I have been going to Central Piedmont Community College in North Carolina, I have learnt a lot in the past couple of years from basic Networking skills to advanced PIX routing very fun stuff I must say. In May I will be receiving two AAS degrees one in Networking Administration and one in information Security; and I have my A+ and Net+ right now and should have my Security+, Linux+, CCNA, MCSA, CEH, and CWNA. The equipment I have been using for the past three years includes Cisco 2500, 2600 routers, PIX routers, 2950, 3400 Cisco switches. At home we get to use NetLab which provides remote access to Cisco Networking Academy Program lab equipment and curriculum at home; its like having all the equipment without the cost .  With school and NetLab combined in the past three years I would say I get about three to four hours of hands on every day; which is great for getting ready for certs and the technology field. Software the we got to use included Windows XP, Windows Server 2000 and 2003, Linux, and Unix, firewall software such as ISA. I am planing on attending ECU in the fall to work on my BS degree in information security and should have my masters  within three or four years.  So I guess what I am trying to ask is: Where have you guys gone to school and what kind of equipment and software to you get to use and how often do you get to use it? And how have they help you get ready for Certs and Technology field?

I hear ya man, Playing with the PIX is so much fun lol.

I am from NC. I plan on transferring to DeVry in Raleigh to finish up my CIS degree. I am trying to find a school that actually offers Cert classes. The ones that actually teach you a language and/or anything that can be actually used. All my classes now are theory and pseudo code.
Maybe I am just being inpatient. I just feel behind the power curve and I am not use to that.