If Lee hadn't gone to West Point and rubbed shoulders with all the right people, would he have gotten the job that made him famous? There were probably rank and

If Lee hadn't gone to West Point and rubbed shoulders with all the right people, would he have gotten the job that made him famous? There were probably rank and file soldiers blown away in opening volleys who had more raw potential as military strategists than Lee, but were never given the opportunity because they didn't have the money, prestigious degree, and political connections. Software has always been a special case because despite some naysayers, it is quite meritocratic compared to other fields. Your degree might boost your ability to get an interview, but in a good technical interview, the good coder without a degree is generally going to stand out from a bad coder even if they have a degree from a prestigious university.