> A CS degree isn’t hard to get in the grand scheme of things, and not getting one is basically the equivalent of burning your boat and going all in to whatever

> A CS degree isn’t hard to get in the grand scheme of things, and not getting one is basically the equivalent of burning your boat and going all in to whatever alternative path you choose, because if you fail you’ll just end up unemployable later on. I wouldn't go that far. While the work involved may not be that hard, a CS degree may be inaccessible or a poor fit for many people. That said, I agree with the premise that it is hard to evaluate self-taught individuals. It is far too easy to have gaps in knowledge if one doesn't approach their studies systematically, it is difficult for the learner to assess their own learning without a realistic baseline to compare against, and too many businesses oversell the quality of their programs (e.g. bootcamps).