General Discussion - Classes vs. personal study and exploration

Author

Classes vs. personal study and exploration

DSComputers

2003-10-13, 10:15 pm

Now, obviously, classes must be supplemented with personal study if you are to be successful, but are classes really worth the price?

Computer classes tend to be around two thousand dollars a week or more depending on the topic (A+ to CCIE). Books are about $50 each, up to $400 for a whole pack of study materials.

I was looking at some security conferences going for $3,000 for 5 days. They sold their course material for a few hundred bucks (free if you take the class). So, what are you really getting out of a class if you can buy the course material? Ok, an instructor will often deviate from the course material and go into more depth on a subject or explain it in a way that makes more sense, but is it worth $2,500? Can't you just use various enthusiast, professional, and black hat type forums and websites combined to ask questions and learn anything that instructor may have said and more?

Are classes for those who truly want a complete understanding or for those too lazy to do the work themselves?

What do you all think about taking classes vs. just studying on your own?

Kasor

2003-10-13, 10:23 pm

If you working in the IT area, personal study is OK for low level exam like MCSE, CCNP, CNE,.....

However, for high level certs like CCIE, CISA, CISSP... or SANS GIAS.. It is better to go to classroom training.

carlitos

2003-10-14, 3:23 am

i think some people try self study and procrastinate and dont get anything done, but if they have to go to school, they go
(problem is they dont do extra work)

but personally, instead of paying $2500 for a week worth of classes, i prefer to buy computer hardware, books, and while practicing on my own, i come to the forums for extra help (or help others),

yanqui

2003-10-16, 3:44 pm

The answer to that question is what works for you. And it probably isn't the same answer for every situation. I am really strong at auto-tuition. That's a verbose way of saying I learn on my own. However, I speak Russian, and I don't think I could have learned that without classroom instruciton. I certainly wouldn't have gotten the verbal grasp of it. Also, I've learned HTML on my own, but can't seem to get the hang of C++ or Java. Classes might help on that. I did the A+ thing strictly through self-study, web design the same, all my MS Office skills the same. So what works for me is to try it on my own and then if I can't grasp it, sign up for a class.

jimbo2002

2003-10-16, 3:58 pm

I think you can acheive a lot on your own, but it requires a lot of focus and self-discipline. There are a lot of distractions in day to day life and the self study route is not always practical. If everything were possible with self-study, then we could all be great golf players just by reading books on golf. I think it depends on what your goal is. Ideally a mix of the two (self -study and tuition) is probably best, but the costs of study seem to rocket when tutors are involved.

mindmesh

2003-10-16, 4:47 pm

I don't know about your area, but aroud here a lot of the training you want is taught at the local community colleges. Cost about $300 for a six month class.

Tarzanboy

2003-10-16, 8:27 pm

If you need further clarification on a particular topic or the class offers in-depth hands on experience that cannot be offered in a self-study lab, classes can help. Beyond that, many classes are little more than reading a book or listening to a seminar.

Cheers,
TB

ChrisDfer

2003-10-16, 8:39 pm

I perfer self study more then anything. I went to college to get my degree in computer technology and I hated it. It was boring and slow and seemed like a waste of time and money. I ended up learning through self study then I did while in school. Plus most the instructors I ever had were idiots who had no idea what they were talking about(there were some exceptions but not many) But then again I don't know anything about anything so I am not even worth listening too. Seriously I am a complete moron who needs to die or at the very least quit my job and work at mcdonalds for the rest of my life.

Tech Ranger

2003-10-16, 9:46 pm

I've never attended a computer school but I have taught at one. I am now studying for 70-216. There is no school that can teach me anything about Win2K networking that I cannot learn on my own. I have a home network, 3 books, and cbtnuggets videos. Next I will do my second elective - Security+. I don't need a school for that. Sometimes I look at what schools are charging for prep for tests I have passed. Obviously I didn't need to spnd that money. However, we must admit that not everyone is geared for this type of learning. That is why they have schools.

ChrisDfer

2003-10-17, 1:30 am

quote:
Originally posted by yanqui
but can't seem to get the hang of C++ or Java. Classes might help on that.

Maybe it, is your, boo,ks? Have you ,trie,d C++ From, the, Ground Up? I have that book, I, only, read the, pref,ace, well half the preface, really, I just skimmed half, of the pr,eface b,ut that is bec,ause I, thin,k I have A.D... hey, look a deer I like commas but dont like other puncuations

Papiya

2003-10-17, 7:35 am

quote:
Originally posted by yanqui
The answer to that question is what works for you. And it probably isn't the same answer for every situation. I am really strong at auto-tuition. That's a verbose way of saying I learn on my own. However, I speak Russian, and I don't think I could have learned that without classroom instruciton. I certainly wouldn't have gotten the verbal grasp of it. Also, I've learned HTML on my own, but can't seem to get the hang of C++ or Java. Classes might help on that. I did the A+ thing strictly through self-study, web design the same, all my MS Office skills the same. So what works for me is to try it on my own and then if I can't grasp it, sign up for a class.

C++ and Java are a bit hard for beginners mainly because of the OO approach. If you have to start with one of these languages, classes may be an aid, but the only real way to learn to program is by doing it, and my experience of classes is that they don't give enough assignments or that the ones they do give are not in-depth enough to help you understand how useful the languages are. So ultimately, I think it's best to learn on your own, as well as to gather some compatriots that can aid you in doing what you are trying to accomplish. Mentors can be wonderful things.

yanqui

2003-10-17, 10:05 am

quote:
Originally posted by ChrisDfer
Maybe it, is your, boo,ks?

There are probably a lot of factors coming into play. My C++ book is the "Sam's teach yourself in 24 hours" and the Java book is one of the "complete" books, as in The Complete Java Reference book, and I have one Java for Beginners. I don't really think it's the material, it's probably that on the Java I'd just gotten finished with A+ and wasn't ready to start studying again, and if I ever do get a job in IT I'll start studying for network+ and security+. Otherwise, right now I'm working with webdesign, and that's happening fast and furious. I'm pretty sure that's because I see immediate gratification possible there, and because I want to do my own site and incorporate webdesign into the offerings of BOSS, I want to learn as much as I can as quickly as I can. With the A+, I wanted to know the material as thoroughly as I could because it would be the basis on which I would be building the rest of my career. (Unless I can't get a PC Tech job--then I'll be a freelance office support owner--it's all good.) I agree, though, with your underlying premise, that some material is much better than other. That's why this forum is so good.

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