When we receive CVs with IT certifications we don't make much of it - better if you have a strong portfolio of previous work related to the field you want to work in. IE if you want a job in games, show off a game you did by yourself or as part of a team clearly explaining the parts you did. If you do not have any work done by yourself in your portfolio get some done in your "spare" time, it will give you a lot more credibility than an IT certification (at least in my own personal opinion)
I've been working in IT for a long time, I agree with Seiya, experience and skills are much more important than IT certifications. Although, in certain areas some certifications are more widely recognised than others. For example in linux server admin the RHCE is a good thing to have if that's your chosen career.
Get a bachelor degree in IT and go with either software or network Engg. side. I prefer certificates from Cisco as one of the most widely accepted IT certificates.
I agree and would actually take this a step further to say that degrees have no value to me as an employer either. However, a lot of employers won't even look at a candidate without that pesky paper. With that said, a BS degree and Cisco certifications will definitely help you get your foot in the door for a lot of jobs, but make sure you can back up your paper with solid skills.
I agree that experience trumps certifications. But back to the original topic, it would depend on what field you are looking to become certified in. You would need to be more specific. "IT" is too broad.
It really depends on the field you want to get into. However, as others have said, someone with experience and no certs will be preferred over someone who only has a cert or two and no experience. Get the experience and then get the cert(s) for your field, it will give you much more value that way.