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Home > Archive > Certifications and IT jobs/Salaries > April 2001 > IT Degree vs. Certs
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IT Degree vs. Certs
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| Wanabe 2001-03-03, 12:01 am |
| I'm currently into my second year at a Tech school and enrolled in the Networking Bachelor's degree program. However, as of late I've been wondering if I should just get my Associates degree and start moving towards getting some Certs under my belt.
I want to do what's right here but I'm having trouble deciding. Would it be wise to go ahead and get my Bachelor's degree or would I be spending my time and money more wisely by going for the Associates so I could start moving towards my Certs ASAP. Whatever decision I make, I want to have the most possible options.
Any advice would be greatly appreciated. I'm curious to know how the industry is viewing Bachelor's degrees in IT vs. Certs and experience.
As of 4 months ago I landed my first IT job as a Computer Administrator for a small company. I already have another Associates degree in accounting.
Thanks,
Wanabe | |
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| This is just what I've heard from many friends in the IT field. Certs are great and I am pursuing a few myself. I am told that you can never go wrong with an IT degree. A bachelor's, at least, since most companies want that. A woman I know who works for a huge consulting firm will shred most resumes that don't have IT degrees or a considerable amount of experience instead. She tells me certs and a degree is a great combo since that shows you may be skilled in many areas. I am pursuing an IT degree myself. Hope this helps. | |
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| Go for the degree...after that you can pick up your certs. BS degree will definately get you a job. Certs only great if you already have experience. Also certs might help you to get an entry level position if you just start getting in the IT field.
IronMask | |
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| I would personally advise you to complete the bachelors degree and then pursue certifications. You can't go wrong. A degree and certifications are a good combination to have in the long run. | |
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| If u have free time while in school, take those that u feel like. But to remind you that a good grade is very important for your B.S degree.
SO, there are something u might need to think of.
GPA or Certification. | |
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| Thanks for the input. I guess working full time and going to night school for the past year has kind of worn on me. There's a part of me that just wants it to be over with. At the same time, my fear is that I'd hate myself for settling for anything less then what I set out to do in the first place which is to earn my Bachelor's degree.
My wife is also a full time college student so lately we've been like two ships passing in the night.
Wanabe | |
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| wanabe what tech school are you attending and what is the degree. You mentioned networking, is that the case or are you enrolled in a mis management program???
The reason I ask is because i would like to enroll in a degree program, but most of the technology mangement, mis degrees I find to only offer about 10-15% of what im interested in. I have been working with computers for about 5 years now. I have my mcse,ccna,a+,mct, and am 2 tests away from ccnp. I dont think the degree will help with my work now, or future work. However I do think that an advanced degree like an MBA in e-commerece or masters in ****** would make a great difference. I would like to find a program that concentrates on networking, telecom, and lan. Anyway theres my blur, would love to hear more about what programs people are enrolled in and why??????????????? | |
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| 007,
The degree is actually a Computer Network Management degree. It's pretty well rounded and offers a pretty good exposure to alot of the industries main staples (MS Server, Workstation, 98, Unix, Novel, TCP/IP, Programming, Internet/Lans etc.) I choose this program specifically for that reason. Also, I'm in my mid 30's and have found that a two year degree won't get you far today. I thouht it important to aquire my Bachelors degree along with certs. it order to move forward with this career. | |
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| Go Bachelor's degree program first and try your best to get some I.T. certificates, CCNA and MCSE perfered. Unless you are in a good reputation University, otherwise I am sure you will need some I.T. certificates for safe.
If you are not in a good reputation University, high grade is an advantage but not a must since employer may know more about CCNA, CCNP and MCSE than your University and your Bachelor's degree.
Furthermore, University subjects aren't all that hard to get a good grade by memorize notes, books. Therefore, I would like to get a CCNA, MCSE to prove my ability. | |
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| I agree plane.
So far the material hasn't been too hard and has consisted of a lot of memorization and understanding some key concepts. It also helps to have an apptitude for computers. It almost hurts to see some people struggle through some of the material that I don't see as being that difficult.
The school itself is not that well known. They have two campuses here in Denver, one in Chicago, two in California and I think another somewhere else. While I am planning to earn some Certs I'm using my college program as a backbone to at least gaining some exposure to a wide variety of areas.
I'm not sure yet what I plan to specialize in. Anyone out there have any ideas? Routers, Storage Networking, etc..? | |
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| I started in this field with a BS in MIS (Management Information Systems) I think a 4yr college degree is good. However if you know you are going t get specific technical certifications don't major in technology. It will just overlap.
You will be learning the same stuff twice. Personaly I would get a degree in Business Management. This way at the end of the road, when you have done you IT certifications, you will be more marketable. You will have on your resume your BS and IT certs. Your IT certs will get you a good IT position and your BS in Management will allow you to manage those IT people without one. This makes you the best overall candidate. Best of luck!!! | |
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| IT degree can give you long run reputation and "insurance". Certification serves as an add-on. You will sooner or later find yourself in panic without a degree... | |
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| Yes, I agree. Look at it this way. A cert is basically a test for one topic . . . in college that's more often than not just one class. And certs usually expire after a while. Degrees don't. And if you find yourself competing in a market full of degreed guys, you might be passed over even though you might know more. And it may put a glass ceiling on how high you can go in a lot of companies. Pick up the certs you're interested in on the way to the B.S., but a degree will give you better long-term prospects. | |
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| Wanabe:
I suggest going for the degree. If you have the time, going for the certs would be a good idea too. I'm going to college right now too, and am planning on taking a light load each summer so that I can concentrate on self study, including certs. You may want to consider something similar.
Kasor:
I've been told that most employers don't really care about your GPA, just that you have a degree of some sort. I'm not too sure about this though. Do you think that the GPA matters much?
007:
I'm having the same problem. If I could find a degree that concentrates on telecomms and wans I'd definitely go for it. So far though, the closest thing I've found on the BS level are management/business related related majors. I'd hate to take all those business classes, so Computer Science and IT look like the most appealing options. Right now I'm going for two degrees, an AS in Networking and an AA in Computer Science. After that I'll likely get a BS in Computer Science and IT. On the MS level there seem to be some telecomm related majors. | |
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| I never said a certification was better than a degree. A certification in the right field will land you a much better paying job than most BS.
That is the truth. But when it comes to overall management duties and degree will have more weight. Like I said before. I HAVE my B.S. degree already, in the field of IT. It makes me no difference, but If you study for certifications for 4yrs vs. college for 4yrs you will find a better paying job after for years of studying for Certifications (Cisco and Micorosoft especially) I make more money with my certs than any MBA i know. Most companies don't spend two seconds on what my BS is in, but when they see my MCSE and CCNA and CCDA they go crazy. Its good to have either or, but better to have both. | |
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| And on a finall note, most degrees, don't have a specialization. The are stuff like Major in Business and concentrated on networking, and all that means is you took 3-4 networking classes. Most certifcations are backed by the industry leaders who are offering the jobs. Hell even most of the Universities are asking for certifications to run thier Unix, Microsoft and Cisco equiptment. Traditional Colleges don't have real programs for these technical areas of study. If you want someone to trouble shoot your cisco routers, you best get a CCNP and not some IT communications major. If you want to setup Active Directory you better get an MCSE and not some Computer Engineer or programer. | |
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| Yes, degrees DO have specialisations! They are called "majors" -- you typically take 15 classes or so in that area and not three or four. I agree that relatively few colleges have programs that focus on network administration and router configuration and that's where the lack comes in. most of the degree programs in computers that I have seen either focus on programming or on design of computers and not implementation of hardware. Still, if you are competitng with someone who has a degree, it is a real disadvantage not to have one. They mean things to employers even when they are outdated and sometimes not relevant to what you are doing. My degree was in math, but I don't run into many tensors on my job, but still, my promotional prospects look better than those who didn't go to college -- even if they may be more qualified than me. | |
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| I am currently studying Microcomputer Technology and will have an AOS in July 2001. I have certified myself as a Certified Electronic Technician, A+ and N+. To put it straight forward, I would give up all of them for the bachelors degree. However I need to tell you that those three certifications I have achieved have taken me 1.25 years to achieve. What I am trying to say is that stopping your college degree and pusuing certification is not necessarily "the easier way out". Continue your college! Get certified later.
Good luck! | |
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| This is my opinion: Going to the regular colleges and universities to get your bachelor's degree in my opinion is a waste of time and money. You have to take too many classes (accounting, history.etc.) that have nothing to do with your field of study in order to achieve your degree. I went to college for a year and have never went back but I have been working in the IT field for 4 years and have worked for many multi-billion dollar corporations (Computer Sciences Corporation, Pratt & Whitney, and Bayer Pharmaceutical...just to name a few). I am currently working as a Network Engineer for a Small Corporation. I have management responsibilities for the IS department in Connecticut and Puerto Rico. My point is that I am currently making about $70,000+ a year (rising a minimum of 5-10% every year) and I don't have a college degree. Most of the people I know with college degrees are not making nearly as much. Several of them can’t even find jobs. I am not saying a degree is worthless but the process of getting your degree is. I believe a better way is to get your certifications and get yourself a job in the IT field. Then after settling in and you still feel that you want to pursue your college degree then most of the companies will reimburse you 80-100% for your tuition. Why should you struggle through life working a full time job and going through night school and paying out of your own pockets? Wake up and smell the reality! I must also add that I do plan to get my college degree but I am going to do it through distance learning. I found a perfect accredited online college that you can get a bachelors degree by finishing 16 course. And I’ll give everyone a little secret; most companies (90% of them) do not care where you got your bachelors degree. They just care that you have it. | |
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| I agree with you, most people don't agree with me in this forum. I could care less. Let then get their degrees and I will ge my certifications and let everyone be happy. I damn sure could not earn what I am earning with my BS degree and I have one. I am making twice as much as my friends with degrees. I don't even work weekends, while they do and I still do better than $100,000. I wish everyone the best of luck whether the purse a degree or not. I am happy what with I have and what I am doing. But I do agree with you 100 percent. | |
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| @ knowledgepower and netwiz01--I see your point of view and can agree with you some extent, but not totally. I believe that many will agree that you two are the except to the rule. Not every person who is in IT or aspiring to enter IT will be as fortunate as you or myself for that matter. Not to mention the politics and discrimination (gender, age, and race)of the "real world" IT/corporate industry. You have to be able to market yourself no matter what.
It's better to have an edge than not to. Investing at least two or four years is not a waste. Also it is about what program you pursue. Earning an associates in computer networking for instance, then earning an certification(s), and then maybe a bachelors in business (i.e. management, technical management, etc.) will make a person more well rounded and marketable.
Reality is that even if you are certified out of your @$$ and actually know your stuff, if you are not the right age, sex, or color, you may or may not have a harder time getting your foot in the door. | |
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| I agree with the discrimination part too. That is why work for myself. I am not part of that group that does not get discriminated against. There is a problem in the IT community that does not get too much attention. I will stick to my guns with this IT, because most people can't catch the train. It is moving so fast that it has left many people before they got to the station. Technology is moving faster than they can get it into print. So colleges can barely keep up. Plus when Lucent or MCI or Intel needs It training they don't go to a 4yr college they go to the trained, certified experts. The majority are not on a traditional college campus. | |
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| @ Bobby Digital & netwiz01: I never stated that getting a degree is a waste of time. I did state that the way most people go about getting their degree is definitely a waste of time, especially in regards to the Information Technology field. If you have subscriptions to any of the computer/networking magazines, which most of us do, you will notice that they have many articles in regards to this issue. In the articles, it stated that many companies are turning to two-year colleges for their employees because two-year colleges can tailor their curriculums to meet the current business needs of the surrounding corporations. Now this all goes back to what I have stated before. Once you get a good job and feel like you still want to get your college degree then by all means do it because now you will have an employer that will pay for your education. I definitely agree with Bobby Digital that it does not matter what degree or how many certifications you have if you do not know how to market or sell yourself to the prospective employers. I know many people that have many certifications but can’t seem to get a job because he/she does not know how to market himself/herself.
Now lets compare degrees and certifications a little bit more. The current hot jobs skills of the future are MS Windows 2000 (i.e. Server, workstations, configuration, implementation, etc), Web technology & Development (i.e. B2B, e-Commerce, Java, XML, etc), Security knowledge & technologies (i.e. firewalls, VPNs, Proxy servers, Intrusion detection, Cisco, Checkpoint, etc), Wireless Technology, and of course WAN technology & solutions (i.e. Cisco, Nortel, Lucent, Routers, Switches, etc). All of the things I have listed are currently needed or will be needed by all types of businesses and corporations. You can spend Four years in college and you will still not have these skills set. Yes, Yes I know people will tell me that that is not true but it is. Most colleges now teach you Novell and Microsoft technology but it is all outdated technology. If you don’t believe me check out their curriculums. It will include Novell 3.1 (maybe if you are very, very lucky, Novell 4.1) not the new Novell 5.0 and Microsoft 4.0 not the new Microsoft 2000. The colleges also offer Java, C++ and other development skills but they can’t change the curriculum fast enough to meet the current technology requirements. Plus it would take you a good four years to get these degrees. That is an awful long time considering the rapid changing pace of the technology field. You are better off going to a specialized training (i.e. Cisco, IBM, SUN, Unix, Linux, Citrix, Lotus, Microsoft, etc) to achieve these skills because you will be specialize in what the corporations need and you can achieve this (depending on you learning abilities) anywhere between several weeks to several months, not several years.
To end this note, I would like to add that if you plan on going to management (i.e. Manager, Vice President, CIO) then it would be a plus to have your degree but not always required. That is why I would like to get mine because I plan to be CIO of this company one day but I would not go about the traditional means of doing it. I would get my degree in a year through distance learning. | |
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| File this under the 'been there' file:
Many companies, or sometimes just the HR people that work for them, get fixated on having a bachelors degree. It becomes an entrance requirement for a job interview unless you get the interview the old-fashioned way: networking -- and not the kind with hubs and routers 
Lately, companies are starting to get fixated on Computer Science degrees in particular, but they ALSO want you to have those certifications. (And 4 years experience with Windows 2000, of course...)
It doesn't matter if you learned antiquated technology or bleeding edge, they like that bloody college degree. The ads never say 'BS in Computer Science from a 4-year high-ranking university,' just the sheepskin, thankyouverymuch, we won't bother with the content. It's a distinct advantage in landing a good job in the market today, but not necessarily an insurrmountable hurdle. The IT Manager may not care about the degree, but if HR never passes it to his desk because they don't percieve you as being as well qualified... (I had one HR person tell me that he couldn't fill a position because he couldn't find anyone with an MSCSE, just 'MCSE's.' It would be funny if it weren't so sad. Note to self: only work on certifications with a LOT of letters in them.)
Even if you are already working in the field, eventually you are going to reach the point when you are going to lose that promotion or not get that management job just because you don't have a degree... and that degree might be a Masters.
Does that mean you should put your life and career on hold just to get a BS? Maybe not if you are already working. But it's probably a good idea to include it in your plans at some point, and it won't expire every six months like your certification.
Back to the original poster: if you are already in the middle of college, it might not hurt to stay. Continuity does have it's advantages in learning, and definately has it's advantages if you are getting any sort of financial aid, because that well dries up the minute you leave college the first time. (Trust me on this one, I KNOW.) But I daresay some of the classes you took already have covered the material for an A+, N+ or even an MCP with a minimum of studying. Your college computer center might have certification testing software that you can use for free to gauge your performance, and you may even get a good discount on certification testing while you are enrolled. | |
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| 'Nuff said at Nicole.....
"Even if you are already working in the field, eventually you are going to reach the point when you are going to lose that promotion or not get that management job just because you don't have a degree... and that degree might be a Masters."
That says it all right there. Right now all you may need are certifications to get a job (or so they say), but what about down the road? You have to think long term and in the direction you want to go. If you don't, you'll limit yourself. | |
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| I think this is one of those debates that can go on...and on...and on...(like the enegizer bunny).
Some people (like me) have been fortunate enough and talented enough to be placed in situations where a degree isn't necessary. The opportunity arouse and the best was made out of it. These are the fortunate people. I went to college for 3 years and majored in Physics. I agree, most of the classes you attended has nothing to do with your major, but you know what, those classes are intended to get your mind to thinking. I majored in Physics and the classes I took (Physics, Calculus, Applied Math, Engineering) really taught me how to look below the surface for a problem. The Psychology, Sociology, Art History, etc., taught me how to view people and appreciate some of the simple things in life. The History, Government, and Economics taught me how to value hard work dedication and invest the salary I make. As well as let me know what forced the tech market to go up and down and what past political figures have ties into the industry that we all work in (look at the recent decline in jobs and economy after we changed Presidents for an example).
My Certifications taught me how to exceed on the technical side of things. Both college and certifications help me advance in my profession.
I know most of the people in this forum knows or know of IT Professionals who could give a damn about listening to an end users or even socializing with their co-workers. Most IT people have been trained to do what they do best but lack the social skills needed in upper management positions. I'm not knocking people that only have certifications, but most individuals without a contact in a major corporation or a degree wouldn't get the job. However, there are exceptions.
A friend of mine majored in Business and now owns a multi million dollar technology company. He knows everything almost (A+, Cisco, MCSE, MBA).
If I had it to do all over, I would get my certs first and then go to college for a degree or go to college and try and get my certs.
Either or is good, but both is excellent.
Just some food for thought.
sym | |
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| "I found a perfect accredited online college that you can get a bachelors degree by finishing 16 course."
Knowledgepower:
Could you point me in the direction to this college? I would like to look at it.
Thanks. | |
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| "Could you point me in the direction to this college? I would like to look at it."
Ditto for me. Especially if they'll take transfer credits... | |
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| @matt1999&Nicole: The name of the college is American college of Computer & Information Sciences. the web site= http://www.aics.edu/
As I have stated this is the best distance facility that I could find. I have been searching for many years and I found this one back in 1997. They have many company that pays for their employees to take the courses (i.e. Fortune 500 Government Agencies, Colleges and Schools, Medical and Health Care, Public and Private Utilities, omputer Services and Technology, Manufacturing, Construction and Transportation, Finance and Insurance, Retail/Service/Distribution, Foreign and Other, etc)These list can be viewed at: http://www.accis.edu/catalogue/proven.html
Good luck everyone!
Knowlegde Is Power | |
| Tekmazter 2001-04-16, 1:45 pm |
| Well, think of it like this. Get the certifications for the job, and get the degree to move into management later. Your right about the classes following the certifications. So here is what you do. Transfer your gened's to a two year college somewhere and pick up an AS in IT or science. Then finish a BA business. This will prime you for management later in your career. Something to keep in mind though. Certifications are nice, but some are becoming a "dime a dozen". A degree can and will take you higher in MOST companies (i.e. management). So work for both, but the degree is definatlely your safety net in a land of certifiably, paper certified people.  | |
| tragic_comedy 2001-04-23, 1:54 pm |
| I think (looking back) that getting a degree would've been the better choice since there are alot more doors open that way than just getting a tech school and some certs with no experience. I have found that even with the experience and certs that I have - there are alot of companies that won't have anything to do with you unless you are a bona fide grad | |
| Bobby Digital 2001-04-23, 2:06 pm |
| That is so true tragic_comedy. I can agree with you 100% on that. | |
| tragic_comedy 2001-04-23, 2:16 pm |
| I think alot of the reason why degrees are chosen over certs is because you can buy the answers to any microsoft, novell, comptia, even cisco exam. Really, think about it - how much can a CCNA with no experience really know? Not knocking anyone but geeez, the market is flooded with boot camp CCNAs, MCSE's with no experience and full blown liars!! I am going with what some of the others say, start small, say with the A+ or Inet+ and go from there. You really aren't impressing prospective employers with advanced certs unless you have the time in the field |
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