[OT] College help....Summon the tech guys.

[Darklance]

I posted quite some time ago to ask some opinions about colleges etc. Since then I've managed to narrow my categories down. I've pretty much decided to stick to computers...its what I'm good at...its what I like.

Now....the problem is that its a huge field. I don't have a head for math so programming is out. What I do love to do is fiddle. I've been opening up my computers to see how they work since I got my first one. I build them...I network them....I trouble shoot them, etc. Now there are quite a few colleges that offer programs along this vein but most are community colleges without dorms or with only certificate programs.At most a associate degree. I'm looking for somewhere in New England that 1. Has dorms. 2. Offers a Bachelors Degree 3. Has a normal "school session"...by that I mean nice normal college type spring/summer/winter breaks.


Now the best school I've found is New England Institute of Technology : Found Here, that offers a Associate Degree in Computer and Networking Servicing Technology.

After that I would go to aBachelor Degree in computer information systems technology on the networking track.

I've been to this college and I like it. Its basically exactly what I want...with one big problem. They don't follow a regular vacation schedule. Maybe I'm asking to much, but I WANT to enjoy the last "free years" of my life. After that I'll be working a normal job with little vacation. With this school I would only have a few weeks during the summer and one at winter and spring. I'd miss out on the normal family road trip and less time to catch up with my High school friends. So....as much as it annoys me...because this school is perfect otherwise....I have to look elsewhere.

So does anyone know of any good schools in my area or perhaps want to suggest something different? Thanks for your time.

 

[Heylel Teomim]

college

www.gatech.edu

This is where I'm at currently, we're one of the top ranked tech schools in the country. Its in Atlanta, which is a blessing or a curse, but our campus is quiet and generally very pleasant.

The vast majority of our student body is either computer science, or an engineering major. Me personally, I'm more of an english thing (still a science degree, we have no BA programs, only BS).

Might want to consider it, we have alot of companies come through at job fairs looking for graduating students to employ. Its not uncommon for someone to have a job as they're walking out the door. FBI was here last semester recruiting =)

Heylel

*edit: I forgot to mention that we're a very large school, which may or may not be what you're after. There's far more people down here than you could ever meet, but the class sizes are still generally small (barring large lectures), and its not difficult to get to know your professors.

 

[drothgery]

I'm a WPI Computer Science grad, and rather liked it there, but if you're looking at doing the AS->BS thing, I'd expect that expensive private schools are not really in the picture, short-term (either due to lack of money or not much of an academic transcript). If it's the latter, good test scores and grades at a community college might be enough to transfer into one of the many excellent private colleges in New England for your BS. If it's the former... unfortunately I don't know of any public colleges in New England and New York State that have reputations as top CS or EE programs.

I lived in upstate NY when I wasn't on-campus then, and live in San Diego now, I can't tell you much about campuses in New England. I can tell you something of WPI as of 3-4 years ago, and if you're looking at NEIT because of location... well, if I remember my New England geography, Worcester is less than an hour's drive from Warwick.

 

[Saeviomagy]

If you don't want to do anything beyond tinkering and troubleshooting, and you already know how to do that, don't go to college. Go get a job.

 

[cybertalus]

Someone's already recommended a school in Atlanta, so I'm gonna plug the University of North Carolina. Chapel Hill is a great little town, near to some bigger towns. Another plus: last I heard the college's population was 60% female.

 

[Cardinal Aidan]

Well, it sounds like you might be happy with a school that offers a Computer Engineering degree. Its basically an electrical engineering degree with a heavier emphasis on microprocessors than other programs. Deals with programming about as much as most Comp Sci programs deal with hardware. Some, but not a lot. You certainly dont want any "Information Systems" degree. You'll deal with hardware even less than you would in Comp Sci.

What you've described as enjoying isn't really something you need a degree in. Getting the A+ and Network+ certifications would be much more useful (and teach you more). An Associate's Degree in computer technology (or however its phrased at a particular institution) really would be what you're looking for. What someone upthread said about going ahead and trying to get a job now is a good idea, if you can find one (which is a big if).

This is a really, really, really bad time to be getting into the IT/tech field. Frankly, if you're not a programmer, there just aren't that many jobs out there, and there's a lot of experienced people out of work and desperate. Even tech support/help desk jobs are being farmed out overseas. Its going to be awhile before things get better, and they will never be back to the level they were during the dot-com boom.

You mentioned not having a head for math. However, programming isn't really about math skills...its about your ability to be think logically and in an organized manor. You can be lousy at algebra and calculus and high order math and still be a good programmer (proofs in geometry are closer to the needed skills). Unfortunately for me, the converse is also true...great at math, but mediocre at coding.

Normally, I'd suggest someone in your situation stay out of college and work awhile. The economy's doing bad enough that college is probably teh better alternative. So I'd suggest going somewhere where you can spend you first year getting your general requirements taken before needing to declare a major.

Have you considered the military? Not entirely a safe proposition at the moment, but you sound like you'd be in heaven as a signals guy.

 

[Tharkun]

Who would hire him without the little paper saying he's capable of doing what he says?

If you don't want to do anything beyond tinkering and troubleshooting, and you already know how to do that, don't go to college. Go get a job.

 

[RyanL]

Darklance,
It sounds like the type of job you're looking for is what we call "Field Services" in our company. These are the guys that go around fixing the PCs, setting up new PCs, troubleshooting problems, and such things. Or perhaps a "Network Engineer". Those are the guys that I see crawling around the closet when the network on our floor stops working. Those guys get paid a lot, I think.
Most of the people who work in these areas probably don't have college degrees, but rather professional certifications. Presumably there are technical schools that you can go to for these things, but the traditional University System doesn't really address these job skills. I'll have to ask about educational background next time I talk to those dudes.

-Ryan

 

[OaxacanWarrior]

I went to a place that meats 2 of your 3 requirements. It's Weber State University in Ogden, UT (www.weber.edu).

They offer a Bachelors degree in Systems Integration (basically computer networking). It's a specialization degree in the Computer Science degree.

The campus does have dorms and not too many people use them (like 500 out of a 20,000 student campus) so you can get one of those. Also tuition is really cheap compared to places on the East Coast. You'd probably pay less for tuition, books, room and board for a semester here than you do for just tuition there, even with the out of state increase in tuition.

Anyway, I hope this helps and let me know if you have any additional questions about it.

- Ryan

 

[Maraxle]

Clarkson University - Potsdam, NY

Not technically New England, but not too far away. Engineering school with a good business/IT program. As a bonus, you'll be like 10 minutes from the Canadian border, where the drinking age is 18...