I'm working on my A+ cert right now.A close family friend went the degree way,and makes plenty of money,but he said that if you want to gain knowledge that's going to make you money before it's obsolete certs are the way to go.He got his masters and 99.9% of what he learned while in school is useless now.(Keep in mind that he earned his degree about 8 years ago.)Not trying to discourage you,as I would like to get a degree or two under my belt eventually,but if your looking to get into the job market and earn some cash as well as hands on experience while you go to school,certs seem to be the way to go.Either way good luck in your studies.