Pages: 1 2

 

2008-04-02 16:42:47
HurricaИe
Banned
+877|6381|Washington DC
While I'm not letting an internet forum decide what I want to study in college, I just want people's input on this sort of stuff. I know there are a lot of people here who have been to college or otherwise have worldly experience.

I'm a Junior in high school and we're doing all this college crap. While I have a small list of schools I might apply to, I want some info on different things I could major in. I know these schools have pretty good programs in what I'm interested in... I just want some input.

Computer Science: What exactly IS comp science? Is it essentially programming? Will I easily find a job and get decent pay as an undergraduate? What are some graduate options within this type of major?

Engineering: I know it's a shit load of math and a shit load of work, but I also know you're pretty much guaranteed to get a job and guaranteed a nice pay. Any engineering students / grads here wanna give their two cents on studying this?

Medicine (or in undergraduate, pre-med or the like): What exactly is required for medicine? I know biology would be for sure. I'd probably become a doctor if I went down this route. How well do doctors get paid these days? I hear things ranging all across the spectrum.

So does anyone have input on these majors?
2008-04-02 16:43:43
Turquoise
O Canada
+1,596|6825|North Carolina
Aim for computer networking.  With the right certifications, you can make a shitload of money.
2008-04-02 16:49:37
CommieChipmunk
Member
+488|6990|Portland, OR, USA
Don't assign yourself to a job because you'll make money.

Medicine is a scary place these days.  With all the talk about universal healthcare, which has the potential to really mess with the healthcare system, and malpractice insurance is insane, many current doctors I've heard from say that it's kind of a shaky career choice.  If you wanted to be a doctor, it really doesn't matter what you major in as long as you take your pre-med courses.  Med schools are looking for more unique individuals, so it's not odd to see a philosophy major get in over a biology major.
2008-04-02 16:51:40
HurricaИe
Banned
+877|6381|Washington DC

CommieChipmunk wrote:

Don't assign yourself to a job because you'll make money
Well, I am interested in fields like Computer Science and Engineering. It's just out of curiosity... I'll be frank here, I don't want to make a meager salary after paying a fair amount of money to a fairly good college and doing a fair amount of studying. Thanks for the info on the medical path as well... yeah, I'm suspicious about the universal health care ideas.

Turquoise, that sounds good. Is that mostly just knowing how to set up and run networks?
2008-04-02 16:54:20
Doctor Strangelove
Real Battlefield Veterinarian.
+1,758|6888
I'm gonna be doing Comp Science or Engineering also, not medicine though.
2008-04-02 16:56:34
Turquoise
O Canada
+1,596|6825|North Carolina

HurricaИe wrote:

CommieChipmunk wrote:

Don't assign yourself to a job because you'll make money
Well, I am interested in fields like Computer Science and Engineering. It's just out of curiosity... I'll be frank here, I don't want to make a meager salary after paying a fair amount of money to a fairly good college and doing a fair amount of studying. Thanks for the info on the medical path as well... yeah, I'm suspicious about the universal health care ideas.

Turquoise, that sounds good. Is that mostly just knowing how to set up and run networks?
Starting out, yes.  There's a lot of cable laying and such.  As you progress through the certifications though, you may eventually get to the point where you are designing and managing networks rather than building them.

It all depends on how far you can go, but as with any profession, the higher the certification you aim for, the harder (and more expensive) it is to get.

Last edited by Turquoise (2008-04-02 16:57:18)

2008-04-02 17:01:50
Docjones
Member
+7|6405|Connecticut
pick whatever you enjoy the most. dont look at the money.

btw does anyone have info on criminal justice degrees?
2008-04-02 17:08:52
konfusion
mostly afk
+480|6970|CH/BR - in UK

Just do something you like. Engineering is great for a career... It's kinda universally wanted atm


-konfusion
2008-04-02 17:10:47
IRONCHEF
Member
+385|6911|Northern California
Pick something YOU want to do keeping in mind whatever you pick won't mean JACK once you graduate because employers do not care what you studied as much as that you've finished, earned "a degree", etc.

If you study computer science, graduate and expect to be considered in ANY computer field whatsoever, certifications will matter more than that CS degree..that's a promise based on endless experience here in the SF Bay Area.

The problem is that there's hardly any college classes that teach up-to-date applicable information unless you're going into a particular trade you KNOW employers look at...and that's even iffy.  A law degree doesn't mean jack unless it's from particular schools that specific employers look at..for example, my firm, one of the very best in it's practice groups in the country, will only hire from a small handful of colleges...and no, ivy league schools don't top that list.

So in the end, go for a bachelor's in WHATEVER YOU WANT.  Pick a dang language for your study and it won't matter when you apply for that tier 1 help desk job or that burger king manager's spot.  Besides, you won't know your career choice until you've spent several years in it..likely after other careers you thought you'd like.



AFter you've got your bachelor's, and AFTER you've gotten settled into your career...THEN you should return to school to sharpen any relevant career oriented classes, certifications, etc. Then you'll more easily, and more cheaply enhance your career...AFTER, not before.
2008-04-02 17:11:05
Lotta_Drool
Spit
+350|6603|Ireland
Be a Man Whore like me.

Ever consider Law.  Information is power.
2008-04-02 17:11:50
CameronPoe
Member
+2,925|6975
Energy based degree. Electrical or mechanical engineering.

We face an energy crisis in our lifetimes. Engineering jobs in related fields are multiplying ridiculously. Go all the way to PhD level with a promising idea and you could be on to mega bucks.

Last edited by CameronPoe (2008-04-02 17:16:40)

2008-04-02 17:14:15
r'Eeee
That's how I roll, BITCH!
+311|6868

No one can help you, even though you are asking for opinions. It's entirely up to what you like. It's your future afterall.
2008-04-02 17:16:40
Poseidon
Fudgepack DeQueef
+3,253|6958|Long Island, New York
It's a good idea to know what you want to major in around now. I mean, I already know and I'm younger than you.

Professional Aviation (giggity).

I say go for Computer Networking, as Turquoise said.
2008-04-02 17:17:29
konfusion
mostly afk
+480|6970|CH/BR - in UK

Lotta_Drool wrote:

Be a Man Whore like me.

Ever consider Law.  Information is power.
As long as he doesn't become one of those lawyers who back up guys who break into your house and try to sue you for falling down your stairs...

-konfusion
2008-04-02 17:22:05
ssulli
Member
+17|7120|Raleigh, North Carolina
I'm about to matriculate into Chemical Engineering at N.C. State.  It's broad enough to where you can do pharmaceuticals, alternative fuels, environmental engineering, bioprocessing after you graduate.  They're all big at the moment and I can only see them getting bigger.  It's interesting.  Pay is good from what I hear.  That's why I chose it.
2008-04-02 17:22:32
HurricaИe
Banned
+877|6381|Washington DC

r'Eeee wrote:

No one can help you, even though you are asking for opinions. It's entirely up to what you like. It's your future afterall.
I know. I'm just gathering opinions and input on various majors I'm considering.
2008-04-02 17:30:22
GorillaKing798
Too legit to quit
+48|6535|Tampa, Florida
You can go so many places with engineering hurri. As a future Structural Engineering/ Architecture double major, there's really an unlimited area you can work in. Heck, you could do computer engineering and work for intel designing mobo's and processors if you wanted.
2008-04-02 17:41:44
[TUF]Whiskey_Oktober
mmmm...Toasty!
+91|7142|Oregon
right now a degree in computer science is a dime a dozen. if you want a degree that matters in that field, double major in electrical engineering and computer science.

i thought about going into that, but i think im gonna end up going to a school for music engineering and production, its somethin i have a lot of fun doing and am interested in, which i hope means i will actually want to learn more about it.
2008-04-02 17:55:45
Ender2309
has joined the GOP
+470|6991|USA

CommieChipmunk wrote:

Don't assign yourself to a job because you'll make money.

Medicine is a scary place these days.  With all the talk about universal healthcare, which has the potential to really mess with the healthcare system, and malpractice insurance is insane, many current doctors I've heard from say that it's kind of a shaky career choice.  If you wanted to be a doctor, it really doesn't matter what you major in as long as you take your pre-med courses.  Med schools are looking for more unique individuals, so it's not odd to see a philosophy major get in over a biology major.
Medicine is NOT a field to get into for money. if you don't want to do it for the love of the job, you're going to be a horrible doctor, because you deal with idiots all day long, and their lives are in your hands. My dad's a doctor and he knows guys like this.
2008-04-02 18:07:35
CoronadoSEAL
pics or it didn't happen
+207|6938|USA
i don't know much about those majors, but maybe you can learn from my mistakes.

i'm about to share some advice (some of which i learned the hard way) that you have probably already heard maybe from your mother--eeek:

  • follow your dreams.  don't go into a field of study because "they're hiring" or it's an expanding field.  these situations are nice, but i honestly feel they should be considered almost irrelevant and definitely not a primary concern.  it's never too late to follow your dreams.
  • if you choose to go to college, go to and tour your universities of interest.  your new home and life will center around these areas, so make sure there are things of your interest to make your school away from school an enjoyable experience.  i applied to only one school, and honestly, sometimes i wish i wouldn't have gotten in. 
  • do your homework.  just because i got A's in HS without studying doesn't mean i can do the same in college; i'm still paying for my GPA freshman year. 
  • you have the potential to make life-long friendships your first year of college, so try to be overly outgoing your first year and you're bound to find some people you share interest with (and chicks dig confidence too).


yeah, kinda cliche' ...   but imho man, figuring out what you really want from the next 4-5 years of your life is more important than what will later seem like petty decisions. 

-Seal
2008-04-02 18:09:29
KEN-JENNINGS
I am all that is MOD!
+2,991|7052|949

Ender2309 wrote:

CommieChipmunk wrote:

Don't assign yourself to a job because you'll make money.

Medicine is a scary place these days.  With all the talk about universal healthcare, which has the potential to really mess with the healthcare system, and malpractice insurance is insane, many current doctors I've heard from say that it's kind of a shaky career choice.  If you wanted to be a doctor, it really doesn't matter what you major in as long as you take your pre-med courses.  Med schools are looking for more unique individuals, so it's not odd to see a philosophy major get in over a biology major.
Medicine is NOT a field to get into for money. if you don't want to do it for the love of the job, you're going to be a horrible doctor, because you deal with idiots all day long, and their lives are in your hands. My dad's a doctor and he knows guys like this.
Or you could enter one of many of fields of medicine and not be a General Practitioner (who would benefit from UHC, because that's what it's all about - preventative care).

Last edited by KEN-JENNINGS (2008-04-02 18:10:25)

2008-04-02 18:17:55
DrunkFace
Germans did 911
+427|7101|Disaster Free Zone

HurricaИe wrote:

I'm a Junior in high school.
Then you can forget about it for the next few years and just enjoy school.

HurricaИe wrote:

Computer Science:
Engineering:
Medicine:
In your final years of school make sure you do, biology, physics, chemistry (maybe), maths and some kind of IT subject and see which one(s) you are actually interested in and then make start to make a choice. Do not pick a course based on the prestige of the job or how much it pays, that's a sure way of failing because you are just not interested or motivated.

If you don't want to be some kind of Doctor, I would scrap medicine altogether, the degree is extremely specific to that kind of work, it is extremely hard and also takes a long time to complete and if you don't become a doctor basically everything you had done in the previous 6 years is for nothing.

Engineering there are many different aspects (but your probably wont need to choose till second year):
  • Aerospace Engineering   
  • Bioinformatics Engineering   
  • Chemical Engineering   
  • Civil Engineering   
  • Computer Engineering   
  • Electrical Engineering   
  • Environmental Engineering   
  • Industrial Chemistry   
  • Manufacturing Management   
  • Mechanical Engineering   
  • Mechatronic Engineering   
  • Mining Engineering   
  • Naval Architecture   
  • Petroleum Engineering   
  • Photonic Engineering   
  • Photovoltaics and Solar Energy   
  • Renewable Energy   
  • Software Engineering   
  • Surveying and Spatial Information Systems   
  • Telecommunications Engineering

Some are very specific, some not so specific. If you don't have a clear idea of what field of work you wont to do, I would choose a less specific degree (and major). It will give you more options and give you a broader (if less in depth) study, from which you can learn the specifics of the job you choose.


UNSW wrote:

What is Computer Science?

Computer Science is concerned with the core principles and technologies that make up the entire range of computer-based systems. It studies the principles underlying the computer hardware, algorithms, operating systems, networks, databases, graphics and artificial intelligence, and also the practice of building such systems.

Computer Science provides the scientific and technological foundation on which we can build future generations of computer-based information processing systems.

Major specialty areas within computer science include:

    * Software engineering methodologies
    * Database design and implementation
    * Operating systems and computer networks
    * Microprocessor-based systems
    * Computer graphics, artificial intelligence and robotics
    * Human computer interaction
2008-04-02 18:41:08
CommieChipmunk
Member
+488|6990|Portland, OR, USA

DrunkFace wrote:

HurricaИe wrote:

I'm a Junior in high school.
Then you can forget about it for the next few years and just enjoy school.
He's not in junior high school, he's a junior in high school (dunno if you read that wrong), but he should probably be drafting his application essay over the summer and probably be starting to look at schools now.
2008-04-02 19:00:32
S.Lythberg
Mastermind
+429|6867|Chicago, IL
Chemical engineering!
2008-04-02 19:06:51
Protecus
Prophet of Certain Certainties
+28|6942

CommieChipmunk wrote:

DrunkFace wrote:

HurricaИe wrote:

I'm a Junior in high school.
Then you can forget about it for the next few years and just enjoy school.
He's not in junior high school, he's a junior in high school (dunno if you read that wrong), but he should probably be drafting his application essay over the summer and probably be starting to look at schools now.
I thought the same thing. Now is exactly when he should be thinking about it. Determining what you want to study is paramount when it comes to choosing which school you go to. You may get into Harvard Law, but if you want to do Engineering, not so cool.

Right now I'm a senior Civil Engineering major. Like you said, its a lot a math, and even more work. You definitely have to like engineering if you're going to go all the way. On the plus side, companies are already asking when I'm going to graduate, as if they can't wait. Engineering almost guarantees you a job.

But don't stress too much about what you want to decide. If you aren't exactly sure, choose a school with a lot of degrees. To be honest, half way into my second year I almost switched to Political Science because I had a hard time seeing myself doing integrals my whole life. But after I broke through the BS support classes, the upper division stuff was really interesting.

If you don't have to declare a major when you apply, take whatever classes seem interesting, be it a communications class, intro to engineering, or modern lit. Its will help you find what you like, and its easy from there.


Anyway, moral of the story, don't be afraid to switch if you find out you [i]really[i] don't like it.ts better to switch in college than when your 40, hate your job, but have 2 kids and a mortgage.

 

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