5 ms·

Why don't you get one? You are still young and your brain is still developing. Get a degree in comp sci and be on your merry way.

BenjiWiebe 9y ago
Partially religious reasons. Also, getting a degree takes a lot of money/time, and I don't feel (from what I've heard from academia, both students and teachers) that it would benefit me much, besides being able to say I have a degree.
- SirLJ 9y ago
  The degree will give you a lot of networking opportunities and this is what you need to get a job... also you'll have to be ready to relocate, so I would start applying to any job available anywhere in the US and why not around the world...
  - BenjiWiebe 9y ago
    I'd rather not relocate. There are jobs in Kansas for what I'd like to do, if not hundreds of them.
    - SirLJ 9y ago
      If there are so many jobs, why you can't get one? I think you should really reflect on that and be more flexible, especially at your age...
      - BenjiWiebe 9y ago
        I can't get one because the automated application systems don't even accept an application if you have no degree, hence the question. I've applied for a couple of jobs, but I've gotten no response, not even email. I'm just ignored.
        SirLJ 9y ago
        Again, you need to find a way to network with the people in those companies, go to meets, submit a paper and speak at conferences, etc... this is the only way...
        cweagans 9y ago
        Cold applications are probably the worst way to get a job. You need to go to some local meetups and rub elbows with people IRL.
- phakding 9y ago
  I would disagree with the notion that degree wouldn't benefit you much. Well of course, you could go to a mediocre/lousy university and end up taking all very easy courses and then your degree will mean nothing. But if you look at the successful people (not entirely financially like Gates) in the computing field, every single one of them have Masters and PhD's. If you did college just for sake of getting a degree, you will end up having just a degree. For some reason, in this country, education is looked down upon. That is very unfortunate.
- cweagans 9y ago
  > I don't feel [...] that it would benefit me much, besides being able to say I have a degree. It would get you past the screening processes that you are having a hard time with for one. That seems like a benefit. If I were you, I'd seriously reconsider this standpoint. Having a degree certainly isn't going to hurt you, and there are a lot of ways that it could help you. If money is the main concern, I'd like to point you at https://www.uopeople.edu/ https://www.uopeople.edu/ -- they're accredited and tuition free. You only pay for exams - $100 each for a total of < $5000 for a BSc.
  - zapperdapper 9y ago
    Nice link. I'd not heard of them. This shows what can be done: https://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/myprojects/mit-challenge-2/ https://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/myprojects/mit-challenge-2/ OK so this is hardcore, but even if a few of the modules were completed that would prove something.
- kpatrick 9y ago
  What religion forbids a cs degree?
  - BenjiWiebe 9y ago
    No, it's not the degree, it's the place, and the easily-negative influence that can be found at many institutes of higher learning. Also forbidden isn't the right word. "Recommended against" would be a better way of putting it.
    - jklein11 9y ago
      Could you elaborate on this? College, for me, was a largely positive influence. Admittedly it was expensive, but it was easily the largest catalyst for growth in my young adult life. I'm interested in learning about what the easily-negative influences in academia are, because besides the cost I can't think of an argument against it.
      - lgl 9y ago
        He's sacrificing his education because of some religion ffs... Logic, reality and common sense don't really apply so any answer you'll get will be just a bunch of judgmental backwards thinking bs that has no place anywhere (except maybe in Kansas).
        veddox 9y ago
        Please remain civil. Insulting language of that sort has no place in this discussion.
        jklein11 9y ago
        On the contrary, the response seemed logical and genuine (I am not from nor have I ever been to Kansas.)
      - veddox 9y ago
        Universities tend to be strongly influenced by liberal thinking and values (or are at least perceived to be). They can in fact be quite aggressively anti-conservative. If you're from a very conservative background, that isn't an environment you're going to feel at home in.

BenjiWiebe 9y ago

Partially religious reasons. Also, getting a degree takes a lot of money/time, and I don't feel (from what I've heard from academia, both students and teachers) that it would benefit me much, besides being able to say I have a degree.

SirLJ 9y ago
The degree will give you a lot of networking opportunities and this is what you need to get a job... also you'll have to be ready to relocate, so I would start applying to any job available anywhere in the US and why not around the world...
- BenjiWiebe 9y ago
  I'd rather not relocate. There are jobs in Kansas for what I'd like to do, if not hundreds of them.
  - SirLJ 9y ago
    If there are so many jobs, why you can't get one? I think you should really reflect on that and be more flexible, especially at your age...
    - BenjiWiebe 9y ago
      I can't get one because the automated application systems don't even accept an application if you have no degree, hence the question. I've applied for a couple of jobs, but I've gotten no response, not even email. I'm just ignored.
      - SirLJ 9y ago
        Again, you need to find a way to network with the people in those companies, go to meets, submit a paper and speak at conferences, etc... this is the only way...
      - cweagans 9y ago
        Cold applications are probably the worst way to get a job. You need to go to some local meetups and rub elbows with people IRL.
phakding 9y ago
I would disagree with the notion that degree wouldn't benefit you much. Well of course, you could go to a mediocre/lousy university and end up taking all very easy courses and then your degree will mean nothing. But if you look at the successful people (not entirely financially like Gates) in the computing field, every single one of them have Masters and PhD's. If you did college just for sake of getting a degree, you will end up having just a degree. For some reason, in this country, education is looked down upon. That is very unfortunate.
cweagans 9y ago
> I don't feel [...] that it would benefit me much, besides being able to say I have a degree. It would get you past the screening processes that you are having a hard time with for one. That seems like a benefit. If I were you, I'd seriously reconsider this standpoint. Having a degree certainly isn't going to hurt you, and there are a lot of ways that it could help you. If money is the main concern, I'd like to point you at https://www.uopeople.edu/ https://www.uopeople.edu/ -- they're accredited and tuition free. You only pay for exams - $100 each for a total of < $5000 for a BSc.
- zapperdapper 9y ago
  Nice link. I'd not heard of them. This shows what can be done: https://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/myprojects/mit-challenge-2/ https://www.scotthyoung.com/blog/myprojects/mit-challenge-2/ OK so this is hardcore, but even if a few of the modules were completed that would prove something.
kpatrick 9y ago
What religion forbids a cs degree?
- BenjiWiebe 9y ago
  No, it's not the degree, it's the place, and the easily-negative influence that can be found at many institutes of higher learning. Also forbidden isn't the right word. "Recommended against" would be a better way of putting it.
  - jklein11 9y ago
    Could you elaborate on this? College, for me, was a largely positive influence. Admittedly it was expensive, but it was easily the largest catalyst for growth in my young adult life. I'm interested in learning about what the easily-negative influences in academia are, because besides the cost I can't think of an argument against it.
    - lgl 9y ago
      He's sacrificing his education because of some religion ffs... Logic, reality and common sense don't really apply so any answer you'll get will be just a bunch of judgmental backwards thinking bs that has no place anywhere (except maybe in Kansas).
      - veddox 9y ago
        Please remain civil. Insulting language of that sort has no place in this discussion.
      - jklein11 9y ago
        On the contrary, the response seemed logical and genuine (I am not from nor have I ever been to Kansas.)
    - veddox 9y ago
      Universities tend to be strongly influenced by liberal thinking and values (or are at least perceived to be). They can in fact be quite aggressively anti-conservative. If you're from a very conservative background, that isn't an environment you're going to feel at home in.