ITT Tech

[ivan_gromov]

Sorry, I know that this is not a forum for it, but I just had to ask you fella's. Are there any ITT Tech graduates on this forum, if so help me out here please....
Well, My senior year in high school was the biggest pain in the ass, I moved to another city and the school was filled with people I simply could not stand. At the time of my graduation, may of last year I made a decision to attend ITT Tech. This is now my 3rd term, and I after doing some research almost a month ago, I am quite worried. I have been reading some negative things about this school, that frustrate me to no end. Instructors at my campus are actually quite knowledged and qualified, however from what i have heard here around the web is that nobody wants to hire ITT Tech graduates. The reason I chose ITT Tech is because I wanted something that did not resemble high school, and most colleges here, unfortunately do. I understand the fact that it is more about what I will make out of my education and not something completely different. I work my ass off every day, so laziness will not be an issue here. What I have been expecting is for ITT Tech to provide me with a degree that will get me into the field where I can get paid pretty well, and from there I would make my way up. My main question is basically, is it possible for an ITT Tech grad to land a decent job, well a job paying 50+ a year, with bachelors degree?
I just want to know so that I will not waste more of my time and money, I have considered my options, transferring credits from here is a pain, so if I decide to leave and go to a real U I would most likely start over, waisting 6 months of my life and quite some money. However, if ITT is such a bad school I am willing to do it, I have tried doing a ton of research, however I did not find much, any help is appreciated.
Please, for those of you that do not have any idea, do not bash on this topic, ty.

 

[JayAre]

I say this with the utmost respect, but in my personal opinion a recent college graduate doesn't have the experience to deserve 50K+ for an IT Job.

What I've seen from my experiences is that students that went to bigger named schools (i.e. Big 10, Big 12, Ivy League, etc.) get hired by larger companies. Which in turn leads to companies with bigger budgets and higher than normal starting salaries.

From your statements, it appears that your starting salary is your main objective. Nothing wrong with that at all. We all want more money.

I would say stick with ITT, (I've never heard anything terrible about them), and gain work experience while finishing your degree.

Good luck and let us know if you have any further questions.

 

[taylorwilsdon]

Again, you and any other graduates / students of technical colleges like ITT or similar have my utmost respect. However, with that said I think its pretty fair to say around here they're something of a running joke. Its a great way to jump start a University education, but I don't think you'll be able to get what you're expecting without a real university degree, not just technical / community college.

 

[movax]

Yeah pal, no offense to you or any other ITT tech students/grads, but your school really needs to fix up their marketing. Advertising combination Criminal Justice / Massage degrees and stuff has made it somewhat of a running joke either, though personally, I'd like to think that employers at least look past the degree to the core comptency of the hiree.

 

[kirk]

if I were you I would go to a better school, I am taking the iss program and I have learned next to nothing. most things are done on a labsim and are not done hands on,most of their hardware is out of date. this is the biggest waist of time ever, I have a friend who has had some very good jobs turn him down when they heard what school he is going to, and he has been a Unix admin/network security admin for some big companies. I just can only imagin what my chances are going to be like when I try to get a job, since I dont have the experience he does.

 

[Lord of Shadows]

I've always gotten the feeling that places like itt tech are more interested in your check clearing than how successful you are after you've graduated.

 

[ivan_gromov]

if I were you I would go to a better school, I am taking the iss program and I have learned next to nothing. most things are done on a labsim and are not done hands on,most of their hardware is out of date. this is the biggest waist of time ever, I have a friend who has had some very good jobs turn him down when they heard what school he is going to, and he has been a Unix admin/network security admin for some big companies. I just can only imagin what my chances are going to be like when I try to get a job, since I dont have the experience he does.

Thanks everyone. I understand that I have made a mistake choosing schools. We do learn things in this school I believe, but I do miss real courses like History. I have just turned 18, and I still live with my parents. I have put alot of money that I have made over the years into this school, plus I already have loans, and my mom is actually helping me pay for it somewhat. She is completely against the idea of me dropping out and looking for another school, since she actually believes that the school is not bad, and even if it is not the best I can still get a pretty decent job. I have talked to her friends and some of them have acquittance's that have graduated from ITT and have good jobs, however I have yet to contact any of them, seems hard to find. THe thing that scares me right now is that I will be stuck making 12 bucks an hour after college doing some entry level shit, and 6 months after graduation I will have to start paying a loan off. If that happens, I would be outraged, since I would have to go back to a REAL School and actually work at the same time I would attend it.

 

[Malk-a-mite]

We do learn things in this school I believe, but I do miss real courses like History.

Never under estimate the power of a well rounded education.


(said after having taken many (many) years off of school only to go back and finish the degree)

 

[Gertrude]

"IT" is not a instant money maker. Personally I don't think it matters if you go to a community college, Harvard, IIT, Devry or any other institution.

Think about this question,

What can you do for me?

You might think "Well that depends"

What am I ?

I can be a ISP in need of a a email specialist, or maybe a oracle consulting firm, a web hosting shop that needs a LAMP admin, a colo that needs general NOC staff to watch traffic flows, or maybe I am looking for C++ developers to write a problem management system.

The most important thing I can recommend is to take an inventory of your current skills, and build on them. Then develop the skills you want to pursue the most.

Try not to think about money. Money comes with skills, and that is something that generally only direct experience in the field can give you.

So what are your skills, and how can you help me do what we do better?

 

[ivan_gromov]

"IT" is not a instant money maker. Personally I don't think it matters if you go to a community college, Harvard, IIT, Devry or any other institution.

Think about this question,

What can you do for me?

You might think "Well that depends"

What am I ?

I can be a ISP in need of a a email specialist, or maybe a oracle consulting firm, a web hosting shop that needs a LAMP admin, a colo that needs general NOC staff to watch traffic flows, or maybe I am looking for C++ developers to write a problem management system.

The most important thing I can recommend is to take an inventory of your current skills, and build on them. Then develop the skills you want to pursue the most.

Try not to think about money. Money comes with skills, and that is something that generally only direct experience in the field can give you.

So what are your skills, and how can you help me do what we do better?

Thank you very much. I think I understand whole lot more about what I have got myself into. It is what I know, and I think that ITT Actually teaches me some stuff. Once I develop the needed skills to do any IT job well, I think that i will be pretty well off. I think the main problem with ITT graduates right now is with the fact that they do not apply them selfs to whatever it is they want to do.

 

[infamus]

IMO (not bashing)

on hands experience > book learning

unless you have a photographic memory

 

[Star Fox]

I can understand where you're coming from...
I go to a high school that feeds into a technical/vocational program at another campus (kids get bused over), and most of the kids who don't go their think that we don't do anything over there, that we're all dumb kids who are at risk to dropout and could never make it at a university. Even when we compete with other schools in SkillsUSA vocational competitions and win, the HS campuses that feed into the tech/vocational school don't even acknowledge their students who won a competition. Last year, I got 1st place in a district competition for Cisco Internetworking and won 4th place at the state competition. I won 1st at district again this year, and I'll be competing at state the week after next. My school never announced any of it, even though they announce all kinds of other extra-curricular activity results. One kid I knew won 3rd place in graphical design in the national competition last year and was awarded a +$100,000 scholarship to an art school, and he was ignored, too. Nobody at our main schools cares because we are just competing against other "dumb tech school kids".

Tech schools have gotten a bad rep as being "get rich quick" schools that produce mediocre workers, but I don't think the quality of someone's work is dependent on their school. It's more about their own personal drive and motivation to succeed and excel at what they do.
My advice is to do whatever you want to do, and do it with excellence.

Employers won't care that you went to a tech school if you can do the job better than someone else.

Btw infamus: I have a photographic memory, and I still prefer hands on experience. I can read a book all day about C++ programming, but without sitting down and writing a program using what I just learned it's a waste of time.

 

[oakfan52]

. THe thing that scares me right now is that I will be stuck making 12 bucks an hour after college doing some entry level shit, and 6 months after graduation I will have to start paying a loan off. If that happens, I would be outraged, since I would have to go back to a REAL School and actually work at the same time I would attend it.

Welcome to the real world of IT. I would never pay anyone money just because they went to particualr school. If this is what you want to do be prepared to put your time in at the bottom. After a couple of years I don't think anyone really cares what school you went to. Certifications and experience will take you a lot farther than a degree unless you want to be a manager.

 

[Axeldoomeyer]

Welcome to the real world of IT. I would never pay anyone money just because they went to particualr school. If this is what you want to do be prepared to put your time in at the bottom. After a couple of years I don't think anyone really cares what school you went to. Certifications and experience will take you a lot farther than a degree unless you want to be a manager.

I have to agree with that statement. When I was going through college I had two choices either a programmer with a but load of math or a programmer with book keeping skills... Well personally I wanted to do neither. None of the colleges in my area offered anything in networking. One of my business partners is a self proclaimed tech but his degree is in business management. Hence he runs the business side of things and I take care of the tech side of things.

That being said, when I go to bring on another contractor and/or employee I am more concerned that they have the skills that I am looking to fill that position.

I would hire experience/knowledge over the degree. Just because I know that many times you may have a degree but there is in no way the skills that I am particularly looking for in that degree. So who is more qualified? As an employer I look at alot of factors in regards to relevent experience.

If you can get an entry level position by all means take it. Especially if you can get a position in the area that you are studying. It will only help reinforce what you are learning.

Hope this helps.

 

[ivan_gromov]

I have to agree with that statement. When I was going through college I had two choices either a programmer with a but load of math or a programmer with book keeping skills... Well personally I wanted to do neither. None of the colleges in my area offered anything in networking. One of my business partners is a self proclaimed tech but his degree is in business management. Hence he runs the business side of things and I take care of the tech side of things.

That being said, when I go to bring on another contractor and/or employee I am more concerned that they have the skills that I am looking to fill that position.

I would hire experience/knowledge over the degree. Just because I know that many times you may have a degree but there is in no way the skills that I am particularly looking for in that degree. So who is more qualified? As an employer I look at alot of factors in regards to relevent experience.

If you can get an entry level position by all means take it. Especially if you can get a position in the area that you are studying. It will only help reinforce what you are learning.

Hope this helps.

Yea thank you, I was thinking of using our Employment agency and getting me something entry level, you think that would help me get started?

 

[wtburnette]

Entry level would be fine, especially if you can start right away. Even if you have to work part time or whatever, getting started with your hands on experience is the best thing for you. Prove that you know what you're talking about to back up your degree and you'll go far, just don't expect that $50/k a year job right away, unless you live in CA or something...

Where I work, a small insurance company in Bloomington, MN, we start desktop support at $45k/yr. and that's with a degree, MCSE and at least a year of support experience. I'm the lead support tech and I only make a bit less then $70k/ year and that's after 11 years in the support field. I could make more if I went into networking, security or other areas, but I like what I do and I like working 40 hours a week instead of 50+.

 

[Haven]

I am going to reiterate what others have said. I work at a smaller company and have been doing IT work for 15 years. I have several certifications, and a boatload of experience. I am the IT department (Network Admin, Desktop Support, Purchaser, Phone guy, etc) and I make just over $50K a year.

I wouldn't expect to hire anyone fresh out of school and pay them $50K, not unless they had at least a Masters, if not a Ph.D. You might have to start out at a entry level tech support job to get some experience and move up from there. Entry level jobs are not going to start out at $50K. Even a junior Admin position isn't going to start out at $50K.

Unless you are going to a large company in California where the cost of living is really high, I don't see $50K right out school.

As far as ITT goes, I know they have had some issues lately, but I don't think they are a bad school. I know a number of people that have gone there and I think it more depends on the person.

 

[PopeKevinI]

I can't comment on the quality of an ITT education. I can say, though, that employers do NOT see it as being the same as going to college, and as pointed out above their own marketing reinforces that.

You'd be better off getting a four-year degree from a good university and then using places like ITT as continuing education should you feel the need.

 

[PopeKevinI]

I only make a bit less then $70k/ year

It's sad to see someone put the word "only" anywhere near a $65k+ salary.

Are you aware that you are significantly above the median HOUSEHOLD income for the nation with just 11 years of experience?

If I made what you make, my wife could quit her job

 

[ivan_gromov]

I can't comment on the quality of an ITT education. I can say, though, that employers do NOT see it as being the same as going to college, and as pointed out above their own marketing reinforces that.

You'd be better off getting a four-year degree from a good university and then using places like ITT as continuing education should you feel the need.

I understand, however me leaving would mean a huge hole in my pockets, I would not have a degree and I would have gambled few grand away. I should have stated it differently, If I can get a decent job after the graduation that can make me around 35-36k a year, I would be happy, because I know that I have the smarts and the dedication to move up the ladder in the years to come.

 

[randyc]

It's sad to see someone put the word "only" anywhere near a $65k+ salary.

Are you aware that you are significantly above the median HOUSEHOLD income for the nation with just 11 years of experience?

If I made what you make, my wife could quit her job

Kevin, you must not live in California.

65K a year from two people is what is needed to make a somewhat decent living in almost all of Southern California. So to say it is sad to see someone put 65k a year as a 'ok' wage would not be silly where I live.

Perhaps if I lived in Iowa or Colorado.

 

[Wrench]

I don't work in IT but I do work in a technical field. I think the biggest if not the primary thing
companies look for beyond education is experience. I know managers that will overlook someone with credentials and 2 years exp for someone with half the cert's and 20+ years experience. As well as pay the money to get them.

I had knowledge cert's but no experience and started out 40k a year. I'm in Denver thats a relatively decent wage for my age at the time 23. I just recently hit 60-70 a year after 10 years on the job experience under my belt on top of my certifications. Experience is huge in almost any field I believe.

 

[PopeKevinI]

I understand, however me leaving would mean a huge hole in my pockets, I would not have a degree and I would have gambled few grand away. I should have stated it differently, If I can get a decent job after the graduation that can make me around 35-36k a year, I would be happy, because I know that I have the smarts and the dedication to move up the ladder in the years to come.

I don't have a degree right now, and I'm hurting for one. I'm making around $38k and finding that I don't have any upward options at this point without a degree. The job market is full of halfwit IT personnel who got a CS degree because they heard there was money in it, and unfortunately some managers like halfwits--they make good yes-men--so they haven't been shoved out the doors and told to find a job they're interested in enough to be good at it.

I was forced to leave Dallas to find work in 2003 when I lost my job. A big part of it was that so many jobs I was qualified to do wanted university degrees.

 

[Meekrobe]

deleted

 

[Teknikallysekure]

Welcome to the real world of IT. I would never pay anyone money just because they went to particualr school. If this is what you want to do be prepared to put your time in at the bottom. After a couple of years I don't think anyone really cares what school you went to. Certifications and experience will take you a lot farther than a degree unless you want to be a manager.

Quoted for truth. I went to Heald college, suuuuuckass. However while there I worked really hard at an entry level job and studied massively in the areas of interest I had outside of school.

I ended up going to the Cisco networking academy and getting a few certifications. I have a pretty great IT Analyst job now with one of the largest companies in the US as a result.

Point is, if you work hard enough, and you know your stuff you will eventually get a good job.

You might even be able to take mine if you hurry up, I'm freaking sick of IT work I'm going back to school!

 

[PurduEE]

I have an undergraduate degree in electrical engineering from Purdue university. I'm over a decade out of school and I'm currently working in patent law. My degree continued to open doors for me even a few years ago. To be honest, many employers didn't really even seem to care about my law school, but focused on my undergraduate degree. Comments like "all the Purdue engineers I've known have been top-notch," weren't uncommon.

This, IMHO is the thing that ITT doesn't have going for it. As many have said, TV commercials touting your CSI-like school of criminal justice don't help employers take you seriously. You'd likely be as well off or better with a juco degree (that might metriculate to a 4-year) or a community college. Chances are you'll save some money too. I'd also attempt to get off the IT path and try to get something more towards CS or engineering than a tech degree. These are difficult courses of study and they show employers not that you have a degree, but that (1) you can set a difficult goal for yourself and (2) learn complicated material quickly in order to achieve that goal. I'm not saying that IT isn't hard or isn't a good path, but its focus is almost completely application (how things work). A mix of application and theory (how and WHY) seems a better choice and might help you maintain your skills when today's technology gives way to whatever is next.

It took me a long time to figure this out, but in all honesty, what you learn isn't really that important at the end of the day. I worked for 8 years in OEM computer development and probably used more of the knowledge I gained working at computer stores in my teens than I did from my undergrad degree. However, simply holding that degree shows employers that I can learn active directory or the tech-de-jour of the moment if I need to in order to accomplish their objectives. In the work I do now it's the same thing - today I may work on EE related technology, tomorrow it's a patent on biotechnology. If you don't get it, learn it.

As far as things being like high school, I imagine that you mean there are cliques, etc. It's a fact of life and one that you won't be able to avoid when you go to work. You may be smart, you may be hardworking, but if you can't get along with people, you will have difficulty moving up the ladder. It would be nice if it was all about hard work and brain power, but my experience has been that inter-company politics seems to be the real difference maker.

good luck with your decision.

 

[Teknikallysekure]

The guy above me has advice that consists of what I'd say. I feel bout the same as him.

I'm 25, making about the same mid 50s.

Just work really hard and make yourself into something valuable. Don't see yourself as above jobs that you really aren't take a foot in the door where you can and prove yourself.

 

[Hades12]

I am a Devry Grad in EET.

Tech school means you have to pay your dues at the bottom of the jobs and prove you can do the work to move up.

I suggest you get a part time job now and go to school, once you are working and can prove your self then what school the degree came from does not matter as much.

If you are only a few Grand down like 2 - 3K then you are not to deep to move to a party school.

 

[ivan_gromov]

I am a Devry Grad in EET.

Tech school means you have to pay your dues at the bottom of the jobs and prove you can do the work to move up.

I suggest you get a part time job now and go to school, once you are working and can prove your self then what school the degree came from does not matter as much.

If you are only a few Grand down like 2 - 3K then you are not to deep to move to a party school.

Well, I am actually a quite good basketball player, I made just over 10 grand this past summer playing basketball. I have used most of it already, so once I get my associates I will be about 25-30k in debt it looks like. Thanks for responding everybody, you all have given me a great advice. From what I am leaning to, is for me to start looking for an entry level IT job, as well as going to school. I begin to believe that if I apply myself, I will be able to make decent living once I live school. To whoever mentioned that ITT school is either great or garbage, I completely agree. I am from Colorado actually, and Aurora Learning site has some great instructors as a matter of fact. I have friends that have taken different math class as me last qtr, and I have heard that the teacher was horrible, good thing she got fired .

 

[Blauman]

While I did not go to ITT tech I did go to a tech school to get my certs out of the way. Having already been in the IT field for about 4 years it was fairly easy to do so. I started out as a lowly PC tech right out of HighSchool at a local PC store and now I am working in the IT department at the Superior Court here in San Diego. Now for where I am I will need to go back to school and get my BS to go up real high here, although I can still do quite well without it. The unfortunate part of the govt. is that sometimes the paper speaks more than the person, and the people with the BS degree who literaly know BS get paid more than I do and I have to tell them what to do. I would not fret to much about where you went but the thing you really need is actual in field experience to get you on your way up the ladder. Dont expect to graduate and make 50k right off the bat becuase it may not happen, thats not to say it couldnt, but dont be to dissapointed if it does not. It took me 8 years to get to a place where I can see myself staying until I want to retire, and if you ask me thats not always easy to say since I am only 26. Also if they dont offer it at ITT I suggest getting some kind of cert as well just to give you that added push. Either do them yourself or go to some kind of school that will help you get through them. The IT field is becoming really saturated because everyone wants in, so wages get lower and there are lots of people that are really not qualified to be in it, but those that are qualified to be in it need to bring something to the table to make he/she stand out from everyone else. Good luck.

 

[jeffmoss26]

I did a 2 year tech ed program in 11th and 12th grade of HS. We learned electronics, A+ computer repair, Cisco networking, programming, some web design, a little bit of everything really. I placed 4th in the state for Cisco Internetworking at SkillsUSA. Now I am at the University of Toledo studying Computer Network Administration. Last semester I only had one hands-on course, this semester I have three. It's not a bad program, but it is almost all MS based. Personally I am much more interested in Cisco and things of that nature.

 

[Teknikallysekure]

I did a 2 year tech ed program in 11th and 12th grade of HS. We learned electronics, A+ computer repair, Cisco networking, programming, some web design, a little bit of everything really. I placed 4th in the state for Cisco Internetworking at SkillsUSA. Now I am at the University of Toledo studying Computer Network Administration. Last semester I only had one hands-on course, this semester I have three. It's not a bad program, but it is almost all MS based. Personally I am much more interested in Cisco and things of that nature.

If you're interested in Cisco stuff hands on is absolutely the key. Check out Cisco Networking academies, they teach you much more than you need to know to earn the certs, and give you tons of hands on experience with the equipment.

As far as gaining entry into that particular field prepare to spend much time waiting at a Desktop type job, and proving your knowledge. Those jobs are not at all entry level friendly.

 

[swatbat]

I wouldn't expect to hire anyone fresh out of school and pay them $50K, not unless they had at least a Masters, if not a Ph.D. You might have to start out at a entry level tech support job to get some experience and move up from there. Entry level jobs are not going to start out at $50K. Even a junior Admin position isn't going to start out at $50K.

I wouldn't know about that. I'd make over 45 full time as a consultant if I stayed full time with the group I work with now without a raise. I'm still in school.

Anyway I have seen nothing but trouble out of ITT in my area. Same with ecpi. Just have seen too many people come out that have no knowledge of anything. Not to say that you will not find someone that comes out smart. Just you have to weed through a good amount of people first.

 

[Teknikallysekure]

I wouldn't know about that. I'd make over 45 full time as a consultant if I stayed full time with the group I work with now without a raise. I'm still in school.

Anyway I have seen nothing but trouble out of ITT in my area. Same with ecpi. Just have seen too many people come out that have no knowledge of anything. Not to say that you will not find someone that comes out smart. Just you have to weed through a good amount of people first.

Problem is, after you've experienced trouble with a few ITT people once you start seeing it on resumes and you're hiring you just skip right over it.

A 4 year degree definitely bodes better, sometimes even if it's in a seperate but similar field.

 

[swatbat]

Problem is, after you've experienced trouble with a few ITT people once you start seeing it on resumes and you're hiring you just skip right over it.

A 4 year degree definitely bodes better, sometimes even if it's in a seperate but similar field.

Agree

Personaly I like real world experience.

 

[jeffmoss26]

My tech ed program was Cisco Networking Academy. We did parts 1 and 2 for CCNA...

 

[Star Fox]

My tech ed program was Cisco Networking Academy. We did parts 1 and 2 for CCNA...

Yeah, my high school did the Networking Academy, too.
I went on the parts 3 and 4 for the CCNA program, but I don't think my instructor knew the stuff I was doing as well as he knew 1 & 2. He just checked up on me every once in a while and asked if I was ready for him to open up the next module test.

Btw: I got 4th in networking in Texas last year (hopefully I'll do better this year ), what state did you compete in?

 

[itsmikey]

I went to ECPI.

Dropped out because of how worthless the education was.

I could sit around doing nothing, and pass everything with A's.

People who slept in class, passed with A's.

Technical schools are a joke.

I'm 22, and make 50k. I do not put one line on my resume about attending ECPI. I have 4-5 years of System Admin experience, and am currently a Network Engineer for an SMB development firm.

The companies I've worked for don't even pay fresh graduates with BS's $40-50k, don't expect to get anywhere near that green with an ITT AAS.

Oh, and if you want to get a bachelors from a real University, look into whether they ACCEPT your AAS - Because an AAS is a TECHNICAL SCHOOL degree, it is NOT the equivalent of an AS.

The counselors at ECPI lied to me and told me I could goto any university to get my Bachelors. Long story short, I do everything I can to badmouth that institution, because several years ago, I could find no information on it when I asked if it was a joke, etc.

 

[jeffmoss26]

StarFox-
I am in Ohio. We only got to do SkillsUSA Senior year.

I agree with the hands on experience. I have learned more on my own than I ever did in any classroom. I have learned the telecom industry from working at my dad's work. That led to an interest in networking and computers. The industry has evolved greatly in just the past 5 years or so.

Jeff

 

[ivan_gromov]

I went to ECPI.

Dropped out because of how worthless the education was.

I could sit around doing nothing, and pass everything with A's.

People who slept in class, passed with A's.

Technical schools are a joke.

I'm 22, and make 50k. I do not put one line on my resume about attending ECPI. I have 4-5 years of System Admin experience, and am currently a Network Engineer for an SMB development firm.

The companies I've worked for don't even pay fresh graduates with BS's $40-50k, don't expect to get anywhere near that green with an ITT AAS.

Oh, and if you want to get a bachelors from a real University, look into whether they ACCEPT your AAS - Because an AAS is a TECHNICAL SCHOOL degree, it is NOT the equivalent of an AS.

The counselors at ECPI lied to me and told me I could goto any university to get my Bachelors. Long story short, I do everything I can to badmouth that institution, because several years ago, I could find no information on it when I asked if it was a joke, etc.

Ouch, that sucks. I think I may stay and get bachelors here, I really do not know yet. Whatever I decide to do, I will make sure everybody thinks twice before attending an ITT school.