Should I Go To College To Be A Software Developer

How important is college if I want to be a software developer?

I would like to offer my own experience to this issue. I didn’t go to a “college” but rather a fast paced tech school that aimed to make me employable ASAP. That’s fine to do to just “go to work” and you can pick up plenty working on your own projects and your own tutorials.But, I wish often that I had invested in proper collegiate level education and here’s why. Around your mid 30’s you’ll be struggling to stay relevant, but if you’re not college educated you may have also lacked in picking up on terminology like KPI’s, M&A’s, Cashflow positive, and many of the managerial aspects of software that people don’t consider when they vision themselves “making code all day in front of a computer” as a “developer.”Everyone is SADLY mistaken to believe that fallacy. Actually, much of the time as a “developer” is spent in meetings that have very little to do with actually writing code. Many developers are stuck to writing 1–2 hours/day of code. So, to arm yourself for the board meetings, the weekly meetings, the daily meetings, the quarterly company meetings, the impromptu “sales had a great idea (that would require a total rewrite, but we don’t know that) that we’d like you to create a feasibility report on by the end of the day (after 2 more meetings) and after your third meeting today before noon we also would like to have a report on the backlog and hold a separate meeting about that to discuss why it’s not getting cleared out faster?” (See a pattern here?)College prepares you to not sound like a doofus and communicate professionally in these meetings. College prepares you to handle yourself better in those scenarios and makes you a more well rounded individual (as that was literally the initial purpose of college before it turned into a big business) so while you may not necessarily need to go to a college, university, or tech school to get a job initially it will always be brought up in job interviews, it will actually groom you better for career advancement, and it will equip you to be able to do more than talk about code all day which is an extra selling point when you go to get hired that 80% of the pure devs out there won’t happen to have.Like wearing protection with a girl you just met it’s not necessary but it’s a really smart idea that may not feel right but is ALWAYS the safer decision.

How do you move your career from being a software developer to a project manager? Should I go to business school or take classes?

There two sides to this, I know highly qualified PM's who are, well shit at their jobs and I know some, who have worked their way from the grass root level with little or no qualifications and they are awesome. The difference is, some people know how to manage people and get along and some can only hope. Your business school lessons and qualifications will only take you so far, not saying they are not important. The biggest skill anyone can have as a PM is to build a team that is motivated and bring the best out of people. This can only come from experience.So, the best way is to get involved in big projects, see how managers, VP's and CEO's go about conducting work, people and handling pressure situations. Try and take on as much responsibility from your PM, be proactive. Understand people!!!!!! See if you can read your colleagues, managers and manage their expectations. Read up and stay updated on tech, PM tools and methods. Take lessons and certifications, there will be a time when you will know deep down you are ready. This I am sure will make you the best PM there is!

Do you need a degree to be a software developer? What is the difference between self-taught developers and the ones with degrees?

Each person and situation is going to be different.As specified a degree is something employers can see to verify that you could pass some tests and spent a few years learning what you claim to known.One of my professors stated, someone that is self taught is better, because they had the desire and focus to learn it without someone having to teach it to them.I do not have a degree, I have a few years of school, but quit to work. While I may sound conceded here, I am one of the best programmers I have met. I am different than some, and debate things, but ultimately the proof is in the pudding.I can finish projects faster than most around me, my code has fewer bugs, and runs faster than many around me. It is easier to read and follow. It does not always follow the latest pattern put forward by some guy that wrote a book (yep I am writing a book too).Two facts however, I have 20 years experience. I have only had my lack of a degree come up twice, Amazon did not care, though my inability to state “customer is always right” denied me the gig.What you will find: Government jobs are harder to get without a degree (in some cases impossible). Financial firms are often picky as well. However I have worked for the government and financial firms, so while it can be more difficult, it is not impossible.Why I want to finish a degree now. I want to teach, I am bored with the professional world, and want to do my own thing, but I still need income (For now). The downside, is that I need a Ph.D. to teach for the most part. So, I am in a mid career crisis right now ;).In the end, a degree is useful to get your foot in the door, and can make parts of your career easier, but software engineering is a provable career. I can take a test and prove that I know my stuff. So, the idea that we need a degree is an outdated concept, and those few old school companies still lingering on these ideas need to wake up.

I want to be a software engineer. Should I go to college or a programming school like App Academy, Bloc or General Assembly? If I go to a programming school, what are the chances of me getting a job at Google or Facebook?

Bootcamp style courses like General Assembly and Bloc may be a good starting point to learn programming, but programming is only a small part of software engineering. I've read testimonials and articles about how people who complete these courses do gain enough knowledge to build a portfolio and transition to working as software developers.However, large companies like Google and Facebook are highly competitive. Although I've heard of people working for Google, Facebook, Apple, and Microsoft without completing a university degree, very rarely is it their first job. The people who work at large companies have a track record of success at work and in projects. Completing a program like General Assembly or Bloc may get you some positions at companies and allow you to build a professional network, references, and work experience that may eventually lead to a larger tech company.Going to college, completing a degree program, and then seeking out internships along the way will be more likely to get you interviews and employment at the larger companies sooner, including in entry level positions. Building personal projects in your areas of interest can help, too, and open courseware or free bootcamp-style projects may be things to look at to supplement university education.

Which course should I study to become a software developer, B.Tech CS or BCA?

What you study in college is absolutely  useless in the real time industry work. College degrees  are just to get jobs. If software development  was your motive,  try taking a course in computer Institute or online courses like udemy. You will gain knowledge in months instead of years. In parallel,  just apply to some local college in order to maintain telling to public that you own degree. So,  after taking Institute course and applying to some local college, get some great idea and begin a startup.  Being a college student,  you can apply to theil foundation with your idea.  They will fund you,  give you necessary  knowledge to develop and maintain. At the end,  instead of getting graduating degree,  you will get your company and give jobs to your friends who graduated.