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| Best Major for Computing in General? http://www.ferrousmoon.com:80/forums/viewtopic.php?f=55&t=2079 |
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| Author: | eddieringle [Wed Sep 22, 2010 6:44 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Best Major for Computing in General? |
So I'm in 11th grade now (hard to believe, I think I joined the old Onlink boards when I was in middle school), and it's time to start thinking about college. I'm not certain I know exactly what I want to do when I graduate, but I know it will have something to do with computers. When I was younger, I dreamed of going to MIT and getting my Ph.D. in Computer Science, but I sort of grew out of that. Recently, I've been looking at DigiPen, mainly on their Real-time Simulation program. But when I think about the big picture, I have no idea what I want to do exactly. So, now I want to know, what is (in your opinion) the best major to get into for the general computer education. I want something that will give me a little bit of everything, low-level stuff like OS design and higher-level stuff like game development and such. I realize the program won't necessarily contain all of those topics, but I want something that I can branch off of. Any ideas? |
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| Author: | Tycho [Wed Sep 22, 2010 10:50 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Best Major for Computing in General? |
Hell yes, go to DigiPen. It's in Seattle, which about an hour drive from where I am. If it's available, I'd advocate going for a computer engineering degree. If it's not, go for computer science with a minor in electrical engineering (which is essentially what computer engineering is). This combination is pretty important. The computer science covers the pie-in-the-sky theory stuff (in which people care very little about real-world performance), and electrical engineering covers the extremely low-level stuff, which focuses heavily on real-world performance. In EE, you care about how long it takes for a single logic gate (e.g. AND, OR, NOR, etc) to propagate. Once you understand how the EE-level things work, you will know the real costs of things done in the realm of computer science. Hope this helps. |
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| Author: | FinalWarrior [Wed Sep 22, 2010 11:38 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Best Major for Computing in General? |
Go to DigiPen, because I go to DigiPen. Also because we have awesome professors. Incidentally, most of the professors in the RTIS program (especially Mead and Volper) heavily advocate knowing your hardware before programming for it. Even if you don't take CE classes (lol, CE freshmen... what CE freshmen?), you'll probably pick some up anyhow from what Mead has you do. (And CS100, which is actually a CE class, is required for all RTIS/BSGD freshmen anyhow, and has you programming in assembly... after you spend the first third of the semester learning logic gates starting with basic switches. And after you build one whole bit of memory.) -- Griffinhart |
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| Author: | Tycho [Thu Sep 23, 2010 12:54 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Best Major for Computing in General? |
I should mention that my perspective on CS professors largely comes from state-sponsored universities, not from private universities like DigiPen. In my experience, PhDs in Computer Science haven't written a single line of code since their Masters degree. All they do is write papers. I don't trust them one bit, and they're often the most arrogant dickish people I've met. |
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| Author: | FinalWarrior [Thu Sep 23, 2010 7:14 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Best Major for Computing in General? |
Yeah, no. Mead and Volper are nothing like that. Hell, sometimes Prof. Mead will code something spontaneously, on the spot, in the middle of lecture, to illustrate a point. -- Griffinhart PS. Oh yeah, and CS100 is taught by Prof. Duba. |
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| Author: | Miah [Fri Sep 24, 2010 12:20 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Best Major for Computing in General? |
I hate you all. Damn people that actually have college as an option. Bah. *shakes cane* |
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| Author: | FinalWarrior [Sat Sep 25, 2010 1:27 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Best Major for Computing in General? |
I will be finishing with ~$80k in student loans. Minimum. -- Griffinhart |
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| Author: | Rickton [Sun Sep 26, 2010 8:48 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Best Major for Computing in General? |
Is DigiPen even accredited? |
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| Author: | FinalWarrior [Sun Sep 26, 2010 9:07 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Best Major for Computing in General? |
I believe so. That, or we're in the midst of getting our regional accreditation (which would explain some of the random surveys and stuff we've been having to do this semester). ETA: Looks like DP is accredited by the Accrediting Commission of Career Schools and Colleges of Technology. Dunno if that's regional or national. -- Griffinhart |
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| Author: | Scopus [Tue Sep 28, 2010 11:27 pm ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Best Major for Computing in General? |
Heh, I wonder if college is even an option for me. I hear that there are special programs for people like me, since both of my parents never graduated from college. |
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| Author: | FinalWarrior [Wed Sep 29, 2010 2:12 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Best Major for Computing in General? |
I don't see how your parents' education factors into whether or not you are eligible for college? (For special scholarships or something, maybe...) -- Griffinhart |
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| Author: | Scopus [Wed Sep 29, 2010 2:39 am ] |
| Post subject: | Re: Best Major for Computing in General? |
Yeah, the special scholarships are what I meant. I know I could do it, I've never had a problem with much I've really put effort behind. |
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