What did you try about hardware? Assembling a computer from components? That is not hardware, that is factory work or computer repair work. Working with hardware is designing for example the CPU, perhaps building a prototype (probably from components the technician made), and testing it. I doubt you did anything like that in high school.
I am in experimental physics (not computational, lucky me) and I spend roughly 70% of the time behind my computer.
Many things are possible in life, and most things turn out to be different than you thought.
Don't be a follower, or you will be doing things others want you to do for the rest of your life. Follow your own path and carve it out of hard rock if you have to. Not doing something is easy, saying something is not possible is easy. Following your dream is hard, but worth it.
Get yourself a good business degree instead... Or after finishing CS, go get an MBA.
Depending on where you live, software engineering is mostly a dead end. You will have a good job that you love, but the older you get, the harder it is to find and retain a job. Age discrimination is rampant in this industry.
Having your own business is easier said than done. I've been in business for myself for the last 9 years and I'm about to give it up. The business side is where there is more opportunity and if you ultimately want to run a business, your better situated.
About half of the developers I know (if not more) left software to do other things. Two folks that I know their own bar/restaurant. Two others left to become stock brokers. Another is doing financial planning. Each of them where some of the best developers I know. It's really what the business does to you.
Not to say that there's no money in software, but it's getting harder all the time. If your looking to spin off your own business, IT support is a nice little business, installing and supporting software, networking, etc.
If you really want to open up your opportunities, get a Law Degree. It doesn't matter if you practice a day in your life, having that degree opens up options in so many areas of business.
@ MrFusion:
i chose the wrong words what i wanted to say is that i tried SOFTWARE that's why I'm confutable with it. and the part when i say a follower i mean by that I'm open minded and listen to advices and learn from people who have more experience than me but not to take their advice with out thinking or checking with someone else and ya i know my dreams are hard to get but i think it worth the effort..
@ pilotError:
I will study and work in US, about the age thing why will it be harder as i get older because i need to keep up with tech ? I think a person can learn and keep up with his job until the age of 65 or even more (my grandfather was working as a doctor until he aged 75), why the people u know left software? and what do you think about hardware engineering.
the part of opening a business, i know how hard it is, i had my own business 2 years ago (selling game currency) i know it's not such deal but at that time i was 15 and i got around 15kUSD in 5 months also my father run 4 companies and i learn a lot from him in managing his business.
about other degree's i like other engineering field i.e architect (like my father), civil engineer or maybe medicine (this was my 1st choses but after reading the biology and chemistry books i left it the last lol)
thank you
It's unfortunate that a law degree or a job in the financial sector could make you more money than a technical orientated job. After all, it's the engineers and scientists who build the world and invent the future.
A law degree will give you many options later on, but so does physics and most kinds of engineering degrees.
these kind of degrees (law or financial sector) don't make the money for the person it's the person personality and how hard and smart he work in my country UAE (DUBAI) 1000s of people take MBA because it require less studies but they end up taking little money to job less because they not good business man for example a good business man need to work a lot and in holidays which some people can't stand.
IMO it's wrong to link job with education of course it is good but not necessary for e.g :
1) the richest man in the world bill gates: he drop out from harvard (he was honorary degree in 2007).
2) google founders: they was studying for their PhD at stanford but after founding google they drop out.
here is a Microsoft video telling people to take CS for career path:
Make the Future - A Career in Computer Science
here is an article with title:
Is software engineering still lucrative?
note: that this article was published on Friday, March 22, 2002