Colege?- Programming

mitchellislearning

hey all i am currently a ranch hand in deep south Texas. well now i see the value of an education. My question is what degree should i go for ( i want to be a programmer) and what school? location is not an issue i just want the best school.

wat08

Obtain an undergraduate degree in Software Engineering or Computer Science from MIT, Berkeley, Stanford, or Carnegie Mellon and development jobs will be thrown at you.

Otherwise, check out your local community college and take as many courses relating to Java, C/C++ as you can


...and if you're interested in development, why bother with the CCNA?

mitchellislearning

im not really looking for a prestigious school. name brand doesnt always mean better. as for the CCNA i started that with some prompting. after reading through the books i realized it was interesting. ive always been drawn to programmingf though. in school i wrote programs on TI Calcs. what is a good language to start with until i can getr into college?

nevolved

I would really study up on math and physics if I were you. Far before you start programming in college you will be a math wizard. For a CS degree (which is an engineering degree) you need calc 1, 2, and 3. You will also need Physics 1 and 2 (which are both basically math courses). You will also need to take Discrete 1 and 2. There are many other requirements, but you will probably take the majority of these before you ever program. If you really want to start programming, then I would suggest C++. C++ is one of the most powerful languages, and if learned properly will help you learn every other language. C++ makes good programmers:).

LarryDaMan

wat08 wrote:

Obtain an undergraduate degree in Software Engineering or Computer Science from MIT, Berkeley, Stanford, or Carnegie Mellon

When he's 35 he will finally be able to finish paying off student loans....

You can get a quality education without spending a crazy amount, but as with everything, it's a cost/benefit analysis.

mitchellislearning

ive got C++ for Dummies 5th ed. i should probly open it. i also have visual studio 6. do i have enough to get started with? Im also looking up prices on books related to discreet math ive read that in every course listing related to programming programs.

Slowhand

You're going to be starting out with either C++ or, more popular recently, Java as you go through school. You'll also be working with assembly language and things like LISP as you get into those higher-level classes. (Also, prepare yourself for LOTS of math classes.) As for schools, start by looking at the ratings your local universities get in various well-known publications on each subject. If you don't find what you're looking for, then begin going over the instituations suggested. They're the best for a reason. Personally, I'm going to try for UC Berkeley, by way of a community college (or two, depending on where I get my next job). The transfer-process isn't difficult to figure out, as there are plenty of helpful resources available in our state, and I'm sure other areas have similar programs.

There are plenty of sites out there, do some Google-searches for university and college rankings. You can find very good information about different schools, like this site which has a comparison tool that works by state and major. Oh, and don't forget to look into money for school, so you can plan your budget when going.

Slowhand

nevolved wrote:

I would really study up on math and physics if I were you. Far before you start programming in college you will be a math wizard. For a CS degree (which is an engineering degree) you need calc 1, 2, and 3. You will also need Physics 1 and 2 (which are both basically math courses). You will also need to take Discrete 1 and 2. There are many other requirements, but you will probably take the majority of these before you ever program. If you really want to start programming, then I would suggest C++. C++ is one of the most powerful languages, and if learned properly will help you learn every other language. C++ makes good programmers:).

Actually, C++ (and Java) are just the languages they happen to use, these days. As Joel Spolsky writes, most modern object-oriented languages work the same way on a fundamental level. C is important to learn, as it helps lay the foundations for a lot of the higher-level programming you'll be doing in your career without a lot of the crutches C++ and Java give you. (I know, I thought he was crazy too, but after reading his books, I understand what he means. )

wat08

mitchellislearning wrote:

location is not an issue i just want the best school.

mitchellislearning wrote:

im not really looking for a prestigious school. name brand doesnt always mean better.

You wanted the best schools and I gave them to you.

And yes, if you can actually manage to get into one of those institutions you'll be paying it off forever.

mitchellislearning wrote:

what is a good language to start with until i can getr into college?

I always hear python get thrown around a lot as an introduction to programming but I'd say pick up a C book and go from there.

wat08

nevolved wrote:

For a CS degree (which is an engineering degree)

No, there is a distinction between Computer Science and Engineering. They're separate disciplines.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_science
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_Engineering

Slowhand

wat08 wrote:

nevolved wrote:

For a CS degree (which is an engineering degree)

No, there is a distinction between Computer Science and Engineering. They're separate disciplines.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Computer_science
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_Engineering

Well, he said "engineering", not "software engineering". He may have meant the fact that many schools teach computer science and electrical engineering as the same undergraduate program, as it is with my school of choice. As for "paying it off forever", you're looking at anywhere from $20,000 - $40,000 in total for tuition to a well-regarded university, (not including living expenses). Between some student loans, working part-time, and some well-written grant letters, you wouldn't have to spend a whole lot of time paying that off. You figure, you spend four years living on the cheap as a college student; if you spend another year or two skipping out on a new car and remaining in a roommate or small-apartment situation, obstrain from going out to dinner all the time in favor of doing your own budget cooking, all while working a full-time entry-level job obtained with the help of your new degree, you could have those debts paid off. (It's just that most of us don't have the patience and self-control to not splurge once we're out there making more money than we did working retail. )