<p>I am a freshman in college. My current major is computer science. As the first semester comes to an end, I am wondering if this major is right for me. I understand that engineering has a lot of math. That is my problem. In highschool I never took pre-calc and my college enrolled me in calculus 1. Apparently a pre req. was pre calculus. I'm not struggling in calculus but I really don't understand it. I have one of the lowest grades and it seems like I really don't understand it but everyone else does. Next semester I have to take calc 2. I'm worried that not taking pre calc is going to hurt my future performance because I'm planning I be a computer science or an electric engineer major. If I didn't understand calc 1 I'm not sure if I'm going to understand the next calc classes I will be taking and of course this will effect me in whether I will get my degree or not. What do you guys think I should do? My teacher talked to me and said taking pre calc and calc 2 would be a bad idea but I have no idea what to do.</p>
<p>First I would advise you to have a “Man in the Mirror” moment. Reflect on yourself and start asking the big
questions:
What would I like to see myself doing in the future?
What interests me?
Do I like working with people or on my own?
Do I like working hands-on and in the field or indirectly behind-the-scenes?
Do I want to be in the sciences? Medical? Education? Art? A mix of two or more of these?
Use these questions as a way to figure out what career path you’d like to take. </p>
<p>Then you should talk to an academic advisor. Hear what they have to say about what you would have to do in the different majors you’re interested in, and how it would be like to study in these majors. Beware though, some advisors will try to discourage you from doing what you know in your heart to be what you really want. Don’t let other people bully you into following a path that is not your own.</p>
<p>Regarding your academics, I think you should just take Pre-Calc or maybe re-take Calc 1 before advancing further in math. Doing otherwise could just be setting yourself up for disaster. Calculus will chew you up and spit you out if you don’t know what you’re doing, and it is usually a requirement in both CompSci and Engineering. This is especially important if you plan on doing Engineering, which requires way more math and physics.</p>
<p>Personally, I too am a CompSci major. In my freshman year I was also unsure if this is what I want, and now I’m starting to hate it more and more. I don’t find it extremely hard, just extremely annoying. I’m not sure myself whether to just stick it out or do something else, so I need to have some “Man in the Mirror” moments of my own.
So to answer your question, if engineering is the right major for you, I’m afraid I’m going to have to give you the cliché answer: It’s really up to you.</p>