Westwood College--any thoughts?

[Demon Furor]

besides being overpriced, does anyone know of any good or bad things to say about Westwood College's Information Systems Security B.S. program? I am thinking of enrolling in it, but i would like it if there were no surprises. I tried googling for this info, but all i got was stuff about there game design program.

[astcell]

Anytime I am in doubt to anything I wish to spend money on, I go to google.com and type in the product then the word "sucks" and see if anyone out there has had issues.

Try it, I found this.

http://www.studentsreview.com/discus....562.0%20&uid=

[highwizard]

besides being overpriced, does anyone know of any good or bad things to say about Westwood College's Information Systems Security B.S. program? I am thinking of enrolling in it, but i would like it if there were no surprises. I tried googling for this info, but all i got was stuff about there game design program.

Is there are specific reason that you're only trying to go there? Is it because it's online?

If you have a chance my Recommendation would be to make the Effort and goto a Community College and then transfer to a 4 year University.... Community College are very under rated and I think they're awesome.

[spahkle]

This one stood out for me as a great example of what Westwood College can do for you.

"Re: Westwood College Online
Westwood College is a good college! After graduation, I had no problem apply for
jobs. They never questioned my degree?
Fri April 15, 2005, 9:27 pm"

After all, after he got his degree, he could actually apply for jobs. How cool is that?

"Is it worth paying $33,000 for just an associate?"

Westwood College - Where communication skills aren't just unimportant.. we just don't fscking care!

[astcell]

Don't get a degree expecting it to get you a job. Get a degree because you want it. If it helps out later on, all the better.

[Adrenaline]

I looked into their L.A. campus when I used to live out there. it was quite ghetto. I have a friend who just got back from their 3D comp animation school in denver, he said it was alright, but nothing spectacular.

[KeLviN]

i like it. then you can double major in: tv/vcr repair, become a dental assistant, or go for your High School diploma;


I agree with HW, community college gets a bad rap. it is EXTREMELY affordable, and i rarely had a teacher that didnt seem to know their stuff.

[Voltage Spike]

I agree with HW, community college gets a bad rap. it is EXTREMELY affordable, and i rarely had a teacher that didnt seem to know their stuff.

me too


I'd go so far as to say the quality of instruction was higher at the community colleges I attended (as opposed to the university); mostly due to the class size.

[TheCotMan]

mostly due to the class size.

And partly due to actually being taught by a professor instead of a student teacher that is working on their PhD or Masters.

Some Universities advertise the number of professors with special awards of merit, scholarship, research or development, but when you examine how many courses these professors teach that are part of a four year degree, then you'll find many don't actually teach those courses, but have the students they are advising/reviewing in a PhD or MS program teach them instead.

[Voltage Spike]

Going a little off-topic here, but that's never stopped us in the past.

And partly due to actually being taught by a professor instead of a student teacher that is working on their PhD or Masters.

Yeah, but I also had many teachers in CC who had only an undergraduate degree, or, in at least one case, an AA. On the one hand, the "student teachers" have achieved a higher level of education than some (many?) of the CC teachers. On the other hand, there is something to be said for teaching a course full time for a few years as opposed to a one-off by someone that is more interested in their own education.

This discussion, of course, does not apply to graduate-level courses where the concept of a "student teacher" would be ridiculous.

[kalipsoh]

The thankless, poor, dedicated, delusional folks who teach at a CC are the ones who actually care what they're teaching & know what they're talking about, at a bare minimum. When you get to technical "colleges" or universities, you're most likely being taught by burnt-out tenured AARP card-carrying members, or those who are still completing their PhD and care more about that than what you learn....you're dealing with people who don't know and don't care if you do either. Save money, get your AA in a CC, and live long and prosper from there.

[astcell]

I went to a Community College (College of the Desert, or COD) and knocked out a bunch of classes for $50 a semester. It is a cheap way to find out what you like to do. When I went to a University the prices went way up but I had managed to knock out my freshman year at the CC. Definitely go for it!

[Abby_Normal]

From what I can tell it doesn't matter what college you go to, how good the it program is or even what you major in. Having a degree of any kind from anywhere can help you get a foot in the door, but that's about it.

Very few people I know who have good jobs in IT have a college degree. I can only think of one of the top of my head, his major was journalism. He makes 6 figures as a sysadmin. Another friend makes the same money, and only finished high school.

Having any kind of degree makes you look better on paper to the hr drones, but you don't need waste a lot of money on it. Remember, most of what you study will be obsolete by the time you graduate.

[Demon Furor]

yeah, but i don't just want any job making a high income. I want to get into cyber crime investigation. The FBI actively recruits out of the program in am going into.

[spahkle]

yeah, but i don't just want any job making a high income. I want to get into cyber crime investigation. The FBI actively recruits out of the program in am going into.

Where did you get this information from regarding the college program? Was it from the college itself? If so, discount it completely. Find the answers through unconnected sources. For instance, speak with an FBI recruiter and find out where the majority of their candidates come from. From the FBI Website:

Do certain degrees provide a more desirable educational background for the Special Agent position?

The FBI does not recommend particular courses or schools. Any degrees that develop research and analytical skills are desirable educational backgrounds. For example, a law degree is a desirable asset because Special Agents are charged with the duty of investigating violations of federal laws of the United States. An accounting degree is also desirable because Special Agents trace financial transactions and review/analyze complex accounting records in criminal investigations. Special Agent Accountants often testify in such cases as expert witnesses.