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What are efficient methods to becoming a computer scientist?
I'm a high school senior striving to land a spot in a top-tier STEM university while striving to broaden my knowledge of computer science! Through this, I would like to instill a positive impact with CS one day.
#computer-software #computer-science #technology #college
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5 answers
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Nikola’s Answer
Hello,
I am probably an old schooler but I will chime in and add my 2 cents.
I would really suggest you give it a thought whether you are up for becoming a scientist. Whether that is computer related or not should not matter. Science is an area that requires a lot of dedication and hard work. It is an excellent and rewarding field though and a beautiful life experience. You should not be expecting that computing is an easy road to science. Many years have passed since Knuth wrote "The art of computer programming" or even going back in time when Turing laid the foundations of what we are now building upon.
My suggestion is that you pick an area and see how far you can go. Starting with Wikipedia?Nothing wrong with that! Pick an area and delve into it. Approach your teacher, discuss with colleagues, enrol into some OpenSource project, build a community, ... the list goes on.
I trust after a few months or a year, you will know whether science is the right field for you.
Good luck!
I am probably an old schooler but I will chime in and add my 2 cents.
I would really suggest you give it a thought whether you are up for becoming a scientist. Whether that is computer related or not should not matter. Science is an area that requires a lot of dedication and hard work. It is an excellent and rewarding field though and a beautiful life experience. You should not be expecting that computing is an easy road to science. Many years have passed since Knuth wrote "The art of computer programming" or even going back in time when Turing laid the foundations of what we are now building upon.
My suggestion is that you pick an area and see how far you can go. Starting with Wikipedia?Nothing wrong with that! Pick an area and delve into it. Approach your teacher, discuss with colleagues, enrol into some OpenSource project, build a community, ... the list goes on.
I trust after a few months or a year, you will know whether science is the right field for you.
Good luck!
Updated
Michael’s Answer
Computer science is a very broad field that is constantly evolving. There are a number of career paths for someone with a degree in computer science and the choice of which path to take should be based on where your passion lies. Software engineering and development is an obvious choice for those that love programming and coding. IT operations is a great choice for those that love technology and are interested in computer networking and other aspects of technical engineering. Data scientist roles are growing in number and are great for those that love crunching through data and identifying ways to solve problems and create opportunities by analyzing data. Information security is also a great career choice and is a very hot area right now and is great for someone that thrives on finding ways to secure networks from hackers and prevent data fraud and theft. Finally, there are many career paths for computer science majors that are not deeply technical. Jobs such as project managers, scrum masters, and business analysts are great for individuals that thrive through interacting with people in applying technology to solve business problems. Regardless of which path you choose for a career in computer science, it is key to note that it is a very broad field that is constantly evolving and if you are open to change, you will find that there will be many different twists and turns and new opportunities that will make for an exciting and fulfilling career!
Updated
Matt’s Answer
Hello! Very exciting to hear about your interest in Computer Science.
To gain addiitonal insight to this field, I would like to echo the advice of playing around with coding or ap development. I would look to get involved with any clubs at your High School that focus on computer science, robotics or coding.
If there is anyone in your personal life who works in the industry of computer science, I would recomend having a conversation with them. Ask them questions around what they like about thier work, what are some of the challenges, how do they see thier field developing, what was thier college expereince like?
I would also recomend looking into the Math requirements as most Computer Science program will require a good chunk of Math classes. Some Colleges will require and introduction Math course for computer Science programs. If you are flirting with the idea of studying computer science, you may even be able to take this course as an elective.
Hope this helps!
To gain addiitonal insight to this field, I would like to echo the advice of playing around with coding or ap development. I would look to get involved with any clubs at your High School that focus on computer science, robotics or coding.
If there is anyone in your personal life who works in the industry of computer science, I would recomend having a conversation with them. Ask them questions around what they like about thier work, what are some of the challenges, how do they see thier field developing, what was thier college expereince like?
I would also recomend looking into the Math requirements as most Computer Science program will require a good chunk of Math classes. Some Colleges will require and introduction Math course for computer Science programs. If you are flirting with the idea of studying computer science, you may even be able to take this course as an elective.
Hope this helps!
Updated
Jonathan’s Answer
Agree with Rebecca. The best way to know if this is a field for you and if you like it is to code on your own in your free time. Scratch will help you understand the basics of coding but is not a true language. It is block coding, meaning parts of code are prebuilt and you put the blocks together to make a program. This is a GREAT way to start to understand programs and how they work, but soon you will need to get into the actual code itself and do the nitty gritty. One of the top languages today is Python. The best route is to grab a book from your library (Python) or there are some sites that offer coding experience. Currently the top languages are Python, JavaScript, Java and C#
Udemy (https://www.udemy.com/) is another great place to learn coding skills or to take training in IT in general. There is a fee for this service but you can find discounts for $15-20 for a course.
Udemy (https://www.udemy.com/) is another great place to learn coding skills or to take training in IT in general. There is a fee for this service but you can find discounts for $15-20 for a course.
Updated
Rebecca’s Answer
I am glad to hear that you are interested in Computer Science. The best and efficient to be Computer Science is to start doing the coding and practice your knowledge.
I am not sure which aspect you are interested in. There are many different types of coding , e.g. Web Pages, Apps, Games, Controlling some robotics, ERP, System, etc. ERP and Systems are quite different for your to do it yourself. However, you can start doing some coding yourself on Web Pages, Apps, Games, Control some robotic cars or robots, etc.
You can use programming language like Python, Scratch, etc. You can start some tiny projects you have interest first. I believe you will have fun.
Hope this helps! Good Luck!
I am not sure which aspect you are interested in. There are many different types of coding , e.g. Web Pages, Apps, Games, Controlling some robotics, ERP, System, etc. ERP and Systems are quite different for your to do it yourself. However, you can start doing some coding yourself on Web Pages, Apps, Games, Control some robotic cars or robots, etc.
You can use programming language like Python, Scratch, etc. You can start some tiny projects you have interest first. I believe you will have fun.
Hope this helps! Good Luck!