Going back to school

Community Community & Industry Discussion
1

So I been thinking about going back to school, I have found some programs that interest me. I was wondering what you guys thought of the programs.

This first one is close to me but I will still be taking it online.
http://www.baker.edu/programs/detail/game-software-development/

Here is the course list for baker: https://carina.baker.edu/MSTSTPO?DLV=U&LOCNO=&DIV=CIS&DEG=BCS&CON=GSDO&CVER=2013A&VER=2013A&DIVTTL=Bachelor%20of%20Computer%20Science&PGMTTL=Game%20Software%20Development&PGMTTL1=&OFRTTL=THIS%20PROGRAM%20IS%20OFFERED%20AT%20THE%20FOLLOWING%20BAKER%20COLLEGE%20CAMPUS%3A&CMPOFR=Online&DEPT=ONL

And the other one is at fullsail game design program.

I was pushing toward the Baker one because it does have programming and 3d modeling.

2

It really is more of a question of “How much of a school loan do you want?”

You can do 2 years at a Community College with a feeder program to a State University and get a B.S. in Computer Science. It will cost the least.

You can go to a private school like Full Sail, The Art Institutes, or DigiPen and get end up with a loan for $80,000.

You can learn the skills you want on your own, with the internet and being creative. A degree is just a piece of paper. Most game companies don’t care about it and are just going to give you a test anyway so it doesn’t really matter where you go to school.

For myself. I decided I was ok with a school loan, unlike a car loan which the value of the car is worth almost nothing compared to the loan, at the end of paying off a school loan just look at how much that education would cost now. I got hired right out of school after graduating in 2008 and have worked full-time as a programmer since ( which makes the loan seem justified ). I’ve done non-gaming work, but I have done games, and I’m at a game company now. The Art Institutes degree in Visual and Game Programming well prepared me to work as a game programmer. I’ve worked with several people who went to both Art Institutes and FullSail and they all were pretty good.

3

I did a 2-year program in Computer Simulation and Game Development at my local community college and have had no trouble finding work. Most local companies agree that the students put out by this program are better equipped for the work than those who have a degree in CS. And my total loans were only a few thousand.

4

I wish my local community college had that. There is a community college somewhat close to me that has it, but I’d have to pay double since I dont live in the town and I would need to pay to stay somewhere there.

5

Thanks for your input! I did go to college for computer info systems and I work in I.T right now and hate it, so I am looking at these options for a career change and to move out of the UP of Michigan. I did enroll in the baker program so I shall see how that goes.