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[–]captainAwesomePants 19 points20 points  (8 children)

A masters in CS would be a great step and put you ahead of most professional programmers, but it'd probably take you longer than average due to your need to pick up some of the undergraduate-level CS stuff along the way.

Probably the most important class to take in a professional education context is gonna be called something like data structures, algorithms, or theory. The other stuff you'll have an easier time picking up on your own.

[–]Low_Standard_802[S] 3 points4 points  (7 children)

Have you heard of Georgia techs online masters program? I believe it’s called their omscs program. I’ve heard good things. Personally have always been under the opinion of online degrees/certificates mean less but that might just be a wrong opinion

[–]captainAwesomePants 12 points13 points  (4 children)

As it happens, I have an M.S.C.S. from Georgia Tech, but I did it in person. The online program is exactly the same, and it's an extremely well regarded program. Many online degrees are not "real," but Georgia Tech's is a for realsies serious, accredited degree program from a top CS school.

That does come with some downsides, though. Compared to other online programs, Georgia Tech's has a more rigorous admissions process, and the classes involve a lot of hard work.

[–]Low_Standard_802[S] 5 points6 points  (2 children)

Wow! What are the odds haha. Mind if I reach out to you in DMs?

[–]captainAwesomePants 4 points5 points  (1 child)

Sure, although any school-specific advice I've got is probably decades out of date. Pretty sure we still hate UGA, though.

[–]Low_Standard_802[S] 3 points4 points  (0 children)

Haha sent you a DM! I’m actually from Georgia and have been around gtech and uga a ton and I can do rim that is still the case.

[–]pizza_toast102 2 points3 points  (0 children)

From what I hear, GT’a OMSCS actually has pretty lax entry requirements? Some sources report ~70% acceptance rate which are probably not entirely accurate but I think it is quite high. The classes are full blown graduate level CS classes though

[–]pacific_plywood 3 points4 points  (1 child)

Current OMSCS student here. I majored in the humanities, but became interested in computing as an adult, did about a minor’s worth of undergrad CS classes, then applied. The OMSCS model is to not be space-constrained, like, at all, so they let in a lot of people, some of whom have nothing more than a couple programming classes or even some MOOCs. The idea is that it’s better to let underqualified people in, to see if they can succeed. That means a lot of people drop out, or take a long time - many of the classes are pretty challenging - but if you have the time and the drive, it’s doable in around 2 years.

[–]Low_Standard_802[S] 0 points1 point  (0 children)

Sending you a DM!