Action Plan Help

[Boinbo]

To become a hardware engineer, I made a beta action plan, and I would appreciate some help with it:

 

- Arduino: Use for as long as I have it

- Math issue: Learn trigonometry and calculus from Kumon, a math tutoring program. Use until I'm done learning it

- Light coding: Learn the basics of Python and C

- Highschool: Focus on Math and Physics

- College: Major in Computer engineering, also do computer science and electrical engineering of possible

- Hopefully get job!

[Sauron]

9 minutes ago, Boinbo said:

College: Major in Computer engineering, also do computer science and electrical engineering of possible

If you want to design computer hardware you need to be an electronics engineer. "Computer engineering" is computer science for the most part.

10 minutes ago, Boinbo said:

Highschool: Focus on Math and Physics

When you get to high school focus on passing the subjects, not just the STEM ones.

11 minutes ago, Boinbo said:

Math issue: Learn trigonometry and calculus from Kumon, a math tutoring program. Use until I'm done learning it

Why not just learn it in school? You get calculus in high school and university too. If you're struggling then sure, some tutoring might help, but don't use that as a substitute for your regular lessons.

 

Since you're not even in high school yet I would focus on getting decent grades and choosing a good high school. The rest will come when it's time.

[Boinbo]

13 minutes ago, Sauron said:

If you want to design computer hardware you need to be an electronics engineer. "Computer engineering" is computer science for the most part.

When you get to high school focus on passing the subjects, not just the STEM ones.

Why not just learn it in school? You get calculus in high school and university too. If you're struggling then sure, some tutoring might help, but don't use that as a substitute for your regular lessons.

 

Since you're not even in high school yet I would focus on getting decent grades and choosing a good high school. The rest will come when it's time.

So cut comp science for college?

And also I will try to pass all just that I'll focus more on Math and Physics.

I will learn in school eventually, but I'm 13, so it'll take a while. That's why I will try and get a headstart so it's easier in school,.by no means is it a substitute

[Sauron]

1 minute ago, Boinbo said:

So cut comp science for college?

Honestly, just don't think about college yet. I thought was going to study chemistry up until I was 17. Now I'm finishing a master's degree in software engineering. When it's actually time to make that decision you'll look at the courses and ask yourself what you actually want to do. Before then, just don't worry about it.

3 minutes ago, Boinbo said:

And also I will try to pass all just that I'll focus more on Math and Physics.

If you particularly like them then sure, put in more effort - but it's not going to impact your college experience much. What you need to know about math and physics from high school is generally covered again in its entirety in the first semester of college so going out of your way to study math and physics beyond what is required of you is quite unnecessary.

4 minutes ago, Boinbo said:

I will learn in school eventually, but I'm 13, so it'll take a while. That's why I will try and get a headstart so it's easier in school

I don't think it would make anything easier, in fact quite the opposite - you'd think you already know the subject and wouldn't pay attention in class, which would then come back to bite you. You can't cram 4 years worth of high school mathematics in your head in a few months as a 13 year old anyway, it would just distract you from what you're supposed to be studying.

[Boinbo]

8 minutes ago, Sauron said:

Honestly, just don't think about college yet. I thought was going to study chemistry up until I was 17. Now I'm finishing a master's degree in software engineering. When it's actually time to make that decision you'll look at the courses and ask yourself what you actually want to do. Before then, just don't worry about it.

If you particularly like them then sure, put in more effort - but it's not going to impact your college experience much. What you need to know about math and physics from high school is generally covered again in its entirety in the first semester of college so going out of your way to study math and physics beyond what is required of you is quite unnecessary.

I don't think it would make anything easier, in fact quite the opposite - you'd think you already know the subject and wouldn't pay attention in class, which would then come back to bite you. You can't cram 4 years worth of high school mathematics in your head in a few months as a 13 year old anyway, it would just distract you from what you're supposed to be studying.

So I should just focus on getting good grades now, and maybe learning Python and c along the way? Also Kumon, the tutoring program, takes a lot longer than a few months, but I understand your thought process

[Sauron]

7 minutes ago, Boinbo said:

Also Kumon, the tutoring program, takes a lot longer than a few months

well if it takes as long as high school then why pay to learn the same stuff twice?

8 minutes ago, Boinbo said:

maybe learning Python and c along the way?

The same applies as for the math and the physics, do it if you're interested but it won't give you a big edge once you get to college.

[Boinbo]

5 minutes ago, Sauron said:

well if it takes as long as high school then why pay to learn the same stuff twice?

The same applies as for the math and the physics, do it if you're interested but it won't give you a big edge once you get to college.

Well I think I'll do the Kumon either way, just for my knowledge. I'm aware coding want help too much in college, but I heard hardware engineers should know a bit of Python and C from @Mira YurizakiYurizaki , so that's why

[Mira Yurizaki]

1 minute ago, Boinbo said:

Well I think I'll do the Kumon either way, just for my knowledge. I'm aware coding want help too much in college, but I heard hardware engineers should know a bit of Python and C from @Mira YurizakiYurizaki , so that's why

I said if you weren't satisfied with the answer that "language doesn't matter" when asking the "which language should I learn?" question, I recommend those two. I didn't say they should know that.

[Sauron]

3 minutes ago, Boinbo said:

I heard hardware engineers should know a bit of Python and C from @Mira Yurizaki , so that's why

I'm not saying knowing C or Python is useless for an electronics engineer, I'm saying that you don't need to learn them before going to college.

 

But again, that doesn't mean it's a bad thing to learn them, programming can be fun - just don't force yourself to learn it thinking you'll have an edge in college.

[Boinbo]

15 minutes ago, Mira Yurizaki said:

I said if you weren't satisfied with the answer that "language doesn't matter" when asking the "which language should I learn?" question, I recommend those two. I didn't say they should know that.

Ye I get u, should've worded my answers better, sorry

[Boinbo]

11 minutes ago, Sauron said:

I'm not saying knowing C or Python is useless for an electronics engineer, I'm saying that you don't need to learn them before going to college.

 

But again, that doesn't mean it's a bad thing to learn them, programming can be fun - just don't force yourself to learn it thinking you'll have an edge in college.

Ik I won't have an edge or much of.one in college knowing programmings, but I think it'll help for the job. Also, it'll be fun when I can create my own things with it

[Guest]

17 hours ago, Boinbo said:

To become a hardware engineer, I made a beta action plan, and I would appreciate some help with it:

 

- Arduino: Use for as long as I have it

- Math issue: Learn trigonometry and calculus from Kumon, a math tutoring program. Use until I'm done learning it

- Light coding: Learn the basics of Python and C

- Highschool: Focus on Math and Physics

- College: Major in Computer engineering, also do computer science and electrical engineering of possible

- Hopefully get job!

You forgot : Find a Hackerspace and have some fun learning new things and building great things with the help of others WHO CAN TEACH ME AND EXPLAIN TO ME!

 

THis is not something you do on your own in your boy-cave

 

Often in Hackerspaces you will have professionals, teachers, engineers, many other professions who are there because they love to pass on knowledge and to "play".

You're also building a a network of people, people who sometimes can introduce you to other people who can have a significant impact in your student or professional life.

 

It is all the more important that you have FUN doing that.

 

Be more flexible, don't engrave your "master plan of  future self on the golden route" in marble or titanium. That won't work.

So many things can happen in between.

 

Even to this day I remember when my daughter (8 yo at the time) built her first electronic instrument with bananas. She had so much fun doing it, and from there she learned about voltage, conductivity, generating energy, connectivity, building a system, how sound is made, etc.

Spoiler

 

 

Also she learned to program on Scratch as she discovered join and fun of the useless box and decided to build one herself.

Spoiler

 

So she did learn, with others, from others everything (even woodworking) in order to build her own useless box.

Now she is your age (13) and her goal (atm) is to work for them because she saw this and I saw her her eyes sparkle while watching it and wondering HOW they built it, what they used, etc.

She already has her mind set on building an "animated Grendizer" of 1' tall.

 

The only limit you have is your imagination and how much fun you'll have doing the things you like.

Edited July 26, 2019 by Guest
To add a few things and add the videos links