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Is computer support a good career choice?

Which is a better career choice for me? Computer Science or Law? [details in description]

  • I am at an dilemma here. I am not sure which career option to choose.I am a PCM science student with Computer Science as an elective.I like computer science and programming,and initially considered CS engineering as my career choice.I would be able to get into a decent state university. But recently,I have also thought about being a lawyer.I like to analyse situations,I am good in English,and like writing.I think I can get a top 4 law school if I prepare for the CLAT. From what Ive read online,law graduates from NLU's get higher salaries than their engineering counterparts.On the other hand,there are long hours and mind numbing work. In order to achieve my goals,I need to work now,and concentrate on either of them.I dont want any http://distractions.Im 17 and am in my last year of school in Kolkata. Any advice is welcome :)

  • Answer:

    Okay. I do not know about career options in Computer Science. And I recently appeared for one of the most botched Common Law Admission Tests ever. So let me shed some light on what I know. First, decide. What is it that you want to do more? You might have an interest in CS for example but have an Aptitude for Law. The area you have both, the Interest and the Aptitude is what you should pursue. Interest is your relative preference in engaging in one activity over the other. Aptitude is your underlying skill or potential to excel in a particular field. As long as it is YOUR and only YOUR decision, arriving at a suitable conclusion shouldn't be difficult. Secondly, once you have decided what you want to do, pursue it with relentless vigor and passion. The Law as a field of higher education has recently emerged as a very good career option. The Common Law Admission Test which you seek to appear for is a paper of 200 marks spread over 5 sections to be completed in 120 minutes: 1. English ( 40 marks ): Reading Comprehensions, Para jumbles, Foreign Terms, Idioms and Correction of erroneous sentences and completing a passage with the appropriate prepositions and conjunctions and the likes dominate this section. 2. General Knowledge ( 50 marks ): Usually consists of questions from Static as well as Current Affairs. Static affairs consists of Geography, History, Economy and Finance, Basic Science and Miscellaneous Compendia. Current affairs usually covers a time frame of the complete sequence of events from a year prior to appearing to the exam to the week before the exam. This year itself  we had question on the CJI of India, who was sworn in a few days before CLAT took place. Very important section this. 3. Math ( 20 marks ): Basic elementary Math taught upto class 10. Compound and Simple Interest, Profit-Loss, Percentages, Mensuration, Algebra, et al. Should be an easy section to score off. King/Queen maker when it comes to the results. 4. Critical and Analytical Reasoning ( 40 marks ): Yet another important section in the CLAT. Contains assumption-inference, strong-weak arguments, patterns, arrangements, directions and combination based problems. Can be very time consuming if one is not thorough with the hacks and strategies employed to arrive at the answers quickly. Regular practice is highly advised. 5. Legal Knowledge and Reasoning ( 50 marks ): The CLAT papers of the last two years haven't had any Legal Knowledge questions, in accordance with the notifications issued by the respective universities conducting the exam. Legal knowledge included questions from the articles of the constitution, appointment procedures of the President, PM, Governor and Council of Prime Ministers, The Attorney General, The Speaker,  Retirement age of Judges of the HC and SC, Constitutional Amendments, Case Laws and Parliamentary procedures. Legal Reasoning will include certain fictional ( or similar to earlier case laws ) situations based on certain legal principles, based on which you have to arrive at the best possible conclusion. The most important thumb-rile while solving Legal Reasoning questions is to ensure that you do not go beyond the scope of the principle provided and do not apply any previously acquired knowledge of yours. Based on CLAT scores, you can seek admission into the following universities.   1. NLSIU, Bangalore. 2. NALSAR, Hyderabad 3. NUJS, Kolkata 4. NLUJ, Jodhpur 5. NLIU, Bhopal 6. GNLU, Gujarat 7. HNLU, Raipur 8. NLUO, Orissa 9. RMLNLU, Lucknow 10. RGNUL, Patiala 11. CNLU, Patna 12. NUALS, Kochi 13. NUSRL, Ranchi 14. NLUJAA, Guwahati Being in the top 6 colleges ( till GNLU ) will drastically increase your chances of landing good placements. Of course, at the end of the day it is how you utilize the opportunities that you are presented with that will determine how good a Lawyer you become. But being in the top 6  colleges will only aid your cause. CLAT isn't the only way by which you can become a Lawyer though. There is the All India Law Entrance Test conducted by the National Law University separately. It is a 150 mark paper with all the similar sections spread out over 90 minutes. But they have very limited seats, around 58-60 General seats. Then there is the Symbiosis Entrance Test, a 150 mark paper without the Math section, for admission into Symbiosis Law School. And then there's the Law School Admission Tests, India for admission into various private law colleges. It is a 100 mark paper testing you on your abilities of critical and analytical reasoning only. Furthermore, scholarships and fee concessions are provided for all students as well. The Government Law College in Mumbai, and The Indian Law School in Pune grant admissions on the basis of your Class 12 board examination marks. So don't mess up your boards in pursuit of CLAT. I know of people who have done so. It is a very precarious situation to be in. Having said all of that and reading from what you write in the description, you just can't be in the profession for the money. The money's good, no doubt, but you need to have a certain inclination and devotion towards the body of work you'll be investing your efforts in. As I said earlier, think over what interests you and what you have the aptitude for and then make a decision. Don't rush into things. Talk to as many people as you can, research on your own and make an informed decision. At the end of the day, whatever you do, do it with complete sincerity and honesty. Every field has its own pros and cons. You ultimately decide how to make the best use of it. http://clat.ac.in/. You'll find all the information here. Thank you for Asking me To Answer.

Soham Banerjee at Quora Visit the source

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go to law buddy... we don't want another engineer in this country without a job... students in this country need to go to other streams other than engineering. Law  is good if you crack CLAT's with a good score. On the side give jee-mains and get a decent score ( you will get it if you have prepared well for your board exams) , keep it as back up . but go for law.

Prakhar Varshney

Well, I am pursuing law from ILS Law College (4th year)! What I can do is provide you with information regarding law (what it is, the career options, how it works and the like), I am sure you will find a CS Engineer on quora who provides you with the same. Then, you CHOOSE YOUR CAREER. Well, if you do get into a top National Law School, then in simple words your life will be sorted. NLS is your best option if you choose to pursue law as your career. Now regarding the future career aspects, currently, law definitely has better job prospects than an Engineer. But whether a law graduate from an NLS will get a "better package" than a CS Engineer from IIT cannot be said for sure. This highlighted part is only because by the looks of it all you care is about the package. I do not want to rant and simply go on criticizing how wrong is that on various levels.But you do not decide your future only on that criteria. You seem to like and enjoy Computer Science, and you are deciding against it only because law has better career opportunities than CS! Anyway, let me give you information regarding law, since that may help you a bit! Well in your description you spoke about "LONG HOURS AND MIND NUMBING WORK". Yes, in your work life you will have to put in LONG HOURS (but this is true for most corporate jobs) it is just as much, when there is a pressure you will have no choice but to slog and there will be periods where there is no work pressure and can have a relaxed day. Now, this MIND NUMBING WORK, well if you do something which you have a certain level of interest you will definitely not call it mind numbing. Just so you know, I am not the sort who can sit with books or work all day, it gets boring, tedious or annoying even but that is simply because its work! I cannot pursue a lot of careers like engineering or medicine because I just cannot imagine having a little bit of interest, even though I might have the capability. That maybe mind numbing work for me because I lack interest. And thats the point I want to bring out, if you have a little bit of interest, not passion or love but if you have the interest then any work wont be mind numbing. Let me also enlighten you, the corporate sector in relation to law is the area where you make the money, (meaning the whole thing where people say that law has a lot of money they imply corporate law) the litigation area, that is where you choose to practice also has money but generally,it takes a long time to establish yourself (the amount you can earn obviously has no limit). Also, unlike engineering there is no field that you choose specifically, like how in engineering you have mechanical, electrical, computer science, etc, there are a few semesters in which you get to choose an optional subject and that's about it! (It goes without saying that if I want to pursue corporate law later as my future I will choose subjects that will help me, against optional subjects that I will not want to pursue, but it is not like you are into great disadvantage that after 5 years you change your mind) Also, law involves a LOT of reading, you need to be prepared to do that. And it is a lot! And just so you know I am not referring the reading and research in the exam point of view, and the whole concept of by learning the law sections verbatim is just a myth. You are also expected to increase your knowledge by doing additional diplomas, research papers and internships. Rest what a lawyer actually does is plain obvious and you can just type on google as to what subjects it involves etc. You can also pursue international law and work in a global law firm! that is another option you have. Doing law can be as cool as its shown in "Suits", "Boston legal", etc :p Let me know whether you want more information or have any questions!

Jagruti Kumar

Okay between Computer Science and Law, the choice depends on your own interests and the life you would love to lead years from now. Computer Science is close to mathematics, and if you enjoy solving problems, you should enjoy Computer Science. Computer Science has a bright future, and the field is emerging and has a bright future. After Bachelor's you could either go for higher education and move to research or be a developer/engineer in the Software Industry. Generally, law firms employ fresh graduates as apprentices or assistants. During the final year of the course, a candidate takes up apprenticeship. After two years of articleship, the apprentice appears for an examination of articled clerk conducted by the Law Society. Plunging into private practice immediately after graduation is practically impossible, unless there is a ready-made family firm. It generally takes several years under an advocate or solicitor before a person is ready to branch off into his own practice. There are plenty of opportunities in private industry. There is also the possibility of becoming legal consultants (part time or full time) for companies. Opportunities are aplenty in government service. A candidate who qualifies in the Law Service Commission or State Public Service Commission is eligible for appointment as munsif. Promotion may take a person higher up to sub-judge, District and Sessions Courts Judge and further (depending upon seniority and vacancy) to appointments in High Courts and the Supreme Court. Public sector undertakings and state and central government organisations also employ lawyers. Opportunities exist in the defense services too. Again your career also depends on the kind of institute you join to pursue your bachelor's in the respective fields, and for that you need to be focussed on one single field and take your decision now,so that you crack a great undergrad college by the end of the year. So meet some people in the respective careers of Law and Computer science and see how they are leading there life , work pressure , kind of work , financial prospects , future prospects and take the final call on what matches the perfect fit for your interests.Good Luck :-).

Anonymous

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