Computer Science Major - Strong Math Skills but Limited(11th/12th grade) Programming?

College Majors Math/Computer Science Majors
1

<p>How much computer programming knowledge does the average computer science major have when entering the university? I have some computer programming knowledge, but mostly just CodeAcademy stuff for HTML and Javascript, as well as a little bit of Java. I could write a game of rock-paper scissors or make a makeshift calculator program, but not much beyond that. I will take AP computer science next year, but I am worried about doing the major at a school like Purdue (which has a high drop-out rate for it) as it seems that many kids have been doing it for a long, long time. </p>

<p>If any of this matters:
SAT Math - 800, Math II-780 (I'm kicking myself about those stupid mistakes I made on the SAT II because it was just after school was out for the year and I was quite tired/burned-out)
PSAT - 227
GPA - 4.0 UW for now, am taking AP Calc BC, Physics C, Chem and have A's in all of them easily
~90 on AMC 12, 4 on AIME last year
I know I have the math/science skills, but programming worries me because it seems that there are so many kids who start programming in elementary or early middle school. I feel like it would be an enormous disadvantage to compete against them. What I'm wondering is, what % of computer science GRADUATES didn't start coding until at least high school and had minimal experience until college? I know a substantial # start off with none, but what about those who actually make it through?</p>

<p>EDIT: Just to be clear, what I really would like is some statistical analysis of computer science majors, especially at upper-end schools like Purdue, to see the percentage of students enrolled and graduates who had extensive prior knowledge(particularly before high school) and the correlation between prior knowledge and program success(which would count against me) and the correlation between program success and GPA/SAT/math ability (which would count for me).</p>

2

<p>Purdue’s introductory CS course for CS majors (CS 18000) has no CS prerequisites (only math co-requisite of calculus 1 if not taken previously):
<a href=“Detailed Course Information”>https://selfservice.mypurdue.purdue.edu/prod/bwckctlg.p_disp_course_detail?cat_term_in=201410&subj_code_in=CS&crse_numb_in=18000&lt;/a&gt;
So the assumption is no previous CS knowledge; what you have is ahead of that (especially if you take AP CS in high school).</p>

<p>Purdue allows subject credit for CS 17700 for a score of 4 on AP CS; this is a course for non-CS majors.
<a href=“https://www.admissions.purdue.edu/transfercredit/collegeboardap.php[/url]”>https://www.admissions.purdue.edu/transfercredit/collegeboardap.php&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>List of Purdue’s CS courses:
<a href=“https://www.cs.purdue.edu/academic-programs/courses/index.html[/url]”>https://www.cs.purdue.edu/academic-programs/courses/index.html&lt;/a&gt;
CS degree requirements:
<a href=“https://www.cs.purdue.edu/undergraduate/curriculum/bachelor.html[/url]”>https://www.cs.purdue.edu/undergraduate/curriculum/bachelor.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

3

<p>Coding isn’t difficult. It’s probably the least important factor and I say this as a programmer. If you’re decent at math, you’ll find picking up programming pretty easy.</p>

4

<p>CS programs don’t require you to have programming experience before entering them. I honestly wouldn’t worry about it.</p>

<p>I’ve never heard of a statistical study that compares how people with programming experience do in a CS program vs. those without experience. It seems like it would be hard to quantify “experience” or “prior knowledge.”</p>