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Quote by: Dr.Vendetta  Well, I am mainly thinking of a career in Computer Science or Computer Engineering. I thought about applying to MIT or Columbia, but If I get in, and I decide to go to one of these, I want to make sure that It will be worth me being in debt for the rest of my life. |
What sort of positions would you be applying for if you acquired your desired degree from MIT or Columbia?
As long as you weigh the risk/reward then it could definitely be lucrative and, just like a doctor or lawyer, there would probably be a point where your debt would be wiped by your large salary and you are free riding from there.
If the end result is managing the IT infrastructure of a non-IT company, though, you don't necessarily need to have a well known school on your resume. In that scenario you are better off with a lot of higher end manufacturer certifications and real world experience. The world of managing IT is pretty brutal. I should know since I was just recently working for an IT and telephony consulting company that went under after being around for just two years.
Also, you want to make sure to keep yourself open and stay on the cutting edge of what is going on. My dad was an engineer who worked on troubleshooting and design for a particular model of Lucent switch for 20 years. They shuffled things up and eventually he got cut along with most of the rest of the Lucent work force and he found that since his work experience was so specialized it was not of any value anywhere else.
Keep yourself lean and mean - always on the cutting edge. And don't tie yourself too much to one company because they may cut you just as soon as look at you.
And yes, the reason I post more now is because I am officially a "stay at home dad" since I lost my job. :)