Greetings fellow Lemmings,
I know this is a community that has a strong backbone in the Software and Technology space. I am a returning student in my mid-30’s that is returning to college as a way to pursue a career change. I am looking to crowdsource opinions from experienced tech professionals so I can make good quality, informed decisions about how I move forward with my educational and career goals.
With that being said my question is how would you proceed between the programs I have linked below? I am starting at a STEM focused community college (Bellevue College) in the Pacific Northwest. My long term goal is to either transfer to another four year institution (like UW Bothell) grade permitting, or perhaps finish a four year degree from this institution. This is where your advice comes in, and where I believe I need better outside perspective to make a good decision.
Option #1 (Software Development - Application Development Track) This is where I have been leaning because it seems to afford me the largest number of future options with the direction I take my education. Most importantly I think it sets me up in the best position to make the potential transition to the University of Washington Bothell’s Computer Science & Software Engineering program. The Application Development track has a stronger focus on C# & .NET framework programming languages, which seems to provide a better foundation for more potential job opportunities at the moment.
Option #2 (Software Development - Artificial Intelligence Track) Artificial Intelligence is obviously the buzzword of the moment. However, I am wondering if I am robbing myself of options by over-specializing this early in the process, and I also have concerns about focusing my learning process so heavily on Python when that seems to be something that is not used as a standard backbone language for more enterprise level businesses. I also don’t have any interest in the robotics area of this degree, as I don’t see that as being something I would look to pursue in my career. I do want to be conscientious about learning whatever is going to provide me the most future utility, therefore, I am wondering if this is the way to go for that reason.
Ultimately, I am open to any and all advice, recommendations, and wisdom that my fellow Lemmings have to provide. My previous background was in a completely unrelated field, but I have always had a passion for technology and I am a quick learner with a lean lifestyle and no external distractions. Completing this process and securing employment will be my focus 100% for the next 3-4 years. With that in mind, tell me what you think.
- Where should I go with my education?
- What pitfalls should I avoid?
- When should I specialize?
- Am I crazy for doing this later in life?
Hit me with anything you’ve got Lemmy, it is all appreciated!
Edit: I’m watching the NFC Championship Game, but I will respond to all of you as soon as it is over. Really appreciate all the responses so far!
If you need to crowdsource this decision do not go to college immediately.
College is expensive as fuck, and it is wasted on someone who doesn’t have a burning desire to be there for a specific course of study.
Instead, go live the life of a person without a degree. Just be a human for a while, and learn how to the world works. Then go to college.
If you go to college without a clear mission, you’re going to be twiddling your thumbs in a place that costs more than continuous international travel. Like, go travel internationally if you want a mind-expanding experience of self discovery. That will help you pick a major.
I say this as someone who went to college “as my destiny”. I went to college because it was always assumed I would go. I wasted time, money, energy, and opportunity by doing so.
College used to be a place to find yourself. Then it started costing five figures per year, and it became a place you go to get what you need to make more money. That’s what it still is, and will continue to be until it becomes inexpensive again.
Traveling the world, staying in hostels, learning bits of languages, meeting other travelers and locals, getting a little month to month apartment and waiting tables in a foreign city, partying with the locals, getting involved in whatever they’re doing, this is cheaper than college, and far more valuable, if you’re at a place where you don’t know which degree you want.
I know it takes a lot of courage to buck the trend and do what all the (foolish) grey-haired people in your life are doing.
But trust me. College is a different thing than it used to be, specifically because it got super fucking expensive.
College stopped being casual, and started being a very serious thing, and in that way it changed fundamentally from a place of exploration into a place of industry. It is not a place to fuck around. I mean, it is, but not wisely. There are far cheaper, far better places to explore yourself and the world.
Thank you for your response. I think you slightly misunderstood where I am at though, and what I meant by “crowdsource”. I am in my mid-30’s, and I am entirely focused on making a career transition into the technology sector. The crowdsourcing part of my question was in regards to which track to take based on the programs that were available at the institution I am at. Also, money isn’t really an issue at this point as I diligently saved in my previous role with the specific expectation of making this transition. So, I am covered there for the foreseeable future, but I appreciate your concern. This is not a casual undertaking for me at all, and is being done entirely with purpose and intentionality. I am way beyond the fucking around stage of my life.
Sorry about that, my bad. I should have read your actual post instead of the first sentence or two.