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Comment by carlmr | Hacker News Reader

I disagree with #6. I always felt like getting a degree is such a huge waste of time, but I need to jump through this hoop to get a job for which I didn't require much more knowledge than the programming knowledge I had after high school (self-taught).

But then again I went to school in Europe with cheap tuition, so time is the biggest investment here.

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"I always felt like getting a degree is such a huge waste of time" is a humblebrag.

There, I said it.

I don't think its a humblebrag. I take it as someone who wants to get on and code but the system requires a hoop to be jumped through.

It really is. It's kind of "I'm so awesome that I learned nothing of value in 4 years at a university". Which is a sad waste of time if true.

That's not what I said though. I learned many interesting things, but most of them aren't directly of value to work. I don't regret having studied, I saw a lot of cool stuff. But it's a very long time investment which doesn't lead to an equal ROI in terms of work output if you ask me. It leads to a good ROI mostly in terms of employment offers and salaries, because it has signaling value.

> I learned many interesting things, but most of them aren't directly of value to work.

What did you study, and what do you do for work?

Electrical and computer engineering, and I'm working on embedded systems software in engine control units.

I find it interesting that you felt that programming had hoops to jump through. It has always seemed like a very accessible career in my experience. I started working as a programmer while I was still in high school and just kept with it. I have yet to meet an employer who has even asked about any particular credentials.

I think this is more my country (Germany) than a thing that's everywhere. I'm working with barely anybody who doesn't have a Master's degree. German employers value credentials a lot.

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