Pondering - Next steps

Yeah...that's 42 paris code...yikes...

After that last post, I had a quick conversation with two people about 42 silicon valley, people who wanted to go to attend a piscine to get in. While talking to them, I realized that all along, the best move forward for longevity for a possible career as a software engineer or web developer, was to go to school. Work experience takes precedence after a couple of years for programming (excluding something like embedded work or fintech), so once you get that first job, it's usually much easier. Though without a proper CS degree, you can only go so far.

Looking around, I'm convinced that college is best for now. Computer Science is basically a math adjacent degree, which, isn't the most helpful in regards to something like web development's everyday things, but it will help one understand Data Structures & Algorithms interview questions...as well as having a degree! Many company's won't even consider you if you don't have a degree or work experience. With how things are currently, snagging that first job will be hard. As it's been said before, when the economy is down, it's best to go back to school and...I think leveraging the risk with student loan debt (if you're in America for example), will be worth it over time.

Anyways, to anyone reading this, I encourage you, if you can go back to school and can afford it and you're serious about wanting to become a software engineer or programmer, go back to school, now, if you don't have a degree already. Spend time talking to people already in the field, most will tell you to have at least SOME type of degree to at least help you get your foot in the door, the closer to STEM/actual CS, the better.

One last thing...I was talking again to the person from another 42 campus...apparently during when they were closing up the 42sv campus and dorms, they were trying to kick all the students out. Since currently it's Covid times and evictions and such were postponed, they still tried to kick the students out. Doing things such as shutting off power, internet, etc, to coerce people out of the dorm rooms. Honestly, this is very shady and from one person who was a current cadent that I was in contact with, this had been happening since late october and I had only found out very recently. If travel is restricted, then the cadets would be homeless. Apparently around half of 42sv cadets give or take, were not US citizens, so that would put them in an awful situation.

Anyways, I hope everyone stays safe out there. Whatever you decide to do, make sure you think it through. Think before you sign up for a bootcamp that boasts about employment rate afterwards. Think before you try to do a program like 42sv again. When in doubt, the path that is tried and tested might prove to be the best over time.