College question

[ark_ader]

I just finished college with a high gpa in IT and I have two options available to me, one is going back to contracting or starting a Phd.  I have already been offered a place at Uni, but I am unsure that the qualification will pay in the future economy.  Should I just part time it, and do contracting and save my money?

I just don't want to embark on a three or six year mission only to find job prospects like apple retail sales.  That's extreme but you know what I mean.  There are kids with degrees working at Starbucks.

What to do?

[Dawgz Rule]

First question....Do you want to stay in IT as a career?   If so, the PhD isn't going to do much for you.  Do you have any real world experience in IT?  If not, you really need to get your feet wet.  Obviously location drives some of your decisions but in the Northeast US, my experience has been that most IT staff have to start at some sort of help desk or support position.  In my area, there are plenty of these positions posted on day to day basis.

[ark_ader]

First question....Do you want to stay in IT as a career?   If so, the PhD isn't going to do much for you.  Do you have any real world experience in IT?  If not, you really need to get your feet wet.  Obviously location drives some of your decisions but in the Northeast US, my experience has been that most IT staff have to start at some sort of help desk or support position.  In my area, there are plenty of these positions posted on day to day basis.

20 odd years tech support 2 and 3 tier.  I'm leaning towards designing applications for disabled children, and paralysed individuals via eye tracking technology and haptic feedback as a language for communication and interaction.  I fear that this sector will be flooded in 6 years time, but there is the option to teach.

[Dawgz Rule]

If teaching is the goal and you can swing continuing your education, I would go for that.  It seems as we get older that it is more and more difficult to go back to school and further our education so any opportunity that presents itself (and allows me to still support the family) is something I would jump at.

[ark_ader]

If teaching is the goal and you can swing continuing your education, I would go for that.  It seems as we get older that it is more and more difficult to go back to school and further our education so any opportunity that presents itself (and allows me to still support the family) is something I would jump at.

Seems to be the cheapest option other than on line Universities like Berkeley-U, and I hear if you teach at Uni you get a waiver for the DIT.  It is the problem of trying to schedule sleep time after study that is holding me back. 

I think I would die if I had to do another 4 years for the MSc, then another 6 years for the DIT where in the UK it is only one year for the MSc.   

[wp34]

The PhD mainly going to help you if you want to work in higher education.  You could teach or if you wanted to get into administration down the road a PhD would really help.