Ask HN: Is a degree in CS worth it? | Hacker News Reader

Ask HN: Is a degree in CS worth it?

2 pointsnraphael810 comments

It seems like most people are now only studying javascript for a couple of months and making out the same as a person with a 4 year degree (with huge debt).

I’m just wondering is it worth it? Should everyone just go the self study/boot camp route and skip college?

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Depends.

-If you're aiming for high level developer jobs or a job at one of the FAANGs, well, they don't require a CS degree but they often do require that you know most of the things that a CS degree would teach you to be successful.

-If you're aiming for an average (or below) job just cranking out websites or backends, well, currently you don't need a CS degree because they tend to be pretty rote. People have been successful in the past getting jobs without a degree. Will the future be like the past? Long enough for you to get your career launched? Long enough that you remain competitive for enough time to earn enough to retire? Only you can answer that question. (By the way, have you heard that an extended recession is likely real soon now, meaning there will be lots of unemployed developers competing for jobs?)

-The software developer career path requires literally a lifetime of continuous learning just to keep up with changes in technology and changes in tools and frameworks. If you're highly self-motivated to study, you have a better chance of succeeding without a CS degree.

Seeing that recession part just gave me lots of anxiety haha

You could probably freelance without a degree. But most of the positions I see, even for rote website design, the company tends to require a degree. I'm in the eastern US, so this could vary elsewhere.

Some people are studying JS for a couple of months and getting a solid career out of it, but not most people. Networking, credentials, and the internship pipeline all still matter, as much as we might wish they didn't.

Having said that, there's probably no better year in history than 2020 to defer college for a year, if you have that option.

So if you can afford it, defer for a year and try an online boot camp! (Try to get into one that won't charge you up front.) See if you can land a remote internship. If you make it, you can decide whether to stick with it or whether to go back to school in Fall 2021.

The boot camp experience will probably help you in your freshman year of college anyway.

If you are looking at CS from an economic POV, than probably not. If you CS is your passion, and you want to get deep understanding of the logic and the math behind the concepts (I.e. understanding the why not just the how) , such that some day you will be able to write the framework, instead of just use the framework, than yes.

The key here is that there are no shortcuts. If your spend 4 years on one subject and related ideas, you will be better than someone who spend only 3 months.

Worth what exactly?

$5K and 2 years of your prime time? Perhaps so.. $100K and 4 years of your prime time? Maybe not. Unless you're highly confident the college connections and CS courses will yield you much more than the time+money you'll invest initially.

So the answer really depends on what it will cost you, and what you think you will get out of it.

However, I know talented programmers who never went to college, but their skills and experience are equivalent to a modern day degree.

I recommend reading the first chapter of Bjarne Stroustrup's book, "Programming Principles and Practice Using C++." It's a quick read but it's got the wisdom that your question seeks.

I would become a mechanic, electrician, or go into some other trade. College is expensive and companies treat you like shit whether you have a degree or not.

Taking a look at job descriptions immediately answers your question.

Yes.

You learn many thing you do not know are important.

Also (about US): making kids to borrow from banks is INSAN*E !!! Make universities free, like in Europe.

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