Entry #6 | Educational Options

Hello again! The topic of school costs versus time investment came up this morning over breakfast and I thought, "Hey! Another opportunity to share." Something to point out though, I will provide some specific examples of my thought process on this topic but I will suggest that the process of gathering information, comparing information and/or data and making a decision based on your own circumstances is what is important here. There may be more take-ways, which is all the better for you, I think.

A little history first...before I made the decision to start taking classes at Glendale Community College, I had been looking for a formal curriculum to acquire a more thorough knowledge of Cisco networking in order to pass some of the multitude of certification tests offered. The Cisco Networking Academy has been growing since it started in 1997. When I initially started my search, most of the Internet searches I performed resulted in privately-owned educational organizations. Once I discovered that the Maricopa colleges offered these classes, I made my decision to enroll.

The conversation this morning involved the question of why I would spend so much time taking classes at the community college instead of a training program. For those that aren't aware, most professions require some sort of continuing education to ensure that professionals are staying up to date on the latest information/education in their respective field of expertise. This can usually be accomplished by attending a one-day seminar, sometimes multiple seminars, during the course of a year. Another way to meet this requirement can be to attend a training program. Utilizing Google, I searched the current pricing for a one week Cisco CCNA training class in Phoenix and found three different businesses offering a class for $3,050, $3,250 and $3,495. In technology circles, these are usually referred to as "boot camps." The classes are scheduled for 5 days duration and you should expect about 8 hours of instruction, usually online due to technological capabilities, and then another 6 to 8 hours outside of class reviewing the material. I assume the idea is to cram as much as possible into one week in order to get through the material and be able to pass the test at the end of the week.

Compare the time and cost to that of a Maricopa college. Most Cisco Network Academy classes at one of these community colleges will be 4 credits and be scheduled for 8 weeks duration. For an apples to apples type comparison, remember there are two classes that would cover the material for the first half of the initial Cisco certification and then another two classes that would cover the second half of the material. All four classes together would cover the material for the Cisco CCNA certification. So at the current resident tuition of $86 per credit hour, that would amount to $1,376 and 32 weeks of study. If you want to analyze that a little more, that is a difference of paying a current average of about $82 per hour at a private business versus about $4 per hour at the community college or:

((3050 + 3250 + 3495) / 3) / 40 = 81.625
(1376 / (12 x 8 x 4 )) = 3.583 (this assumes 4 hours in class and 8 hours study time per week)

One could argue that the study time for the training class should be included too, though there is no homework assigned so it is actually up to the person paying for the class as to whether they want/need to study more outside of class. Sometimes these classes are paid for by employers and thus the time spent in class is also compensated, which would entail extra time being paid or just not putting in any extra time. Even if study time was added at a maximum value of 80 hours, instead of 40 hours, that would still equate to about $40 per hour which is still significantly higher than the community college.

I think at this point, a person will need to weigh the opportunity costs associated with the options.  This is related to an economic determination of a person's time spent doing one thing versus another. There are many calculations that can be made here but to keep this brief by pointing out that one of the calculations to consider is whether 384 hours (12 x 8 x4) of time versus 40 hours (or even 80) is worth the lesser cost. The answer will differ per person but in essence this is one of the things that each person will consider, maybe not in these specific terms though.

And so here's the rub, so-to-speak....if someone else values your time at the higher cost, are you accounting for that. For myself, I prefer being able to analyze and be allowed the opportunity to understand more comprehensively but that doesn't always consider other people in my life that would rather I take the shorter duration, more intense learning opportunity. As professionals we may have to negotiate a middle ground, though sometimes that is not an option and it will require a choice one way or the other. I don't know that there is a single, correct answer but it is definitely something to consider. Take care all, everyone.