training Class or study at home???

I was thinking about taking the 4 cisco classes at http://oce.spsu.edu/programs/certificates/certificates.htm there about 1000 each.
My question has anyone taking classes like these and can you compare them to studing at home?
I thought i could maybe study the first two classes on my own and then take the final two classes. This could save me lots of money.
Any thoughts would greatly help me.

Thanks

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Comments

ElvisG

I'm actually finishing up the second semester Routers and Router Basics. I was introduced to Cisco just sorta by accident. The Cisco courses were an elective so I decided to take Networking Basics. Now I have decided to pursue CCNA. Anyway, please look into your local community college because the class cost around 40 or 60 bucks. The books are about the same price. So I'm going through the same Cisco Academy at a fraction of the cost.

A little information on what the course covers.

Networking Basics

The final includes a 10 question intro question and answers.
Then the final test is about 50 question and answers.
The physical lab test is just making a crossover and connecting to a router and logging in.

Routers and Router Basics

Same question and answers style.
The physical lab is you are given a scenario sheet you have to fill out. Like for an example, you are to setup the IP subnets which require you to set a certain host range and find the subnet mask. Then apply certain ACL's to three routers.

If you have any questions I'll be more than happy to answer.

Helpful links.

http://www.cisco.com/web/learning/netacad/index.html

blackmage439

As Elvis said, stay away from university-level certification prep courses.

I took all four CCNA-approved courses and the three A+ courses offered by my community college. At about 3 credit-hours each, and less than $100 per credit hour, all seven classes amounted to around $2300ish (including books). That's half the cost of just the CCNA courses at that university! Besides that, you'll most likely recieve the same degree of instruction no matter where you go. Although, they could have had better teachers for my A+ courses, but that's not really a big deal. The CCNA program was perfect.

Anyway, learning the material on your own can be done. However, I highly suggest certification preparation courses. They are excellent learning tools, and prepare you perfectly to take the exams. I was a complete ignorant idiot before taking these classes. I hardly knew anything about how a computer or network functioned. But, over the past few years, I have come a very long way.

Oh, and one more tip. Prep courses at school typically allow you to take voucher exams. Pass the exams, recieve dicounts off certification tests. I was stupid, and didn't take advantage of these. Now, I'm paying for it (literally)...

mikej412

Here's a previous Academy thread
http://www.techexams.net/forums/viewtopic.php?t=15821

The cost will vary based on the Academy doing the training, and hopefully bears some relation to the "extras" they may provide (like labs, instructors, tutors, snacks, etc).

Classes are good for "adding structure" and getting you back into the "study groove."

Not everyone is cut out for self-study -- it requires motivation, dedication, and self-discipline. Self-study is cheaper if you decide to "wimp out."