31–40 of 52 posts
Although I comprehend the dream you don't have to be in California to be working on a start-up.
If your degree in CS is too easy and feels useless study something difficult. If money up front is not an issue you want a university degree. Even if considered as nothing more than a meaningless credential, university degrees pay off over time. More now than ever. But it needn't be a mere piece of paper. If your classes are teaching you things you already know take different classes . When you've studied physics up…
I can't, my university won't let me take harder courses. I've taken the hardest courses I can. And I've talked with the councilors, and they tell me to just wait till next semester - "that's when the real fun starts" - but I don't think so.
I don't know your situation, but: When they say "they won't let me take harder courses" does this mean they will physically throw you out of a random lecture if you attend one? Is there a rule against self-study? Does the library only let you check out certain books? Is your internet filtered? Keep in mind that I'm advising you to learn stuff, not necessarily get official credit for it. Transcripts are not very relevant. Nobody will glance at yours five years from now unless you apply to grad school.
Understand how lucky you are to be able to say "I have the option to get a degree... money is not a problem". Even if you are forced -- forced, I tell you -- to spend the next two years drinking beer, lounging around, and casually acing all your classes, do that rather than drop out at this point. IT jobs are not going anywhere. Silicon Valley is not going anywhere.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I can't, my university won't let me take harder courses. I've taken the hardest courses I can. And I've talked with the councilors, and they tell me to just wait till next semester - "that's when the real fun starts" - but I don't think so.
One trick I used at university was if there was a course I wanted to sit in on, I would just show up, sit in the back and listen. Most classes are so big you can slip in there under the radar. Dont wait or let some professor tell you can't take a course. Get the reading material, do the assignments, and learn what you want.
Study typing! Practice your high-speed essay-writing!
If your degree in CS is too easy and feels useless study something difficult. If money up front is not an issue you want a university degree. Even if considered as nothing more than a meaningless credential, university degrees pay off over time. More now than ever. But it needn't be a mere piece of paper. If your classes are teaching you things you already know take different classes . When you've studied physics up…
I can't, my university won't let me take harder courses. I've taken the hardest courses I can. And I've talked with the councilors, and they tell me to just wait till next semester - "that's when the real fun starts" - but I don't think so.
Earlier quoted context omitted.
I can't, my university won't let me take harder courses. I've taken the hardest courses I can. And I've talked with the councilors, and they tell me to just wait till next semester - "that's when the real fun starts" - but I don't think so.
One trick I used at university was if there was a course I wanted to sit in on, I would just show up, sit in the back and listen. Most classes are so big you can slip in there under the radar. Dont wait or let some professor tell you can't take a course. Get the reading material, do the assignments, and learn what you want.
My degree was in Maths/Comp-Sci, and as a result, I didn't have some of the courses I wanted open to me on CS due to clashes with compulsory Maths modules for some lectures. Me and a friend ended up sitting at the back of the 50% we could attend (on Networking), and doing a bit of work. After an interview with the prof we were allowed onto the subsequent modules that required the course, despite having never sat the exam...in his words, "It's your degree if you fail it.."
And by the way; don't get a degree; take it. Even if it's easy.
I dropped out because it was boring me, now I regret it.
1. I'm labelled a "dropout". That's a good thing if you manage to make a success of yourself, otherwise it might as well say "loser".
2. People consider me less serious than if I had a degree. I've actually been in conversations with people where, despite my 6 years of commercial experience and numerous successful projects, they've discounted my views over the newbie programmer, because he's just finished a computing degree (computing, not even CS). This is when dealing with people who have barely any computer skills - a degree makes sense to them, they never see the code I write or understand how long it takes me to write. (Note: I'm not very outspoken and not much of a leader).
3. I'd get more chances/earn more money. My friend, who is a less experienced coder than me, can get job interviews that I cannot and earns more money than me (even though we have the same job). His degree is in philosophy.
If you can get a degree, absolutely get one. It won't get you any jobs, but it will get your foot in the door. On the other hand, there are other (arguably better) ways to get your foot in the door, such as having a set of side projects that show your passion.
Having a degree can make it easier to get a visa to work in the US, to governments credentials count, not real ability. Trying to do the degree you're doing is dangerous, as you've noted (although it does allow you to maintain your lifestyle and keep current in real software development). Is there any possibility that you can change to another major or school where you can get a real CS degree?
I'd have to move to get another option. I haven't done any real research into the whole visa-business, but I really should do that soon;) Is it not true that it's easier to get a visa if you already have a company that has agreed to let you work with them?
My advice would be to get a 4.0, get a degree, and try to go to graduate school at CMU/Boston/San Francisco area.
It's not going to be as simple as hopping on a plane and getting hired. You have a whole host of visa issues to work out, and if you do it incorrectly, you could jeopardize your chances of staying here long term forever.