Hollywood

Well As you well know school is coming up. I have one last year of community college before I go on to doing better things. I know the school I want to go to and pretty much a broad subject of what I want to do (Arts & Sciences). I just need help, I am doing research on where a computer Science degree gets me, or if it is even worth while. I am very good with computing in general. Hacking, troubleshooting things like that since my dad is in IT guy.

What I am asking is: Is/Has anyone gone through a 4 year computer Sciences degree here? And If you have what kind of classes do you take and whta do you do for a living...

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shatterstar

i did. got a bachelor's in computer engineering. specialized in embedded and wireless systems security.

worked for a year in software development doing a vast variety of work. now work in network security, sustainable technology, business continuity and business/technology re-engineering.

imo, CS / engineering work is VERY worthwhile, IF you're temperamentally cut out for the kind of work that comes with it.

its technically intense, a field that changes completely every 3 months and requires rigorous study for life just to stay current with latest developments. i haven't actually used anything i learnt in college simply becuase its already obsoloete.

information technology is generally a) the business (eg: google, microsoft, national instruments, etc, where their business is based on expertise in some form of technology) and b) an enabler of business (eg: a bank. whose business is banking, but is dependent on technology to work).

both have their pros and cons.

a) is more technically cutting edge, but also more 'narrow'. you'll not get to see how tech. gets used in businesses, whcih is something i feel is desperately important.

b) gives you more exposure to other aspects of business (financial reporting, marketing, etc) and how your work slots into that. but it wont be as technically high-end and you'll often have to fight to get importance which normally goes into core competencies. (a bank wont give your work as much importance as say, its loan business).

classes: c, c++, java, compiler design, robotics, advanced robotics, mobile communications, networking, encryption, electromagnetics, ad infinitum.

hope that helps.

edit: be warned that if you go to good school for cs, you're certainly screwed as far as having a) social life b) seeing examples of the female species and are condemned to fraternizing with wapanese nerds who do not bathe.

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| Red Devil |

Well, considering that less than 5% of those here (maybe a stretch to say 10%) have even graduated or entered college, your response pool is very small here.

I'd say a computer science degree can go into many things, including designing computers, creating software, or managing the hundreds of thousands of home and office networks and computing centers.

Computers are the way of the future, and you'll find plenty to do. Software and hardware is continually evolving, and somebody's got to make and troubleshoot it

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S3R0SIG

Hollywood

Ok works for me.
1) I have no social life what so ever, besides when I am at school
2) I am not to great with girls anyways.

I appreciate the feedback shatter. It helps out a lot actually. Because I dont know much about computer sciences in general, but know a lot about computer, how they work, how they are designed. Things like that...

Like the laptop I have no is actually 4 different ones put together. Dad and I built it last year from a chop shop sort of deal...
Anyways, Thanks. The two field I have been looking into is Computer Engineering and Computer Sciences and I see they sort of collaborate with each other...

I know that a limited amount of people out there have graduated. And I am only looking for a few responses. I wasnt looking for pages and pages of discussion. I need to see the view points in real life, because
1) I have no connections to computer sciences besides my dad. And he sint even really into Computer science...IT comes close, but..Yeah
2) I like to know other peoples opinions. They may help in make my LIFE choices, but not really.

I am only trying to figure out my interest in Life and what I like to do. And come up with some sort of Career that I can do that.

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Phoenix

Just because you choose one specific major, doesn't mean that you cannot choose modules in other areas, perhaps related to your course. Unless the US system is drastically different to ours.

For example, I do Geological Sciences, and that incorporates Geophysics, Geochemistry, Geochronology, Microscopy, Fieldwork, Mapping, and so on (You can see why I hate it already). Many people choose modules in the Environmental sector, and so do things like Contaminated Land, GIS, and similar. People also choose Engineering sides of things, so may take Civil Engineering modules, to bring the two together.

At the end of the day, your degree, in most cases, is customisable. So if you take a core of Computer Sciences, you can take modules in IT, Maths, Engineering and such.

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Hollywood

I dont know how universities work in the way there degrees work since I have not been through it. That is what I am trying to figure out. If I get a CS degree, what does that limit me too.

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vintage

I graduated with a computer science degree and here's basically how I feel:

1. It leads to some of the highest paying positions straight out of college, but those positions don't tend to be the most lucrative in the long run. However, if you don't want to go on with more school, ie graduate degrees, then you're going to be fairly well compensated. The jobs can range from high stress to low stress, but many are stressful.

2. There are few women in the field. Most of the women will work in QA (Quality Assurance) or in other areas of the business outside of engineering/IT. Try not to be too dorky and you should do OK, since everyone else is dorky you will look like a good catch. Remember proximity plays a large role in who you date.

3. The courses you will take are going to depend on what you want to do after school. If you want to go into IT math will be less important and instead you will focus on hardware/databases etc., if you want to go into game programming math (very advanced math) will be required. Mostly you will study algorithms, hardware, theory, and math. You aren't going to learn a lot of languages except for some that will remain important for a long time to come and are easy to teach: java, c, c++. You will need to learn new languages and technology for EVERY new job you take.

4. We live in a world where the technology bubble no longer exists, don't expect to have VC money thrown at you and get filthy rich. Everyone uses computers now, and being familiar with one is not a skill. You will need to know stuff beyond computers. I highly suggest getting a dual degree, such as physics + computer science, math + computer science, anything + computer science. I chose math + computer science myself. If you don't have time for a dual degree then minor in computer science and major in something else... or don't even both getting the minor. I have friends who work at IT jobs that never even took computer science courses, they just taught themselves.

Personally, I chose computer science and math because I was good at it. I knew the jobs out of college would pay well which would allow me to save up a lot of money while I "got experience" for a few years. I also knew that I was planning on getting more advanced degrees in business.

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Phoenix

Yeah, that's what I'm trying to say - It's not limiting. It's the opposite. You can take a wide variety of modules in other areas, to cover your bases, and then at interview they go "You did CS, not CE? Hmmm" and you go "Yeah, but included in that were 3 optional CE modules that I got X Y Z grades for"

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Hollywood

I am currently In Calculus 2 at my community college now. I have no problem with Math. Math comes easy to me. I didnt even take Calc in High school. And when I test for placement. I get placed in Calculus 1 B. The class right before Calc 2...
Math is another thing I like to do. I am just too lazy to do my homework which then I get bad grades...
I need to get my drive force going..

SO you were basically saying. Major in one thing, and Minor in another?

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vintage

Algebra is enough for most computer jobs. However, game programming or any graphical programming is going to require much more than Calc 2. I'm talking about Calc 3 (maybe even 4) and advanced Linear Algebra, minimum.

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Gifts: BW*S3RO*Gypsy*Apart*Junier

Why the colorful posts? Play Calvinball!