CIS Major or Cisco Certifications

[bombatwist]

Basically i'm a senior in high school right now, and i'm trying to decide if i want to major in CIS when i go to college, or go for Cisco Certifications like CCIE? A friend of mine told me about CCIE a couple days ago so its still new to me so i don't really know anything about it.

Its that time of year where i have to start applying to colleges and i'm not too sure which ones i want to apply to. I want to apply to one that has a good CIS program, or offers Cisco certification classes. I want to go to a college/university in Southern California.

So here are my questions:
Which colleges should i apply to that offer CIS as a major and has a great program?
Which colleges should i apply to that offer Cisco Certification Classes?
Whats the difference between majoring in CIS or getting Cisco Certification? (Salary wise and How easy or hard it is to get employed?)

So far i have Cal Poly Pomona in mind. I really want to go to UCIrvine but i really doubt thats going to happen looking at my stats lol.
I'm going to apply to: UCLA, UCSD, UCI, UCR, and Cal Poly Pomona, but most likely won't get into UCLA, UCSD or UCI.

I have no clue if the program at UCR is good or not, can anyone give some input on this?

Thanks!

 

[finite automaton]

Go to college. You can go many more places with a degree (many that are not related to your degree, just the fact that you have one is enough).

 

[EMPshockwave82]

Originally posted by: finite automaton
Go to college. You can go many more places with a degree (many that are not related to your degree, just the fact that you have one is enough).

Agreed. Why not both?

The degree will open many more doors for you and you can always get the certifications while you are in school if you have the money to do so. If you are going for a networking job then they may pay for you to get the CCIE after you get hired.

 

[skim milk]

go the CIS major route

it can land you good jobs if you play your cards right

 

[qaa541]

The best answer is go to college first and also get Cisco certs. The college degree will give you job flexibility in case the Cisco thing does not pan out.
The CCIE exam is no joke... it really means you are an expert in networking in all shapes and forms. You will not pass without real working experience.

UCI has a great computer science program and they have $$$ from recent donations (I got to see some of this niceness in grad school there).
I don't know any research university that offers Cisco certifications (e.g. the UC system) -- the aim of a research university is not to prepare you for the working world, it is to prepare you for research! I am not sure about Cal Poly Pomona though.

A 4-year degree is almost required just to work anywhere decently large in Silicon Valley and even down south in Irvine. I don't see many positions that will take a CCIE without a degree.

BS Information and Computer Science - UC Irvine '05

 

[mzinz165]

Originally posted by: qaa541
The best answer is go to college first and also get Cisco certs. The college degree will give you job flexibility in case the Cisco thing does not pan out.
The CCIE exam is no joke... it really means you are an expert in networking in all shapes and forms. You will not pass without real working experience.

UCI has a great computer science program and they have $$$ from recent donations (I got to see some of this niceness in grad school there).
I don't know any research university that offers Cisco certifications (e.g. the UC system) -- the aim of a research university is not to prepare you for the working world, it is to prepare you for research! I am not sure about Cal Poly Pomona though.

A 4-year degree is almost required just to work anywhere decently large in Silicon Valley and even down south in Irvine. I don't see many positions that will take a CCIE without a degree.

BS Information and Computer Science - UC Irvine '05

Agree with everything except the last part. If you are a CCIE, I don't think a corp will really care whether you graduated or not - you know your shit.

Then again, you will probably need to graduate in order to get opportunities that lead you to your CCIE.

As mentioned above, CCIE is no joke. It costs over $1000 just to take the test, and it's only hosted in a couple parts of the country.

Maybe start thinking about your CCNA If you're going to school, you could study for it a few hours a day and have it in a few months, maybe...

 

[mcmilljb]

Get your CCNA first, and then see if you still want to try for a CCIE. They've made the CCNA tougher to weed some people out. Plus what would you do with a CIS? You're better off getting a MIS degree with a minor in CS(double major even better). Although I have seen a new degree which is basically a MIS degree but geared towards IT. You do a lot of the community college IT courses, but you do more and get bachelors degree.

The more important issue is that you don't know what you want to do. You're more interested in making a lot of money. That leads to wasted time in college trying to the study the latest thing making a buck. Find a college you can afford and go there to basic courses until you find something you're interested in. It'll save you time and money.

 

[bombatwist]

Originally posted by: mcmilljb
Get your CCNA first, and then see if you still want to try for a CCIE. They've made the CCNA tougher to weed some people out. Plus what would you do with a CIS? You're better off getting a MIS degree with a minor in CS(double major even better). Although I have seen a new degree which is basically a MIS degree but geared towards IT. You do a lot of the community college IT courses, but you do more and get bachelors degree.

The more important issue is that you don't know what you want to do. You're more interested in making a lot of money. That leads to wasted time in college trying to the study the latest thing making a buck. Find a college you can afford and go there to basic courses until you find something you're interested in. It'll save you time and money.

my friend also told me about MIS, can you give me more information about that?

what are some good colleges/universities in southern california?

 

[mcmilljb]

Originally posted by: bombatwist

Originally posted by: mcmilljb
Get your CCNA first, and then see if you still want to try for a CCIE. They've made the CCNA tougher to weed some people out. Plus what would you do with a CIS? You're better off getting a MIS degree with a minor in CS(double major even better). Although I have seen a new degree which is basically a MIS degree but geared towards IT. You do a lot of the community college IT courses, but you do more and get bachelors degree.

The more important issue is that you don't know what you want to do. You're more interested in making a lot of money. That leads to wasted time in college trying to the study the latest thing making a buck. Find a college you can afford and go there to basic courses until you find something you're interested in. It'll save you time and money.

my friend also told me about MIS, can you give me more information about that?

what are some good colleges/universities in southern california?

I'm from the east coast, and I did Computer Engineering so I have no clue about MIS programs on the west coast. Pick the schools you can afford first. Read over their programs to make sure you'll being doing something you're interested in. Visit the schools and meet a professor or a upper classman. You're paying them to make you better, so you really need to know what they're offering.

 

[iotone]

Originally posted by: qaa541
The best answer is go to college first and also get Cisco certs. The college degree will give you job flexibility in case the Cisco thing does not pan out.
The CCIE exam is no joke... it really means you are an expert in networking in all shapes and forms. You will not pass without real working experience.

UCI has a great computer science program and they have $$$ from recent donations (I got to see some of this niceness in grad school there).
I don't know any research university that offers Cisco certifications (e.g. the UC system) -- the aim of a research university is not to prepare you for the working world, it is to prepare you for research! I am not sure about Cal Poly Pomona though.

A 4-year degree is almost required just to work anywhere decently large in Silicon Valley and even down south in Irvine. I don't see many positions that will take a CCIE without a degree.

BS Information and Computer Science - UC Irvine '05

Hello fellow anteater!

I also graduated from UCI (both BS and MS) and am currently on track for CCNA. If anything I would agree with everyone and say go to college and get your CCIE. I can say that courses I took in college does help with understanding complex networking concepts, which you will encounter on your way to the CCIE.

And academics aside, there are just some college experiences that will be worth it.

 

[bombatwist]

Originally posted by: iotone

Originally posted by: qaa541
The best answer is go to college first and also get Cisco certs. The college degree will give you job flexibility in case the Cisco thing does not pan out.
The CCIE exam is no joke... it really means you are an expert in networking in all shapes and forms. You will not pass without real working experience.

UCI has a great computer science program and they have $$$ from recent donations (I got to see some of this niceness in grad school there).
I don't know any research university that offers Cisco certifications (e.g. the UC system) -- the aim of a research university is not to prepare you for the working world, it is to prepare you for research! I am not sure about Cal Poly Pomona though.

A 4-year degree is almost required just to work anywhere decently large in Silicon Valley and even down south in Irvine. I don't see many positions that will take a CCIE without a degree.

BS Information and Computer Science - UC Irvine '05

Hello fellow anteater!

I also graduated from UCI (both BS and MS) and am currently on track for CCNA. If anything I would agree with everyone and say go to college and get your CCIE. I can say that courses I took in college does help with understanding complex networking concepts, which you will encounter on your way to the CCIE.

And academics aside, there are just some college experiences that will be worth it.

just curious, what was your major and minor? and how was it?

 

[JM Aggie08]

i'm majoring in CIS currently. dew it.

 

[spidey07]

Get the degree and then CCIE. It's no joke to pass the CCIE lab. I already failed it once, but barely.

You REALLY need to be a true expert at networking to pass it and really understand what is going on. College level classes will help you with that. There's a ton of money in networking and it is VERY challenging, but it takes a certain kind of mind to really get it down and many years in it before the light bulb turns on. Not only that you have to specialize in a certain aspect of networking, nobody is an expert at it all.

 

[bombatwist]

anyone know anything about Informatics? they offer that at UCIrvine, and that also has been on my mind.

okay so after reading all the posts, i'll get my degree first in w/e i choose, and probably go to CCNA then eventually CCIE if im still interested in getting it.
Now the questions is, should i major in CIS, MIS, CSE or maybe Informatics?

 

[SagaLore]

Originally posted by: bombatwist
Basically i'm a senior in high school right now, and i'm trying to decide if i want to major in CIS when i go to college, or go for Cisco Certifications like CCIE?

Both. They're not exclusive of each other.

You get just a CCIE, and that guy over there with his CIS degree and a CCNP is going to get the better job than you.

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: SagaLore

Originally posted by: bombatwist
Basically i'm a senior in high school right now, and i'm trying to decide if i want to major in CIS when i go to college, or go for Cisco Certifications like CCIE?

Both. They're not exclusive of each other.

You get just a CCIE, and that guy over there with his CIS degree and a CCNP is going to get the better job than you.

SagaLore, that's a negative right there. I use CCIEs for a lot of my projects (quick interview of course just to make sure they aren't bullshitting), they are my peers as well in the consulting business, work next to a few of them. You really can just about name your own price if you are one.

I don't put much weight into certs, but I've worked with them for 10+ years. They know their shit and you can be guaranteed they have the know how to get it done and see things most others won't.

So my main point is - do both, best of both worlds. You aren't going to get a CCIE without a GOOD 3-4 years of indepth working experience. Speaking of which, it's about time you go for your CCIE security by now.

 

[SagaLore]

Originally posted by: spidey07
SagaLore, that's a negative right there. I use CCIEs for a lot of my projects (quick interview of course just to make sure they aren't bullshitting), they are my peers as well in the consulting business, work next to a few of them. You really can just about name your own price if you are one.

How many of them are completely missing a degree?

 

[spidey07]

Originally posted by: SagaLore

Originally posted by: spidey07
SagaLore, that's a negative right there. I use CCIEs for a lot of my projects (quick interview of course just to make sure they aren't bullshitting), they are my peers as well in the consulting business, work next to a few of them. You really can just about name your own price if you are one.

How many of them are completely missing a degree?

Probably half. At this level it doesn't freaking matter.