Is coding bootcamp better than university?

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Thanks for the question. Navigating the crossroads of your budding tech career is no small feat, and the decision between diving into a coding bootcamp or committing to a university degree is a pivotal one. Not only because coding bootcamps are short and fun and universities long and stressful, there are a lot more differences than you can imagine. Let me share some insights from my years in the industry to help you make an informed choice.

Firstly, let’s address the elephant in the room: the allure of coding bootcamps. They promise rapid skills acquisition and a fast track to a six figure job. But here’s the kicker: while some bootcamp grads do land impressive roles, many of those that do already have a foundation in a STEM field — some other heavy math/engineering education. So if a person with a degree in maths goes to a bootcamp and learns how to do web development — they have a higher chance of landing a high-paying job, because their field of expertise was very similar to software engineering, albeit more theoretical. So, if you studied history and are thinking of a bootcamp as a golden ticket, it might be time for a reality check.

Now, let’s talk depth. A university computer science degree isn’t just about learning to code; it’s about understanding the very fabric of computing. This deep dive ensures that as technology evolves, you’re not left behind. Think of it as giving you the tools to understand not just the ‘how’ but the ‘why’ of technology. Whatever framework, library, project gets thrown at you — you have the mindset and the skills to understand all the concepts, given enough time. And we’re not just talking about web development (the one bootcamps prepare you for), you can also go into game development, low-level computing, OS development — there’s a ton of sub-fields in programming that are not related with web development that rely on the foundational concepts that you learn at school.

Considering a long-term view, a CS degree doesn’t just prep you for a job; it opens doors to a myriad of roles in the tech cosmos. From the intricacies of operating systems to the wonders of AI, the tech universe is vast and varied. A bootcamp might get you started on web development, but a degree equips you for a journey through the expansive tech galaxy.

Speaking of the tech world, it’s a very competitive arena. I’ve seen brilliant minds from diverse academic backgrounds pivot to tech via bootcamps. If your only edge is a few months of intensive web coding, you might find yourself outpaced by someone with a broader, and more stable, academic foundation. Imagine yourself as a checklist, the more things you can check off, the more demand the market will have for you, but if your only checked off thing is the coding bootcamp — then there’s a fierce competition as there are tons of people just like you, with a single checkmark.

But here’s the crux: irrespective of the path you choose, the tech world demands continuous learning. Technologies evolve, new languages emerge, and staying stagnant is not an option. Whether you’re a bootcamp enthusiast or a university grad, the learning curve never really flattens.

It really all depends on you — if you finished the coding bootcamp and have the fire blazing in your eyes to consume knowledge all around programming — you will succeed, but if you really purely on the things that you learnt at the bootcamp — you will fail.

While bootcamps offer a swift entry into the tech scene, a university degree lays a robust foundation for a long, dynamic and evolving career. As you stand at this juncture, ponder not just on the immediate but on where you envision yourself a decade from now. The tech world is vast, exciting, and ever-changing; equip yourself to not just be a part of it but to thrive and lead in it.