[mmcdan]

The project-based method of learning really appeals to me. It encourages goal setting and taking action, in this case writing code, and doing whatever is necessary to get stuff done. When you finally start dabbling on the academic side, you have "hooks" in your mind to hang bits of knowledge that some might gloss over. These are earned from past experiences.

Another benefit is that even when your earlier projects don't turn out the way you want, you have a visible path of progression that you can show your potential employers, potential co-founders, or even yourself just to reflect on. In a way, my past projects are my programmers diary.