Hey everyone, me again. I have been learn c++ for about a year now, and I am confident that I can teach myself what I need, but I think it might be more efficient to go back to school, not to mention get that shiny BS degree. However, to go to the school I am looking at, will run me about 70k for the 4 years...Does this seem like a bit much, or is it worth it? Also, has anyone heard anything about New England Tech? I tried googling reviews on it but they are all pretty outdated, and the school has some new courses. Thanks in advance!

Yes School is worth it. Get your degree with decent grades from a decent school, and make some great little applications outside of class that you can show off to potential employers.

Quote:
Is school really worth it?

Yes.

I pay around 20K/semester for tuition and related expenses -- that's excluding living. There is no way in hell the education I'm getting is worth that kind of money, and the same goes for most programs at any tier 1/Ivy school. But getting a degree is a damn sight better than not having one, at almost any price point. Even if your school is a rip off.

The alternative, if you really really mean it, is multiple internships, multiple completed demo projects, probably a few publications, and preferably a long list of skills. (One year of C++ doesn't count. Five years of C++ and three with C# might -- assuming you really know your shit.) Then maybe we can talk about not having a degree.

This must be the 5th or 6th post like this in the past few weeks.

I know school is expensive and for most people it is the one of the major expenses in your life. But you are robbing yourself of where your life could be if you don't go to school and get your diploma.

The battle to success is much tougher without it.

Go to school.

John

Quote: Original post by Insideac
However, to go to the school I am looking at, will run me about 70k for the 4 years...Does this seem like a bit much, or is it worth it?

If that's $70k for tuition, I think you can do better without losing on the quality of the education, especially if you're willing to take advantage of what the school offers outside the classroom. I don't know exactly what I paid, but googling shows that $70k is the advertised price for in state tuition, room and board (on campus), and books, etc. for 4 years at my undergrad (tuition is about $10,500 per year). Doing work at the graduate level and seeing the sort of work that's done at top tier schools, I don't see any difference in the quality of my education. (Not that the school I went to was bottom of the barrel.)

So, I won't say whether it's worth it or not, but I think there are better deals money-wise. Of course, there are other concerns (e.g. location, program availability, research projects).

Wow holy crow, I lived off CDN$3000/year back in the early 1980s when I was going to university, and that covered everything (tuition, room, board, transportation, intercity bus fare to visit my parents a couple times a year). Sure having roommates helped with room and board expenses but holy jumpin' Judas on a stick the cost numbers youse guys are tossing around are frightening. Am I going to have to sell my kids to science to afford a higher education for them?

Oh, and to the OP: no school is not worth it. You can earn hundreds, even thousands a year living on the street, more if you deal crack or keep fit and go on a lot of 'dates'.

There are two things: The value of the education, and the value of the diploma.


For programming, you need an actual Computer Science degree, not a CIS (Computer Information Systems) degree, or BITS certificate, or some other non-CS degree.

The value of the diploma is pretty large in technical industries. If you do not have a Computer Science degree, you will be passed over for jobs. If you do not have a degree, you will be passed over for promotions. You will earn less than your peers, and move up the corporate ladder slower. You can safely assume your pay with and without a degree will be a $10K difference at hire, a $30K difference at 5 years, a $50K difference at 20 years, and so on. The difference will be bigger as we see more inflation.

Over the course of your life it salary difference could easily be over a million dollars.



The value of the education is not easy to quantify. College/University life provides the opportunity to learn a great deal if you choose to use it. The opportunities are available in more than your chosen field. You can take courses in other fields. Other valuable are life lessons can be learned in college, including how to work with people on difficult issues, resolving conflicts, working under deadlines, handling stress, and so on. The education you receive is directly related to the effort you put in to it.

You can choose to receive an incredible education or a poor education at an inexpensive state school. You can also choose to receive a lackluster education or an incredible education at at expensive big-name school. Quality of education is your own responsibility.

Actually I forgot the big IF in there.

School is worth it, IF you put the time and effort into it to Make it worth it! That is, you need to have done more than what was required to simply pass your classes. Good grades aren't good enough, good grades and several good projects to show you can go above and beyond what they teach in lectures will land you the job.

Hell, crappy grades and great projects are likely to land you a job over great grades and no projects.

Quote: Original post by Promit
I pay around 20K/semester for tuition and related expenses -- that's excluding living.

Ouch! I paid 12K a year for my first degree. But I agree with you and many others- school is totally worth it.