repost: about WGU

s0c0

This thread might be dead, but hopefully some of you posters are still around. Wow I haven't posted on this site in years since I attempted my CCNA. I have since switched from Systems and Networking to Web Development and have landed a decent job making 45k. At 24, I have an AAS in Computer Network Systems from ITT. I would have completed my BS degree there but I was not overly impressed and shortly after landing a job in my field I began teaching myself PHP and fell in love with web development.

Being young I enrolled in a community college and am working towards my BS in Computer Science but taking only 6 credit hours a semester means it could take a while. Is WGU right for someone like me who doesn't want to to wait until they are 30 for a degree. I have about 3 years experience in the IT field (1 yr as a jr network admin and 2 yr as a web developer) so conceivably if the BS IT Software degree from WGU took 2 years I could have a BS and 5 years of IT experience under my belt which I feel could help land me a nice paying job, in the 65k - 100k range. The other thing I was thinking is getting a degree from a regular university in business after my WGU Software degree, I think that could really help me land a great job having a bachelors in IT and Business. I have a phone meeting with an enrollment counselor tomorrow and depending on how much of my AAS degree and course work from the community college transfers over I will probably enroll.

I'm a self taught programmer and due to the poor education at ITT a largely self taught Linux and networking guy. Will the WGU degree carry weight with my experience taken into account? What's been your experience? Thanks for reading.

MrNetTek

A word of advice...get a degree for your own personal achievement. Meaning, technical degrees are okay if you're going to be a manager in a technical field, however, their shelf life is horrible. Honestly if you really want a degree to have lasting weight, I recommend getting something worth having...like English, Math, any Science, Philosophy, or even a Liberal Arts degree. These degrees don't depreciate. When people say they fall back on their degree, they mean these. Computer/Networking/IT degrees are useless after a few years. Even as great as a computer science degree is, if you are out of the field for 3 or 4 years, it's almost worthless. Classical Degrees are good forever. I would continue certs, all the important ones, MCSE, CCNA, CCNP perhaps CCIE and Security Certs are good, and if you want to spend money on a degree, spend it on something that really interests you besides technology. This shows you are a well-rounded individual, which really impresses the brass in the coporate world.

shednik

If you plan on getting a second degree whether it be a second BS or an MS/MBA I'd be weary of going to WGU. I'd do some research of people with a WGU degree and going for additional education. Some will say it doesn't matter but I know some schools won't look highly upon schools like WGU. Being 24 your still young a year older then I am, but I would look at local schools for an accelerated program. I know the school I finished my BS from had a program for 25+ where they offered 8 week courses, online courses, and courses that met on ground and online. They called it their Adult Continuing Education program, much like what you're looking for it sounds. I'd do some digging before going to somewhere liek WGU personally, I know this may start a war. I personally feel getting a degree whether on ground or online from a B&M school is much better then an strictly online school. my 2 cents.

darkerosxx

Very much agree with MrNetTek.

sagewalkinthere

So, could you actually earn a bachelor's degree just based on core classes + technical certifications? I had trouble finding information about that.

meadIT

sagewalkinthere wrote: »

So, could you actually earn a bachelor's degree just based on core classes + technical certifications? I had trouble finding information about that.

Nope, the certifications are only for some of the classes. You basically have your core classes: math, english, sciences, etc, then you have the IT classes. Some are certifications, some are proctored exams, and some are essays. Even if you had all transferrable certs, you would still have to do the core classes and the upper level classes such as upper level reasoning and problem solving (critical thinking), leadership and professionalism, capstone project, technical writing, portfolio, etc.

meadIT

shednik wrote: »

If you plan on getting a second degree whether it be a second BS or an MS/MBA I'd be weary of going to WGU. I'd do some research of people with a WGU degree and going for additional education. Some will say it doesn't matter but I know some schools won't look highly upon schools like WGU. Being 24 your still young a year older then I am, but I would look at local schools for an accelerated program. I know the school I finished my BS from had a program for 25+ where they offered 8 week courses, online courses, and courses that met on ground and online. They called it their Adult Continuing Education program, much like what you're looking for it sounds. I'd do some digging before going to somewhere liek WGU personally, I know this may start a war. I personally feel getting a degree whether on ground or online from a B&M school is much better then an strictly online school. my 2 cents.

I think that most people that attend online degree programs are not disillusioned enough to think that their degrees are going to be on the same level as a Harvard or MIT degree. WGU caters to more of the adult learner crowd that cannot attend "normal" schools due to work and family time constraints. I spent four years attending a local community college to earn my Associates degree while working full time. All of the classes that I took was stuff that I already knew from work experience, so I just had to show up and sit through a boring class to receive the credit for it. I ended up with a 3.8 GPA without ever doing any studying outside of class. WGU allows you to move at your own pace and if you already are well versed on a subject, then you are not required to sit through a class just to get the "seat time."

One thing about the accelerated adult learning programs, at least in my area, are they are for a generic degree, such as "Bachelor of Interdisciplinary Studies."

s0c0

ugghhh im torn.

JoJoCal19

I would agree with MrNetTek on the degree thing. I think that getting a Bachelors in Business Administration would do you more good than getting a Bachelors in IT. Most of the job postings I see require a Bachelors period, not specifically in one discipline or another. Some jobs do list a CS or IS degree as required but Im willing to bet that if you have a Bachelors in Business Administration but meet or exceed all thier experience requirements then you would stand as good of a chance as the applicant with a CS or IS degree. Also having that business degree will give you better prospects to move up into a mangement role. Since you are wanting to get a Bachelors in Business anyways even after a Bachelors in IT I would just shoot straight for a business degree and get a bunch of certs to fill in for the Bachelors in IT. I think it would cost less and be worth more than the IT degree itself.

Jordus

Every bit of it depends on what you want to do.

Not everyone wants to manage, but if you do, you may as well go ahead and get a business degree.

If you dont, then dont bother with it. Ive seen people with a Bachelors in Culinary Arts do better in IT than people with a BS in IT, and most employers simply care that you have a BS/BA, not what its in.

Do something you can acheive quickly, for not a lot of money (comparatively) and that is decently accredited.

Dont put too much faith in a degree. While its basically a requirement to land a decent/better job, they also dont teach you much and cost way too much. Get it done quickly and get the paper.

MrNetTek

I completely agree with Jordus. It really depends where and what type of work really interests you. If you don't know exactly what you want in life, steer away from contemporary degrees. Degrees aren't what they used to be in professional weight. 99.9% of jobs don't care where and how much your degree costs. What you don't want is to be stuck with thousands of dollars in student loans or unpaid credit cards. I honestly will die a tech. Hopefully one with a MCA and CCIE to my name...but tech none-the-less. I can work on a degree in my spare time, and not have it affect my career. However, if you want to move up in management, run a business, or just interested in Capitalism and Corporate America, BAs and Masters in Business Admin are probably a must. My advice to a degree seeker, and I said it before, get a degree in something that really interests you beyond technology. Good luck.

Read a quick article about this: http://www.networkworld.com/community/node/40368


* meadIT - Impressive!