Maximum PC

As i will soon be cerebrating my long awaited 11th grade summer, i am looking to do something productive instead of loafing around. I am taking a class in Austin (TX) on basic programing in c and java, taking my SAT/ACT, and thinking about applying for a job at a computer service shop or something. I am highly interested in getting a degree in Computer Science degree or something involving computer software/hardware.

However with the 2 week class in Austin (a few hours from where i live) and a massive family 1-2-godknowshowlong week roadtrip, i dont think many people, if any, will want to hire me.

If anyone has any ideas on good classes online, or ideas of how to get a jump on getting into college please post some.

It's good that you have some clue of what you want to do with your life. I too love working with computers, but you have to figure out a bit more specifically how you want to work with them. Getting into a job doing programming or network/systems administration by and large require a degree and lots of personal training. Just getting into your local PC sell/repair scene isn't that difficult.

What exactly are you wanting to do with computers?

I'd say it's *very* unlikely you'll get any programming jobs at this time in your life and with your experience.

In re. computer science, check on your math, logic, algorithm type classes. CS needs up to Calculus for math, so anything you can do to beef that up helps (that was my weak spot when I was going for the degree way back when).

True .. but it is also almost useless towards furthering a career in programming. I've always thought that people focussed on CS / programming should try to get a job as a junior admin or programer while in school ... and failing that, get a job bartending. Building / fixing PCs is a skill that doesn't translate (at all) to programming.

Since he is between grades 11 and 12, I think that he should focus on learning and, if possible, get an admin cert that might help him land an internship as a sysadmin during school.

OTOH, any job is better than no job!

I agree, but he wasn't very specific in what exactly he wanted to do. He didn't say he wanted to be a programmer. All he said was that he was taking a class on programming. From what I could tell, all he knows is that a career in IT is a solid choice, and that he likes computers.

True .. but you don't need to go to school to learn to plug new drives into a box or replace RAM.

If he is interested in further education, I'd steer him away from the grunt work and towards the interesting stuff. Applied math FTW!

I am more interested in programing than hardware based work (grunt work), but in this economy getting a decent job is also something to consider.

As for my classes, i am taking Algebra 2 this year (11th) and will probably get a B or B+ (I slacked off way to much 1st semester). Next year i will be taking Pre-Cal. I am also taking a Java programing class next year.

For the programming work I do, calculus is worthless. However, in order to get the degree, you need to pass it, so don't slack off in pre-calc/calc in high school. It'll make things way tougher in college.

If you're more interested in programming, then getting a job at an IT repair shop, wouldn't do you a whole lot of good. I'd say, in conjuntion with the class you're taking, get some books, and practice till your fingertips are raw.

Also, think about whether or not you can handle your job being sitting in front of a computer, typing and checking tons and tons of code. I thought about programming when I was in your age range, then joined the military, and got sent Ft. Meade, MD where I was contracted out to the National Security Agency, and did (programming like) work, and couldnt stand it. But thats just me. Theres no better learning tool, then actually doing it.