Can I Pursue an IT Career Without a College Degree?

While it might be tough to get your foot in the door without a degree, it’s not impossible. Many companies prefer candidates with at least a bachelor's degree, even if it's not in a tech-related field. One strategy could be to pursue a more flexible degree part-time while simultaneously working on real-world projects. This way, you can gain practical experience that can help complement your education.

If you want a shot, you need to be willing to put in the hard work and learn on your own. Coding skills, experience, and a good portfolio will impress employers much more than a degree alone. Don't shy away from starting your own projects to display your skills.

Honestly, the job market can be pretty competitive. If you don’t have a relevant degree, you might find it hard to stand out among a pool of candidates who do. I'd recommend combining college with hands-on projects; working on personal coding projects while studying could give you a solid advantage.

I dropped out after my first year and now I’m a senior software engineer with no formal qualifications. It took years of hard work and odd jobs to get here. If you’re dedicated and can showcase your skills with projects you've created yourself, that can be just as valuable as a degree.

Check out 'Confident Coding' by Rob Percival if you want a good starting point. It covers essential programming languages and has practical exercises that can help you boost your skills. Also, websites like Exercism and roadmap.sh are great for guiding your learning path.