Maximum PC

I have two questions about education but I figured I would put them both in one post. Does anyone have any experience with creditable and professional online schools for IT degrees, networking concentration. I have a Liberal Arts Bachelor Degree from a traditional "Brick and Mortar" and an IT background but I am looking to get a degree to show expand my knowledge. I have been looking on the internet for online schools but I get so many horrible "Colleges," and I use that term loosely, that I have become gun-shy to even click on a link. I am hoping to find a traditional school with an online/distance learning degree. I have found some very good colleges that offer online degrees but they are usually Criminal Justice, History, etc, no IT degrees.
I am also preparing to take the Comptia A+ certification and I am wondering what would be some of the best certifications to take. Below are a list of certs. I would like to take, but I was wondering if someone could give me some insight into whether they are worth the time and money. Also, wha tare some other important certs to take. My concentration will be on networking.
- Comptia A+
- Comptia Security+
- Comptia Network+
- Cisco Certified Network Associate
- Microsoft Certified Desktop Support Technician

The first three certifications you mentioned are entry-level. I personally like certifications, so if you have the money (and time), you might as well pick them up.

The CCNA and MCDST you are definitely going to have to study for, unlike the first three mentioned. For the CCNA, you will need to get a practice lab set up, which could run up the testing bill a bit. I would recommend you wait to get this one.


As for online colleges, those are a bit tough. I would suggest looking at your local colleges (even if they are community colleges) and see if they offer any online degree programs.

Western Governors University. People are fanatical about it on another forum I'm on.

I have been checking out the school online and it looks great. Especially the part that a lot of the IT degrees include comptia and other certifications. Do you or friends you know have experience with this school.

Make sure you read everything about the school. They are not a typical "university". Instead, they depend primarily on certifications to signal your advancement through their school.

I don't know if alan2308 has any experience (or knows anyone with experience), but I do know the TechExam forums are strong advocates towards it.

I don't have any personal experience with WGU, I'm currently attending Eastern Michigan, but as hackman stated, its quite popular on TechExams. Some people there who's opinions I think highly of are currently attending WGU.

What I can tell you is that WGU is regionally accredited, and they're working on gaining their CAE status from the DHS/NSA, which was a big factor in my choosing EMU over other schools in my area. In other words, WGU is a "real" school, and not just another Devry or Dorsey.

I wanted to get information on the price of WGU. The web site says that the "basic" price is $2,890 for a 6 month term. The problem I have is the use of the word "basic." Just looking what the actual cost that a student pays and if it is not too much trouble I would really appreciate the breakdown of the cost. I am just trying to get some detailed information because my job told me today that they may be able to help with some of the cost, I just needed to write a detailed letter about the degree program, its usefulness to the company, and cost.

It really depends on what you are wanting to do.

This page lists the tuition rates. I'm assuming you want the IT Degree program which is $2890 per term (6 months). Then add in the special fees listed on the page.

They do also offer a few scholarships.

As to why it is important, most of the programs in the IT part eventually get you certifications. As an example, here is a list of the certifications you will have in the IT Security emphasis.

CIW Web Design Specialist
CIW JavaScript Specialist
CIW Database Design Specialist
CompTIA A+
CompTIA Project+
CompTIA Security+
Microsoft Certified Technology Specialist (MCTS): Windows 7 – Configuration
Cisco Certified Entry Network Technician (CCENT)
Cisco Certified Network Associate (CCNA®)
Cisco Certified Network Associate Security (CCNA® Security)

While certifications aren't as good as experience, they are good to have.

As to whether the program is worth it, I haven't a clue. I have no personal experience with the school.

Looking to go into the Network Administrator program.

You could check out Davenport.edu they are in Michigan and have the option to complete your degree online. There information security masters program is also accepted as an NSA program. They are also accredited.

Yes, it can be overwhelming looking for a college that truly meets all your specs. And you need to be more careful while choosing an online college over a traditional brick and mortar school. Don’t forget to look for accreditation – it’s pretty much the most important thing if you’ve decided to do online education, especially for technical courses. If it’s not accredited, potential recruiters will not accept the degree you obtain. Accreditation also implies that the college is consistently maintaining its standard and delivering quality education. Check out social networks to see what online students are saying about a particular college. Student reviews are a great help. I just read a few Independence University student reviews – it’s worth checking out what others have to say. Go through as many reviews as you can, verify the accreditation, check the background, and compare the course content with that of a traditional college.