If you’re looking for a solid career path, you need a good foundation. Most software development companies will not hire programmers without a BS.
I’m in that industry.. I’ve gotten almost every job that I’ve ever interviewed for without a BS or any serious questioning of why I don’t have one. In my opinion it’s almost a moot bullet point on a resume in this industry….
There isn’t a single person within my my group of friends within my age range that makes anywhere close to what I do nor has been employed as much as I have… perhaps this is just indicative of my friends? Many of them spent 50-100k on their college degrees though! I have no degree… a BS degree is mostly that BS! This doesn’t say these friends aren’t brilliant, because many of them are – but a BS still requires much execution and confidence. Do students really learn execution in college??? College is for partying..
Someone asking for instructions on how to get somewhere is a passive type.. and they want to have someone hold their hand.. that person maybe is a good fit for college.. and a sub-mean salary.. but those that really make the most money and are most successful, go on a fast track and aren’t afraid to cut every corner possible to learn and execute as efficiently as possible… college is sluggish and overweight compared to a dedicated person learning on their own.
But it does come down to preference.. If I ran a law firm I’d personally be more interested in the guy that self studied an passed the state bar than the guy that went to Yale.. I think both sides can be argued, and I’m sure that being accredited with a degree from institution is on average more successful, but when you see the leaders in many of our top IT companies they didn’t like school much themselves.. I don’t think it’s a quality to aspire to, it’s more a symptom of a persons perspective.