

Ask HN: I'm sick of college, any recommendation? - burnedouthacker

Okay, to put things in perspective, I'm a 23yo Computer Science student, dropped out from college last year after been studying for three years; the reason: got fed up with all the innecesary work that had to be done... spent to much time caring for grades, knowing I could be doing something with much more value, incompetent proffesors "teaching" things that they didn't even understand, those proffesors being in the positon of assigning me a grade... Some proffesors gave me an F even I knew so much more than they did; actually in regard this "proffesor" situation, I went to talk with the computer science chairman who acknowledged the situation, but it took so much time to get  each of faulty the proffesors fired, and they were to much.<p>This year, I started attending college again (different one), and have two more years pending to get that paper that says "I'm an engineer".Sadly, even though it's a different school, situation is starting to look like a deja-vu, and I'm actually starting to see with despise, and aversion the whole "university experience", and could almost state like an axiom in my reality that "college sucks".<p>I'm pretty confused... should I endure this sick pain, product of tolerating this crap,just in order to get my degree?(I only want it for the supposed doors that it opens).
Should I just take as many subjects as I can, so I can finish with this painful experience the fastest I can, without any consideration of the grades I get? How important are the grades in getting those "doors" open, or getting into a Ph.D program? Can't I get into a Ph.D program just by demonstrating my competence, and not having to comply with the "system"(and subsequently wasting my time)? Can just my work (research publications,conferences, open source hacks, books I've written) get me into a research program, without having the degree?<p>Sidenotes that could help understand more my context: I'm poor, I have to work in order to provide myself, and pay for school tuition.
I do research in artificial intelligence.
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SwellJoe
_How important are the grades in getting those "doors" open, or getting into a
Ph.D program?_

I don't know what doors you refer to. I've never had a problem getting a job,
and I never attended a university (I went to a handful of community colleges
for various fun topics, but never got a degree...but having a degree from a
good university would certainly help me if I wanted to work at Google or
Microsoft or similar). A Ph.D program? Why would you want to go the Ph.D route
if you _hate_ academia? This doesn't even make a little bit of sense to me.

 _Can't I get into a Ph.D program just by demonstrating my competence, and not
having to comply with the "system"(and subsequently wasting my time)?_

I'm still not getting this. It's sounding like your dream in life is to be a
Ph.D working in academia for all of your days. And, yet, you've stated that
you hate college. This doesn't make sense.

Why do you want to get into a Ph.D program? I'm not saying you _shouldn't_ do
a Ph.D, I'm just having a real hard time wrapping my head around the idea of
someone who hates college seemingly dreaming of being in college for 6 to 8
years to obtain a Ph.D.

I think you've gotta do some soul-searching here. What is it you want out of
life? If a life of research and academia and publishing is what you want, then
yes, you need to go to college. You need to go to college for many more years.
That is the price of admission to that life. But, given that that life is
kinda just continuing the college experience (only you answer to deans and the
board of directors and students rather than answering to professors), I don't
see how that could possibly be your real goal.

So, what is your real goal? You tell us that, and we (being a pretty diverse
set of hackers and nerds) can probably lend you reasonably good advice on how
to get there.

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artlogic
My suggestion to you is simple: if you want to do artificial intelligence
research then do it. Make a website. Self-publish. Promote yourself. If you
are truly brilliant (as you seem to think you are) then you will be noticed.
There are always positions for hard working brilliant people.

It's also worth saying that the majority of groundbreaking research being done
these days is being done in the private sector. These people care less about
degrees than results. Prove you can produce and you won't find it difficult to
obtain employment.

While you research you can work just about anywhere - you don't need access to
much to do research - a library, a computer, a notebook. Being poor is
actually a good thing for research - money causes distraction. Most grad
students are dirt poor.

As a side note, I think we're all a bit confused by your story. What is the
"crap" you are tolerating? If you really know all of it already, shouldn't it
all be easy? I think that perhaps some of the issues you are experiencing may
have something to do with poor communication more than anything else. Most
professors are willing to work with you on a more challenging project if the
given project is elementary and boring to you.

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JabavuAdams
Stick it out, if it's only 2 years.

Don't take refuge in the "I'm smarter than all of them, they just don't
understand me" excuse. Take what is offered, and learn what you can, where you
can.

It may not seem like it now, but 2 years is a really, really, short time in
your life.

If you're bored, spend more time on interesting projects, but also spend
enough time on your coursework to get decent (though maybe not top) grades.

I started University 3 years early (skipped 3 grades). I failed out in my last
year. Generally, I really liked my uni experience, but I regret not finishing.

I've never had a problem getting a job. However, the lack of a degree has been
an obstacle in getting US work permits for some sweet companies.

You know how older people will tell you that the years pass quicker and
quicker? It's true. One or two years is just a minuscule amount of time in
your life. Don't fail to do something because you're impatient, and it'll
"take a year". In ten years, it still won't be done, and you'll have "wasted"
at least a year in between doing other things.

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icey
Life is tough, you're going to have to do things that are boring when you get
a job as well. Might as well learn how to deal with it now.

That being said, I'm not entirely convinced this isn't a troll. If you're not
trolling, I'd recommend spell checking your post; especially the parts where
you talk about knowing more than your "proffesors".

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ejs
Why would you possibly think a PhD is a good idea if you find your current
situation full of unnecessary work? Do you think a PhD program is going to be
some huge difference (hint: it's not)

And depending on where you live (US?) just having an engineering degree
doesn't let you call yourself "an engineer"... you need a PE for that (add
more years).

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tokenadult
_Some proffesors gave me an F even I knew so much more than they did_

How can you be sure that you knew much more than your professors knew? What
kind of communication did you have with those professors before you received a
grade of F?

~~~
burnedouthacker
Sorry, by not be giving more details... It's just that it would take so much
time to describe the whole situation. Chairman asked me the same, I just gave
punctual facts, and proved them. Chairman acknowledged situation, and fired
some of the proffesors.

~~~
ejs
Wow I would love to know what school "fired" professors because some failing
student was complaining...

Got a link to back that up?

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radu_floricica
I know very well how you feel. I cannot give concrete advice, since I'm in a
different part of the world and the context doesn't apply, but it sounds all
too familiar.

What I can say is that a job and a PhD are completely different paths. Both
have advantages and satisfactions, but they require different things. If you
want a job, grades most likely don't matter. This I can safely say about any
free market economy, especially in this field. But for a PhD... at least where
I'm from, what matters most is having your personal professor guiding you.
Whatever he says goes.

