Before anything I don't want to sound arrogant or anything and I am not bragging myself about anything, I want to start a serious debate about programming and tek syndicate is the best place to do it.
My background and my point of view:
I study CS, I graduated in Law and Forensic Investigation 1 year ago with a first. I really enjoyed the Forensic Investigation, Cyberlaw and Computer Law part, but being a Lawyer in the UK is a pain in the ass and it is not worth the invested time and money. I can make 35£ + per hour without a diploma, freelancing (C++, JavaScript, HTML, C# and CS) while a graduated Lawyer will struggle to get this kind of money.
I started programming when I was 16 and now I am 24 doing my second degree, I have 9 400 and something reputation on Stack Overflow and making money was never a problem, which was the way how I paid Law Uni, Freelancing.
I have some good knowledge about C++ and JavaScript, but the thing is: Is university really necessary?
As I said before I don't want to sound arrogant or anything, but every class I go most of the subjects I already know, the people that go there, most of them don't know shit about programming and are always asking for my help.
Also I never saw a course where so many people gave up after one semester. Also I now some CS graduates that don't know half of the things that I know or other programmers that don't have even a college degree.
So in your opinion, is it worth go to university to be a better programmer? Time wise, money wise and etc?
No. In some cases the university will be a bottleneck even. Only reason for a university is probably a diploma, but even then its really useless if you already know how to program.
No. However,if you wish to get a job in programming you require the qualifications. As you maybe the best programmer in the world, but you can literally lose a job to the worst programmer in the world because he has a qualification.
didnt read your post but i can say no. if you have the will to learn you can learn to do it yourself. remember, in the IT world, experience is king.
That is where Stack Overflow enters.