[kaotikvizion]

I am going to a school in so cal to get these certs & the school does job placement after 5 months (depending on how far I am) my question is what kind of job can I expect to have & maybe if at all possible a ballpark figure of the money i may be able to expect. Ive read alot & talked with people at the school, but for someone like me who came from a background where I almost became a chef breaking my back, working ungodly hours for pay that could make mcdonalds employees laugh what I read and hear from schools makes me happy & a lil skeptical. so if I could hear it from some people who have been there done that it would be greatly appreciated

[Lexluethar]

Well my first question is how long is this program? Another question being that A+ is a joke when compared to MCSE so why would someone bother takign the A+ if they are going to be taking the MCSE exams in the near future?

Since your background is NOT in computers, I would assume that if you took these exams at school and passed you'd probably start around 40,000 since you have NO experience. MCSE is a great certification, but with zero work experience you might as well not have it. Think of it this way:

MCSE and those other exams WITH OUT experience: 40k
No MCSE, with those other exams WITH experience: 35 to 40k

If you have your MCSE and experience, the sky is the limit. Just google MCSE and salary and you'll get a ton of hits. If you have experience with an MCSE you start around 50 to 60, then it goes up to low 100's after around 20 years experience.

Again this all depends on market, experience, what exams you have and what your job is. You could have an MCSE and be a lowely IT Analyst, then you're only making around 40k, but if you have your MCSE and are implimenting server's, then you're probably close to 80k.

This is one of those questions that is entirely too broad to answer, but the above should give you some indication. Instead of focusing on pay you should come up with a plan. You best plan would involve getting experience while going to school for this stuff so taht you have 6 months to 2 years experience under you belt once you finalize all these exams, then you can jump out of the gates making good money. Otherwise if you only have the certs, or only have the experience you are looking at a fraction of the pay.

[oldskool]

^ + 1 Well put. Everything I have read on the subject is exactly as Lex said.

[kaotikvizion]

thanks lex! the school says that I should have all of these certs in about a year, its around 780 hours they say. Ive always loved computers but when I was younger it was just the easier road being a chef. they told me A+ was just basics, somewhat of a foundation I have no real experience but my wife works at a big surgical center & she was talking to the head IT guy & once she told him the school I was going to & what I was going for he told her as soon as I get my A+ done to come talk to him. so Im going to go there for an internship I appologize for the question with no real definite answer I was just curious if there were anyothers that were in my shoes but a lil further down the road & actually employyed in the IT field & could share their experience and pay. the reason one of my concerns is pay is I wanted to be a chef which was a 2 year program for around 40k a year for 2 years & I would come out of school make what dish washers make in nice restaraunts. where as Im going to this school for a year more or less & it cost me 12k & ive been told I would come out making from high 30s to low 50s.

my plan as of now is to get through my school ( I will be asking you guys lots of questions) down the road go for my MCITP & maybe go for a BA in CS but I just want to get through school first the beginning of A+ was easy because I knew most thing now Im into the server section and things are getting a lil thanks for letting me ramble & if anyone has any other experiences please share & once again Lex THANKS

[oldskool]

Originally Posted by kaotikvizion

( can someone explain SCSI & Buses to me )

You may want to start another thread for that, otherwise it would send this thread totally off-topic.

[kaotikvizion]

consider it done HAHA