I am currently a student at a cc looking to transfer Fall 2018 after receiving an AA. I was considering majoring in either finance or accounting but now I am also looking into statistics and actuarial science. The schools I am looking at are UF for accounting/finance/stats, FIU for finance, FAU for accounting, and FSU for actuarial science. I know 4 possibilities are a lot so I was hoping someone could offer some advice. My worry about the stats and actuarial science majors are the required computer science classes and higher level math classes. I have never taken a computer science class and have no programming experience. I have taken ap calc ab and bc (both 5s) but withdrew from linear algebra last year (at a different college not my cc). I am thinking about taking an intro cs class next semester and calc iii or linear algebra but not sure if they will be too difficult. I am also worried that I won’t really like majoring in accounting/finance. Any input is greatly appreciated!
Many students - likely most - who studied computer science in college took their first programming classes in college. They’re actually not widely available in high schools. If your CC offers some introductory programming classes it might be a good idea to take 1-2 this year, before you transfer.
Are you worried that you won’t perform well in math or just that there will be a lot of work? If you got 5s and performed well in both AP calc classes it sounds like you’ll be fine. Why did you withdraw from linear algebra?
You won’t know if something is too difficult until you try it for yourself.
It sounds to me like you are more interested in stats or actuarial science but you are just afraid of the heavy math requirements. Don’t be afraid. Try it out first!
@juillet Thank you for your help. I am going to try an intro programming class next semester and see how it goes. I think I will also take calc iii next semester, maybe linear algebra over the summer. I am worried I won’t do well, that the material will be difficult not that there will be too much work. I took calc bc my senior yr and am currently taking business calculus to refresh my memory but will do some review before. I withdrew from Linear Algebra because I was having issues understanding the material and I was having some personal problems. It was my first semester freshman year so it was a hard time (it wasn’t at my cc it was a different school). I definitely am more interested in stats or actuarial science but I’m worried because I haven’t taken stats in a few years and the only stats class offered at my cc is the one I received AP credit for. Also FSU which has the actuarial science program is quite far from where I live. Anyway, thanks!
Many things worth doing are difficult. I would at least try it out before deciding! Don’t shy away from something you like because you’re worried it will be hard.