I will graduate with an associates in information technology this fall from a local community college. I have the option to transfer to a 4 year and get a B.S. in computer information systems (with a focus in software development). I only have one real option to transfer to. It is not the best school by far for computer science. The issue is that I just don’t have the money to go to a large in-state college, the tuition is not the issue, it is that all of my in-state colleges require you to live on campus (at least freeman year) as an undergrad except my closest one. Meaning the total cost is like 20K a year (or for the first year). The other thing is that I currently have not had to take out loans for college, so if I stop now then I will be loan free, sounds pretty good a 2 year for free.
I want to become a software developer and eventually get into infosec/pentesting (maybe just as a hobby). Is it worth going to a pretty average school for computer science or just not worth it?
What should I do, my options are go to a pretty meh 4 year for 2.5 years and have a B.S. degree or finish where I am now and move on and hope I can get a job in software development.
When do you need to decide? Are you looking to start the 4 year program in the Spring?
If you can find an entry level job before you have to commit to the 4 year program, that might be a better use of your time than a comp sci degree from a mediocre program.
Look into certifications. Some basic certifications on top of an associates should put you in good standing for an entry-level position. If you get a position at a good company and they like you, they might pay for your 4 year later.
I was going to start this spring. I Have taken a lot of classes designed to help study for different certs, just need to go take the exams and study up a bit for them. The college isn’t that bad, they have a transfer program with a larger college that is 2ed best in state.
Definitely try to get whatever certs you can. Apply for some jobs. You don’t have to take them if you don’t want to. See how it goes, and if nothing pans out, get your degree. Your certs will still come in handy with internships and/or summer jobs.
With your associates, some certifications would be plenty for most companies to consider hiring you at a ground level. Keep in mind that even if you graduate with a bachelors degree, without much work experience, you will probably be starting out at the ground level anyway. I run an R&D department for a SAN building company. I have some college, but no degree. I have no certifications. I’m also 28. It’s about what you know and how quickly you can learn. If you can show that, plus an interest in the subject matter, many employers would jump at the chance to hire you. I have a good mix of guys and girls who have every range of experience and training, and the only two things in common are that they all put in a good effort and they are willing to learn.
I highly recommend getting A+, as most job candidates these days have taken it. I also recommend taking at least one other certification, doesn’t matter which one, as long as it is from an accredited source. I also look for people who personally enjoy most of what they would be doing in my department, so I look for people who have experience building their own computer, or playing around with some tech in their free time.
Last but not least, every employer is different. Once you feel like you’re ready to start working, just fix up your resume and apply to everything, even if you are missing some of the qualifications. If they don’t get the candidate they are looking for, they might look through resumes and find yours.
Will do. I may still go get the 4 year degree, but from a different school than i was going to originally, it has a pretty good computer science program and looking over the classes required it is what I want to learn. ( some seems useless/theoretical, but meh ) It looks nice for the most part and 10 of my classes transfer. I am also job searching, if I can get a job before then where I would like to be to start out, then I will skip school and just work there building experience. If i can I am just going to go for school.
This will be a both popular and unpopular opinion but… Just get the thing. Just get the degree. Most of software development really is just homebrew and learning it yourself for the most part. A college degree is just saying “I like this a lot” for programming. IMO, just get it and run. College isn’t exactly the most top thing on my list either, so don’t take me for gold
If you are a transfer student/continuing student, you are not required to live on campus. Who ever is telling you otherwise is a dumb shit, or a liar.
Even if you are a freshman, you can always petition that.
Its by far THE dumbest rule colleges have. Live on campus if you want to, or go elsewhere if you want to. Either one.
Being debt free is only a valid argument to a point. The bottom line is that the job market is getting more and more competitive by the day. A degree is definitely going to make you competitive in the job market.
If you don’t get your degree, you might save yourself 20K in debt, but you will struggle in the IT field to land a really good job when you could very well be competing against people with their masters degree.
Also keep in mind that a college degree SHOULD (I will get back to this in a second) be more than a simple education. A good school will have job placement help, career mentoring, internship opportunities, and a lot more to help fill out your resume.
And honestly, as long as you don’t have a crap gpa, financial aid and work study programs will pretty much help pay for the college anyways.
Here is my advice.
1: You are gonna want a degree. Trust me, its gonna make your life a lot easier.
2: Find a school that is going to give you the best possible advantage in the job market. Look for schools that have placement programs in computer programing. Look for schools that have ties to software companies like Microsoft, or apple. Look to see if these guys offer any sort of internship opportunities. Ultimately you want a school that can propel you into a career.
3: Check to see if the school’s degree program includes certs. Some schools offer computer science and will have you complete a lot of comptia certifications, and some programs won’t.
4: Ignore tuition costs. Find the best possible school first. Once you have found the best possible degree program for yourself, THEN you can address costs. Affording a good college that will help you get into a good job is a lot easier than affording a cheap crappy college that gives you the boot when you get your degree.
5: if you still can’t seem to find a good college, find some companies you would like to work for and send an email to their HR department. Tell them your situation and ask them for some advice. They might have a recommendation for you, or could put you in touch with someone who can give you some guidance.
Not sure I’d recommend the certs route… what are you going to do for example with A+ when your doing programming? Don’t get certs you aren’t going to keep (you have to renew them), and I probably wouldn’t recommend them unless you can show experience either or there’s a real benefit.
You say you only have one option to transfer. Have you asked around? You can sometimes get in places with a few extra things to do if you don’t quite fit the requirements.
On a side note aren’t degrees 4 years anyway… why can’t you go anywhere that will accept you?
Find what really interests you and find places that you want to go to and apply… why would this not work? (Genuinely wondering)
You should look for a job while you have time before making a decision but honestly Id probably still consider uni. It teaches more than just a subject (assuming you persue it as such) and opens up grad jobs which are pretty much designed to get you in the door at a higher position… I’m assuming there’s such a thing in the US.
Beyond the Associate degree, you might be able to knock out other required courses. Things like Finance, economics, English, etc. Take every transferable class offered at your current college, that transfers to your destination University Bachelors program. You might be able to finish in less than 2 years at the University by doing this.
As a transfer student, you aren’t a Freshman. You are an adult male, and shouldn’t have to live in Romper room just to go to school. This is one of those cash grabs that schools are doing because they can jack up their revenue on the backs of government insured easy school loans. It’s a racket.
Dumbest from a student’s perspective, from the college’s…a smart business move. Think of all the money they’ll make from students having to pay room and board unnecessarily!
I agree with #2 and I kind of agree with #4. If your school has a crappy program, you’re in for a rude awakening after you get your degree. I would go further and say use that school with the best program to compare to others. There may be comparable ones at lower costs.
Im sure they do make money, but thats not why the rule is there. That rule has been in place for eons and the idea is that you are supposed to be able to better focus on your studies.
The rule came from a time where people did not have access to transportation the same way we do today, so you were supposed to stay on campus so that you would have access to the libraries and go to office hours and so on.
They just haven’t updated the rule because people are sheeple. Thats also why schools are more than likely to let you live off campus if you protest.
And yeah, if you are lucky enough to be in a state that has more than 1 decent school for computer science, then choose the cheaper one.
But unless you live in Massachusetts, New York, or California, there is most likely only going to be 1 or 2 nice schools around. Everything else will be a crappy state university that might have a decent program, but will most likely rush you along your degree and boot you out at the end.
Interesting, while I knew it was for retention purposes, I thought forced residency was because if you bond with your fellow students, you’re less likely to drop out and commit to your education. Hence again, more money, but schools get annoyed if you spend too much time earning your degree as well. Part of a college education is outside of the classroom: living on campus or at least nearby the school. I can see these residency requirements being strictly enforced at commuter schools (and there are plenty of those around).
Really like that advice, Have found a different college that is just better and cost less. The university that wanted me to live on campus was a private college and in the information i got it was required for transfers. Looked at the college that has best computer science program in-state, can not afford to live there would be nearly 15k a semester or 1 hour drive to and from. 4th best is a 30 min drive from me. It is a branch of the 2 best in state if that makes since (it is a debate what one is really a better college). Looked over the courses and is about what I feel I want to learn.
I was wondering how A+ would help as well.
I found a few options after looking harder, 4th best in-state is 30 mins away, need to turn in transcripts i have a 3.98GPA so they should just based off that.
To both of these, it is money issues. The college I want to go to is an hour drive and would cost me ~$400 a month to drive back and forth and i just can not cover that. I am a good student and I enjoy school, but working a full time job and going i feel would be to much for me, and I only really have one parent to help me with paying for school. The three best college in my state are pretty far the 4th is only 30 mins away looking into there. The 4th best college and the 2ed are the same college just different campuses so they have similar programs.
Talked to both parents about this they both want me to go to college even if the degree means nothing. So job option is out for me.
So far my state has a transfer helper tool online, where it tells you what classes transfer and 10 of mine do so I am looking at 3 years right now. Want to see if they will let me take classes between them so take my core classes at the community college and take computer sci. classes at the university apprently they work pretty close together and may let me.
It was a local private college, i thought it was my only other option, but I have a lot more than i thought.
Yea.
Found a college with a pretty good program not the best in state, but it is a satellite campus for the best instate. Cheaper, but pretty much the same program.
My state is not known for computer science, but they are known for engineering for what I understand and right now they have a huge focus on computer science. 2 State colleges rival teams that both college are engineering schools (from what I know) they really like to fight with each other. Would love to go to either, but one is 100ish miles away and the other is only an hour, but the drive is 50 miles so not sure I could pay for gas.
I did not understand why they made you until to day you both made good points on why they make you and I am not even mad About that one private school, I did find out that all the other colleges I am looking at do not give a shit
After all of the help I have 3 options, One is pretty shit so it is out. one is the best in my state, but is an hour drive the other from what I can tell is 4th best, but it is a satellite campus of the 2ed best in-state college. So it has similar programs, but much smaller classes and it average tuition is only 10K a year that is not shit by comparison I have one scholarship for 7,5k a year so if it will last 3 more year i should be fine.
Sorry to all for improper grammar and English tried to bang out thoughtful answers quickly so quality is a bit off. Any more advice is welcome.
If your fourth choice is just a different campus of your second choice, how can they have different programs? Is it really another campus or some kind of partnership program?
Glad to hear you were able to think things through and come to a decision! ^_^
Not 100% how it works, They share the same name and are the same college from what I understand the programs are very close, but it seems like they work as separate colleges. The Main college has like 6 campuses that all work this way it is very odd, each has it’s own tuition price and majors I honestly have no idea how it works, but it seems to be the 4th or 5th best college for computer science depending on who you ask.( in my state) Lookking at the classes I have to take it seems pretty good most are programming and math classes then project managment classes and then normal college classes
