Which direction to go while still in school?

[kcrasch]

I am about to start classes for the spring semester and I am on the fence about which path to take. I have completed 30 hrs of my basics and am looking now to finish my route toward an A.S. in Computer Engineering Technology. It's a lot of A+ Operating and Hardware repair with very little Programming. I chose this degree because it gives me the ability to get a job before I get a B.S. and I was told it had the best career value. The other option was an A.S. in Computer Programming and Analysis. I was told that degree only led to security and help desk jobs???

I am not sure of where I will head after the A.S. . . . maybe B.S. in Comp. Science or Software Engineering or Comp. Engineering . . . no idea. This is my dilemma. I have no idea of the actual (JOB) application for any of these degrees. I realistically want to head into a degree with the most value. I am new in the world of computer literates, but I have found I catch on quickly and love spending hours soaking in any data I am able to comprehend.

Any thoughts or guidance from personal experiences would be much appreciated.

 

[Nokami]

Well ultimately you should choose what you enjoy the most. As far as I know Comp. Engineering and science is kinda in-between hardware and software. You could do, say Comp. Science and then learn programming later, if you want to.
It's your decision, so I'm not really in a place to tell you to do something.

 

[DistraughtSysop]

In my experience, what you know is more important than what your degree says. No degree will lock you into a specific career track - you don't even need an IT degree to work in IT. Your degree is something that HR looks at; the manager you'll potentially be working under will want to know if you know your stuff.

IMO, the important thing is to figure out what you want to be doing, and then to choose the program that will teach you the most about that field. You're not just putting in the time to earn a degree; this is an opportunity to to start learning your craft and to make personal connections in the program. I also can't stress enough the importance of making contacts and connections; when I was in school, I had multiple job opportunities available because of faculty and fellow students who were working in or involved with the industry.

It's also never too early to get experience. If you can't find paid employment now, workstudy and volunteering are good ways to get some experience to put on your resume.

 

[kcrasch]

Thanks for the advise. I guess I need to just trial and error my way to knowing what it is I enjoy and excel at.

 

[Lexluethar]

As others have suggested, do what you enjoy. While in school you get the opportunity to take different classes, take advantage of this. Find out what you like and you can't go wrong.