CS degree worth the cost?

thedarkstorm
Fri, 19 Oct 2018 16:34:35 +0000

Thanks for the replies, everyone!

Personally, I am not a fan of any debt. Currently, I have zero, but I’m in a position at the moment where - monetarily, time, and energy wise - I am able to focus on completing these things for a few years in order to see the benefits in the future.

I know that if I don’t do this stuff in the next few years, as NoKillli said, I’m really not going to want to start this process in 5 or 6 years down the road - I want to be done by then.

@ucbalamnus, it’s not necessarily that important to me that I get a degree in CS. Personally, I’d be OK with a BA in Philosophy and going to grad school for something like Philosophy or History and then call it done, since those are really my personal interests, but I really feel like having the CS degree will benefit me since that is the field I plan on working and staying in.

@suzyQ7, this is also an option I am considering if the CS degree doesn’t make sense, ultimately.

@MusakParent, I could do that , but it would take me an extra 4 semesters (2 years) or so to do. The benefit of doing the post-bacc degree would be extra pay, I also think it would benefit me in the future for career advancement, additional pay, and opening the door to jobs that require a Mathematics or CS degree to even be considered, which I’ve been told most management positions in tech do, or at the very least it’s highly advisable to have one.

A few things:

1. I am wanting to get the CS degree mainly because I feel that, coupled with experience, it will put me on the same playing field for jobs in the future with those who do have CS degrees, since this is the field I am working in.

2. I also feel having the CS degree will increase my pay, as well as get me in the job for higher paying jobs

3. The main reason I am considering doing the post-bacc CS degree online is that it will be a time saver. The only requirements for getting accepted are a previous BA in any field, and some math requirements.

If I were to try to get into a CS program otherwise, it is incredibly competitive, I’m not near a University in the immediate vicinity, and in addition to finishing up the math requirements, I would also have to take about 4 semesters of CS prereqs.

So, in short:

To get into the CS program at OSU, I need to have a BA complete as well as the math requirements completed (I could complete both in 2 years)

To get into a CS program otherwise, I would have to have additional math and CS prereqs done (this would take an additional 2 years)

In essence, getting the BA in Philosophy and then getting into the CS program at OSU is a shortcut, to a degree, even though it costs a bit more. The benefit though is that since I’m not able to physically attend class anyways, it allows me to work full time and go to school.

I guess my main question still is if getting the BA and then CS degree is worth 60k?

I could have 20 paid off by the time I finish my first BA, thus only owing around 40 total, and then I could probably pay 10 to 15 in 1.5 to 2 years WHILE completing the CS degree, bringing the total owed to around 30

For example: 60k starting - 20k paid off while completing the BA - 10 paid of while completing the CS degree = 30k left total).

Sorry for the long reply, it’s just a big decision and I want to make the right one.