How hard is for someone without a degree in CS but working as a software engineer to get into a masters program in CS (like at Stanford)? Anyone have any experience?
You probably need to make sure you have all the prerequisites done, and then take the GRE. Although, if you are already working as a software engineer, I don’t know what a master’s degree will do for your career.
As you have already been in software, another master degree makes no difference
Getting into stanford just for a master degree is a big waste of cash. Instead try to get into a city program which usually doesn’t have GRE requirement. If you don’t have a formal CS education and you wish to have one because you enjoy having that school experience like I do, either a second undergrad degree or a master would be fine. I am doing a second degree in psych, totally affordable because I go to CUNY. Please do not spend your cash on the most prestige school. Not worth it at all. As others have pointed out, if you don’t already have CS undergraduate degree, you have to complete the prerequisites first, although many master degrees I know of already assume you don’t and are a 2-3 years plan. Up to you.
Can you share with programs assume that you don’t have prereqs?
that’s the thing: I don’t know one off the top of my head that would assume you have CS education already for Master degree program (not PhD program, which itself also doesn’t really require you to be a CS major at all, you just havr to complete prereq during your master studies). So pick a program with reputation and an affordable tuition... good luck OP!
The Georgia Tech Online masters is a better route. You’ll save a lot of $$$. I want to say it’s 10k? Although like others have mentioned I don’t know if it will change your career trajectory. Kind of depends on what you think you will use it for. Some of the GT classes are up for free on Udacity if you want to get an idea on how they are.
What's your goal of getting the masters degree? Because depending on the purpose you have several options