How to Become a Software Developer from Scratch with Formal Education

Software development, web design, computer engineering -- if it's related to technology, it's a hot field that will need more and more people as time goes on. That's a boon to you, the budding software developer. But it leaves you with an important decision to make. Do you rearrange your life to attend school to learn the field or do you try to learn what you can on your own?

Why Is Formal Education a Better Idea?

Formal education -- actually going to school and getting a college degree -- is more likely to give you a much more stable background in software and related fields. Yes, it is entirely possible to find some aspect of development and learn that on your own. But by doing that, you'll end up with two disadvantages.

One is that you'll have to take classes anyway. They may be on your own time, and they may be done completely online, but you'll end up following coursework anyway. If you're going to do that, why not get a degree out of it?

Second, when you attempt to learn something on your own, you naturally take shortcuts. You eliminate the information that does not seem relevant, or that seems boring, and focus only on your chosen aspect of development. While this may seem streamlined and efficient, it creates holes in your knowledge that could affect your work later on.

Why Formal Education Helps You Move Ahead

Again -- it's all in what you learn. You can become an expert in one aspect of design on your own, but you run the risk of hitting a knowledge wall. In a coursework and degree program situation, you have instructors guiding you to the next step. You learn how the different parts of software engineering and development are related. You may find walls, but you've got a built in support network to give you the tools to get past those walls.

But What about Beginning from Scratch?

If software development has fascinated you, but you've never had a chance to play around with it and are thus a complete beginner in the worlds of design and computers, formal education is your key through that door. You may have to take additional classes to catch up, or you can find a program that gives you the very basics at the start of the program to ensure that all of the students continue on equal footing.

Nowadays, everyone has some sort of computer experience, even if it's just the basic "Clear cache and cookies, then restart your browser" type of troubleshooting. Most people know how to download a file. So even you, the true beginner, have some experience already.

Formal education allows you to build on that in a structured way, ensuring you get the information and training you need. Learning on your own has its merits, but formal training makes you a much more confident pick for companies trying to hire new developers.

Are you interested in becoming a software developer? If you want to earn a Bachelor of Science Degree in Computer and Information Science with a Major in Software Development, ECPI University offers this course at an accelerated rate. For more information about this exciting degree program, connect with a friendly admissions advisor today.

It could be the Best Decision You Ever Make!

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