Skip to main content
gamedev.net
🔒 Locked

school...

Started by no one Apr 28, 2004 at 12:12 AM 6 replies 350+ views
Original Post
no one
no one
Hrm, don't meen to clutter the forum with my thoughts/issues but I just though about asking this question. Anyway, Im probably going to be starting college in may (yeah, I have no personal life really, so a summer class is ok ) anyway, im very worried that im making a huge mistake about the course im looking at. The only problem is that it is the only course that seems to be what I want to take. Some of the classes include oop design, project management, programming in cpp1 and 2 (for business), etc. Basically it is there software engineering course. The problem is, I have no clue how college normally works. Im looking at 3 years + just for my associates. The course does not go over advanced maths, physics, graphics, ai etc, nothing really game related. Is that stuff normally taught after the associates? (ie. the associate courses teach you the foundation). In case your wondering, I want to get into the games industry some day, so I want to take courses relavent to it. I really don't want to be a specialist because I do not want to be limited in what I can work on (ie. graphics, ai etc). In all though, I just want to make sure this is the right course of action (excuse the pun) for me to take. I really don't want to waste 6,7 years of my life and end up owing $70,000!!! Believe me, my stomach is hurting over this issue. When Ive ever talked to anyone regaurding there college exp that have a bs in computer science, they say that it took them 4 years. Is anyone here attending st petersburg college for computer science btw? Blah, Im sure ive left a lot out, feel free to ask me questions regaurding the course and such. Please help me out guys, please. -Jason [edited by - no one on April 28, 2004 1:13:55 AM]
"Make it a habit to be loyal to the activities that serve the highest part of yourself."
zer0wolf
zer0wolf
I don't know why kind of college this St Peters is, but any respectable university has very high mathematical requisites for their CS program and an associate's degree only takes 2 years when attending full time.

An associates in business programming sound more like a CIS program, not a CS program. I studied CIS for a little over a year before I realized it sucked and wasn't what I wanted to do. I switched over to a major university and started studying computer graphics technologies. I'll probably get a minor in CS.

---------------------------------------------------
laziness is the foundation of efficiency
Fight Anomie | llamas! | MegaTokyo | Science or Die | google
Tiffany_Smith fanboy

[edited by - zer0wolf on April 28, 2004 1:27:41 AM]
greggtwep
greggtwep
quote:
Original post by no one
Believe me, my stomach is hurting over this issue. When Ive ever talked to anyone regaurding there college exp that have a bs in computer science, they say that it took them 4 years.


Well there are lots of ways to go. The most common would be a 4 year university for a b.s. in computer science. Since you don''t want to go that route because of the time frame and money issue your options are limited.

First off, let me say that usually having LESS than a bachelors degree would almost certainly require you to be a great programmer with quite a bit of your own completed projects to show a prospective employer to hire you. Heck, its hard enough to get a job in gamedev even if you do have a bachelors.

Since you don''t want to go to school that long I see only two options. Learn on your own and complete a lot of projects and become affluent in gamedev. Going this route would require quite a bit of luck to because most business types see it as a risk to hire someone without a degree.

Option 2, attend fullsail. This is not cheap but I believe you can get a degree in a little over 2 years. This way is not proven yet since it is relatively speaking a new way to go but I would assume that you could probably get some job when you''re out.

Also, I''m in the same boat as you don''t want to specialize but I think in the end you will find out that you should. Its hard enough to stay cutting edge enough in one field (ai,graphics,etc.) let alone them all.

Good luck in whatever you decide to do but if you don''t plan on getting at least a bachelors you''re going to find it tough to find that first job.




"understanding is a three-edged sword: your side, their side.. and the truth "

"If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker that came along would destroy civilization. "

"The degree of technical competence is inversely proportional to the level of management. "

"Any given program, when running, is obsolete. "
"understanding is a three-edged sword: your side, their side.. and the truth"

"If builders built buildings the way programmers wrote programs, then the first woodpecker that came along would destroy civilization."

"The degree of technical competence is inversely proportional to the level
Benjamin Heath
Benjamin Heath
Yeah, I''m in a similar boat. I''m not in college right now, but I plan to be in a community college this fall. Until then, I have to work full-time and help my parents with their stupid bills. (I''m grateful that my parents are as awesome as they truly are, but I honestly have to tell myself to cool off whenever mom approaches me with that. I know, it could be worse.) I''ll be relying on my own money and whatever aid I can get ahold of.

I quite honestly don''t see myself being a programmer by profession in 10 years. I don''t know if I even want that. I''ve thought of things like Wyotech (for auto technicians), ITT, architecture, accounting, law, even being a butcher. I don''t really know what I''m going to do, so, I''ll just have to pick.

I hope you figure it out, man. Take it easy...

---------------
Ben
"You have to struggle in order to succeed." --William Hung
no one
no one
Thanks a lot guys. But I think I was misunderstood... I would like to take a 4 year B.S degree in CS. However, I keep talking to incompetent people I quess because every time I tell them thats what I want to take, they act like they have no clue what im talking about.

this is the course im looking at. What do you guys think about it?

This course is only a A.S though, but of course I need to get a A.S before I can get my B.S right? Or can I/should I try and sign up right away for a B.S degree program?

Blah. Thanks guys.
~Jason
"Make it a habit to be loyal to the activities that serve the highest part of yourself."
honey
honey
IMHO if you want to go into game programming that course is rubbish - you would be a lot better off studying maths (or physics) and switching to computer science later or doing a "real" computer science course.



[edited by - Honey on April 28, 2004 6:15:54 AM]
rhouve
rhouve
That is most definitely a CIS type program. Those programs are geared more towards business only type professions. I work and teach at a community college and this looks similar to what we offer.
zer0wolf
zer0wolf
Screw the AS and go straight for a BS. The problem with technical schools and many associate''s programs is that they only teach you the current technologies and well, not much else.

---------------------------------------------------
laziness is the foundation of efficiency
Fight Anomie | llamas! | MegaTokyo | Science or Die | google
Tiffany_Smith fanboy

Topic Locked

This topic has been locked by a moderator. New replies are not allowed.

Sign in to reply to this topic.