Military Future Questions and Civilian Jobs PART2 (THANKYOU!!)

GamingCrazy

Hey guys, just got back from MEPS and received a 60 Composite ASVAB Score which my recruiter said was good!

I'm deciding which college to go to that I can afford and that will benefit me the most and not be to cost intuitive (If I choose private).

Question 1:
Is DEVRY University a good choice? The National Guard has a partnership with them which would reduce the tuition cost tremendously.

Motivator #1
It's 9 Miles from my house and provides flexibility with my Military involvement.

Motivator #2
I've heard that its a great school but it comes with an expensive bill (You get what you pay for?)

Motivator#3
They offer and have online classes if I was to be deployed I could continue my education with them.

Question 2:
Would a public college (Technical School be better for me)?

Thanks, Thanks, and Thanks! This forum has been very helpful in my insight for my future career!

wastedtime

Those are tough questions that I can't answer for you. I can tell you down range (deployed) some colleges offer onsite classes and I remember CTC and UMUC (there was a 3rd but I don't remember what it was...might have been Cochise) have people to assist from the college. They are mostly at the major camps down range though.

I would make a list of colleges that had degree plans that you liked. Then take everything you have mentioned into consideration.

GamingCrazy

wastedtime wrote: »

Those are tough questions that I can't answer for you. I can tell you down range (deployed) some colleges offer onsite classes and I remember CTC and UMUC (there was a 3rd but I don't remember what it was...might have been Cochise) have people to assist from the college. They are mostly at the major camps down range though.

I would make a list of colleges that had degree plans that you liked. Then take everything you have mentioned into consideration.

Question: For anyone in Georgia is there a college that they can recommend that is ideal for networking specialist (Cisco Path)?

Goal: To get my CCNA and later partake in Voice and/or Security portions.

Option 1: Gwinnett Tech (Degree Titled Networking Specialist, A.A.S in Computer Information Systems).

Plus: It's 10 minutes from my house, and I can combine my Degree with any of the certifications listed below to be covered in tuition cost. National Guard will cover it basically.

Minus: Technical College, Not highly Recognized.

Cisco Network Specialist CCNA
Cisco Specialist CCNP
Computer Service and Electronics Technician
Computer Simulation/Game Developer
Cyber Crime Specialist
Data Center Specialist
Information Security Specialist
Internet Specialist - Web Site Design
Java Programmer
Linux/Unix Systems Administrator
Network Administrator
PC Repair and Network Technician

Devry:

Plus: Good Training (I Hear, but then I hear not), Private College, smaller classes.
Minus: Terribly expensive, mixed reviews.

WGU (Western Governors University)

Plus: Read good reviews, ability to obtain degree fast, convenient
Minus: Procrastination, not really an independant learner.

Anything else I should look out for or, or look into?

Thanks again in advance!

dratnol

GamingCrazy,

I don't know what your long term plans are, but most any associate degree that is accredited would be a good start. With that you can transfer to most any university bachelor program out there with a minimal amount of fuss. The bulk of that will be general education requirements and there is no point on dropping a ton of cash on them.

Personally, I would get an associate degree most anywhere and spend the money on a good bachelors/masters degree. Once again, that is what I would be inclined to do and might not be the best fit for you.

What branch of the military are you looking at?

Devilsbane

Keep in mind that none of us are really qualified to answer this question.

Long story short: As long as you are self motivated and work on pick up certs while going to school, I don't think it really matters where you go. One name might stand out more to a hiring manager, and give that person an edge. But if you have plenty of certs and some experience to back them up, the name of the school quickly becomes unimportant.

Find out exactly what you are going to pay at each place and compare from there.

jagalbraith

DeVry handles their military customer different. It really doesn't benefit you attend DeVry unless you are going for an electronics degree. If you are going for business or IT, you might want to go to a traditional school for your credits.

Here is a big kicker in cost for ya. DeVry from day one is a "University" and you will pay close to $1000 for each class. Even the basics. If I were you I would get my associated degree at a community college for $60 a credit rather than $250 for lower division classes. When you go higher than the 2 year degree, look for degree titles and classes that will fit what you want to do.

Take IT degrees. You are technical for a few years and when you go on to your BS and MS they merge you into business management side of the house. Well, not everyone wants to be a manager. Some of us want to stay technical. So do you homework on your education journey before you commit to homework that is wasting your time.

Trust me. I am an NCO with a lot of degrees and certifications in the Info Security field.

brad-

If you get deployed, or just put on active duty, you gotta think about what it would mean to do online classes. It means that every free second that you 'should' be shining shoes, ironing, inventorying your gear, excercising, etc...you would have to do your schoolwork. You'll have no time to unwind and clear your head. The amount of free time you get will depend on both your MOS and your unit.

I would recommend a public university. The GI Bill will help you greatly, and if you need student loans to supplement, that wont be a problem. (consider ROTC?)

Be wary of online classes. Though convenient, online classes can trap you into being lazy if your motivation level is not at the top. Even after graduating, I would still prefer a classroom experience to better keep my attention and focus.

Not to burst your bubble, but 60 isnt as great as the recruiter is telling you. He wants to make you feel good about what you've done, but if possible - you may want to study for - and retake the exam. The score you get limits the job classifications open to you. That score, and the GT line score, will follow you throughout your career.

RE: your second post, I would advise against an associates degree. I havent seen it benefit anyone I know. In my experience, you either have a bachelors, or you dont.

networker050184

brad- wrote: »

If you get deployed, or just put on active duty, you gotta think about what it would mean to do online classes. It means that every free second that you 'should' be shining shoes, ironing, inventorying your gear, excercising, etc...you would have to do your schoolwork. You'll have no time to unwind and clear your head. The amount of free time you get will depend on both your MOS and your unit.

I would recommend a public university. The GI Bill will help you greatly, and if you need student loans to supplement, that wont be a problem. (consider ROTC?)

Be wary of online classes. Though convenient, online classes can trap you into being lazy if your motivation level is not at the top. Even after graduating, I would still prefer a classroom experience to better keep my attention and focus.

Not to burst your bubble, but 60 isnt as great as the recruiter is telling you. He wants to make you feel good about what you've done, but if possible - you may want to study for - and retake the exam. The score you get limits the job classifications open to you. That score, and the GT line score, will follow you throughout your career.

RE: your second post, I would advise against an associates degree. I havent seen it benefit anyone I know. In my experience, you either have a bachelors, or you dont.

They don't shine boots or iron uniforms in the Army anymore

I agree though, take what brad- says into consideration. You may or may not have a lot of downtime to do classes while deployed/active duty. I disagree about 60 not being a good score though. As long as you have a 110 GT or higher you can pretty much do just about any MOS or school in the Army.

MeanDrunkR2D2

GamingCrazy wrote: »

Hey guys, just got back from MEPS and received a 60 Composite ASVAB Score which my recruiter said was good!

I'm deciding which college to go to that I can afford and that will benefit me the most and not be to cost intuitive (If I choose private).

Question 1:
Is DEVRY University a good choice? The National Guard has a partnership with them which would reduce the tuition cost tremendously.

Motivator #1
It's 9 Miles from my house and provides flexibility with my Military involvement.

Motivator #2
I've heard that its a great school but it comes with an expensive bill (You get what you pay for?)

Motivator#3
They offer and have online classes if I was to be deployed I could continue my education with them.

Question 2:
Would a public college (Technical School be better for me)?

Thanks, Thanks, and Thanks! This forum has been very helpful in my insight for my future career!

I received my Bachelors degree from Devry University and will say that it is a great place to go and the discount the Military get for classes is well worth it. If you weren't looking at the Military, it does get to be very expensive. One thing I love about Devry is that they have schools all around the country and the Online classes are spectacular. It's not a cake walk, but if you are dedicated to your education and don't procrastinate you can learn so much more. I felt that I learned far more on the online classes than I did in the classroom. You get a one of one relationship with your Professors (many of whom also teach at some fairly tough Universities around the country) and you are required to participate with discussions which is better than being in a classroom and sitting in the back and never participating. The IT programs are great and they will prepare you for your career. Of course, their engineering program is top notch and well respected as are the IT degrees.

I did the local community college and state college and felt like I didn't learn a lick of anything and ended up dropping out of them without a degree. With Devry, they really immerse you in your degree path and will well prepare you.

After you graduate, something that I really have loved is their career services department. Mine has been spectacular and have opened doors to companies I didn't even know exist and many companies will contact them for new graduates as well as Alumni who are looking for a career. Since they are near nationwide, they have those departments all over the country that will work with you to find a great position with a company.

Yes, my degree cost me alot of money and will be paying that back many years to come. I wish I were in the Military when I was younger and had the opportunity to get the reduced tuition, but it's worth it full price and even more so with the military discount.

I would strongly recommend Devry and you would be very happy with the school and education that you would get.

getitngo

I didn't know about certs when I went I got my AAS. but here is my 2 cents
Get your A.A.S. & Certs at the same time. Chances are your are going to take a PC hardware course and they'll give you an A+ book after you pass the class, do some more studying and take the comptia A+ cert exam. You'll take a networking course aswell and after you pass that class and take the comptia network+ cert exam and so on...

So in my IMO you maybe able to kill two birds with one stone. having both the A.A.S. and the Certs will give you a good look on your resume.

I've been told that the degree shows commitment and certs show specialized skills.

GamingCrazy

dratnol wrote: »

GamingCrazy,

I don't know what your long term plans are, but most any associate degree that is accredited would be a good start. With that you can transfer to most any university bachelor program out there with a minimal amount of fuss. The bulk of that will be general education requirements and there is no point on dropping a ton of cash on them.

Personally, I would get an associate degree most anywhere and spend the money on a good bachelors/masters degree. Once again, that is what I would be inclined to do and might not be the best fit for you.

What branch of the military are you looking at?

Army National Guard, and your advice is GOOD advice. In many terms, I wouldn't have to list the college I went to first if I obtain a bachelors from a more prominent, respected university.

GamingCrazy

jagalbraith wrote: »

DeVry handles their military customer different. It really doesn't benefit you attend DeVry unless you are going for an electronics degree. If you are going for business or IT, you might want to go to a traditional school for your credits.

Here is a big kicker in cost for ya. DeVry from day one is a "University" and you will pay close to $1000 for each class. Even the basics. If I were you I would get my associated degree at a community college for $60 a credit rather than $250 for lower division classes. When you go higher than the 2 year degree, look for degree titles and classes that will fit what you want to do.

Take IT degrees. You are technical for a few years and when you go on to your BS and MS they merge you into business management side of the house. Well, not everyone wants to be a manager. Some of us want to stay technical. So do you homework on your education journey before you commit to homework that is wasting your time.

Trust me. I am an NCO with a lot of degrees and certifications in the Info Security field.

Thanks for your input! I would love to be a manager one day, but to be successful I think I would need to be on the other side of the field.

Question: If you major in Information Security, can you minor in Business Management (Not sure how it works for Minor). Is the minor a B.A or just a minor? Thanks!

GamingCrazy

brad- wrote: »

If you get deployed, or just put on active duty, you gotta think about what it would mean to do online classes. It means that every free second that you 'should' be shining shoes, ironing, inventorying your gear, excercising, etc...you would have to do your schoolwork. You'll have no time to unwind and clear your head. The amount of free time you get will depend on both your MOS and your unit.

I would recommend a public university. The GI Bill will help you greatly, and if you need student loans to supplement, that wont be a problem. (consider ROTC?)

Be wary of online classes. Though convenient, online classes can trap you into being lazy if your motivation level is not at the top. Even after graduating, I would still prefer a classroom experience to better keep my attention and focus.

Not to burst your bubble, but 60 isnt as great as the recruiter is telling you. He wants to make you feel good about what you've done, but if possible - you may want to study for - and retake the exam. The score you get limits the job classifications open to you. That score, and the GT line score, will follow you throughout your career.

RE: your second post, I would advise against an associates degree. I havent seen it benefit anyone I know. In my experience, you either have a bachelors, or you dont.

Associates to Start, not Finish. I would be obtaining that and hopefully my CCNA through intense studies and help from my Dad (Senior Network Engineer), if nonetheless get my CCENT.

GamingCrazy

networker050184 wrote: »

They don't shine boots or iron uniforms in the Army anymore

I agree though, take what brad- says into consideration. You may or may not have a lot of downtime to do classes while deployed/active duty. I disagree about 60 not being a good score though. As long as you have a 110 GT or higher you can pretty much do just about any MOS or school in the Army.

I believe my recruiter said the GT was over 110 (Not by much) But he said I obtained the score necessary to qualify for every job except intelligence. I know that's not the highest score, but it's a fairly decent (Not Awesome) score and my recruiter is pretty laid back, I requested to go to MEPS, requested to look into jobs, he hasn't forced or directed me toward joining. It's within myself that wants to join (Just some backround).

GamingCrazy

getitngo wrote: »

I didn't know about certs when I went I got my AAS. but here is my 2 cents
Get your A.A.S. & Certs at the same time. Chances are your are going to take a PC hardware course and they'll give you an A+ book after you pass the class, do some more studying and take the comptia A+ cert exam. You'll take a networking course aswell and after you pass that class and take the comptia network+ cert exam and so on...

So in my IMO you maybe able to kill two birds with one stone. having both the A.A.S. and the Certs will give you a good look on your resume.

I've been told that the degree shows commitment and certs show specialized skills.

It's wierd, the class I will be taking is a networking class and they focus on the fundamentals and end up configuring and setting up the basic routers to prepare for the CCENT or CCNA exam (Not sure).

getitngo

Here are the core classes for the AAS in Network Systems admin @ DeVry (I went to the ones is Decatur/Alpharetta) so Gwinnet Tech my be the same.

COMP-100,129,230= Study some more and get your A+

SEC-280 = Study some more and get you Security+

NETW-202,204= Study some more and get your Network+

NETW-206,208,230,240,2s0= study some more and get your CCENT/CCNA

If you do take the college route, ask you professor, "what cert will this class prepare me for?, do you think we'll cover all the objectives?"

I don't regret going to DeVry. Would have chosen a different school if I did more research? Maybe because of the cost. but now that I've gone to DeVry and recieved an AAS, I'm now working on my certs and should be done in the fall. Afterwards I'll be attending WGU online to get my BS then go to BU for my masters. Thats just my personal route. But if its cost your worried about, definitely go to GT

hope this helps

Academic Catalogs | DeVry University
(ask the program director the for the break down of the classes and what exactly will you be learning.)

GamingCrazy

getitngo wrote: »

Here are the core classes for the AAS in Network Systems admin @ DeVry (I went to the ones is Decatur/Alpharetta) so Gwinnet Tech my be the same.

COMP-100,129,230= Study some more and get your A+

SEC-280 = Study some more and get you Security+

NETW-202,204= Study some more and get your Network+

NETW-206,208,230,240,2s0= study some more and get your CCENT/CCNA

If you do take the college route, ask you professor, "what cert will this class prepare me for?, do you think we'll cover all the objectives?"

I don't regret going to DeVry. Would have chosen a different school if I did more research? Maybe because of the cost. but now that I've gone to DeVry and recieved an AAS, I'm now working on my certs and should be done in the fall. Afterwards I'll be attending WGU online to get my BS then go to BU for my masters. Thats just my personal route. But if its cost your worried about, definitely go to GT

hope this helps

Academic Catalogs | DeVry University
(ask the program director the for the break down of the classes and what exactly will you be learning.)

Based on the advice, I believe I'm going to go for the a.a.s at Gwinnett Tech. From my advice it sounds to me, and of most sense that you should pay more for your advanced degrees and less for the ones that you have to bypass.

Question: Can you transfer your credits to WGU for a B.A in IT? Because if I get deployed I would like to take that oppurtunity and that's a relatively good online school (From what I hear).

Thanks!

brad-

networker050184 wrote: »

They don't shine boots or iron uniforms in the Army anymore

Well, I came from the 82nd. I can tell you they require(d) it when in garrison, along with a fresh shave every day, and a fresh haircut every week. New uniforms and boots since I've gotten out, maybe thats why they dont need it?

Some units are different than others, ours seemed to be as obsessed with appearance as much as readiness. Luck of the draw I guess.

networker050184

brad- wrote: »

Well, I came from the 82nd. I can tell you they require(d) it when in garrison, along with a fresh shave every day, and a fresh haircut every week. New uniforms and boots since I've gotten out, maybe thats why they dont need it?

Some units are different than others, ours seemed to be as obsessed with appearance as much as readiness. Luck of the draw I guess.

I came from the deuce also so trust me I know how it was. Having a tight haircut was more important then knowing your job! The new ACU uniform is worn in garrison now which is non press and the boots are the desert type which are no shine. I was always spit shined with razor sharp creases. When they came out with those uniforms most of us NCOs were kind of pissed that the privates no longer had to go through the daily harassment in formation about their boots You could always tell who really cared about the appearance of the 82nd. Its a whole different beast than the rest of the Army. Some people took pride and others didn't. That's just not the way of the Army anymore unfortunately.

wastedtime

The new uniforms is the reason (hard to polish suede like material) but I have still seen some people iron there uniforms which usually kills the Velcro on them.

earweed

GamingCrazy wrote: »

Based on the advice, I believe I'm going to go for the a.a.s at Gwinnett Tech. From my advice it sounds to me, and of most sense that you should pay more for your advanced degrees and less for the ones that you have to bypass.

Question: Can you transfer your credits to WGU for a B.A in IT? Because if I get deployed I would like to take that oppurtunity and that's a relatively good online school (From what I hear).

Thanks!

For transferring to WGU you should probably go for your AS instead of an AAS as it'll knock out more of your gen ed classes. Also get the certs you're taking your classes in. At WGU for the IT classes your final exam for the IT classes are taking the cert exams. For some of your IT classes it may knock out the requirement for taking the class and you'll have to get the cert on your own if you want it.
You should probably read through some of the threads here on WGU for more info.

brad-

networker050184 wrote: »

The new ACU uniform is worn in garrison now which is non press and the boots are the desert type which are no shine.

OMG, that adds like 30 minutes to your day right there, and removes all that wiggle room for getting chewed up and down for inspections.

Its also probably going to kill many of those dry cleaners that THRIVED right off post. I used to take my uniforms to get done once every week. I never ironed my own

networker050184

brad- wrote: »

OMG, that adds like 30 minutes to your day right there, and removes all that wiggle room for getting chewed up and down for inspections.

Its also probably going to kill many of those dry cleaners that THRIVED right off post. I used to take my uniforms to get done once every week. I never ironed my own

Yadkin was already thinning out when I got out of there. And yeah, F ironing my own uniform, always to the cleaners. I did enjoy shining my own boots though. I could get those things looking like a mirror! Ah memories.....

GamingCrazy

earweed wrote: »

For transferring to WGU you should probably go for your AS instead of an AAS as it'll knock out more of your gen ed classes. Also get the certs you're taking your classes in. At WGU for the IT classes your final exam for the IT classes are taking the cert exams. For some of your IT classes it may knock out the requirement for taking the class and you'll have to get the cert on your own if you want it.
You should probably read through some of the threads here on WGU for more info.

I've been looking for a A.S but can only find an a.a.s in networking (Otherwise they have a a.s in IT).

GamingCrazy

Question: If I do 8 years in the national guard as a nodal systems network maintainer, does that transfer to 8 years of IT experience?

My goal is to use the national guard as a foot to step up the ladder.

Thanks!

wastedtime

So your thinking about a 25N. From what I have seen 25Ns do you mostly deal with networking (Cisco, Prominas, Juniper, VoIP). You may also do some VSAT work. It all depends on what type of unit and where you fit in there TOE, or MTOE. If you have none now it will be good experience.

It is hard for me to say how well that is looked upon outside the military. But from everything I have heard and also from what I would expect is that would show good experience. The question is after IET (Basic, and AIT) what are you going to do as far as work when you aren't at drill? After that I would be looking for a networking job or something related to what you are doing in the military even if it is helpdesk or running cables.

GamingCrazy

wastedtime wrote: »

So your thinking about a 25N. From what I have seen 25Ns do you mostly deal with networking (Cisco, Prominas, Juniper, VoIP). You may also do some VSAT work. It all depends on what type of unit and where you fit in there TOE, or MTOE. If you have none now it will be good experience.

It is hard for me to say how well that is looked upon outside the military. But from everything I have heard and also from what I would expect is that would show good experience. The question is after IET (Basic, and AIT) what are you going to do as far as work when you aren't at drill? After that I would be looking for a networking job or something related to what you are doing in the military even if it is helpdesk or running cables.

Starting out getting my A.A.S in Network Administration and an A+ and N+ to begin with, or if I feel confident try for my CCENT.

I'm using the National Guard as a supplement for my work experience, pay, and ability to focus on school without having to work a dead end job, that I potentially won't be doing in the long run.

The goal is to at the end, have experience, certifications, and a degree to be a competetive candidate when it comes time to look for a job.

wastedtime

GamingCrazy wrote: »

Starting out getting my A.A.S in Network Administration and an A+ and N+ to begin with, or if I feel confident try for my CCENT.

I'm using the National Guard as a supplement for my work experience, pay, and ability to focus on school without having to work a dead end job, that I potentially won't be doing in the long run.

The goal is to at the end, have experience, certifications, and a degree to be a competetive candidate when it comes time to look for a job.

Sounds like you have thought it out quite a bit and have a good plan.

GamingCrazy

Question: Will the Army pay for Training Camps? Like the 5-7 day accelerated classes.

wastedtime

If your leadership sends you to one. I almost went to a Microsoft one and I know some people who went to a CISSP one. It comes down to your leadership as it varies from unit to unit.

GamingCrazy

wastedtime wrote: »

If your leadership sends you to one. I almost went to a Microsoft one and I know some people who went to a CISSP one. It comes down to your leadership as it varies from unit to unit.

Also how bad are the shots (There not gonna turn me away), I just kinda want to know : D