Home study course on Visual C++, your opion please

Does anyone have experience learning Visual C++ via a home study course?

Such a course is offered by Education Direct, a home study school. You get MS Visual C++ 6.0 program, lesson books, and text books. It's a little pricy at $1000, and takes between 6 months to 2 yrs to complete. But I've seen similar online courses offered by Universities, usually around $500, and they are usually only 8 to 12 sessions in length.

Another claim made by this school is that one could get an entry level job programming after completing this course.
I find that a little hard to believe. Their site is:
http://www.educationdirect.com/visualc/

Do you think this is a good way to learn VC++, or should I stick to traditional classroom training. Your opinions, please

Thanks.

Sounds like a bunch of crap...although I know nothing of C++ courses...if you ask me, you are better off learning C++ by yourself than taking that course, and if you really want to take courses, you should probably stick to "traditional" ones...but take my advice with a grain of salt since I've never even taken a class on programming :)

I'm going to college right now, and I've taken taken some online courses. In general, I learn more from traditional courses.
You probably do need some sort of certification to get a job. If I were you, I would go to a community college and get a 2-year certificate in C++. Around 60 units semester for around $1000 here in LA, Calif.

Hi alphaoide,

A 2 yr certificate in C++? Do you know of such a school that offers this program?

I also live in the LA area. But the community colleges usually offer a AS degree in C/S in general. I havn't heard of one that specializes in a particular language.

Mount San Antonio College, Walnut does (I used to go there). Actually, it's not an AS degree so it'll be less than 6o units, less than 2 years as well.

Thanks, I'll check it out.

Beware if they want the whole payment up-front.

I'm sure there are lots of community colleges to choose from in the LA area. Many community college instructors are part-time. So, you have a good chance of getting an instructor that has a "day job"as a real programmer.

Personally, I wouldn't take a online course, unless it was impractical to attend a "real class". In any university or community college class, most of your effort will be outside of class. But, the face-to-face interaction with the instructor and other students is probably worth the trouble of actually going to class. I assume that the university class is an extension-course... otherwise you generally have to be fully enrolled in the university. I've taken one (non-programming) extension course. All of the students were highly-motivated working adults. The motivation is contagious!

It's probably better to get a certificate or AS degree from a traditional school... that potential employeers may have heard of! Its hard to know the value of a certificate/diploma from an obscure school.

Another advantage of community college credits is that they will apply toward a degree if you ever decide to "go for it".

Now the bad news... most job listings for programmers (or "software engineers") say "BSCS".

pick up a good ol book and study. hell, they'll also be teaching you from stuffs like books, wont they.

Quote:

---

Originally posted by kiss_psycho
pick up a good ol book and study. hell, they'll also be teaching you from stuffs like books, wont they.

---

...also from their experience:)

thanks DougDBug...

Now get this: I contacted the home study school to see if they could send me a sample programming lesson. They told me no,
since it's against state regulations to do so, unless a student is enrolled. Huh? They want to charge $1000 for the course, but won't provide a sample lesson. As Arnold would say: Hasta la vista, baby. Forget them.

Since I already have a good career I doubt I'll every get a BSCS.
If I can ever find time to complete my AS degree, I'd like to do programming on a part time basis, perhaps with a small company.