[ale] Sort of OT: College Majors

[Allan Neal]

My personal opinion is that EE and CEE are the best mix of Physics, Comp
Sci, and electronics around.  I was a EE major for a couple of years,
didn't like all the theory so went to Computers and Electronics Tech
(Also wasn't disciplined enough to stay with EE).  EE and CEE take a lot
of work though.  My roommate who was a EE was up most nights until 2:00 -
3:00 doing school work, and up again at 7:00 for class.  He didn't have
a job either, all he did was work for classes.  He was also in his 6th
year.  My Father however, being a very disciplined person, completed a
BS in EE in 4-5 years, and Masters of EE in 2-3 and a PHD in another 3.
Granted the Air Force paid for it but he was given twice as long as it
took.

Physics is fascinating.  I was in a Engineering level Physics class when
13 years of math and calculus finally made practical sense.

Do some exploring in your first year or so.  The way the American University
system is setup you don't have to really be decided for a while.  If you are
thinking about EE or CEE I would recommend starting there and then stepping
down to something else if it is not your thing.  EE and CEE students at the
undergrad level all took the same physics classes the physics majors where
taking for the first couple of years anyway.  Believe me there is a lot of
Math and physics in the EE/CEE world.

Just my $0.02.

Allan
Utah State University Alumni

On Mon, Nov 15, 2004 at 09:34:02PM -0500, Parker McGee wrote:
> This past weekend I went to Ga Tech's Connect with Tech program. 
> Going into it, I was all "Yeah, I'm going to major in Comp Sci, no one
> can convince me to do anything else!!"  Now, they've convinced me.
> 
> I've always been a sponge for knowledge.  I've never turned down the
> ability to learn something new.  During that program, I went to a
> Physics 2 class, and realized that there are actually teachers out
> there that can make Physics fun.  My AP Physics B teacher last year
> was horrible, and Calculus based Physics makes so much more sense to
> me than Algebra based.  I really, really enjoyed that class.
> 
> Meanwhile, I was meeting a lot of the other Comp Sci hopefuls, and
> realized that a lot of them were the typical "l33t" computer user. 
> "Whoa!  A degree!  With computers?!  And I can build video games!?!?!?
>  I'm in!!  Wait... science?  Crap!"  And also, a lot of the Comp Sci
> majors were even like that!  I don't think I could stand working with
> people like that day in and day out for the rest of my life.
> 
> A good story: One of the high schoolers at the program talked all day
> about how he was going to do computer science and nothing else; how he
> loved computers and such.  Then, I was sitting behind him in the Study
> Abroad seminar when the speaker said "Oxford College's dorms were
> built in the 1300s but they even have Cat5 wiring now!"  He turned to
> the person sitting next to him and asked "What's Cat5?"
> 
> Also, it seems like I'm going to be bored out of my mind for the AT
> LEAST the first two years in the Comp Sci curriculum.  It's something
> that I've enjoyed so much for the past two years that I've practically
> taught myself 2+ years of college material.  I don't mean to brag,
> that's just how it goes.  I think I can teach myself the rest of the
> things I would be able to learn in that degree in another two years. 
> The Internet is an amazing thing.  Going back to being a sponge for
> information, I don't think I can take, much less want to take,
> spending two years of college, when I could be learning tons, just
> relearning things.
> 
> A good part of me wants to go get my PhD and become a college
> professor.  Now, if it's people like my Cat5 friend up there that I'm
> going to have to teach, I don't want any part of it.  I'm sure every
> major has their "l33t krew" but it seems like Comp Sci has more than
> its fair share.  I really enjoy the really out-there theory and almost
> philosophy based AI theory.  A good part of the reason I want to be a
> professor is that I will always have an excuse to learn something new.
>  Like if I want to learn about a new Physics theory, I could just go
> ask my friend the Physics professor.  I feel like in a 40 hour-a-week
> job, I'm limited, and learning new things would have to be put on the
> back burner as opposed to more of a "How can this information help my
> company earn more money?" Because of this and my enjoyment of the
> Physics class I took, I'm starting to get pulled me away from a Comp
> Sci degree.  I honestly don't know what to do.
> 
> Part of me says pure Physics sounds interesting, but then I question,
> "Well, what if I decide that PhD isn't for me?  What do I do with just
> a Physics degree?"  The main majors I'm starting to lean towards are
> Electrical Engineering and Computer Engineering.  I'm still, of
> course, thinking that maybe things aren't so bad as I think in
> Computer Science and I should give it a shot.  I honestly feel that I
> could major in anything and still be interested in it.  What I'm
> currently leaning towards is Electrical Engineering with an emphasis
> in Comp Sci, but then I go back to my original problem which is now
> amplified, I don't have enough electives to get past the boring stuff
> into the things that will actually be interesting to me.
> 
> I really don't know what I should do.  Does anyone have any
> recommendations, particularly personal insights?  Anything is
> hugely(!!!) welcome!  Thanks!!
> 
> Parker McGee
> _______________________________________________
> Ale mailing list
> Ale at ale.org
> http://www.ale.org/mailman/listinfo/ale

-- 
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 | / | "Engineers aren't boring people,         | \ |
 | / | we just get excited about boring things" | \ |
 |___|                 --Anon                   |___|
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