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Hired by Google as L4 but rejected by top colleges

dcurbanmom.com

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Re: Hired by Google as L4 but rejected by top colleges

#3
University of Texas has an excellent CompSci department and this person should be happy to attend.

Also, there are plenty of engineers at Big Tech companies and at startups who have no degree other than a high school diploma and a huge number don’t have a computer science degree if they do have one.

There is also a large contingent of folks who have terminal degrees in law or a PhD in Physics but work in software engineering.

I think the college application process is a crapshoot for the most part but its likely that this person didn’t distinguish themselves in that particular area but apparently had no issue passing a completely different criteria and process for an engineering gig at Google.

Re: Hired by Google as L4 but rejected by top colleges

#5
Kid’s making bank, congrats! But as an ex-L4 Googler I need to say, I’m sure he’s similarly frustrated as I was. I don’t live to maximize income - I want to maximize learning and fun. Compared to successfully launching a startup fixing bugs and launching minor features as an L4 is depressing as hell.

Not everyone will have it that bad. Hopefully he’s having a better time than I did.

Re: Hired by Google as L4 but rejected by top colleges

#8
post #4

Why bother with working for a large corp or going to college? Seems like he should focus on his organically fast growing startup.

i agree but some people are so brainwashed from such an early age that they need to go to college and the best one out there or they won't be successful in life.

I should point them to my old neighbor who didn't go to school and worked as a HVAC tech. Then started his own company and he barely works now and is 42.

That's true success in my book

Re: Hired by Google as L4 but rejected by top colleges

#9
I went to community college and a tiny private college nobody has ever heard of and I got a good paying job in tech as an engineer at a prestigious company. And I understand the obsession with Stanford and MIT, the networking opportunities, the namesake, but I never felt like I had to attend a prestigious university to study what I wanted. Just my 2c. Ironically the community college prepared me better for a career in tech than the 4-year school.
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