<p>In CS, the piece of paper really is that important, even as a field with lots of learning happening outside of the classroom. Even if you do manage to land a job, your next job will be just as hard to land, even if you have the skills from the first job. In a field where people often switch jobs, this can be a big problem. I know of a programmer who has been stuck at the same company for his entire career because he can’t get his foot in the door at most jobs without the BS, even though he is plenty qualified with more than a decade of experience.</p>