Unsure of which college degree to go for

[Mike S.]

I'm considering getting a degree in information technology and doing
something with network security. Is having a bachelor's degree really
all that important or is an applied degree just as good? When
businesses and employers are looking for an employee, what exactly are
they looking for?

The thought of going for a bachelor of science degree makes me want to
off myself. I feel overwhelmed by it and all the hard classes. I
barely made it through high school pre-algebra and never understood
it. With a bachelors, I'm going to have to take Calculus. If I can't
understand pre-algebra how can I ever understand calculus? Math and
sciences classes were never my thing. But I want a well paying job
especially considering that prices on everything keep rising. People
who thought they had good, well paying jobs 10 years ago are finding
out they are crappy, low paying jobs now.

I was thinking that maybe I could get an applied science degree with a
certificate in Network Security. I have a relative who works at
Northrop Grumman who may be able to get me a job there. Then maybe I
could work my way up and take additional classes.

If I didn't have a relative who could help me out I'd probably be more
inclined to get a better degree (or have a complete emotional
breakdown). But I just don't know that degrees really mean that much.
Just because you have a bachelors degree doesn't mean you're any
better than someone who has an applied degree.

Any thoughts or advice?

I'd like to add that the major reasons I don't want to spend so long
in college is that I believe it will be a huge struggle for me. I
suspect I have a learning disability or developmental disorder that
was overlooked when I was a child/teenager that makes it difficult for
me to learn things in school. I'm getting no support/help from any
family members and I feel as though I can't do this alone. I'm a very
shy, introvertive person with no motivation (I have depression). I
feel as though I need someone to light a fire under my butt in order
for me to even sign up for college. BTW, I'm in my late 20's.

 

[kony]

I'm considering getting a degree in information technology and doing
something with network security. Is having a bachelor's degree really
all that important or is an applied degree just as good? When
businesses and employers are looking for an employee, what exactly are
they looking for?

The thought of going for a bachelor of science degree makes me want to
off myself. I feel overwhelmed by it and all the hard classes. I
barely made it through high school pre-algebra and never understood
it. With a bachelors, I'm going to have to take Calculus. If I can't
understand pre-algebra how can I ever understand calculus? Math and
sciences classes were never my thing. But I want a well paying job
especially considering that prices on everything keep rising. People
who thought they had good, well paying jobs 10 years ago are finding
out they are crappy, low paying jobs now.

I was thinking that maybe I could get an applied science degree with a
certificate in Network Security. I have a relative who works at
Northrop Grumman who may be able to get me a job there. Then maybe I
could work my way up and take additional classes.

If I didn't have a relative who could help me out I'd probably be more
inclined to get a better degree (or have a complete emotional
breakdown). But I just don't know that degrees really mean that much.
Just because you have a bachelors degree doesn't mean you're any
better than someone who has an applied degree.

Any thoughts or advice?

A specific applied degree is a short-term investment. You
may or may not get a decent job with an applied degree.
From that point onward, it is a matter of how you applied
it, who hired you and if that is applicable to your next job
(resume).

A bachelors degree might get your foot in the door at some
companies, and you may advance, but it will tend to be in a
managment direction, not a highly technical direction.

You need to define your goal, what you want to be doing 5-10
years from now. Maybe you'll get there sooner, or maybe
later, but the precise goal is important. If, like many,
you don't want that goal is, or if you're young enough that
this goal might change as you change/grow/etc, then the
easy answer is the bachleors degree is only a stepping stone
towards more learing, while the applied is a shorter path to
median income but may require more schooling if the market
for those skills is saturated or dries up due to
technological changes.

I'd like to add that the major reasons I don't want to spend so long
in college is that I believe it will be a huge struggle for me. I
suspect I have a learning disability or developmental disorder that
was overlooked when I was a child/teenager that makes it difficult for
me to learn things in school.

What you just wrote, is critical. There is no short path,
nor an avoidance of struggle, nor an avoidance of learning
or development that you can avoid in seeking a good job.

You are competing against others (for any job worth having)
who either don't have these problems, or at least their ego
hides their disabilities better that you do.

I urge you to consider the following to be the most
important advice you will ever receive:

Put your efforts towards overcoming the disability or
disorder, it will have an effect that benefits you not only
in employnment but in many areas of life. There are many
factors that can effect learning. Some of them include
diet, environment, dedication/distraction, exercise, and
even the vague concept of being true to one's self. If you
consider you goal important, you will make the choices
necessary to effect the outcome. Visualize yourself
succeeding and what it will take to get there.

I'm getting no support/help from any
family members and I feel as though I can't do this alone. I'm a very
shy, introvertive person with no motivation (I have depression). I
feel as though I need someone to light a fire under my butt in order
for me to even sign up for college. BTW, I'm in my late 20's.

You need no motivation from others. You only need to decide
where you want to be 10 (or so) years from now, and what
further skills and line-items on a resume it will take to
get there. Above all, you should seek remedy from the
depression, as it will impede your efforts and potentially
be self-destructive. We can't know the extent of this
depression, it could be only a normal response to a
challenging job market, and yet you felt it important enough
to mention, so it may be important enough to address first,
before planning educational paths.

The typical way to address depression is to maintain good
health (good diet, no stimulants like nicotine, caffeine,
etc), including enough sleep and exercise, and maintaining
contact with peers/friends. Give yourself rewards and
interesting free time activities,instead of worrying about
the future. Worrying does nothing good, just act on your
future goals and spend the rest of the time on friends,
health, sleep, exercise, etc.

 

[VanguardLH]

I'm considering getting a degree in information technology and doing
something with network security. Is having a bachelor's degree
really
all that important or is an applied degree just as good? When
businesses and employers are looking for an employee, what exactly
are
they looking for?

The thought of going for a bachelor of science degree makes me want
to
off myself. I feel overwhelmed by it and all the hard classes. I
barely made it through high school pre-algebra and never understood
it. With a bachelors, I'm going to have to take Calculus. If I can't
understand pre-algebra how can I ever understand calculus? Math and
sciences classes were never my thing. But I want a well paying job
especially considering that prices on everything keep rising. People
who thought they had good, well paying jobs 10 years ago are finding
out they are crappy, low paying jobs now.

I was thinking that maybe I could get an applied science degree with
a
certificate in Network Security. I have a relative who works at
Northrop Grumman who may be able to get me a job there. Then maybe I
could work my way up and take additional classes.

If I didn't have a relative who could help me out I'd probably be
more
inclined to get a better degree (or have a complete emotional
breakdown). But I just don't know that degrees really mean that
much.
Just because you have a bachelors degree doesn't mean you're any
better than someone who has an applied degree.

Any thoughts or advice?

I'd like to add that the major reasons I don't want to spend so long
in college is that I believe it will be a huge struggle for me. I
suspect I have a learning disability or developmental disorder that
was overlooked when I was a child/teenager that makes it difficult
for
me to learn things in school. I'm getting no support/help from any
family members and I feel as though I can't do this alone. I'm a
very
shy, introvertive person with no motivation (I have depression). I
feel as though I need someone to light a fire under my butt in order
for me to even sign up for college. BTW, I'm in my late 20's.

Considering your background, computers will always remain out of your
realm of comprehension. Start investigating the trade schools in your
area.

 

[M. Trimble]

I'm considering getting a degree in information technology and doing
something with network security. Is having a bachelor's degree really all
that important or is an applied degree just as good? When businesses and
employers are looking for an employee, what exactly are they looking for?

*A* degree. Companies, especially in ones where there is a separate HR arm
with responsibility for screening applicants, use the presence/absence of
a degree in any given subject or group of subjects as a first sort. The
thinking is, if there is no degree, the applicant will not be considered
any further.

I might note in passing. There is *no* correlation between possession of a
degree and actual skills in the real world. I know of several
instances when a person with no degree/certification called tech support,
ended up talking to a person with a degree/certification, and the person
on the other end of the phone couldn't answer the caller's basic question.

The thought of going for a bachelor of science degree makes me want to off
myself. I feel overwhelmed by it and all the hard classes. I barely made
it through high school pre-algebra and never understood it. With a
bachelors, I'm going to have to take Calculus. If I can't understand
pre-algebra how can I ever understand calculus? Math and sciences classes
were never my thing. But I want a well paying job especially considering
that prices on everything keep rising. People who thought they had good,
well paying jobs 10 years ago are finding out they are crappy, low paying
jobs now.
...

Any thoughts or advice?

I'd look at how well your teachers did their jobs. Personal experience as
a student and teacher of several subjects, going back more years than I
want to admit to, that how well the teacher does his/her job can have a
huge impact on whether the student learns anything.

I'd like to add that the major reasons I don't want to spend so long in
college is that I believe it will be a huge struggle for me. I suspect I
have a learning disability or developmental disorder that was overlooked
when I was a child/teenager that makes it difficult for me to learn
things in school. I'm getting no support/help from any family members
and I feel as though I can't do this alone. I'm a very shy, introvertive
person with no motivation (I have depression). I feel as though I need
someone to light a fire under my butt in order for me to even sign up
for college. BTW, I'm in my late 20's.

Couple of points you might want to consider. Adoption of Windows Vista is
not happening anything like as fast as Microsoft want, especially in
the business sector. Companies are turning to Apple, Unix, Linux, BeOS,
anything NOT Microsoft, but most employees are not savvy with those OS.
There are certifications (expensive, I'll admit, but nothing like as
pricey as four years of college/university) for some or all of them. The
mere fact that you are familiar with one of those other OS makes you a
slightly more valuable asset, simply because your learning curve on those
systems is not as steep. My point? Look into a Linux/Unix certification,
get a distro (Red Hat is a favorite in several circles) and play with it
so you can honestly claim at least familiarity with the thing. Then market
that as a strength.

 

[bushwhacker]

I'm considering getting a degree in information technology and doing
something with network security. Is having a bachelor's degree really
all that important or is an applied degree just as good? When
businesses and employers are looking for an employee, what exactly are
they looking for?

The thought of going for a bachelor of science degree makes me want to
off myself. I feel overwhelmed by it and all the hard classes. I
barely made it through high school pre-algebra and never understood
it. With a bachelors, I'm going to have to take Calculus. If I can't
understand pre-algebra how can I ever understand calculus? Math and
sciences classes were never my thing. But I want a well paying job
especially considering that prices on everything keep rising. People
who thought they had good, well paying jobs 10 years ago are finding
out they are crappy, low paying jobs now.

I was thinking that maybe I could get an applied science degree with a
certificate in Network Security. I have a relative who works at
Northrop Grumman who may be able to get me a job there. Then maybe I
could work my way up and take additional classes.

If I didn't have a relative who could help me out I'd probably be more
inclined to get a better degree (or have a complete emotional
breakdown). But I just don't know that degrees really mean that much.
Just because you have a bachelors degree doesn't mean you're any
better than someone who has an applied degree.

Any thoughts or advice?

I'd like to add that the major reasons I don't want to spend so long
in college is that I believe it will be a huge struggle for me. I
suspect I have a learning disability or developmental disorder that
was overlooked when I was a child/teenager that makes it difficult for
me to learn things in school. I'm getting no support/help from any
family members and I feel as though I can't do this alone. I'm a very
shy, introvertive person with no motivation (I have depression). I
feel as though I need someone to light a fire under my butt in order
for me to even sign up for college. BTW, I'm in my late 20's.

Sounds like becoming an illiterate crack dealer is the best direction for
you.

 

[Lord Turkey Cough]

I'm considering getting a degree in information technology and doing
something with network security. Is having a bachelor's degree really
all that important or is an applied degree just as good? When
businesses and employers are looking for an employee, what exactly are
they looking for?

The thought of going for a bachelor of science degree makes me want to
off myself. I feel overwhelmed by it and all the hard classes. I
barely made it through high school pre-algebra and never understood
it. With a bachelors, I'm going to have to take Calculus. If I can't
understand pre-algebra how can I ever understand calculus? Math and
sciences classes were never my thing. But I want a well paying job
especially considering that prices on everything keep rising. People
who thought they had good, well paying jobs 10 years ago are finding
out they are crappy, low paying jobs now.

I was thinking that maybe I could get an applied science degree with a
certificate in Network Security. I have a relative who works at
Northrop Grumman who may be able to get me a job there. Then maybe I
could work my way up and take additional classes.

If I didn't have a relative who could help me out I'd probably be more
inclined to get a better degree (or have a complete emotional
breakdown). But I just don't know that degrees really mean that much.
Just because you have a bachelors degree doesn't mean you're any
better than someone who has an applied degree.

Any thoughts or advice?

I'd like to add that the major reasons I don't want to spend so long
in college is that I believe it will be a huge struggle for me. I
suspect I have a learning disability or developmental disorder that
was overlooked when I was a child/teenager that makes it difficult for
me to learn things in school. I'm getting no support/help from any
family members and I feel as though I can't do this alone. I'm a very
shy, introvertive person with no motivation (I have depression). I
feel as though I need someone to light a fire under my butt in order
for me to even sign up for college. BTW, I'm in my late 20's.

Microsoft are always lookinig for people like you

 

[GT]

Microsoft are always lookinig for people like you

What does 'Lookinig' mean? Does that mean 'hunt down and kill', 'praise',
'promote'...

 

[Bennett Price]

You might find this link from the US Dept of Labor very helpful:
http://www.bls.gov/oco/

 

[CBFalconer]

.... snip ...

I'd like to add that the major reasons I don't want to spend so long
in college is that I believe it will be a huge struggle for me. I
suspect I have a learning disability or developmental disorder that
was overlooked when I was a child/teenager that makes it difficult for
me to learn things in school. I'm getting no support/help from any
family members and I feel as though I can't do this alone. I'm a very
shy, introvertive person with no motivation (I have depression). I
feel as though I need someone to light a fire under my butt in order
for me to even sign up for college. BTW, I'm in my late 20's.

I can't give you any real advice, but I believe your basic problem
is 'who is the teacher' rather than yourself. If you have a good
teacher these subjects will be easy. Without one, you are highly
dependant on both yourself and the quality of your textbooks.

Note that the ability of the teacher in the subject does NOT define
a good teacher.

 

[commando281]

I'm considering getting a degree in information technology and doing
something with network security. Is having a bachelor's degree really
all that important or is an applied degree just as good? When
businesses and employers are looking for an employee, what exactly are
they looking for?

The thought of going for a bachelor of science degree makes me want to
off myself. I feel overwhelmed by it and all the hard classes. I
barely made it through high school pre-algebra and never understood
it. With a bachelors, I'm going to have to take Calculus. If I can't
understand pre-algebra how can I ever understand calculus? Math and
sciences classes were never my thing. But I want a well paying job
especially considering that prices on everything keep rising. People
who thought they had good, well paying jobs 10 years ago are finding
out they are crappy, low paying jobs now.

I was thinking that maybe I could get an applied science degree with a
certificate in Network Security. I have a relative who works at
Northrop Grumman who may be able to get me a job there. Then maybe I
could work my way up and take additional classes.

If I didn't have a relative who could help me out I'd probably be more
inclined to get a better degree (or have a complete emotional
breakdown). But I just don't know that degrees really mean that much.
Just because you have a bachelors degree doesn't mean you're any
better than someone who has an applied degree.

Any thoughts or advice?

I'd like to add that the major reasons I don't want to spend so long
in college is that I believe it will be a huge struggle for me. I
suspect I have a learning disability or developmental disorder that
was overlooked when I was a child/teenager that makes it difficult for
me to learn things in school. I'm getting no support/help from any
family members and I feel as though I can't do this alone. I'm a very
shy, introvertive person with no motivation (I have depression). I
feel as though I need someone to light a fire under my butt in order
for me to even sign up for college. BTW, I'm in my late 20's.

I'm currently going to college as well for an Information Technology
degree. I also have a hard time with science but I found at my college
they offer Computer Information Systems which is a technology degree.
The difference is that it has more programming classes and not so many
science classes and math classes. Its just an option but see if your
college has any other technology degrees other than Computer Science.