Future career in programming and school suggestions?

General Discussions
#1

Recently my parents have been rather irritated with my performance in school and life in general. What I’m looking for here is some suggestions for my future career and school life.

Parents came in to my room today to have a big talk about school, priorities, and my future. They were sad that I was becoming just an average A/B student and were all in all disappointed in me. They want me to do well and they’re seeing me kinda fall off into the deep end because I have horrible priority planning; All I do is program. It’s really bad. I maintain As and Bs however if I want to go to MIT I need to pick my shit up. However I’m currently in my sophomore year in high school and I’m getting the feeling that I’ve already blown things. Good universities want straight As and already in my freshman and sophomore year I haven’t fulfilled those requirements. In terms of other skills I’m first chair first violin in my school orchestra, play guitar, program well (or so I’ve been told…), and am fairly fit. But I’m starting to get scared it’s not enough and I’m falling into this sort of pit of despair that I’ve already destroyed my chances at getting into a good school. All of this just so I can get a decent paycheck and do what I love, program, for the rest of my life.

For anybody that’s already been through college and now programs for their job or just has had this experience already, I’d really appreciate some sort of motivation or confirmation that I haven’t completely screwed my future already.

#2

Hey, for what it’s worth I run a 50 person development team (in a company of a 100) in a reasonably forward looking company. We build pretty cool technology (not games, but still). My team make good salaries in the UK, India, Boston and other places in the states.

You should pick your shit up for sure, but don’t let it run you down. Going to Harvard, MIT or where-ever else you think is the be all end all really isn’t. Some of our best come from Tufts and a couple that don’t even have higher level degrees. Remember while you want to do your best (of course you do) it’s not the end of the story - it’s a first step. Getting into a great school is important, but its only the start and in all honestly every graduate we bring in knows crap all in real life terms, it’s the first 5 years in industry that actually makes you worth employing, not the high profile school you went to.

TL;DR: School and qualifications are extremely important, but they’re not the be all end all in your career that likely lasts 40 years or more.

Cheers,

Kev

#3

Thanks a bunch Kev. It’s a strange thing, growing up. It’s coming a lot faster than I expected it…

#4

It may differ from person to person, but that’s how I am mastering my educational live:
Set up MY own goals I have to reach (The important thing is, that those goals have to be your goals, not the ones of your family or anyone else)
One the one hand side I got a plan, maybe it can be called work in progress blueprint of my live plan-A, which is targetting my life in 10 years (For example what I want to do/work etc).
Of course it differs from time to time, but it’s a guideline I am following.
On the other side, I got a plan-B that targerts the near future. For example, be good enough in school to be able to go to the university you want and to study what you want or whatever you want to do. Plan-B is also some kind of backup related to the values of the society and you might don’t need it for your plan-A (In most cases they overlap, if they don’t, you may should think about plan-B again) , but in my case plan-A is connected with setting up a company, so it can’t be really planed.

In addition, always give your best at start of anything, if you have to get an B to go to the university you want to go, go for an A (grades, not plan-A or plan-B) until you are sure, you will make it. At that point, I always start to work on plan-A or whatever I want because I know I will reach B :slight_smile:

Why do I need B if I could just work on A. You never know what future brings and going for just one thing isn’t a good idea (Maybe in some cases, but in most not). In my case I am studying physics as B (absolutely interesting but I don’t want work as a typic (not sure if typic is the right word in that case) physicist - indeed most physic sudents won’t work as a typic physicist after graduating). Maybe that will change in the future, but that major combines information I need for A and some stuff I am interested in.

One more important thing I learnt: If you have to chance to work on something you like as a team in school or university just go for it. Projects at home are a lot of fun and may be worth it, but you will meet a lot of interesting and helpfull people in those workgroups :slight_smile:

Don’t worry, if you go to university and don’t have a lazy course you will become extremely fast older ;D

To sum it up:
Work to reach your goals you have to reach and work hard on your trophy in a team :slight_smile:

#5

Make sure that you study hard because you want to go to the top universities, and not because your parents want you to. I had good grades and went to a good university mainly because it was expected of me. Long story short: I grew more and more bored, dropped out after the first year, moved to another country and jumped around at a few low paying jobs until I came to where I’ve worked for the past 9 years.

Spending years on something that you don’t want to do is a great shortcut to boredom and depression. On the other hand, if you want to go to MIT, try to get your motivation up and just do it. Try to envision what you think that your life will be if you do go and what it’ll be like if you don’t.

Mike

#6

Mind extrapolating on that giving me a few names? Ive got work experience coming up in october for first term 6th form , would be really good to be able to come and do it with you guys.

#7

It’s definitely my choice to go to MIT, it’s been a dream of mine for as long as I can remember. My parents couldn’t really care less as long as when I start my career I make enough money to pay off the tuition they payed. Just thinking about my future and talking about it like this really motivates me and I will be working a lot harder from now on. In 2 years I’ll make sure to tell you guys how it went :slight_smile:

#8

Don’ worry about THAT, that is actually fairly, once you can program and you have your bachelors; programmers are very sought after, that part is simple.
Whats important is: What exactly do you want ?

There is the key. It’s your dream then you gotta do exactly that.
Seems like you seek that little push every one needs.
You being an A/B student and programming too much, we all know you can easily up your game just devoting more time to your grades then.
I know programming is fun to you, however you are looking at a career in which you will program your entire life, as you said.
So just be a little patient now :3

#9

In that case, go for it :slight_smile:

Mike

#10

I’ve always been more curious rather than ambitious. School never rewards Curiosity or Individualism. I hated school, used to suck at school and just barely made it out.

Almost 6 years later now, I’ve got my Graduate Degree in Games Programming, I’m doing Masters by Research and have 3 papers due to be published and in 3 years time I’ll have my Ph.D (finally getting the damn title).

My curiosity has led me to find freelance work for a great company doing research and development in Augmented Reality and Virtual Reality. I was given a chance, I worked hard and took my place.

6 years is not a long time. I’m curious where I will be in 6 years time!

Follow your heart, follow your dreams and trust in your gut feeling. Your life is your own, you never know where your path will lead you. Work hard doing what you love and think is right. Hours will turn into days, into weeks, months and years and you will be rewarded along the way.

Wish you the best of luck!