Going back to school

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Briansol

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I've been considering this for some time now, and I finally have things in motion.

I will be doing a completely online school called Jones International University based out of Colorado.
Online Degree Programs - Online Masters Degree Education - Online MBA Degree Programs
It's 100% online. I do everything via their online portal, watch 'youtube' style taped lectures, and have projects to do and submit via email/etc. The school is fully accredited and ranks 5th for online schools by one of those poll things.

As I never finished my Bachelors, I will be going on their accelerated BA/MBA program in Information Technology Management. BBA in Information Technology Management | Jones International University . I have about 95 credits from previous schooling, so they are starting me at 3rd year courses, effectively taking the 5 year course down to 3 years or so (depending on how many of my credits are able to transfer).

They run 2 classes at a time for 8 week sessions, so I never have a 5 class work load at any given time, and don't have summer/winter/spring breaks.

This should let me get my BA and my MBA within 3-3.5 years (assuming my transfer credits go through as I anticipate they will).

Director of IT, CTO, VP, Technology, or some other 6-figure title, here I come.

Assuming my loans/etc go through, I start Feb 6th with:

BBA301 The Global Marketplace
BBA301: The Global Marketplace | Jones International University

BC 352 Fundamentals of business writing
BC352: Fundamentals of Business Writing | Jones International University
 
I find this interesting since you have been such a strong advocate against needing upper level education. You have had a pretty strong stance against it for the 6 years or so that is known you. I think it's great and will help you get to where you SHOULD with the skills that you have. Congrats on the great decision.
 
I find this interesting since you have been such a strong advocate against needing upper level education. You have had a pretty strong stance against it for the 6 years or so that is known you. I think it's great and will help you get to where you SHOULD with the skills that you have. Congrats on the great decision.

I still stand by that for an average IT job, you don't need a bachelors. Frankly, I wouldn't be going back to school for just a bachelors. waste of money. The MBA opens other doors. As I've slowly fallen out of programming and have migrated to more management roles, this piece of paper opens up $100-$200k jobs. By the time i graduate, I'll have 15 years hands on IT work in facets from desktop support, network administration, development, lead developer, seo consultant, and currently operations manager. With the MBA in hand, and 15 years of solid background in just about every niche of IT behind me, CTO, VP of technology, Director of IT and other doors open for me.
All I'll need is a new suit :)
 
awesome decision, B. 3yrs aint too bad for a MBA either.

you have an AA correct? if so, damn near all of your previous credits should transfer.. im going through this little ordeal right now actually.
 
No, I have 2.5 years done towards a BA though. 95 cerdits in total. I'm hoping 50-ish transfer. A lot of the programming ones simply aren't a part of this masters, so there's nothing for them to transfer to.
 
awesome that you wanna go back to school.

me personally though, i have an issue when it comes to online schools.
its just a degree that i cant take seriously. and, if i were in the position of hiring somebody, i wouldnt look twice at the guy with an online degree.

whats to say that you actually did the projects and assignments and not somebody else?
etc etc etc
 
awesome that you wanna go back to school.

me personally though, i have an issue when it comes to online schools.
its just a degree that i cant take seriously. and, if i were in the position of hiring somebody, i wouldnt look twice at the guy with an online degree.

whats to say that you actually did the projects and assignments and not somebody else?
etc etc etc

This can be true.. As I am doing a online class through University of Phoenix.. Just wish I could get someone to do my work sometimes..

Good luck B
 
awesome that you wanna go back to school.

me personally though, i have an issue when it comes to online schools.
its just a degree that i cant take seriously. and, if i were in the position of hiring somebody, i wouldnt look twice at the guy with an online degree.

whats to say that you actually did the projects and assignments and not somebody else?
etc etc etc

It's no easier to cheat this way than it is in regular class. They don't really do tests anyway.. it's mostly project based assignments.

This school, and most online programs offered, are fully accredited by the same institutions that accredit regular physical schools.

Harvard has an online program.
On-Campus & Online Courses for Career & Professional Development: Harvard Extension School

would you not hire that person either?


If you ONLY look at WHERE they graduated college instead of what they know, i assure you that you'll never hire anyone competent.

Beyond the ivy league, I doubt you can name 100 schools. And there's over 5000 in this country alone.
 
That's awesome man, I'm actually going to school for something similar. I graduate in December with my Bachelors degree in Information Technology Service Management. I'm contemplating going for my MBA after, as I could complete it in another year.

Experience and the degree is going to open up a lot of options for you. I'm going on 9 years myself.


Here is the link if you want to see the core classes. Information Technology Service Management - - Missouri State University
 
Back to school? Back to school to prove to your dad that you're not a fool? Do you have your lunch packed up? Your shoes tied tight? I hope you don't get in a fight.

:ph34r:
 
what do you really know about current IT though?

any real work with server 2k8? windows webserver? exchange? sharepoint? sbs? citrix? firewalls? how about managed services? you are expected to know atleast how these server applications integrate into an everyday network and if needed, perform some hands on. i dont necessarily mean creating users and mailboxes, but possibly creating a backend exchange architecture, or a NAS cluster, or moving FSMO roles to a new DC and removing the old one...

most real IT directors have years of hands on with current technology. i'm not trying to deter you, and i know you're a great programmer :) but being in the field on up and coming for over 6 years now most employers are willing to overlook the degree if you have solid hands on. i've entertained many a job offer for more money but havent since there is plenty of opportunity currently where i am now.


with the big push lately for managed services, most companies have already started the buy in and learning curve, where hands-on IT is being phased out for medium to large companies in favor of automation. kevin and i were lucky to jump in on that in 06 when it just started out... half my salary is just from recurring revenue from client systems that i pretty much never have to touch most months.
 
Somebody has to manage those managed services....

thats what a network administrator does.

my boss (director of IT) is in the thick of it all day despite his title. its how we make money. sell services, automate companies, and use our extra time to do hands on with smaller clients that cant afford the automation.
 
its not just my company brian. its lots of companies. there are 4 of us but we manage almost 2 dozen clients now in 5 different states.


look im just trying to help you out with some real world scenarios.
 
Your vision is skewed to the limited 5 employee office you work in, and i'm done arguing with you.
 
what do you really know about current IT though?


most real IT directors have years of hands on with current technology. i'm not trying to deter you, and i know you're a great programmer :) but being in the field on up and coming for over 6 years now most employers are willing to overlook the degree if you have solid hands on. i've entertained many a job offer for more money but havent since there is plenty of opportunity currently where i am now.

ehhh? how can they have years of experience with the most current technologies when the technology changes every year. Usualy when there is someone whose been in the field for 30 years and is a Director of IT they don't have years of experience in the latest of technologies. They have to learn as they go.

My assumption would be is if Brian did go back to school, they would be teaching the most current technology available. Hell when i got my A.S. in CIS i was learning COBOL as part of the curicculum when COBOL was outdated by about 20 years.

I assume they don't do this anymore. Brian's already has a hell of a background and if his goals are those kind of jobs then yes, he'll need a higher degree.

I say good for you B
 
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