Choosing a Path

[Gralamin]

Warning, the following is a bit of a rant about choosing a field of study.

Next year, I will be going into the University of Alberta.
My problem is, choosing what is right for me. Their is many factors involved obviously, but before the Open House earlier today, I was considering becoming a charted account. I've done some accounting stuff before (Getting 90% to 100% in the courses), and I've heard about the sweet beginning pay (Average of $60,000 as a starting wage). While its certainly something I believe I could do in life, I'm not sure its what is right for me to do in life.

My other option is from the propaganda Pamphlets I received today. Truth be told, I'm also rather good at computers, and computing sciences is a nice possibility. Heck I could even get a Specialization in Computing Science Major (Meaning 75% or higher average), Business Minor if I wanted. I could even go into Computing Science Honors program. I have the marks.

I have the marks to go into any of these programs, and I believe I could do well in them. However, I don't know how much the other professions make. I don't know what sort of job options are available for some of them (I know there is a large gaming company right here in Edmonton, that being Bioware.) and I don't know what truly interests me.

I think I need help just weighing the pros and cons of each choice, and experiences from anyone in a job or field of study mentioned above would be very much appreciated. I currently feel lost and confused :smalleek:

[Don Julio Anejo]

What exactly are you in this for? If it's just the money, why not stuff accounting, and become a financial analyst? It's right in between accounting and computers. It's mostly trading securities, developing long-term strategies, creating mutual/hedge/etc funds, and at the same time modeling markets on the computer and try to find a pattern on what to buy and when.

But you should probably decide on what you want to do based on what you actually LIKE doing and not what pays best. I see a lot of older people who make a LOT of money, hate what they're doing and try to drown it out in expensive hobbies.

For most people actually enjoying what it is they do is more important than money. I wanted to go into writing/publishing before I worked at a publishing house for a week as part of my career prep program in high school. Even though the office was pretty slack, I realized there's no way I would be able to sit in a chair for 7.5 hours shuffling papers without talking to someone every few minutes. And even if I could, I'd get bored of working with the same people. Hello complete rethinking of career choices, hello psychology.

[The_Chilli_God]

I've already got my goals set for a bachelor offered at the local university, which combines IT with commerce (and also offers a major in accounting, so I get the best of both worlds).
There should be a similar course at whatever university you're going to, seriously.

Doesn't your school have a careers advisor that you can consult with about this sort of thing?

[Bor the Barbarian Monk]

Gralamin, doing something only for the money is the fast-track to burning out. Your future employment will become a tedious grind to simply earn the next dollar. In a few years, you will come to hate your job and likely regret your past choices.

My advice is to pick what you enjoy, then do that.

Now, if these two subjects are things that you enjoy, pick one, the other, or even both, as has been suggested, and run with that decision. Can you really go wrong with either choice?

Accounting Pros: People will always have money somewhere and need help managing it. There should be a job for you almost anywhere you go.

Accounting Cons: As said to me when I was contemplating accounting, "You shouldn't be a an accountant; you have a personality." There's almost no excitement. It threatens to be boring beyond comprehension.

Computer Pros: Where to start? I mean, computers are the technology of today that has invaded almost every aspect of out lives. There are computer chips in cars, phones, and...well, computers. If you have the creativity for it, people will become hungry for your talents. Who cares what the payscale is? You will always have a job if you want one.

Computer Cons: Deadlines, my boy. Deadlines. What seems to be a reasonable deadline at the start of an assignment becomes a mad dash to complete whatever task you've been given. I mear the stories more often than not of someone involved with computers being driven mad to get things done on time.

Personally, I would go with computers, which is a perpetually growing industry. It's three-dimensional, demanding thinking that occurs "outside the box." From hardware to programming, there is almost always something going on in the workforce that requires knowledge of computers.

Good luck with your decision. :smallsmile:

[adanedhel9]

As others have said, study what you want to study. You'll regret it if you don't.

If you are really interested in both CS and accounting, why not study both? Depending on your school, you might be able to major in both and still finish in four years; otherwise pick one as a major and the other as a minor. Computer Science is such a varied field that you can probably find a job somewhere that uses just about any other field of study you can think of. For example, I double majored in Computer Science and Spanish. While I rarely use the Spanish directly, the linguistics that I picked up through my Spanish classes are increadibly helpful in my line of work (IVR design & development).

And if you insist on being worried about pay scale, Computer Science isn't a bad choice at all. Computer Science is close to the top of the list in average starting pay after a BS. Last time I saw that list, it was third, after Aeronautical Engineering and Chemical Engineering.

[Gralamin]

Thanks for all the help. I think I'll see the student services at my school soon, but in the mean time, try to figure out how to get a major in both, if possible, or I will go into the Computing Science Specialization/Business Minor program.

I am interested in both, but I also know that having a high standard of living is something I'm use to, as well as something I want to continue to have.