So my current situation is that i have an opportunity to get a 4 year degree at a liberal arts college in software development by transferring from the technical college I am at now . Or just finishing my 2 year degree in computer science at a technical college and be done with school I finish in the Fall.
My goal is to become a software engineer, corporate programming, I don't want my own start up just help with others (endless I find a project i am passionate about).
The 4 year overview is that I well end up with a decent amount of debt roughly $9000 a semester for classes, live at home with my dad drive to school. Work a job to get gas help pay for college will get help from scholarships hopefully to lessen the debt. Will have a max or 3 years(re-take non transferable classes), will go in with an associates degree in computer science. Leave with a 4 year in Software Development.
My other option is little/no debt with a 2 year degree in computer science with a focus in programming. I will finish will at most a thousand dollars in debt, but still unlikely to be that much.
I live in South Carolina if that helps to know where I am located.
Sorry for bad English, not the best English student.
I would say do the 2 year and find a job, and save up for the 4 year if you aren't happy with that. I am in a similar ish boat but the opposite, I have 2 years done of University but hasn't been my thing and costs a lot of money so I'm now transferring out to a tech college and then getting a degree in something I want rather than spending a lot of money where I'm at to ... not do what i want. Everyone is different though, just depends on what you want/need to do. However having a 2 year degree with no debt is miles better than a 4 year with a lot of debt, just imo.
If you have a lot of passion, you can probably just get the 2 year and go find a job.
As some one who has considered a serious job in IT but fairly quickly gave up on that path. You need to be self motivated otherwise you're going to be transparent to an interviewer. Show them your work and they'll see some unoriginal slop I did as an assignment thousands of other people have done.
If you're some one like me, looking for an income not in love with tech, go for the four year. If not go with the two year and let your knowledge speak for itself. The appealing thing about the tech world is it's one of the few white collar industries arbitrary credentials don't necessarily matter.
Only problem for me was I was neither especially talented or motivated. Knowingly being mediocre at your job probably isn't good for the fulfillment you derive from it.
Yeah that my entire debate with my self right now, If the 4 year will be worth it, I love the subject and really enjoy learning it. I want a 4 year degree, but no debt and a 2 year degree is pretty damn amazing. That is a deal that most people would never pass up, but the 4 year puts me closer to were I would like to be pretty quickly
I am very much into technology I eat, sleep and breath to learning computer science, I have picked up very little in college so far, but I feel like computer science is going to get more competitive in the near future, as hard as the U.S. government/school systems are pushing S.T.E.M. But i may just be in love with the idea of having a 4 year degree over how helpful it is i have time almost a year.
That is the BIG one, I mean if i was already over my head I would just go all in but getting a free 2 year is one hell of a deal.
Thanks for the advice so far I will reply to every idea so please share your ideas.
I have a very basic computer sci minor and a 4 year major in something completely unrelated. I had internships in IT during high school and college that helped me get in the door. Once in, you can really prove yourself and have your career from there. So it is really just about getting what it takes to get in the door of where you want to be, caveat being you need to be confident in your skills to perform against those with full 4 year degrees and such.
That is one of my largest worries, I have no connections. I feel like a 4 year would give me more connections, also my 2 year degree was/is being taken all online if that effects anything.
Whichever you do decide try and get a summer internship / any commercial programming experience you can to put on your cv. That's where you'll really impress a prospective employer.
As above, Depends. You can learn enough to begin a programming job in 2 years if you work really hard at it BUT don't confuse this with computer science. If you are interested in comp sci then you will need to go the academic route.
Hi Perkelator, I have been in IT for over 30 years and the only formal qualification I have is a 3 month job training scheme in programming. I do have a completely unrelated BA, I mention this as many of the Fortune 500's want a 4 year degree if your applying for a job in IT. Now having said that if you have passion the two year degree would be a good starting point and you can then work on Certifications in your particular are of interest to bolster your resume. If you have the ability to to explain what you can do and have the 2 year degree and a couple of Certs You should be able to find a reasonable starting Gig once you graduate. I will also say you need to start networking as soon as you can. Less than half of the Gigs I have had were through contacts I had made at various companies but it still makes it easier.
2-year has been working out great for me. Well.. technically I don't have it yet.
I got a job while still going to school, took a hiatus from school, and am just finishing my last class now.
Depending on how close you are to being finished you could probably start getting in touch with some recruiters and get into some entry level contract work. You'll get a lot of experience that way as well.
I will I know on work is the best way to learn and teaches skills like interacting with co workers and also gives a taste of what the job is really like.
I think i haven't learned all of what i need, to get a job as of no, i think i asked the wrong question I need to pick what kind of developer i want to be.
I think going to a 4 year could help me out with networking right now i know 1 other person in a computer science or related field
I will do this. over the summer i only have 2 classes so I will look into this.
Thank you for all of the wonderful ideas and suggestions so far, I feel like I have asked the wrong question now after sitting down and thinking about what I want to do. I think I need to look at what kind of software I want to develop. I know a lot of random stuff right now and i haven't gotten good at any of it. I have been so obsest with learning compute science that non of my skills do i have experience with i just know the concepts and idea.
Go for the 4 year college. A 4 year institution will be harder but you learn a much better quality of schooling that will make you a better programmer that is worth it. For you to get into a vast array of corporate positions it would be best to have a BS degree because you might be more limited for a 2 year technical degree. Even if you get a position you will plateau early in your career.
I wouldn't worry too much about the debt because if you go for the four year program will have paid internships during summer or even a coop which takes place over a semester and a summer. Unlike other fields ours pays a decent amount. For example I have a internship for this summer that pays $17/hr for 40 hours a week. After you get out of college as long as you live financially smart you can pay off that debt but a BS opens more opportunities down the road you will have wished you pursued if you just had a two year degree.
Get certified in everything, youll be much more valueable. College is expensive and takes a ton of time meanwhule most jobs look for certifications... rather than a vague degree in cs. The more specific/rare knowlege, the more valuable the you are.
It depends on your other option. If you just get the 2-year degree do you have a job waiting for you? Are you already accepted into the 4-year program? I'd apply to the 4 year program if you haven't already and also apply to a shitload of jobs. If the right job comes along, snag it. If not, then continue going to school to get your B.S. and rest easy knowing that your salary potential jumps a fair bit.
The reason to go to school is to get a great job, right? So why not try to get a great job as a way to see whether or not you need the extra school. You could always work for a couple years then go back to college if you realize you need the extra experience and education.
I am thinking I will go for the 4 year at this point I want a 4 year to have a 4 year and i think it will get me more connection and make me more valuable.
I am not that worried now, i talked to a friend that just went to college for computer sci and he is doing well been out for 6 months and has a really nice house thanks to the degree.
Every class at my tech school is based on cert test and i have taken as and gotten all but one and i am waiting it take the test on it still.
No i do not have a line up after the 2 year school. The tech college i am at right now hasn't helped with finding a job or helped find anything the only things they have offered me(they have a jobs avalibe on website i check once or twice a week) and looked for is a job at AT&T as a sales rep.
not yet, they need my transcripts and i havent graduated so i have to wait till after the 2 year before they will accept me . The tech school and the school i want to go to works together a lot and i have a few teachers from high school and instructors at my tech college that are recommending me like 6 of them.