   Help picking a college
  I have been programming on my own for nearly 3 years and I want to program for video games.I feel getting a degree is my best option, or only option, and am willing to travel anywhere in the country.I want to major in CS - software engineering with a minor in game programming.I need help in finding a school that will offer me these courses and that is of god quality in these disciplines.Also I want to be able to use this degree for more then just video game programming if I find myself wanting to do more then just program video games.My current knowledge of programming is based on C/C++, I taught myself C++, I am willing to learn any languages I might need, but would like to have my C++ background be useful to me.Also my wife wants to join the medical field so that must be considered in my selection of a collegeRegards,Gene Saika   
  View Forum FAQ (above).   ;  Thank you,I read through most of the FAQs on the page and found them helpful, but I might not have been clear as to what I am looking for.I am trying to build a list of schools that have what I am looking for.I do not want you to tell me what school to go to, but I would like some ideas.For the past few months I have been looking into colleges and have yet to find one that fits me.In posting here I was hoping to have some help in finding a college that fits my requirements, which I don't think are too extravagant. After I have a decent list of college to look into I will, by all means, look at them in more detail then what I initially want.Sorry if this still is not a question you feel a need to answer.Regards,Gene Saika   ;  The FAQ lists two sites where you can see lists of schools.It's not that I'm trying to be unhelpful; just saying there are lists of schools in the FAQ. I'm also mindful that if I point you to the school where I teach, that could be seen as taking excess advantage of my position as moderator. Also, no one school is necessarily the right choice for everyone, because everyone has their own criteria.Perhaps someone else will want to do more than point you to those lists of schools.   ;Quote:Original post by genesaikaAlso I want to be able to use this degree for more then just video game programming if I find myself wanting to do more then just program video games.Fantastic.Quote:I want to major in CS - software engineering with a minor in game programming.I need help in finding a school that will offer me these courses and that is of god quality in these disciplines.Well, it sounds like any decent research university will work. I think it would be unwise to limit yourself only to schools that offer an official minor in game development. As you pursue a CS degree you will have plenty of time to develop a portfolio in game development. You can specialize in game development without having to get a special academic certificate saying you did so.Since you've evidently looked at a number of schools and marked them off your list of potential schools, I think you must have some unwritten criteria you're going by. Would you mind sharing a few of the schools you've looked at and why they didn't fit? That could help anyone reading figure out what you want more precisely.   ;  George Mason University just opened up a game concentration in their CS degree.It's still really new so, yea.... And you can go to NOVA down the street for the easier courses, which would be cheaper, before you actually go to GMU. It's cost had risen recently though, Final Four crap.But I'm only saying this since people say get a degree in a regular college rather than a concentrated college. This sounds like the best of both worlds... if they're doing it right.   