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Is it worth it to go to get a traditional degree if you are interested in getting into software development or software engineering?

It seems as though more an more influential people in the tech field are showing support to online studies as a legitimate replacement to traditional studies. Is it still worth it to go into debt in order to finance a degree that may be 5-10 years behind 'groundbreaking' concepts?

#technology #software #tech #future #scholarships

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Polina’s Answer

I am a proponent of degree based education when entering the industry as a software engineer. Having a degree is still regarded as a "proof" of sorts of your dedication, ability to work on complicated problems, and knowledge of the computer science basics. A lot of companies, unfortunately still have 4 year degree as a position requirement. With all that said, I have plenty of friends that have made it in the industry without having any degree tangential to Software engineers. All of them did, however acquire a lot of the basics and discipline taught in 4 year programs on their own.

In short - degrees are still regarded by a lot of companies as a prerequisite for applying for the position. Not having one might make the process of finding a job trickier. You can still learn a lot of the fundamentals of CS online, and demonstrate deeper knowledge of systems/ programming by contributing to open source projects, creating your own projects, etc.
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Sreenivasa’s Answer

Hi Patrick, I would suggest you focus on specifics of Computer Programming since you are interested in Software Development. I would advise you to choose a good programming language, like Java or HTML for example and get deeper into it. There are plenty of opportunities for Web Developers these days and Java is used almost everywhere. Hope it helps.

Thanks,
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Tadeusz’s Answer

Hi,

Just recently I read similar discussion on the web and found it very interesting. I would agree with James Leland Harp, UC Berkeley grad, former professor and director statement, the question is not about a degree but how do you acquire the skills?

From my experience, I would advise you that you look at the programming track in Computer Science (the best in the College of Engineering), and take programming oriented courses. It was also my path, however a long time ago.

Pls read this discussion, I hope will help you to make your mind. I wish you all the best.

https://www.quora.com/Is-it-possible-to-become-a-good-software-engineer-without-getting-a-degree-in-computer-science

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Ken’s Answer

Here are some interesting sites for you to visit, as they may address your concerns:

Should You Go To College

https://medium.com/the-mission/high-school-is-over-should-you-go-to-college-b5b6db6f6712

<span style="color: black;">Value of College</span>

https://medium.com/the-mission/the-value-of-the-college-degree-is-crashing-heres-how-to-fix-it-cd7a1e116396

<span style="color: black;">My Biggest Regret: Going to College</span>

https://medium.com/the-mission/my-biggest-regret-in-life-going-to-college-ef2068f179cf
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