Ask HN: Should I go back to school?

#1

Post by sturgeongeneral » Fri, Jan 16, 2015, 10:48 PM UTC

I've been working as a front-end developer professionally for the last 4 years doing mostly HTML, CSS, and JavaScript and I'm looking to make a change. I feel like I'm not growing intellectually; I'd rather be doing back-end or mobile development. The solution may be as simple as switching jobs, but I think there's an elephant in the room: I think I lack a grasp of the fundamental principles that would make me not only a good coder, but a good thinker. I've worked really hard at learning some of these myself, but I think I've hit a wall. In my spare time I do Python and have begun dipping my toes in Clojure, and I find I really enjoy both, but I think the ability to build and reason about large and scalable applications seems out of reach at the moment.

I have a BA in Econ but I'm thinking of going back to school for CS. Returning to my alma mater would cost me no more than $30k in total and would take no more than 2 years. Is it worth it, or should I continue working and invest my time in self-education? I feel like credentials can be overrated, but I see a real value in pursuing a CS education.

Re: Ask HN: Should I go back to school?

#2

Post by bavcyc » Fri, Jan 16, 2015, 11:05 PM UTC

If you do better in a classroom setting, pursuing the CS degree is probably worth it. Check with the school and see if you can pursue the CS as a MS rather than a BS, this may require a number of undergraduate classes to fulfill delinquencies. With an Econ degree, I expect you are already good at research and analysis.

I went back to school for an EE degree (and it has been worth it) since credentials are needed in certain areas of the EE realm. And the credential is definitely a benefit that trumped the costs associated with pursuing another UG degree.

An e-book that may be of interest is "How to Think Like a Computer Scientist."

Re: Ask HN: Should I go back to school?

#3

Post by sturgeongeneral » Fri, Jan 16, 2015, 11:43 PM UTC

bavcyc wrote: post #2

If you do better in a classroom setting, pursuing the CS degree is probably worth it. Check with the school and see if you can pursue the CS as a MS rather than a BS, this may require a number of undergraduate classes to fulfill delinquencies. With an Econ degree, I expect you are already good at research and analysis. I went back to school for an EE degree (and it has been worth it) since credentials are needed in c…

Thanks for the feedback.

Re: Ask HN: Should I go back to school?

#4

Post by pmtarantino » Sat, Jan 17, 2015, 1:10 AM UTC

If it were only for the credentials, I would say no. It if were only for the education, I think you can get the same topics (and maybe more in deep) from articles, books, papers and more.

Anyway, I say yes: a CS education in college will provide you with an environment full of people who will pursue the same and think alike, and that's one of the most important things I am getting in college.