Studying at a good university with “problems” or studying at a “so-so” university, but “without problems”?

Question

IT education

There is a desire to study as a programmer at the Faculty of Software Engineering.
The reason for entering a university is not to obtain a diploma for an employer, but to gain knowledge in the field of computer science.
The following options are possible:
1) Enter a top university (MSTU or ITMO), BUT not immediately . In a good perspective - to save money for education in the first year after graduation from school, re-take the exams, enter on a paid basis, while working and earning money for the next years of study at the university. A bad prospect differs from a good one in that I will have to serve in the army if I am called up.
2) Enter a "so-so" university at the level of "LETI or SPbGUT"to the same faculty on a budgetary basis, doing education for your own pleasure.
3) Do not act at all, but learn according to the training plan yourself. I am confident in my knowledge and abilities in mathematics and programming and do not feel any gaps in these disciplines.
Questions:
1) Which option is better in your subjective opinion?
2) What is the difference in the level of knowledge gained between top universities and relatively good universities?
3) Why is the option that you advise me really better than those that I described above?
4) Did the knowledge that you received at the university come in handy for you? In what percentage.
Please answer questions 3 and 4 as detailed as possible, with arguments, facts, life stories. The
question is of great importance for me and my acquaintance, I will be glad to see a competent opinion on this issue. Thanks!"

Answer 1

In Russia, IT is taught at the Higher School of Economics, where there are joint programs with the Moscow Institute of Physics and Technology or with Yandex. And you need to choose not "software engineering", but "applied mathematics and computer science", another such specialty is called "computational mathematics and cybernetics". Such specialties as "computer science and computer engineering" or "information systems and technologies" are completely different. What is computer science in general? See what they do in SHAD. This is if you are still interested in developing in "computer science" in order to be at the forefront of attack in startups, in California and that's it, and not "software engenireeng" (software engineering). I would recommend mechmat, matmech for CS, since only from there are all the tops.
They study software engineering themselves, all the best courses according to the reviews of my friends who studied them, slag. Software engineering is not taught in universities, none. You don’t need a diploma to go to other countries as a programmer, you need experience, there are enough articles on the Internet, videos of people without a specialized diploma, quietly traveling around different countries, changing jobs, looking for a place for permanent residence.
I would go where it's easy. In the best universities, people are already ready, in fact, they know the university program in mathematics in advance, they already program well, they already speak English at the very least. Many of them are winners of the All-Russian Olympiads, many participants in the Olympiads, many from the Physics and Mathematics Lyceums, where they wiped their ass.
There is no need to focus so much on gaining knowledge, coding, achievements, life does not revolve around this. It's just work. When you get into a cool office with cool projects, you quickly get bored with everything, just like millionaires get bored in the first month of their sports cars. With age, you will want something else, it will be the same as with interests from childhood.
Do you know how some of them did it? They went to study psychology at the Higher School of Economics (I won’t give a specific example, I’m too lazy to look), but they dabbled in coding (not CS, but software engineering), created their projects while studying psychology, successfully, then left for Silicon Valley. Why is that? Because everything is changing rapidly, because they don’t teach coding at universities, and that guy understood this, from the Physics and Mathematics Lyceum at Moscow State University. Zuckerberg also studied psychology at Harvard. The path of an evangelist is for the stubborn, it’s very bad to be a manager in IT (it’s not a manager like in other areas), so diversify and don’t look at money.

Answer 2

There is an alternative option: to enter a top university for the specialty where there are enough points, and after the first (maximum - second) course, transfer to the specialty that you originally wanted. She has walked this path herself. You need to understand that when switching to another specialty, you will need to pass the academic difference (pass those subjects that are in the curriculum of the target specialty, but which you did not have) within the prescribed period, and in general you will have to organize the transition yourself (find out in the target dean's office , are they ready to take you, how the translation will look in terms of paperwork and process, where to look at curricula in order to understand the academic difference, etc.). In the dean's offices and in general, the possibility of transfers within the university and between universities is not particularly advertised. No one really says that it's possible at all, as it does not describe what is required for this. They can exert psychological and administrative pressure on their own department without signing papers on the transition (the departments do not want to lose funding tied to the number of students), but if you overcome this, pass the difference in subjects on time, you can find yourself in the initially desired specialty along with those who got into the Olympiads or by very high USE scores. If you move, the sooner the better. If I remember correctly, during the 1st course, transfers are prohibited, but immediately after the 1st course - the ideal time. It is better to find out the process before the start of the session, so that before the summer vacation of the teachers to understand who, when and why to run, and have time to sign everything. without signing papers on the transition (the departments do not want to lose funding tied to the number of students), but if you overcome this, pass the difference in subjects on time, then you can find yourself in the initially desired specialty along with those who got into the Olympiads or at very high USE scores. If you move, the sooner the better. If I remember correctly, during the 1st course, transfers are prohibited, but immediately after the 1st course - the ideal time. It is better to find out the process before the start of the session, so that before the summer vacation of the teachers to understand who, when and why to run, and have time to sign everything. without signing papers on the transition (the departments do not want to lose funding tied to the number of students), but if you overcome this, pass the difference in subjects on time, then you can find yourself in the initially desired specialty along with those who got into the Olympiads or at very high USE scores. If you move, the sooner the better. If I remember correctly, during the 1st course, transfers are prohibited, but immediately after the 1st course - the ideal time. It is better to find out the process before the start of the session, so that before the summer vacation of the teachers to understand who, when and why to run, and have time to sign everything. who got into the olympiads or by very high USE scores. If you move, the sooner the better. If I remember correctly, during the 1st course, transfers are prohibited, but immediately after the 1st course - the ideal time. It is better to find out the process before the start of the session, so that before the summer vacation of the teachers to understand who, when and why to run, and have time to sign everything. who got into the olympiads or by very high USE scores. If you move, the sooner the better. If I remember correctly, during the 1st course, transfers are prohibited, but immediately after the 1st course - the ideal time. It is better to find out the process before the start of the session, so that before the summer vacation of the teachers to understand who, when and why to run, and have time to sign everything.
Based on my work experience, I noticed that more qualified specialists mostly studied at top universities, and during training, the environment is very important (it will pull up, not down), so I would advise trying to get into first-tier universities. The only thing: you need to understand that prestigious departments can have very high requirements for academic performance, and if you try to work from 2-3 courses, you may not be able to balance study and work - and simply fly out. After expulsion, not everyone has enough willpower, time and courage to go back to school (expulsion is considered a socially unacceptable option, although there is nothing irreparable in it).
In any case, self-education will have to be done. At ITMO, no one will sit next to you and teach you how to program. They gave lectures, gave assignments - you do it, you figure it out yourself. Another thing is that at a top university lectures and curriculum will be closer to reality, closer to practice. Conditionally: there will be not Pascal, but Java and С#. But in any case, you need to communicate with senior students and / or recent graduates of a particular department (find it in VK by its name and years of study). To find out how much education helped in work, whether the department helps in any way with employment, how many people go to work in their specialty, how easy it is to combine study with work from 3-4 courses. View and compare curricula in specific areas at specific departments. For example, at St. Petersburg State University, a lot of mathematics is given in programming specialties,
Personally, the knowledge gained at the university was very useful to me (70-80 percent). I work in my specialty, and I understand that the training gave me a good basic training. And then self-education helped to delve into what is closer to me.
As for the option "do not act" - you need to understand the risks. Yes, you can get a job as a programmer, having the proper skills and not having a diploma, but you need to imagine what you want to do in life and where. For example, in many Western companies, in order to occupy top management positions, one must either have a certain level of education (bachelor or master), or have some years of equivalent experience. Yes, and in Russian companies there may be requirements for compulsory higher education. But the most important thing is that studying at a university is not only and not so much knowledge. First of all, these are professional contacts, circle of contacts. The IT world is rather small, and classmates can be more than just friends in your life. They can help you develop, help you find a job, recommend you, etc. This is very valuable.

Answer 3

Everything is so simple for you, “I’ll enter ITMO, or, well, let’s go to LETI.” Do you have any idea what you plan so easily? On topic: point 1, without a doubt. The "crust" of such a university is a good pass for a good job. Knowledge will not be useful to everyone, but the ability to think - how.

Answer 4

The reason for going to university is not to get a diploma for the employer, but to gain knowledge in the field of computer science

You don't have to go to college, it's a waste of time

Answer 5

look at the list of universities on the BluCard for your specialty, enter the nearest available
anabin base or something like that

Answer 6

Bill Gates left the university and became the richest man in the world. Zuckerberg left the university and founded the most popular social network in the world. It seems that higher education interferes in IT. You have to develop yourself.

Answer 7

The second option, "so-so", but "no problem"