Better choice for future - programming competitions or startup-ish software?

[sponge008]

I'm a junior in high school, and I've been programming various things since 5-6th grade or so. Right now, I'm working on two things: a web business type program written mostly in Flash and PHP of which most of the beta is done, and the USACO programming competitions, for which I need to spend time rounding out my knowledge of C++ as well as just learning the algorithms. I don't feel like I have enough time to do really well both at the competition and the web app, so I'm going to have to choose between them. Which of the two would serve me better for college and life beyond? Both are about equally enjoyable, since the USACO is brain-teaser type stuff but largely impractical (but if I do well in it, which I should be able to, it seems pretty prestigious), while the business is extremely practical and good practice for future similar endevours but somewhat more tedious. Thanks for the help.

 

[SearchMaster]

Startup, for sure. You'll learn more about what it takes to be a business; whether or not you have financial success you'll achieve a much more well-rounded education. Learning a language for the competitions is fleeting - you may never write a line of C++ once you get out of college, but what you learn about ground-up design and implementation, as well as the tangential aspects, will be a solid foundation for the future.

<--- been in the software game much longer than you've been alive.

 

[mugs]

Originally posted by: SearchMaster
Startup, for sure. You'll learn more about what it takes to be a business; whether or not you have financial success you'll achieve a much more well-rounded education. Learning a language for the competitions is fleeting - you may never write a line of C++ once you get out of college, but what you learn about ground-up design and implementation, as well as the tangential aspects, will be a solid foundation for the future.

<--- been in the software game much longer than you've been alive.

Programming competitions aren't about knowing a language, they're about problem solving. That's a very useful skill, and it'd be great experience. So many of the C.S. guys I knew in college were terrible programmers. They could learn the language, but they weren't good at solving problems. The OP describes the programming competition problems as impractical, but they really aren't.

We don't have much detail about this business venture, but I think the long-term benefits of it are debatable compared to work experience at a real company unless
- he has a mentor who really knows what they're doing
- he achieves some kind of success with it

I think it boils down to what the OP sees himself doing when he graduates from college. If he expects to start his career as a manager, the business project would be more valuable. If he expects to start his career in a technical role, I think the programming competition will be more valuable. The experience he gains in his career will be more valuable than what he gains from this business project. But again, he really hasn't given us any details.

Edit: The problem solving skills he develops in practicing for programming competitions will be useful in ANY role, not just a technical role.

 

[sponge008]

Thanks for the input . Regarding problem solving skills, I've been doing math competitions and doing well on a national scale since middle school, but now am shifting the focus to programming. Even so, I can see how further doing (more direct than startup) problem-solving would be useful. If I really focus on the startup, I'd estimate that I'd get a few hundred users by the time I graduate (I'm not planning on making it paid, for now at least); it's in a market where the only real competition feature-wise costs $1k at least, then monthly fees on top of that. As for what I'm going to do after college, judging by my personality I'd probably go for e-ntrepreneurship (sorry ) first, and only go elsewhere if that doesn't work out.

 

[sdifox]

Programming competition gains you recognition amongst peers. As in fellow geeks. No one else cares.

That should answer your question no?

 

[sponge008]

The USACO feeds into the IOI, the international olympiad, getting to which is practically a ticket to any college. Even so, I was in a Q/A chat with MIT people, including an admissions officer, and when I asked them which of these options admissions would prefer, they replied (rather vaguely) that they had accepted applicants with both kinds of achievements. So, even though the USACO/IOI isn't useless, I'm leaning toward the startup, judging by the advice I've gotten so far.

 

[rocadelpunk]

It's a win win situation either way.

Yet, it seems you are fairly bright, so I would choose the startup in your situation because you're more likely to learn intangibles that can't be found in a book or with practice

 

[eLiu]

I'd go for the USACO/IOI route. Then once you're in college, there are many more competitions like Top Coder & ACM. I have a friend a Duke who's on their ACM 'A-team', and companies are trying to recruit him, as opposed to him having to look for a job. There are a lot of high level developer jobs set aside for genius applicants. Don't have to be that experienced, just have to be smart.

Another example: a guy on my hall scored honorable mention on the Putnam (he was also on India's IMO team 3 times). DE Shaw's is now actively recruiting him with offers in the range of a coupple hundred thousand.

You'll learn about good program design & implementation through the contests. I don't know any "contest coders" who couldn't code as part of a large project easily. But I know tons of "real" coders who can't hold a candle to the IOI.

This is of course assuming that you will be good at USACO & possibly make it to the IOI. Taking part and getting 1000th isn't worth a hoot.

 

[sponge008]

Now I'm even more torn...would the contests be worth as much if I went the startup route after/during college?
Thanks for the advice everybody, it's really appreciated.

 

[sponge008]

I've decided to do both, I'm just making more time somehow, since the replies I've gotten have shown me that both are really valuable. If anyone has anything to add, thanks for the further input, otherwise, I'll let this die now.

 

[Descartes]

Glad you decided to try and do both. If you excel in the competitions, then it can open a lot of doors for you. It won't open the same kind of doors that you'll have if you get your idea to fruition and it's successful.

 

[darthsidious]

If you're really smart - aka you know you're going to do very well in the USAMO and IOI, then go for the contests. If you don't think you'll put in a stellar performance, go for the startup.

Of course, if you're Reid Barton, you just do both, and kick ass at it.

 

[Descartes]

Originally posted by: eLiu
<snip>

You'll learn about good program design & implementation through the contests. I don't know any "contest coders" who couldn't code as part of a large project easily. But I know tons of "real" coders who can't hold a candle to the IOI.

Very doubtful. Coding in isolation is one thing; "coding" as part of a larger-scale project is entirely another, and it's not one you can do in lieu of experience no matter how good you are. Most larger projects require softer skills that you will never acquire in coding competitions.

Note that there are some exceptions, but even developers on the Mars Rover project had to contend with more of the soft skills than isolated programming ability (good book btw).