Jump to content

College Education


helpmeownlife

Recommended Posts

Hey TIF... I'm going to find myself going of to college soon and I'm not really certain which of the seemingly infinite roads there are to take. I do know that a long-time goal of mine is to be accepted into and attend MIT. What I don't know is pretty much everything else. I'm extremely gifted in computer programming (Java, PHP, etc) (it's my forte), and it would be best if I went into that for a living. However, I'm not sure what that entails. Computer Sciences? MIT has a course (I think) called Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, which would be awesome, because I (guess) I'm interested in both of those, if what I assume is correct. So... two main things.

 

1.) I'm talented at programming in computer languages. I also like building things, and I dream a future life similar to Tony Stark (in the Iron Man movies), minus the weapons development. Which major/degree should I dive into?

 

2.) If anyone has tried to or has attended MIT, could you please tell me about the class life? Perhaps some tips on admittance?

 

Thank you very much for your time and support.

hmolsig.png
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Talk with your guidance counsellor. Really talk with them. Go in there with straight-to-the-point questions, ask about internship opportunities, feasibility questions, etc. And talk with your programming teachers, too, since they've been in your shoes. Find out what they did right (or wrong) and, more importantly, if they're willing to write you references. Don't really know your teachers that well? Get to know them.

 

And maybe most importantly...MIT is a nice goal to have but it would be terrible to put in all that hard work just to find out that maybe it's not for you, or you can't afford it. Consider going to community college for a year or two and transferring in not only to save money--although that's really nice too--but to make sure you're really doing what you want to do.

 

EDIT: I don't know if this is the best advice to give but I certainly know that these were bits of information that someone told me before I went into college...

hzvjpwS.gif

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The best advice I can give about attending any sort of university is don't go there unless you are 100% sure you want to and are willing to spend thousands of dollars getting your education. Other than that, talk to advisers at the universities or at your school. They are there to help and will most likely know a whole lot more than anyone here, especially with the specificity of your questions.

phpFffu7GPM.jpg
 

"He could climb to it, if he climbed alone, and once there he could suck on the pap of life, gulp down the incomparable milk of wonder."

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I'm starting out on a computer engineering course, sounds a lot like what you mentioned in the first post. (Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences).

I chose it because the things I was most interested in were physics, math and I wanted to learn computer science.

 

Can't tell you any more though as I'm only a first year... I can't think of anything else I'd rather do though.

Doomy edit: I like sheep

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I have just one question for you: are you an American or Canadian (AKA domestic) student, or are you from another country? Domestic versus international MIT admissions are quite different.

 

As to your questions, once I know that I can answer them all.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you don't mind me asking, what grade are you in?

 

If you have any inclination to be an electrical engineer or software engineer at all, you should be looking into FIRST Robotics. Maybe your high school has a team, maybe a high school near you has a team. The program is pretty chill about accepting everyone. Regardless, you should join. You'll have a blast, and you might learn more about what you want to do. PM me if you need more information.

 

 

As far as being an Electrical Engineer or Software Engineer - As an electrical engineering student at Purdue University, with more than a year of work experience from a co-op, I can tell you from personal experience that an electrical engineer can do the work of a computer science major, but definitely not the other way around. Also, at Purdue, its much easier to transfer from the engineering program to the computer science program.

 

Hope this helps.

99 dungeoneering achieved, thanks to everyone that celebrated with me!

 

♪♪ Don't interrupt me as I struggle to complete this thought
Have some respect for someone more forgetful than yourself ♪♪

♪♪ And I'm not done
And I won't be till my head falls off ♪♪

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Hey TIF... I'm going to find myself going of to college soon and I'm not really certain which of the seemingly infinite roads there are to take. I do know that a long-time goal of mine is to be accepted into and attend MIT. What I don't know is pretty much everything else. I'm extremely gifted in computer programming (Java, PHP, etc) (it's my forte), and it would be best if I went into that for a living. However, I'm not sure what that entails. Computer Sciences? MIT has a course (I think) called Electrical Engineering and Computer Sciences, which would be awesome, because I (guess) I'm interested in both of those, if what I assume is correct. So... two main things.

 

1.) I'm talented at programming in computer languages. I also like building things, and I dream a future life similar to Tony Stark (in the Iron Man movies), minus the weapons development. Which major/degree should I dive into?

 

2.) If anyone has tried to or has attended MIT, could you please tell me about the class life? Perhaps some tips on admittance?

 

Thank you very much for your time and support.

 

One of my good school friends went to MIT for Bio, and she really doesn't like the undergraduate class vibe because most of her classes are massive and a lot of the students there are hyper-competitive and egotistical. Just because MIT is considered prestigious by some doesn't mean it will necessarily be the best school for you to do CS or EE. If I were you, I wouldn't base my high school years around getting into a particular college considering you might be rejected or disillusioned by what MIT is really like.

 

e: As for improving admissions chances, joining crew would probably help.

I will put my boots on.

 

I will pass on down the corridor.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you don't mind me asking, what grade are you in?

 

If you have any inclination to be an electrical engineer or software engineer at all, you should be looking into FIRST Robotics. Maybe your high school has a team, maybe a high school near you has a team. The program is pretty chill about accepting everyone. Regardless, you should join. You'll have a blast, and you might learn more about what you want to do. PM me if you need more information.

 

 

As far as being an Electrical Engineer or Software Engineer - As an electrical engineering student at Purdue University, with more than a year of work experience from a co-op, I can tell you from personal experience that an electrical engineer can do the work of a computer science major, but definitely not the other way around. Also, at Purdue, its much easier to transfer from the engineering program to the computer science program.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Admittedly though, there is some really high-level computer-based stuff that electrical engineering doesn't quite touch on. While I do admit you guys could do the work of a CS major, you won't be doing, say, PhD-level stuff. Not often, if at all.

I was going to eat hot dogs for dinner tonight. I think I will settle for cereal.

 

OPEN WIDE HERE COMES THE HELICOPTER.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
×
×
  • Create New...

Important Information

By using this site, you agree to our Terms of Use.