Today there was this presentation at my high school for ACC. (Assiniboine Community College) They were doing a presentation on wireless technology and web design programs that they offer. I asked them:
if I already know HTML, JavaScript, CSS, PHP, MySQL, Ajax, and many other languages through self-teaching, what would I benefit from going to their school to take their web development program?

They didn't really know what to say. Later on they said that I would be contributing a lot to their program if I did choose ACC... lol...

They do offer an option, I forgot what it's called, to challenge a program/course. I think I could just do nothing all year, then write the final exam. Allowing me to study a different course/program throughout the year.

Like first year, they teach the basics of HTML, and how to use it in a way for people who've never heard of it before can learn. The second year they start with PHP, but teaching it in a way, yet again, for people who never even heard of it before so that they can learn. If I already know all of that it's going to be boring.

With that said, college would be a waste of time for me. Not that I really thought about going to college anyway. I've always been thinking University. I actually already filled out my application form for Brandon University, but now I just want to know if University really teaches me things that I can't teach myself? Everyone who I know who has taken the Computer Science courses in Brandon University as a major keeps saying to learn Java, which I currently am doing.

When I went on work experience for a week, I was with the City of Brandon IT department, and everyone there are using languages they have never even heard of before they started to work there. RPGLE and Lotus Script. Lotus Script seems pretty fun, but has to be bought, because it's for businesses mostly. They taught themselves those languages on the job. No training.

I'm going to go into Computer Programming after I'm done a 4-Year Major at University. Web design and development is what I enjoy to do also, but it will just be an option as a fallback career, or something that will give me some good promotional or career benefits when I'm getting a job somewhere.

Do you have any suggestions/comments/questions?? I would like to know that my decision is good for what I already know.

Post has been edited 1 time(s), last time on Feb 22 2008, 12:45 am by Test.

It's definitely not worth it if those classes you are 'testing out' of still show up on your bill. DeVry still had me pay for it, while community college doesn't.

With any competent university, they can seat you into whatever class you belong in. Even if you already know a bunch of stuff, it's best to retake some of the earlier classes so you take the formal approach (which you miss in self-teaching). You might learn a few things you missed. Besides, it makes for an easier freshman/sophomore year opposite fulfilling your breadth requirement. Once you get on with studies, it's not like there isn't a place that can challenge you in computer science.. for example, the competition between Stanford and Carnegie Mellon in the recent DARPA Grand Challenges is a currently developing field of research.

Not entirely sure what you are asking..

Have you ever thought about Electrical/Computer Engineering? If I were you and had all that knowledge, I would've done Electrical/Computer Engineering. They and computer science people go together like bread and butter. They do lots of programming, logic thinking, circuits, etc and not only that, they truly teach you how to do insane stuff not only with computer stuff but real life stuff like making robots move and shit. They have one of the best salaries out there (but of course not as good as a doctor or lawyers but you know what i mean).

Computer science is good, but getting those kind of jobs can be tough, especially since the stuff an American worker does can be easily be done by someone from china or india for only a quarter of the american's salary. Electrical Engineering is IMO a much safer field and they do almost the same thing (well maybe it's actually computer engineering, but here at my university they are both of the same department). It's just that electricals deal more with hardware stuff.


And just because you already know how to do stuff like java or whatever doesn't automatically guarantee that you're good to go. Even if you know how to use it, you may not necessarily know the best way to apply it in a practical and analytical way. That's what classes do, they teach you the fundamentals but then in order to do well, you have to apply them in the best way. They give you problems and projects and you even have to work in teams to complete things sometimes. My friends who are in EE have taken AP comp science (in java) and know it pretty well in general, but for their classes, it's become like an everyday tool for them. Instead of paper and pencil, they have to use java to tackle problems. Teaching java is one thing, but using it is a different thing. And this heavily depends on which university and professor you get.

It's like Math. In the beginning you are taught stuff like algebra and then geometry. Then you are taught calculus. To do calculus, you must know how to do geometry and algebra. And then for other subjects like physics and statistics and even chemistry, you have to know calculus. The knowledge you gain builds up and then become part of your tools to succeed.


So what do I think? Well, I don't really think testing out of classes is a good idea, because ultimately the stuff and way they teach you in classes is different from self-paced learning and the upper division courses are cumulative; they assume that you are well educated in their lower division classes. For instance, say there are two people doing a series of classes; <whatever subject> part 1, part 2, and part 3. Person A takes part 1 at a crap college. The professor has his or her way of teaching the subject and in general they probably aren't as good as ones from other universities. He gets credit for it and then transfers to a better university and takes part 2 and 3. Person B however, takes part 1 at said university and then takes parts 2 and 3. Assuming these two people get the same grades for part 1, who do you think would be more prepared for parts 2 and 3?
And even if you are taking a class but already know the subject beforehand, this is your chance to get an easy A and a perfect 4.0 GPA. Remember, classes are not always about grades; it has got alot to do with competition amongst the students. Indeed there are many students who will not know the subject before taking a class but there are going to be students will know the stuff beforehand in that class. In order to be the best, you have to be better than those students. And if you become the top of your class, you can then get into an honors program and gain special recognition. You can even gain full scholarships to graduate schools and then when future employers look at your application and see that you were the top of your class and that you are part of the honors program or whatever, it's gonna look good.

Wow, great advice! Thanks. I'll look into Computer Engineering more. I was thinking about just taking the first year courses, like you suggested, anyway. So I could get to know what the professors are like, and have a slack first year. Something to look forward to.

Yes, I know how to use the languages and solve many problems, but writing the code in a way that everyone can read it and understand it right away is something that I am trying to improve on now. Which will be one of the main areas that University will be teaching me; How to create simple, short, effective, and readable code. Also, I have not had much of a chance to work with a group or team of people to do a project. Another thing that University will teach me; How to work on a project in a team effectively, and to write code allowing everyone can work with it.

I think would need to take a management course in University as-well if I wish to move up in management. So I could maybe minor in that.

Thanks again for your advice.

I have lost all respect for you. If your goals in life are to advance in a management position, then you will most likely contribute nothing positive to society.

I never meant to advance instantly, I would just like to have the option to be able to.

Now, now, MBA programs need to recruit students somehow

MA did a lot of convincing of me, too. Is there actually a "computer engineering" major these days? There's always the old MIT way of making you double-major in CS and EE

it depends which university you go to. Here at UT austin, Computer and Electrical are of the same department but they're two different degree plans. They only differ in a couple technical courses. When applying for a university, take note of their degree plans and stuff.

Anyone knows about CUNY's here? Also about FAFSA, if there's left over money, do we get to keep it?