Networking Degree

[shamin]

First of all, I would like to express my sincere thanks towards this helpful community. I am a secondary school dropout and I came to know about GED through this forum. My very first post on this forum was posted on 01-25-2017 and I started studying for GED and passed my GED on 03-31-2017.


I love networking and I am thinking to pursue a degree in a computer networking / telecommunications. I am a self-learner and I hold a CCNA certification already.

I would like to get a plan on pursuing my degree on a minimum budget at the same time from a reputable good university. Kindly please recommend me a University / Program and if they accept credits from  Saylor/Schmoop/Straighterline/Study.com courses, etc.

Please advice and Thanks, in advance, for any assistance

[quigongene]

If you hold a CCNA already, I would definitely look at WGU's IT programs. http://www.wgu.edu

[shamin]

If you hold a CCNA already, I would definitely look at WGU's IT programs.  http://www.wgu.edu

Thankyou for ghe reply @quigongene

Does wgu accepts credit  and certification transfers ? 

I see wgu charge per 6 months rather than credits. Can you share some tips that will benefit me the most in the 6 month time phrase. Should i complete some courses prior to enrollment ?

[quigongene]

Does wgu accepts credit  and certification transfers ? 

Yep. Quite a few of them, actually. If your CCNA is less than 5 years old, it will count for 7 CUs according to this:
https://partners.wgu.edu/TransferGuideli...ration.pdf

You can look at other certifications listed as well to see what will count for what. WGU also accepts CLEP, DSST, Study.com, Straighterline and other ACE accredited sources.

You can look at other degrees here:
https://partners.wgu.edu/transferguidelines

I see wgu charge per 6 months rather than credits. Can you share some tips that will benefit me the most in the 6 month time phrase. Should i complete some courses prior to enrollment ?

Flat fee for "all you can eat", pretty much. If you can finish a degree in 6 months, you'll only pay for that 6 months. I'm hoping to start 9/1, and will be coming in with about 60 CUs (almost halfway done) thanks to sources of credit I listed above.

[shamin]

Does wgu accepts credit  and certification transfers ? 

Yep.  Quite a few of them, actually.  If your CCNA is less than 5 years old, it will count for 7 CUs according to this:
https://partners.wgu.edu/TransferGuideli...ration.pdf

You can look at other certifications listed as well to see what will count for what.  WGU also accepts CLEP, DSST, Study.com, Straighterline and other ACE accredited sources.

You can look at other degrees here:
https://partners.wgu.edu/transferguidelines

I see wgu charge per 6 months rather than credits. Can you share some tips that will benefit me the most in the 6 month time phrase. Should i complete some courses prior to enrollment ?

Flat fee for "all you can eat", pretty much.  If you can finish a degree in 6 months, you'll only pay for that 6 months.  I'm hoping to start 9/1, and will be coming in with about 60 CUs (almost halfway done) thanks to sources of credit I listed above.

I was just informed over live chat that "WGU does not currently accept international students 
unfortunately."

Would be great if you can guide me to some other univ preferably a wgu like university that charges per months rather than credits.

[quigongene]

Calling @armstrongsubero ?

[armstrongsubero]

@shamin I searched long and hard for self paced tech programs that charge as little as WGU for international students. But havent found anything for tech based degrees yet.
The best I came across if you're into IT is the American Military University momentum program but it assumes you have at least an Associates degree so you would have to do an AA at TESU or COSC and I wont advise that. There is the BOG but since you are international the BOG AAS is out of question unless you are willing to spend for some cheap credits at NMJC (not really cheap though) or TECEPS I think you can use.

Next is capella flexpath. I dont think its worth the cost.

Also AMU and Capella dont really have the best reputation you're looking for....
If you want an IT degree I think right now the fastest and cheapest from a reputable school is the Information Systems Studies at COSC. Between SL, Saylor Academy and Study.com you can complete it.

If you insist on something with networking then Fort Hays State University has a "Information Networking and Communications" degree.
Honeslty in all my searching I have done if you are inrernational and want a US based tech degree you arent getting for under US $8000 - $10 000 right now including all fees and proctoring and testing and everything.

Which is why I think if you want a tech degree right now look at TESU. They are a non-profit state school with actual majors. They have IT, Comp Sci and Electronics and Nuclear under the comprehensive tuition plan it is worth it cause you wont spend less than 8-10k anyway which is still a good price.
Even if you find another school they may not be as generous with transfer credits as TESU.

If you want comp sci you can look at University of the People, it is reputable due to affiliations and as cheap as ypu can get, but the classes are semester based and you can only do like 2-3 at a time.

[bjcheung77]

Really? I guess you haven't looked at the Brandman MyPath or the Northern Arizona University PL programs yet. I had a few programs listed on the Wiki and Beginner's Guide. There are others listed but they are more expensive competency programs. Here's the two I would recommend. The main reasons I would choose WGU over them is Alumni base and Certs ARE included.

Here's the Brandman version for $3500/6 months - They do NOT provide the certifications but will accept up to 14 of them for credit.
Link to Mypath: https://www.brandman.edu/why-brandman/fl...self-paced
Link to BS IT- https://www.brandman.edu/academic-progra...ogy-mypath

Here's the NAU's offerings https://pl.nau.edu/ExploreOurDegrees.aspx
Here's the BS CIT - http://pl.nau.edu/ComputerInformationTechnology.aspx
Here's the Tuition - $3000/6 months - Again, they do NOT provide certifications, the entry requirements should be the same

[armstrongsubero]

Really? I guess you haven't looked at the Brandman MyPath or the Northern Arizona University PL programs yet. I had a few programs listed on the Wiki and Beginner's Guide. There are others listed but they are more expensive competency programs. Here's the two I would recommend. The main reasons I would choose WGU over them is Alumni base and Certs ARE included.

Here's the Brandman version for $3500/6 months - They do NOT provide the certifications but will accept up to 14 of them for credit.
Link to Mypath: https://www.brandman.edu/why-brandman/fl...self-paced
Link to BS IT- https://www.brandman.edu/academic-progra...ogy-mypath

Here's the NAU's offerings https://pl.nau.edu/ExploreOurDegrees.aspx
Here's the BS CIT - http://pl.nau.edu/ComputerInformationTechnology.aspx
Here's the Tuition - $3000/6 months - Again, they do NOT provide certifications, the entry requirements should be the same

The OP is international. WGU is not a choice.You know anyone who enlisted in those programs? How do they do proctoring?

I saw those programs, but I just like to mention things I know people are currently in. The AMU one and Capella I know so I can recommend them.

Here Capella and Walden are very popular and a friend of mines is in AMU they all have good things to say. I dont like to recommend things I dont know anyone's experience of. Well I guess the OP can look at those.

Realistically looking the the courses unless you can dedicate full time to study I think you need at least 18 months to finish those degrees.

[shamin]

@shamin I searched long and hard for self paced tech programs that charge as little as WGU for international students. But havent found anything for tech based degrees yet.
The best I came across if you're into IT is the American Military University momentum program but it assumes you have at least an Associates degree so you would have to do an AA at TESU or COSC and I wont advise that. There is the BOG but since you are international the BOG AAS is out of question unless you are willing to spend for some cheap credits at NMJC (not really cheap though) or TECEPS I think you can use.

Next is capella flexpath. I dont think its worth the cost.

Also AMU and Capella dont really have the best reputation you're looking for....
If you want an IT degree I think right now the fastest and cheapest from a reputable school is the Information Systems Studies at COSC. Between SL, Saylor Academy and Study.com you can complete it.

If you insist on something with networking then Fort Hays State University has a "Information Networking and Communications" degree.
Honeslty in all my searching I have done if you are inrernational and want a US based tech degree you arent getting for under US $8000 - $10 000 right now including all fees and proctoring and testing and everything.

Which is why I think if you want a tech degree right now look at TESU. They are a non-profit state school with actual majors. They have IT, Comp Sci and Electronics and Nuclear under the comprehensive tuition plan it is worth it cause you wont spend less than 8-10k anyway which is still a good price.
Even if you find another school they may not be as generous with transfer credits as TESU.

If you want comp sci you can look at University of the People, it is reputable due to affiliations and as cheap as ypu can get, but the classes are semester based and you can only do like 2-3 at a time.

Thank you. I really appreciate your help. I've gone through the mentioned universities and i think tesu computer science degree backed with some networking certfication will place me good positions.

I've also came accross Excelsior College. What are your thoughts on Excelsior College. Tesu vs Excrlsior.