CCNP in High School?

Hey guys,

I was wondering if anyone else here is in high school and working on their CCNP? I started out in 10th grade at a Cisco Networking Academy and got my CCNA during the 11th grade. Now starting from the end of 11th to now I plan to complete my CCNP in the next 4-5 months before graduation.

Id be interested to see if anyone else was pursuing a similar goal.

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Comments

dynamik

Wow, that's sick. There's plenty of debate over whether you should get such advanced certs without an appropriate amount of experience to back that up, but regardless, that's impressive!

Element926

I don't have significant experience per say, however I do work daily as an associate network engineer for a local IT consulting company which deploys Cisco centric networks. So I work with the equipment often.

dynamik

Awesome. That's a rather rare opportunity; I'm glad to see you're making the most of it.

mikej412

Element926 wrote: »

got my CCNA during the 11th grade.

Slacker

http://www.techexams.net/forums/jobs-degrees/38599-please-help-me-decide-bachelors-degree.html

http://www.techexams.net/forums/jobs-degrees/40558-university-advice.html

jovan88

Your acheivements are impressive. I didn't even know what certifications were back then. I doubt you'll find many people in a similar situation.

What are your goals after highschool?

mikej412

Element926 wrote: »

I don't have significant experience per say, however I do work daily as an associate network engineer for a local IT consulting company which deploys Cisco centric networks. So I work with the equipment often.

Okay -- so you're not a slacker. I guess the CCNA in 11th grade just makes you a late Cisco bloomer

ULWiz

That is just sick and very impressive.

SysAdmin4066

Very impressive, Its great you've gotten such an early headstart on your career. After college you will be in a very great position. Go all the way man, if your grades are good try and get into MIT or something similar. Seek out the best technology institutes you can get into. CalTech comes to mind here in california.

Psoasman

I must say I am impressed. I think if an interviewer looked at your resume and saw you attained the CCNP while in high school and doing the regular work, they would be impressed...or they should be.

Good for you!

Element926

Thanks everyone! As for post-high school I will attend a 4 year school for my bachelors and possibly my masters. I live in VA so we have some excellent schools but the one I'm looking at "George Mason University" actually has a Cisco academy on-site and its located in DC. I'm hoping to pick up security clearance that way. Throughout college I hope to study the CCIE material for R&S maybe take the written exam before graduation and prepare for the lab but I won't make any attempts on the lab until after college.

CSCOnoob

I wish we had Cisco Academy during my high school years. *sighs*

billscott92787

Element926 wrote: »

Hey guys,

I was wondering if anyone else here is in high school and working on their CCNP? I started out in 10th grade at a Cisco Networking Academy and got my CCNA during the 11th grade. Now starting from the end of 11th to now I plan to complete my CCNP in the next 4-5 months before graduation.

Id be interested to see if anyone else was pursuing a similar goal.

A friend of mine got his CCNA when in high school. But didn't start CCNP until a few years after he graduated, once he got into the networking field. But, good move, you'll find something eventually that will let you get experience. I wouldn't expect to make a "killing" out of the gate since you won't have much "work experience" but once you get a few years behind you, you're salary will go up or you will find a better opportunity.

I had the opportunity to take Cisco when in High school and I didn't. Now, I wish I would have to be honest. I would have already been a CCNA out of high school, probably would have been working in the networking field, and already a CCNP, who knows. The dedication is there. But, I took Oracle instead. Which consisted of SQL and Java II programming. I liked SQL, but I have to say that I HATE java programming, well actually, I hate programming all together. I was majoring in Computer Information Systems (wasn't sure of the concentration) whether it was going to be information security or SQL or what. My friend I was talking about, who is a CCIE now, showed me a few commands, what the Cisco IOS looked like, told me I should switch because I hate programming, and I immediately did, and haven't looked back since

Element926

CSCOnoob wrote: »

I wish we had Cisco Academy during my high school years. *sighs*

Well it wasn't exactly at my high school. It was a technical program we have which is connected to the school system. They had many different disciplines Oracle programming, Web design, Cisco, Microsoft (active directory stuff) and others.

CSCOnoob

Element926 wrote: »

Well it wasn't exactly at my high school. It was a technical program we have which is connected to the school system. They had many different disciplines Oracle programming, Web design, Cisco, Microsoft (active directory stuff) and others.

I see. Still though, we didn't have any of that. You had to be college student to be able to go to classes for all that stuff. Then again, I'm talking about third world country here.

Element926

Ah ok, well yes it's pretty unique for the schools to do this. I guess I'm grateful for who ever had the great idea to put it together. You would be amazed on how many students don't take advantage of it.

billscott92787

Element926 wrote: »

Ah ok, well yes it's pretty unique for the schools to do this. I guess I'm grateful for who ever had the great idea to put it together. You would be amazed on how many students don't take advantage of it.

Yeah it depends on the school. Mine had it as well.

AlexMR

I was told last week that some of the best high schools here in Dominican Republic have as requirements to graduate that students become CCNA, MCSA or MCITP or a coombo of CompTia certs. I think that is simply amazing, and proves that things get harder and harder as time passes.

BroadcastStorm

Yeah we need more High School students taking advance certs like this, that's impressive, we didn't had that kind of opportunity back when I was in High-School, or probably would not been able to afford it, your on the right track son.

Element926

Passed ISCW! This exam was actually the most difficult yet. I expected alot of the questions, however second guessed myself. Compared to the BSCI and BCMSN this one didn't have the most straightforward answers.

And in the lab, I forgot a command! I sat there for 15 minutes, but finally I found it.

Score: 838/1000

mikej412

Element926 wrote: »

Passed ISCW!

Congratulations!!

kalebksp

Congrats!

DevilWAH

Well done!!!

Dam I wish we had had thid kind of thing at school. Mind you when i finished school, there was a single (no no lets be fair two) PC's in the school libuary and that was it..

Sorry to sound stupid but can I ask how old the 11th grade makes you? (over here in the UK it would make you about 15)

I think these kinds of courses are great to start young(er), With these certifications and you experince you are going to have a massive kick start when you go out looking for work.

And good luck on the ONT..

Element926

Well I should mention the Cisco Academy was only for my 10th and 11th grade year - just for the CCNA. Now the CCNP is all self-study in my senior year.

I was 17 in the 10th grade, but I'm a year older than a typical high school student.

Cyanic

Element926 wrote: »

I was 17 in the 10th grade, but I'm a year older than a typical high school student.

Late birthday, 9/26 perhaps? I know, mine is 9/2 and the cutoff date in my school district was 9/1. One lousy day and I had to wait; well I went to private school thru 1st and then was allowed in with those my age.

Anyway, congrats on your early success in Cisco certification.

qplayed

I wish i new about cisco when I was in high school....All I did in HS was root the servers

Sepiraph

I think it ultimately depends on what you want and plan to do after (high school?) graduation.

Because ultimately Cisco network is fairly vendor-specialized and is geared toward toward more hands-on technical. So let's say you want to do network programming or if you are interested in the theoretical aspect of networking, then something like a Computer Science degree would be more appropriate.

lildeezul

I as well started my cisco studies in high school. Got my CCNA in 10th grade, and completed the BSCI, BCMSN, and ISCW during my 11th grade year and summer before 12. Im oscillating between major in Computer Science, or Physics. If i major in Computer science then networking will be career goal, however if i major in Physics, i would like to join the nuclear naval academy and become a nuclear physicist.

You'll definitely have a great deal of knowledge coming out of high school, which can put you at an advantage. I say keep striving bro.

Element926

lildeezul wrote: »

I as well started my cisco studies in high school. Got my CCNA in 10th grade, and completed the BSCI, BCMSN, and ISCW during my 11th grade year and summer before 12. Im oscillating between major in Computer Science, or Physics. If i major in Computer science then networking will be career goal, however if i major in Physics, i would like to join the nuclear naval academy and become a nuclear physicist.

You'll definitely have a great deal of knowledge coming out of high school, which can put you at an advantage. I say keep striving bro.

Why didn't you complete the ONT?

lildeezul

I'm really booked this year. With Wrestling season going on, College applications, and keeping the grades up. My current research has been on physics, and nuclear properties. Ill hopefully get back into the swing this summer. But a review of everything will be paramount to further advancement.