[.net] SetFocus technical training school is it worth it?
Author
so im looking to change my career by entering the IT industry, where there seems to be way more jobs, especially high paying ones.
i came across setFocus and all i need to do is sign some papers.
(btw, i had a similar post like this in the Lounge section).
here's the scoop.
3 months of 9 to 5 intensive .NET (C#) training, 5 days a week. and it costs $17,000 US. yep, i'd have to take out a loan to do this! but it looks mighty promising...
www.setfocus.com
but im just afraid i'd fail the courses, or not being able to get a good job afterwards.
any thoughts?
17 grand seems like a ridiculous amount of money for 3 months of training, even if it is 9 to 5. If you think about it, that's 8 hours a day (I assume 5 days a week) for 40 hours a week, at 12 weeks == 480 hours. That's roughly 35 dollars an hour which is more then I'd personally be willing to pay for something that I could teach myself.
If you are really serious about learning C#, as I assume you are, then why not go spend 50 to 100 bucks on some good books and teach yourself. Any tough questions you have I'm sure can be answered here or elsewhere on the net.
good luck.
If you are really serious about learning C#, as I assume you are, then why not go spend 50 to 100 bucks on some good books and teach yourself. Any tough questions you have I'm sure can be answered here or elsewhere on the net.
good luck.
I've run across these guys in my job search. They post contracting positions, and then you follow the link and it's "come learn/train with us, and we'll give you a contracting job after you're done!". Even if the contracting job isn't really "hellish, under value contracting job in Alabama where you'll owe us your soul if you try to leave early", I'm not going to trust my financial well-being to such an underhanded place.
Author
actually i've heard all good things and no bad things about SetFocus.
Sure, they do a slight of hand trick by posting jobs.
But i look at that as all marketing...nothing more, nothing less.
I've talked to about 4 people who've graduated from it, and they all recommend it.
The word is that SetFocus gives you intense training, tests you weekly, gives you lab assignments that are relevant to companies/businesses, and gives you team projects that are also relevant to companies.
the advantage here is that companies go to SetFocus for graduates of their master's program because they know their graduates have been filtered (4% get into the program). plus students who graduate from setfocus are proven to know their stuff.
but the big advantage to companies is that they get access to these graduate (even non graduates still attending the program) without having to pay any money to SetFocus. in other words, setfocus doesn't seem like your typical recruiter. and they definitely do and offer more than your usual training program/boot camp.
i've done a bit of research on this company, cuz 17 grand is not money i have to spend willy nilly. nobody does. but setfocus has appeared on online articles from MSN, Wired, and a few others...and they all have nothing but good things to say!
so...in short, im sold. ill be taking their masters program starting in July.
Sure, they do a slight of hand trick by posting jobs.
But i look at that as all marketing...nothing more, nothing less.
I've talked to about 4 people who've graduated from it, and they all recommend it.
The word is that SetFocus gives you intense training, tests you weekly, gives you lab assignments that are relevant to companies/businesses, and gives you team projects that are also relevant to companies.
the advantage here is that companies go to SetFocus for graduates of their master's program because they know their graduates have been filtered (4% get into the program). plus students who graduate from setfocus are proven to know their stuff.
but the big advantage to companies is that they get access to these graduate (even non graduates still attending the program) without having to pay any money to SetFocus. in other words, setfocus doesn't seem like your typical recruiter. and they definitely do and offer more than your usual training program/boot camp.
i've done a bit of research on this company, cuz 17 grand is not money i have to spend willy nilly. nobody does. but setfocus has appeared on online articles from MSN, Wired, and a few others...and they all have nothing but good things to say!
so...in short, im sold. ill be taking their masters program starting in July.
Quote:
...proven to know their stuff.
Specific, limited technical knowledge; not any sort of design, algorithm or computer science background. Best of luck, but in my experience trade schools are less than worthless.
*shrug* Post back some as you take the classes and how it works out, I'm sure others will have more interest as time goes.
hey gekkocube, ill see you there in july lol..
im going to setfocus too.
ive done as much research as i can on setfocus, there doesnt really seem to be alot of material on them as far as unbaised opinions go, but most of the things ive read about setfocus has been good. ive come across maybe two bad reviews of setfocus.
i graduated with a degree in computer science last year, and due to my lack of experience, ive had a hard time gaining employement in this field.
you guys say trade schools are worthless, teach yourself blah blah, well technically, yes, i could teach myself, but the way i see it im not paying for the actual education, im paying for the connection...
sometimes its about who you know and not what you know to get your foot in the door. setfocus has relationships with alot of companies that hire graduates from the program, sometimes before they even finish the program. Plus they give you alot of real world experience that a ebook on .net couldnt give me. Also i can put all of the project ive done in their program to beef my resume up.
i think my chances are pretty high of finding employment after the program, if the stats of their graduates finding employment after the program is 95-100% in the last few years. and it also doesnt hurt that .net is a hot field right now!
So gekkocube, will you be attending via the grid or going to the actual facility in parsippany?
[Edited by - jason02 on September 16, 2006 6:24:01 PM]
im going to setfocus too.
ive done as much research as i can on setfocus, there doesnt really seem to be alot of material on them as far as unbaised opinions go, but most of the things ive read about setfocus has been good. ive come across maybe two bad reviews of setfocus.
i graduated with a degree in computer science last year, and due to my lack of experience, ive had a hard time gaining employement in this field.
you guys say trade schools are worthless, teach yourself blah blah, well technically, yes, i could teach myself, but the way i see it im not paying for the actual education, im paying for the connection...
sometimes its about who you know and not what you know to get your foot in the door. setfocus has relationships with alot of companies that hire graduates from the program, sometimes before they even finish the program. Plus they give you alot of real world experience that a ebook on .net couldnt give me. Also i can put all of the project ive done in their program to beef my resume up.
i think my chances are pretty high of finding employment after the program, if the stats of their graduates finding employment after the program is 95-100% in the last few years. and it also doesnt hurt that .net is a hot field right now!
So gekkocube, will you be attending via the grid or going to the actual facility in parsippany?
[Edited by - jason02 on September 16, 2006 6:24:01 PM]
I have yet to spend $500 in learning tools and classes for getting into, or learning software development. If you're gonna get a loan for that much, you'd be much better off getting a degree. At least with that, you can go anywhere, as opposed to having a bunch of certifications for one particular trade. Who knows, after 5 months or so of training, you may not even like software development. Even if you want to just go for the networking, once again, I've spent far less than that in order to get 'connected' with people. It costs nothing to go out and meet people that like doing something, and 9 times out of 10, they'll be more than willing to give you the guidance you need. After all, you're on GameDev, that's a pretty decent connection in itself. You wanna meet people in your area that do tech stuff? Start at the bottom, and get a job doing helpdesk. do it for a year or two, meet people, improve your skill, and move up. At the least if you don't meet anyone, or decide not to pursue tech, you've made some money as opposed to losing it.
Quote:Original post by Strider_Hiryu
I have yet to spend $500 in learning tools and classes for getting into, or learning software development. If you're gonna get a loan for that much, you'd be much better off getting a degree. At least with that, you can go anywhere, as opposed to having a bunch of certifications for one particular trade. Who knows, after 5 months or so of training, you may not even like software development. Even if you want to just go for the networking, once again, I've spent far less than that in order to get 'connected' with people. It costs nothing to go out and meet people that like doing something, and 9 times out of 10, they'll be more than willing to give you the guidance you need. After all, you're on GameDev, that's a pretty decent connection in itself. You wanna meet people in your area that do tech stuff? Start at the bottom, and get a job doing helpdesk. do it for a year or two, meet people, improve your skill, and move up. At the least if you don't meet anyone, or decide not to pursue tech, you've made some money as opposed to losing it.
i think we both have degrees. i saw another post by gekko and i think he said he got his 5 years ago. i got my bs degree in cs last year.
School is great for the fundamentals, but once again, in the real world, experience is what counts and what will land you the job. Just think, if i were to take a .net class at school, i would probably go for 3 hours a week right? If i were to read a book in my spare time i would proabably read for 2-3 hours a day...Well, setfocus is training us for 40 hours a week and gives us real world projects. I figure that after this training i still wont be a guru or anything but i should have above average knowledge on the platform.
youre right about starting at the bottom and working your way up, but it all depends on whats more valuable to you, money or time.
the way i see it, if i can get a job paying at least 35-40k after this experience, it was worth the 17 grand. And i can pay that off within a few months and be done with it. I would prefer to go that route instead of working a help desk job for 13-15 dollars a hour for a year or two. My time is much more precious to me right now.
[Edited by - jason02 on September 16, 2006 6:17:11 PM]
Quote:Original post by jason02Quote:Original post by Strider_Hiryu
I have yet to spend $500 in learning tools and classes for getting into, or learning software development. If you're gonna get a loan for that much, you'd be much better off getting a degree. At least with that, you can go anywhere, as opposed to having a bunch of certifications for one particular trade. Who knows, after 5 months or so of training, you may not even like software development. Even if you want to just go for the networking, once again, I've spent far less than that in order to get 'connected' with people. It costs nothing to go out and meet people that like doing something, and 9 times out of 10, they'll be more than willing to give you the guidance you need. After all, you're on GameDev, that's a pretty decent connection in itself. You wanna meet people in your area that do tech stuff? Start at the bottom, and get a job doing helpdesk. do it for a year or two, meet people, improve your skill, and move up. At the least if you don't meet anyone, or decide not to pursue tech, you've made some money as opposed to losing it.
i think we both have degrees. i saw another post by gekko and i think he said he got his 5 years ago. i got my bs degree in cs last year.
School is great for the fundamentals, but once again, in the real world, experience is what counts and what will land you the job. Just think, if i were to take a .net class at school, i would probably go for 3 hours a week right? If i were to read a book in my spare time i would proabably read for 2-3 hours a day...Well, setfocus is training us for 40 hours a week and gives us real world projects. I figure that after this training i still wont be a guru or anything but i should have above average knowledge on the platform.
youre right about starting at the bottom and working your way up, but it all depends on whats more valuable to you, money or time.
im approaching thirty and i need to get my career started quickly. If i were 21, maybe i wouldnt mind working my way up.
the way i see it, if i can get a job paying at least 35-40k after this experience, it was worth the 17 grand. And i can pay that off within a few months and be done with it. I would prefer to go that route instead of working a help desk job for 13-15 dollars a hour for a year or two. My time is much more precious to me right now.
You've got a point. Thinking about it in terms of time(I'm only 23, still working on a degree) makes the world of difference. I was using myself as an example. That's pretty much how I got into software development. Perhaps by the time I'm in my 30s or 40s, a class like that would be useful to me.
The real world wants real world experience, dealing with inaccurate requirements, ornery co-workers, unreasonable deadlines, and innumerable other nuances which no classroom can provide. That's why it's so valuable.
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