<p>I have been accepted to a school to study engineering......I have already graduated from my high school......So I have minimum six months free time .......I want to study ECE......But i have never studied programming languages like java or C++ ......I also plan to take few CS classes............So what do you think I should do?? Will the knowledge of programming languages help me(dramatically!!) to do good or knowing it now is just a waste of time? If it is ok to learn those languages which one is better java or C++.........I am an international student and i want to know how much does a typical US student doing ECE/CS know about programming before going to college?</p>
<p>my brother is a ME and he had to take C++, take it a community college if thats availiable to you, or just buy a book on it</p>
<p>Go to the school's web site and look at the required core courses for the degree in which you are planning to study. Also look at some of the courses that will be available to you. By doing this, you will be able to see what courses you are going to be already having to take and the prerequisites of the classes in which you are interested.</p>
<p>S is a CS major in an engineering school. Freshman year were required courses in programming and CAD. Unless the student is competent enough to test out of the programming course, they would have to take is anyhow. In the event you are interesting in getting ahead of the game, looking at the course descriptions will tell you the specific programming languages used at your school.</p>
<p>Good luck.</p>
<p>c++ and java, the initial courses aren't too detailed so you are not required to know them perfectly, just get a general idea of fundamental control and data structures</p>
<p>sdmatt,smoda61 ,UriA702</p>
<p>Thanks for the info.....One more thing if i don't learn ......will i lag in classes??(do others usually know those things?)</p>
<p>From watching my son his first year, he did not NEED to have known programming before his freshman year BUT I don't think it hurt to have some courses in which he was already comfortable with the subject matter. There was already so much that freshman have to learn besides academics. I would say that if you would enjoy it, it will never hurt you.</p>
<p>BTW - His first few courses were C++. He is now versed in HTML, Javascript, Perl and CGI but he is a CS engineer. You indicate ECE. That may lead you different languages.</p>
<p>smoda61.....</p>
<p>Thanks........ya i kinda enjoy computers(repairing them and stuffs) but haven't taken any classes on programming to know if i like it or not.......anyway i think i will give it a try</p>
<p>if you like mental puzzles and logic, then programming may suit you well. Son always loved those and still does. Keep in mind that you might have the option of a double major CS/ECE and get the best of both.</p>
<p>I headed off to ECE with no programming experience whatsoever and have not had problems. Generally, the mandatory introductory classes will assume that you have no experience and teach you the necessary languages from scratch.</p>
<p>If you're going to be doing ECE learn C/C++ if not that then Java. Learn one language and learn it really well, don't learn a variety of languages right now. Then learn more advanced topics such as data structures. That should keep you busy for 6 months and make you well prepared.</p>
<p>Also, learn math. At the end of the day all of engineering is clever applications of math and physics, except CS which is just math :)</p>
<p>CS is definitely useful. You need to take it, if you want to major in ECE.</p>
<p>Learn C++. With that under your belt, you should be able to learn other languages (particularly Java) pretty easily.</p>
<p>You don't need to know anything about programming before you start college, but it'll help you if you at least have a general idea.</p>
<p>OP, what language is the first programming-related class that you will take, taught in?</p>
<p>If it's a C-based language, then by all means learn some C++ or Java ahead of time. If it's something like Scheme/LISP, then at this point I would say do not learn a C-based language just now.</p>
<p>The intro CS class that all EECS majors took at my alma mater was taught in Scheme (though they are redoing the curriculum, and the new first class is taught in Python). Very few of the students had programmed in Scheme before. The ones who were experts in other languages were mostly fine, regardless of language. The ones who knew nothing going in were mostly fine. The ones (like me) who knew a little bit of something like C++ tended to struggle. It's an entirely different type of programming language, and when you know a little but not a lot, you instinctively revert to trying to structure everything like it's the language that you do know, and it screws you up.</p>