Bachelor Degree

aaronj

I currently have my A+ and Network+ certifications, I also graduated from ITT with a Associate Degree in Computer Networking Systems.

I have been working for a large company for a little over 2 years now in their hardware department. They already said they want to promote me to Senior Technician which is a big pay raise but I don't really see myself staying in hardware, it is just boring to me.

I'm wanting to get into a network position and I'm wondering what I should be doing to get a job like that in the future. I'm thinking about going back for my Bachelors Degree in Information System Security at ITT.

This will cost me around $34k probably for the additional education and I'm having a hard time figuring out if it will be worth doing this or not. I also plan on getting more certifications throughout the next two years, I just have to figure out if I'm going the Cisco or the Microsoft route.

People with experience know if the additional 2 years is worth the cost?

dynamik

$34k seems really steep for just two additional years of education. That's more than my entire BA degree will cost, and I've seen masters in infosec (Capella) for around $24k. I feel that tacking on another two years of education will be beneficial, but you may want to shop around for another school.

aaronj

I can't shop around, unfortunately ITT goes through a different organization so their credits are not accredited by other Universities so I'm either stuck going back to ITT or starting all over again and work my way up to another Associates Degree then my Bachelors.

stlsmoore

I honestly didn't think ITT was worth it, I'm in almost the same situation as you. I have my A+, Network+, and my Associates in Computer Networking Systems from ITT. My one friend decided to go ahead and get his Bachelors while I opted not to. The only type of classes you have really are team management type of classes which is good if you want to be a project manager one day or something along those lines. Once I graduated I realized truly how much ITT didn't care if you actually knew what they taught you they just wanted to take your money. I have all the books from ITT that's geared towards CompTIA, Microsoft, and Cisco certs. While I'm studying for my certs (currently MSCA) I'm realizing how much stuff I really didn't learn from the school itself. Just from studying the Network+ book I learned more about networking than what ITT ever taught.

When it comes down to it though to be fair you get what you put into it at ITT. You really have to do a lot of self studying with that school in order to learn anything. Which if you think about it you might as well just skip ITT and just do the certs. It would of saved me $40,000 in the long run. Hell now that I think about it I remember that our instructor that was teaching the Windows XP 70-270 course mentioned he had no experience with the OS on the first day of class! Oh well enough of my ranting. But remember there's a reason why ITT credits aren't excepted by most schools and why the FBI did an investigation on them.

brad-

I think my BS was about 26k. 34k for just 2 years is...well something i cant say on these boards. If you're going for higher level certs too, dont waste your time with the BS, I dont think you'll see the ROI. Its not as important in the IT world as experience and a level head.

DMin

I have the IIS degree from ITT tech, and it was the most expensive mistake I've ever made in my life. It's opened zero doors for me up to this point and is now costing me $300 a month in loan repayments. Most IT employers will consider experience in lieu of a degree, and 90% of the IIS program classes don't teach you anything you'll use in the field (Hopefully this was more a factor of my particular school than the program overall, but make sure you talk to people who are in the program, preferably near to graduation, before you enroll). If getting a 4-year degree is that important to you, I'd suggest either starting over or at the very least doing the DCST program instead of the IIS program. Their curriculum (lots of Cisco router work, VOIP, etc) is much more applicable.

bighusker

I say this with all due respect...spending $34,000 at ITT Tech is flushing money down the toilet. I don't know what in-state tuition is where you live, but here, you could get a 4-year BS degree from an in-state school for less than that....that's all 4 years.

I'd only recommend schools like ITT if you already have an established career and just need a piece of paper to satisfy your bosses. If you're looking for a degree that will let you move on to bigger and better things, then look elsewhere.

shednik

In all honesty go for the BS at a University, I don't care what other people say if you have a few years experience, some certifications, and a degree from an accredited university it will never do you wrong. I had been looking for a new job for about 6 months and once I completed my degree it just so happens I stumbled upon a great offer to leave my job I have now with an $18k raise and to work for Bayer. It's worth it in my eyes and depending on your age there are a lot of schools who have programs built around a working adult. For example I went to Robert Morris University and if I had been working and 25+ they had a program where all of the classes were 8 week rather then 15, some would meet every other week with some online components, Saturday courses, and other ways. So it can be done if you want to put in the work, just my 2 cents.

oldbarney

This discussion is very interesting. An acquaintance of my daughter currently pursues an AAS from ITT. He told me on the phone the other day that his two-year degree through ITT will cost him $42,000. Additionally, he drives 70 miles one-way to class. Talk about a horrible deal.

College accreditation in the USA often confuses many parents and students. Here's the problem with ITT in respect to transfer. Nearly all community/junior colleges hold regional accreditation (RA) from one of 6 organizations. Meanwhile, ITT obtained ACICS accreditation. While both types of organizations are recognized by the Council for Higher Education Accreditation and US Department of Education, RA is the oldest and most demanding.

Colleges must maintain certain standards to obtain and keep regional accreditation. Periodic reviews are mandatory. For example, Texas Tech University was shockingly placed on probation last month by the regional accrediting body, Southern Association of Colleges and Schools-Commission on Colleges, for failing to adhere to certain standards. Essentially, regional accreditation ensures that the school conforms to specific guidelines which thus facilitates acceptance by other similarly accredited schools. Think of it in the same way as certification.

Based on my own observations, I can tell you that a few community/junior colleges accept ITT transfer credit. Additionally, some private non-profit, regionally-accredited universities recognize bachelor's degrees granted by ITT as meeting requirements for graduate study in certain master's degree programs geared towards adults. For-profit schools, such as University of Phoenix, appear more likely to recognize an associate's degree from ITT than private non-profit or state colleges/universities.

But we should also realize that not all credits earned in an AAS at your local community college will seamlessly transfer to a university towards a bachelor's degree. Certain private, non-profit universities have taken the initiative to ensure that entire technical associate's degrees transfer by signing articulation agreements with community/junior colleges. However, many state universities simply award elective credit for most credits earned in technical associate degree at a community college. General education classes readily transfer, but not "CCNA 2: Router and Routing Basics". It all depends on the university and major.

Personally speaking, my primary complaints about ITT and similar schools usually focus on accreditation, aggressive recruiting practices, and outrageous tuition costs. I'm unfamiliar with the reasons behind ITT's failure to secure regional accreditation, but suspect that curriculum, faculty, or quality play important roles in this decision.

As far as recruiting is concerned, ITT seems overly aggressive to me. Years ago, my manager - a successful US Army recruiter - was hired by ITT after retiring from the Army to recruit for them. Needless to say, he shared some rather intriguing stories shortly after accepting the position.

Basically, it's all about sales. Schools like ITT, University of Phoenix, American Intercontinental University, etc. primarily exist on student tuition fees that usually arrive in the form of student grants and loans. On the other hand, publicly-funded schools (community/junior colleges and state universities) and private non-profit schools generally receive funding through tuition, taxes, federal research grants, athletics, and alumni donations. Therefore, for-profit schools must recruit more aggressively to stay in business.

Tuition represents my #1 complaint. Let me provide you with another example. At a nearby community college, tuition for a 67-credit hour associate's degree in computer networking costs between $3,618 - $8,911 using present rates and depending on the student's location in the area. Out-of-state student tuition for the same program runs $19,497. So please compare these figures with the costs for an ITT education. Your situation may differ.

To make a long story short, if you can attend your local community college for a technical degree, then by all means, please take advantage of this opportunity. We already pay enough taxes as it is. More credits will transfer towards a bachelor's degree and you'll have lesser debt.

JDMurray

bighusker wrote:

I'd only recommend schools like ITT if you already have an established career and just need a piece of paper to satisfy your bosses.

I would also add, "and if you boss is willing to pay for your schooling."

ITT markets itself as a way to get your foot in the door of IT, but you'd better make sure that the employers you want to work for know and respect the paper from ITT.

stlsmoore

Yea I was really naive about ITT even though my parents tried to warn me, biggest mistake of my life. Oh well at least they provided me with all the books I needed to get my certs