Frequently Asked Questions
How much computer networking experience do I need to have to succeed at a SerView Boot Camp?
How can I learn everything I need to know in one or two weeks?
How much hands-on experience will I get?
Why should I travel to Utah for this certification training?
How much one-on-one help will I get?
How qualified are your instructors?
What are my financing options?
I always thought a Boot Camp was just for people who just want help preparing for their certification tests?
What can I do to prepare for the course?
What is the daily schedule like?
What's for lunch?
What is your guarantee?
What is your refund policy?
What is there to do in the evenings after class?
Q: How much computer networking experience do I need to have to succeed at a SerView Boot Camp?
A: The amount of experience and prior training you need depends on the specific certification you are seeking. Neither Microsoft® nor Cisco® lists any prerequisites for their MCP® or CCNA® certifications. Still, you are most likely to succeed if you are at least an intermediate level user. You should be comfortable setting up and managing your own computer system.
The prerequisites for more advanced certifications are more extensive. Microsoft® says that you should have at least one-year experience managing a substantial network before you are ready to qualify as a Windows 2000® MCSE®. And to be clear, more experience is better than less. However, we have found that bright people with even limited computer experience, who have completed the MCP® course, usually succeed in certifying at the SerView Windows 2000 Boot Camp. Cisco® requires that you have completed your CCNA® certification before applying for your CCNP® certification.
Q: How can I learn everything I need to know in one or two weeks?
A: These are very intense weeks! You will spend 9-10 hours per day in class and another 2-3 hours studying. The compressed format is for people who are serious about certifying and can't afford to suspend their lives for months of school or a year of evenings. This kind of intensity is only possible with the best instructors in the industry. It takes a very unique person to keep a roomful of technical people engaged, thinking, laughing, and learning for two solid weeks. Of course, there are breaks, and you are encouraged to take advantage of them and Sunday is always kept free to recharge your batteries. At the end of the class, most people say they are surprised how much they learned, and feel they gained as much as they did in several semesters of school - and they have their certification to prove it!
Q: How much hands-on experience will I get?
A: The immediate hands-on application of the principles we teach in our boot camps is critical to both of our success. The amount of information you are required is learn is simply too great to retain without being directly reinforced by hands on practice. That's why our classrooms are actually working labs equipped with the routers, switches, networks, and hubs you need to prepare for real-world application. We teach each class in this setting so that each concept can be practiced step-by-step as it is taught. Access to the lab extends long after class hours for those seeking additional experience and opportunity to practice lab exercises.
In addition, every SerView student is issued a laptop on which to study and practice during the course of the boot camp. This laptop is connected to a live network during class. Sophisticated router simulation software and test preparation materials let you to continue study and gain hands-on experience in the evening. Those participating in the CCNP Boot Camp are assigned at least one router and switch to configure and program throughout the course. Hands-on is truly the secret to our mutual success.
Q: Why should I travel to Utah for this certification training?
A: There are three main reasons. First - we have enjoyed the experience of teaching both open enrollment and private courses all over the country. This experience has taught us some surprising facts about effective learning. We have learned that our student's highest success rates are realized when they leave home to take our classes. Most feel this is because they have temporarily left behind their distractions. They come here dedicated only to learning and certification. It is in this environment - free from the daily problems of work and home - where our students are best able to focus and internalize their training.
Second - on occasion when we have delivered a class in a major metropolitan area our students have been surprised how much more expensive the tuition becomes. This is primarily due to the higher cost of rented teaching facilities, the high cost of transporting laptops and lab equipment, and the lost economies of scale we enjoy with our local vendors. With most flights to Salt Lake running around $250 and our very competitive local Marriott or comparable accommodations package - it is actually more economical and effective to participate in our Utah Boot Camps!
Finally - you should come to Utah for training if you want the best trainers in the industry, the best curriculum available, and the best opportunity to certify in one or two weeks. Be forewarned that you may also fall in love! Utah is a beautiful, mountainous state, offering recreational opportunities ranging from skiing to mountain biking. Plan your trip to stay an extra day or two and see why there are more National Parks located in Utah than any other state.
Q: How much one-on-one help will I get?
A: SerView's class sizes are limited to make sure you get adequate personal attention. How much one-on-one help you get will vary with how much you need. Because our classes are focused on people with working experience, there is generally not a great difference in demand among students. At some point during the course, everyone needs a little extra help with one concept or another. After formal class ends, our instructors are normally able to make themselves available to ensure that each student understood the concepts covered that day. Since our instructor's success depends on your success - they are willing to take whatever time you need to help you achieve your certification.
Q: How qualified are your instructors?
A: Our instructors are experts in their respective fields. In addition to holding the certifications they teach - they have in most cases been teaching for more than three years. Many of our instructors are highly sought after not only for their certification training skills - but also for their backgrounds in the production of the curriculum they teach. Our new teachers are carefully screened and must go through at least six months of live courses in team teaching environments before they are accredited to teach solo. Perhaps the greatest endorsement for our trainers is the tremendous number of referrals we receive from past students. Over half of our classes are filled with those who were referred by a previous student.
Q: What are my financing options?
A: There are several ways you can finance your education at SerView. SerView is an IT training partner with SLM Financial Corporation (a Sallie Mae student loan organization), and NLSC financing. Our training consultants can help you determine which finance package best fits your needs. Available packages include extremely competitive interest rates as low as 1% over prime and monthly payments as low as $30 per month. Some loans allow prepayment without penalty, payment deferrals, and can include materials, equipment, and even travel and lodging expense while taking our courses. You can also arrange financing for your course through any bank or loan institution you choose, but you must have financing in place at least 21 days before the class starts. We also accept credit cards.
Q: I always thought a Boot Camp was just for people who just want help preparing for their certification tests?
A: Attending any IT training endeavor and then failing to certify would be like attending law school and then never passing the BAR exam! The best way that we have found to keep our certification pass rates at their highest levels is to provide the hands-on, real world knowledge that will ensure you really understand the subject well enough to respond to any new question that the certifying agency may throw at you. The key difference in our Boot Camp approach is simply the time and money you save through a concentrated and optimized learning approach. Whether it's a pay raise or a better opportunity - our objective is simply to get you to your goal sooner.
Q: What can I do to prepare for the course?
A: SerView is happy to provide pre-registered students with their materials and study outlines in advance. For those seeking further preparation we are happy to recommend third-party books and study materials specific to the course in which you have enrolled.
Q: What is the daily schedule like?
A: Classes start at 8:00am every weekday morning and end between 4:00 pm and 6:00pm. Lab sessions in the evening generally run from 8:00 to 10:00pm. On Saturdays, classes run from 9:00am to 2:00pm. There are no classes on Sunday.
A: Don't laugh. This is one of the biggest questions we get. Once again you receive the benefit of our experience - because we never hire a bad caterer twice! Your lunch is catered daily by top restaurants selected for their quality and quantity of food to provide a variety of options ranging from sandwiches or pizza to Chinese and Mexican food. We are also pleased to provide a breakfast each day for certain of our classes. Ask your training consultant which ones!
A: SerView offers both a general guarantee for all our courses as well as more specific assurances for specific courses. First you can always count on the following: 1) If you fail any exam during the course, we will pay for you to re-take that exam up to three times! and; 2) If you are not certified by the end of our course, you can attend all or part of another SerView Boot Camp for the same course within one year at no charge! We believe this demonstrates our confidence the quality of our training and is representative of our high rates of success.
In addition to the foregoing, SerView provides its exclusive No-Pass-No-Pay guarantee as follows: In the event that any student is dissatisfied with the quality of the instruction provided by SerView, AND the student has reasonably honored the terms of the Enrollment Agreement, AND the student has been unable to pass one or more of the certification exams pertaining to the course in which that student is enrolled, then that student may, within thirty days from the completion of the course, submit a written request by US Mail, email or fax, and receive a pro rata (based on the number of exams required for certification) refund of money paid less the cost of books and materials supplied to the student for the course, the cost of all certification exams provided for the student, and any additional amounts expended by SerView on behalf of the student including but not limited to accommodations, meals and non-refundable travel costs.
Q: What is your refund policy?
A: If you cancel more than 14 days prior to class start, you may receive a 100% refund. If you cancel less than 14 days prior to the start of a class your refund will be subject to an administrative fee of $200.00, plus the cost of any textbooks or course materials sent to you prior to the start of the class.
You can always reschedule at no penalty up to 7 days beforehand, depending on our ability to fill your seat. No refunds for failure to show up once class has begun, no exceptions.
Q: What is there to do in the evenings after class?
A: If you are as serious about the course objective as we are, you will find many of your evenings occupied with homework, material review, lab exercises, and Concept Crams (SerView's proprietary study guides). When you do need a break you will be glad to know that our training facilities are convenient to hotels, restaurants, clubs, and theaters.