<p>im in sciences right now (pre pharmacy) and am not really enjoying my biology classes and have grown to detest memorization so im thinking of pursuing something different. ive been told im a good problem solver and im very good at calculus (i.e. picking up notation like its a language naturally). my friend recommended computer science and id like to know if its for me but theres no way im able to take a course this year on it. can anyone tell me what it is like?</p>
<p>Five threads down? <a href=“http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/science-majors/843166-what-computer-science-really-like.html[/url]”>http://talk.collegeconfidential.com/science-majors/843166-what-computer-science-really-like.html</a></p>
<p>Nobody can predict whether you would enjoy a CS major or not. The consensus on the other thread seems to be that you would need to take several CS classes, including at least one systems class, to get a good idea if you would enjoy the major.</p>
<p>My son has told me that there is a lot of memorization in some of the CS courses too.</p>
<p>It’s hard. and I’m good at calculus</p>
<p>There really shouldn’t be a lot of memorization in computer science. If you have a natural aptitude for it then it just sort of makes sense. I think in math and computer science both if you are doing a lot of memorizing then you are doing it wrong. You should be focused on understanding.</p>
<p>I tutor both and I have noticed that this is the real difference between people who do well and people who just get by.</p>
<p>OP, I started out as a pre-nursing major. I did really well in general biology, then I hit anatomy and physiology. I did fine in physiology and anatomy kicked my butt. I have the worst memory in the world, but advanced maths, computer science, and languages come really easy to me. So there is a chance you would do just fine.</p>
<p>There’s no way to know until you get into it, though.</p>
<p>To get an idea you can try picking up any object oriented programming book. Focus on the concepts more than the language. If it feels like it makes sense, then you will probably do well. If it’s just a confusing mess, then it might not be for you.</p>
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<p>Let’s say that you take an architecture course and you’re responsible for knowing
two or three instruction sets for a test. Or you need to know several graph theory
algorithms for a discrete structures test. Or you need to know PL/SQL syntax
for a database course. Or you need to know how a lock manager works. Or the
various algorithms used in operating systems.</p>
<p>Or your professor’s course has 7,000 pages of reading and you’re responsible for
all of it.</p>
<p>There’s a lot of memorization in any subject. Some people just have an easier or harder time remembering certain kinds of things. I submit that there is no academic subject for which significant memorization is not a vital part of learning.</p>
<p>I don’t think it’s memorization so much as finding relationships. Personally, I’m terrible at remembering names and dates, but I’ve always loved history, not because I’m good at remembering it, but because it allows me to take a small bit of knowledge and relate it to a lot of other things that I know, but without a trigger can’t recall. I feel like math and CS and physics all utilize this: if you can recall a few triggers, such as F=ma and other basics, you can remember jumps to other more complicated solutions.</p>
<p>Memorization has very little to do with Comp Sci. I’m a freshman studying CS and really it’s mainly about figuring out efficient ways to solve various problems. Yeah, you have to remember the syntax of what language you study, but I’ve never had to sit down and try to memorize CS stuff like I would in a History class or something similar.</p>
<p>In all fairness, if you know what a formal language is, if you can run through a breadth-first search algorithm by hand, and if you can explain how a multi-level feedback queue works… you have memorized quite a bit, whether you know it or not.</p>