Ask HN: Self-teaching vs. Restarting college to pursue CS?
For some context, I decided to attend a public college that gave me a full ride despite the fact that they didn’t offer CS under the assumption that I would work hard my first year to transfer somewhere better. I managed to get into a top CS school in California but left mid-semester due to health issues. I didn’t really have much time to decide what to do for the spring semester so I am returning to the college I was initially at.
I was pursuing a degree in Mathematics, however I’m worried about my lack of knowledge of CS (or more specifically software engineering). I have applied to transfer to two of the top state schools here in NY for CS. However, an admissions rep reached out to me to inform me that while I have a strong profile, I would essentially have to take an additional 1.5 to 2 years to graduate.
At this point, I’m not sure if I might as well do my best to teach myself vs. taking extra time in school to finish a CS degree. I’m worried about possible gaps in my knowledge if I try to just self-teach. What would be the best option if I’m focused on landing a job? Get the mathematics degree. Audit the CS curriculum as much as you can to make sure you are aware of the gaps. Fill in the gaps when you can. Thank you! This is reassuring to hear.