[eccoParticipant]

It depends on the employers.

I started coding when I was 12 and obviously I wasn’t in college… I chose a totally different degree than Computer science but I work as project manager for a web agency. Don’t think having a degree will get you the job. It may help but there’s nothing like a folio.

Experience means a lot more than any paper stuck in the time !

Computer science changes everyday… New techniques, new approach, new tools… Follow the trends, read, practice and you’ll be just fine.

Good luck !

[JoshParticipant]

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Working both in small business, big business (fortune 500 level), and starting my own business, my perspective on education has changed over the last 5 to 10 years.

I have no formal degree. I’ve got enough education to get a 4 year degree and them some if they offered some kind of jack of all trades degree. I’ve never seen education be much of a priority depending on the field, both to managers and employers. What it basically does is provide some kind of baseline to help someone know that you at least have the capability to seeing something through. Most of the time an employer, or at least good ones, knows that most of the stuff you learned in school isn’t all that applicable in the real world.

It totally depends on the field though. Engineers, Dentists, Doctors, etc absolutely need that piece of paper. When you practice fields that are highly technical AND have a high level of liability (i.e. a bridge that can collapse and kill 1,000 people or someone who is about to perform open heart surgery).

But in most fields, people are looking for someone who is easy to work with, has the desire to improve, has a solid work ethic, can be taught, and above all can be trusted. None of these things are taught in school and most managers know it.

That being said, I don’t think education is a waste of time. Degrees being valuable is both debatable and situational. Just make sure you know the difference between education and a degree. Valuing the former shows you have a thirst to grow, develop and build your skills and tools.

If you absolutely have to get a degree, my advice is to find something that compliments your passion. Love engineering? Get your absolute necessities to build a career, and then get a degree in organizational leadership. Build tools that accentuate your talents. Web design can benefit heavily from a marketing or digital security education for example. A design education is completely redundant in my opinion once you actually get into the field.

[DamiParticipant]

In this tough job environment and web designers/developers being a dime a dozen, any edge you can get over the competition is something you should seek.

Speaking as one who did not get a college degree (though I do have several years of college classes in a variety of subjects which I do not regret in the least–except maybe Speech class), having that sheepskin (with ANY four-year degree on it) will open more doors than it closes.

While there are some who regret every moment/penny spent on their education as evidenced here, I believe they are relatively few in number. I think you’re being very shortsighted by foregoing a good, well-rounded education. You may love web design, but how many people follow for life their chosen career path? Without that sheepskin, other careers will be even harder to get into. Look beyond the next 10 years.

[BladebringerParticipant]

Guys, just forgive me for offtopic, but but I don’t know what topic to write and ask a question. I am writing a dissertation which is related to new educational technology in colleges. In addition to scientific data, it would be useful for me to gather the opinions in this field. I would be very grateful for any information and your thoughts.

[Author]

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