Narrowing Down my Prospective Major

Hi everyone,

I’m currently a rising sophomore who knows that he’s interested in engineering. But as many know, engineering is such a broad field and I personally have no clue what exactly I want to study in college and what kind of a career I’m interested in. I’m interested and am currently pursuing computer programming, and I have successfully mastered(major concepts) of the Java and C languages. This is why I’m considering pursuing a computer science degree. But as an overrepresented minority in an overrepresented major in an overrepresented state(NJ), I’m extremely concerned about blending into the crowd of all other applicants to selective colleges that are just like me.

https://www.mastersportal.com/articles/2797/computer-science-vs-computer-engineering-which-degree-to-study-in-2021.html
After reading the above article, I’ve gotten a greater insight into the various specific fields within computer science(Data Science, Cloud Computing, Cybersecurity, etc). But I have no idea where to start, and no clue as to which might be my passion. Does anyone know how I can learn more and explore the details about these specializations? Any sort of feedback would be appreciated!

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Maybe you can talk to your teachers or parents about - do they know anyone in industry - and you can set up informational interviews to learn more.

There are also summer camps/sessions - maybe you can do one or two. My son went to a one week one at Purdue. We looked at a 3 week one at Michigan that was focused on the engineering of rollercoasters.

You might also find some small local firms and inquire about a part time job or internship.

I think the main thing here, as a HS sophomore is, you know you love STEM - the engineering, comp sci, and I assume math.

So focus on a rigorous schedule if you can manage. You can look at different college requirements to get in from a schedule POV.

Your specific major decision period is a long ways off.

Good luck to you.

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You do not have to pick a specialization within CS now. Choosing a specialization would mainly be done in the third and fourth year by choosing among upper level CS courses (though some students choose a more general set of upper level CS courses). With three more years of high school and two years of college before considering a specialization, you have plenty of time.

Note, however, that data science may be a distinct major at some colleges. It tends to include a blend of CS and statistics, perhaps with an area of application.

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Also school of information or informatics… Lots to research and learn.

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Thanks @tsbna44. I’ll try looking for different summer camps and internships located near meand see what suits my interests.

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@ucbalumnus Thank you for the advice! The main reason I asked this question in the first place was that I’ve always wanted to work on a “signature” project with relation to my prospective major. But as I’ve already stated, I’ve felt that Computer Science is simply too broad for what I am hoping to achieve. This is why I wanted advice on how to find which sub-branch of computer science appeals to me, so that I can not only move forward with this project, but also have a clearer vision of both my major and job.

ORM parent here of a rising senior in NJ. I do understand your need to somehow differentiate yourself from the crowd with an interesting project. But wanting to specialize this early is not very meaningful. Perhaps you can explore something like Cyber Start - as a club in your school. If it doesn’t exist then start it! You will gain leadership skills, time management and a bunch of other skills. My kid did just that last year, and got a scholarship from them. So there is external validation as well .

A lot of high school students with highly specialized "research " have close connections with adults in industry or academia. It’s just not a standout thing any more unless you have some independent verification of your skills, like an ISEF award or something like that.

My older son just graduated with a degree in CS. The career path he follows and the types of projects he is involved in will carve out his specialty. You’re so far away from that. So right now, concentrate on your courses, grades and looking for opportunities where you can contribute and grow. It doesnt have to be fancy but it has to show sincere commitment.

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Thank you so much! This has given me a much better understanding of where I am and what I should be doing everyone. Once again, thanks so much everyone!

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It’s great you are trying to plan ahead, but try not to stress too much. Let your interests evolve. With the techie majors you like, there are many schools that you could attend and then be successful. If you do have reasons to want the tippy top schools, don’t underestimate the value of your non-STEM classes. Being strong in a variety of subjects will be an advantage.

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