What good is a BS:CS

So in a group that I am part of a standard gripe came up: "These college grads don't know squat."
This sort of thing has been covered many times before (even by me), but here was my response:

One thing that having a BS often does prove is that you are good at things other than CS. Like writing documentation, interacting with people, and understanding instructions.

One item that I feel is granted (probably by everyone here): college CS training stinks. It isn't for lack of trying, just more because of the scope of the subject. CS hasn't been around enough to really subdivide like Engineering has (Civil, Mechanical, Electrical, etc) beyond the generic Programmer and Administrator tracks.

But for the programmer tracks there is just a lot there to learn. How many languages do you use now? I use Delphi, C#, VB, SQL, VBScript, JavaScript, and MDX. But I also know how to read C++, Java, and many others. Then there is the .NET Framework, VCL, and Win32 -- and web development is entirely another animal. Any one of those is beyond the scope of a college course.

I remember reading one luminary on CS talking about how top notch schools are really just vocational schools for Java programming. Because coming out of college, Java is the only thing any of them really know. Actually, he was annoyed because none of them were coming out of college as top notch C++ developers (can that even be done in 4 years?).

Now look at what else has to be done to earn a degree. You have to take Math, English, Econ, Business, Philosophy, Psychology, Religion (at least at my college), Biology, Art, Chemistry, Music, etc. That is what you have to take OUTSIDE of CS. And the first year of college you will only take 2 CS classes -- TOLAL. That is just a "How to Program" course.

So, if you went straight into programming, without a degree: good for you. You got a 4 year head start on me, because I definitely did not come out of college at the same level you would have been at after 4 years. You would have spent 4 years doing nothing but programming. I spent 4 years meeting the requirements for a degree.

The degree isn't about coming out of college being an expert programmer. I dont think it is possible to go to college, become an expert programmer, and get a degree in 4 years. It is about being versatile and rounded. After that, becoming an expert programmer "should" be easy. But that has to do with aptitude...and that is a whole other topic.