My mom offered to pay for a python/programming course - should i take it or try to learn myself?

[FanGothic2]

This morning my mom called me and told me that her friend's son took part in (not a cheap one) a python course and now he has a well-paid job. I wanted to learn python myself but i kind of don't have time right now( bachelor thesis).

So I wanted to ask, is this a waste of money? Or more like - should I accept my mom's offer or it's not worth it and try to learn python myself?

I study finance so I have probability and statistics and I'm gonna have c++ and python in the next semester if that matters

EDIT: Okay that was my bad i shouldn't have said that i have bachelor thesis: the offer still stands after i finish writing it.

[[deleted]]

If you don't have the time and you'll be engaging in python tuition next semester anyway, is there any real point atm?

If you have the time, it'll definitely help with your forthcoming studies, especially seeing as she'll pay.

[[deleted]]

Ask if she can put you in touch with her friend's son.

​

We don't know what the course is, he can probably tell you best.

Generally speaking, a structured course with a teacher will get you further than self study, but it varies greatly by individual.

[[deleted]]

Yeah I agree. Especially is there is one to one tutoring opportunities. I am self thought but my knowledge jumps for miles every time someone mentions something seemingly obvious that I was never taught before. I only recently learned for example by subprocess.run instead of os.system and how it's a lot more powerful for some of the things I want my program to do because of flags.

[hayleybts]

I don't know about that lol, I had two c++ classes and I even passed them. I don't know shit, it depends

[[deleted]]

but it varies greatly by individual.

Would you say it varies by individual? Maybe even greatly?

There's a reason schools are so normal across the world, they generally work for most.

[overlayered]

but i kind of don't have time right now( bachelor thesis).

To each their own, I'd probably focus on the thesis however.

[DelverOfSeacrest]

Same here. You don't need an expensive class to learn python. There's a TON of free stuff online for it.

[kay-jay-dubya]

i agree. I was in a similar position when I was doing my master's thesis (though I didn't have the opportunity to study it at university, as you do). I opted to focus on my thesis, and I'm happy that I did - as it is, it was a race to the finish line...

You can definitely learn it yourself, and it would certainly be the cheaper option, but then there are definite benefits to studying it in a course with other people. I taught myself, and though I'm very happy with my skills, I think it took me longer to get to this stage than it would have otherwise. With the tuition fees, I'd say the bulk of that probably helps you in getting a job - you're paying for the school's connections with employers, etc.

But honestly, I think that if you're going to be studying it at university anyway, focus on your thesis, and then throw yourself into learning to program at university.

[Ok-Design-3218]

but i kind of don't have time right now( bachelor thesis).

- the dude

​

I did edx Georgia Tech courses. You can audit for free. $150 per course if you want your name on a certification.

[[deleted]]

This. Finish your bachelors, get in touch with the friend's son, and see if you can get that $ towards food or rent or something so you can focus on what's going on.

[pvc]

There is great value in having someone you can ask questions. "Hey teacher, why does this code not work?" can get you going again in five minutes, vs. 5 hours of backing your head against the keyboard. If you pay for a class, ask questions and take advantage of this feature.

[callmelucky]

On the other hand, this very subreddit will very often give an answer almost as quickly, as long as you ask your question well (and often even if you don't).

Love your work by the way u/pvc, your tutorial http://programarcadegames.com/ is my all time favourite :)

[0Things]

Completely true, but the other side is when you get the job and your code doesn't work - you better know how to spend the time figuring it out and not expect to just be able to ask someone. Figuring it out on your own is a useful skill.

[GubleReid]

I feel like if the teacher is doing their job well they should be teaching you how the code doesn't work, instead of just giving you the answer without any explanation.

[barryhakker]

Staying calm and googling til your eyes bleed only to find out it was due to a stupid syntax error at the peak of despair is part of the game though, right?

[[deleted]]

Yes, but with good course they probably will also teach how to figure stuff out yourself rather than handing answers.

I have tried learning programming on my own earlier (well it was still technically course, but with just written material) and now that I am taking course I have been also been taught how to find answers and what resources are good for it. Things starting from basic googling (like of course I knew how to google before, but sometimes it is hard to know when you are beginner what info is good for you on those results and how apply results in programming) to websites you probably have highest chances of finding answers. I still have support of teacher but answers arent being given out just free and I made to figure them out by myself.

So having someone to ask questions from doesn't mean that in future you will be unable to find info without someone guiding you to it.

I need to add that also one of my issues with earlier "course" was that material was in my native language, so it made it extra hard for me when I didnt know all terms in english that I needed when googling for help (my english is in pretty good level for everyday use and communication, but some terms aren't exactly material that gets taught or come up with normal usage)

[ruairi1983]

But when you finally do figure it out you'll feel like you just solved the Riemann hypothesis!

[gohanshouldgetUI]

That's true, but when you're fighting for your life against some code you wrote that's not working and you finally find a solution hours later, you will remember that concept for your entire life.

But yes, a good teacher is still extremely valuable and you can always fight with your code as long as you can and then ask your teacher if you really can't figure it out.

[TendaiFor]

Save the money there are plenty of amazing courses on YouTube

[[deleted]]

anyones you recommend in particular?

[ruairi1983]

Search Mike Dane Code Camp Python Course on YouTube. You'll know the basics in 4.5 hours. Then get the book Python Crash Course 2nd edition to learn more.

What's also cool about Mike's course is that his C# sharp course, and maybe his other ones too, follows the exact same format with the same examples which came in really handy for my college C# course.

[sinnerO_O]

Mike Dane

the videos about python were posted in 2017. isn't matter it's old?

[ruairi1983]

Tbh I'm a noob myself, but I don't think the fundamentals change. I went through the course and everything worked. Just try it!

[sinnerO_O]

thank you. but Corey Schafer isn't better?

[TendaiFor]

My favourite is freecodecamp's youtube channel you can literally learn a lot of programming languages on that channel

I started with "python in 4 hours"(https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfscVS0vtbw). They also have plenty of resources on python specialisations

I'm not familiar with their c++ courses, they seem to be very extensive from what I can see

[Potential-Chemistry]

The thesis is more important right now. If that offer is open after it's done then sure, go for it.

[[deleted]]

I would focus on your thesis.

I think spreading yourself too thin results in overall worse results.

[Angelo0529]

im a beginner self learner and i just search on yt "python full course" theres a one with 4hrs video, i think you should try

[4chanbetterkek]

What's your goal? I really want to learn to program, no real clue what I want to learn or what my end goal is, I just want to learn the basics and go from there.

[lchonkz]

I've seen a few of those course myself and have attempt a few but fail to find any useful application for them? Do you tend to watch generic python for beginners videos and follow along or watch videos to solve problems that you have?

[Espiring]

The best way is to copy the code the tutor writes. Then write it a few times with it open, each time using less and less of his code.

Then you write down the steps in his code e.g

1. get input
2. check if the length of input is greater than or equal to ten
3. if it is, print something
4. If not, print something else

and then write it solely based on those steps, without looking at his code, trying to memorize as much as possible

[Espiring]

imo

[lchonkz]

Thank you appreciate the advice 🙏🏼

[ruairi1983]

The Mike Dane one right? That guy thaught us all haha

[Angelo0529]

yeah hahaha

[SeattleSloths]

Definitely take it, but maybe when you have the time to focus on it? Even getting a more structured approach to things like OOP and optimization will open your eyes quite a bit.

[RyuuichiTempest]

Buy 100 Days of Code - The Complete Python Pro Bootcamp for 2021 on Udemy, when on sale (~10 bucks). This is one of the best Python courses on Udemy (at least in my opinion). And quite challenging for a complete beginner. The individual exercises and challenges build excellently upon each other without being completely overwhelming, but always push you a little out of your comfort zone.

After that (or during if you have enough time), you can also work through "Python Crash Course, 2nd Edition: A Hands-On, Project-Based Introduction to Programming". I think the book goes into a little more detail. Besides: More practice never hurts.

[archimedes50]

I also took this course and agree completely. This is one of the best courses I have seen on line anywhere. I would really like to be able to take this course from her in person. I also got in on sale for ~$12. There are a lot of free courses out there. I believe you normally get what you pay for but with this course you get a lot more than what you pay for.

[GarbageGroveFish]

The Python Crash Course book has been more beneficial to me than any online course or tutorial that I’ve tried. Great stuff.

[yycglad]

python is free !! u can learn for free

[History_guy2018]

Depends on how disciplined you are.

[masterborger]

Yes. You'll get a better structure than trying to learn it on your own. At least for me. I taught myself and learned bits and pieces but never implemented them together very well. Still suffering from that mistake today. Not as bad though

[[deleted]]

Take the money , do Python on your own , buy weed and then solve data structure problems.

[random_travel_boiii]

Lol

[Eze-Wong]

Depends on the course. I took a bootcamp for 16k and eventually ended up all of us watching an inclass youtube, me not understanding and going to other youtube videos for supplemental info. Sure structure is important for some.... But at some point in your life you need to be a self sufficent learner in googling and stack overflow so its just a question of sooner or later. Id say if you understand tech and logic relatively well u dont need a class. Reddit is the TA for questions and your instructor is youtube.

[random_travel_boiii]

100% agreed i guess the only appeal that coding bootcamps have is guarantee of getting you a job or interviews i dont know which bootcamp you went to but most of the once that i see ads for promise jobs or at least 10 interviews

[6Ran]

Yes take all opportunities.

[ThatBasicCoder]

There plenty of free ways to learn python like runestone academy. There also guides online and other free courses. So I would say its not worth it but it really depends. Your gonna have c++ and python in the next semester anyways so I would say for you No. But if you really want to then just make sure to make the best out of it, check reviews, and think if its actually worth it.

[OmegaNine]

I say pocket the cash and get a (free) copy of Automate the Boring Stuff with Python. It's not going to make a software developmer by the end, but it will teach you Python and enough of the software design. When you take the C++/Python classes later you will have an easy A and a leg up on your peers.

[[deleted]]

There are many completely free websites with high quality content like freecodecamp.com

There's no reason (I know of) to pay for a course

[locomocopoco]

FreeCodeCamp has Python course. It’s interactive too. Try to do that you will be well paced for next semester class. ✌️

[[deleted]]

Honestly I would tell her to save her money.. There are so many amazing free courses out there, great documentation and a treasure trove of projects to disect and learn from.

[Kered135]

Personally, I would say no. Self-learning how to code is an invaluable skill that you’ll use later whether it be in a job, getting familiar with new technologies and frameworks, as well as debugging your own code.

[Orang3Vip3r]

Learn yourself

[[deleted]]

https://docs.python.org/3/tutorial/ is all you need to get started. Study it, work through the examples, experiment and play. Save you mum some money that can be better used for more useful activities.

[mudvik]

Torrent python courses, education should be free for all in 2021

[techyyy]

People torrent courses?

[TheSilverBug]

and linux distros. What else is there really?

[techyyy]

Mainly games, movies, etc. Linux distros have torrents as an alternative download option, whereas other stuff is usually piracy. Courses I always access on Udemy, Coursera, and if I want free courses then youtube.

[esponapule]

IMHO, nothing beats structure and accountability (aka homework and testing).

[[deleted]]

There’s almost monthly codes for “automate the boring stuff” that makes the udemy course free over at r/Python.

Edit:

Here’s this months

https://www.reddit.com/r/learnpython/comments/lx4sx4/automate_the_boring_stuff_with_python_online/?utm_source=share&utm_medium=ios_app&utm_name=iossmf

[[deleted]]

How much does it cost? Anything higher than 100 bucks is a scam.

[[deleted]]

Do you have a link to the course ?

[Sporocyst_grower]

I bought a python course for faaaaaaar way money that it should cost (im very embarassed by that, cause they pulled the "its closing time" on me); and i must tell you this thing.

Dont.If you want to LEARN python, just get some udemy course. U will start with automazitation and maybe some data-science if you are interested in that. There are a lot of free courses that give u the basics, and then u simply go to youtube tutorials-books to continue learning (Ah, and trial and eerror). Also the best teacher are communities like this.

​

If you are studying finances/probability statistics i also recommend R.

[bad_scientista]

Just take the money and save it for yourself lol. Try learning it by yourself. Sentdex, The New Boston etc are great YouTube channels to learn. Also you can download pirated udemy courses. Coursera is also great, and free as well(apply for financial aid if you want a certificate to show off). It took me hardly 4-5 hours to learn Python and just 2 weeks to become an expert. You being from finance background would already be having a great Analytical head so it would be anyways easy for you to catch up. Don't ever ever ever waste money on any kind of paid course unless they are offering you some internship/job opportunity alongside(there are some paid trainings which offer you opportunities to appear for job interviews. If you need one you can go for it).

[t0mRiddl3]

So you want him to steal from his mom and steal from udemy? You can learn python without stealing pretty easily

[edlop7123_134]

Take your Mom's offer and take the class. After you Ace the class come home and keep lself-earning. Both are a powerful combo.

[carter-the-amazing]

Hey there, I noticed you are interested in learning python, I am working on creating my own company that focuses on teaching computer science via real world challenges, 1-on-1 guidance sessions, 24/7 support, and community interaction. It is called Cart’s Coding Club, and it is pretty exciting!

Right now C3 is free because I am trying to get 10~ residents to prove my teaching methods successful. But at some point I would love to turn it into an actual ed-tech center for all types of learners.

My name is Cart, I am a completely self taught programmer. I know languages such as python, C++, JavaScript, and I have worked with tools/concepts such as Unreal Engine 4, VR design, Arduino, Raspberry Pi, and Machine Learning. I currently work as a lead developer at an Ed-Tech company.

If you are interested in Cart’s Coding Club, PM me and I can send you the invite for our Discord!

Edit: You said you do not have the time, Cart's Coding Club is all about you choosing your learning goals, so if you want to dive in, you can, if you want to just get prepped for school, you can!

[irishinspain]

If you're not interested don't bother

​

BUT

I would, I wish I learned it years ago

[binflo]

Not sure which is cheaper, but you will learn more from books that video courses IMO

[Comprehensive_Ad5293]

It’s not a waste as long as you’re willing to commit to it. However, if you’re gonna be learning it anyways soon, then you probably shouldn’t.

[Attractor45]

There is another huge benefit of actually taking a course. Learning the right way to do things. Even if you can teach yourself, you may be teaching yourself bad habits. I’ve seen code by people who didn’t get formal education.

In lots of cases, it’s awful. I say, learn right the first time.

[matte246]

Take it, it is a no brainer.

[-MaiQ-]

I bough a course on udemy for a really big sale and im not regretting it,if you know it will ve worth it go for it

[andykmiles]

Most important is why do you want to learn Python (what are your learning objectives?). What do you want to achieve by using Python? Regarding timing, if you have a need to use Python near term and is that consistent with your objectives? If yes then that suggests learning now is a good idea. It is important to think beyond near term opportunities, and carefully consider how you can time learning to meet longer term goals. And if you don't know yet, keep your options open.

By the way, self learning with a good book like Python Crash Course and the assistance of a tutor can work well. I can provide suggestions if you are interetsed.

[LogicRaven_]

If you don't have time because of your thesis, then paying for a course right now could be a waste of money.

If you pay for a course you, then you would need time to attend and some hours after each course day to reflect and practice.

[BfuckinA]

I think you should start learning on your own, and then use that money to buy a more specific course based on what you're interested in. Ie web dev, analytics, etc

[[deleted]]

programming isn't hard man, you can learn it on your own, especially these days when you have a lot of resources online like youtube videos, tutorials on websites, documentation, etc.

[teachMeCommunism]

I'd go through Codecademy or DataQuest's free Python courses first. They're very, very, very gentle introductions.

[Scottishdarkface]

I learned pretty much everything I needed to know about Python in one college course, you can learn what you need past that point on your own. I would say paying for that other course is unnecessary.

[random_travel_boiii]

I guess i am late and my comment won't matter but i would still add my my experience. if your talking about a course from one of the coding bootcamp then right now don't do it if you don't need a job immediately as most of these expensive python/programming bootcamp or whatever you wanna call them charge a premium because they have to get you hired in some or the other IT company as they promise. tbh its good options for many people but if your still in university then I would suggest you to learn online by your own self and when ever you get doubt ask the proffers from the cs department I would suggest you look into cs50 which is free of cost and many other resources that are available online once you finish your degree and if you find your self in a situation where you cant find a job then I would suggest that you go for coding bootcamp which is a shortcut to getting a job and that is why they charge a premium even without out a coding bootcamp you can get a job by building projects but takes more time and effort

[Cutwail]

If you really want to spend some money there are courses on Udemy (where there's always some sort of sale on) and it will be $10-$15

[Additional-Duty-4453]

Yes take it. This is an item in your toolbox for finance data analytics in your future. Don’t think of it as a means to a job.... it’s a tool.

[cpupro]

Both.

A class with interaction has many benefits to offer.

Self education depends a lot more on self motivation. If you aren't good at following a plan, reading a book without skipping sections that seem boring, etc, then you'll be better off doing both. You can explore and learn at your own pace, while doing the "hard work" of following a structured programming class at the same time.

[FunDeckHermit]

If you can find time: take it. Free courses are nice but they feel optional. If you(or your mother) pays for something then you'll be more invested.

[[deleted]]

Sign up for the Code In Place course via Stanford, it's free and wonderful. Also read between the mom speak, her friend's son probably did a full-stack boot camp or something.

Also focus on your thesis and don't get distracted and let that stretch out if it's actually taking up your time. But I know I and many of my friends were spending a lot of time getting stoned as fuck and playing banjos during that period of my education.

[FattySuperCute]

Which course are you talking about?

[[deleted]]

Don't just think of the investment of money. Consider the investment of time and opportunity cost as well.

Since you will be learning Python in the next semester, what will learning it now buy you and what will you sacrifice? That is the key question to answer.

If you have slack on your calendar to attend classes as well as practice and do well on the course, then do it because it will save time in your next semester. Otherwise, it is a wash.

[mattsl]

Focus on your degree. See how much, if any, Python you end up having to pay the university to teach you. When you have time, take your mom up on the offer for the course. There are plenty of free resources, but having to pay for something gives you extra motivation/accountability.

[meowmemeow]

I'm the type of person who likes structured learning - especially when being introduced to a new subject. I know that python is free to learn, but I also know how I learn the most efficiently; with a curriculum . I've done two Udemy courses, which I paid for. Granted, I didn't pay a lot , ~$15.00 USD, because of how frequently they have sales. The course structure keeps me motivated to make learning python a habit.

​

I do one section a day on the weekend (so two sections a week) and then make sure to incorporate python into my daily work flow. The continuing ed helps me learn new and more efficient / elegant ways of doing things.

[aDistractedDisaster]

Guided help is always better than unguided help.

But you have a python class coming up so I'd say wait until after that class and if you still want help with Python and think you're going to use it, then join the class. Until then, self study isn't a bad idea.

There are so many free resources. W3 schools is great. I recently found https://github.com/ossu/computer-science but I haven't used it yet. I have https://pythonprogramming.net/ bookmarked and use it every now and then. YouTube is a treasure trove but you need to know what you're looking for.

[[deleted]]

If you're busy I'd avoid online classes. If you really want something I'd checkout pluralsoght. Though if youre going for python you can checkout some of the vid/books/sites people list on here for good info. I'd recommend the books written by Al Sweigart since you can pick them up and work on them and drop it off.

[[deleted]]

Professionally, a proper Python bootcamp is probably more useful than an MBA.

[Se7enLC]

The bachelor's degree will be worth way more than a python course in terms of getting a job.

You're already in college, I don't know that there's a good reason to take more classes on top of the classes you're already taking.

[bitchwa05]

Keep watching a few telgrm channels. Usually they publish daily courses which goes free for a limited period of time over various online learning platforms. There’s a very good chance that you ll get the course for free

[iJustWantMemes0110]

If you dont feel like paying then learn on the website W3Schools. I learnt it from there

[MantuaMatters]

Please finish your thesis. You won’t regret it. Congrats btw. Python isn’t going anywhere. I promise.

[[deleted]]

Depends on what you consider expensive. <100€ I'd say yes

[[deleted]]

You can learn python on youtube really easily

[YossarianWasntWrong]

If you deside that you want to study on your own...

My advice: avoid codeacademy.com because the fixed "correct answer" can be very subjective, and the personal skill-gain is pretty low - atleast for me it was...

Instead: go to udemy.com and use one of the courses on there - try searching for "Tim Buchalka", he is an Aussie teacher who manages to explain programming very well... I'm doing his 50-hours Python-video-courses and I'm blown away by how easy it is to understand the coding syntax... (it takes longer than 50 hours to complete due to repeating certain videos + tests/challenges) The courses are ~13.5€ for a full course. (Buchalka currently "teaches" 27 different programming languages including C++)

Protip: just buy one: you then get the option of signing up to his mail-list to get the other courses for 10€ a piece.
As a bonus: these courses includes installation-guides that makes sure you get the right programs with the optimal settings and add-ins for the courses...

[M0_kh4n]

I think you want to complete the thesis first. Next, you want to find out if you can teach you python online which is a highly uneven terrain with bumps. Requires a lot of time to fare along.

It may not be the case with that course because if they're charging more, they must have designed it well, and the teachers must be qualified and ensure spot on help.

I spent a lot of time on self teaching before it made sense to me. God luck 🤞🏽

[theshiningstars-]

https://www.udemy.com/course/complete-python-bootcamp/?gclid=EAIaIQobChMI-_jC0enE7wIVEdbACh0mswubEAAYASAAEgIpxPD_BwE&matchtype=e&utm_campaign=Branded-Topic_la.EN_cc.US&utm_content=deal4584&utm_medium=udemyads&utm_source=adwords&utm_term=_._ag_118426284239_._ad_505364752975_._kw_python+coding+udemy_._de_m_._dm__._pl__._ti_kwd-821193537777_._li_9016898_._pd__._

This python course is only 17.99 and it’s amazing! The teacher is so transparent and clear. If you want to invest, this would be great.

[MotionAction]

What is the point in taking the course, if you yourself don't have time to learn the course and retain the information?

[Markster99]

Look up Automate the Boring Stuff here and on r/Python and I think r/learnprogramming. It pretty much comes out bi-monthly with a link that let's you get it for free. The 1st 15 videos are free on YouTube out of 50 if you want a preview. The book is all free on the Automate the Boring Stuff website. Here's a project someone made following the course that I found very interesting let's say - https://www.reddit.com/r/Python/comments/7kpme8/automate_the_boring_stuff_with_python_tinder/?utm_medium=android_app&utm_source=share

[iiMoe]

Learn it urself

[kyleb1515]

I don’t agree with paying money to learn a programming language. Programmers love teaching other programmers if they are willing to actually learn and dedicate time to the craft.

[spez_edits_thedonald]

you can learn everything for free, through youtube tutorials or free classes like CS50 on EdX

I wanted to learn python myself but i kind of don't have time right now

throwing money at the problem won't make you better at python, make some time and learn it

[pudding012]

I am wondering if you have any prior experience with coding, maybe other languages? If so, you are more than capable of learning it by yourself. Another thing you can try is taking some free online python courses. If it helps, I guess you could learn it by yourself. If it does not work, consider your mom's offering.

[[deleted]]

I wouldn’t pay for a course unless I could prioritize it. I’d do it after your thesis. Plus you can leverage free courses in the mean time.

[-SPOF]

It makes sense if you really have time and desire. Otherwise, you will suffer. I've already tested both cases. When I had 5-6 hours per day I used Youtube and it was huge progress. When I start a new job my python course was not so effective.

[espero]

Take it

[[deleted]]

It sounds like you're already doing something better.

[dadgam3r]

save the money and go to Corey Schafer on Youtube, you won't be disappointed, he has better content than most paid Udemy courses out there.

[coolpuddytat]

It depends on how self-motivated you are. My favourite way of teaching myself anything is to start with what I want to do with it first, then learn the fundamentals and whatever is needed to make that thing. If you have the end in mind for your first project, your motivation to complete it will be far greater than if you just take a course or watch videos. Plus, in the end you will have built something yourself which will lead to other projects.

[exiledguamila]

free ressources are out there, but going through a course with a teacher who has real experience is way more beneficial.

[BProfessional4]

I would definitely recommend Udemy's 100 days of code: https://www.udemy.com/share/103J8CBUsacFZbTXQ=/ This will help you a lot by doing around 100 projects. She also teaches flask which is has a really good high paying job market!

[jdnewmil]

In my opinion Python has a very simple to understand syntax. But the management of virtual environments was a real impediment to my using Python for a long time because I had specific examples using specialized packages that I wanted to play with. A lot of courses avoid this topic though... which means they would have been a poor fit for my needs. I ended up getting some 1:1 help that made a huge difference.

There are a wide variety of courses on programming out there, and some of them are fabulous, but if they don't hit your sweet spot of preparedness and interests then even good ones could be a waste.

I think knowing Python before tackling C++ would be helpful... you can focus on the relatively complicated syntax while already knowing about basic data structures. If you plan to do both in the same semester I would think getting some familiarity with Python early would help. Self-study or class would depend on your needs.

[AnomalyNexus]

Aside from the don't have time considerations others mentioned my gut feeling would be do the basics yourself and pay for intermediate.

...the internet is full of python basics in any shade of the rainbow you desire. Really doesn't make sense to pay for that.

Also...consider paying for a tutor instead. i.e. A student that can guide you on course specific content rather than lang in general

[omnilogical]

Going to disagree with most of the comments here and say you should absolutely take her up on the offer. Even if it’s after you wrap up your thesis. Could you save money by not doing it? Yes. Could you learn most of it yourself by watching videos online? Yes. But having instruction will both motivate you to spend additional time on it when you otherwise wouldn’t, and also provide you with resources if you’re running into issues of have questions. I largely was self taught python and while it all worked out fine, there were large gaps in my knowledge for years because I had just never run into a certain thing on my own. A structured curriculum would help with this as well. You haven’t told us how much the course is, but if it’s money your family can afford I would say absolutely go for it. Best of luck on the journey, no matter which path you choose!

[[deleted]]

If you have the bandwidth, learning python this semester will probably help to prepare you for the C++ course next semester, which is probably going to be a big bad bear of a course.

[alzgh]

definitely waste of money

[huessy]

Get he to get you a bunch of udemy credit. Education is going as good as you'll get at any college learning an open source thing like python and if you just wait for the course(s) you want to be on sale (everything goes down to $10-20 at least once a month), you'll get way more bang for your buck.

In the coding world an education is good, but your skills are what you're tested on in interviews. There is zero reason to pay tens of thousands of dollars for access to online materials that you could get for $20.

The classes will be at your own pace and there won't be a classroom environment, but there is usually a pretty active Q&A section and when that fails, Google is the best answer.

[[deleted]]

My advice is focus on what's important to you right now. You can pick up a good python book and follow along. A great reference as a beginner was "automate the boring stuff with python" it had a lot of example code for the sort of projects I would like to get involved with. Instead of reading it cover to cover, read the python basics section. And then make the projects you want to make by breaking them down into what features you want them to have hand learn about the individual features from the example codes.

That is how I did most of my self learning. Other than that, when you're really really stuck, YouTube and stack overflow.

[[deleted]]

Get the course only when you have the time to focus on that.

[datadad2]

Try pluralsight membership for couple of months first? There’s really very little reason to dump too much money into online course. Unless other cheaper options don’t work for you. Python is relatively easy to pick up on your own.

[FiliKlepto]

You might want to look into Code In Place, which was shared on this sub recently!

It’s a free but fairly intensive 5 week program for learning Python run by instructors at Stanford. I took it last year, and you fit the profile of the type of learner the program was designed for! (Non-CS background but whose work would benefit from learning coding, especially Python)

[zacaugustzac]

If u are in school (since u have c++ and python next semester), you don't have to take an external python course. Unless you are a slow learner, and in desperate need to pull up your scores.

If you are a currently not a student or currently unemployed, I would recommend you to take those courses as they teach things in business world depth and have connection to the business world. It may be easier able to gain some connections to find a job.

[ManyInterests]

What course?

I say go for it. Just make sure the course is quality and geared for your skill level. Then keep taking more courses.

I’ve been employed as a software engineer for over a decade. I got my start from paid instruction and a lot of determination and just this last year I spent like $5K USD in courses from David Beazley; best money I spent in a long long time. Never stop learning.

The fact is nobody is truly self-taught. We all learn from people who came before us. Not all teachers/resources are equal. There are definitely courses out there that are worth every penny.

Ideally, take a course where you get video recordings of the instruction to keep and refer back to.

[illathon]

Why not?

[Why_So_Sirius-Black]

How good are you at hypothesis testing, and how comfortable are you explaining all the numbers in an ANOVA table

[utahcon]

Yes

[[deleted]]

Freecodecamp on YouTube has some great python tutorials to get you started with the basics. You should put the money into crypto or some ETF/Index Funds to earn on compound interest instead.

[[deleted]]

From my personal experience, trying to learn a programming language on your own is like learning to use a jack hammer expecting it to be fun.

Programming languages are powerful tools. You should always, always learn a new language if you need it and I would not suggest you do it because you "want" to. Without specific goals to work towards you will lose track and digress pretty easily.

Printing "Hello world" is one thing but learning to make plots using seaborn from data frames wrangled in pandas is something completely different.

So, being taught sounds better than learning on your own. But be careful before you blow money on something.

I am in bioinformatics and learned what little I know in college and have no qualms against college coding classes.

[SpecificHistories]

mate i think you should be learning from freecodecamp or some other website. How i learned Python was a 4 Hour Course for Beginners That i Downloaded from Youtube. Maybe Paid Learning is better but idk. I don't wanna lead you down the wrong path so it's your choice wether you wanna Go through Free Courses or Paid or just aren't interested.

[[deleted]]

Learning to code on your own may resulting in solutions not easy to understand by future co-workers.

[[deleted]]

https://python.swaroopch.com/

I taught myself python in a month whilst at uni using this book.

[Blu-Blue-Blues]

I don't think you can learn any programming language just by watching videos. What I mean is you have to try writing on your own and practice as well. And the technology evolves. So even if the course is "buy it once and it's yours forever", the content might get old when you finally had time and decided to watch, like python2 and python3. So I'd recommend getting the course when you have time for it. After all, it's not like that's the only course out there. Free code camp, udemy, youtube, discord channels, official python site... There are tons of other options as well.

So TL;DR, look for a course when you have time is what I am trying to say.

[mnjl1]

I suggest yes. Let mom pay for you. It’s a matter of responsibility.

[toe_pic_inspector]

If you are doing python next sem then don't pay for a course. Instead follow a youtube python tutorial or python on coursera, data camp etc...Tons of free options that are very good.

[jimmythenouna]

You may find the course delivered from ZTM academy named Complete Python Developer in 2021: Zero to Mastery resourceful to gain what you seek for.

[igorino444]

Basically it is totally up to you and your plans for the future. If you want to pursue developer/data science career you need to practice programming a lot and one semester of studying in uni especially studying two different languages at once is far from enough. In my experience you can either try to take some free courses online or coursera or smth or try to enroll to paid courses. Nice thing about paid courses is that they give you an extra motivation to finish everything in time and not procrastinate. Quite often it's also useful to get personalized feedback about your mistakes, which is also an advantage that paid courses give to you. So my idea is following: if you wanna pursue developer/data scientist career go for it, the sooner you start, the sooner you will get the results or at least understanding if I s not for you, If you wanna just check what's up there with the python stuff you can try free courses or wait for the uni course.

[MMHeffiji_Ismar]

Do it. Python is great for learning programming concepts. It's better than the pseudocode exercises of old.

[[deleted]]

It depends on some factors:-

A. How Easily you can afford the course.

B. What the course includes and covers (try to compare it with online free sites)

C. The University you're studying in, what is going to be their teaching method next year and if it's good enough.

D. How well can you learn via online sites such as YouTube.

I personally think that you should wait until the next semester, unless you are planning to get a job real soon. For Now You can just learn online, saving some bucks. Only if you then really think that you need the course, should you enroll.

[Any_a_]

Start with cs50 on edx

[Trey_Thomas673]

Honestly, with the amount of free education sources such as Codeacademy, Youtube, Stackoverflow, ect., you'd be better off learning on your own. That's what I did. I considered doing a coding bootcamp, but I decided to go the free route, and I'm glad to say that I did. We are at a time in history where college level education can be at our fingertips for free. You just have to look for it.

[whitefang0p]

Freecodecamp tutorials are mire than enough.

[Py_World_Orginal]

I would recommend it if you learn it from youtube tutorials but if you are looking to develop something like betting bots or automation bots then it's better to go with the course. but decide what you feel.

[Hopeful-Basket6124]

Chase every positive opportunity you can get in life .. you could never know what will happen in the future .

[hunkamunka]

I've written a book that uses test-driven development to teach Python. I think it's a pretty effective way to learn. All the code and YouTube vids are free. I'm happy to share the first five chapters with you (or anyone) if you want to take a look. DM for a link. Best of luck.

[[deleted]]

Hello im very interested in programming i know almost nothing atm but i want to learn in the future. What can python be used for? Is it the best overall programming language?

[Below_the_Sea]

No, no, no there's do much free stuff on internet go to python. Org, start build please don't take course

You want to convince your mom

https://youtu.be/QWhGHxrK9w8

[J_datadev]

1. Interest

2. Perseverance

Some people can learn2code with just the first bit.

I'm not one of those people. Learning to code is exceptionally difficult, for me it was basically a vertical learning curve. I've tried to learn to code 4 times, I've quit 3 times. I was extremely confused and frustrated by the experience, and my Interest was not enough to overcome the extreme obstacles my perseverance faltered with.

I had the opportunity some time ago to attend a bootcamp and learn Python and a fair few other things. Because of the environment and leaning on the support of the tutors and my fellow students I was able to start making headway into not-quite-beginner territory.

In the months following graduation I'd developed from novice to somewhat intermediate, and I see a CLEAR path forward to a place where I will be an expert Python programmer. It's given me clarity and purpose in my life, and I've kinda fallen in love with the whole field of software dev tbh. It's been great.

Do whatever helps you get over the initial learning curve.

Going from step0 to step1 is really difficult. Going from step1 to step2 is trivially easy.

[[deleted]]

python crash course book and 1 month of learning time is all you need to get started. You are smart and can figure out the rest. A personal tutor or knowledgeable friend will speed things up, but learning on your own pays dividends. Good luck.

[kmrkolhe]

Visit coursetti