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Comment by locococo | Hacker News Reader

Different Perspective,

they don't loose out, they minimize their risk by not hiring someone who on the surface seems to know how to code but deep down below does not add a whole lot of value to the team because they lack in depth knowledge on subjects that go beyond coding.

I have 15 years of experience and went back to get a degree in CS. Why, because I realized there is a huge gap in my theoretical knowledge. Everyone nowadays seems so convinced that you can equate watching a couple of youtube videos to getting a 4 year education in a field.

This is a fallacious oversimplification of reality, no one in their right mind would say the same about engineering or medicine or law.

My 2c

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It's funny that you equate not going to college with "watching a couple of youtube videos". Don't you think there are some non-college educated developers who read algorithm books, take online courses, etc? A motivated person can absolutely self-learn the CS that's taught in universities.

We are extremely fortunate today to have resources that enable one to independently study the entire contents of a CS degree in the fraction of time on their own schedule. Pursuing a CS degree while actively employed in the field is a foolish waste of money.

That's what I'm thinking too. I have spent so much time over the years studying and working with computers and languages and digging into specifics to accomplish a task that a degree would really mostly be a widow dressing that would be counter productive to obtain by distracting me from learning things more important in a real work environment.

I don't mean to imply I'm an wizard. I'm far from that. I've learned on a need to know basis and focused on building web apps and platforms to run them on. I do have a clue about what I don't know though, and that too is important.

But, as you've pointed out, most everything needed to learn how to do this stuff right is freely available and easily accessible and constantly evolving so at best you're learning with a snapshot of somewhat outdated material in a classroom. That's not a bad way to learn, but it's not how I've learned. I dove in headfirst and started making stuff, learning as I went.

Still, as to the original comment, I admire the hard work it takes to get a degree when one really applies themselves. It's no small accomplishment and I'm sure I'd learn a lot if I went through the process, and that I'd enjoy it too. I would love to be able to do that.

I decided to pursue a masters degree in CS while working because I realized hat I needed to gain more knowledge to grow professionally. I doubt that someone who studies a CS curriculum online without going through an accredited program is remotely comparable to someone who did.

All I am trying to say is that we have to differentiate between CS professionals and self thought programmers. There is a difference and I am stunned that people don't see the benefit of a university education.

I think such people exist, but I also think that this does not warrant someone to compare themselves to a professional with a degree. Much like I would not dare to compare myself to a doctor by reading a book about biology.

I've known guys with degrees that couldn't code their way out of a paper bag. A degree does not make one a professional.

"Everyone nowadays seems so convinced that you can equate watching a couple of youtube videos to getting a 4 year education in a field"

Well, I certainly did not.

I do know that some things come much easier to some people than it does for others. For example, one might spend a lifetime studying music but never create a remarkable piece of it themselves.

I think the ability to apply logic to coding solutions is similar. It's as much a gift as a learned skill and those who are gifted will almost always be better at creating solutions than those who are not.

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