About to commit to a BS in Computer Science and not turn back.

College Majors Engineering Majors
1

<p>I decided last year I wasn't cut out for medicine and my biology major would be utterly useless.</p>

<p>Then i transferred to my state school to save money.</p>

<p>Now I realized that the only major that I can complete in 2.5-3 years is Computer Science. Clarification, only major with good job prospects.</p>

<p>I would try and get into Kelley School of Business, but if I don't make the grades then I would have to get into SPEA and i dont even know what I would do with a degree from SPEA. It's not worth risking a semester taking courses to get into Kelley. Business is my main academic interest, but it seems unrealistic because of all the classes I would have to take.</p>

<p>I am going to supplement my CS major with a business minor, so I at least have a decent business background. I realized that if I can't major in business, then I might as well do something that will make me the most money regardless of how interested I am in it.</p>

<p>My dad talked about how he knows a lot of people who came to the US from india and got CS degrees, even though they had no knowledge before hand or an interest. They did it strictly for the money. For example, I have an uncle making 80k a year at Lucent.</p>

<p>So my question is, will I still be able to go out and socialize with friends if I'm taking 15 credit hours on average every semester for the next 6 semesters? </p>

<p>Here is what the schedule will look like with my CS courses (spaces will separate semesters):</p>

<p>Junior:
I101 Intro to Informatics - 4 credits
C211 Intro to CS - 4 credits</p>

<p>C212 Intro to Software Systems - 4 credits
C241 Discrete Structures for CS - 3 credits</p>

<p>Senior:
C311 Programming Languages - 4 credits
C335 Data Structures - 4 credits
C343 Computer Structures - 4 credits</p>

<p>P415 Intro to Verification - 3 credits
P423 Compilers - 4 credits
P436 Intro to Operating Systems - 4 credits</p>

<p>Super Senior:
P434 Distributed Systems - 4 credits
P438 Intro to Computer Networks - 4 credits</p>

<p>Courses:</a> Undergraduate: School of Informatics and Computing: Indiana University Bloomington</p>

<p>These are the courses I will be taking and the extra space will be filled with gen ed and business courses for my minor.</p>

<p>I got an A in Calc I and Calc II, so I'm pretty sure I can do well in Comp Sci. Anyone think this is a dumb idea if I don't have an interest? I just want job security and since I can't get into Kelley unless I take a risk, then it's the only viable option. Also, a business degree would take more classes than if I just majored in Comp Sci and minored in business.</p>

2

<p>Well a few things before I answer your question.
1.) Comp Sci isn’t much like calc if any at all. Just a warning. Its usually a love or hate field.
2.) Business minors are useless with comp sci. Doesn’t make you more qualified for any CS job unless you financial programming. Even then all you would need is a class or two not a complete minor. I would choose business or CS and focus on that.</p>

<p>Now for your question. It is not dumb. A lot of people pick majors on job security. It would be tough if you hate it and you doing for the next 40 years of your life but you could always eventually move into the management side of industry and is less technical.</p>

3

<p>If you just want to pick up a pay check, CS isn’t a bad choice. Yeah, you can probably find a job after you graduate, even if you are a mediocre student – and given your apathetic attitude towards CS, you will almost definitely be a mediocre student. Maybe you can make 80K like your uncle, but you should know that a mid-career salary of 80K is actually pretty low for a software developer (80K is entry-level for most top tech-firms).</p>

4

<p>You started out in Biology; then wanted to transfer to CS for job security; then freaked out about potentially being unemployed in CS; talked about bio-informatics; and now say your true interest is in business. The best thing you did was to switch to your State University. Since you really have no clue what you like or will be good at you should just take it one step at a time. As a Junior level student you will be taking freshman and sophmore level CS classes. You may find that you love it and then you’ll know the answer to all of these questions. On the other hand, you may find that you are struggling mightily and then you’ll know that you won’t be able to complete the degree and need to switch to something else.</p>

<p>BTW - 15 credit hours on average is not considered a heavy courseload. You are going to have to learn how to deal with it. If you go the business route most students wind up having to take several semesters at 18hrs and no semesters with any less than 15 in order to graduate in 4 years.</p>

5

<p>Taking both compilers and operating systems in one semester may be a bad idea depending on how heavy those courses are on projects at your school.</p>

<p>Calc I and Calc II have nothing to do with comp sci. Take the intro class for math majors at your school if you want to gauge how well you would do at CS.</p>

6

<p>I would have to agree with being cautious about taking compiler design and operating systems at the same time. If you do, and you have to team up with other classmates, I would team up with those who are ALSO taking both courses at the same time. You don’t want your project teams overlapping…meaning you have to cut time with one to satisfy the other course team.</p>

7

<p>True but it’s only 15 credit hours, which isn’t much.</p>