4 ms·
Ask HN: Does a college degree matter?
I'm an engineering drop out. i have 4yr+ working experience with 1yr+ in each of these sectors: technical support, marketing, freelancing and application development.
Currently, i'm working as a software engineer at a Startup. Now, i'm a bit confused whether or not should i consider getting a college degree.
i have heard Friends and colleagues say that a college degree is a must and i might face some problem in future without it.
So, i ask HN users to offer their views so that it would help me change course if i have lost my way in my life.
- lutusp 14y ago> i have heard Friends and colleagues say that a college degree is a must and i might face some problem in future without it. Maybe, but are you aware of how many billionaires are college dropouts, starting with Bill Gates? : http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_college_dropout_billionaires http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_college_dropout_billion... Does the above mean you will succeed without an education? No, it means you might succeed without a degree, an entirely different proposition. Try to draw a distinction between education and schooling. As Mark Twain supposedly said, "I have never let my schooling interfere with my education." > ... i request [sic: ask] HN users to input [sic: offer] their opinions [sic: views] so that it would help me correct [sic: change course] if i have done a mistake [sic: lost my way] min [sic] my life. I can't begin to list the problems with the above sentence, so please put English composition on your list of educational objectives -- with or without time spent in schools. The bottom line is that you're asking the wrong question, and education is by no means limited to schools. For many, the best education is life itself.
- Techasura 14y agoSorry about my english there.. I don't usually type somethings like this, But when i do, i make lot of mistakes. i'm in the process of correcting my vocabulary. And thanks for the input. I have had a the lessons from my own life and also majority by looking at other's. Sure, it might make me successful. But the world would still say i'm an undergraduate, and this is what fears me.
- lutusp 14y ago> But the world would still say i'm an undergraduate, and this is what fears me [sic]. If you acquire an education outside of school, no one will reject you because you don't have a degree (people are essentially pragmatic). But if you only acquire a degree, people will still reject you if you're willing to say that lack of a degree is what fears you. > i'm in the process of correcting my vocabulary. More than vocabulary -- I recommend that you spend a lot of time reading the writing of others, then trying to write clear prose in imitation of authors whose writing you respect. In short, for the time being, more high-quality reading, less writing. And try to avoid the use of scholarly-sounding words whose only purpose is to make you appear "educated". And again, asking about the utility of a college degree misses the point -- if you become skilled with words, no one will bother to ask if you have a degree.
- Techasura 14y agoThank you so much. I would definitely follow those wise words. i will start reading high quality content and practice.
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- SEJeff 14y agoFor a sysadmin/network admin/help desk role (generally speaking) the answer is sort of. As someone who does a lot of tech interviews, I would take a person who writes open software and engages in discussions on mailing lists that I can find via google more than a person with a 4 year degree from $no_name_school. Having worked with plenty of people from Harvard who are poor employees and coworkers, I feel it just depends on the environment and role. For a software developer role, you generally need a degree. Some of the harder algorithmic aspects can be super hard to learn on your own. However, any degree can be trumped by experience. I see github as the absolute best resume available. It is possible, but very difficult to get any job in upper management without a degree. Disclaimer: I've worked professionally in tech for 10+ years, lack a college education, and am very successful. However, I did a technical job for 4 years in the US Army.
- Techasura 14y agoYou are the best example i can get for a person with no degree and still successful. I feel the same but the environment i live in, with the people who come from a background where they do degree just because they don't know what to do next after their school, makes me a li'l underestimated and sometimes i go depressed.
- rdouble 14y agoIt's useful to have a degree if you ever plan on moving to another country. Almost every visa requires a degree. If it's a points based visa, you get a lot of points for a degree.
- Techasura 14y agoWow.. i never knew that concept. But why would anyone check if you have a college degree or not to move to an another place?!
- tjbiddle 14y agoI'm assuming it's something along the lines of "How much value your bring to the country." Edit: I should also note that this is not what I think - But what that exception is probably alluding to.
- czbond 14y agoIt does. It also help you learn to structure your thoughts and analysis processes. If you are a developer, you don't need one now. But my gut tells me with the lack of current developer supply & no barriers to entry, that underclassed developers will start flooding the market. A C.S. or similar degree will help out. You may not want to now, but you may prefer to do something more than "hands on keyboard" at a later date - that's where a degree helps.
- orangethirty 14y agoDo it. You can only gain.
- tjbiddle 14y agoI wouldn't completely agree with this. There's a time trade off - If someone can learn more efficiently by doing things on their own vs. attending a university - It could be a loss. Of course this varies for each person.
- orangethirty 14y agoHe is almost there. Worse than having no degree is almost having one. Shows you can't finish what you started.
- tjbiddle 14y agoIf he's almost there I'd stick it out - But I don't think the OP said anything about time spent, just that he dropped out. Just re-read it and it states 4+ Yrs work experience - Not schooling. But yes, if that were the case I'd truck through it.
- victorhn 14y agoI am on this situation, however mine is a masters degree, i almost finished, unfortunately events happened and i could not continue due to financial reasons, does anyone think that this may have seriously hurt my employability? (right now employers ignores me after they see the 2 year gap with nothing to show for)
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- Techasura 14y agoYes, i can only gain. you are right. Well, i got admitted to a local university today. It will be a evening college, so that it wont kill my day.