2) getting the first few years of experience without the degree is the hard part. A whole lot of job postings have an implicit if not an explicit "or equivalent experience" tacked on the the bachelor's requirement.
I agree with #1 100%. I actually took a year off and found a startup in a field where I had an idea for a startup but decided not to do; statistically, it would've been a challenge.
In any case, while my friends were doing co-op (which is like an internship but you get paid and companies get tax benefits), I found and worked at a full-time job. They were busy commenting legacy code while I got to learn so much about everything. This company I worked at even trusted me to fly out and meet directly with clients who would show up with a team of 30 or so Engineers. I truly love this company and I am going back to them.
Regarding #2, I guess I must have struck a universal magic cord and lucked out! But my worry is that, 5-6 years down the line, if I won't be able to goto a company like Tesla/SpaceX for a) having shit grades, b) not getting experience in their field (my startup is more CS/CE) but my degree is in Systems Engineering.
Regards,
B
If your experience is not in the field you want to be in, regardless of whether your degree is, get that experience first. That may mean a few more years paying dues at entry level again. Once you've established yourself as competent in that field, go after the big players.
Also, many places will accept a closely related degree as a substitute for a specific degree. For instance, a bachelors in electrical engineering will get your foot in the door for many programming jobs.