comp.science

<p>Well yes Computer science is not really an Engineering but it surely has a very similar undergrad program. With that said I might also like to add I am just a junior in high school right now and I am confused about certain things...a college major. Since not long ago I had always dreamt about going into computer science and taking biochemistry as my other major...well two days ago this dream vanished. I talked to this guy studying physics who said that computer science people are people that have a bed in their workplace. They wake up at 3 am just to make the program run. They don't go out, but at the same time they don't have to look at the program of how it will be used or whatsoever but just make it work. I didn't like this. Why did i hear to this guy? During highschool he programmed a lot and was a very good student making his opinion very reliable. he said that if I wanted to do research and stuff, which i do want to, i should do software enginnering. so i talked to my friend that studies comp. science and said that those who study software engineering are people without lives that live in their workplace and are not creative at all. I am very confused now....
i still think about biochemistry. but i am very interested in computers. However, i would like to go ijnto the AI research trying to link both comp. sicence and biochem. i would really like to work into AI but not sure what college major this is...is it computer science? By the way, the first guy also said that for comp. science research is a very low-end job and that for software engineering and whatever other engineering it is a high-end. please help me in my journey to understand what i really want.</p>

<p>Bioinformatics sounds like a field that you would be interested in.</p>

<p>To end up working in software engineering you are probably going to want to major in computer science. You could major in software engineering, but that isn't offered at many schools.</p>

<p>People may work longer hours in CS jobs than in other engineering jobs, I do not know enough about it to even comment on that. But, I will say that often times computer science majors are the "nerdiest" to begin with, so they may not "go out" much anyway, not because computer science makes them that way. AT MIT the EECS majors are considered among the "nerdiest" at the school.</p>

<p>i dont mind if i dont go out but if i am doing what i like. i mean if i am trying to find out something scientifical and increment humanity's knowledge ok ill stay locked in. i dont mind not seeing people, well really i like being by my own working. but i wouldnt like being alone and working in some program that i did not even create nor know. i am very interested in software not hardware. can anyone give me some careers that are like these? as mentioned before where does AI go into?...i really would like to see AI is that CS, EE, what is it?</p>

<p>AI is CS.</p>

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<p>Take AI classes in college and see if you really like it. I think CS is the most interesting major. If it didn't exist, I probably wouldn't even do some type of engineering, I'd probably do economics.</p>

<p>Generaly there are three parts of comp sci:</p>

<p>AI
Systems (this is pretty broad, it can be individual computer systems, networks, etc.)
Theory and Algorithms</p>

<p>could u explain to me the three categories? I mean...if one plans to go into AI will be just offered work in researching or also in companies (i dont like companies at all so if its research its better for me). BTW what are u studying?</p>

<p>For undergrad, you have to take classes in all of those. I am a computer science major, you don't major in a specific section, like AI. AI research is done at universities and some companies, you would want to major in computer science for both of those.</p>

<p>well thanks a lot! one thing that still concerns my mind is the fact alone that many people that study comp. science are way ahead of me. What i mean is that i've hear that they go already knowing how to build their own OS. i d k. i know some programming because i learnt by my own and familiar with the unix shell very much but i dont have the level to go and do my own os. my school doesnt teach programming at all so it is very hard to learn by your own and stilll have to do the tons of hw they give u.</p>

<p>So kevtrice when you graduate what kind of job offers do you and other CS majors at MIT get? I mean are you going to work for Dell, Microsoft, google, yahoo, or what? ( i heard google and yahoo are paying really high salaries lately). Or do you plan to go into research into something like AI?</p>

<p>long time no answer. i have a friend in mit that is studying forestal engineering...well so any news kevtrice?</p>

<p>Sorry, I didn't know there were more questions.</p>

<p>aproan, almost everyone at MIT doesn't know how to code an operating system when the start studying computer science. There is an operating systems grad class and it is hard and is a lot of work. Most people aren't hackers, and if they are, if you are smarter than them you can outdo them.</p>

<p>eternity_hope2005, I worked for IBM this summer. They are the second largest software company behind Microsoft (if their software business was a comapny itself). I would like to work for a company like Google, Microsoft, Apple, IBM, etc when I get out.</p>

<p>I may stay for a graduate year and do some sort of computer science research.</p>

<p>yeah most people entering college aren't going to know hwo to code an operating system. however i've met qutie a few that have extensive programming experience. a few i know have won nationals for programming in C, C++/java and/or do development work/software design for small businesses.</p>

<p>There are way too many fields in computer science to list them all. Artificial Intelligence is just a sub-field of a CS program. In fact, I saw someone posted to take a few AI courses and see if you like it, but it's just not that easy, well not at good schools. You usually have to take a handful of prereqs, and then even take a few Psych courses in order to even take the AI courses. It is one of the most challenging, yet interesting sub-fields of Computer Science, at least in my opinion.</p>

<p>My suggestion is to read up on AI, if it's really something that interests you then go ahead and take two or three CSE courses. If the science of computers, logic and applied mathmatics still "tickles your fancy", then go ahead and go for what you love.</p>

<p>As for the notion that CSE majors are lab rats, cubical geeks, or they hate their job...sure that could be true in some cases. From my personal experience that's not the case. I interned for a good software company, and worked part-time there for three years now. The hours were 9-5, yeah some people stayed later, but in the process they were well compensated for their over time. The median range of salary there was 50-65,000 starting base salary, and that is the case for most reputable software companies in NYC/LI NY area.</p>

<p>I'm not a lab geek by far, nor would I consider working the hours you speak of. I graduate in about a year, and then I'm considering an attractive scholarship that the NSA offers certain Universities for students in CS programs. I originally was going to graduate and move to another software company, but I think I may take this scholarship and work in the information security sector, for a division of the Executive branch.</p>

<p>The opportunities are there...the only way you're going to know if it's right for you is to test it out. Everyone will have their own opinion..how many lawyers, i-bankers, entrepreneurs, grocery store bagging clerks or teachers do you know that hate their job? But for all those that hate it, there is either something about it they find appealing which is why they are still there (so it must not be THAT bad), or you will find the same amount of people that enjoy that same job.</p>

<p>Keep reading up on it, and then if you're still interested try it out in college, it's what college is for in the first place.</p>

<p>Good Luck!</p>