Go for the Associates?

I am wondering if I should go for my Associates Degree in IT. It was my original intention, as I was/am against Bahelors degrees, however, After reading many threads here and reading articles elsewhere, I decided to look at WGU's BS-IT Security (likely).

Well one of my instructors the other day was saying that It is better to have on your resume "degree completed" than it is to have "in progress" or "plans to". It makes sense. It would also get rid of some of the courses at WGU, hopefully all of my General Ed classes. I also don't know if it will help with promotion points (Army), I know a Bachelors will.

So, please tell me what you think is better and why, and please leave a link to an accredited university that offers a Assoc. degree that may be worth looking into (Preferably in security, but other IT areas would be appreciated).

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Comments

Devilsbane

I think the degree is highly important. Others disagree, but being able to say you committed even to 2 years of higher education I think says a lot about the individual.

It can also come in handy down the road. I have a couple older friends that have gotten as high as they can without their B.S. if you want to earn more and be more respected, it is generally a pretty good bet.

erpadmin

Devilsbane wrote: »

I think the degree is highly important. Others disagree, but being able to say you committed even to 2 years of higher education I think says a lot about the individual.

It can also come in handy down the road. I have a couple older friends that have gotten as high as they can without their B.S. if you want to earn more and be more respected, it is generally a pretty good bet.

+1, plus rep for this post!

I am one of those people who have gone as high as I can go. My boss hates the fact I'm only $xx amount behind him because of my union raises. I guess I was supposed to stay making peanuts.

I told him I would trade my raises for his six figure salary plus management perks. He pretty much stayed shut after that.

Having said that, Seph, an Associates is good, but not great. You definitely have a degree completed and would be better than people like myself, BUT a B.S. is so much better. You should not stop at an Associates just because it's only 2 years and a B.S. is 4. You should definitely go all the way, if you can.

xenodamus

I finished an associates in network support and I don't regret it a bit. I do plan on finishing my bachelors as well though. Although my associates has helped me get the positions I've held so far, I feel like my bachelors will carry me even further in the future.

Bl8ckr0uter

I am working on 2 A.A.S's in route to the BSCS. My suggestion is for you to do it. I think having at least some type of degree on my resume within the next few months (instead of just having some credits towards a degree) will help me out. It will also save me a ton of money. Just make sure you credits transfer.

EDIT: Congrats on the S+ btw..

JDMurray

The AA or AS is an excellent way to start your academic career. Go to a community college, which is much cheaper per unit than a 4-year university. Pick up an Associates degree while getting all of those lower-division GE classes with transferable units out of the way. Think of it as a certification from the college. The requirements for the degree makes an excellent degree completion plan too.

Oh, many employers that require a college degree will accept an Associates degree, so your chances for better employment are improved as well.

earweed

What most above have been saying +1. Make sure your credits will transfer and go for it.

SephStorm

Thanks for the input, any advise on potential colleges for the Assoc?

(I meant to clarify, I am still planning on going to WGU for my BS.)

jamesleecoleman

I don't know any of the colleges in the area that you're in. I do suggest that for any college that you find, make sure you check out the courses for each program to see which school has more computer classes along with the ones where you think wil help you out the most.

I was soo tempted to drive 100+ miles, pay out of county tutition (for 6 months), and live with my aunt just to attend a community college that focused more on computers. They also had more computer programs than the current CC I attend does. I didn't because I was almost done with my AA at the CC.

Devilsbane

knwminus wrote: »

I am working on 2 A.A.S's in route to the BSCS.

2 A.A.'s does not equal 1 B.A. Unfortunately that isn't how it works. After spending 3 years in community college I was very close to getting another A.A.S. degree. It would have taken me another semester and I was going to get it just because I had came that close.

I was cautioned by many not to do it, but still intended on doing it until the school, and mainly one of the teachers upset me, and I just wanted out. Tired of dealing with that crappy instructor.

So I won't tell you not to do it, just caution you that it might not get you what you were expecting.

Bl8ckr0uter

Devilsbane wrote: »

2 A.A.'s does not equal 1 B.A. Unfortunately that isn't how it works. After spending 3 years in community college I was very close to getting another A.A.S. degree. It would have taken me another semester and I was going to get it just because I had came that close.

I was cautioned by many not to do it, but still intended on doing it until the school, and mainly one of the teachers upset me, and I just wanted out. Tired of dealing with that crappy instructor.

So I won't tell you not to do it, just caution you that it might not get you what you were expecting.

I am not at all saying 2 A.A.S = 1 BSCS. My first degree is in network engineering (CCNA plus some core classes) so I have most of that done. My second A.A.S is in Software Development (C++, Java and core classes) so it made sense for me to enroll in the Network Engineering track once I got the CCNA done on my own since the core classes are the same.

My thing is, at the end of 2 years I can either have a degree or I can have 2 years worth of classes. To me it is a no brainer. Get you A.A.S and then go to a 4 year school UNLESS you have a full ride somewhere or something like that.

To the OP:

If you can find a good A.A or A.S program go for it. A.A.S's tend to be harder to transfer (my school has several special programs for transfering students. I guess that is the benefit for being on of the largest community colleges in the Country).

Devilsbane

Sounds like you have a plan. I think being well rounded is good. Not a huge fan of programming, but the little bit I have learned has paid off big for me with some scripting that I have done.

Bl8ckr0uter

Devilsbane wrote: »

Sounds like you have a plan. I think being well rounded is good. Not a huge fan of programming, but the little bit I have learned has paid off big for me with some scripting that I have done.

Lol I am ONLY doing it because it will A: Help me learn linux and other open systems a little better and B get me out of the programming classes at the school I want to go to. I'd rather been in a class of 15 vs 50.

N2IT

If I was a kid coming out of highschool I would look to do a associate level program that mirrored up to a university and their bachelors program.

Example would be AAS Accounting then transitioning into a state university for accounting. That's how I would approach it. Obviously not just accounting, whatever degree you wanted to learn.

So in short I would do the associate level degree.

bellhead

Like everybody else has suggested do the community college AA, find one they ties into a 4 year college. Mash out all of those non computer classes that you guys seem to hate, I really liked a lot of my liberal arts classes as I feel they made me a more rounded individual and their was more eye candy in them than in the engineering geeky classes.

What part of Florida are you in?

veritas_libertas

SephStorm wrote: »

Thanks for the input, any advise on potential colleges for the Assoc?

(I meant to clarify, I am still planning on going to WGU for my BS.)

This might be of interest to you and others:

http://www.wgu.edu/wgu/cc_graduates

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