Mushure mekutamira kuNew York City akatanga kudzidziswa semuchina weredhiyo uye akatanga kufarira masvomhu. Akapedza kudzidza kuColumbia University aine dhigirii reBachelor muna 1949 uye dhigirii raTenzi muna 1950, zvese mumasvomhu, uye akabatana neIBM muna 1950. Mumakore ake matatu ekutanga, akashanda paSelective Sequence Electronic Calculator (SSEC); chirongwa chake chekutanga chikuru chaive chekunyora chirongwa chekuverenga nzvimbo dzeMwedzi. Muna 1953 Backus akagadzira mutauro Speedcoding, mutauro wekutanga wepamusoro wakagadzirirwa komputa yeIBM, kubatsira mukuvandudza software yeIBM 701 komputa.Kuronga kwaive kwakaoma panguva ino, uye muna 1954 Backus akaunganidza timu kugadzira uye kutsanangura Fortran yeIBM 704 komputa. Fortran yaive yekutanga yepamusoro-chikamu chirongwa mutauro wekushandisa zvakanyanya Mubvunzo: Ndezvipi zvinyorwa zvake zvechikoro?
Columbia University ine dhigirii reBachelor muna 1949 uye dhigirii remasters muna 1950, zvose zviri zviviri mumasvomhu