I am currently in high school and lets just say my counselor isn't the smartest out there so I'm looking for some better advice.

I don't know exactly what type but I definitely want to be a video game programmer of some sort. Our school offers a boces program, for those who do not know what that is, its basically a huge very nice school that multiple schools send kids to, so they can use expensive equipment that our school alone cant afford. I signed up for the Computer and Network Service Technology class. link here.
http://www.cayboces.org/aoc/compservices.shtml

The class isn't that into video game programming but over all its a fun class,I could learn usefully skills for pc repair, I can get a certification if i pass, and we get to play counterstrike the last ten minuets of class:).

The problem is now I'm hearing about all these AP classes (history, science, and english) that due to going to boces I wouldn't have enough time in my schedual to take any.

I just don't know what would help me more into getting into college and getting a programming job. I think that a my skills at boces would help my programing better, tho AP classes would make me look better for college.

Any advice,or prior experiences are appreciated.

Wow, that's a pretty difficult choice. At the end of the day though, you could redo any of those in college.

Honestly, I'd take the AP classes - the key skills are important for finding any job, whereas programming would only point you in the direction of a few careers, into which entry seems pretty difficult.

Also, if you are that set on becoming a programmer of any sort, I would recommend teaching yourself as much as possible, while taking the AP classes in school.

All in all, I wouldn't really want to base my entire life around one topic, in case (and I'm not saying that you won't be able to, you just have to look at it in every perspective) you can't gain enough of the knowledge later on when the code gets really advanced, or even just if you decide a few years down the line that this isn't for you.

As for teaching yourself, you can find thousands of tutorials online, and if you run into any problems, you can ask the guys and gals here for some advice

I don't know how employers look upon this, you might want to ask someone with this kind of power, but you might want to consider building your own software/games and using those in a portfolio - in my opinion, proven experience is more impressive than a piece of paper than suggests that you spent a couple of years learning nothing but theory.

This post has been edited by gabehabe: 3 May, 2008 - 05:32 AM

AP classes count as college courses, for a fraction of the price. Definitely a good deal in the long run.

I don't think the the A+ certification has anything to do with programming. Most schools offer one or two programming courses, usually titled "Computer science". Take one of those instead.

My High School has Java I & II, AP Computer Science (well used too anyways, it got dropped this year), and some Visual Basic classes. None of these require anything aside from a computer and the ability to read.

My advice is to learn how to program before you try anything else. Video games are very advanced computer programs. You can't learn how to make video games before you learn how to program.

What I never did understand is, why on earth are schools, that should teach programming teach history, or any of the NOT related topics.

I never went to any other school becouse of this. I spent half year at a university, and supposed to be learning I.T. and computer science/repair.

Instead, the I.T. part was 1 hour a week, and old dude telling styupid things, and the "scientific" part was makeing documents in word and excel. And I asked around what are we doing, and a teacher showd me the "materia" for the upcoming years.

To be honest all about the subjects why I went there where just misc. stuff . So I asked wtf is going on? I'm not here to learn cultural stuff and sorth of, what is wrong here ? (1,5 years long there supposed to be weekly 2 hours about cultural music... don't know wich computer repareing has anything to do with it, neighter wich I.T. job needs it.. WHILE programming would be a subject for only 1 years, and weekly 1 hours.)

So I decided, if I wan't to get some knowledge, then it is nowhere around school I can find that. I don't need to study CHEMISTRY nor econonomy or politics to repair a computer, or take care of I.T. stuff..

Then you want a vocational school I believe.

Most universities want "well rounded" students. That's why they force you to take courses outside of your major.

If all you want to do is IT, you could probably teach yourself the material (with the help of books) required to take the examinations, so you can get your certifictations and get to work.

that would be sweet, but where i live there are no places like that.
Only "unversitys" and other usless things.
(usless, becouse 80% of the time spend there is NOT about the subject in question. Wich is a waist of time.)

True, but you'll need them sometime in the future, and you'll be hitting yourself later on for not taking it seriously. I know because I'm a computer engineering graduate and I still think 80% of my subjects were useless. But now, I'm learning to appreciate them and even want to take them again for kicks.

Well, thats a good idea, I'mno enemy of wide knowledge..
But to be honest its kind of ripoff that I went to a school to learn something, and what I get mostly is nothing even close to it.

Think of it like if You would order a nice meal in a restorante, and when they bring it to You, You find all kinds of food, and a small piece is only familiar to what You have ordered..
Thats a ripoff. Would be better if the subjects that have nothing to do with the main subject where optional. Take it, of You WANT IT.