Computer Sciences.. Help Choosing My Major?

[Gemini Man]

I'm currently deciding on a major to pursue in college...Narrowed it down to computer sciences (not that that's at ALL a narrow field). I'm what you would call a computer noob, but I'm very interested and I make good grades in the AICE program (accelerated learning) across the board; So I like to think I have the capacity to learn. I just don't know where to start with the vast knowledge computers require. I'm leaning towards the 'software track' but I wonder if that's a wise move? I want to be someone who, in say 10 or so years, can test the latest OS beta from Microsoft and be able to write tutorials and understand individual components of the Windows registry. Someone who can actually play a role in helping shape the computer community for the positive. Most importantly though, I want something that would lead to a stable job with substantial income. I know I'm asking a lot, and some of you may laugh at me, but every other question I've ever asked here was answered thoroughly so I figured I'd ask this one here as well...

 

[jfar]

Hi, ask on this link and see what it tells you you should do.

Wolfram|Alpha

 

[Gemini Man]

Haha! Wolfram Alpha is pretty insane. Kudos to the man who built it.

 

[johngalt]

TBH: I am going back to school majoring in Mathematics and Computer Science so that I can pursue graduate work in Computational Finance (aka Financial Engineering). I have worked in IT since before they were calling it IT, and realized that stable income for me all by myself and stable income to raise a family on comfortably are two entirely different concepts.

As to what you want to do, well, here is the deal - Comp Science, at least here in the states, is a lot more programming and a lot less IT type stuff - being able to learn quickly doesn't mean *squat* as much as being able to reason out a problem - writing code is problem solving, and debugging code is Uber problem solving. You have to have a good knack for it - I know *many* intelligent people with good learning skills that simply cannot handle programming b/c it is way too tedious for them - and by that I mean that it requires a lot of patience and time to write and debug code.

I also know many people that are not necessarily dumb, but are not anywhere near a level called *highly* intelligent that are programmers - they know code inside, out, and backward, and they *love* fixing things, solving problems, and the like.

You can learn as easily as you want to (and I know, I have a 150+ IQ and can easily learn most things without any effort) and not like programming - for the most part, I really don't care for it, except that it is now going to be my bread and butter, in that M$ is developing a language specifically for calculations (and geared more toward financial computations) called F# (pronounced F-sharp). I hope that one day soon that little language that is 100% .Net compliant will be my ticket to writing my own ticket.

As for making a decision, we'd need a bit more info - are you just starting school, have you ever taken any programming classes (HTML does not count), etc....

Also, what are your future goals (other than the ones that you have already listed)?

 

[Gemini Man]

Well, I'm only a junior in high school. No programming classes.. Self taught HTML but you said that doesn't count. As far as IT vs. programming, I have virtually no experience with either so I guess I can try one and if it's not panning out, do the other... Johngalt I see you and people like Brink all over the place on this site seemingly always knowing the solutions to problems. How do you learn those skills? You say you're going back to school. What was your major originally?

 

[johngalt]

Wow, a lot of questions - from a High Schooler, no less. but that is a good thing, trust me....

As for knowing things, I cannot speak for others, but for me it's because I have a good head for remembering things technology related, and most of the things I learned I learned b/c i broke something and had to figure out how to fix it. As for other skills, like communication, reasoning, etc., well, I cannot say I really learned them so much as enhanced and honed them in my formative years - I love logic problems, always have, and I am the first person to sit down and try to figure out what is wrong with something - but programming takes a special bit of patience b/c while there are definitely many ways to do it, it is sometimes hard to say one way is better than another way, and thus you can get pretty lost in the shuffle trying to figure out why someone did something, and spend hours trying to fix it - only to see, later on down the line, *why* that someone did that something hat particular way. Sometimes the answers that we seek are not the most obvious ones....

As for my major originally....

well, I started out as Electrical Engineering, then switched to Biology Major and Chem minor to pursue pre-med. I then dropped that idea when I started making decent money (in the eyes of a 22 year old) doing IT work, and then dropped out altogether for about 10 years, then went back to school for an honest to goodness IT degree. I again dropped out b/c I was making more money and had less time than I needed to, and now after having another 7 year stint in IT I have decided that all the certifications in the world will still not get me to a place that a simple Bachelor's + Master's + Ph. D. will.

 

[Gemini Man]

Ah I see. And yes, only a high schooler...sorry if I annoy. I figure I'll find something I'm suited for within my first year of college and then stick with it the whole way through; Especially since you say that certifications are meaningless in comparison to bachelor's, masters, and PhD... Well, you actually helped me out. Thank you very much johngalt

 

[johngalt]

On the contrary - asking questions is a good thing.

And I should be more specific - certifications are meaningless to me - some people swear by them and it is their bread and butter - it is up to you to decide.

 

[Lordbob75]

Well, I'm only a junior in high school. No programming classes.. Self taught HTML but you said that doesn't count. As far as IT vs. programming, I have virtually no experience with either so I guess I can try one and if it's not panning out, do the other... Johngalt I see you and people like Brink all over the place on this site seemingly always knowing the solutions to problems. How do you learn those skills? You say you're going back to school. What was your major originally?

Hey gemini! I too just finished my Junior year (WOW we are going to be seniors !?!?!?!?! :shock

Welcome to the forums. I may as well throw in my hat here:
I too was thinking about computer engineering (ok so not the same, but similar), as well as computer sciences (I know some Java, and want to learn C, but JohnGalt is right, it is tedious. I have spent 4 hours (as well as a lot of other time that weekend) trying to fix a little tiny problem. Only half solved it...).

~Lordbob

 

[johngalt]

Ummm,


wow. Just, ... wow.

Neither of you come off as Juniors in friggin HS.

Some of our adult members could learn a lot from the two of you....

Congrats on becoming seniors - I am officially a senior in College....(20 years later).

 

[mxosder16]

i'm off to college next year and i'm looking into something in computers also.
i'm following this thread for advice

 

[Lordbob75]

Ummm,


wow. Just, ... wow.

Neither of you come off as Juniors in friggin HS.

Some of our adult members could learn a lot from the two of you....

Congrats on becoming seniors - I am officially a senior in College....(20 years later).

*Bows* Thank you much. I hate people that type short hand (text type?) and basically most of my generations quirks. Such as trolling (pjvex368...?) and texting/typing with shorthand. Even my texts are full sentances. Though I skip commas texting, because I'm lazy, and I do say cuz ang gonna and so on just for speed sake. Though lately I haven't.....

And thank you for the learning complement. I do try to keep an open mind and see the bigger as best as possible. I feel very unconnected to my generation (thankfully...)

Congrats on going back to college. It certainly is a big deal! And college always seemed so far away... and now? WOW.
I don't know if I am ready! :shock:

~Lordbob

 

[johngalt]

Follow your passions, but be reasonable and sensible about it.

It is rare for someone to take what they absolutely love and make a career out of it and not get burned out by it. It happens, but it also depends upon what you want to do.

Also, be advised that just b/c you like screwing around with computers, or that playing with the latest and greatest beta software is fun and exciting does not mean that you should want (or even need to be) in the same field - it can get pretty old if all you plan on doing is being in front of a computer all day and then come home .... to get back on another computer.

of course, the same can be said for many other fields....

Another thing - don't feel bad if you have no idea when you enter college as to what you want to do - it is definitely better, but by no means mandatory.

Do do some research on different career fields, vocations and whatnot - and figure out not only what you want out of life, but also what you look for in a job - if you're a night owl, an 8-5 engineering job may not be so hot for you - however, if you get up with the roosters at the butt crack of dawn, then working graveyard shifts IT is probably also not going to be your thing.

Finally, you'll feel a lot of pressure when taking classes that seem to have abso-***ing-lutely nothing to do with your major or your chosen career - don't let those discourage you - you'll almost always be surprised that something that you thought would never be of use all of a sudden becomes critical in your job 10 years down the road.

@lb - the compliment was well deserved. I did notice your penchant need to write in more complete sentences, but that just made me think that you were older (or more ornery - or both) than anything else. I had no idea.

As for feeling disconnected, well, I connect with well reasoned folks - but being 38, I can definitely say I don't connect with my own generation, as I am single, no kids, never married, and back in school - with folks that were, by and large, born after I finished high school....

 

[Lordbob75]

@lb - the compliment was well deserved. I did notice your penchant need to write in more complete sentences, but that just made me think that you were older (or more ornery - or both) than anything else. I had no idea.

As for feeling disconnected, well, I connect with well reasoned folks - but being 38, I can definitely say I don't connect with my own generation, as I am single, no kids, never married, and back in school - with folks that were, by and large, born after I finished high school....

Lol. (Agh, damnit!) haha (better).

Yeah I am a pretty laid back person, but I discovered recently that I can be EXTREMELY OCD about certain things. This isn't one of them, but I do try to keep it in REAL english. People that type u and cuz and don't use proper (or ANY) punctuation and bad spelling make me want to hit them.
(or punch babies....) (Marching Band joke.... sorry to any offended)

And I am rather amused by my disconnectedness actually. I have the ability to hide in the back of my classes by not saying anything and by ignoring everyone else. It is actually pretty funny. I do happen to enjoy it though.

Oh, and as for going to school with kids that were born after you finished HS? That's how I feel... Some of the kids at my school.... wow. Just... wow. Its indescribable how stupid they are. One of the seniors that is about to graduate cut out about 250 paper penises and threw them all over the stairs. I was actually amused by it, but amazed that someone would put that much effort into it.

~Lordbob

 

[johngalt]

simple minds, simple pleasures....

 

[Lordbob75]

simple minds, simple pleasures....

So ****ing true.

Though admittedly, I have been amused by simple things..... Like FIRE.

~Lordbob

 

[johngalt]

OK, stop it before someone starts claiming you're my ******* child via immaculate conception....

You are *way* too much like me as it is, and the more I know the more I am scared....

 

[darkassain]

:roflmao:
you guys are way too funny..
actually i am technically a freshman (as the fall session hasnt ended...)
as for me i have started on java (i should say probably ending as class is ending but then again you can always learn something new in programing)

as for me i am going to security research (hopefully on the business side) as businesses think about virtual security last and when they do they usually pay big money to solve their little problem
although i'm thinking i will start on the research side (my emphasis is on cryptography as i love it... gotta love prime numbers...)
although i want to go into vulnerability research and many ways to secure against them while not losing important feature that companies might want...

and it does shock me that you are guys are so young and yet are are nothing compared like you generation (no offense of course)

and on another note there will always be demand for security...
something like this scary thing to businesses (and in contrast a good thing to people employing in security [well it depends]...
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2009/05/04/torpig_hijacked/

During that time, Torpig bots stole more than 8,300 credentials used to login to 410 different financial institutions, according to the research team from the University of California at Santa Barbara. More than 21 percent of the accounts belonged to PayPal users. Overall, a total of almost 298,000 unique credentials were intercepted from more than 52,000 infected machines.

and this
http://www.computerworld.com/action...Name=Software&articleId=9133219&taxonomyId=18

 

[johngalt]

I can tell you're into the whole "infinite prime number generation" thing as I see from your infinite portal avatar

 

[DocBrown]

I have been out of college for 38 years, with a 5 yr Proffessional Degree. But all the stuff I have learned here sould qualify me for a PhD. :shock: