The answer to this question is the story how I became a Computer Science Engineer.
From my preschool and childhood, the only thing I know about computers was how to play Road rash or NFS. I didn't understand what e mails meant or what is an array.
Since childhood, I loved (still love) Biology, the names, functions and life's process fascinated me so much. With great interest I loved the working of all the systems of the human body and still remember the scientific names of at least 100 species of plant and animals.
I had a dream of majoring in Botany and to do a doctorate, but like many childr
The answer to this question is the story how I became a Computer Science Engineer.
From my preschool and childhood, the only thing I know about computers was how to play Road rash or NFS. I didn't understand what e mails meant or what is an array.
Since childhood, I loved (still love) Biology, the names, functions and life's process fascinated me so much. With great interest I loved the working of all the systems of the human body and still remember the scientific names of at least 100 species of plant and animals.
I had a dream of majoring in Botany and to do a doctorate, but like many children due to parents persuasion I had to join a professional course which would secure my life, and landed up doing a bachelors in Computer Science and Engineering.
I always complain "Why should I waste years studying about a machine which humans made?" " study naturally occurring phenomena" my mind argued.
For me C and C++ were like Spanish and french (two foreign languages). When I was taught array was series of memory locations, I imagined it as series of hard disks kept on the floor. I was frightened to study programming.
Things started to change when I slowly understood the concepts of computing.
Coding is just a part of computer science, a way to express what you thought.
The whole course of computer science was just a jigsaw puzzle for me. When all the pieces fitted in, I loved the subject.
Each course taught me a part which made some sense, why I learnt that course.
Digital Systems - You learn how gates interact, how the digital circuits help you play your game, or watch a movie in your system.
Computer Organization - I say, this course is epic, you get answers to even silliest of the doubts. You study how the human body is organized with many systems.
Data Structures - Once you study what all makes a computer, you then study what to do with it. You creatively think to store your data with some rule or function. There comes the magic of data structures.
Databases - So what if you know to identify the data with some features, you learn how to store and manage efficient data.
Compilers - Poor machine !! He also needed to understand whatever he accepted. For me the most beautiful concept in computer science is a Parser for a context free grammar. The grammar is beautifully written so that all syntax are checked.
System Software - Like arteries and veins, loaders, linker and assemblers help you maintain your health :)
Theory of computation - What is computing ?. Can you solve everything under the world with this machine?. You get answers to this
Graphics - You study how a Bresenham's line drawing algorithm renders a raster or a vector scan display.Add color to your life, you study awesome filling and clipping algorithms.
Algorithm Design and Analysis - If you know to make coffee, can you make it tasty and fast. Yeah, we study to write a solution to common day problems.
Computer Communication and Networks - So we studied the parts and how to give inputs and make the computer understand. Let the fun begin, can we connect more machines and see what happens.
Thus if you see, all this constitutes computer science. The jigsaw fits when you put all pieces together. Right from you log in into Facebook to log out all the pieces work together to help you. You get a satisfaction when you understand the concepts 'behind the scenes'.
For me interest in computer science grew and coding naturally developed. I also didn't have interest in it. Now I graduated not only stopping with a Bachelor's but just finished my Masters too.
So I was on the same boat as you some years back :)
Follow your heart. Do what you love.
If you don't love computer science, Is there another possible area of endeavor that you do love? Are you majoring in computer science because it's a good field in which to have a degree, or because that's where the jobs are right now, or because it's what others expect you to do?
I spent years getting a degree in something "good," decades pursuing a "good" career that *I* didn't love. Always in the back of my mind I was nagged by the regret that I should have done what *I* wanted to in the first place. Instead I did what was expected of me, what I was prett
Follow your heart. Do what you love.
If you don't love computer science, Is there another possible area of endeavor that you do love? Are you majoring in computer science because it's a good field in which to have a degree, or because that's where the jobs are right now, or because it's what others expect you to do?
I spent years getting a degree in something "good," decades pursuing a "good" career that *I* didn't love. Always in the back of my mind I was nagged by the regret that I should have done what *I* wanted to in the first place. Instead I did what was expected of me, what I was pretty much drawn into. Ultimately I settled for something. The pay was excellent, but the job wasn't for me. I hated it, and I was miserable.
Then at fifty I decided I had had enough. Midlife crisis? Whatever... I went back to college and did ninety hours of pre-med studies. At fifty-four I quit my job and entered medical school.
I can't begin to tell you how many people at my workplace told me I was making a huge mistake by leaving my job to go to school for four years. Yet I walked away from a "good" career as a computer systems analyst to go to medical school. And, by the way, I love writing code, just didn't like everything else. Some people love it all. I'm glad they do; I'm not one of them.
I went on to graduate, did residency, passed the boards. I am a proud to be a physician, even more delighted to be a pediatrician. I'm loving every minute of this, and I'm looking ahead to new and even better opportunities on the horizon. I have never looked back, never regretted doing this. All I regret is not doing this sooner.
Now I'm doing what I love. And I plan never to retire; I'm that happy in my career choice.
Don't pursue something you just kind of like because it seems to be a good field to go into. Don't do what others want you to do. Don't do what's expected if it's not what you want. Don't settle.
Listen to your heart. Do what you love.
Trust me; I'm a doctor.
KP, MD, FAAP
Where do I start?
I’m a huge financial nerd, and have spent an embarrassing amount of time talking to people about their money habits.
Here are the biggest mistakes people are making and how to fix them:
Not having a separate high interest savings account
Having a separate account allows you to see the results of all your hard work and keep your money separate so you're less tempted to spend it.
Plus with rates above 5.00%, the interest you can earn compared to most banks really adds up.
Here is a list of the top savings accounts available today. Deposit $5 before moving on because this is one of th
Where do I start?
I’m a huge financial nerd, and have spent an embarrassing amount of time talking to people about their money habits.
Here are the biggest mistakes people are making and how to fix them:
Not having a separate high interest savings account
Having a separate account allows you to see the results of all your hard work and keep your money separate so you're less tempted to spend it.
Plus with rates above 5.00%, the interest you can earn compared to most banks really adds up.
Here is a list of the top savings accounts available today. Deposit $5 before moving on because this is one of the biggest mistakes and easiest ones to fix.
Overpaying on car insurance
You’ve heard it a million times before, but the average American family still overspends by $417/year on car insurance.
If you’ve been with the same insurer for years, chances are you are one of them.
Pull up Coverage.com, a free site that will compare prices for you, answer the questions on the page, and it will show you how much you could be saving.
That’s it. You’ll likely be saving a bunch of money. Here’s a link to give it a try.
Consistently being in debt
If you’ve got $10K+ in debt (credit cards…medical bills…anything really) you could use a debt relief program and potentially reduce by over 20%.
Here’s how to see if you qualify:
Head over to this Debt Relief comparison website here, then simply answer the questions to see if you qualify.
It’s as simple as that. You’ll likely end up paying less than you owed before and you could be debt free in as little as 2 years.
Missing out on free money to invest
It’s no secret that millionaires love investing, but for the rest of us, it can seem out of reach.
Times have changed. There are a number of investing platforms that will give you a bonus to open an account and get started. All you have to do is open the account and invest at least $25, and you could get up to $1000 in bonus.
Pretty sweet deal right? Here is a link to some of the best options.
Having bad credit
A low credit score can come back to bite you in so many ways in the future.
From that next rental application to getting approved for any type of loan or credit card, if you have a bad history with credit, the good news is you can fix it.
Head over to BankRate.com and answer a few questions to see if you qualify. It only takes a few minutes and could save you from a major upset down the line.
How to get started
Hope this helps! Here are the links to get started:
Have a separate savings account
Stop overpaying for car insurance
Finally get out of debt
Start investing with a free bonus
Fix your credit
Absolutely. There are so many things you can learn, like
- How does Google Maps find the shortest path between your home and your office?
- How can you tell in advance if a program takes forever to run?
- What are the weirdest possible systems that can calculate anything a computer can?
- Which problems can't be solved efficiently with computers, barring major theoretical breakthroughs?
- What's the best way to pair guys with girls at a dance so that most people get paired with a partner they like?
- How does Netflix know what movies you'd enjoy watching?
- How does Quora know which stories should be at the top of
Absolutely. There are so many things you can learn, like
- How does Google Maps find the shortest path between your home and your office?
- How can you tell in advance if a program takes forever to run?
- What are the weirdest possible systems that can calculate anything a computer can?
- Which problems can't be solved efficiently with computers, barring major theoretical breakthroughs?
- What's the best way to pair guys with girls at a dance so that most people get paired with a partner they like?
- How does Netflix know what movies you'd enjoy watching?
- How does Quora know which stories should be at the top of your feed?
- How can you write a program that plays chess better than humans can?
- How can Facebook predict if you're in a relationship with someone else?
- How can you write a program to convert code that's easy to read into code that's easy to run?
- How can computers run so many programs at once, while ensuring they don't interfere with each other?
- How can you type your password into Gmail, without Google employees knowing what it is?
- Why are secure emails so secure?
Choosing a major in computer science (CS) depends on several factors beyond just a passion for coding. Here are some points to consider:
- Interest in Problem-Solving: Computer science is fundamentally about problem-solving. If you enjoy thinking logically and tackling challenges, you may find fulfillment in the field, even if coding isn't your favorite activity.
- Diverse Career Paths: CS offers a variety of career options, many of which may not focus heavily on coding. Roles in project management, systems analysis, user experience (UX) design, and data analysis can be rewarding and often require d
Choosing a major in computer science (CS) depends on several factors beyond just a passion for coding. Here are some points to consider:
- Interest in Problem-Solving: Computer science is fundamentally about problem-solving. If you enjoy thinking logically and tackling challenges, you may find fulfillment in the field, even if coding isn't your favorite activity.
- Diverse Career Paths: CS offers a variety of career options, many of which may not focus heavily on coding. Roles in project management, systems analysis, user experience (UX) design, and data analysis can be rewarding and often require different skill sets.
- Learning Curve: Many students initially find coding challenging. If you’re open to learning and improving your coding skills over time, you might discover a greater appreciation for it.
- Interdisciplinary Opportunities: CS intersects with many other fields, such as biology, psychology, and business. If you have interests in these areas, you might find a niche that aligns with your passions while still leveraging CS skills.
- Curriculum Variety: Computer science programs often include courses on algorithms, databases, artificial intelligence, and more, which can appeal to different interests. You might enjoy some of these topics even if coding isn’t your strong suit.
- Future Job Market: The demand for tech skills continues to grow across various industries. A CS degree can provide job security and lucrative opportunities, even if you don’t end up coding as your primary task.
Conclusion
If you’re intrigued by technology and enjoy logical thinking, a CS major could still be a great fit. Consider exploring introductory courses to see how you feel about the subject matter before making a decision. Additionally, discussing your thoughts with academic advisors or professionals in the field can provide more personalized insights.
In a word: No.
Let me tell you a story. There was this girl who programmed in Basic in high school and she loved it. She worked at it, but her high school guidance counselor told her she could never program because her math skills weren't good enough. She went on to drift through college, on and off, until she was 30. That's when someone gave her the chance to work with computers and she was off.
Know where she is now?
She's writing this answer to you while she works as a Senior Clinical Data Analyst for the 4th best hospital in the nation.
If you love it and it's your passion, don't give up and f
In a word: No.
Let me tell you a story. There was this girl who programmed in Basic in high school and she loved it. She worked at it, but her high school guidance counselor told her she could never program because her math skills weren't good enough. She went on to drift through college, on and off, until she was 30. That's when someone gave her the chance to work with computers and she was off.
Know where she is now?
She's writing this answer to you while she works as a Senior Clinical Data Analyst for the 4th best hospital in the nation.
If you love it and it's your passion, don't give up and follow your bliss. Your skills will improve. Don't waste 20 years of your life, like I did, following a dream that isn't yours.
Here’s the thing: I wish I had known these money secrets sooner. They’ve helped so many people save hundreds, secure their family’s future, and grow their bank accounts—myself included.
And honestly? Putting them to use was way easier than I expected. I bet you can knock out at least three or four of these right now—yes, even from your phone.
Don’t wait like I did. Go ahead and start using these money secrets today!
1. Cancel Your Car Insurance
You might not even realize it, but your car insurance company is probably overcharging you. In fact, they’re kind of counting on you not noticing. Luckily,
Here’s the thing: I wish I had known these money secrets sooner. They’ve helped so many people save hundreds, secure their family’s future, and grow their bank accounts—myself included.
And honestly? Putting them to use was way easier than I expected. I bet you can knock out at least three or four of these right now—yes, even from your phone.
Don’t wait like I did. Go ahead and start using these money secrets today!
1. Cancel Your Car Insurance
You might not even realize it, but your car insurance company is probably overcharging you. In fact, they’re kind of counting on you not noticing. Luckily, this problem is easy to fix.
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Take a look at some of the world’s wealthiest people. What do they have in common? Many invest in large private real estate deals. And here’s the thing: There’s no reason you can’t, too — for as little as $10.
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3. Stop Paying Your Credit Card Company
If you have credit card debt, you know. The anxiety, the interest rates, the fear you’re never going to escape… but a website called AmONE wants to help.
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It takes less than a minute and just 10 questions to see what loans you qualify for.
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Okay, real talk—everything is crazy expensive right now, and let’s be honest, we could all use a little extra cash. But who has time for a second job?
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The news is a heated subject these days. It’s hard not to have an opinion on it.
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Is there such a thing as easy money? If you know your way around the web, there certainly is.
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Read Disclaimer
*This answer is from 2k22*
First of let you tell you that you are not alone on this. I was in this very same situation not so long ago. Let me help you decide what to do.
The common mistake: The coding which is taught in your undergrad (like C/C++/Java) are totally different from what you might be working on when you get a job in most cases. Mostly people will be working on web development (HTML/CSS/JS/Angular/React.js), mobile development(kotlin, swift,Flutter),testing and a few others. In all of these, the coding which you do is very different from the typical coding taught in colleges, so I w
*This answer is from 2k22*
First of let you tell you that you are not alone on this. I was in this very same situation not so long ago. Let me help you decide what to do.
The common mistake: The coding which is taught in your undergrad (like C/C++/Java) are totally different from what you might be working on when you get a job in most cases. Mostly people will be working on web development (HTML/CSS/JS/Angular/React.js), mobile development(kotlin, swift,Flutter),testing and a few others. In all of these, the coding which you do is very different from the typical coding taught in colleges, so I would highly recommend you to give it a try before giving up on coding. But once you decide you are not into coding then try the roles which doesn’t require you to code like the list below.
Jobs/Roles that require coding : Software Developer/Engineer, Full stack engineer, Automation tester, Front/backend Engineer.
Jobs/Roles that doesn’t require coding: Manual test engineer, UI/UX designer, business analyst, product owner, product analyst/designer.
Pro tip : Once you have enough experience you will be able to climb the ladder from a technical coding role to a non technical role which doesn’t require coding like a product manager or you can simply do an MBA to directly join a non technical role or even without it. You can also continue to work on coding forever if you like it so the choice is really in your hands.
Finally, if you think both the technical and non technical roles doesn’t suit you then you can opt for another stream.
All the very best ;)
Upvotes are appreciated.
No. Never major in something you wouldn't do for fun. And the reason has nothing to do with computer science and everything to do with being successful in life.
Your major does not have to determine your career.
Some of the best coders I know didn't major in computer science and that is equally true in the form "some of the best Xs I know didn't major in X". When you leave college, you are going to get an entry-level job in a field. Most of the industry-specific job skills you need will be learned on the job.
What the job will not teach you is passion.
One of my favorite quotes is
No. Never major in something you wouldn't do for fun. And the reason has nothing to do with computer science and everything to do with being successful in life.
Your major does not have to determine your career.
Some of the best coders I know didn't major in computer science and that is equally true in the form "some of the best Xs I know didn't major in X". When you leave college, you are going to get an entry-level job in a field. Most of the industry-specific job skills you need will be learned on the job.
What the job will not teach you is passion.
One of my favorite quotes is from Teddy Roosevelt, who said it to a bunch of farmers. "Far and away the best prize that life has to offer is the chance to work hard at work worth doing." There are two parts of that that I want to highlight.
The first is about working hard.
The single most important part of finding happiness in life is being able to pour your effort in to the things that make you happy. I don't necessarily mean this to be only about the workplace; you can "work" at a hobby, family, relationships.
Because it is the second part that matters: find out what you love and do it as much as you can.
Only you know what work is "worth doing" to you. Computer science isn't worth it to you. How do you know? Because you don't wake up aching to do it. Hard work alone is useless - it will bring you material advancement but not fulfillment and meaning. So putting in the hard work to learn to code (and that work will be much harder if you're not passionate about it) isn't time well spent.
Instead, major in something that truly lights you up as a person. Find the thing that makes you willing to work hard and major in that and do it as much as you possibly can. Because if it one day turns out that "Hey, in order to do this thing I love, I have to learn to code", you'll learn to code. Because you love, love, love the thing you're creating with that code.
The best way to find the right freelancer for digital marketing is on Fiverr. The platform has an entire category of professional freelancers who provide full web creation, Shopify marketing, Dropshipping, and any other digital marketing-related services you may need. Fiverr freelancers can also do customization, BigCommerce, and Magento 2. Any digital marketing help you need just go to Fiverr.com and find what you’re looking for.
Let me put this question into a different perspective and make the following statement. If you truly enjoy something and you think you’re bad at it, that is an AMAZING combination. It means that even though your perception of yourself is low you still enjoy working at it. After several failures we begin to succeed. We begin to learn. This is the process of being a programmer.
No one is inherently good at programming anyway. It’s a learned skill. We have to practice, apply, fail, and continue to learn constantly. You sound like a typical programmer to me :)
The issue of stopping something because
Let me put this question into a different perspective and make the following statement. If you truly enjoy something and you think you’re bad at it, that is an AMAZING combination. It means that even though your perception of yourself is low you still enjoy working at it. After several failures we begin to succeed. We begin to learn. This is the process of being a programmer.
No one is inherently good at programming anyway. It’s a learned skill. We have to practice, apply, fail, and continue to learn constantly. You sound like a typical programmer to me :)
The issue of stopping something because you think you’re bad at it is an age old question of when you should throw in the towel. You have to weigh in a lot of factors (does it make financial sense, time commitments, happiness). While no one in the Quoraverse can tell you what to do, I think most would say do what makes you happy. If you enjoy programming, then continue to get better at it and proceed with the degree. Life is too short not do what you want.
Cheers!
I'll offer a fairly short answer. Do you need to "love" writing code to major in CS? No. Do you need to *like* writing code? Yes. You will be writing a lot of code for a CS Major. If you don't enjoy it, you're going to be spending several years doing something you don't enjoy, and your grades will be dependent on something you're not motivated to do. That's a recipe for disaster.
Just look at the legendary Chuck Norris’s advice since he is now a whopping 81 years old and yet has MORE energy than me. He found a key to healthy aging… and it was by doing the opposite of what most of people are told. Norris says he started learning about this revolutionary new method when he noticed most of the supplements he was taking did little or nothing to support his health. After extensive research, he discovered he could create dramatic changes to his health simply focusing on 3 things that sabotage our body as we age.
“This is the key to healthy aging,” says Norris. “I’m living pro
Just look at the legendary Chuck Norris’s advice since he is now a whopping 81 years old and yet has MORE energy than me. He found a key to healthy aging… and it was by doing the opposite of what most of people are told. Norris says he started learning about this revolutionary new method when he noticed most of the supplements he was taking did little or nothing to support his health. After extensive research, he discovered he could create dramatic changes to his health simply focusing on 3 things that sabotage our body as we age.
“This is the key to healthy aging,” says Norris. “I’m living proof.”
Now, Chuck Norris has put the entire method into a 15-minute video that explains the 3 “Internal Enemies” that can wreck our health as we age, and the simple ways to help combat them, using foods and herbs you may even have at home.
I’ve included the Chuck Norris video here so you can give it a shot.
As others have suggested, coding is an important part of computer science as it is an essential tool to apply the discipline. However, don't let that deter you from computer science and related engineering majors -- especially if you haven't taken the mid- or upper-level courses yet. For the rest of this post, I am presuming you're transitioning from high school to college.
I personally went through a similar situation coming right out of high school and it actually lasted through a good part of undergrad. I was fascinated by computers and had the aptitude for math and science, but hated pro
As others have suggested, coding is an important part of computer science as it is an essential tool to apply the discipline. However, don't let that deter you from computer science and related engineering majors -- especially if you haven't taken the mid- or upper-level courses yet. For the rest of this post, I am presuming you're transitioning from high school to college.
I personally went through a similar situation coming right out of high school and it actually lasted through a good part of undergrad. I was fascinated by computers and had the aptitude for math and science, but hated programming with a passion due to my high school CS experience. My first two years in biomedical engineering took my through a few programming courses that completely changed my view of the discipline. In fact, it convinced me to take enough additional CS classes to learn about programming and computers that prompted me to switch my major to computer engineering. From there, I found out about how software can interact with hardware which became my favorite part of the field. Now I know my passion is in embedded systems and writing firmware.
But let's back up a bit. Here is a couple of questions for you:
What about computer science do you 'like'?
- You like computers or technology in general and want to know how it all works.
- You like the logic problems that CS enables you to solve.
- You just like to build things and see them work.
- You like the career outlook or the people in that field.
What about coding do you not 'love'?
- It's physically uncomfortable sitting all day or staring at the monitor too long.
- You feel you lack the patience to code.
- You feel you lack the creativity to code.
- You feel you're not good at it and are frustrated.
- You find the courses boring.
I'm sure there are many more reasons one can list to answer those questions. Hopefully, as you think about these questions you can narrow down a little more what it is that bothers you about coding and whether you truly have passion for the discipline.
In my opinion, if you agree with the first set of statements and are excited about what all that means, then that's all the reasons you need to make computer science a good major for you. The second set of statements are minor things that detract from your experience a little but are easily fixable. The best part is, many people come across these issues and much of that will likely fix themselves as you complete your education.
What you should know is that computer science is a very broad field as is computer and electrical engineering which are related to that. Some schools make a distinction between them, others are just specializations under a single major. Find out more about each to see what it is that you like. If you still don't find your answer, broaden that scope to engineering or the sciences in general.
Sometimes, you just have to take the plunge and live the experience to truly know. Find out if there is someone in the industry that you can shadow for a day. If you already have some skills, see if someone will take an intern for the summer (even for free). Go to a nearby university and sit in on a summer class. If you still don't know, just major in CS. The worst you will do is to spend some time to figure out this is truly not what you want which is a worthy investment.
I'm still relatively new to my career (four years as a software engineer) so I'm still learning about the field. I don't love every project I do or writing code all the time. But I find it depends on my passion for that problem at hand more than anything. If the problem is interesting, I can spend endless hours so I can feel the satisfaction of solving it. The other thing I've found is software engineering encompasses many more activities than just coding up new software. You sometimes design the software, write up the specification, but other code it. Or you already have the software and have to merely patch it. Figuring out how it all works (or doesn't work) can consumes more of your time. Learning about technologies you write your software to can be a major part of your work. As you get more experience on the job, you'll likely do less actual coding. At some point, you may be offered a management position. The role you play once you have a career may not even be what you studied. But your education will get you started and CS is not a bad way to start.
Edit: Here's an interesting post that may be related to what you're going through:
For those who have tried to learn programming and stopped, what kept you from continuing?
Maybe you can learn from my experience:
I majored in CS, and after I learned to code, I became far more effective at designing solutions to problems. That includes all kinds of problems like how to get the best job, make more money, be a better cook etc...
So I'm really glad I learned to code.
But I also learned that there are people who LOVE fiddling with code all day long. They love for-loops. They love syntax. And even if the product they're developing is uninteresting, they still get plenty of pleasure out of hacking at the code. Those people are REALLY hard to compete with. I was as goo
Maybe you can learn from my experience:
I majored in CS, and after I learned to code, I became far more effective at designing solutions to problems. That includes all kinds of problems like how to get the best job, make more money, be a better cook etc...
So I'm really glad I learned to code.
But I also learned that there are people who LOVE fiddling with code all day long. They love for-loops. They love syntax. And even if the product they're developing is uninteresting, they still get plenty of pleasure out of hacking at the code. Those people are REALLY hard to compete with. I was as good as those people, sometimes better, but I was never as happy as they were because I didn't always find the work meaningful.
That's what it comes down to I guess. If you don't love coding itself, you'll have to find a product that's really meaningful to you. Or build one yourself.
Computer Science is no more about computers than astronomy is about telescopes. — (Mis)attributed to Edsger Dijkstra, 1970.
There is a subtle difference between Programming and Computational Thinking.
- Most of the examples given by Jessica Su are computational thinking examples.
- If you can not think computationally, you have less chance to succeed in CS major, than if you can not program.
- Computer Science is about finding a solution to a problem. Computer scientist is more of a problem solver type.
- Programming is a mean to realize/implement a solution. Programmer is more of a builder
Computer Science is no more about computers than astronomy is about telescopes. — (Mis)attributed to Edsger Dijkstra, 1970.
There is a subtle difference between Programming and Computational Thinking.
- Most of the examples given by Jessica Su are computational thinking examples.
- If you can not think computationally, you have less chance to succeed in CS major, than if you can not program.
- Computer Science is about finding a solution to a problem. Computer scientist is more of a problem solver type.
- Programming is a mean to realize/implement a solution. Programmer is more of a builder type.
- There are fields in CS that require less programming knowledge, e.g., Human-Computer Interaction, and fields that require more programming knowledge, e.g., a Software Engineer.
- If you are envisioning a career that requires tremendous programming, then you should consider other options. But there are a lot of other jobs in CS field that require less programming.
in my way i think, That depends on what you want to do with your major in computer science. If you want to pursue a career in programming, then writing code is a necessary skill. However, if you want to pursue a career in software engineering, computer science can provide a broader range of skills, such as problem-solving, project management, and data analysis. In this case, you would still benefit from having a good understanding of coding, but it may not be the main focus of your studies. It's important to research various computer science degree options to find the best one for your interes
in my way i think, That depends on what you want to do with your major in computer science. If you want to pursue a career in programming, then writing code is a necessary skill. However, if you want to pursue a career in software engineering, computer science can provide a broader range of skills, such as problem-solving, project management, and data analysis. In this case, you would still benefit from having a good understanding of coding, but it may not be the main focus of your studies. It's important to research various computer science degree options to find the best one for your interests and goals.
Your upvote is really appreciated, Thanks For giving your time 🙏🏻
Firstly: How do you know you don't "love" writing code? You often only start to love coding after you start doing it to accomplish a goal (let's say, to build a mobile app, or a game, or some tool that you yourself would use). You'll enjoy the creative freedom it allows, the experience of building something that people can actually use to make their lives better. It's a great feeling, a lightbulb that goes on in your head, the realization that people actually use my code!
I guess my point is: How do you know you don't like coding in your spare time unless you actually do it?
Secondly: I think t
Firstly: How do you know you don't "love" writing code? You often only start to love coding after you start doing it to accomplish a goal (let's say, to build a mobile app, or a game, or some tool that you yourself would use). You'll enjoy the creative freedom it allows, the experience of building something that people can actually use to make their lives better. It's a great feeling, a lightbulb that goes on in your head, the realization that people actually use my code!
I guess my point is: How do you know you don't like coding in your spare time unless you actually do it?
Secondly: I think there's a big difference between "computer science" and "writing code".
Computer science is about theory. You do write code, but not a lot, and it doesn't need to be "good", "clean", or sometimes (in grad classes) even working. If you're good at taking midterms, you will get good grades. Also, you'll know about all the stuff Jessica Su mentioned, but I don't know if it's very practical to get a $100,000 CS major unless you plan on actual making a living out of the field.
Writing code is what happens in the real world. Whether it's a personal project like a game or mobile app, or working at a company - anything past the first few CS courses is only used 5% of the time. What actually matters is:
-How well you work with other people
-How clearly you express your ideas, through speech, writing, and code
*** In this answer I address programming, not CS in general. There’s a lot of CS that can be done that involves no programming: applied math, research, etc. ***
Definitely not.
In fact, I’d say you shouldn’t drop the idea even if you don’t enjoy it, provided you haven’t done it for long and you’re a reasonably logical person who likes problem-solving.
I went into CS thinking I’d enjoy it, but the learning curve was really demotivating for me.
I struggled with it for a long time. Not because it’s hard and scary, but because I thought it was and so I was afraid to put any work in.
If you enjoy comput
*** In this answer I address programming, not CS in general. There’s a lot of CS that can be done that involves no programming: applied math, research, etc. ***
Definitely not.
In fact, I’d say you shouldn’t drop the idea even if you don’t enjoy it, provided you haven’t done it for long and you’re a reasonably logical person who likes problem-solving.
I went into CS thinking I’d enjoy it, but the learning curve was really demotivating for me.
I struggled with it for a long time. Not because it’s hard and scary, but because I thought it was and so I was afraid to put any work in.
If you enjoy computer science, you’ll get good at it at some point, I promise.
Programming has a very linear correlation between how much time you spend doing it and how good you are.
Every programmer I’ve met, be it a newbie or a rockstar, got to that level by spending an appropriate amount of time doing so.
The secret is that the rockstars enjoy it so much that they will spend an insane amount of time honing their skill, while the shitty programmers will be held back by fear and doubt and will avoid those feelings as much as they can.
Good luck!
Of course you can, but you really, really shouldn’t.
I am a current freshman in the UC Berkeley EECS program, and we are required to take both CS61A and CS61B in our freshman year.
To give you an idea, CS61A was focused primarily on learning computer science basics. We programmed in Python and learned some data structures. It was an exceptionally challenging course that required a massive amount of time to complete homework, projects, and labs (unless you’re an expert already).
I am currently in CS61B which is focused on data structures (we program in Java). To give you an idea, our Project Two,
Of course you can, but you really, really shouldn’t.
I am a current freshman in the UC Berkeley EECS program, and we are required to take both CS61A and CS61B in our freshman year.
To give you an idea, CS61A was focused primarily on learning computer science basics. We programmed in Python and learned some data structures. It was an exceptionally challenging course that required a massive amount of time to complete homework, projects, and labs (unless you’re an expert already).
I am currently in CS61B which is focused on data structures (we program in Java). To give you an idea, our Project Two, which is due in March is supposed to take close to 60 hours to complete with a partner. Yes, 60 hours of coding.
Luckily, although I initially doubted that the EECS program was right for me I really have fallen in love with CS and find myself going out of my way to get more experience in specific fields through clubs and extra classes. However, I have quickly grasped that good computer science programs require a significant amount of time spent coding and practicing concepts taught in class.
If you are either not interested in coding or do not want to put the time and effort to learn the concepts/practice and choose to major in computer science, you have essentially made your own college life a living hell. Your peers will far outshine you (trust me, it happens to those of us who enjoy coding) and you will hate working on projects/homework. A large part of your college experience is based on the classes you take and the friends you make in those classes, and you are setting yourself up for a bad experience.
Of course, if you are unsure about whether you like coding or not, I really recommend taking an introductory CS course at whatever college you get accepted to. If you’re basing your dislike for coding on AP computer science, you should try to explore a little further. All of Berkeley’s CS61A lectures, discussions, labs, and homeworks are on the 61A website and available to the public. Watch a couple of lectures and see if it’s for you.
Another thing I have quickly noticed here is that jobs/internships in CS are dependent less on GPA and more on experience. Your coding classes are not enough. If you don’t show interest in coding outside of school or working on side projects/developing your own things you just aren’t competitive as an applicant. And if you don’t like coding, I imagine that you probably won’t go out of your way to code in your free time.
However, if you do end up liking coding the plus side is that there are so many things to get involved in. Cybersecurity, machine learning, blockchain tech, computational biology, data science, and others are all extremely interesting and rising fields. And there is a huge space for software startup culture if you’re interested in that.
But, yeah. If you don’t like coding, the logical next step is to not major in CS.
Many people who major in CS don't code for a living. In fact, I would say only a small subset do. In addition to software development, CS majors often go onto:
- Performance Engineers - for people who love stats and optimization
- Product Managers - for people who love bringing software to market
- Project Managers - for people who love organization and process
- Sales / Sales Engineers / Technical Account Managers - for people who love dealing with customers
- Training - for people who love teaching others
- Support - for people who love reactively solving problems
- Technical Consultants - for people who love b
Many people who major in CS don't code for a living. In fact, I would say only a small subset do. In addition to software development, CS majors often go onto:
- Performance Engineers - for people who love stats and optimization
- Product Managers - for people who love bringing software to market
- Project Managers - for people who love organization and process
- Sales / Sales Engineers / Technical Account Managers - for people who love dealing with customers
- Training - for people who love teaching others
- Support - for people who love reactively solving problems
- Technical Consultants - for people who love being subject matter experts
- Tech Writers - for people who love to write stuff other than code
- and more...
There's no need to love coding, but find something you do love that integrates with computer science. If you can't do that, you may be in the wrong field.
There are a few things I can share that might help you:
1) I have been a professional programmer for over eight years, and I've spent barely any of my free time during those eight years coding. Lots of people do, lots don't, it doesn't really have any bearing on how you choose to direct your career. For any given person, some activities are best as hobbies and others are best as careers, and only the person in question can tell the difference.
2) I majored in Linguistics, and I have never had any professional involvement with that field. I've never even written a spell checker. Don't let you
There are a few things I can share that might help you:
1) I have been a professional programmer for over eight years, and I've spent barely any of my free time during those eight years coding. Lots of people do, lots don't, it doesn't really have any bearing on how you choose to direct your career. For any given person, some activities are best as hobbies and others are best as careers, and only the person in question can tell the difference.
2) I majored in Linguistics, and I have never had any professional involvement with that field. I've never even written a spell checker. Don't let your long-term plans compromise your short-term happiness; your plans could easily be flawed, but your perception of your current level of happiness is probably very accurate. If you have a field of study that you're passionate about and you can major in it, go for it. If not, do something that you don't hate.
3) Programming is really hard, and it takes a long time to feel satisfaction in your work. If you are a career SDE like me, you'll probably only work on one larger project in a given year, and that moment of accomplishment comes at the end of the year. Give it a chance; if you like the subject now, maybe love will come later. On the other hand, if you like immediate gratification, run away fast, this is not the field for you.
You can try, but since a lot of the courses would involve all sort of programming, your life is going to be miserable and you might fail the course.
Find something else that you like and don’t go for a course just because it’s sexy and lots of your friends do it.
You need to think about what you will do ‘after’ you graduate, what type of job you are going to go to. This is your life after all. Don’t waste the time doing something you don’t like.
Programming \neq Computer Science.
With that said, if you enjoy the course work, CONTINUE.
I’ve spent time studying things I don’t enjoy, but was good at. That wasn’t fun or enjoyable. Even though I stuck with it at the time, I moved on eventually. If you found something you enjoy, don’t let go of it so easily.
You really need to also realize that programming is a surprisingly small part of CS. You can do it.
Good luck!
There are several answers here saying: "yes, because there are other things to do in CS". Well, if you don't love coding, don't spend years of your life in something that would involve coding for the most part of your graduation.
If you want to work with server administration or fixing computers, you don't need a CS degree - maybe electrical engineering would be way more rewarding. It's COMPUTER SCIENCE we're talking about. Programming is just the side effect of it. Developing your logic and problem solving is what it's about.
"The purpose of computing is insight, not numbers."
Love logic and computer science is all you would like to study. Programming is just an aspect of it. I have seen people struggle at coding and eventually get better with it. Lack of interest is an issue but only if you have something better to do. Do you have an option? An alternative that you would 'love'? If yes, then go for it.
At the undergrad level, programming is a tool like being proficient in English. If you aren’t modestly proficient in both, and don’t like programming, you don’t belong in a CS program because you will fail.
I have heard this question many times and this is how my CS friends answered.
Even though you are not passionate still do it. Programming is always useful but you also learn how to think more analytically, which is useful in any job. CS provides a great back ground to identify the problem, break down it to manageable pieces, and solve the issues. Also, CS theory can become crazy and writing good al
I have heard this question many times and this is how my CS friends answered.
Even though you are not passionate still do it. Programming is always useful but you also learn how to think more analytically, which is useful in any job. CS provides a great back ground to identify the problem, break down it to manageable pieces, and solve the issues. Also, CS theory can become crazy and writing good algorithms is extremely hard. But the time you put into to understand things and trying to solve things is never wasted. It is like working out like crazy and then you get a super strong body that you can use for other things besides being a professional athlete. A strong body will help you accomplish many things, like being a model, heavy duty work, military, just being able to withstand pain longer…Basically, your CS education will prepare you for many things in life.
So how are my CS friends doing? Those that became programmers ...
Of course not !
Like everything else in the world you can learn programming.
I'm currently specialising in computer science and when I first got to college I had almost 0 experience in programming but that never stopped me from learning.
The trick about programming is that it demands a lot of time and patience so if you don't like what you do you will get frustrated very soon and eventually quit.
Now, you said you like programming which mean you have the will to learn. Just be patient and good luck !
It’s kind of like saying you want to be a Surgeon but dislike the business of cutting people open. About 80% of the Computer Science curriculum has a programming component. The remaining 20% being Discrete Mathematics and some language theory. Every aspect of computer science: networks, security, databases, compilers, operating systems — you name it, it requires programming to demonstrate your mastery of the subject.
Perhaps you’d be happier in a pure science such as Mathematics or Physics, something where you can apply theorems? Life is too short to spend the next 20 years hating what you do.
I would be leery of not majoring in and/or studying a subject because you feel like you don't "love" it.
Are you still taking intro classes? Maybe you haven't yet been exposed to a specific subfield of CS that you'd find really fascinating. You also shouldn't feel like you have to code in your spare time in order to be a "real" programmer -- you can have other hobbies!
I think the answer to this question depends on whether you've explored other options, honestly. Consider trying classes in a few other departments that sound interesting to you! Maybe you'll discover a passion for geology or for
I would be leery of not majoring in and/or studying a subject because you feel like you don't "love" it.
Are you still taking intro classes? Maybe you haven't yet been exposed to a specific subfield of CS that you'd find really fascinating. You also shouldn't feel like you have to code in your spare time in order to be a "real" programmer -- you can have other hobbies!
I think the answer to this question depends on whether you've explored other options, honestly. Consider trying classes in a few other departments that sound interesting to you! Maybe you'll discover a passion for geology or for art history you didn't know you had.
If you've already tried this and still have no idea, I'd probably stick with CS; you like it, it provides good job prospects, and when you discover something you're more passionate about, odds are you'll be able to apply what you've learned to solving some problem in that field.
That depends on what you want to do with that computer science major. Most jobs in computer science are mostly coding, but there are a couple options that aren’t as coding intense. If you want a conventional industry job, you’re pretty much going to have to code. However, if you’re interested in going into academia or teaching, those require anywhere from way less to basically no coding. The downside (or upside, depending on your preferences) is that you’ll have to get some additional education, either a teaching credential or graduate school.
Teaching computer science is pretty much what it so
That depends on what you want to do with that computer science major. Most jobs in computer science are mostly coding, but there are a couple options that aren’t as coding intense. If you want a conventional industry job, you’re pretty much going to have to code. However, if you’re interested in going into academia or teaching, those require anywhere from way less to basically no coding. The downside (or upside, depending on your preferences) is that you’ll have to get some additional education, either a teaching credential or graduate school.
Teaching computer science is pretty much what it sounds like. If you go into the K-12 system, you’ll probably end up teaching something else in addition to computer science, like math, unless you end up in a district with the resources to support a full time computer science teacher.
Going into academia is pretty different from getting a programming job. I think it’s easier to get a tenure track job in than a lot of other fields because there’s such high demand from industry. Academic computer science is pretty broad, and includes things like how to teach computer science better, determining mathematically whether a particular type of problem is solvable on a computer (an introductory level example is the halting problem), and finding algorithms that require less time or computing resources to solve a given problem (like sorting a list).
These examples are by no means exhaustive, because computer science is not my area of expertise. For a more detailed answer, I would recommend talking to one of your computer science professors. If you have a faculty advisor, this is a really good question for them.
Actually, A LOT.
Let’s start with the two biggest things you won’t be told:
- 95% of what you will spend your time on during a CS degree does not matter to industry. If you want to hear it straight from the horse’s mouth — a Google recruiter told our campus that the most important courses to have are a solid algorithms course, and a software engineering principles course. Two courses — that’s it. Maybe you might find a third course like compilers or operating systems useful for specific kinds of work, but not for the gazillion of build-an-app companies out there. But I think what many CS students
Actually, A LOT.
Let’s start with the two biggest things you won’t be told:
- 95% of what you will spend your time on during a CS degree does not matter to industry. If you want to hear it straight from the horse’s mouth — a Google recruiter told our campus that the most important courses to have are a solid algorithms course, and a software engineering principles course. Two courses — that’s it. Maybe you might find a third course like compilers or operating systems useful for specific kinds of work, but not for the gazillion of build-an-app companies out there. But I think what many CS students don’t realize is that the vast majority of skills that industry cares about are not taught in school.
- Jobs aren’t quite as plentiful as the industry would have you believe. Or to put it another way — there are tons of mediocre IT jobs spread throughout the country that involve doing some programming and don’t require hardly anything you would have been taught in school. Many people working these jobs do not have CS degrees, because no CS degree is required. Often times, you know only need an Associates degree to be a business intelligence analyst. However, the sexy Silicon Valley jobs everyone thinks about when they major in CS are extremely competitive, and a majority of CS graduates in this country will not end up with a job that will use their education beyond doing some rudimentary programming that could be farmed out to someone in India who doesn’t have a CS degree.
Those of the two above statements are the biggest caveat emptors I would drop in.
Just about every college in this country is offering a CS degree, but even students from good schools are having trouble finding work.
For the top companies, how well you do in your CS algorithms course will absolutely matter — and might be the only thing that matters!
For the mediocre companies, what will matter more are specific technical skills you developed on your own, that your school won’t teach you — and most importantly work experience. The top companies, like Google, are willing to teach you a lot of the stuff you can’t learn in school, and the mediocre companies are not.
So I see a lot of smart recent graduates who aren’t quite good enough to get hired by a top company, but they can’t get hired by the lower-tier companies either simply because they don’t have 5 years experience with Ruby on Rails, or SQL Server, etc. Hardly any company wants to train new employees. They want to hire employees who have already been trained by another company.
So the job market for kids fresh out of school kind of sucks.
If you’re considering majoring in computer science to get a job in the software industry after graduation, I would strongly advise you not to throw all your eggs in this one basket. Major in something other than CS and get a CS minor instead. From an industry standpoint, there’s little that a CS major will help you more than a CS minor.
The only reason you should major in CS is if you want to go on to get a graduate degree in CS. Doing a bachelors degree in CS will make graduate work in CS easier. But as a means to an end, it’s quite an over-rated degree.
Some other things:
- Grading tends to be quite binary and machine-like — code works correctly, or code does not work correctly. This not a good real world perspective though. Most CS programs fail to give open-ended projects that actually test a student’s creativity and design choices, which perhaps explains why the skills developed in a CS program don’t help much in the real world. I think CS programs would be more successful if they graded students like you do in Art School, where each student builds their own portfolio of accomplishments.
- The more you already know about programming and computers, the less value you will feel you gain from an undergraduate CS curriculum.
- Since CS has no survey course, you shouldn’t expect first-year classes to really give you a good idea of what you can study in the upper years.
I’m about to finish my degree in computer science so let me tell you about my experience.
I came to college having never coded a day in my life. As far as I was concerned, Java was coffee and nothing more. But I took an introductory course to C programming and fell in love. But when I got to my first computer science course, I was very intimidated. It felt like everyone in the major had been doing this since middle school and knew years more than I did. But I worked hard and did the homework assignments and even the optional reading assignments.
Fast forward three years and here I am tutoring an
I’m about to finish my degree in computer science so let me tell you about my experience.
I came to college having never coded a day in my life. As far as I was concerned, Java was coffee and nothing more. But I took an introductory course to C programming and fell in love. But when I got to my first computer science course, I was very intimidated. It felt like everyone in the major had been doing this since middle school and knew years more than I did. But I worked hard and did the homework assignments and even the optional reading assignments.
Fast forward three years and here I am tutoring and helping those same people who were asking questions I didn’t even understand. Of course this won’t necessarily be the case, I believe that computer science is an inherently difficult major by nature. So, it doesn’t exactly help if you’re brand new to it. But that also doesn’t mean it’s impossible. It’s mostly how much work you’re willing to put in to it. If you are determined and willing to put in the work required to not just get by but to actually understand, then don’t worry, you’ll be just fine.
- Computer science does not equal programming.
- You do not have to started coding at the age of 12 to be successful in the major or as a software engineer.
- There’s more math to it than you expect (and math is pretty helpful in this field, especially for research oriented work).
- Programming assignments take longer than you think to complete, best not to start them the night before they’re due. How coding is depicted in films is typically overly dramatized.
- You may not be a natural when it comes to programming and that’s okay. Everyone learns at different speeds.
- There will probably come times when you
- Computer science does not equal programming.
- You do not have to started coding at the age of 12 to be successful in the major or as a software engineer.
- There’s more math to it than you expect (and math is pretty helpful in this field, especially for research oriented work).
- Programming assignments take longer than you think to complete, best not to start them the night before they’re due. How coding is depicted in films is typically overly dramatized.
- You may not be a natural when it comes to programming and that’s okay. Everyone learns at different speeds.
- There will probably come times when you get frustrated. Could be due to a long programming assignment, a low exam score, or not being able to understand why your program doesn’t work.
- Sometimes you learn more by doing than just taking notes. In computer science you learn programming by actually writing code.
- There will be many times when you’ll have to teach yourself something new. Whether that be a new language, a new framework or a new concept.
- A well developed side project can help you learn a lot.
- Computer science has many overlaps and applications to other fields. So you don’t necessarily need to get a job as a web developer if you’re looking for something else.
If you enjoy it, absolutely you should keep doing it.
When I first ever started programming in HS, I was terrible. I took a programming class and got a D. Instead of continuing to work at my skills I accepted defeat and studied other subjects. I took years to get back to programming and did much better. I am good now, but I was kept away for years because I gave up. So much time wasted.
Do you love writing? No? Don't take computer science. Do you love talking? No? Don't take computer science. And so on. Coding is a skill that supports computer science work, and it's a skill you will need to develop, along with mathematics and logic.
If you major in something and you don't like it, you most likely won't be good at it.
I can tell you as a person with 20 years of experience in Software Engineering - it can be really hard for people who HAVE programming experience. The first year of Computer Science/Engineering is similar to medical school or business school and is considered a “weeder year.”
What does that mean? That they get rid of those that are not committed. A lot of people join these programs because their parents tell them that there is money in it and that they should do it. If you, the student, doesn’t have the constitution for it, you are going to drop out.
Myself, I was somewhere in the middle. I had
I can tell you as a person with 20 years of experience in Software Engineering - it can be really hard for people who HAVE programming experience. The first year of Computer Science/Engineering is similar to medical school or business school and is considered a “weeder year.”
What does that mean? That they get rid of those that are not committed. A lot of people join these programs because their parents tell them that there is money in it and that they should do it. If you, the student, doesn’t have the constitution for it, you are going to drop out.
Myself, I was somewhere in the middle. I had played with some forms of programming, but my university started at Binary, went to Assembly, C, C++, Java, etc - progressing up the abstraction layers of programming languages. I knew a little Pascal and Visual Basic and was woefully unprepared. Some folks knew how to program in C, some knew absolutely nothing about computers. Most programs are expecting this. And actually, the hard part isn’t the programming, it’s a lot of the theory (e.g. Algorithms, Set Theory Implementations, Networking/OS construction applied theory, etc). It’s why they start from the ground up and teach you everything. It also means you better hit the ground running, because there is a lot to cover and they don’t slow down.
Back to my earlier statement though - if you love it, you’ll eventually get it. You just have to work for it. If you don’t, eject now, because it will be many years of pain. You don’t stop learning computer science after college. It’s a lifelong thing.
It should be because computer science is a far bigger subject area than just programming. Unfortunately almost all batchlors degrees in computer science make programming an important part of your final grade.
You don't have to "love" it, I don't like programming that much but you have to get skilled at it for the degree. Since I finished my degree some 12 years ago I haven't written a single line of code and have never needed to.
Computer Science is not just about programming. I think that is one of the biggest misconceptions. Yes, most CS individuals know how to program very well.
But, there is an entire branch of CS that requires little to no programming. I am referring to theoretical computer science. If there are aspects of CS that interest you and you want to do rigorous mathematical analysis of it, theoretical CS is for you.
However, if you are interested in CS simply for the sake of getting a job, I would switch majors immediately. If you don't like the major, imagine what it will be like to do that for a living.
Computer Science is not just about programming. I think that is one of the biggest misconceptions. Yes, most CS individuals know how to program very well.
But, there is an entire branch of CS that requires little to no programming. I am referring to theoretical computer science. If there are aspects of CS that interest you and you want to do rigorous mathematical analysis of it, theoretical CS is for you.
However, if you are interested in CS simply for the sake of getting a job, I would switch majors immediately. If you don't like the major, imagine what it will be like to do that for a living. You can put in less effort and get a B in a class. You can put in less effort at work, but instead of a B, you'll get fired. Save yourself now if that's the case.
Good luck!
P.S. CS is awesome. You'll have more fun with advanced courses.
The logistic curve
At the beginning of college, some people seem much better at programming than others. You might conclude that those people are natural programmers, and everyone else has no talent for it.
But really, they just spent more time programming. Like everyone else, they started at the left of the logistic curve. But as time went on, they moved to the right.
As you spend more time coding, you too will move to the right of the logistic curve.
The logistic curve
At the beginning of college, some people seem much better at programming than others. You might conclude that those people are natural programmers, and everyone else has no talent for it.
But really, they just spent more time programming. Like everyone else, they started at the left of the logistic curve. But as time went on, they moved to the right.
As you spend more time coding, you too will move to the right of the logistic curve.
The claim “I’m not good enough” is never true.
In particular, no matter what other idiots may tell you, no matter what you may tell yourself, you ARE good enough for a computer science major. You just need to put in the work, like everyone else.
For purposes of this answer, I’ll assume that you really want a computer science major. And by “want”, I don’t just mean “Gee it would be nice to have a CS degree”, but rather that you enjoy being frustrated by computer science, and that you’re eager to put in the necessary work to master the material, despite (or because of!) that frustration. (If that’
The claim “I’m not good enough” is never true.
In particular, no matter what other idiots may tell you, no matter what you may tell yourself, you ARE good enough for a computer science major. You just need to put in the work, like everyone else.
For purposes of this answer, I’ll assume that you really want a computer science major. And by “want”, I don’t just mean “Gee it would be nice to have a CS degree”, but rather that you enjoy being frustrated by computer science, and that you’re eager to put in the necessary work to master the material, despite (or because of!) that frustration. (If that’s not what you mean, find something else that you do want, and recognize that you are good enough to get it.)
Perhaps what you mean is “What should I do if I don’t have the right background for a computer science major?” In that case, the answer is straightforward: Develop the right background for a computer science major. And mostly that means math. Take math classes at a local community college, and take them seriously. Put in the time. Do the work. Master the material. And despite what some elitist snobs might tell you, you don’t need prior programming experience to be a CS major, but taking an introductory programming course at a local community college (or via a MOOC) certainly wouldn’t hurt.
Perhaps what you mean is “What should I do if I don’t have the right grades for a computer science major?” In that case, the answer is straightforward: Develop the right grades for a computer science major. Retake any classes where your grades were less than what you want/need. Put in the time. Do the work. Master the material.
Perhaps what you mean is “What should I do if I’m not accepted to the computer science major at my university?” Then first you need to figure out why you weren’t accepted—it could be background (see above), it could be grades (see above), or it could just be luck. (Lots of CS departments, including mine are flooded with too many highly qualified applicants to accept everyone we want.) If there are gaps in your academic record, fix them. And then apply to other universities.
Some of this work will be harder for you than for other people. Maybe they had better elementary school math teachers, or maybe their parents sent them to robot camp, or maybe they played a lot of games with intricate fiddly rules as kids, or maybe they have some natural inborn affinity for the subject, or maybe they just got really lucky. Whatever. None of that matters.
And finally, once you get started on the work, maybe you’ll decide that the amount of effort you have to put in isn’t worth the payoff. In that case, don’t torture yourself; find another target to focus your efforts. That’s not failure. That does not mean that you’re not “good enough”. All it means is that you’ve made an informed choice after good-faith effort.
Of course it's possible. Really, nothing can stop you from majoring in Computer Science.
But whether you can get a good high paying job and be satisfied with your work; that's an entirely different story.
Most software engineer positions require programming knowledge, but there are some more specialized positions such as data scientists that do not involve lots of programming work.
If you have not tried programming before, take a couple of the free online introductory programming courses, try to push through the initial hurdles and who knows, you might fall in love with it?
Be careful not to conflate computer science with writing code. Computer science is a theoretical study while writing code is an application of the concepts in that field. Writing code is an important part of studying how computers work, but it is not the crux of computer science.
That being said, some computer science programs will be more theory-focused while others will be more application-focused, so you should make an assessment of where the computer science program in question falls on the spectrum.
Computer science is not computer programming. Computer science is not really a field at all; it includes computer architecture, operating system design, artificial intelligence, network traffic optimization, computer security, and complexity theory, for instance, which have approximately nothing in common with each other.
If you're at MIT, Stanford, or Carnegie Mellon, then you can major in computer science, and actually do computer science after you graduate. Anywhere else, though, and you're going to end up writing code for the rest of your life. In which case the answer is NO. NO NO NO NO. I
Computer science is not computer programming. Computer science is not really a field at all; it includes computer architecture, operating system design, artificial intelligence, network traffic optimization, computer security, and complexity theory, for instance, which have approximately nothing in common with each other.
If you're at MIT, Stanford, or Carnegie Mellon, then you can major in computer science, and actually do computer science after you graduate. Anywhere else, though, and you're going to end up writing code for the rest of your life. In which case the answer is NO. NO NO NO NO. If you don't love it now, you're going to hate it with a passion after 30 years. Even if you do love it now you might hate it with a passion after 30 years.
If you are at MIT, Stanford, or Carnegie Mellon, you should probably study math or electrical engineering instead, which will teach you more difficult and more useful skills for computer science.
When you say you “like” computer science, but don’t “like” programming, you should identify what you do like that fits into that definition. Do you dislike software engineering and all of the non-programming related subject matter therein? Maybe you prefer thinking at the hardware level?
You need to identify what you enjoy and pursue that. Think about why you’re “not a big fan of programming” and figure out why. Were you put off by the classes because you didn't do well? Is that kind of thinking simply not enjoyable for you? Was there any part of it you did like?
At the end of the day, make sure
When you say you “like” computer science, but don’t “like” programming, you should identify what you do like that fits into that definition. Do you dislike software engineering and all of the non-programming related subject matter therein? Maybe you prefer thinking at the hardware level?
You need to identify what you enjoy and pursue that. Think about why you’re “not a big fan of programming” and figure out why. Were you put off by the classes because you didn't do well? Is that kind of thinking simply not enjoyable for you? Was there any part of it you did like?
At the end of the day, make sure you’re doing something that you enjoy. Especially with programming, you won’t be successful if you don’t like what you do.