First off, I’m not sure if this is the correct thread. I don’t use this site very often.
I’m a non-traditional student who is going back to school after dropping out of UC several years ago.
I have been accepted into Cal State Long Beach, Cal State Fullerton, and Cal Poly Pomona for Economics. I have also been accepted into Cal State Dominguez Hills for Computer Science.
Here’s my dilemma, I am not interested in Economics at all. I have my AA in Econ, but I can’t see myself going back into this study. That said, I’m very passionate about Computer Science.
CSULB and CPP are great schools and I’d be a fool to turn them down, but CSUDH opened their arms for Computer Science and I wouldn’t have a chance with this major anywhere else.
Is the school I choose really going to affect my career opportunities following graduation? I know schools like long beach and fullerton will most likely have better recruitment and internship opportunities, but if I seek those out myself, will I still be at a disadvantage? I have proven an aptitude for mathematics and software development through my prior coursework and freelance development. The question is this, do I pick a school because of its name or do I got with my gut and explore my passions at a lesser known school.
What is your plan if you go to Fullerton or Long Beach? It sounds like it’s to get a degree in Economics and then try to get a job in CS. Is this right?
Why, especially as a non traditional student, would you want to go and spend that time, money,and effort to study something that you know you don’t want to study.
A CS degree is highly marketable so if CS is what you want to pursue, I would lean towards Dominguez Hills. Although it does not have the overall better CSU reputation like CPP, Long Beach or Fullerton, their CS program is ABET accredited just like the rest of your CSU options.
If you are not familiar with ABET accreditation, it means ABET accreditation assures confidence that a collegiate program has met standards essential to prepare graduates to enter critical STEM fields in the global workforce
I am hoping that you can transfer to CS if you go to one of the schools that accepted you in Economics. I am not familiar with their policies myself.
I agree with the other poster who said you need to plan to major in CS. Life is not like school, where you can just pass a test at something you do not like. Enthusiasm and the will to keep going further in your chosen field will be everything. Do what makes the most sense for your future CS career.
Changing majors as a transfer student into a highly impacted major like CS will be difficult as an accepted Econ major. It will depend upon the course work already completed towards the CS degree at the CC and what degree requirements would still need to be completed at CPP, CSULB and CSUF to even declare and switch the major. Also as a CC transfer, you need to be aware of maximum unit limits. If you want to attend any of these schools, I would definitely contact an advisor to see if it would be possible.
Another vote for Cal State DH. For CS, self directed projects are meaningful and can get your foot in the door. While I am not familiar with the relative prestige factors of the various CSU’s, I just don’t see an Econ degree from any CSU conferring a big advantage over an ABET accredited CS degree.
It would take far less time for me to graduate with Economics. I have fulfilled all of the pre-requisite coursework for the major. If I go to Dominguez Hills, I will be required to complete several additional courses of pre-req before moving on to upper division.
If I went to Long Beach, I would complete a degree in Economics. I’d most likely attempt to leverage the statistical aspect of Economics and go towards data science, but I’m not sure if my motivation will continue if I’m studying advanced economic concepts.
You’re right, I shouldn’t invest my time and money into a program that doesn’t interest me. I think I convinced myself that I must finish what I started- Economics. However, spending the extra semester or two obtaining a CS degree will be more beneficial in the short and long term.
I’m also going to accept the fact that while CSUDH isn’t MIT, they still offer an accredited program that will likely provide me with the tools necessary to step into the field.