AAS Networking Admin unix Vs various certs such as A+, Net+ and LPI-C

Mr.Ritz

So guys I am 4 classes into the AAS (with 9 classes to finish) and am thinking about getting the above certs instead as I already have an Associates of Arts towards American History. Various advisors have questioned why I am back at a community college when I could have been earning my BA. They even were printing out BSIT and CS routes for me when I went to sign up

So my question is my AA plus the certs above worth the same or more than the AAS?

YuckTheFankees

If you already have an A.A., just finish your bachelors if you can. Those certs would be nice to have but the A.A. in history wont count for much unless a company requires some education (if they require education, it's usually a bachelors). Have you thought finishing your degree?

Mr.Ritz

Oh yeah... that is kinda what I was asking. Do you think it is worth quiting the AAS to finish the BA in History? And just get the certs

I feel like it is stupid to get an AAS when I could have a BA even tho it is history I think it would be more powerful than the AAS and AA

YuckTheFankees

How much longer would it take you to do a BS in IT?

Mr.Ritz

YuckTheFankees wrote: »

How much longer would it take you to do a BS in IT?

I am geared towards liberal arts and opted to take the easy math classes so I would have to pretty much start over.. Id say almost 4 years to do a BS in IT.. Unless you know a degree program somewhere that isn't geared towards heavy in math.

This is what I would have to take before I was even at Jr. Level so I would be backtracking about 2 years making me a freshmen for the most part.

PSY 2012 Introduction to Psychological Science*
STA 2023 Probability and Statistics*
ECO 2013 Economic Principles (Macroeconomics)*
CGS XXXX Any Database Course
COP 2930 IT Programming Concepts
COP 2224 Object Oriented Programming
MAC 1140 Pre-Calculus Course*
PHY XXXX Any Physics Course*
M** XXXX Discrete Mathematics Course

YuckTheFankees

I would say continue with the BA in History..then if possible get a masters in an IT related field (information assurance?). Some companies care about your major and some only care you have a bachelors.

Mr.Ritz

Wouldn't a master in IT require me to go back and take all those math classes or something?

YuckTheFankees

nahh. Only if you want to do engineering or something like that.

N2IT

Those are all great classes, besides that to start something and to quit is usually not a good thing. I would finish the AAS. That is something to be proud of and those skills you will obtain from that program will hopefully help you throughout your career.

techdudehere

Certs expire. Do those once employed. I would finish the AAS since you started it. It will hold value over time more than a cert because the AAS is forever. You are not going to get anywhere starting and stopping different paths. Community colleges are a good value because of the low cost. I would say getting a degree is not worth the money it costs now. You need scholarships or some kind of funding to make it worth it. Once you are employed take the University classes relevant to your IT degree. You should have your employer cover those since they are at least semi relevant to your position.

ptilsen

Don't waste your time on an AAS. Just don't do it. An AAS, like an AA, is nearly worthless in the market place, particularly if you have any experience in the industry. While you might gain valuable skills and knowledge getting an AAS, I can assure you you'd get just as much doing your own self-study -- both for certifications and for knowledge. At the end of the day (or the year, as it were), you'll have to Associate's degrees and still lack the Bachelor's degree you need to qualify you for some jobs. That AAS isn't going to qualify you for anything -- not one job -- that your AA along with you skills, certs, and experience won't qualify you for.

If you have an AA, depending on the region you can usually use that to at least take care of your generals. Math or no math, even a computer science degree shouldn't take you four full years -- maybe 80-90 semester credits after applying your existing credits (assuming you did reasonably well). Getting a B.S. in IT/CIT/CIS/IS/Etc. shouldn't be that math heavy -- college algebra, stats and/or or pre-calc -- worst case one semester of calc. Assuming you get 40-50 credits from your AA to transfer, you're only looking at 2.5ish years going full time. Make that an MIS degree or a less technical IT-related degree, and you are probably looking at less than 70 semester credits.

Even if I'm totally wrong... finish your BA in History. The extra AAS in an IT-related field still says "I'm missing my Bachelor's". It adds virtually no value and takes up your time and money.

Mr.Ritz

Ah, looking at the MIS degree I would have to throw away the least amount of credits. Almost none from a glance but I would have to talk to an advisory to be sure. I did read that MIS degrees are vastly different depending on the college. So if anyone knows one that doesn't require calc that would be awesome.

N2IT

techdudehere wrote: »

Certs expire. Do those once employed. I would finish the AAS since you started it. It will hold value over time more than a cert because the AAS is forever. You are not going to get anywhere starting and stopping different paths. Community colleges are a good value because of the low cost. I would say getting a degree is not worth the money it costs now. You need scholarships or some kind of funding to make it worth it. Once you are employed take the University classes relevant to your IT degree. You should have your employer cover those since they are at least semi relevant to your position.

Good value is right. Communication colleges are hidden gems in most communities. You learn so much from those one on one interactions. I agree with this complete.

YuckTheFankees

N2IT wrote: »

Good value is right. Communication colleges are hidden gems in most communities. You learn so much from those one on one interactions. I agree with this complete.

There's nothing wrong with community colleges and I would agree they are a great place to learn. But what will 2 Associate degree's get him? I really don't think a company is going to care that much between an AA and an AAS..it's still not a Bachelors.

Mr.Ritz

YuckTheFankees wrote: »

There's nothing wrong with community colleges and I would agree they are a great place to learn. But what will 2 Associate degree's get him? I really don't think a company is going to care that much between an AA and an AAS..it's still not a Bachelors.

Honestly I think the AA has more education value than an AAS and the fact that it transfers directly into a BA.