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What do I do as a high school student to help me get started on my path to working as a computer scientist one day?
I'm a high school student who would like to get advice for the future!
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8 answers
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David’s Answer
Hey Sakura! Great question, and the other answers given are all solid. The one thing I'd add is share what you're doing and learning on some platform. Don't be afraid to share what doesn't work, as long as you ultimately come up with a solution. What you accomplish when you do that is developing credibility in what you claim you can do. Think of it this way. I hire a lot of people, and I see a lot of resumes. I look at those, and I look at job histories, but I can tell you everyone has great looking resumes. When I get to the interview stage, I always ask to see some kind of example of work that the interviewee is particularly proud of. If I can see evidence of what someone is capable of while I'm in the "look at the resume phase", that person is MUCH more likely to get an interview with me. So, explore, practice, learn, and experiment, and record/document your journey. Then take that and post it someplace like LinkedIn, and make reference to it in your resume.
Best of luck!
Best of luck!
Updated
Michael’s Answer
Hello Sakura,
It's truly inspiring to see you contemplating your future while still in high school. Ideally, your school should offer you the chance to delve into computer technology classes. This is a fantastic starting point. A less apparent yet equally important piece of advice is to strive for excellence in math and seize every opportunity to take on more advanced math courses. Math will be a cornerstone of your success in your computer science voyage. If possible, look out for any classes that offer statistics. As a data scientist, you'll be tasked with problem-solving that involves creating analysis to guide decisions. Statistics will equip you with the ability to identify patterns that are crucial in decision making. Keep going, the future is bright!
It's truly inspiring to see you contemplating your future while still in high school. Ideally, your school should offer you the chance to delve into computer technology classes. This is a fantastic starting point. A less apparent yet equally important piece of advice is to strive for excellence in math and seize every opportunity to take on more advanced math courses. Math will be a cornerstone of your success in your computer science voyage. If possible, look out for any classes that offer statistics. As a data scientist, you'll be tasked with problem-solving that involves creating analysis to guide decisions. Statistics will equip you with the ability to identify patterns that are crucial in decision making. Keep going, the future is bright!
Michael, that was a great answer! Thank you for the advice.
Logan
Updated
Barak’s Answer
To kick things off, it's important to focus on getting good grades in math and other relevant subjects. Try dipping your toes into programming by learning a language and creating simple programs. There are loads of free online courses available, like Python, which you can find on platforms such as YouTube (here's a link to get you started - https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rfscVS0vtbw).
Next, scout out the universities in your local area to see which one offers the best programs in your field of interest, and aim to get admitted there. If you find yourself enjoying the process of learning and writing scripts in your chosen language, why not look for jobs online? This can help you hone your scripting skills and gain a deeper understanding of new computer science topics. It's a fun and practical way to boost your knowledge!
Next, scout out the universities in your local area to see which one offers the best programs in your field of interest, and aim to get admitted there. If you find yourself enjoying the process of learning and writing scripts in your chosen language, why not look for jobs online? This can help you hone your scripting skills and gain a deeper understanding of new computer science topics. It's a fun and practical way to boost your knowledge!
Updated
Tony’s Answer
Hi Sakura,
It’s great for you to know your path as computer scientist while in high school. It’s an exciting career path but it’s not an easy one. As a starting point, you have to love Math and achieve high marks on taking advanced courses. In addition, you need to be curious about solving problems that require learning program language. Take on the easy language that you learn in school or online and work it thru. Don’t worry about failure as it might lead you to another solution at later time.
Wishing you the best of luck in your school activities and successful progress toward higher education.
It’s great for you to know your path as computer scientist while in high school. It’s an exciting career path but it’s not an easy one. As a starting point, you have to love Math and achieve high marks on taking advanced courses. In addition, you need to be curious about solving problems that require learning program language. Take on the easy language that you learn in school or online and work it thru. Don’t worry about failure as it might lead you to another solution at later time.
Wishing you the best of luck in your school activities and successful progress toward higher education.
Updated
Emma’s Answer
To set yourself on the path to becoming a computer scientist while in high school, focus on building a solid foundation in math and science, particularly in subjects like algebra, calculus, and discrete mathematics. Develop coding and programming skills by learning languages like Python or Java through online platforms and participating in coding competitions. Take advanced computer science courses if available, work on personal coding projects, and join coding clubs or hackathons to gain practical experience and collaborate with peers. Seek internships or volunteering opportunities in tech-related fields, stay updated on industry trends, and network with professionals. Preparing for college by excelling academically and researching computer science programs can further your career goals. Develop soft skills like problem-solving and critical thinking, and explore various computer science specializations to align your interests with potential career paths.
Updated
Shaffaq’s Answer
Hey Sakura!
If your high school offers a computer science course, definitely enroll yourself in that. In your own time, try to learn some basic coding languages, like Python. You do not have to be an expert in it, just understanding some basic logic will be extremely helpful.
Also, prior to joining my university, a lot of people scared me into thinking that I had to be a math expert in order to be good in my computer science modules; however, now, I can confidently say that isn't entirely true. As long as you work on building your logical and critical thinking skills, you should be good to go!
If your high school offers a computer science course, definitely enroll yourself in that. In your own time, try to learn some basic coding languages, like Python. You do not have to be an expert in it, just understanding some basic logic will be extremely helpful.
Also, prior to joining my university, a lot of people scared me into thinking that I had to be a math expert in order to be good in my computer science modules; however, now, I can confidently say that isn't entirely true. As long as you work on building your logical and critical thinking skills, you should be good to go!
Updated
Kyle’s Answer
Hi Sakura,
Computer science is an exciting but broad industry. I suggest trying as many new things as possible to learn what excites you. For example, maybe write a calculator or password generator program in Python. Here's a great list of resources to learn more about Computer Science.
- Youtube: Free Intro to Programming Course https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOjov-2OZ0E
- CodeAcademy: Computer Science Course https://join.codecademy.com/learn/paths/computer-science-b/
- Udemy: Computer Science 101 https://www.udemy.com/course/computer-science-101-master-the-theory-behind-programming/
Computer science is an exciting but broad industry. I suggest trying as many new things as possible to learn what excites you. For example, maybe write a calculator or password generator program in Python. Here's a great list of resources to learn more about Computer Science.
- Youtube: Free Intro to Programming Course https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zOjov-2OZ0E
- CodeAcademy: Computer Science Course https://join.codecademy.com/learn/paths/computer-science-b/
- Udemy: Computer Science 101 https://www.udemy.com/course/computer-science-101-master-the-theory-behind-programming/
Updated
Marc’s Answer
The best way to learn to be a computer scientist is to get started. Just find a problem that you want to solve, and challenge yourself to write a program to solve it. It might be something that helps you decide what to eat that day (looking at what you like and what you've eaten recently), or maybe something with robotics or home automation or machine learning. It honestly doesn't matter what problem you are solving, or what language you use to solve it. The process of planning out the logic of the program, writing the code, and debugging it is really the most important thing.
I recommend that you initially do this for yourself (rather than going out looking for a person who needs a programmer) because then you can take the time to explore different ways to solve the problem, or even change the problem if you find something more interesting. Not having someone waiting on you to finish is the greatest gift.
Don't get frustrated; the first few times you do this, it will be a struggle and you will be tempted to quit. Don't give up! The longer it takes you to write the program, the more you will learn and get out of it.
I recommend that you initially do this for yourself (rather than going out looking for a person who needs a programmer) because then you can take the time to explore different ways to solve the problem, or even change the problem if you find something more interesting. Not having someone waiting on you to finish is the greatest gift.
Don't get frustrated; the first few times you do this, it will be a struggle and you will be tempted to quit. Don't give up! The longer it takes you to write the program, the more you will learn and get out of it.