Recently graduated, my advice to Computer Science majors This sub-reddit has helped me tremendously when it came to making the right decisions while in school. I'm doing really well in school, I just don't think I want to be a software dev after college. If something is hot now (e.g. Thanks! It was soo much easier to read for me. Do you have to work for it? I'll add to this that people usually wait for their professor to make them program something awesome. I'm pretty good at thinking logically but sometimes complex math messes me up. Custom Homework Solutions: When you decide to hire us to do a computer science assignment for you online, we provide you with 100% custom homework. What is a computer science major? I had tried to learn how to code before, but was so unsuccessful that I couldn't even set up the development environment. Inevitably, some random shit will go wrong that will take you forever to figure out. There's so much nuanced stuff, that even just having your professors explain the details and tips for homework and projects will help you, even if the lecture material itself is going too quickly (I personally don't learn very much from lecture in CS). Press J to jump to the feed. If the teacher knows you, you will get easy help with coursework, any projects, permissions to attend conferences, access to exlcusive labs to do some of your projects etc etc! I recommend looking at what classes you need to pass for CS at your college of choice and which are optional. Put effort and you'll be up there too. Your school will most likely have an honor code, and any CS program worth its marbles will have an auto-grader that checks for code plagiarism. This includes, but isn’t limited to, computing theory, programming, and performance analysis of both hardware and software, and scientific computing. This guide will help you to start a new career as a computer engineer. I'll definitely go check check that out! Many computer scientists are mathematicians at heart and the theorem-obsessed mindset permeates the discipline. Plus the teacher needs to see your face. Here are some things I picked up along the way: Avoid last minute work at all costs when it comes to projects. CS needs math, but I think logical thinking is more important. If you do programming projects in your own time to solve your own problems in life you should do well in Computer Science. Thank you! New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast, More posts from the computerscience community, Press J to jump to the feed. Do awesome stuff now. - Quiz & Self-Assessment Test found the links, articles, and information on this page helpful. Show up for class, especially if the topics are new to you. I'm looking for a recommendation on something in a similar style for both computer architecture and/or organization. Always helps when approaching profs for help or extensions if they have seen your face every day, too. I had the option to do Computer Science or Computer Security. Why do so few students major in computer science? I got a question about how do I know if CS, Computer Science, is the right major for me. Don't be discouraged by people in your classes who "already know everything" because they don't. Similarly, for the love of God, do not "borrow" entire programs from the internet or your classmates. Set up a pipeline that downloads stock data, and solves for an investment strategy using linear programming. Sure, but it's different when you have a purpose for all that math, compared to school where it's just about learning it. But I would also say never be afraid. Computer science is the study of computer programming and other specializations as they pertain to technology. I'm 2 years into a double major in math and comp sci at a great school, and I'm still not sure if it's for me. Talking to people (this was hard for me as someone with social anxiety), going to forums, and lots of reading and practice will make you competent. Interested in investing? You could always pursue that if you are afraid of math. I just want to share what worked for me and give back a little. Above all, show up. Computer Science vs. Computer Engineering: Further Higher Education. Learnt a whole framework, rewrote a code base on it along with a few others and now its my prime point on my resume ppl. If your professor is assigning an assignment, you can probably be 90% sure there is something similar that has been done before and is online. I interned at a software company for 3+ years while working on my CS degree and I learned more through that than I did in the classroom by a long shot. Do you want to build programs or keep them running? I'm in the same boat. Kind of like handwriting. Code.org reports that there more than 475,000 open computing jobs nationwide (as of January 2019), and less than 50,000 computer science students graduated into the workforce last year. You just need to clear your fundamentals and then practise. or should I switch my major into something that would allow me to have more time to have a real college experience? Computer science is a major for problem solvers who want to learn how to use computers and computational processes to build websites, program robots, mine data and more. I can't emphasise this more. Top 7 career with high paying jobs are given. Before you can decide which computer science degree program to enter, you’ll first need to decide where you see yourself working and what you see yourself doing. I was a shit student the first time around, but really did well this time. But I still have my master's in about a month or two. It almost always resulted in being brought in front of the honor council, where the punishment was usually expulsion. I was never really good at it, usually at a C/D grade throughout school. Write a ray-tracer. I've studied mathematics and computer science is a lot more demanding, in terms of coursework. (also not sure what you recommend reading first). The workload is a lot. This question comes from Jay who helped me pronounce his name by saying “J”. Computer science degree recipients not only work for technology companies, but also frequently enter the finance sector and the retail industry, experts say. I took AP Computer Science Principles last year (I got a +B and a 3 on the ap test). Source: Unsplash Computer scientists find fun new ways to help people connect with computers whether it be for business or pleasure. New comments cannot be posted and votes cannot be cast. That is true! Master's degree programs in computer science … I built my first project, a basic website that found soccer fields nearby, and became drawn to computer science by the prospects of being able to create a product that aligned with my interests in a short of amount of time. Once you become a competent programmer, start working on your own projects. I'm currently a junior in high school and I'm trying to figure out which direction I should go down in college. You need to do it, reading does not suffice. Computer science is everything underlying the design, construction, and use of the computers that have become ubiquitous in our lives. It's hard to progress in this field if you can't be bothered to turn up to lessons because you never know what you're going to miss. In my senior year of high school, I conjured up an urge to start learning about web development. On the other hand, IT professionals focus more on using technology to support business goals while frequently interacting with others to help solve tech issues either over the phone, in person or via email. Computer science is one of the fastest-growing fields in the international and US markets and a computer science (CS) degree is a great way to break into this lucrative industry. The best way for me to learn how to code during assignments was usually to Google similar problems, run their code, see how it worked, change some of their code, variables, etc. I used to think interning is just a chore, but God I was wrong. At my university you only need to take three theoretical and two math classes, so it's not a lot. I think it really depends on the college how math focused it is, I study in germany, so I don't know how this compares to the US. I used to be in an advanced math program but I lost my "passion" for math in middle school and my grades dropped. So I’m going to explain who it’s for, who it’s NOT for, and why. Personally, my brother was the one who encouraged me to take a computer science class. Even if you change things around I promise you it will catch you, since most people have a unique style when coding. Did it require 4 years for a BS or was it more like 2 years Masters program?? This goes for any subject. You can always catch up. Computer science-related jobs are expected to grow 16 percent between 2018 and 2028, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics —substantially higher than the five percent growth expected for all occupations. While computer science doesn’t have a reading list, it has some of the highest contact hours and toughest exams – there’s much more to a computer science degree than people realise. Programming is the art of telling a computer what to do through a set of instructions. Computer Science is tough and a lot of the material that you will learn in lectures is theory-based. It's literally as easy as reading this reddit thread. Hire someone to help with that computer science homework now by clicking on the order now button. I'm studying Software Development, and it isn't a walk in the park by any stretch of the imagination (I am currently designing a compiler from scratch) BUT if you stick with it and do your work, you will make it out the other side. That's what I've heard before, aren't there boot camps available after college that get you more prepared for the working world? A critical part of the computer science vs. computer engineering discussion is what options are out there in case you want to pursue further higher education after your bachelor’s degree. big data), there is no guarantee that it will be in a couple of years! Computer scientists are responsible for video games, mobile apps, websites, databases, and anything thing else you can think of that have to do with computers. Make sure you know damn well that citing is acceptable practice with your school. Students searching for Should I Major in Computer Science? Yep, never worry about those who already know. r/AskReddit is the place to ask and answer thought-provoking questions. Read About Career in Computer Science. I made a compiler out of assembly. Northeastern University’s Master of Science in Computer Scienceprogram explores both the principles of computing and the many ways these principles are applied to various roles in the computer science discipline. You may think that wrapping up your project will take a day or so. 17 replies. You need to do it, reading does not suffice. Like puzzles? Try making a sudoku solver. I'm trying to learn Python and see how I like it but how else can I see if Computer Science is for me? :). The most valuable learning experience will come from working on stuff you're motivated to do, because you're learning with that goal in mind. That is, you will be expected to implement that theory in code when you go back to your dorm. Follow what you are good at and develop basic programming skills. I find it extremely boring. Even if you don't think you will pay attention 100% of the time, just go to class and be present. There's software engineering that doesn't involve math much. They must be able to communicate well with non-technical people to assess their needs and convey technical information in … Talking to people (this was hard for me as someone with social anxiety), going to forums, and lots of reading and practice will make you competent. I've studied mathematics and computer science is a lot more demanding, in terms of coursework. One theoretician told me that all … I have no idea what I want to do after college. There will always be little things here and there that will really be useful. Just curious, how difficult was it to go back to school after being out for 10 years? Don't procrastinate (I did) and get an internship! Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. This is the most important piece of advice in this thread, career-wise. This will check your code for similarities between all your other class mates, and all the students that came before you. Programming isn't my favorite thing in the world, but I plan on going into data science for my masters. Also I can't stress this enough : Go to your classes!! Hmm, do you think I should try coding and learning independently before I choose my major in college? Like graphics? The best candidates for a CS degree would be those who have a deep interest and passion for computing as it is an incredibly difficult major for those not comfortable with computers or technology. Those instructions are written in a computer’s language, or code. What Programming Language Should Programmers Learn In 2019? According to code.org, there were nearly 500,000 computing job openings nationwide last year, and fewer than 64,000 Computer Science students graduated into the workforce. Gave me a wide breadth of knowledge but let me specialize in an area. May 2011 edited May 2011. As a result of their demand, we get asked quite often to highlight the highest paying computer science jobs for our readers. I figure the worst they can do in this scenario is tell me to write the code myself and dock me points. At best you receive a fail for the class and have to retake it. It's cool and it pays well, which is kind of the point of a career, so whatevs. It was suicide. Ask for help if you need it. Do you prefer to work alone or with people? Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Majoring in this field will help you develop great technical skills and give you a new perspective on problem-solving. If you enjoy the programming side of it but don't want to deal with too much maths and theory then i'd recommend looking at some software engineering courses :) Hope that helps and best of luck to you friend! This is really important. Google it. If you can actively participate in the class stuff thats even good. Basically I'm graduating with a Computer Science degree but I don't feel like I've learned how to program. Maybe there's even a separate degree for that at your college. Which Computer Science Career Is Right for Me, Though? Due to both this positive career outlook and the required skill set for jobs in this field, many employers seek candidates with a master’s degree in computer science to fill these high-paying jobs. Computer science involves more independent work creating computer programs and applications, using algorithms and writing code. I somewhat enjoyed the class but I didn't love it (some kids who like computer science didn't enjoy it either). Scott Aaronson Answers Every Ridiculously Big Question I Throw at Him. Computer Science jobs are undoubtedly the most sought after positions right now. Don't know how to? Very rarely was anyone found "innocent". I took AP Computer Science Principles last year (I got a +B and a 3 on the ap test). The program a… A computer science major involves the study of computers and programming languages. Why Should I Hire Someone To Do My Computer Science Assignment For Me ? Don't wait. Similarly, for the love of God, do not "borrow" entire programs from the internet or your classmates. I was worried about that part as well. I'm currently a junior in high school and I'm trying to figure out which direction I should go down in college. They also had the second-highest projected starting salaries of all majors (next to Engineering) with an average of $67,539 in 2019, according to the National Association of Colleges and Employers. Someone who barely squeaked out a 3.0 but had a couple relevant internships is infinitely more employable than a guy with a 3.9 who played video games all summer. I think I got that one, Jay, and he says, “I'm a high school senior who is enrolled for CS with computer systems at a uni. You can still finish the course if you don't do your own research but university in itself is not always enough if you wanna work as a developer or programmer after. This will help you decide if you should major in computer science or not. Thank you! You're not going to be an expert overnight and there will always be people who give you shit for not using Linux or learning a particular programming language or something or the other but it really doesn't amount to much. Math wasn't easy for me, but some of my mates who study Physics said what we had to learn for math classes is a joke and after they told me what they have to learn I have to agree. You will eventually get caught, and it will either cost you your grade, or your spot in the program. That is true, I also don't want math to keep me from enjoying my job. Post edited by linoch on May 2011. I think Computer Science is one of the best majors you can choose and has better career prospects than 98% of other choices, but it’s not for everyone. Take good notes. But when you are up there, help the other n00bs around instead of, well showing off! The number of people who majored in computer science in the US isn't much higher in 2015 than in 2005. Not exactly how to classify the difference, but it felt more top down? I got this advice from another female in my programming class when I told her that I felt so out of place because I was the only one that didn't seem to know much about computers and programming. How do I know if computer science is for me? specially of maths. to see how it affected output - and then completely rewrite from scratch with my own code once I understood the mechanisms. After working for ~10 years out of college in a job that was unfulfilling for me, I went back for a second degree in CS and graduate this May (and start a new job in May!). So pay attention in class, closely. Should I stick with computer science for the sake of the job prospect in the future? I am kind of worried because I'm not the greatest at math, and I heard there is a lot of it in computer science. Professors will generally appreciate that you're dedicated to learning the material and they'll think about who was willing to come to their office hours during the grading process. What do you guys think? You'll get there eventually. Of course you can take more, but I prefer to spend my time on software engineering classes. Every time I see someone scared of math, I just have to talk about myself. I don't consider myself a genius, and there has never been a project that I haven't eventually been able to solve without help from my professors, fellow students, tutors, etc. I ended up doing Computer Security as it had elements of Computer Science such as heavy programming in my first two years in C++ as well as Data Structures and Algorithms with Security modules mixed in. You’ll learn how to break problems apart and execute them effectively. I have no desire to learn coding languages in my spare time or do any independent development. They'll get weeded out quickly or make enemies with professors and other students, which definitely is not good in the long run. Is it right for me? I thought that joining a company and programming full-time would give me a chance to develop my skills and learn from those more experienced than myself, but I'm … I told myself that computer science wasn’t for me. Is there a different degrees similar to computer science that involves less math? Computer science majors need to be able to think analytically in order to devise systems and programs, but must also be sufficiently detail-oriented to troubleshoot problems. I always tried to finish projects a day or two before they were due just in case (I realize this isn't always the case - have one that will be going last minute this weekend). EDIT: Sounds like citing small lines of code and where you found them at varies at each university, so seems to be a good practice to ask your professor what is/isn't acceptable when looking up, citing and using small snippets of code in your own work. Even though he dropped out of his intro CS class, he told me that I could do it and that the field needed more women engineers like me. Why are you designing a compiler?Do you actually plan to implement it?Are you basing it one anything in particular? It’s no surprise they offer the highest pay among every other engineering field. It will be hard at times.