Thread: Getting a degree

  1. #16
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    seeing as how I've worked along side you I know you're really really smart and you could excel in computer science or engineering. Don't consider engineering because I'm doing it...I might not even like it, and if that's the case guess what? I'm going to do computer science or mathematics (or computational mathematics, which looks very sexy to be honest). I think you should do what you think you will be able to get immersed in, and computer science is still an excellent degree for anybody. You also cannot half ass engineering, subsequently just considering engineering because computer science might not be challenging enough isn't enough of a reason...you've gotta have an innate interest in some of what you're going to actually be doing...I am going into electrical engineering because I am interested in having a job that involves fabricating machinery. This didn't just come out of no where. We met the CEO of lockheed martin, I have a cousin that is an electrical engineer for EMC, I have an uncle that is an electrical engineer doing contract work for the military, I've spoken with people that went to schools in boston doing this type of work, and I've done plenty of research. Plus, you can incorporate programming into machine design and fabrication...and robots are sweet

    EDIT:
    to clarify, I think my uncle works for a company called 'Naval Underwater Systems' which does contract work for the military...according to my mom he designs electrical circuits in smart underwater missiles (aka torpedoes baby) that follow ships. lockheed martin is the largest company that does military contracting, and all of that work is electro mechanical and involves crazy math. My cousin does work basically making retardedly huge arrays of data with terabytes of disk space across multiple scsi drives.
    Last edited by Silvercord; 03-17-2004 at 02:12 PM.

  2. #17
    Crazy Fool Perspective's Avatar
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    Originally posted by EvBladeRunnervE
    Well , you may just want to say shove it to CS, and go with computational mathematics along with some sort of engineering degree, the reasons are obvious:

    CS Degree:

    Algorithm design
    alot of theory/very little actual programming
    overflooded market
    you already know alot of what is covered in undergrad, heck you made your own compiler.
    CM w/ Engineering:

    alot of math
    alot of programming
    alot of physics
    somewhat flooded, but not as much as CS as engineering is in many ways more difficult.
    a career that is somewhat hard to outsource.

    basically you can look at CM as CS without the specific CS stuff, you get all the math plus more since it is a math degree, and it is alot of programming compared to CS which is alot of theory at most places(excluding MIT, and stanford, which take the programming side quite seriously).

    the CM w/ engineering will give you ample preparation for getting into the game industry at some point.

    CS degree very little programming????
    i dont know what uni your talking about but at my university CS majors do exponentially more programming than the eng majors.

    look at job postings for game companies, they usually say "CS degree or equivalent experience" Take that anyway you like, many engineers are qualified but i think a CS degree will better suit you for the game industry.

  3. #18
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    Here is the truth about CE vs CS...
    lets take Rutgers University for example.

    Here is what a CS major will take to get his degree.
    http://www.cs.rutgers.edu/cs/academi...aduate/BS.html
    (go down to "sample schedule of courses")

    Now check out the ECE degree (electrical and computer engeering, they are paired up most places)
    http://www.ece.rutgers.edu/degree/un....html#ceOption

    you'll notice... getting the CE degree is a million times harder. You get more thorough education in all sorts of computer stuff.
    More importantly... you do way more algorithm and programming in things other than C++/java like MATLAB, VHDL, Pspice, etc. You get more math... you get more physics... etc...

    Notice that last course CS takes (and argueably the hardest) is Operating System Design... also notice that they take it SENIOR YEAR and CE take it JUNIOR YEAR. That really says something.

    I think CE definitely holds more weight than CS and is far more worth it, but it really comes down to the PERSON, not the DEGREE.
    Last edited by skim; 03-18-2004 at 11:30 AM.

  4. #19
    Carnivore ('-'v) Hunter2's Avatar
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    >>this might help us decide what is good for you?
    LOL just read that post, and laughed SO hard... Sounds sort of communist or something

    >>i think a CS degree will better suit you for the game industry.
    Who knows? Maybe there'll at some point in the future (i.e. when you graduate) when CE will be equally important to game dev, maybe they'll come out with a new fad of 100% virtual immersion games or something Heck, if you're good enough, maybe you can sell your ideas to some company and start the fad yourself...

    Anyhoo, I personally will probably go into engineering (mechatronics sounds cool to me, though I haven't done too much research). My primary interests are:
    1) Physics
    2) Making things that do cool stuff

    Number 2 is the main reason that I'm into programming right now; if I could design an amphibious jet/submarine in my backyard, build an elevator to outer space, or invent a new gadget that intelligently does housework for you, that's what I'd be doing instead
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  5. #20
    Comp. Sci means one thing to one college and another thing to another college. I've been looking around at colleges in my area, and no two colleges agree on what should be covered. I think it should cover theory on various computing methods, etc. A lot of colleges think that it means to learn how to use a bunch of different programs.

    I used to want to take C.S., but I am switching my interests to mathematics for my major. I'll probably take physics as a minor as well.

  6. #21
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    you can't compare what one school does with CS and CE/EE and have that be the final say. Computer Science is an excellent degree. But I agree with a lot of the stuff Hunter and Skin said. Plus when you get right down to it, it's what you put in. you can take CE and still do programming on your own terms in your own time...IF you get any free time

    EDIT:
    1) Physics
    2) Making things that do cool stuff

    Number 2 is the main reason that I'm into programming right now; if I could design an amphibious jet/submarine in my backyard, build an elevator to outer space, or invent a new gadget that intelligently does housework for you, that's what I'd be doing instead
    I think we're brothers or something because that's exactly what I would've said. I have very little actual experience in making things, but I've got a strong interest (outlined in that big post I made above) and I want to broaden my skills

    EDIT1:
    It definitely holds more weight. IMO, CS degree is s*** even though i am CE and *i like* programming more than comp engineering (hardware stuff).
    there are professional programmers that visit this site that have CS degrees. Maybe you outta show some respect?
    Last edited by Silvercord; 03-18-2004 at 10:42 AM.

  7. #22
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    Well, my feelings were stated about the degree, not the actual PERSON. You can have all the degrees in the world and still not be able to program anything. But since you might have been offended i changed it for you =)

  8. #23
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    I would go far enough to say that unless your CS degree is from MIT ,Stanford, or Berkeley it doesnt mean squat as out of the 20 or so colleges I have looked at, those are the only colleges that really put an emphasis on the applications of computer science, not just the theory behind stuff.

    EDIT: Of course, I would also far enough to say that a degree really doesnt matter , as it is the person that counts, how hard you are willing to go beyond what is required etc.

  9. #24
    Software Developer jverkoey's Avatar
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    well, I am looking to MIT as my top choice, i've got pretty good grades and i've done a lot of extra curricular things outside of school and gotten many awards (National Youth Leadership Forum on Technology where I gave a seminar on OpenScript and another seminar with The Developer's Alliance for our game we made, student of the year for computer science in 10th grade, school letter for academic achievement) I've also started my own school-legit club that I teach C++ to students at and have been doing it since about December (and yes, it IS an actual school function). I might also be starting another group next year for game development and theory or something like that, and I will also be improving on my C++ group/class.

    So i dunno, I've heard that MIT doesn't only look at grades, that they look a lot at your out-of-school stuff too. From their site: "We are looking for well-prepared students."

    I guess they also give you an interview when you submit to the school, and their "recommended high school preparation" list has most of the classes that i've already taken (physics, biology, foreign languages, english, history) and i've still got another year of high school to go....bleagh, i dunno I really just don't want to be in high school anymore, every day that i go to school i just have a feeling inside of my like i want to just scream out loud and walk out of the school. I guess I just really want to get out "there" and not be stuck up in this stupid school system where you can't have "any child left behind" and are forced to learn at the pace of 3 year olds....GRAEWJFLASDJF;
    </rant>

    *sigh*
    But yah, MIT is my top choice for school, then comes Stanford and Rochester Institute of Technology (i heard about that from a friend). Then my 2 "least expected to go to" schools are DigiPen and FullSail because those schools are easier to get in to and aren't as much of a challenge as the others (in some areas)

    well, i've gotta head out, programming class is almost over, just spent the whole period playing starcraft and doing a stupid quiz that was pointless....

    -edit-
    fixed text
    Last edited by jverkoey; 03-18-2004 at 04:39 PM.

  10. #25
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    DigiPen is easy to get in to? Since when?

  11. #26
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    ok, let me fix that phrase, (i thought i already did, must have forgot to do that) easier to get in to, as they require much lower gpa's and things. I didn't mean that they were easy to get in to, just a lot easier than the other ones most likely are (grade/extra curricular wise)

    -edit-
    and also to fix how they "are easier than the others" i understand how those two are very grueling pace colleges, and i respect them quite a bit, i'm just saying that if i were given a choice, i'd go to one of the other 3 before i went to the gamedev colleges.
    Last edited by jverkoey; 03-18-2004 at 04:40 PM.

  12. #27
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    Originally posted by jverkoey
    ok, let me fix that phrase, (i thought i already did, must have forgot to do that) easier to get in to, as they require much lower gpa's and things. I didn't mean that they were easy to get in to, just a lot easier than the other ones most likely are (grade/extra curricular wise)

    -edit-
    and also to fix how they "are easier than the others" i understand how those two are very grueling pace colleges, and i respect them quite a bit, i'm just saying that if i were given a choice, i'd go to one of the other 3 before i went to the gamedev colleges.

    Okay, thank you for the clarification.

  13. #28
    Carnivore ('-'v) Hunter2's Avatar
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    [offtopic]
    >>I think we're brothers or something because that's exactly what I would've said.
    Cool, are you Chinese?

    >>just spent the whole period playing starcraft
    Man, I wish I could do that at my school Too bad, the computers are restricted so much that you can only directly access the files on your own account (or any drive) by some crazy obscure bypass involving creating an HTML file
    [/offtopic]

    MIT, Stanford and Berkeley eh? I'm aiming for Waterloo. Too expensive to go across the border, and it's got a good reputation anyways (top Canadian school I think).
    Last edited by Hunter2; 03-18-2004 at 07:33 PM.
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  14. #29
    C++ Developer XSquared's Avatar
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    Hey, cool. I've applied into the BCS program at Waterloo.
    Naturally I didn't feel inspired enough to read all the links for you, since I already slaved away for long hours under a blistering sun pressing the search button after typing four whole words! - Quzah

    You. Fetch me my copy of the Wall Street Journal. You two, fight to the death - Stewie

  15. #30
    Software Developer jverkoey's Avatar
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    hunter2: I don't play on the school's computers, they suck, I play on my laptop against one of my friends who just got a laptop and we just network in programming class and play against each other

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