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Computer Science Online Learning vs College degree

Since COVID is having an effect on campus learning I was wondering if computer science degrees are absolutely needed or will companies consider self taught or online learning the same when hiring?

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july20 career-development college-bound
Thank you comment icon I wouldn’t rule out getting a degree. I think it will also depend on the career path you choose. If it’s more of a tech support/help desk path, you can get Probably away with being self taught & taking a few online course. I know several friends who did this. If you’re looking at a computer engineering, a degree is highly recommended. Ashley Patton, MBA
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Christine’s Answer

Ayden,
Great question! I believe a college degree in Computer Science is an excellent choice, and will differentiate you from another applicant that may have only taken online classes but did not complete their degree. There are so many opportunities in the Computer Science field. Every company needs IT staff to assist in web development and management, security, employee tools, etc... Another consideration is to specialize in Security as that is a growing need in the corporate world today. Best of luck!
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Morgan’s Answer

As a software engineer, I have met people who have great careers in computer science without a college degree. I think its not totally necessary to have a degree when applying, but you really have to know your stuff. You'll also get auto-rejected by some companies when starting out because they do require degree for entry level positions.

If you're not interested in a 4 year degree, there are other options for education that still give you a leg up when looking for your first job. Coding boot camps typically last 6 weeks - 6 months and cost way less than a 4 year degree. They also often provide opportunities to network with local companies.

If you really want to go the self-education route, try it out for the summer. Set a goal for where you want to be this time next month. Is it building a simple personal website? Maybe creating a calculator app? Completing a website's easy programming problems in 1 language? See how you fare during this time. If hitting the goal is a breeze for you and you find it fun, great! If you struggle to motivate yourself to study, maybe you'd benefit from a more formal education process.

All in all, I'd say my college degree was 100% worth it and made my job search SO much easier. Plus you really do learn a lot through college that would be tough to pick up outside of school without major. I loved my college years and would definitely recommend going to school for computer science. Then again, the college you experience this year definitely won't be the same as it was. Its not absurd to consider going the boot camp route, taking a gap year to self-educate, or to try the non-traditional route at least for now. Let me know if you want any tips for finding free educational resources! Best of luck!

Morgan recommends the following next steps:

Look at local coding boot camp options in your area
Consider taking a gap year and the effects of a gap year on financial aid
Talk to local companies and startups about internships, job shadowing, or part-time positions
Try out self-education for 1 month with a specific target goal
Talk to your guidance counselor or mentor about further options
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Dr. Sudeep’s Answer

This is a good question to ask. My suggestion is to consider what value each approach will bring once you start looking for a job. If you take an online course, that is good but ask yourself if it does carry value and do HR practitioners accept such qualifications. Secondly are you able to take on board those who taught you online as your referees? Is this even possible? Secondly, are you able to work as a team (not virtually) and manage issues that go beyond working from your desk or at the computer. By asking these questions and having the answers, I am sure you will be able to tell yourself what to do next. All the best.!
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Vikram’s Answer

Your foundation and rock solid base will be your college degree for sure. However, your online computer science is quite essential as well if you are considering to choose a profession in IT. I would rather take this approach, will complete college degree and also do online computer courses which has flexibility to complete over a period of time. Also these days you could pick up course that are more specific to a particular area like IT Networking, coding, cloud architect, Data science etc. But college degree is your base.
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