Software Engineer vs. College English Professor

College Search & Lists
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<p>So I spend the last 4 months or so making all my college decisions based on my desire to be a college English professor, and then all of that gets put into question.</p>

<p>I guess should start with stating why I originally wanted to be a college English professor. I love literature and literary analysis. I have many different passions that have come and gone, but that one has been one of the few that have remained consistent. And another reason I would love to be a professor is that I really love school, and that would be my ticket to never having to leave it.</p>

<p>Now, the argument for becoming a software engineer. First off, if I were to become one, my dream would be to help build Apple’s Mac OS X (or any further incarnation of Apple’s operating system). I truly think that they are a spectacular company and I love all of their products and pretty much everything Steve Jobs ever even thought about doing. I am very good with computers, despite never taking a class on them in high school. I am constantly doing various projects with computers, whether it be building my own system, playing with HTML, attempting to learn programming languages, evaluating every Linux distribution ever, etc. So, really, I would enjoy majoring in Computer Science.</p>

<p>Another thing is I live in Georgia, so I have HOPE, which means awesome schools like UGA and GA Tech are tuition free for me. Chances are, if I go into English, I will go to UGA, and if I go into Computer Science, I will go to GA Tech. But I really love Atlanta and I would so much prefer a city to a college town. So, if majors and whatnot could totally be ignored, I would just go to Tech. And I know there’s that whole, “you don’t have to decide what you want to do right now blah blah blah” thing, but the thing is I feel like if I go to Tech I am deciding right now because the closest thing that they have to an English major is a “Science, Technology, and Culture” major so really I would be choosing Computer Science over English.</p>

<p>So, according to my Mom, what I should do, is go to Tech and major in Computer Science, become a software engineer and move out west, make a decent amount of money, then go back to school part time or something and study English. That way, I get to live in a city, go to a great school for cheap, make good money, and eventually be immersed in literature and school for the rest of my life. At least, I would hope so.</p>

<p>Is there any feasible reason this wouldn’t work?</p>

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<p>From a money standpoint, go for software. If you really do love both things (nearly) equally, it makes sense to do what is more lucrative. Financial security is a blessing at a young age, and something you really should strive for. Additionally, you should consider whether you will love school as much later in life as you do now. I can see something like that fading more easily than a love for computers.</p>

<p>I other words, go to Tech, get money being a software engineer, invest this money intelligently, and then decide in your early or late thirties whether writing and compiling code or analyzing writing and teaching people how to sounds more appealing.</p>

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<p>Good Luck getting a job at Apple…Supposedly Steve Jobs still approves every application…</p>

<p>Also watch Pirate of Silicon Valley, Steve Jobs is a jerk.
You can join his 90 hours team…</p>

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<p>The problem is… I don’t love both things equally. While I do enjoy computer science, literature is more satisfying to me.</p>

<p>Another thing, the thing about Apple was just a dream from when I was younger; I’d be happy working anywhere. (Although Apple would still be awesome.)</p>