New to the IT field and have a couple ?'s

[akareem27]

First, I really was about to go to Devry until I found this site.What is a good school to go to that is entirely online? I'm 25,married with twins so actually sitting in a class is out.I got bills.
Second, I was interesting in making software(games,apps) but that seems like a hard field to jump into with no prior exp.I read that security and networking are the way to go.While I want to learn to program,I would rather get a degree in a field where I could actually get a job.So what's the best field to major in to find a job? I live in philly but are willing to relocate.
Thanks in advance for any help.

[akareem27]

I've done some googling on my own and I narrowed it down to either strayer univ. or devry.Out of the two which is best opinion,or do you know anybody in either one of those schools.Or maybe another school I overlooked.

[nemowolf]

First, I really was about to go to Devry until I found this site.What is a good school to go to that is entirely online? I'm 25,married with twins so actually sitting in a class is out.I got bills.
Second, I was interesting in making software(games,apps) but that seems like a hard field to jump into with no prior exp.I read that security and networking are the way to go.While I want to learn to program,I would rather get a degree in a field where I could actually get a job.So what's the best field to major in to find a job? I live in philly but are willing to relocate.
Thanks in advance for any help.

Since you dont really know what you want to do, getting schooling is hard because schools have specialties. I would check out Dice.com and see what jobs are available and what sounds interesting. Your going to need math for a programming degree, so you may want to start out at your local JC and use them as an initial stepping stone. JC CIS departments are generally more informed then you might think, especially if they have someone who has retired from their old job and took up teaching to make some money.

In general, all jobs are going to make you money but since you have two little ones dont expect to be there after you get a job. I work help desk and im working 45 hour weeks, travel once a month for at least a day or more, and find myself working from home occasionally too. IT is not a get rich quick scheme at all, this is something your going to need to invest time and effort to start and then in 5 years you can throttle back.

[akareem27]

Not to be a "noob" but what is a JC school?
How much does a typically help desk employee makes?

[GroundZero3]

Junior College

[akareem27]

If I go to a junior college or "jc" I would have to go through the trouble of transferring after my 2 yrs.Wouldn't it be easy to do your four years in one place?

[nemowolf]

If I go to a junior college or "jc" I would have to go through the trouble of transferring after my 2 yrs.Wouldn't it be easy to do your four years in one place?

No, its about the same and costs you FRACTIONS of what you would pay for a traditional four year institution.

Price comparison for you ...

Notre Dame De Namur University charges 530 dollars per unit for a class, typically 3-5 units depending on the class.

College of San Mateo charges 30 dollars per unit for a class, typically 3-5 units depending on the class.

The class is the same, both of them are say math classes and tough by equally entertaining and qualified teachers ...

Where do you go?

[akareem27]

I live in philly and I googled and ccp and delaware county jc's dont offer it courses.I also was under the impression that you couldn't get a degree from a jc, just a certificate,diploma or associates.

[sharder8]

I live in philly and I googled and ccp and delaware county jc's dont offer it courses.I also was under the impression that you couldn't get a degree from a jc, just a certificate,diploma or associates.

Also check out Community Colleges . . . I know COCC offers several specialties in different fields. My nephew will be graduating at the end of this quarter with a degree in Criminal Justice and is looking at becoming a PO. My youngest daughter just started and if she keeps her grades up, she'll complete the RN course in 4 years. (Currently RN's are making ~ $55 an hour here and there's an increasing shortage.) I know COCC also offers something in Computer Sciences . . . just don't know what.

(BTW, Nephew is disabled and a single father raising his 13yo son, daughter is a single mother and we're helping raise the Grandson, both found grants to cover all school costs and provide some of the housing and food costs.)

Harder

[akareem27]

It's alot more confusing than I thought this process would be just picking a school.I'm just looking for an 100%online school to get a degree in networking/security that is affordable(not 70,000) and respectable in the job industry.

[sharder8]

It's alot more confusing than I thought this process would be just picking a school.I'm just looking for an 100%online school to get a degree in networking/security that is affordable(not 70,000) and respectable in the job industry.

On-line will help with theory, but hands on experience will get you further. Plus, as in the case of my nephew and daughter, grants pay all their school costs +. I haven't seen many on-line schools that you can get grants for. (The grants they are both getting have requirements, but you don't have to pay them back.)

There's actually very little confusing info being given you here . . . Everyone is telling you that on-line isn't the way to go if you want to succeed.

Harder

[DeathWish187]

There's actually very little confusing info being given you here . . . Everyone is telling you that on-line isn't the way to go if you want to succeed.

Everyone I've known to take online courses has ended up dropping out, because it's mostly garbage...

[DoubleK]

My youngest daughter just started and if she keeps her grades up, she'll complete the RN course in 4 years. (Currently RN's are making ~ $55 an hour here and there's an increasing shortage.)

Holy crikeys I am moving to Oregon! My wife just graduated with her RN and is starting at $21.00. Granted our cost of living is probably a little cheaper than yours but it surely does not reflect the disparaging difference in wages.

To the op, good luck to you. I have a 5 year old and thought about going back to school after being layed off after my last "golden parachute" of a job over the past 16 years. It was much easier to find a job that payed better for my boring skill set. I realized 4 years of school was going to put me at 40 and my daughter at 10. After watching my wife consumed with school over the last 5 years I do not want to miss these precious years with my daughter so made an easier choice to commute 2 hours a day for a job.

I love IT but as others have stated there is hardly a specific degree (unix administration or cisco networking aside) where you can make a livable wage upon graduation. IMO the market tends to reward those with a lot of experience from years of hands on. Granted there are the idiots who claim to program or develop on their applications for employment but impostors are ALWAYS rooted out.

[mdkxtreme]

Online courses ARE garbage. You can't really learn any upper division classes through online, ie Calculus, Discrete Math, Physics.

To the original poster, you have to start somewhere. Sure, it may take 4-6 years but if you just sit and wait longer, you might NOT have a degree even at 35 and having fixed salaries for the rest of your life.

There's always grants and financial aid out there for people going to school as undergraduates. If you keep looking, YOU WILL GET IT. Always look for state schools, don't do anything like Devry or ITT Tech. First, they are more expensive. Second, they aren't well accreddited. And third, they aren't as reputable as state schools.

Refering back to online degrees. I don't know about other states, but in Cali, NONE of my upper division classes are offered online. You just can't do it. Do not get sucked into those schools offering you Bachelors through 100% online. Think about it, when you apply for a job, don't you think other people with the same education as you apply too? And don't you think some of them went to state universities?

[akareem27]

I can't go to class.I have to go online.I have no room in my day to sit in class.Me sitting in class equals me sending my kids to daycare which is double expensive because I have twins.Online is my only option and while I know a "online school" is not the best thing it's the best for me at this moment.
I'm about 90% sold on strayer I'm still willing to here about the best "online School" close or in Philadelphia.

[Rootstonian]

No friends, family, relative to watch the kids? I take it you're a single parent?

[mdkxtreme]

I can't go to class.I have to go online.I have no room in my day to sit in class.Me sitting in class equals me sending my kids to daycare which is double expensive because I have twins.Online is my only option and while I know a "online school" is not the best thing it's the best for me at this moment.
I'm about 90% sold on strayer I'm still willing to here about the best "online School" close or in Philadelphia.

Well your goal is to make decent amount of money right? When you apply for a job with decent amount of money, you'll have plenty of competitions. And when your employer looks at resumes, will he hire someone who graduated from Strayer University or Temple University?

But really, don't let my inputs determine your life. I'm just basically giving you good advice. Try talking or researching on people who acquired their degree totally online and ask them how they turned out. I haven't met or speak to anyone who received their degrees online so I wouldn't know much of its success. In the end you follow your dreams and goals.

[DoubleK]

I have to disagree with you mdkxtreme. There are plenty of employers who will hire you based upon proven experience.

Corporations as a rule of thumb love pedigreed idiots. Any good small business owner will have the time and common sense to hire a person who can prove their knowledge.

I have a friend that just hired into a salaried role at the company I work for starting at 90k a year. He is still a year away from his bachelors.

[Telos]

I got hired at microcenter when I lived in columbus cause I built computers accrossed the road from the store managers place when I was 15. So I guess I can say that I'm living proof of what DoubleK is saying there(especially since they only seem to hire people who majored in IT fields in college)

[mdkxtreme]

I don't disagree with you both, but the OP's title says "New to the field." You and your friends already have experience behind the IT field and yes, that is proven experience. Starting at 90K a year means that the company have great trust in that employee and knows that the person has great knowledge, even without a degree. Now rethink about the original topic. We are talking about a person who is new to the field AND is trying to get a degree from a not so reputable school through 100% online. Now when this person tries to apply for a job, what kind of competition do you think he'll face?

Yes it is proven that experience can override degrees. My buddy in the Army is an Information Systems Operator making 60K (from a non-government company) with zero college, not even a single unit or credit.