Do you really need to take classes in CS to learn how to program?

fl1p1npr1d3
Mon, 01 Jul 2013 01:04:45 +0000

Do you need to take CS classes to learn how to program? Of course not, just watch Coursera, Udacity, Code School, etc…

But can that replace getting a CS degree at Berkeley and get a job at a cutting-edge job at a tech company? Nope.

That being said, taking classes at Berkeley gives you a great foundation in your CS career. I’ve taken online classes and found it to be a lot easier with the knowledge I gained in the 61 series.

Now, is the DIY way a more ‘efficient’ way to get a job at Google (or any other big tech company)? No, it’s not. Google looks for generalists and for people who have a great grasp in their fundamentals (data structures, algos, etc.). They aren’t necessarily looking for students who know Rails inside and out. They’re looking for students who possess the talent to become great software engineers because of their thinking process which they acquired in taking rigorous classes in the University-- not in a 5 minute coding exercise in Code School. That being said, a CS student has more of a potential in the long run rather than the DIY hacker. And that is precisely why Google would rather invest in those kinds of people.