Introduction and request for advice/guidance (LONG POST)

7lowe

I apologize in advance for the really long post. I'll go through and try to bold the highlights.

I've read these forums for awhile and have seen that there are lots of experience, knowledgeable, and helpful people here. So, I would like to give a brief background/introduction of myself and explain my current situation and where I'm at and solicit any advice on what I should do.

When I was 5 my parents bought me a C64 and I taught myself BASIC and I've pretty much loved computers and technology ever since. By the time I was a teenager and graduating HS I was an idiot. My dad tried to get me to go to college and study "computers." Probably partially because he suggested it and partially because both my parents hated their jobs I was against this with the crazy theory that you have to hate your job and if you try to do something you love as your job then you'll just end up hating that too, so obviously you shouldn't try to do something you enjoy. As I said, I was an idiot. Anyway, I didn't really want to go to college but my parents said I had to if I wanted to keep living at home. So, basically I enrolled and never went to most of my classes and dropped out.

Flash forward about 10 years and I was working in a factory and hating it. Lots of people that are IMO too old to be working there are and I decided I don't want that to be me. Since the company offered $3,000/yr in tuition reimbursement I decided to try and go back to school. The Board of Regents here in Tennessee was starting a new 100% online degree program that offered an AAS in IT which seemed right up my alley. So, I started taking classes till I hit the $3,000 cap each year and now, 4 years later, I'm in my final 2 classes and scheduled to graduate in December.

My original intention was to just get the AAS and then maybe try to look for a job or get some certifications and then look for a job because going to school while working takes so long and I can't really afford to just quit and go back. But, then I got invited join Phi Theta Kappa honor society and found out that there are transfer scholarships that I might be able to get. I'm not exactly sure how they calculate the GPA. But, since I started back to school in 2004 my GPA is like 3.9, but it's only like 3.4 if you include way back when I originally flunked out of school. You are supposed to have a 3.5 to get invited, so I'm guessing they must just go by your current enrollment.

So, I started considering trying to go for a Bachelor's degree. The problem is that my AAS wasn't designed to transfer, so I'd be mostly starting from scratch. But, then I happened upon the website of a school about an hour away up around Knoxville. It's called Fountainhead College of Technology and they offer a BAS in Networking, Security, and Forensics. Since I'll already have my Associate's degree it's only a 16 month program and I already have some of the general education stuff so I might finish a little earlier. I searched the forums here for it and only found the school mentioned once and no real info about it. It is designated as a "Center for Academic Excellence" by the NSA and Homeland Security which means you can apply for the DoD's Information Assurance Scholarship Program which pays all your tuition, books, fees, and a $10,000/yr stipend in exchange for your agreement to work at a DoD facility upon graduation. I'm thinking of trying for that because the program is pretty expensive. They said it was $32,000, including a laptop and all the software packages. You also get 4 certifications along with your degree but I've never heard of them:

NSTISSI-4011 - National Training Standard for Information Systems Security (INFOSEC) Professionals
CNSSI-4012 - National Information Assurance Training Standard for Senior Systems Managers
CNSSI-4013 - National Information Assurance Training Standard for System Administrators (SA)
CNSSI-4014 - Information Assurance Training Standard for Information Systems Security Officers (ISSO)

So, basically I'm wondering if anyone has heard of this school/program and if it seems legit. Because I took the entrance exam and it was a joke. But, the whole NSA certification and DoD scholarship tie-in seems to lend it some credibility.

To complicate matters, I've got a 7 week old daughter which makes the thought of quitting my job to go back to school very scary. I think we have a program here in TN which will allow me to have insurance on her though which is helpful. So, if I can do it and get my degree in a year and a half and then get a much better job I'd think it would be worth it.

So, please let me know if this seems legit and a good idea or if feel free to offer your own ideas if you have a better one.

Sorry again for the long post.

Seven

networker050184

Hey welcome to the forums!

I've never heard of the school, but if it has DoD backing it is most likely legit, but you still probably want to check a little more. A degree is a very good thing to have and will definatley help you find a job, no doubt about that. Just don't get your hopes up and don't plan on getting to much money right out of school with zero experience. In IT experience is one of the biggest keys to getting a good job. While you are in school try to get some experience doing any kind of IT work you can find. A year of part time or volunteer work while going to school will probably help you a lot when searching for your first job. Good luck with what ever road you choose to go down. If you just stay dedicated you will succeed. Just don't let the bumps in the road get you down! Oh and congrats on the new child!!!

Kasor

Too easy, just check with NSA website. If they are legit, then you will find something from NSA site. You can email them and I found this email askiasp@nsa.gov

Carnegie Mellon University - School of Computer Science is one of those school with NSA certified program.

7lowe

Thanks, I'd already saw that they were listed on the NSA website. I just never heard of any of those certs and since the entrance exam was so easy I was sort of suspicious.

Thanks again,
Seven

filkenjitsu

How is it going 7Lowe?

We had chatted through private messages before. I am now done at Mt. Sierra, live up in Chicago doing my dream job working at a NOC and am currently into my 2nd class in my masters degree.

Looks like you decided on fountainhead, I think it is a good choice. I know several people who went there and are happy with their choice.

Did you get the DOD scholarship?