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I never got a degree. I was inches within going to university (or as it's known elsewhere: college). I'm a firm believer that while a degree will make you look

I never got a degree. I was inches within going to university (or as it's known elsewhere: college). I'm a firm believer that while a degree will make you look good on a resume and usually get you a better salary, having skills that lay those to waste with degrees is how I got to where I am today. If you decide not to get a degree, learn to talk yourself up because prospective employers will grill you hard when they realise you don't have a degree, it's just how it is. Every place I've ever worked at and the place I am at now, I proved what I know not by my resume but rather impressing them with my street smart developer skills. Sure, I could be earning more money than I currently am now by getting a degree, but I don't have a higher education debt like most of my peers to repay, so it probably works out the same. If you're persistent and already know how to develop it's better to perhaps teach yourself. Like I said, a degree will get you a better starting salary at a lot of places, but it is by no means in my opinion an advantage over someone like myself who never went on to study computer science of equivalent degree. The debt from student loans will take ages to repay and although you'll have invaluable skills, I've seen people do CS/IT degrees and struggle in the real world. It sounds like you're more than proficient at teaching yourself and that's all you need. I've often worried about hitting 40 without a degree and losing my job without getting another, but then I remind myself that experience above all else is the most valuable skill to have. A degree doesn't make you smart or good at what you do in my opinion. I would argue if you love developing websites/software and find you keep yourself up-to-date with current technologies and always refreshing your skills, getting a degree is a waste of time.

yen223 14y ago
Universities are called 'universities' where I come from. In fact, I think only Americans call it college.
- DigitalSea 14y ago
  Oh wow, I did not know that.
- mxms 14y ago
  In America there are colleges, and there are universities. We usually refer to community colleges and state colleges as, well college. Then the Ivy League and prestigious universities, are, well referred to as universities. But they are pretty much used interchangeably. Don't stress the difference.
  - gregcohn 14y ago
    Yes, but "college" is still the generic form, as in, "Did you go to college?". In America, one would never answer that question, "No, I went to university."
- codemonkeymike 14y ago
  Colleges don't have PHD programs while Universities do, in America at least.
- argonaut 14y ago
  There's a lot of misconceptions here. In America, "university" and "college" are just about interchangeable. Yes, "university" does tend to imply a larger school and a school with a PhD program, with college implying the opposite, but this is not a rule and there are hundreds of exceptions. The only type of school that is exclusively called a "college" is the community college (small, local schools that only tend to serve a single city or county/province). But community colleges are widely agreed to be a big step below your typical college/university. "College" is sometimes used to refer to the undergraduate portion of a university. For example, there is Harvard University. But within Harvard University, undergraduates are actually members of "Harvard College," in exactly the sense that law students would be members of "Harvard Law School."

yen223 14y ago

Universities are called 'universities' where I come from. In fact, I think only Americans call it college.

DigitalSea 14y ago
Oh wow, I did not know that.
mxms 14y ago
In America there are colleges, and there are universities. We usually refer to community colleges and state colleges as, well college. Then the Ivy League and prestigious universities, are, well referred to as universities. But they are pretty much used interchangeably. Don't stress the difference.
- gregcohn 14y ago
  Yes, but "college" is still the generic form, as in, "Did you go to college?". In America, one would never answer that question, "No, I went to university."
codemonkeymike 14y ago
Colleges don't have PHD programs while Universities do, in America at least.
argonaut 14y ago
There's a lot of misconceptions here. In America, "university" and "college" are just about interchangeable. Yes, "university" does tend to imply a larger school and a school with a PhD program, with college implying the opposite, but this is not a rule and there are hundreds of exceptions. The only type of school that is exclusively called a "college" is the community college (small, local schools that only tend to serve a single city or county/province). But community colleges are widely agreed to be a big step below your typical college/university. "College" is sometimes used to refer to the undergraduate portion of a university. For example, there is Harvard University. But within Harvard University, undergraduates are actually members of "Harvard College," in exactly the sense that law students would be members of "Harvard Law School."