No it's not! But it's a way to get a well paid job right out of university.
If you don't have a degree, you'll struggle for sometime while you build enough contacts in the industry where the degree stop mattering and references get you through the door without even an interview.
You simply have to lot better to get any recognization in the industy but in networking skills and technical experience.
I am a self taught drop out who never sat through an interview, worked in 5 companies. Now i am a CTO of one startup.
If you don't have a degree, you'll struggle for sometime while you build enough contacts in the industry where the degree stop mattering and references get you through the door without even an interview.
You simply have to lot better to get any recognization in the industy but in networking skills and technical experience.
I am a self taught drop out who never sat through an interview, worked in 5 companies. Now i am a CTO of one startup.