[jasonkester]

I agree that University is worth going to. But not for any of the reasons you mention.

I've had a very successful career in this industry not being able to do any of the things you ask in your first paragraph. Sure, I've taught Normalization to new devs (without needing to recite the actual forms), but I find that Google is pretty good at memorizing algorithms, and it did in fact have A* ready to go every time I've done pathfinding. It probably still will when this kid needs it.

University, in my mind, is for two things: It gets your brain shifted into "Engineer Mode" (or painfully informs you that you are not capable of thinking that way), and it teaches you how to be an adult.

The actual algorithms and interview trick questions that a CS degree give you aren't very useful at all in the real world, and I'd actually go as far as to recommend getting your degree in Mechanical or Electrical Engineering instead, so you can focus more on mindset and preparedness. You'll find it easier later to forget the trivia about Brunell Hardness and Eigenvectors when they're far removed from your actual field. And you won't be that annoying guy in every meeting talking about Big O notation instead of actually solving the issue at hand.

But yeah, go to school if you have the chance. The big offers will still be there in four years. You'll have many of the experiences that you'll spend the next 50 years reminiscing about. And you'll come away with a whole pile of other benefits that you never expected. (And some trivia to get you through your first job interview that you can then safely forget forever).

[kele]

> interview trick questions that a CS degree give you aren't very useful at all in the real world

Usually trick questions aren't the one that you expect in real world, because they're trick questions. Nevertheless, it's very easy to consider a question being tricky, while it might be just a good check of your understanding of a given technique or algorithm.

> And you won't be that annoying guy in every meeting talking about Big O notation instead of actually solving the issue at hand.

Talking Big O is the very exact thing that you should discuss before solving (coding) the issue. It's only annoying if you do that instead. Please, do not underestimate this.

[cmdkeen]

I don't think University shifts you into "engineer" mode at all, you learn that when you go and do it for real in "industry". And not by doing indie projects or realistically at small start-ups. See patio11's comments re what he learned in Japan.

University is about enquiry and learning to think critically. It doesn't matter if you never use the specific constructs they cover but you do come out with a much more flexible mindset.

The other thing is that the OP might actually become a really talented academic and have the potential to do great things in the field.

[tonyedgecombe]

"it teaches you how to be an adult"

I do think this gets overplayed, I'm sure you developed considerably over that period of your life, but so will anybody else of a similar age who moves away from home.