A little background on myself - just turned 18 years old and am currently enrolled in community college and will be attending the fall semester. My plan is to get my associates degree at community college and then transfer to a university. Why this route? Things are much cheaper and this will allow me to boost my grade point average as I blew high school off for the most part, earning a lousy 2.0 average. I will be aiming for no lower than a 3.6GPA throughout college, but will target a 3.8+GPA.

As of today, I am getting my associates in computer information systems and am then going to transfer to a university and achieve my bachelor's degree in computer science; then moving on to work for the government/consulting firm, eventually starting my own private consulting firm after 5-10 yrs.

For the past year or so, I've been really considering the finance route though, as for making the move to the NYC area and becoming an investment banker at a major firm/bulge bracket, working my way up the corporate ladder.

Now I am quite tech savvy and marketing savvy; definitively interested in the world of finance and feel I would be a great fit. I do not mind working the long hours and so fourth because of the great pay...not only the pay but the overall opportunity to be working in NYC as an investment banker. I am quite ambitious and truly feel this would be a very rewarding job.

My question is, do I follow my dream ever since the 4th grade of working in the field of computer forensics, as for handling cyber crime, etc...OR take the finance route and become an investment banker in the NYC area? I guess my main worry is that if coming to a firm/bulge bracket from lets say Wayne State University (michigan based) with a bachelor's in finance, they would clearly take the NYU grad with a bachelor's in finance no? It makes sense to me. Going the computer forensics route, I'd secure a job for sure and would be worry free, as opposed to finance were I would be taking a lot of risk...or am I looking at the finance field wrong?

More info,

investment banker
http://www.careers-in-finance.com/ib.htm

computer forensics
http://education-portal.com/articles..._Overview.html

http://www.legal-criminal-justice-sc...estigator.html


Thanks to everyone in advance.

I have a CIS degree with 1 B on my transcript. I will leave you to guess what the other grades were. I was 4th in line out of a class of 1259 to get my diploma. Spent 6 months with no interviews in my discipline 100 plus apps. before accepting position as a technical editor. Currently surrounded by egineers complaining finance runs the place. I can't see future but I would go with finance. India took over CIS.

People who actually work in finance can correct me if I'm wrong but I wouldn't expect to get a decent job with what you have told us.

lol...india meme. this is untrue. there are a lot of good jobs in CS if you want to go that route. If you dont have a passion for it I would stay away though.

Not disagreeing nor agreeing with your comment but, are you stating this based on his high school GPA?

If you manage to **** up something as easy as high school that says something but I'm also basing it on the very low probability that he'll get into a decent university and also the language used in the OP.

As the fellow below mentioned, are you basing this assumption off of my grade point average?

In high school, my father went to prison which turned my life upside down, thus the reason I blew off high school for the most part...

Prior to him going, I maintained a 3.7+GPA.

Wayne state is not getting you to a major IB. University of Michigan will.

Henry's right. Your target is a 3.8 and I'm assuming your going to end up at a mediocre college. That won't get you what you want. CS is the way to go imo. Do you even know what computer forensics guys do all day though?

If you don't get into a seriously top school, you can forget about getting a good job on Wall Street. It's very competitive to get these jobs when you graduate with from a top 25 school with top GPA and credentials as it is. If you graduate from some random school in mid-west, you've got virtually no chance.

If you're good with computer stuff and don't mind the lifestyle, you will have no problem finding tons of good jobs everywhere. Once you have the fundamentals down, you can pick up skills in new technologies much easier and there will always be demand for that.

Also, having outsourced a fair bit to India and other countries, it's not an issue. It's a joke how horrible they are in standards and communications and how much management and oversight is required to get Western quality standard. Unless you're some simple-skill peon, you've got nothing to worry about anytime soon.

dude you just did similar a thread to this 1 (couple of times actually). you refuse to take any advice given to you in here, instead dressing it up as your own thoughts and came back to the masses with it. you don't have to ask us once a month for our thoughts.

http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/30...-path-1226993/
http://forumserver.twoplustwo.com/30...ht-me-1194366/

Excellent advice and it's what I figured...thank you.

@hanster, I wanted more advice as I am now in college and just wanted to ask a few more things. Also, please don't make false accusations, I don't "refuse to take any advice" from here. Thanks though.

@t_roy, definitively, I understand. Dealing with cyber crime is what I am aiming towards. I can only imagine what they do on a day to day basis...plus if I'm working for the government, who knows what it may entail. I've conducted a bit of research but have yet to find something that really describes the typical day for someone in the computer forensics field. If you know of any sites/info, please do share. Thanks t_roy!

Computer science is solid, but you gotta have passion.

I'd take it one step at a time though, the most important thing right now is that you busy your ass in school.

This has been what I've wanted to do ever since 4th grade. My love for computers is above and beyond.

I will be busting my ass in school throughout my entire time there, no matter what happens.

My friend has similar grades with a CS degree and started at $150K at top tech company, this is at a average state class. Personally with ok grades I had multiple job offers at high five figures after only a few months of looking. Most of my friend have had similar results.

But I did sent out 200-300 resumes, which is standard.