<p>I have a son who is talented in computer languages. He has sailed through AP computer science and every other programming class his school offers and has won 1st place in a Regional HS programming competition 2 years in a row. He loves coding.</p>
<p>He is also great in Math (800 SAT) and the sciences (790 Phyiscs) so I steered him towards pursuing computer engineering as opposed to the more narrow computer science major. </p>
<p>Now I wonder if I should have tried to steer him away from technology entirely.</p>
<p>I don't think you should necessarily think of college as a trade school. Anyone can learn computer languages. If he's so good at math and physics, think about pursuing physics undergrad. Most people can't handle it, and it will set him apart. The phrase "how's your Physics?" is asked of a lot of techie/scientific job applicants, I'm told, by people who know. Just an anecdote on the internet, I know, but that's the direction my daughter is taking, along with her compsci. I'd always assumed she would be a math major.</p>
<p>Allow HIM to steer toward his PASSIONS. I know far too many folks who ended up in science and math careers who ended up there because they were always told they were good in science and math, and were rewarded for it, and at the age of 45 wake up and tell me things like, "I really wanted to be a psychologist," (or a dancer, or a photographer, or an auto mechanic, or a...) I used to attribute it to a mid-life crisis until I got to talk with them some more, only to discover that they knew this at age 15, but didn't feel they could act upon it. In short, they were trapped by their talents.</p>
<p>If he loves it, no harm - but are you sure he loves it, or does he simply love it because he gets rewards for doing so well? (question wasn't meant rhetorically - it is a real one.)</p>
<p>There is a significant amount of outsourcing of certain jobs to India and China. However, the key design, prototyping and productization work still occurs here in the US. The jobs that are being outsourced are support and basic upgrade efforts.</p>
<p>There is an old saying, 10% of the programmers produce 90% of the code. If your son really likes computers and computer languages than I would suggest that he pursue his passion in either Computer Science or Computer Engineering. His passion should make him one of the 10% and that is a valuable place to be.</p>
<p>I agree with Eagle79. As an (past) employer of CS talent, those with real passion and skill will not lack an ability to get a job. But a lot can happen in a CompSci major. You have to realize that CS is NOT about how to write computer programs! Like driver says, college is not a trade school. There are so many ways interests can flow: robotics, artificial intelligence, theoretical computing, operating systems, graphics, and on and on and on.</p>
<p>I've always said that there are two types of programmers: those who USE the languages and tools available, and those who CREATE the languages and tools. A Java programmer position may or may not be outsourced, but think about the people inventing Java itself (or the next great thing). It sounds to me like you son is definitely in the CREATION category rather that the USER category.</p>
<p>If the passion and talent are real (and it sure looks that way), I would not worry about a job at all. Your son could be a real leader in the field.</p>
<p>And, with those stats and accomplishments, PLEASE check out CMU. I used to work in the Computer Science department there and the one thing those kids had in common was passion for the field.</p>
<p>On the subject of CMU, a year or so ago, when I had a wicked virus problem and was searching for info on how to deal with it, I became aware of how good CMU comp sci is supposed to be. They are apparently really the cutting edge, bar none. I remember reading about some of the anti-virus research being done there--outsmarting and even catching the hackers. It was very impressive, and totally state-of-the-art.</p>
<p>One of the many reasons CMU is consistently ranked in the top 5 computer engineering programs by US News. Overall CMU does not get enough attention as a great school but within the computer industry it is highly regarded.</p>
<p>Those files have been compressed or deleted from my memory :) I remember spending a long time trying to beat the darn thing, and ultimately just learned how to recover the data I needed, and got a new computer...it was easier. However, I did learn about this computer security project which has been going on at CMU for a long time. I don't remember specifics, but they really seemed to be on top of everything. Geared more toward prevention than cure.
<a href="http://www.cert.org/%5B/url%5D">http://www.cert.org/</a></p>
<p>Thanks for all of the input. I personally do beleive that he should follow the CE path because that is where his interest lies and he is just so damm good at it - and I should know because I have been in the field myself for 20+ years. However I was lucky to be part of the boom years where I made a ton of $$$ working as a consultant 3 days/week, 15 minutes from my home. Sadly, those days are long gone. My son is not just a coder - he picks these languages up quickly but it is ability to apply them that amazes me. Sadly, he DID apply to CMU where he was accepted but waitlisted for both CS and CE (he did have a really crappy SAT II writing score) and he felt strongly he wanted to go into CE so he did not accept.</p>
<p>Well, I just got off the phone with my S#1, who is CS major at Caltech, a rising senior. It is his 2nd day at his summer job at Overture, which is a subsidiary of Yahoo. From his description they are treating their interns like royalty. There are 7 cs interns & 5 MBA interns, each working on a special project, free food at work all day, flextime, onsite gym and recreational opportunities for breaks. Friday they're all being flown up to Sunnyvale for a tour and introduction to Yahoo Inc, dinner party and return to LA by midnite. On top of all this they're paying him a completely excessive amount of money, more than $1000/week. OMG.
This doesn't sound to me like an industry that's gone bust.</p>
<p>Now I'm the first to admit that I know very little about computer science vs. computer engineering, and that when S#1 starts talking he loses me after about 5 words. But I did gather that the primary emphasis (at Caltech, anyway) in CS is the math--the theories on how to construct algorithms and so forth. That would seem to me to be no more narrow than any physical science.</p>
<p>You didn't say where your son decided to go, but good luck to him!!</p>
<p>PS to driver & digmedia: do you ever get the feeling you were born too soon? Geeezzzzz....</p>