Here is a very brief history for me ...

I am a geek at heart...

I was making short programs on the jr highs TSR-80's in the library durring lunch...I was the first person that I knew on the internet in like '93...etc etc etc.

In 99 I was still a bit of a geek, although I had been in the Marines, and was not in a computer related field, I was quickly the go to guy for setting up banyan vines accounts on the network and such. I got out of the Marines, and had a family to feed, and not enough college under my belt to get a computer job...and I got into the mortgage business.

I do mortgage loans for a living...and I make money at it...things are setteling down in life though, and I would like to get back into computers and a computer related job field.

I have a community college close buy that has a ton of computer courses...there is a Phoenix university campus here where I can get a computer degree...they have an application engineer degree I can complete in about 2 years...my concern is the classes are accelerated, and I worry about hos good my coding skills will be with only a few weeks of Java, and a few weeks of C++ etc.

I dont know that I would ever like being a 100% programming type job. I think I would be better....or happier creating custom solutions to problems, network design...security...maybe applications engineer...something like that.

I want to get back into a full time gig in computers in the next 12-24 months. I am in Omaha, NE...there are jobs here....I need the skills.

Can anyone give me any ideas on how to best proceed. if I get an BS in IT/Applications engineering at U of Phoenix...is that enough...are there certain certificates I should get first...is U of Phoenix not a good place....

just any advice...and also any other forums, boards, groups etc that I should check out?

Thanks a ton!