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

  1. #1
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    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.

  2. #2
    carry on JaWiB's Avatar
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    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
    "Think not but that I know these things; or think
    I know them not: not therefore am I short
    Of knowing what I ought."
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    unleashed alphaoide's Avatar
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    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.

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    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.

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    unleashed alphaoide's Avatar
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    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.

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    Thanks, I'll check it out.

  7. #7
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    Self-study or Community college

    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".
    Last edited by DougDbug; 10-13-2003 at 01:48 PM.

  8. #8
    Registered User kiss_psycho's Avatar
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    pick up a good ol book and study. hell, they'll also be teaching you from stuffs like books, wont they.
    Definition of Programmer : A red-eyed mumbling mammal capable of conversing with inanimate objects.

    Happy Hunting...
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  9. #9
    unleashed alphaoide's Avatar
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    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

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    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.

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