Anyone feel like college is a waste? Options

[Coomer]

Does anyone here feel like college is a waste of money, time, and effort?

To me, it's seemed like that since before I started. I've now almost got my AA, and I've learned some stuff, but not much that I really care about, and almost nothing that has helped me.

And if I go forward with my plans to go to Central Washington University and get my BA in computer science, I'm sure I'll learn a ton about computer programming and databases and stuff like that. But the problem I see is that I don't want to be a computer programmer or a database engineer.

I want to develop websites, and have my own business doing it.

I've got the knowledge to develop sites now, and what I don't know very well(OOP, ActionScript, etc.) I can learn on my own. I've always been able to learn on my own with the internet or a book, and I actually prefer it to learning in a classroom.

And as far as the business side of things, I'm confident that I can handle that too. I've invested a few hundred dollars over the last couple weeks buying books and such about the subject of web development businesses and business in general. And again, what I don't know, I don't need a class for. I can learn fine from reading.

So yeah, college seems pointless to me. Anyone else feel the same way?

[coustoe]

Does anyone here feel like college is a waste of money, time, and effort?

To me, it's seemed like that since before I started. I've now almost got my AA, and I've learned some stuff, but not much that I really care about, and almost nothing that has helped me.

And if I go forward with my plans to go to Central Washington University and get my BA in computer science, I'm sure I'll learn a ton about computer programming and databases and stuff like that. But the problem I see is that I don't want to be a computer programmer or a database engineer.

I want to develop websites, and have my own business doing it.

I've got the knowledge to develop sites now, and what I don't know very well(OOP, ActionScript, etc.) I can learn on my own. I've always been able to learn on my own with the internet or a book, and I actually prefer it to learning in a classroom.

And as far as the business side of things, I'm confident that I can handle that too. I've invested a few hundred dollars over the last couple weeks buying books and such about the subject of web development businesses and business in general. And again, what I don't know, I don't need a class for. I can learn fine from reading.

So yeah, college seems pointless to me. Anyone else feel the same way?
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maybe youre getting the wrong degree or not specializing in the right classes? I got my degree in comp sci, but this is only if your going to be doing system level software development (currently do Backend database webbase development). The stuff youre interested in is more Computer Technology related courses, maybe you should change your degree to computer technology or information technology. Though a comp sci degree is more flexible in the job market and will give you a better core understanding of applied computer technology no matter what you decide to do.

Also you can specilize in higher level comp sci courses in software engineering and usuability engineering (big for web development)

though I agree with you for a lot of software development a degree is not required, especially for web front end development, but it does help, I work with a lot of people who never got degrees in comp sci, and there is a gulf of basic understanding, things you just take for granted, like design patterns, tcp/ip, data structures. etc..., but they are still very good at what they do.

This post has been edited by coustoe: May 11, 2005 - 10:42 AM