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Geek Culture / Computer Science in High School

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Potassium
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Posted: 2nd Sep 2009 21:51
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Is computer science courses in high school worth taking? I looked at the course sheet and found that Computer Science II teaches Java, but you need to take Computer Science I. If Java is for CSII, then something even easier is for CSI. However I am not taking CSI this year because Concert Band is interfering with my schedule.

Is there any way I could take CSII by showing my skills in C++, or do I have to take CSI, because honestly I don't want to get bored and go insane with programming in BASIC, which I already learned?

There are 2 ways to develop for the N64:
1. Develop C code with PsyQ SDK and illegal Nintendo libs
2. Develop C code with legal kits, such as the Ground Zero devkit (g0dev.zip)
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RedneckRambo
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Posted: 2nd Sep 2009 22:11
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You almost always have to take the prerequisite regardless if you're good at it already or not.

That's how it was at my high school at least.

Signature's are stupid.
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Potassium
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Posted: 2nd Sep 2009 22:32
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Then I might as well forget Computer Science and just take something else.

Anybody considering joining the military. They say non-athletic people should never join, I am non-athletic, but if all this prior experience is no help at all, then I should just join the military or something that could get me a leadership position.

There are 2 ways to develop for the N64:
1. Develop C code with PsyQ SDK and illegal Nintendo libs
2. Develop C code with legal kits, such as the Ground Zero devkit (g0dev.zip)
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flashing snall
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Posted: 2nd Sep 2009 22:41
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Hehe, my older brother joined the military, and all the stuff they make you do before you even go to basic training gets you in tip-top shape.

As for comp sci, my school offers a comp sci course which just starts out teaching java. I took it last year and it was a JOKE, but thats most likely because I was really the only (somewhat) experienced coder. This year is AP Comp Sci! So hopefully it wont totally stink

A+ Cert and APCompSci back to back. Computer courses ftw!

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zeroSlave
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Posted: 2nd Sep 2009 23:18
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Potassium, I would talk to the counselor about this. He/she may be able to help you with this scheduling conflict.

Quote: "Concert Band"

Marching band was always my conflict with classes in highschool.

Quote: "They say non-athletic people should never join, I am non-athletic, but if all this prior experience is no help at all, then I should just join the military or something that could get me a leadership position."


Leadership can be earned anywhere you are, and just by joining the military does not ensure leadership opportunities. If I were you, I would finish highschool - doing the best that I could - before I started thinking about joining the military. If you do well enough in highschool, you might even earn yourself some scholarships and then excel to the top of your college classes and then become a leader in the field of your choosing.

Baby steps.

There's something in this room that makes you can't speak well.
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Phaelax
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Posted: 3rd Sep 2009 08:13
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It's highschool. Which classes you take really depends on what you feel interested in. So CS1 or home economics? Easy choice for me. Once you get into college, what you did in highschool doesn't mean squat. College will let you test out of prerequisites sometimes. Ask the teacher who runs the class, wouldn't hurt.

Quote: "I don't want to get bored and go insane with programming in BASIC, which I already learned?"

So learn more, you're only in highschool.

[url="http://www.nocleanfeed.com"][/url]
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Grog Grueslayer
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Posted: 3rd Sep 2009 18:13 Edited at: 3rd Sep 2009 18:21
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Quote: "Is there any way I could take CSII by showing my skills in C++, or do I have to take CSI, because honestly I don't want to get bored and go insane with programming in BASIC, which I already learned?"


Yeah Phaelax is right. Ask the teacher if you could take the advanced class without prerequisites. When I was back in High School I did just that and got into the class without waiting another year to do prerequisites. You'll get an easy A+ and probably know more than the teacher about programming.

When I went in I was annoyed that they only had rotten black-and-white Apples but programming in Basic was no problem since I was programming in QuickBasic at home. All the other kids were Seniors while I was a Sophomore and they were all shocked at my typing skills. One girl asked me "How many years of typing did you take?"... "One."... "Oh my God, one!!??". Taking a class that you already know everything that'll be taught is definitely an advantage but I would of taken a higher class if they had one.

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heyufool1
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Posted: 3rd Sep 2009 20:06
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Quote: "Once you get into college, what you did in highschool doesn't mean squat"

Umm I don't want to start an argument but that's not necessarily right. For example I'm taking AP CS this year and I'll get some college credits by the end of the year, I'm also taking Trig/Alg 3 honors (one year ahead of the average student in my grade) so by the time I'm a senior I would already have taken AP Calc, and AP Statistics. Your right that most classes don't affect anything in college but some classes definitely have a big influence.

Games are like life, they should never stand still.
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Potassium
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Posted: 3rd Sep 2009 21:44
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I am finishing high school.

I'm not joining the military just to get leadership skills, although whenever a kid talks about a famous leader HE ALWAYS GETS TURNED DOWN! Period. Why? Because if somebody says "I want to be like Bill Gates" and they do well in school, are inovative, have the potential, people will say "You're never going to get there. You'rfe not too smart, you're just ther same as us, only less popular." The point is I'm not saying I want to be famous, but I am saying I will work hard to become like say a great leader or something. You can't just become famous as a kid, you need to have a special oppurtunity or do something extremely unique that may iunnovate life or make an extra page in world history, that will get you known.

My primary reason for considering the military is because I don't want to have wasted all my time as a child programming, only to find out "Prior knowledge is useless". No. I want to do something that is actually important.

*Sigh* I'm feeling sad that life is getting more pointless and that suicide is around the corner. I don't really know what to do know. Help me please.

There are 2 ways to develop for the N64:
1. Develop C code with PsyQ SDK and illegal Nintendo libs
2. Develop C code with legal kits, such as the Ground Zero devkit (g0dev.zip)
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NeX the Fairly Fast Ferret
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Posted: 3rd Sep 2009 21:52 Edited at: 3rd Sep 2009 21:52
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Quote: ""How many years of typing did you take?""


There's an ex-Codemasters programmer at college who can't believe I can type looking behind me and can feel when I make a mistake, then correct it. But typing speed and tricks aren't important.

Quote: "I don't want to get bored and go insane with programming in BASIC, which I already learned?"


Download a copy of raw C (not C++, C, C++ has some shortcuts, etc. such as string classes and resizable arrays I think, never used it) and write in nothing but it for a year. If that doesn't teach you a lot about the low-level stuff nothing will.

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flashing snall
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Posted: 4th Sep 2009 00:06
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I shall help you by giving a virtual smack in the toosh for even joking about suicide.

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Xenocythe
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Posted: 4th Sep 2009 00:16
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Quote: "
*Sigh* I'm feeling sad that life is getting more pointless and that suicide is around the corner. I don't really know what to do know. Help me please.
"


My good friend, you need a vacation. You're in high school. No one knows what the point of life is in highschool.


Stop looking for the meaning of life and start living it.

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Jimpo
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Posted: 4th Sep 2009 00:24 Edited at: 4th Sep 2009 00:27
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Don't take computer science courses in high school unless it counts for college credit. You're most likely going to have to complete the same course on BASIC in college and suffer twice. HS electives are pointless credit-wise, so take something that will actually be useful and new to you, like cooking or art.

Quote: "*Sigh* I'm feeling sad that life is getting more pointless and that suicide is around the corner. I don't really know what to do know. Help me please."

Most people feel like this but give it some time - things get much better. If you are actually serious about the suicide bit, I'm sure there is some sort of local hotline to call that can offer much better help than us.

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Grog Grueslayer
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Posted: 4th Sep 2009 03:25 Edited at: 4th Sep 2009 03:25
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Quote: "My primary reason for considering the military is because I don't want to have wasted all my time as a child programming, only to find out "Prior knowledge is useless". No. I want to do something that is actually important.

*Sigh* I'm feeling sad that life is getting more pointless and that suicide is around the corner. I don't really know what to do know. Help me please."


Kids that don't know what their future holds are normal and it's not a valid reason to kill themselves. When we become adults our future still isn't set in stone. Many people do the same job for 10+ years and decide to do something else entirely different.

If you really want to go into the military you need to stop turning to possible suicide when things don't go your way. They don't want people that will give up that easily.

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nackidno
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Posted: 4th Sep 2009 11:10
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I just started the computer science course and I'd say it's a pretty nice way to go if you consider programming your way of doing things. Getting to know the inner parts of the system is a great advantage when it comes to being a programming as well as a technician or anything else along those lines.

Although I started the course only a month ago, I have a feeling that I'm on the right track.

So... If you're heading for a programming career, then I'd say the course is worth while.

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Phaelax
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Posted: 4th Sep 2009 11:40
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Quote: "For example I'm taking AP CS this year and I'll get some college credits by the end of the year"

Well that's a bit different. And yes what you learn in HS does affect how you might do in college but as far as they're concern it doesn't affect what you take. I took algebra 2 and trig in HS but had to take algebra 1 in college, even though I only missed 2 questions on their placement exam. My class was mostly students who had taken calculus in HS, nobody knew why we were all in such a low class. But HS courses that give college credit is good.

As far as taking C+ in HS, no college is going to care. You either start at the bottom or test out like anyone else would have to.

Oh, and if you are taking AP course then it might help if you finish cum laude also. In that case, colleges like that stuff!

[url="http://www.nocleanfeed.com"][/url]
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Toasty Fresh
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Posted: 4th Sep 2009 15:51
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Quote: "*Sigh* I'm feeling sad that life is getting more pointless and that suicide is around the corner. I don't really know what to do know. Help me please.
"


Oh, don't be ridiculous. I am also in high school ATM, and whenever I feel worried about something in my future I just say 'who cares?' and focus on the task at hand or play some Fallout. Worry about that crap later.
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Dextro
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Posted: 4th Sep 2009 18:36
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What you need is to read any of the Scott Adams books.
I can recommend "The Way of the Weasel" and "The Dilbert Principle".
I used to have the same worries as you do, but now I landed on a pretty good management position earning about $60K a year.
For the record, I'm 27 and I've just finished College.
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Xenocythe
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Posted: 4th Sep 2009 18:59
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Not to dis Dextro over here, but if you're going to read a book, make it The Fountainhead by Ayn Rand.

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zeroSlave
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Posted: 4th Sep 2009 19:17
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Nah. Make it the discworld series.
Particularly: 'Guards! Guards!'

There's something in this room that makes you can't speak well.
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Dextro
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Posted: 4th Sep 2009 19:54
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The point of reading the books I recommended was to ease the tension, and to show him how "easy" it can be to land on a management position.
Leadership is way overrated, and it's all about how you "sell" yourself. Image, babbling, and some fresh ideas, as well as contacts is all you need if you want to land on a leadership role.
This may sound as mediocrity, but the truth is that it is how the corporate world works.
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Potassium
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Posted: 4th Sep 2009 21:32
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Alright forget suicide, I don't think about it especially when some kid keeps saying "You'll be in hell and hanging on a tree for eternity".

Okay yes I shouldn't turn to suicide, I think its very dangerous word mentioning it, and plus I don't want to be forever forgotten. So I guess being a real man means no suicide.

I wasn't sure if having a girlfriend helps, please give me your thoughts and experiences.

There are 2 ways to develop for the N64:
1. Develop C code with PsyQ SDK and illegal Nintendo libs
2. Develop C code with legal kits, such as the Ground Zero devkit (g0dev.zip)
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