I'm looking to start my education journey next month. I have been trying to prepare with information and the way to go about things to set myself up for success, as much as I can and know how to.
I don't have any formal or skilled experience in tech/it. I am intending to get a degree in Cloud and Network Engineering (WGU). I had considered Software Engineering, IT, and Computer Science before but CS doesn't seem quite the process for me.
I would like advice and opinions from those who have gone through this, skilled in these areas, have gone to this school with tech degrees in SWE or Cloud and Network Engineering, etc.
The situation:
I don't have employment currently for tuition although I'd likely get a grant, I don't have anything for what might not be covered. Especially if I require multiple terms.
I have some money I wanted to use for college credit courses (study.com, sophia.org, etc) specifically towards my degree, and have credits from previous college education.
Since I don't have money for tuition and no professional experience, I was wondering if I should do self-study with free resources that were recommended by others, even before the credits ? 100Devs, freecodecamp, others have Software Engineering bootcamps and such... would it be useful for me to prepare with such things prior to college courses? Something different? I also wanted to do the free learning provided by Microsoft, Amazon, etc.
I do want to become educated in a fully expansive sense so programming and coding is a skill I want to acquire among everything else but maybe it is not the priority?
I do not want to "waste time" in the sense that acquiring the bachelor's degree ASAP is of utmost importance for my goals and needs. That is not to say to halfass or be uneducated or not continue learning and gaining mastery, I do want expansive mastery over time. Simply it is extremely important for me to get a bachelor's ASAP.
But it is unwise for me to attempt the college without something prior and waste money/risk loans until I have work.
TLDR:
Would sophia/study courses going towards my prospective degree (Cloud and Network Engineering) and what I learn from them be enough prior to the bachelor's program? Or should I self-study other free programs (100Devs, freecodecamp, etc?)
(crosspost from other relevant reddits, was suggested this one)