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Yes. In the early '00s, I was unfulfilled doing web development and bored out of my mind. I went back to school hoping to get into more interesting tech. I

Yes. In the early '00s, I was unfulfilled doing web development and bored out of my mind. I went back to school hoping to get into more interesting tech. I got a bit sidetracked from that because I found immense pleasure in mathematics, but luck would have it, and I found my way to quantum computing through a colleague from my research group. So I didn't really leave tech; I got the credentials to migrate into "high tech." Which isn't a "save the world" type of fulfillment but at least the challenges we face are intellectually stimulating. And, pertinent to today: I quit my web job as the dot-com bubble was bursting. I graduated in 2008 when the economy was collapsing again and I weathered that crash in grad school, making peanuts but not taking on debt. Going to college/university with a few years of "adult" working experience has its benefits: paying my own tuition, I wasn't there to party, I was there to learn. I devoted myself to the work as if it were my job. If I had stayed in web stuff, I'd probably have been taking a nice salary for the decade or so that I was in school making beans. My salary would probably be 2-3x what it is today, if I hadn't earned enough to retire early. But I never went hungry, I took on very little debt, and I really enjoy what I do today. I'd do it all over again.

the_only_law 4y ago
Just curious, did you have an undergrad degree already?
- boothby 4y ago
  No, I got into web development straight out of high school. I'd been taking community college courses through an early-entry program; took some programming classes, did some networking, so come Monday after high school, I had a job.
  - the_only_law 4y ago
    Ah, ok. I’ve been trying to go back for a while now, but the bureaucracy and rigidity of the education system, combined with some unique life circumstances have made it impossible so far. Universities don’t seem to want anyone who’s not a traditional student (unless ofc it’s a low income adult, that they can sell “useless” online degrees to) and community colleges treat me like a clueless teenager and want to hand hold every step of the way.
    - boothby 4y ago
      When I went back to school, I went to community college while freelancing to pay for it. I saw some of that hand-holding you refer to, but I discovered that after I was admitted (and took some remedial math because I'd blown that off in high school), it could largely be avoided. The university had an all-but guaranteed transfer program from community college; I satisfied the requirements and had a stellar GPA (versus "clueless teenagers," as you put it, go figure). Not a single step along the way was easy; but suffering the indignity of a bit of hand-holding wasn't the hard part. Tune out, smile, and do the paperwork. Make sure that you're meeting the actual requirements of the university you want to get into. I'm the only person I know that both holds a PhD and went to community college. A non-standard resume like mine isn't great for getting jobs. Networking, networking, networking.

the_only_law 4y ago

Just curious, did you have an undergrad degree already?

boothby 4y ago
No, I got into web development straight out of high school. I'd been taking community college courses through an early-entry program; took some programming classes, did some networking, so come Monday after high school, I had a job.
- the_only_law 4y ago
  Ah, ok. I’ve been trying to go back for a while now, but the bureaucracy and rigidity of the education system, combined with some unique life circumstances have made it impossible so far. Universities don’t seem to want anyone who’s not a traditional student (unless ofc it’s a low income adult, that they can sell “useless” online degrees to) and community colleges treat me like a clueless teenager and want to hand hold every step of the way.
  - boothby 4y ago
    When I went back to school, I went to community college while freelancing to pay for it. I saw some of that hand-holding you refer to, but I discovered that after I was admitted (and took some remedial math because I'd blown that off in high school), it could largely be avoided. The university had an all-but guaranteed transfer program from community college; I satisfied the requirements and had a stellar GPA (versus "clueless teenagers," as you put it, go figure). Not a single step along the way was easy; but suffering the indignity of a bit of hand-holding wasn't the hard part. Tune out, smile, and do the paperwork. Make sure that you're meeting the actual requirements of the university you want to get into. I'm the only person I know that both holds a PhD and went to community college. A non-standard resume like mine isn't great for getting jobs. Networking, networking, networking.