Life Sucks

For what it's worth:

Nothing can replace a college education. Most "career" jobs in the US require a college degree, and while it is certainly possible to climb the corporate ladder without a degree, you'll need a healthy dose of luck to do it that way.

Get a college degree, if only for the simple fact that most companies won't even consider hiring you without one. "The more you learn, the more you earn" is not just a hollow slogan - just look at the numbers straight from the horse's mouth: http://nces.ed.gov/fastfacts/display.asp?id=77 : $23,500 with a high school diploma or GED, $39,500 with at least a Bachelor's (and that's the median, not an average). With a difference of $16,000 per year, I'd say it's pretty obvious you shouldn't worry too much about racking up student loans...

Also: have you considered online degrees? Some colleges offer fully accredited online degrees that you can complete while you're working, and you wouldn't be restricted to your geographical area. The "Tech Institute for Computer Networking Systems" from your first post makes me hope you're not signing up for some Associate's degree that isn't even accredited. Get a bachelor's (and preferably top it off with a master's) from a decent accredited school, and all doors will open for you.

It is a fully accredited associates degree. Designed by companies and taught by real people out in the industry now. The school is ITT Technical Institute and has 96 campus' across the country with about 20000 graduates every year all being employed right out of school.

ITT isn't even close to being fully accredited.

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http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/ITT_Technical_Institute
ITT Tech is nationally accredited by the Accrediting Council for Independent Colleges and Schools. It does not have regional accreditation thus many regionally accredited universities and colleges will not accept ITT Tech's credits for transfer or recognize its undergraduate degrees for entry into graduate programs.

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Getting an associate's degree from ITT is an option if all you want is a quick piece of paper, and if you have no desire to turn it into a bachelor's (because no other school will accept ITT's credits). In all other cases (read: if you want a decent education with a degree that is worth something, both in the corporate world and to other colleges), it's worthless...

Ah, screw it Negative

Do what I did - get an oilfield job. Play w/ computers on your off-time. You *are* a Texan, after all...

Know what I'm sayin?

(<--dropped out 11 hrs from a bachelor's in CompSci w/ a 3.5 GPA... degrees can wait - you can make over 75K/yr right now on a drilling rig w/ no experience.)

Neg I have had experience switching schools before. Initially I changed schools from a school that was borderline IV league to a school that was a state school. Both schools were 100% accredited and guess what the state school would not take any of my credits. Just one more reason I ended up dropping out. No matter what school I go to there is a good chance my credits won't transfer so what is the difference. Right now I want to get a job I am happy with in a little amount of time so I can focus on getting to where I want to be in my life and right now it is not looking so well.

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Originally Posted by blewisjr

Right now I want to get a job I am happy with in a little amount of time so I can focus on getting to where I want to be in my life and right now it is not looking so well.

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Look for manufacturing plants, small service industry-related businesses in your area. Our IT guy was hired out of the blue, as was our Process Engineer and QC engineer. None of them have accredited diplomas in the specific fields, yet they do their jobs very well due to their ability to think and solve problems on the fly. The piece of paper is nice, but not necessary. Convince the HR that you can adapt and learn (as I'm sure you can), and you are in. Make the best of that first, then build, build, build both experience and reputation.

I would have to agree that the 'online diplomas' are inherently useless. Hell, I'm an ordained minister in the ULC, for christ's sake. I didn't have to pay for it...I would, however have to pay to get the "official" certificate of ordination even though my ordination is filed with the "church". Seeing any similarities here?

Hope things work out for you. Keep at it, and NEVER give up.

The Reverend O ;)

P.S. If you need to be married, baptised, etc...I can hook you up with that. It's legal and binding. Woo!

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Originally Posted by wiskic10_4

Ah, screw it Negative

Do what I did - get an oilfield job. Play w/ computers on your off-time. You *are* a Texan, after all...

Know what I'm sayin?

(<--dropped out 11 hrs from a bachelor's in CompSci w/ a 3.5 GPA... degrees can wait - you can make over 75K/yr right now on a drilling rig w/ no experience.)

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Where have I seen this before... Ah yes, Swordfish ;)

And as for going to school, if you're as broke as you say you are (barely making bills and want to go to school) have you heard of a Pel grant?

I went to college this way. My family didn't have the loads of cash it costs to get into a decent networking program at the college, and after 1 IQ test my best friend and I both got offered a free ride to college.

I didn't take that one up, but I did do this:

I didn't have the cash for college, and no one really thought I'd even make it out of high school or have a diploma, or even a GED, so it's not like money was ever put aside for me, my Uncle flat out told me "You'll probably get kicked out (Which I did) and end up living in a freezer box on the street".

After I got my High school equivalence (The law in Michigan was changing while I was taking the tests, I passed with higher than normal scores so I got an actual certificate saying I did better) and didn't even really need that as a normal GED would have done the job, but anyway, I wanted to go to college thinking I needed a paper saying I can do what I say I can, so I went to the college, they sat me in front of a computer, and after a little test of skills, I got full paid college.

Not only was it paid for by the state of Michigan, they also gave me a check every semester as long as my grades were C or above for about $1,500.00 every semester to keep me there instead of packing up and going to Michigan state.

In other words, instead of complaining, get a Pel, they'll pay for everything if you're actually broke, and most likely pay you too so you have cash to buy things you deem necessary for school.

I bought like 3 computers and software. You can buy whatever you want, they don't ask, care, or want to know. Most states should work just about the same, if you really don't have the money for college, yet want to go and can actually prove yourself with good grades (I got almost straight As but Cs are good enough) then just sign up for financial aid and a pel, and go.

If you get turned down it's because you make to much money and can afford to. So if you aren't lying, you'll get accepted to go. Then you can sit up for 3 days before mid terms like the rest of us.

Granted, I was up for 3 days playing Doom because my teachers rarely ever bothered trying to yell at me, I was one of the favorites in college because I already knew most of what they were teaching and didn't disrupt everyone else.

Anyway, as I said, in short, if you're really that broke and want to go to college, then, sign up for Financial Aid, get a student loan, go there, and if you don't fail they'll keep paying for everything.

Problem solved?

(By the way, most kids know this already, online classes are the best for subjects you don't like, no teachers watch you so your friends who are good at it can cmoe over and "tutor" you. :) ).

In all actuality they don't look to see if you have a degree or not, at least none of the places i worked at did and i used to help with hiring at a couple of them. You can do self study, go for your net+ and a+ that will look good when applying for help desk and entry level positions. You will most likely start out doing desktop support so go for your MCP and MCDST these are all easy certs. A+ and Net + will probably require studying if you new to it. MCP and MCDST if you are good with XP are a walk in the park.... once again that depends on how good you are with XP. you can get books for all of these and u can probably find ebooks online if you look arround enough. then just find your local testing center and go on in. then you will have something on paper saying you at least half way know what you are doing.

If we're talking about help desk and entry level positions, a degree is indeed less important. From the original poster's first post, though, I was assuming that he's been there and done that (or actually still is) and wants something higher up the corporate ladder, and that's where a degree is going to be the first requirement.

My own 2cents would have to be to get into an entry level support role - perhaps at a well known ISP. Tier 1 support should be very easy to get into in your case and once employed you can work your way up.....

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If we're talking about help desk and entry level positions, a degree is indeed less important. From the original poster's first post, though, I was assuming that he's been there and done that (or actually still is) and wants something higher up the corporate ladder, and that's where a degree is going to be the first requirement.

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You need to walk before you can crawl.... or something like that - The point is if your stuck in a dead end job, get the same/similar job at a different company where you can prove yourself again and rise up. Dont think that each job is the same... in my experience the company itself has much to do with how i feel about a position and where my skills are taking me.

CTO