Future Career/Help with Schools!

[Reece]

I have no idea what I would like to pursue in when older. I have the Advanced classes that I feel would help me enough to go into whatever I choose, which is good.

Classes (Either taking/will take. Assume a 3.6-4.0 GPA):

• AP Chemisty
  
• AP English
  
• AP Spanish
  
• AP Calculus
  
• AP Biology (Possible)
  
• An AP History Class of some sort
  

I would love to go into Computer Science. I have had no sort of Computer related classes due to my electives (One was Spanish, I am taking this all 4 years of Highschool for a Special Diploma. The other was used to double up on Science courses.) taking up all of my "space".

The major thing to me is the money. I would prefer to make around $100,000. Don't give me the "nice dreams" thing. I know for a fact that I could go into a Medical Science field or maybe be a Lawyer and make that much. But I would like to find something that I actually am interested in.

Some Schools I am interested in:
Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT)
This is my dream School. The chances of me getting in are slim to none, even considering I will probably score around 30+ on my ACT. I have messed up my Freshman year of Highschool by getting around a 3.3 GPA.

Stanford University
My second pick. They have a nice Computer Science program I have read.

Cornell University
University of California-Berkeley
Carnegie Mellon University
Princeton University
Harvard University
Brown University
Yale University

All of the above have nice Computer Science programs.
Consider money not a problem.

Questions:
What Computer-Related field would allow me to make $100,000+?
Out of the Schools listed, with considerance to my GPA and Advanced Highschool Courses, which could I get in to?
Can I do anything else (Take a Summer program perhaps) that may grab the attention of one of the Schools I like?

Thanks for any opinions or help!

[Corea]

As for computer related fields, you could potentially make over $100,000 a year as a computer programmer. It just requires that you be innovative and have the ability to not only fill in a market niche but market your program as well. However, a more reliable way of reaching over $100,000 would be being a computer engineer with a Master's degree along with many years of experience. I say this because my father is a computer engineer at Intel with a Master's degree and MBA that has been working for quite some time. Computer engineers at Intel with only a Bachelor's degree start off around $70,000 to $75,000 a year from what I know.

I'm going to be honest with you, but in order to be admitted to those schools, it will be difficult with simply academics. You should be active in numerous clubs with leadership positions to really give yourself a good chance. Many students fail to realize that, and I hope you don't make the same mistake. Also, I would definitely recommend getting a Master's degree. If you are an outstanding student while obtaining your Bachelor's degree, you could be admitted to any of those schools for graduate school as well.

Yes, I would recommend taking a summer program. Being proactive and not simply doing the bare minimum--I would consider a decent GPA and AP classes a bare minimum for those prestigious schools--will increase your chances at admittance.

I'd like to say good luck, but it's going to be hard work and effort that gets you to where you want to be. Work hard, Reece!

[Disease]

There isn't much that pays six figure salaries in the IT industry within your first decade or so of entering it (real experience is exponentially more valuable than any degree you might posses). Salaries in the IT industry are also heavily dependent on the individual company you work for. It's not like in medicine or law where you can expect to be payed roughly equivalent from hospital/firm to hospital/firm (disregarding mitigating circumstances such as comparing Boston Medical to an inner city clinic).

You need to narrow down your question if you want a better answer. "Computer-related" is too ambiguous to form any specifics off of. Careers under that description could range from software engineers (programming) to web developers (programming), systems engineers (could include software engineering but also may be aerospace, information, structural, you name it) to any of the titles related to databases (administrators, consultants, etc.), and the list goes on. The one thing that they all have in common though is that they're hobbyist careers. None of these careers can be learned in school alone. If you're going to be worth your salary (and thus have a chance at earning six figures), you need to be a self-learner. Most software engineers, for example, learned how to write code prior to getting their degree. If they even have one for that matter; it's not uncommon to find software engineers who don't have degrees, just because they had work experience.

Lets say development is your preference though. Software engineers are certainly capable of earning in the six figure range. But the positions that support such a salary are senior spots. So that again goes back to what I said before: not something you're going to see within your first ten or so years in the industry. Entry level software engineers (with some work experience) make anywhere from $65,000 to $85,000 a year, depending on the company and amount of experience. People fresh out of college with no work experience can expect to be on the low end of that spectrum ($55,000 to $65,000).

Consultants are well known to make in the six figure range. But the highest paid consultants are those with a background in the engineering/administration side of the field. Database consultants, for example, are among the highest paid in the IT field. But to be worth squat as one you need to have experience as a DBA (administrator).

Management is also known for making six figures. But this usually comes with the added requirement of having an applicable degree, usually in addition to the common degree or work experience of what they're managing. Management is the IT blend of engineering and business. They're also known as the fat cows of the IT field- they take up a lot of space, use up a lot of resources, but can't do a fraction of the work those underneath them perform.

But much of this can be said about the medical field too. Medical residents (what you can expect to be doing your first four-seven years out of Med. School) make pitiful salaries. We're talking 30,000 to 40,000 a year. So even though they are licensed physicians with the "M.D." title and have the massive debt that is known as Medical School, it takes a doctor anywhere from four to ten years (the additional three years I'm tacking on here is the fellowship many doctors have to perform) to begin making the typical six figure salaries.

I don't have any first hand experience with the law field, so my insight here is definitely limited. But common sense dictates that they spend their first few years acting more like secretaries (and earning the pay that goes along with it) than lawyers. And of course the type of lawyer you become will dictate your salary. I'm sure litigators (trial lawyers) make considerably more money than tax lawyers.

---

Seeing as I have gone well beyond what is necessary to answer your first question, my next two answers will be quick.

Colleges look at more than just your GPA in accepting you. They also like to see extra curricular activities (both sports and educational). Getting into college is less about your grades and more about showing them diversity and individualism. I will say that Stanford does indeed have an exceptional Comp. Sci. department. I've taken a handful of courses there through their professional development center (paid for in full by my employer, hence why I took them). And I've always been impressed by the quality.

And yes, get involved in whatever it is you can. Anything to diversify yourself.

[Reece]

First, thank you Disease and Corea for your excellent responses.

It was quite childish of me to think that simply getting good grades in advanced classes would be enough. I did play Football, was President of a "Beta" program in Middle School and played some sports back then too. I haven't really did anything extracurricular. Maybe I should join a club like "Key Club", they are a community service based club and that would probably look good. I also may be able to get President quite easy as the Teacher that runs it loves me!


Whatever I plan to pursue, I would like a Masters Degree or Ph. D.

Honestly, I would like a Degree in Business too. It's always been a dream of mine to be a CEO of a Computer-Related company. I have very professional administrative skills and it suits me, but that is just a small dream.

I am short on time, please keep the replies coming!

[Corea]

Getting an MBA during your "computer-related" career is quite feasible, which will be that degree in business for you. Many times, your employer may even pay for your education.

I would say go for the Key Club and see what that can do for you. Remember that no matter what extracurricular activity you choose to partake in, be active and work to make a difference in the club; don't simply join a club so that you can put it on your application. See what you can also do for the club. Don't do all the things you can, but do all the things you want. It's really important to show prospective universities that you are proactive about pursuing your interests and goals. In short, don't just join clubs that "look good," but for example, join clubs that show colleges that you are actively involved in your interest in computers.

Try looking for volunteer service opportunities. Soup kitchens and homeless shelters are good, but see if you can break out of that mold.

By the way, what year of high school are you in? That way, we can help you prioritize things more easily.

[itmoney22]

Spoiler (Click to View)

There isn't much that pays six figure salaries in the IT industry within your first decade or so of entering it (real experience is exponentially more valuable than any degree you might posses). Salaries in the IT industry are also heavily dependent on the individual company you work for. It's not like in medicine or law where you can expect to be payed roughly equivalent from hospital/firm to hospital/firm (disregarding mitigating circumstances such as comparing Boston Medical to an inner city clinic).

You need to narrow down your question if you want a better answer. "Computer-related" is too ambiguous to form any specifics off of. Careers under that description could range from software engineers (programming) to web developers (programming), systems engineers (could include software engineering but also may be aerospace, information, structural, you name it) to any of the titles related to databases (administrators, consultants, etc.), and the list goes on. The one thing that they all have in common though is that they're hobbyist careers. None of these careers can be learned in school alone. If you're going to be worth your salary (and thus have a chance at earning six figures), you need to be a self-learner. Most software engineers, for example, learned how to write code prior to getting their degree. If they even have one for that matter; it's not uncommon to find software engineers who don't have degrees, just because they had work experience.

Lets say development is your preference though. Software engineers are certainly capable of earning in the six figure range. But the positions that support such a salary are senior spots. So that again goes back to what I said before: not something you're going to see within your first ten or so years in the industry. Entry level software engineers (with some work experience) make anywhere from $65,000 to $85,000 a year, depending on the company and amount of experience. People fresh out of college with no work experience can expect to be on the low end of that spectrum ($55,000 to $65,000).

Consultants are well known to make in the six figure range. But the highest paid consultants are those with a background in the engineering/administration side of the field. Database consultants, for example, are among the highest paid in the IT field. But to be worth squat as one you need to have experience as a DBA (administrator).

Management is also known for making six figures. But this usually comes with the added requirement of having an applicable degree, usually in addition to the common degree or work experience of what they're managing. Management is the IT blend of engineering and business. They're also known as the fat cows of the IT field- they take up a lot of space, use up a lot of resources, but can't do a fraction of the work those underneath them perform.

But much of this can be said about the medical field too. Medical residents (what you can expect to be doing your first four-seven years out of Med. School) make pitiful salaries. We're talking 30,000 to 40,000 a year. So even though they are licensed physicians with the "M.D." title and have the massive debt that is known as Medical School, it takes a doctor anywhere from four to ten years (the additional three years I'm tacking on here is the fellowship many doctors have to perform) to begin making the typical six figure salaries.

I don't have any first hand experience with the law field, so my insight here is definitely limited. But common sense dictates that they spend their first few years acting more like secretaries (and earning the pay that goes along with it) than lawyers. And of course the type of lawyer you become will dictate your salary. I'm sure litigators (trial lawyers) make considerably more money than tax lawyers.

---

Seeing as I have gone well beyond what is necessary to answer your first question, my next two answers will be quick.

Colleges look at more than just your GPA in accepting you. They also like to see extra curricular activities (both sports and educational). Getting into college is less about your grades and more about showing them diversity and individualism. I will say that Stanford does indeed have an exceptional Comp. Sci. department. I've taken a handful of courses there through their professional development center (paid for in full by my employer, hence why I took them). And I've always been impressed by the quality.

And yes, get involved in whatever it is you can. Anything to diversify yourself.

That is one HQ post. my goodness.(well put there)

all of those schools are pretty top notch. As long as u have things that can make u stand out to those schools than other ppl apart from grades might help.

[Reece]

Getting an MBA during your "computer-related" career is quite feasible, which will be that degree in business for you. Many times, your employer may even pay for your education.

I don't plan on working until I get my bachelor's degree, and it would be pretty hard to:

1. Work
   
2. Work on my Master's Degree in Computer Science
   
3. Work on a MBA
   

But I guess I could work on the MBA after or during getting my Master's in Computer Science.

I would like to enter into a Doctorate program after I have a Master's in Computer Science and a MBA to get a Doctorate in Computer Science.

Try looking for volunteer service opportunities. Soup kitchens and homeless shelters are good, but see if you can break out of that mold.

I have none of them close to me.

I would say go for the Key Club and see what that can do for you. Remember that no matter what extracurricular activity you choose to partake in, be active and work to make a difference in the club; don't simply join a club so that you can put it on your application. See what you can also do for the club. Don't do all the things you can, but do all the things you want. It's really important to show prospective universities that you are proactive about pursuing your interests and goals. In short, don't just join clubs that "look good," but for example, join clubs that show colleges that you are actively involved in your interest in computers.

I believe I will, I will have to wait until next year though.
I may join a Honors club and a Technology based club too.

I do have a question. I'm not looking for an Scholarships, so is it really that hard to just get in? I mean, a good ACT score was all I thought it would honestly take. My two real choices I want are Harvard and Stanford. Both are amazing schools I believe. Would be current classes, future ACT score, and GPA not be enough to get accepted? That is really all I need, grants I may get myself and scholarships as they come.

[Corea]

Hm. Personally, I would get a Bachelor's and then your Master's in your field before working. Then after you've secured employment, you can get your MBA later down the road. By the way, does Computer Engineering interest you at all?

As for your volunteering... contact local churches in the area and see if they have any affiliation with homeless shelters or soup kitchens. Just let them know you're looking for opportunities such as that to volunteer your help.

Scholarships should not affect your admittance into a certain school. A good GPA and a solid score on your standardized test is definitely not all it takes. They are not unnecessary either. Think of those as the prerequisites, the minimum standards, by which applications are even given a chance.

Why do you have to wait until next year to join the clubs? I don't understand why that would ever be the case. Please elaborate on this?

[Reece]

Hm. Personally, I would get a Bachelor's and then your Master's in your field before working. Then after you've secured employment, you can get your MBA later down the road. By the way, does Computer Engineering interest you at all?

That does seem like it would work.
Should I then go into a Doctorate program directly after my Master's?

Computer Engineering, well from Wiki I will look at what parts of it interest me:

Digital and Logic Design (Using Verilog or VHDL)
Algorithms and Compiler Construction
Computer architecture and organization
Industrial Instrumentation
Industrial automation (Using PLCs,PLDs,and HMI)
Robotics
Artificial intelligence
Circuit analysis
Signal and systems
Database systems (Using MS Access, SQL and Oracle)
Digital (Computer) electronics
Digital signal processing (Using Matlab)
Electronics
Embedded systems (Using Microcontrollers,FPGA,PLDs and ARMs)
Human-computer interaction or Human Machine Interface(HMI)
Interactive Systems engineering
Operating systems (Using LINUX,SOLARIS,Mac OS and RTOs)
Programming fundamentals
Social and professional issues
Software engineering (Using UML)
Computer security
VLSI design and fabrication
Computer networking (Using Omnet,Opnet,RouterSim and Packet Tracer)
Wireless Communication (Using Zigbee,Bluetooth,WiFi and WiMAX)
Fault diagnostic and tolerant systems
Parallel and distributed computing
Control engineering (Digital and Analog)
Microprocessors interfacing and programming
Microwave Engineering
Electric and Electronic Machines
Power Electronics
Process Control and Instrumentation
Programming Languages (Using C)#,VB.NET,JAVA)
Computer Graphics (Using 3DS MAX,MAYA)
Data Acquisition Systems
Internet and Web Programming (Using XHTML,ASP.NET,JAVASCRIPT AND COLD FUSION)
Hardware Engineering (PC Components Design LAN Card,Sound Card,VGA Card,Motherboard,MODEM etc)
PC Interfacing and Process Control
Analog and Digital PCB Design (Using ORCAD,ARES,EAGLEVIEW)

As for your volunteering... contact local churches in the area and see if they have any affiliation with homeless shelters or soup kitchens. Just let them know you're looking for opportunities such as that to volunteer your help.

Would a food bank count?

Why do you have to wait until next year to join the clubs? I don't understand why that would ever be the case. Please elaborate on this?

You must have already signed up for the club and paid to join.

Also Corea, thank you for your replies. =]

[Corea]

Upon completion of your Master's degree, I would recommend finding employment. Some years of experience may actually help you in your thesis for your Doctorate. However, it's really up to you, what you're able to do, and the resources you have available.

And yes, a food bank would count as volunteer work.

I had a feeling the club thing would be due to something like that. By next year do you mean the new year or the next academic year? If it's the new year, no problem, just sign up and start then. However, the next academic year is quite some time to wait from now.