1. They've taken to offering those bootcamps or at least hosting those types of training themselves. As far as the traditional university rigor goes, they still

1. They've taken to offering those bootcamps or at least hosting those types of training themselves. As far as the traditional university rigor goes, they still teach data structures and PLC the same way that they always have, but I don't necessarily think that is a bad thing. There is value in knowing those concepts even though most 9-5 SWE don't need or care about them. There is also benefit in working and struggling with a cohort: in traditional universities many students often share classes with one another (at least the majors classes) so you can make life-long relationships. 2. It depends. If the goal is to be employed as a "normie" SWE, then no. If the goal is to work in a STEM field, then maybe. If the goal is to be an academic or researcher, then yes. 3. I can easily name a dozen or more very excellent engineers that either never went to traditional university or had degrees in other fields. When I hire I'm looking as much for drive, motivation, personality, and levelheadedness as I am for knowledge, and academic credentialism is a second tier (or lower) consideration. 4. Probably answering along the same lines as #2. People and markets will find the highest value. 5. Worked in a university system for a total of a decade - about 15 years ago - including a two year stint at a prestigious engineering/science/compsci school in the southeast. I'm sure things have changed but as with all super large bodies it probably hasn't been much. I also still have friends that work in those places and we talk frequently about the state of things (usually by complaining about it). I took advantage of the paid tuition while I was there, working as a desktop tech and taking classes as night. During that ten years I became so frustrated with the way things were run - it was mentally and emotionally draining. It was also fraught with abuse, mismanagement, scandal, and there was no career path (there were only COLA raises no matter how well you performed or what certifications/degrees you got). As much as I loved the university the administrative side of things have ruined it. And all that was before this new wave of distaste and distrust with universities.