Adrian, 

I'd have to say a lot depends on the employer. Where I work, they value the 
paper. I got into the company by someone I knew getting my resume into the 
right hands, but for two years no one would judge me by what I knew. I took the 
time and got my MCSA and overnight I was suddenly the Windows Guru. And a 
similar reaction when I got my GCIH. 
I am now working on my degree for a bachelor's in Comp Sci because I have been 
told by a mentor that sooner or later I will hit a glass ceiling without it. 
Am I getting something out of it? Yes, but it is definitely more 
academic/theoretical that practical, but I do find some of the classes flesh 
out some of the practical learning I have had. That's my two cents.

Kevin

On Feb 1, 2011, at 5:50 PM, Adrian Crenshaw <[email protected]> wrote:

>     Ok, I was speaking with someone today from a different field today that 
> has a masters. I alluded to the fact that I'm loosing interest in the 
> "Security Informatics" masters program I'm in because of lack of perceived 
> applicability, time taken that I could use learning other things, and it 
> seems like there is a huge disconnect between academia vs. what I see in the 
> industry (through my admittedly limited experience listening to podcast, 
> reading forums/mailing list, going to conferences, etc). His take was that 
> I'd be competing with people in the future, and the masters degree could 
> likely be the deciding factor. Do you think that is really true? Or do you 
> think employers will start to see academia as it has become to be a largely 
> wasteful exercise vs. getting your name out there and learning/getting 
> experience on your own? When I hear about people going into great debt to get 
> something that amounts to a union card in many cases (a degree), it kind of 
> makes be hope the whole system can be reformed. For what I've seen in the 
> industry, it seems to mater more what people know you for than any degree you 
> have. Am I wrong? Anyone got a different way to look at it?
> 
> Adrian
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