How to Choose the Right School
So you've finally chosen the career path to take, and in turn, the technologies you need to learn. Now comes the unenviable task of choosing the right educational style for you -- from the hundreds of advertisements blaring from almost every web page or TV commercial. There is no school out there that's right for everyone, so you must consider many factors with regards to your own lifestyle as well as what you want out of your education.
Step 1: The Right Type of School for You
Before researching schools at all, you should ask yourself a series of questions to narrow down just what type of school fits your purposes. Categories include 4-year Universities, community colleges, Certificate and continuing education programs, professional training, exam-based Certifications, self-learning, or some combination thereof, as well as the choice of online vs. brick-and-mortar schools.
- What are your goals?
- At what stage in IT are you?
- What is your desired educational lifestyle?
- What are your time and budget constraints?
Whether breaking into IT for the first time, or simply preparing for the next IT project in your company, you should first and foremost have a clear sense of what endpoint you need to achieve educationally. For instance, if you're looking for a particular job, research positions within this sector to find out if a degree or certification is required or simply preferred. If you are training for your current job, are you looking to have something on your resume to show for it, or do you simply need experience under your belt to continue?
Depending on the IT market you're after, different aspects of a resume may be emphasized. For instance, in many areas of IT that require general development, maintenance, or security -- such as programming or system administration -- experience is king. Jobs may list "a bachelor's degree or equivalent experience" in these cases. In these situations, pursuing a degree without gaining the proper experience might actually be counter-productive. Similarly, exam-based Certifications are generally considered necessary only in proprietary-specific positions, such as Cisco, Microsoft or Novell. However, higher positions such as project management, Management Information Systems, research and executive jobs do generally require degrees or special Certificate course programs.
If you are just out of high school, then of course a 4-year or community college makes sense. But if you've been in the job market for a while, your path begins to twist and turn. In fact, some of the best IT professionals in the business started out with degrees in accounting, the humanities, even music, but realized that their IT hobbies could be more lucrative in the long run. Did they all go back to school and get technical degrees? Perhaps, but those who did were the exception, not the rule.
In today's versatilist IT world, it's often better to showcase successful experience in several different skills, rather than "guru" status in one. For this reason, many of the above professionals were able to secure their jobs through professional courses, Certificates, and experience through open-source projects or technical support internships. Before taking the plunge in any different direction, assess your own current resume to find out where you are in IT and what sections you would need to enhance in order to reach the goals specified above.
In recent years, Computer Science enrollments in traditional 4-year Universities have declined sharply, while online trade school IT enrollments have increased. The reasons for this have to do mainly with the traditional CS curriculums, which are based more on computational theory then on building real-world skills. Since then, Universities and the job market alike have recognized that in the Information age, core IT skills and experience have greater value in the industry than knowledge and reputation alone.
This has opened up a world of opportunity for those who are unable or unwilling to go the traditional route. For this reason, if you only have time for courses after the kids are in bed, or simply love the idea of learning in your pajamas, it no longer means that your education will be considered sub-par. However, not everyone considers this solitary lifestyle so grand, preferring to interact face-to-face with peers and instructors. Before choosing a school, make sure you know what you need for your learning experience and lifestyle. Do you need one-to-one instructor interaction, or do you prefer a large lecture environment? Do you need to immerse yourself in learn-by-doing, or would you rather know all the comprehensive details up-front? Make a list of requirements and preferences for yourself.
Finally, what you can handle in terms of time and money cannot be ignored. Getting a traditional degree may be your #1 choice, but simply out of the question because you can't afford to leave your job, or can't find time around your kids' schedules to drive 60 miles each way. Taking stock of your constraints in a realistic way can help you to greatly narrow down your selections. However, this doesn't mean you have to choose a completely online program; many Universities and community colleges have adopted curriculums in a blended format to give you more flexibility.
To figure out your budget, first find out what types of schools your current employer will pay for. Some will pay only for degree programs, but many will pay for several different types of programs, including Certificate programs and professional training. After this, check online for financial aid options made available through federal, state, and local programs. Worker training programs, disability grants, adult learner scholarships, and many other forms of aid are available in addition to traditional federal student grants and loans. Find out if you qualify for any of these, and then decide whether you're willing to follow their rules, if any, as to which schools you choose.
