Seun: If you want to be a professional software developer, you should study Computer Science at a good private university like Covenant University with good lecturers and good facilities. If you can't afford that, then study it at a reputable public school like OAU-Ife or UNILAG and also make sure you buy a computer and use it to teach yourself practical skills.

The practical knowledge you will gain by learning on your own is no substitute for the theoretical foundation you will gain as a Computer Science studentin a good university. It's complementary. A programmer who studied Computer Science and also learnt extra on his own will be much better than a programmer who studied something else and learnt on his own.

As a student of Computer Science, you will be surrounded by computer geniuses who are better than you. Learning from them and competing with them will make you a much better developer. It will bring out the best in you. It takes a rare and extraordinary level of motivation to learn Computer Science in depth on your own. It's just too hard.

So studying Computer Science in a good university is a fantastic way to spend 4 years if you want to work professionally as a software engineer. Your uncle is not qualified to tell you whether or not studying Computer Science is worth it because he knows nothing about it. You should not take advice from people who don't know what they are talking about. You should listen to employers of programmers and Computer Science graduates who are programmers.

Seun: If you want to be a professional software developer, you should study Computer Science at a good private university like Covenant University with good lecturers and good facilities. If you can't afford that, then study it at a reputable public school like OAU-Ife or UNILAG and also make sure you buy a computer and use it to teach yourself practical skills.

The practical knowledge you will gain by learning on your own is no substitute for the theoretical foundation you will gain as a Computer Science studentin a good university. It's complementary. A programmer who studied Computer Science and also learnt extra on his own will be much better than a programmer who studied something else and learnt on his own.

As a student of Computer Science, you will be surrounded by computer geniuses who are better than you. Learning from them and competing with them will make you a much better developer. It will bring out the best in you. It takes a rare and extraordinary level of motivation to learn Computer Science in depth on your own. It's just too hard.

So studying Computer Science in a good university is a fantastic way to spend 4 years if you want to work professionally as a software engineer. Your uncle is not qualified to tell you whether or not studying Computer Science is worth it because he knows nothing about it. You should not take advice from people who don't know what they are talking about. You should listen to employers of programmers and Computer Science graduates who are programmers.

Ajibel: Boss Seun has even said what was on my mind. I'd prefer a Uni over NIIT if the Uni gives me the course i want. Buh if they give me physics or any unrelated cs course (like what unilag did), i'd consider niit, aptech n co.

I.Joan:


Physics is a fabulous science course too
It does not stop your love for Computer Science.

A Physics degree makes more sense in the IT industry than an aptech certificate.
Aptech/NIIT would not teach you anything you can't learn on your own.

Angela Merkel studied Physics.

Seun: If you want to be a professional software developer, you should study Computer Science at a good private university like Covenant University with good lecturers and good facilities. If you can't afford that, then study it at a reputable public school like OAU-Ife or UNILAG and also make sure you buy a computer and use it to teach yourself practical skills.

The practical knowledge you will gain by learning on your own is no substitute for the theoretical foundation you will gain as a Computer Science studentin a good university. It's complementary. A programmer who studied Computer Science and also learnt extra on his own will be much better than a programmer who studied something else and learnt on his own.

As a student of Computer Science, you will be surrounded by computer geniuses who are better than you. Learning from them and competing with them will make you a much better developer. It will bring out the best in you. It takes a rare and extraordinary level of motivation to learn Computer Science in depth on your own. It's just too hard.

So studying Computer Science in a good university is a fantastic way to spend 4 years if you want to work professionally as a software engineer. Your uncle is not qualified to tell you whether or not studying Computer Science is worth it because he knows nothing about it. You should not take advice from people who don't know what they are talking about. You should listen to employers of programmers and Computer Science graduates who are programmers.

karferguso:
Sorry,isn't that a way of advertisment for those schools you mentioned above?

Ajibel:

Hmm. Physics is a demanding course and when u are really into it, u'd be left with less amount of time to study it. I had to discontinue/reject it. Besides i failed to mention i wasnt good in physics in Secondary; just average. The best thing to do is get the course u want and fully devote time to it.
I dont care which cert makes sense, i just know i wont become an employee. My github/portfolio would speak for me

pc guru: Coding and being a computer scientist are totally two different things oh, Computer Scientist are responsible for most things you use Nvidia CUDA, Graphic Engines and lots of other things my brain cannot even attempt to comprehend. please don't let anyone fool, research before taking decisions like this. also you might wanna ralk to Abdulfattah on NL, i know he's one and he's really on his element.

kodewrita:

Even biblically, the wise are the ones who take instruction and add to their knowledge. If someone wilfully decides that more knowledge is uninmportant, then they have commenced a journey down the path of failure.

Unless you want to spend your life creating crappy apps for small cash and never creating anything great, then you definitely need to go beyond the base level you are.

I personally would not trust a half-baked IT professional with highly critical applications if such a programmer sees 3rd Normal form-designed DBMS as unnecessarily academic or too much work.

Universities teach you the whole picture and not just the narrow field of programming. Yes you can learn it on your own with tools like www.coursera.com or http://ocw.mit.edu or www.edx.org among others but its easier if you attend a UNI.

Dont let envy/regret prevent you or others from gettting good education.

CODE-EATER:
Nope...not FP mat to me..


Can I ask an open question to all..

Wat sec skul subjects r NEEDED to b qualified to enter a GOOD university where one can study computer science in relation to programming...?

p.josh:
This is a conversation between my uncle and I.

Uncle: Josh, what course do you want 2 study.
Me: Computer Science
Uncle: Why
Me: Because I like it
Uncle: Do you know any programming language
Me: Yes, I know python and am still learning it.
Uncle: Who taught you?
Me: I learnt it by my self.
Uncle: Do not study com. Sci
Me: Why?
Uncle : Why waste 4 years in a Nigerian university studying Computer Science when you can learn it on your own or even register and learn it somewhere else.

Me: I will need the certificate when looking for work.

Uncle: Look, even if you want to learn computer science don't depend on your cert. When looking for work, you can work on your own.

To some extent, what he said is true. I advice other student not to take Computer Science as a course.

I.Joan:


Basically, you have to be in the Science class(take further maths, physics, chemistry,etc)...

Computer Science is usually in the Faculty of Technology/Engineering(sometimes Science) and those subjects are needed to be admitted into those Faculties.

kpolli:

During my years further maths wasn't necessary, has this criteria changed now?

p.josh:
This is a conversation between my uncle and I.

Uncle: Josh, what course do you want 2 study.
Me: Computer Science
Uncle: Why
Me: Because I like it
Uncle: Do you know any programming language
Me: Yes, I know python and am still learning it.
Uncle: Who taught you?
Me: I learnt it by my self.
Uncle: Do not study com. Sci
Me: Why?
Uncle : Why waste 4 years in a Nigerian university studying Computer Science when you can learn it on your own or even register and learn it somewhere else.

Me: I will need the certificate when looking for work.

Uncle: Look, even if you want to learn computer science don't depend on your cert. When looking for work, you can work on your own.

To some extent, what he said is true. I advice other student not to take Computer Science as a course.

meshybizzo: I think many people commenting here are forgetting so many things.

My answer to both is simple. They are both CORRECT! Computer science far goes beyond programming but also spending 4 good years (all things been constant e.g ASUU) in nigerian universities is sadly a long waste of time.

kpolli:

If your uncle is not a computer scientist then don't mind him



During my years further maths wasn't necessary, has this criteria changed now?