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[Caskman]

Yeah so as you can see, I've been bored lately and that's mainly cuz I'm supposed to be applying to colleges right now but have almost no idea which one to go for.  seeing as this site is populated by a modest amount of programmers, which colleges would you recommend applying towards? 

And to give this topic some relevancy to the area, I wouldn't mind being a game developer aiming for emphasis on content instead of graphics too

thnx

[inaluct]

Where do you live? How are your SAT scores?

Oh man, you know what would kick so much ass? A dwarf SAT.

I have to find a way to do it! I'm sure it would work better if all unskilled dwarves weren't inherently identical, but still.

[Frelock]

Don't forget GPA and class rank, those can be very important too.  Also, a lot of times you have to know how much money you (and your parents) are willing to put towards college (and how much debt you want to have in student loans).  That's the main reason I'm where I am now.

I actually went to a small conference on game design, and picked up several pointers.  First, it's important to note that game design is a hard field to get into.  You have to know the right people as well as having the right ideas.  Content is by far the most difficult position to get, as the game is basically your project.  Be ready to throw out ideas that don't work, and be ready to be creative on demand.  I'd also suggest at least a minor in business wherever you're going; always is a plus to know how to keep a project on schedule and under budget.

As to what college to go to, personally I'd recommend MIT , but that might not be the right choice for you.

Here's one of the tools I used in my college search: College MatchMaker

And to keep this DF related: do you think there should be universities in DF?  If so, what would they do?  Perhaps bonuses to the new mental stats?  Obviously, it would cost money to get into them once the economy starts up, so only the wealthy children could get in.  Perhaps there could be state universities too?

[Kagus]

We've already got binge drinking, unpredictable impregnations, and rampant stupidity.  Universities of Higher Learning would fit right in.


And if you can qualify, MIT would really be a great one to go to.  I mean, having a structure on campus that they encourage the students to try and blow up?  That's downright kickass.

[Will]

Can you see a dwarf version of Animal House? I can.

[DJ]

From what I've gathered, most game design colleges are rubbish and won't be much help. I recommend you go for a standard Computer Science college.

However, it's not quite clear what you mean by content. If you'd like to write dialogues and plot, majoring in English Literature might be the best choice. Do pick some programming-related minor, though. Supposedly the game development companies prefer employees that know what the heck everyone else is talking about.

In the end, I think that a good portfolio will be of much greater use when it comes to finding a job in game development. This doesn't mean you can skip college, however, as plenty of people will never give you a chance if they see you have no education above highschool.

[Mephansteras]

Another good tip on getting into the game industry: Do stuff on your free time that proves you're really into gaming and that you've got skills they can use. Modding, level design, your own games (kind of like all of Toady's little 1-3 day projects), stuff like that. A good degree helps, but you have to do more. There are way more people who want to get into the gaming industry then there are jobs for it.

Also, you have to realize that you'll start at the bottom. No one gets to just jump into an established game company out of college and gets to make their own game. In many cases, they don't even let you actually program on the game itself immediately. You may have to start with basic design work (dialog, levels, etc), Community Relations (for MMOs) or maybe even in QA before you get to move over to an actual programming job.

[EverybodylovesTJ]

Screw skool, be a hobo.

[Cosmonot]

Yeah so as you can see, I've been bored lately and that's mainly cuz I'm supposed to be applying to colleges right now but have almost no idea which one to go for.  seeing as this site is populated by a modest amount of programmers, which colleges would you recommend applying towards? 

And to give this topic some relevancy to the area, I wouldn't mind being a game developer aiming for emphasis on content instead of graphics too

thnx

Ask your guidance counselors. Answering these questions is their job, and they have access to important data we don't. You would probably want a Computer Science degree, but there are other degrees that involve a lot of programming as well and may be better suited to your interests.

[Will]

ha, not sure about your school but the guidance department at mine couldn't even handle transcripts. Two years ago they sent them all off without GPAs. But Maybe that's just my school.

Either way the suggestions about doing stuff on your own time is good advice, there was a recent poll in 3DWorld where they asked what counted more in getting employed in the game industry, 29% Self-taught skills, 29% industry partnerships (not sure what this mean, maybe mod teams that have sponsorship), 21% accredited courses, and 21% learning on the job.

[Caskman]

Sweet thnx guys!  Yeah I definitely feel a lot dumber cuz I probably could of thought of a least the simpler tips some of you gave me but thnx all the same

btw I live in Arizona, in the top 10% of my class, and I got 750 Math, 680 Reading, and 580 Writing on the SAT if that helps at all in getting more tips...

thnx a ton

[MagicJuggler]

Your math score is good but I would retake the other 2 sections. Have you been loading up on AP courses? If so, that will really help you out.

A standard computer science degree is good, depending on the school it will probably have you take assorted non-CSC courses such as humanities/general tech electives because if you're not a well-rounded student, you're a communist! Summer school is good for the summers of your freshman and sophmore years to knock those types of courses out of the way.

[Mephansteras]

Another thing to try: Look for schools that have local game companies. They might take interns, and even an unpaid internship in the industry will help you out immensely.

I know SOE occasionally takes interns, although I don't know the details of how it works. Still, I imagine that other game companies do the same. And this is one industry where having ANY actual industry experience gives you a giant leg up on the competition.

[MagicJuggler]

I go to North Carolina State university; we're within close proximity to Epic Games (they're headquarted in Raleigh, and their president Mike Capps gave a seminar on building the perfect gamemaking team), and Red Storm Entertainment. Another thing to find out under which college Computer Science falls under. In some schools, Computer Science is treated as part of the math and science program, while at others (such as State), it's considered part of the College of Engineering.

If you are looking for job opportunities/social networking, look to join your local ACM or IEEE chapter. Look out for career fairs. Learn to write a good resume. Don't write bullshit. Look like a hard-worker. Avoid parties. Do not fold, spindle or mutilate. Beware of campus preachers.

[Tormy]

Screw skool, be a hobo.

Ehhhh, that's what I did [I have a high-school graduation only, so basically I've stopped to visiting schools when I was 18y old..], my family wasn't happy, but only 'til they realized that how much money do I make / month.