Absolutely. As long as you go and study something you don't already know. A competent programmer who is also a domain expert in some field will always be in a better position than someone who is just a competent programmer.
Ask HN: Is college even worth it if you're worth your salt as a programmer?
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Re: Ask HN: Is college even worth it if you're worth your salt as a programmer?
#22If you can always find a job and have side projects to fall back on, I don't see the point. However, if you imagine yourself taking a shot at climbing the corporate ladder at a huge company, a degree is absolutely essential.
I also have a side project that would be able to support me, but I do attend college. In my opinion, having that piece of paper (provided you don't go into massive debt for it) is much better than not having it.
Re: Ask HN: Is college even worth it if you're worth your salt as a programmer?
#23If you want to learn more about computer science, you can also study on your own. I disliked college because the major I chose just got me lost and in the end, I ended up learning programming just by doing it. Like this other guy says, financially it just does not make any sense. You could also end up with really bad professors who teach you squat whereas you could just pick up a high-quality textbook.
You chose the major and then didn't succeed with it. What does that have to do with college? College is not a guarantee for success and if someone told you otherwise and you believed them then I have a nice bridge to sell you. College is a path like any other. You have to walk that path and make the most of the journey.
That said, there was an article on HN a few months ago showing a strong correlation between having a college degree and earning more over a lifetime.
Re: Ask HN: Is college even worth it if you're worth your salt as a programmer?
#24Maybe, maybe not. I think that in any case the 'stuff' (Algorithms, Databases, Operating System Internals, etc) they teach in college is intrinsically interesting. (Or perhaps not.) In any case it is also extraordinarily useful when you're doing something new and can't rely on the work of other people who already knew it. The thing is, the more time you spend learning 'junk food' topics like frameworks and API's the faster you're going to have to walk the treadmill to stay relevant. The more theory you know the slower you go out of date.
Read more textbooks and fewer blog posts.
Re: Ask HN: Is college even worth it if you're worth your salt as a programmer?
#25Yes. Unless you are a savant you won't get hired without a degree. If you are really 'getting offers at mid-high sized startups and a few "mainstream" companies' then you might just be one.
I don't know long-division and I make six figures. Don't believe the hype.
More like: don't believe the hype on this website that is stuck in a Silicon Valley and Venture Capitalist mindset.
Re: Ask HN: Is college even worth it if you're worth your salt as a programmer?
#26It depends. Can you go to a prestigious institution without going into massive debt? Then do it, very few exceptions: https://medium.com/@opirmusic/why-software-developers-should...
If you have to go into a good amount of debt or the institution is not particularly prestigious, and you already have plenty of skill/experience/connections, I'd spend time considering what exactly you expect to get out of it.
Re: Ask HN: Is college even worth it if you're worth your salt as a programmer?
#27Your question strikes me, because you've framed 'college' and 'programming' in terms of their potential, or lack, of monetary benefits. That's an entirely fair way of framing this decision, but not the only one. I would suggest, if you are as capable a programmer as you claim, that you have the unique opportunity to enjoy many benefits of the college experience, without the burden of debt or delayed employment/advancement that your peers will face. It really depends on what you think you can gain from an educational environment.
For my part, I recently left a career to return to school. I'm getting a graduate degree after a 10-year gap from my undergrad, and even though I'm working a job at the same time, it's inspiring to be in an academic environment again. Some assignments are tedious, but to share a cafe or a bar with other students who are working through intellectual questions is an experience that is difficult to monetize, and nearly impossible to expect outside the university. There is a reason it is called an 'academic bubble', but while many say that scorn, I am inspired by the space that bubble creates.
I would suggest that, if you're a capable programmer, then don't go to college to learn to program. Study topics that seem foreign/difficult to you, revel in the leisure time to discuss ideas with your peers, and rise to the challenges set by professors. The academy is intended to be a space for self inquiry and growth. If that is something you value, then try to find a college that feels right to grow with.
If nothing else, try applying. As a general rule, you should avoid closing doors on opportunities that don't exist. If you get accepted to an institution, then you have a right to decline it, but rejecting it without applying is hubris.
Re: Ask HN: Is college even worth it if you're worth your salt as a programmer?
#28If you already love programming then go learn electronics and hardware design.
Re: Ask HN: Is college even worth it if you're worth your salt as a programmer?
#29I kind of like this irresponsible advice:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=yafAqdtEofY
You don't know what to do, and most people here don't, and the best we can do is speculate one way or the other - but so can you!.
Gas is cheap, and terrorism and the middle-east problems are back with a vengeance, but things are cyclical so that means gas will be expensive again? And your easy come easy go job will really be gone (based on the cycle I guess) when shit hits the fan? Maybe not? Maybe the world has improved, and we won't throw out decent people who have work experience, but maybe things will get so rough that we'll have to stamp a "no-degree" tattoo on your for-head when the time comes.
This is a complicated question, I see why you asked it.
Re: Ask HN: Is college even worth it if you're worth your salt as a programmer?
#30College will open your mind. It will expose you to areas of programming other than the typical industry job. It will provide you a holistic treatment of topics that you would only pick up piecemeal in the industry. The contextual knowledge you gain will enable you to pick up things quicker and have an overall richer understanding of how things work.