ConfusedKitty Posted April 16, 2009 Share Posted April 16, 2009 I'm not sure if I posted this yet already but I have to make this decision and get it over with. Time is short. I have near me two things: DeVry and Columbus Community College. I have finally decided to do the networking/IT/Computer thing and both of these places offer it. Now I'm confused on which to do. DeVry will cost ..oh... $40k. Community College won't even cost half that, maybe $20k for the entire bachelors. You'd think it was a no-brainer right? Well my brother is in the field of networking and makes $60k a year EASY and has recommended DeVry as it's a technical school so I can get hands on education that I really really need. Problem is, i'm not sure if DeVry is going to be my best bet. I want to go with what my brother says (as he has been, literally, always right about practically everything) but with the reviews I see on the net about DeVry, it makes me wonder if the price is worth it. So I'm not sure what to do. Go to DeVry, have the hands on education (and the online version which I desperately need) but pay $40k, or go to a small community college, maybe get a good education, pay a lot less? Any ideas? Link to comment
bmwm3 Posted April 16, 2009 Share Posted April 16, 2009 great field to go into... my friend did a devry kinda of program for 2yrs.. now he is in computer field making 80k a yr... i know there are many programs for computer IT field.. you dont just have to go to devry.. look around. and not all CC colleges have good IT dept... Link to comment
ConfusedKitty Posted April 16, 2009 Author Share Posted April 16, 2009 i know there are many programs for computer IT field.. you dont just have to go to devry.. look around. and not all CC colleges have good IT dept... That's what I'm afraid of with the cc. I mean yea it's cheap but I don't want to pay for something where I'll have to end up paying by not having a good education. Link to comment
ghost69 Posted April 16, 2009 Share Posted April 16, 2009 some of my buddies went to a 2 year trade school and have really good jobs now. yes, IT related too. if you go to community college, you will need to continue to get a degree equal. Link to comment
bmwm3 Posted April 16, 2009 Share Posted April 16, 2009 That's what I'm afraid of with the cc. I mean yea it's cheap but I don't want to pay for something where I'll have to end up paying by not having a good education. link removed there are over 2000 online colleges here... look thru it.. you have many options for getting the right education and a resonable cost... Link to comment
Lamprey Posted April 16, 2009 Share Posted April 16, 2009 I'm in a technical field (programming). A guy I work with went to DeVry and hated it. The school is terrible - mediocre professors, inefficient bureaucracy, not terribly useful courses. I'd advise you save your money. Of course, I don't really see the point of higher education for a technical job to begin with: as far as I can tell, experience & what you know count for far more than the degree you get. So don't discount the third path, which is going directly to work, cracking some books in your spare time & learning on the job. It's a viable path, I made 123k last year with a high school diploma. Link to comment
ConfusedKitty Posted April 16, 2009 Author Share Posted April 16, 2009 I'm in a technical field (programming). A guy I work with went to DeVry and hated it. The school is terrible - mediocre professors, inefficient bureaucracy, not terribly useful courses. I'd advise you save your money. Of course, I don't really see the point of higher education for a technical job to begin with: as far as I can tell, experience & what you know count for far more than the degree you get. So don't discount the third path, which is going directly to work, cracking some books in your spare time & learning on the job. It's a viable path, I made 123k last year with a high school diploma. I thought about this, and to be honest I tried it. That's how my brother was started, the only time he really did any class work was later on after he had already been in the field for years. And he really only took that class just to see what it was like So yea I tried it but you see...I'm kind of dumb so, I need direction. I'm really not the kind of person that can just sit with a book and learn something. I need direction and hands on and all that. Link to comment
renaissancewoman101 Posted April 16, 2009 Share Posted April 16, 2009 Have you thought about applying to a university? Link to comment
dragon lady Posted April 16, 2009 Share Posted April 16, 2009 I think you should go to CC and then transfer to a 4 year university. Devry sounds like a rip off! Link to comment
ghost69 Posted April 16, 2009 Share Posted April 16, 2009 Have you thought about applying to a university? cheaper to do CC then university. OP, just a side note, most jobs won't even consider a degree from a place that's not an accredited college. a lot of those 2 year trade schools aren't anymore. Link to comment
Alezia Posted April 16, 2009 Share Posted April 16, 2009 I'm in IT and to get on the good "training program", you definitely need a Bachelor's Degree. You can get in with a 2-year college program, but they won't let you climb up the career ladder very easily. They are willing to pay for your education after a certain while though - so I guess it's up to you. I'm in Software, not networking. You definetly don't need to have that much hands-on. Go through coops, internships etc.. that's where the real "hands-on" matter. You should focus on big aspect, thought process, development cycles etc... which will serve you in the long run. There is no need to understand one thing in detail - it will either go out of date or your employer won't use it. Link to comment
ConfusedKitty Posted April 16, 2009 Author Share Posted April 16, 2009 Have you thought about applying to a university? I thought about it, yes. However, I'm not a university type. I really wish I were, and I should have gone to a real college when I was 18-19 instead of working. But when you're 28, have a job and 2 people use the same car, a university is not really the best thing. Unless it's online. Also, I don't think I can get into a real university, I'm not really that smart and it's been ages since I've been in high school. Link to comment
Alezia Posted April 17, 2009 Share Posted April 17, 2009 Hum, in a way; since I wouldn't consider neither of those choices to be of "top money value", I'd probably go with the cheapest. Link to comment
ConfusedKitty Posted April 17, 2009 Author Share Posted April 17, 2009 Hum, in a way; since I wouldn't consider neither of those choices to be of "top money value", I'd probably go with the cheapest. Yea I just might. I'm still really really torn and afraid to make a decision on this. My degree from DeVry would end up being, and I kid you not, $40,286. I didn't mind paying that to Art Institutes, as it was an art school and highly reputable (I failed out of that school and can go back next year but being a creative type person as a job while in the middle of Ohio in THIS economy is crap) but for DeVry? I just can't do it. Something is stopping me from going to Devry and I don't know if it's me being scared of going or me being cautious of doing a bad thing. Link to comment
ConfusedKitty Posted April 17, 2009 Author Share Posted April 17, 2009 I think I'm going to go ahead and go. Yes it's expensive and I'm terrified and probably making the wrong decision but it will just be one of my oh so many terrible ideas that I'll find out down the road I shouldn't have done So my appointment with the sales - I mean "advisor" is on Monday. I'll see how it goes. Link to comment
Alezia Posted April 18, 2009 Share Posted April 18, 2009 Well i guess on the bright side you dont need to pay extra for lodging and gas... (and maybe food / utilities if you are lucky) Link to comment
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