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A Kid, Looking for a computer Science Future. (HELP)

J

JadedMaple

Junior Member
Hi, I am a 14 year old Freshman in Highschool (Grade 9). I just started my second semester last week, I had course selection for next year toda. I live in Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, Canada so I job with the goverment requires me to be bi-lingual, no worries I have that cased.

I first took the "plunge" into scripting in Grade 6.

I failed all the computer classes from Kindergarten to Grade 5 becasue my teacher was a honest to God I'm now lieing Jerk, then I switched schools.

It was a lunch hour to be remembered in December., I had just got my new Dell Dimension 8100 that past Augest and man was it exciting! I was play Neopets when I stubbled upon Mevams shop, she had a link to her HTML Help site and examples. I wrote out a WHOLE piece of loose leaf in HTML and typed it into my Neopets shop, with no luck I threw out the paper so my Dad wouldn't chew me out for trying HTML cause I wasn't sure if he liked that stuff. When he got home I gathered my guts to ask him how can I make this easier, he showed me the cut/copy/paste features. I stumbled upon Lissaexplains.com and learnt HTML. My Grade 7 teacher who I still know today, I play on his volleyball team introduced me to Netscape Composer, I went nuts! Wow HTML In a program this is so easy. Then I relized it was crap and my dad got frontpage. I kept writing the HTML Myself but Frontpage made it easier because of the preview features. I moved into tinkering with PHP/mySQL but I could not install Apache because my dad is a tight ass, he doesn't let me install anything or even touch programming. He does support my goals etc, they are giving me $1300 plus my $1300 I saved since last Christmas to buy a Dell Dimension 8400. I will have this in March. The Minute I get this machine PHP/mySQL, Python and my copies of Visual Studios.net are going on the machine


So theres my background info.



For my course selection I chose, French10, Math20, Biology20 and Musical Theatre10. I would have put Computer Science20 in there but I would like a job with the governent because it is a stable job.

Anyway, I was wondering if you Computer Scientists out there could tell me what High School Classes you took, what university classes you took, how much you make, who you work for, and what you do.


Thank you! I really apperciate this!!

What they offer at my local university. http://www.cs.usask.ca/classes/coursedescriptions.jsp

At a local erm, Insitution.

http://www.siast.sk.ca/siast/educationt...ams/7266/7771/5852/index.shtml#courses
 
Originally posted by: JadedMaple
Prequisites to University.
Click to expand...

Prerequisites to any good university I've heard of:
1) High school diploma and a good final GPA.
2) Lots of non-academic activities.
3) A slew of honors/AP courses.
4) Competitive standardized tests.

Do yourself a favor and take high school as a chance to learn about the world and find out about what you really want to do with your life. Particularly in technical fields, changing a major can range from difficult to near impossible.
 
You want to know the truth?

It's all about who you know. End of story.


For example, my office (a small part of a much larger company) has hired 7 people for technology related positions in the past year.

EVERY SINGLE ONE of those people (including me) got the job becuase of somebody we knew that worked for the company that had connections. Some of us were just average students or people with average resumes (although there are 1 or 2 who do stand out). Most of them probably could be replaced by more qualified people - but werent, becuase they have connections.

And i know that my company isn't the only one like this.
 
Originally posted by: JadedMaple
What do you mean by that? The Do myself a favor part?
Click to expand...

Don't get ahead of yourself and lock yourself onto a track that you might want to change later, especially before it even makes sense to do so. Pursue all your interests and take the time to explore all your possibilities before you pick one.
 
These are my interests. I honestly have no other idea what I would want to major in. All my other hopes and dreams have been foolish. I wanted to become a doctor till about a year ago when reality struck.

I honestly have no idea other then this one.
 
Originally posted by: JadedMaple
These are my interests. I honestly have no other idea what I would want to major in. All my other hopes and dreams have been foolish. I wanted to become a doctor till about a year ago when reality struck.

I honestly have no idea other then this one.
Click to expand...

Did someone tell you that you had to choose right now or something?

The point of this is that you dont HAVE to choose anything right now. Do a little of everything. Maybe you'll come up with more ideas. If you don't, and you still want to go into CS, that's fine too.
 
Originally posted by: TheLonelyPhoenix
Since when did high school courses matter to your final career?
Click to expand...

To see if he actually enjoys it. Sounds like HTML is as far as he's gotten, I wouldn't jump into a career if thats all I knew about it.
 
as some people are starting to hint at -- you have a long time before you need to start picking what path you want to take.

i was halfway through my freshman year of college before i decided to go with computer science. Make sure you take a broad range of classes in all different areas while you can in high school - so that your'e exposed to everything
 
Don't just focus on one thing, don't be afraid to try something you never considered. Trying programming is great, just make sure to keep an open mind.
Also having something as a hobby does not neccesarily translate into a fun job either.
 
Originally posted by: Chraticn
Originally posted by: jst0ney
there is no future in computers. The fad is almost over.
Click to expand...

This is sad, but mostly true. 🙁
Click to expand...
To people who can't keep with it in any competitive industry, this might be true.

Concentrate on logic-heavy courses. Algebra first and foremost, calculus, chemistry. Don't worry about not finding a job when that time comes. If you're good at what you do, there will be room for you.
 
I'm a junior in high school and have thought about almost every career possible... doctor, dentist, electrical engineer, mechanical engineer, computer science, graphics designer, accountant, financial analyst and I'm finally beginning to find something I really enjoy... business. If all goes well I hope to major in business administration and getting into real estate development sometime after college (after I can save enough money to get started). What makes real estate appealing to me is, you can go as far as you can dream if you make the right decisions and right investments. If you're like me you'll start getting panicky sophomore year and start scrambling to find what you want to do with your life, but wait until you find something that just feels right 🙂

 
1 word - Girls.

Don't forget Girls, all this life stuff, getting a stable job and other events in life are all a build up to the natural desire to pass on your genes. So, work on your people skills as well.
 
If youre going into computers get an MIS degree so you have a business background. They can't outsource management.
 
Originally posted by: TheLonelyPhoenix
Originally posted by: JadedMaple
Prequisites to University.
Click to expand...

Prerequisites to any good university I've heard of:
1) High school diploma and a good final GPA.
2) Lots of non-academic activities.
3) A slew of honors/AP courses.
4) Competitive standardized tests.

Do yourself a favor and take high school as a chance to learn about the world and find out about what you really want to do with your life. Particularly in technical fields, changing a major can range from difficult to near impossible.
Click to expand...


He's in Canada. There's no competitive standardized test. Extra-curricular activities only matter if you fall short of the (quite low) grade cutoff.

I'm not sure about Sasketchewan, but in Ontario only 12th grade marks are counted for admission.
 
I should have put up in there, I have screwed aruond with PHP But under some pretty big limits. Once I got a machine where I could do it all myself on my computer my way I would explode.


Oreo this does feel "right" I always seize the opportunity to do ANYTHING Computer related ANYWHERE. I have no other real passion for anything else.


Jassi, the people skills I got cased. I am a very good at conversing with almost anyone.


Computer Science feels like the one thing I love to do. ( I plan to get down and dirty with Mandrake[to start with] in March and then move on to other distros. Not only that I plan to jump into the building scene next fall )



I'm not like other kids, all the other kids I know are taking spares, not really caring.. Just doing anything and everything, everyone I know is a slacker immature and all that jazz.



And as for the girls, they don't seem to to important to me, the whole "dating" thing is pretty lame until you meet someone you actually know. I myself do not have a "girlfriend" But I am very very very good friends with another girl.


Thanks for the input anyone else?
 
dont listen to anyone that says computers are a fad or all CS work is getting outsourced. the US still makes the best code, and if you are one of the best, you will never have a problem finding a job.

recent CS major making 50K+ out of school - PIECE OF CAKE. and all my other friends in CS that worked hard and know their stuff are seeing the same success.

also, knowing html, how to build a computer and set up a network is not the same. hell, even knowing a real programming language is not the same as a TRUE computer science degree. companies know this too.

not that those things arent useful, they are. it sounds like you are on the right track and you have the most important thing - motivation. just realize those are just the tip of the iceberg 🙂
 
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