Interesting mail I just got., Stokes Educational Scholarship Program

As a senior, I'm getting spammed to death by letters from random colleges saying they want me.

Today, I received another barrage of such mail, except something else came. I've never heard of the Stokes Educational Scholarship Program, but apparently the NSA will pay all costs provided that you want to major in Computer Science or Computer Engineering and are obligated to work for the NSA for at least 1.5x the time you spend studying.

It's just so different from what I usually get that I had to mention it. If I do this, I'll get college paid for at whatever college I want, but then I gotta work for them during the summers and after graduation or else I'd have to pay them back.

..sounds interesting

you could perhaps do this until you get a lot of money from another job and then pay them back

Here's the catch, and a rather heavy, burdensome one at that.

I wouldn't recommend using this. Alot of people change majors in college, drop out freshman year, transfer, or alter their paths in other ways thus making a binding contract such as this on almost a handicap on your education. It's like taking someone to a buffet all expenses covered and saying they can only eat ice cream. Yeah, the ice cream's nice, but what if that's not what you want?

I just love the fact that they'll pay everything. I don't see myself changing majors either, though apparently nobody does. I mean, apparently I get paid a year round salary for working 12 weeks during the summers and all kinds of other crap.

But damn, one and a half times the amount of study. If I co to a standard 4-year university, I'm bound to 6 years of work.

uhhh pretty much everyone changes their major choice at least once in college, usually in like freshman year

Well I've heard that most people do, but not all. I don't really think I'm going to major in anything besides Computer Science. I've never really been interested in anything else.

But then again, That's what other people probably though =/

yeah, plenty of people are like you; things might change in college!

you don't want to lock yourself into something when you discover that you like something else better

I started college in the CMPSCI major and I followed it through to the end. Does that make me unusual?

I think if you enter the major because you enjoy programming and mathematics (!!), you'll probably stick with it, as opposed to someone that's entering the major because their mother tells them it pays well.

Personally though, I wouldn't want to work for the NSA, even though I was in no danger of changing majors or all that. Not that I have any specific complaint against the NSA, security just isn't my cup of tea.

This post has been edited by Retriever II on Nov 10 2008, 10:57 PM

I talked to my brother who knows someone that works for the NSA, and he tells me that his buddy loves it. He says the technology they work with is just unbelievable and comments that my offer is a blessing due to the difficulty in getting into the NSA.

he's definitely right about that

i don't suppose there's time to find out what sort of work you'd be doing for the NSA, though i guess they wouldn't really have that information

it's your choice, if you feel comfortable and can see yourself in 20 years still doing CS, then go for it