I’m currently an undecided freshman at Ohio State University, and I’ve recently sparked an interest in Computer Science.
Before I was mainly considering International Studies or Pre-med, but I find myself getting really bored in these classes. I’m a girl and Hispanic (Ecuadorian), and I’ve never had any experience with coding and such but I do really love computers and I’ve been taking coding courses online and it’s cool! I’m really enjoying it.
I do worry about the math and science, because those are subjects I do have to work really hard in but I think it would be worth it? I mean the lowest grade I’ve ever gotten in a math/science course is a B+.
So basically what I’m trying to say is it okay to start computer science my sophomore year in college? How does being Hispanic and a girl help me after college if I graduate with a degree in CS? Will I be okay if I do have a strong interest in computers and am willing to put in the effort for math and physics, despite having a little trouble with those subjects? Where should I start if I want to pursue CS? (Like Java, coding, etc.)
Thank you!
OMG I’m Ecuadorian too!
There are several opportunities for women and people of color in the world of coding; some coding bootcamps–which are two month long CS trade schools that many undergrads attend after college–offer scholarships just for women (I think Dev Bootcamp in San Francisco is one of these), while others are completely free for women (there’s one in Seattle like this, I don’t remember its name). Additionally, many large companies like Google and Microsoft make an effort to hire very diverse teams of coders and engineers. Given that you’re an Ecuadorian female, I think you would be especially sought after because women and Hispanic coders are very rare.
I don’t know very much about OSU, but if I were you, I would take an intro-level CS class, or at least audit one if you have time. This will help you decide if you really want to change majors. I’ve heard that, before the second year, it’s pretty easy for undergrads to switch majors at most universities, but again, I’m not sure how it is at OSU. Try to talk to some people who’ve switched to CS, preferably other women.
Hope this helped a little bit! What online courses have you been using?
That’s so cool! You don’t run into too many Ecuadorians here lol. That sounds great, thanks for letting me know! I’ll definitely look into that. So that’s only for after college once we graduate, right?
I was hoping for that reassurance that companies would be looking for minorities to hire, so that definitely is a plus!
I would love to take an intro-level CS class, but as of right now I’m a full-time student taking the maximum credit hours (I’m mostly taking GEs right now to get that over with), so that’s why I’d have to wait till the summer or sophomore year to deal with pre-reqs and then finally declare it as my major. We have until the end of sophomore year to officially declare a major. I guess that was also another one of my concerns, starting CS as my major sophomore/junior year. Is that too late? I probably won’t graduate on time but I just don’t want to be in college for 6+ years, I think an additional year is fine but I don’t know!
It did help, thank you so much! I’ll ask my advisor and see how I can prepare for a CS major. I’ve been mainly using CodeAcademy! Are you a CS major?
@wondervigilante sorry I didn’t know we were supposed to tag people! Haha 
Computer science majors do not expect you to already know how to code before you come into the major. It’d be great if you practiced to see if you like it, but that’s part of what you learn in a CS major. Also, a CS major is not all coding. It’s about the science and architecture of computers and their applications.
Yes, it is okay to start a CS major in your sophomore year! Many software companies are trying to diversify their workforces, so being they would welcome a Hispanic woman who is good at what she does.
Whether you will be ok depends on how much trouble you have. I think if you are generally a B+ student in math you should be fine, but if you struggle to grasp mathematical concepts or have to put in way too much time trying to understand and finish math work, it may not be the best bet. HOWEVER, I think you should totally try it and see if you like it!
Thank you so much @julliet! I’m planning on taking a CS class in the summer and continuing the courses online because I actually am enjoying it! I’ll see if I can keep up with the math and science. Thanks again!
Starting later is probably fine, but you need to pay a little more attention to the prerequisite sequencing of the CS courses in order to get the sequences done in time for graduation.
It looks like the key sequence at The Ohio State University is the following:
programming experience or any of 1211, 1212, 1221, 1222, 1223
2221
2231 and 2321
2421 and 2331 and 2451
2431 and one or more of 3901, 3902, 3903
More advanced courses require at least some of the above.
https://cse.osu.edu/courses
https://cse.osu.edu/current-students/undergraduate/majors
Thanks @ucbalumnus!! I’ll take a look at those websites
@alimac2015 I have been a computer scientist since 1983. Females are still a minority in the field. The job outlook is good for the future. I would think that declaring your major second year would not lead you to graduate much later than you had originally expected. Most CS programs still have quite a few electives so many of your first year classes will apply towards those. Good luck to you. It really has been a great career for me. I’ve never had a problem finding a job.
@CollegeMama987 I just saw this, thank you for the comment!! Appreciate it!