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Ask HN: Getting a CS "degree" via MIT OpenCourseWare?

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Re: Ask HN: Getting a CS "degree" via MIT OpenCourseWare?

#21

Post by rfnslyr »

jkldotio wrote: post #19
rfnslyr wrote: post #16

Earlier quoted context omitted.

However if your experience in the local small college was miserable you have to be brutally honest with yourself about what the real reasons were for not completing there as they will likely apply to anything you do elsewhere. It was low level introductory programming like basic C, PHP, navigating the UNIX filesystem, writing bash scripts, some simple database work. It's stuff I've already done before and didn't find…

Well the UoL one is done by distance and is theoretically open to anyone who can make it to their exam centers (~30 across Canada), not just those resident in the UK. Or you could take the foundations of comp sci from edX[1] and/or the credited Coursera courses[2](you won't be getting a CS degree without at least a reasonable amount of maths and stats) with a view to 1) completing a degree mostly that way over the ne…

Oh awesome, UoL sounds like a potential option then. Thanks.

Re: Ask HN: Getting a CS "degree" via MIT OpenCourseWare?

#22

Post by argonaut »

derekp7 wrote: post #13
argonaut wrote: post #11

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Define "real-world." Open-source projects are highly relevant in terms of getting exposure and connections. If you contribute to a project used by a company, that can be a big plus, for example. Or if you contribute to a project, you can then probably get internal referrals from other contributors at the companies they work at.

I think that depends on the type of company -- a number of old-school companies would be scared off by open-source contributors. For example, back when I was at Motorola (way before the split, and before Google bought out the cell phone section), part of the employment contract was that anything creative you think of at work or at home) belongs to the company, so technically you couldn't work on any side projects wit…

Also, you've inverted my chain of causality.

I don't claim that in order to work at you should do open source. I only claim that doing open source will help you get a job at . Those two sets are not the same.

Re: Ask HN: Getting a CS "degree" via MIT OpenCourseWare?

#23

Post by akulbe »

jkldotio wrote: post #15

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but I believe the cheapest path to a degree in the United States is to: 1. make sure your local state university offers cheap tuition to residents 2. make sure they accept credit transfers from community colleges, get it in writing 3. do 1-2 years in community college 4. transfer those to the state university and do the final years there at the cheaper tuition rate You'd then exit wi…

There is an even cheaper way to do it, that I'm AMAZED doesn't get more attention. Credit by exam.

The two options I used, that covered one year of school for me, in about 4 months... CLEP and DANTES.

CLEP - http://clep.collegeboard.org DANTES - http://getcollegecredit.com

the tl;dr version: take exam on $SUBJECT, pass exam, get credit.

The fine print:

a. the exams cost money, typically $100 - 150

b. there is typically a limit on how many credit-by-exam credits a receiving institution will accept (for me, it was 30 semester hours, or 1 year's worth) - for how many and which credits you can get - you need to research with the receiving institution!!!

c. Usually, these are NOT easy exams, but the margin for passing exams varies, but typically it's a ridiculously low margin, like 50-60%. I guess the rationale is that the average college student retains only 50-60% of the material they were taught, at best. (my conjecture, not fact!)

TOTALLY doable!!!

Re: Ask HN: Getting a CS "degree" via MIT OpenCourseWare?

#24

Post by flipcoder »

rfnslyr wrote: post #4
jakelin wrote: post #3

Please notice you won't get a degree from MIT OpenCourseWare. "No registration, no enrollment, and no grades or credits are offered" from http://ocw.mit.edu/help/get-started-with-ocw/ But It is worthing to spend time on online courses now. I have finished some courses on https://www.coursera.org/ and https://www.udemy.com . I can always learn from the best. I finished my Bachelor's degree and Master's degree more tha…

Nobody in the real world cares about open source projects from my personal experience. I realize I won't get a degree, just wondering if people have ever been hired after spending time on something like this.

My GitHub profile got me a job interview with Google, is that "real world"?

Re: Ask HN: Getting a CS "degree" via MIT OpenCourseWare?

#25

Post by derekp7 »

argonaut wrote: post #14
derekp7 wrote: post #13

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I think that depends on the type of company -- a number of old-school companies would be scared off by open-source contributors. For example, back when I was at Motorola (way before the split, and before Google bought out the cell phone section), part of the employment contract was that anything creative you think of at work or at home) belongs to the company, so technically you couldn't work on any side projects wit…

Read my first sentence.

Ok, so "Real world" -- that definition varies depending on what part of the country (U.S.) you are in (or which country, for that matter). My definition of Real World is the majority of companies that you can work at, in a given region. So for the real world on the West Coast, you are most definitely correct -- you are probably more likely to run into open-source friendly companies. In the Midwest, not quite as much (unless you get into one of the financial trading houses).

Actually, now that I think of it, this may not be a strictly regional thing, except that certain industry types cluster around specific areas. I think it is more if a company sees its software as a competitive advantage, then they are more likely to go out on a limb to try to differentiate themselves. Whereas companies that see software as similar to a phone system, or electricity, they are usually only interested in traditional big-company that-you-can-contractually-blame software. At least that has been my experience around here.

Re: Ask HN: Getting a CS "degree" via MIT OpenCourseWare?

#26

Post by hmsimha »

akulbe wrote: post #23
jkldotio wrote: post #15

Someone correct me if I am wrong, but I believe the cheapest path to a degree in the United States is to: 1. make sure your local state university offers cheap tuition to residents 2. make sure they accept credit transfers from community colleges, get it in writing 3. do 1-2 years in community college 4. transfer those to the state university and do the final years there at the cheaper tuition rate You'd then exit wi…

There is an even cheaper way to do it, that I'm AMAZED doesn't get more attention. Credit by exam. The two options I used, that covered one year of school for me, in about 4 months... CLEP and DANTES. CLEP - http://clep.collegeboard.org DANTES - http://getcollegecredit.com the tl;dr version: take exam on $SUBJECT, pass exam, get credit. The fine print: a. the exams cost money, typically $100 - 150 b. there is typical…

This is great, and something I looked into when I was pursuing my bachelors, but it's important to note this is something ONLY worth considering after finishing a relevant udacity/mit course, and then making sure the syllabus matches up with that of the local university's teacher's that will be administering the exam.

Also, at my school, which was a mediocre local university, I believe you still needed 70% to pass an examination for accreditation.

Re: Ask HN: Getting a CS "degree" via MIT OpenCourseWare?

#27

Post by chany2 »

I am pretty sure (depending on what company you want to work for), "degrees" and "education" doesn't matter anymore.

If you can do several passion projects of your own, no GOOD employer would discredit you.

But I recommend, double down. Create something you love (no business intention behind it) while taking the MIT course.

Re: Ask HN: Getting a CS "degree" via MIT OpenCourseWare?

#28

Post by lauradhamilton »

Speaking as a hiring manager, I would hire a person with such a "degree." Even better if some open source experience, contract experience, sysadmin experience, etc.

Depends on location. Markets in SF and NY particularly are very strong. Maybe don't try this in Tennessee.

Re: Ask HN: Getting a CS "degree" via MIT OpenCourseWare?

#29

Post by hugovie »

flipcoder wrote: post #24
rfnslyr wrote: post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Nobody in the real world cares about open source projects from my personal experience. I realize I won't get a degree, just wondering if people have ever been hired after spending time on something like this.

My GitHub profile got me a job interview with Google, is that "real world"?

Oh really? I viewed your github, but have no impression. Why did Google give you an interview? I think you have other profile, not just github.
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