Intro
The hardest part of higher education (and perhaps life in general) is deciding exactly what you want to do. If you're looking at this wiki page and curious about how to go about it, then congratulations! You've already won half the battle.
However, before readying the troops, let's make sure that we're all on the same page.
Higher Education Around the World
Different areas have different traditions of names and practices in higher education.
USA
High school is the latest stage of mandatory schooling, meant for people roughly between the ages of 14 and 18.
After finishing high school, someone begins higher education by "going to college." In America, the terms college and university mean largely the same thing. Universities are more associated with research and graduate school, but there are many examples that break this "rule."
Out of high school, students generally go first for bachelor's degrees, AKA UndergraduateDegrees. These are meant to be finished in 4 years.
Some continue on to MastersDegrees, which require bachelor's degrees.
The hardiest of the hardy, interested in research or university teaching, get DoctoralDegrees.
Canada
Things seem pretty much the same as in the USA, except that the term "college" is relegated to a lower status than "university."
Quebec
Quebec just never do things just like the rest of Canada. Quebec equivalent for what the rest of world call 'college' are Cegeps (Originally C.E.G.E.P for Centre d'Éducation Générale Et Professionnel which means "Center for General And Professional Education"). After high-school, students in Quebec have the choice to get a technical degree in a provincial technical school which teachs things like soldering, nursing, machine operation, and other down-to-earth things. They can enter cegep for a general degree or a technical degree (like the name says). A general degree in Earth Science or Humane (sp?) Science is required to enter University but some accepts students with technical degrees. That means students in Quebec enter the workforce later but that the transition between the different school levels is smoother. Most Earth Sciences classes in Cegep are probably the level of early undergraduate classes in U.S. in Europe.
Europe
- "High school" equivalents get various different names in the native languages of particular regions.
The first step in higher education is generally a 4 or 5 year MastersDegree program, with no intermediate UndergraduateDegree.
Sweden
The "High school" equivalent (högstadiet) is the latest stage of mandatory schooling, meant for people roughly between the ages of 14 and 16.
- After finishing high school, almost everyone continue their education until the age of 19 -- it's not mandatory, but almost considered to be.
Then some begin higher education in schools called högskola or university. The government regulates what schools are to be called universities and högskolor (as in Canada the universities have higher status).
There are a number of degrees, among others the international master's and bachelor's, but in technology and computers there is a common one which literally translates to civil engineer, although that is not what it is. It's somewhat like a master's, 4 and a half years.
Researchers continue until they get DoctoralDegrees.
Computer-related Fields
First, if you really like computers/programming, realize that there is not a degree in "computers." Nor is there a degree in "programming." These topics are too broad to obtain a specific degree in. Rather, you will need to refine your interest to a particular aspect of this nebulous "computing field." A list of common degrees is given below:
ComputerScience (CS): software, systems, theory of computation, software applications of computers; heavy in math, programming
ElectricalEngineering (EE): how to actually build the compoonents of a computer; heavy in math, physics
ComputerEngineering (CE): a hybrid of CS & EE; typically a heavier emphasis on EE
InformationTechnology or Decision/Information Sciences(IT/DIS): business-related degree; typically little advanced math; learn application programming only
We shall include recommendations for each of these degree tracks.
Computer Science
Probably the best thing that you can do to prepare for ComputerScience is to learn to code for fun, which you are probably doing if you are here! You should also take as many good ComputerScience and Mathematics courses as you can. Your usual school may not offer any such classes. See DealingWithHighSchool for advice on not letting poor course offerings or ignorant teachers set you back too badly.
Some of you may have been taken aback seeing Mathematics mentioned above. It turns out that a lot of people view ComputerScience as a subfield of Mathematics. High school students would certainly be justified in dumping any plans of a ComputerScience specialization upon reading this. However, things aren't as bad as you think! Pretty much all of the "math" classes offered in high school are exceedingly basic, with all of your time being put into learning a few Algorithms so you can churn through problems like a robot. Mathematics in higher education is not like that at all. You actually learn how to solve problems of all sorts creatively and create the sorts of clever methods you have been taught so far.
There is also much more diverse subject matter than you have probably seen so far. Math classes up through high school tend to go in a linear progression that everyone follows, with sequences like "Algebra I, Algebra II, Pre-Calculus, Calculus" and similar orders. Real math isn't like that. There are many different fields that can share little but a base requirement of creative problem solving ability.
In fact, Calculus, the usual end point of high school math, is generally useless in ComputerScience! Universities where ComputerScience is historically part of Engineering will often require 2 years of Calculus, but this is generally done as a sort "rite of passage" to make sure you have knowledge people assume technical professionals have, and because the classes (which exist because of all the engineers who actually use the material) provide an easy way to develop very elementary math ability.
The core mathematical areas for Computer Scientists are DiscreteMath and MathematicalLogic. You should definitely try to take classes in these areas if you have the chance.
You can also build your skills by participating in programming/math contests run by organizations like the Association for Computing Machinery and the American Computer Science League. Dissecting OpenSource software can help you understand how things are done, and using a UnixOs makes it much easier for you to do this with the software you use every day. You can even contribute your own code to these projects if you make valuable improvements in their programs.
Computer Engineering
- Take computer science courses
- Take advanced math courses
Electrical Engineering
Electrical engineers design and test everything electric. If there's an electronic or electric part of a product, then it was done by an electrical engineer. For example, things like radio-shack toys, microwaves, computers, cell phones, power lines, power generators, and communications sattelites are all products that require electrical engineers.
To prepare for a bachelor's degree in electrical engineering, you should focus on the following subjects in highschool: Chemistry, Physics, and Mathematics. Engineers have to understand the properties and behaviors of materials so they can make things out of them. Mathematicians deal with ideas and theory. Engineers get to make real stuff.
If you're interested in Robotics, then you should consider earning a bachelor's degree in EE and then a master's degree in CS. Robotics is about designing electro-mechanical machines that are controlled by computers. If you want to design computers, then you should look at computer engineering. If you want to create machines that are controlled by computers, then robotics is the field for you.
Definitions of IT
"Information technology (IT) is a term used to define a very broad group of related ideas, practices and technology. It is generally defined as the ensemble of technologies (be they hardware or software) used to create, maintain, exchange and explore information. This information may be of almost any conceivable kind: text, video, voice, multimedia. In business, the term is most often used to describe telephone and computer technology, and their interface. As the information revolution marches onward, however, IT professionals will work on nearly any project which deals with information of any kind." -- From Everything2 (search for "information technology")
I've also found several similar definition around the web. In my opinion, IT is an extremely vague term used for computer science in business. If nobody contributing to this wiki is able to contribute anything useful and objective to this topic, I think we should leave it alone.
Since I recently "had to" apply to some kind of "higher" education, I tried to find some information about different programs, IT among them. Here, IT is centered on programming/software engineering, whereas (what I believe is) the equivalent to CS is a mix between hardware and software engineering. (edit: something like CE, although it was translated to CS) -- MarkusB