<p>Well, I'm a junior in High School right now and I'm having a hard time deciding between these two majors. Both are offered at my local university.</p>
<p>I enjoy working with numbers and have done really well in some of the advanced math classes (such as calculus). I'm also really interested in computers.</p>
<p>I've done exceptionally well in the two years of accounting classes I've taken thus far in High School, but it has gotten to the point where it seems more like memorizing laws and regulations -- calculations seem very few and far between. This is really detracting me from wanting to pursue this major. On a positive note, accounting does seem to involve problem solving and analysis to some extent (which I like). However, it also seems that the accounting profession now involves more interaction between clients. Being an introverted person, this does not exactly excite me.</p>
<p>The only thing that worries me about computer science is this constant threat of outsourcing and the fact that technologies are constantly evolving. I also feel that a career in computer science may provide slightly less job security.</p>
<p>Check out the Bureau of Labor Statistics Occupational Outlook Handbook (Google BLS OOH, then find the A-Z index). Compare the entries for Accountants and Computer Software Engineers and Programmers. CSEs have some of the highest growth of any field, and have not been affected as badly by the current economic recession. The BLS OOH will be releasing a new report sometime in February, with up-to-date information, so you might want to check with it occasionally.</p>
<p>If you like accounting but want something more quantitative, you might consider a career as an actuary (you can check that out on the BLS OOH as well). If you are good at math and don’t mind working at a computer all day, CS/software is (in my opinion, but you should get others, too) a pretty great thing to be in. Things you hear from people online about there not being jobs for new CS grads is utterly wrong. If you take good classes, do well in school, and get an internship or two, you will stand as good a chance as anybody of having a job you enjoy when you get out of school.</p>
<p>Wow! Thanks for the information. I’m definitely leaning more towards computer science. Are there any CS majors here who can recommend (or not recommend) majoring in it?</p>