levymetal
TURN MY HEADPHONES UP
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Hey Everyone,
If you don't want to spend 10 minutes reading, then don't continue!
I was just wondering what peoples opinions on University are. Last year I finished my Advanced Diploma of Computer Science, and then applied for the Bachelor of Computing at Swinburne. I got accepted (with 1.5 years off my course, leaving me with 1.5 to go) and I've been at uni for a few weeks now but I'm just not sure if it's really worth my time, and my money. Should I work full time, or continue with uni?
I work 3 days (22.5 hours) a week, and go to uni 3 days week. I barely have any time at all to do anything, it's stressing me out. Also, transport is a bitch (I'm an hour and a half away from uni). Aside from marketing (an elective), I'm not learning anything in any of my subjects. I already know java and php, but I've got the maximum amount of exemptions off my course so I just have to do them. It's good that I have some easy subjects, but at the same time I'm just wondering why I'm spending $1000 per subject when I'm not learning anything. Added on top of that is travel costs, food, and also the fact that I'm losing money from not working full time.
At the moment I currently work as technical support answering calls, emails, and performing mid-level operations on domain names. I get paid $22.33/hour which isn't too bad, and I can go back to full time no worries if I quit uni. I work night shifts (5pm - 1am), but it may be getting cut out so in the future I might have to move to daytime - where I'd lose my loading and I'd be down to $19.42/hour, which is kind of ****. I have to take this into considering while making my decision of what I should do.
I guess it does all depend on my future plans - which I don't even know what they really are yet. My strongest skill is php combined with mysql, and I love building websites that are functional and unbreakable. I love to make websites that people actually enjoy to use and feel that it's functional. So I guess I would really like to be a web developer, working on the server side of web applications with php and mysql. Would I really need a degree for this?
Let's step forward 1.5 years, and see how I'd be standing for each choice...
Staying at uni
* ~$6,000 in the bank
* $12,000 hex debt
* 2 years part time experience in tech support
* Advanced Diploma of Computer Science
* Bachelor of Computing
Working full time
* ~$20,000 in the bank
* no debt
* 2 years full time experience working in tech support
* Advanced Diploma of Computer science
I've heard that tech support is the first step in getting any type of job in the computing industry, and with 2 years experience, do I really need the degree? It's going to put me in debt, I'm going to be extremely stressed, and what for... A piece of paper... Is that really what's going to get me into the programming industry?
It would be interesting to know what experience other programmers have, if they went to uni, if they think it's worth it or not... I'm just having second thoughts, and perhaps other peoples views on it might help my make my decision. I've still got a few days before I can quit uni and not have to pay anything.
I appreciate any input,
Thanks for reading my book!
If you don't want to spend 10 minutes reading, then don't continue!
I was just wondering what peoples opinions on University are. Last year I finished my Advanced Diploma of Computer Science, and then applied for the Bachelor of Computing at Swinburne. I got accepted (with 1.5 years off my course, leaving me with 1.5 to go) and I've been at uni for a few weeks now but I'm just not sure if it's really worth my time, and my money. Should I work full time, or continue with uni?
I work 3 days (22.5 hours) a week, and go to uni 3 days week. I barely have any time at all to do anything, it's stressing me out. Also, transport is a bitch (I'm an hour and a half away from uni). Aside from marketing (an elective), I'm not learning anything in any of my subjects. I already know java and php, but I've got the maximum amount of exemptions off my course so I just have to do them. It's good that I have some easy subjects, but at the same time I'm just wondering why I'm spending $1000 per subject when I'm not learning anything. Added on top of that is travel costs, food, and also the fact that I'm losing money from not working full time.
At the moment I currently work as technical support answering calls, emails, and performing mid-level operations on domain names. I get paid $22.33/hour which isn't too bad, and I can go back to full time no worries if I quit uni. I work night shifts (5pm - 1am), but it may be getting cut out so in the future I might have to move to daytime - where I'd lose my loading and I'd be down to $19.42/hour, which is kind of ****. I have to take this into considering while making my decision of what I should do.
I guess it does all depend on my future plans - which I don't even know what they really are yet. My strongest skill is php combined with mysql, and I love building websites that are functional and unbreakable. I love to make websites that people actually enjoy to use and feel that it's functional. So I guess I would really like to be a web developer, working on the server side of web applications with php and mysql. Would I really need a degree for this?
Let's step forward 1.5 years, and see how I'd be standing for each choice...
Staying at uni
* ~$6,000 in the bank
* $12,000 hex debt
* 2 years part time experience in tech support
* Advanced Diploma of Computer Science
* Bachelor of Computing
Working full time
* ~$20,000 in the bank
* no debt
* 2 years full time experience working in tech support
* Advanced Diploma of Computer science
I've heard that tech support is the first step in getting any type of job in the computing industry, and with 2 years experience, do I really need the degree? It's going to put me in debt, I'm going to be extremely stressed, and what for... A piece of paper... Is that really what's going to get me into the programming industry?
It would be interesting to know what experience other programmers have, if they went to uni, if they think it's worth it or not... I'm just having second thoughts, and perhaps other peoples views on it might help my make my decision. I've still got a few days before I can quit uni and not have to pay anything.
I appreciate any input,
Thanks for reading my book!