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$65k in student loans to learn programming? The author is clearly an idiot. Programming can be learned from home for next to nothing, because you have all the t

$65k in student loans to learn programming? The author is clearly an idiot. Programming can be learned from home for next to nothing, because you have all the tools you need there. It's not like you're a surgeon and you're working with expensive/complex equipment.

striking 11y ago
Yeah, but getting a degree (so that people know you're any good) is a tad more expensive than "next to nothing." Perhaps not $65k, but not too far off (depending on where you go). If you choose a cheaper school, there can be issues with getting a job or getting the salary you want (as I've heard it said, anyway).
- sly_foxx 11y ago
  Just look at programming jobs ads. When it comes to degree requirements, ads can be divided into 4 cases: 1) No degree required (not mentioned). 2) Stated that you need either a degree or show some code you've created. 3) Stated that a degree is required. Here you could contact them, show them samples of your work, list all of your experiences and offer to do additional tests if you don't have a degree. 4) Stated that a degree is required and they will only hire you if you got a degree.
hanniabu 11y ago
I graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering and decided to quit my job to learn programming at home. Took me a year to get to the point where I'm comfortable and know my way around. However, just because I taught myself doesn't mean that it was free. I had a year of lost wages which is about 65K, so all in all it costed about the same amount for me.
- sly_foxx 11y ago
  He had 4 years of lost wages + $65k in debt. When you're in college, you don't work. So, again, he's in much worse situation than someone who learns programming at home in 1 year.
  - hanniabu 11y ago
    I went to college for 4 years as well, so again, you can say we were in the same boat: 4 years of lost wages + $65k in debt for him, 4 years of lost wages + $65k in lost wages for me
    - YeGoblynQueenne 11y ago
      The difference is that you lost that money, but you don't owe it to anyone. Nobody can come over and take your stuff because you owe them that money. And then there's the matter of a debt being an amount agreed upon by all stakeholders, whereas your "lost wages" are just a number you calculate in an arbitrary manner, which may or may not reflect reality. Maybe you did lose $65k by not working. Maybe if you hadn't gone to college you'd have been hit by a car and you'd have lost far more than that. Maybe you'd be unemployed. Who's to say? Money is not money unless it's in your pocket (or bank account) or in an IOU.
  - Ao7bei3s 11y ago
    Except he didn't have an engineering degree, so its not clear he'd have had any job at all, much less a well-paying one.
tomreece 11y ago
> The author is clearly an idiot. Wow. I didn't realize Hacker News folks were like redditors. The 65k comes from the fact that I had to pay tuition and living expenses. My family is from a small town. The nearest college was 2 hours away (Indiana University). 15k a year adds up fast. I honestly didn't NEED the education, I think if I spent 4 years teaching myself I would have been just fine. I just felt that I needed the degree to get my foot in the door anywhere. Maybe I was wrong, but do you dispute that?
dang 11y ago
> The author is clearly an idiot. This and other of your comments break the HN guidelines. On this site, please comment civilly and substantively or not at all. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newswelcome.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newswelcome.html

striking 11y ago

Yeah, but getting a degree (so that people know you're any good) is a tad more expensive than "next to nothing." Perhaps not $65k, but not too far off (depending on where you go). If you choose a cheaper school, there can be issues with getting a job or getting the salary you want (as I've heard it said, anyway).

sly_foxx 11y ago
Just look at programming jobs ads. When it comes to degree requirements, ads can be divided into 4 cases: 1) No degree required (not mentioned). 2) Stated that you need either a degree or show some code you've created. 3) Stated that a degree is required. Here you could contact them, show them samples of your work, list all of your experiences and offer to do additional tests if you don't have a degree. 4) Stated that a degree is required and they will only hire you if you got a degree.

hanniabu 11y ago

I graduated with a degree in mechanical engineering and decided to quit my job to learn programming at home. Took me a year to get to the point where I'm comfortable and know my way around. However, just because I taught myself doesn't mean that it was free. I had a year of lost wages which is about 65K, so all in all it costed about the same amount for me.

sly_foxx 11y ago
He had 4 years of lost wages + $65k in debt. When you're in college, you don't work. So, again, he's in much worse situation than someone who learns programming at home in 1 year.
- hanniabu 11y ago
  I went to college for 4 years as well, so again, you can say we were in the same boat: 4 years of lost wages + $65k in debt for him, 4 years of lost wages + $65k in lost wages for me
  - YeGoblynQueenne 11y ago
    The difference is that you lost that money, but you don't owe it to anyone. Nobody can come over and take your stuff because you owe them that money. And then there's the matter of a debt being an amount agreed upon by all stakeholders, whereas your "lost wages" are just a number you calculate in an arbitrary manner, which may or may not reflect reality. Maybe you did lose $65k by not working. Maybe if you hadn't gone to college you'd have been hit by a car and you'd have lost far more than that. Maybe you'd be unemployed. Who's to say? Money is not money unless it's in your pocket (or bank account) or in an IOU.
- Ao7bei3s 11y ago
  Except he didn't have an engineering degree, so its not clear he'd have had any job at all, much less a well-paying one.

tomreece 11y ago

> The author is clearly an idiot. Wow. I didn't realize Hacker News folks were like redditors. The 65k comes from the fact that I had to pay tuition and living expenses. My family is from a small town. The nearest college was 2 hours away (Indiana University). 15k a year adds up fast. I honestly didn't NEED the education, I think if I spent 4 years teaching myself I would have been just fine. I just felt that I needed the degree to get my foot in the door anywhere. Maybe I was wrong, but do you dispute that?

dang 11y ago

> The author is clearly an idiot. This and other of your comments break the HN guidelines. On this site, please comment civilly and substantively or not at all. https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newswelcome.html https://news.ycombinator.com/newswelcome.html