I would have to say that you have to be ready for a decently high
workload. Many times your beginning programming classes are going to
be work intensive. I spent many overnight programming sprees debugging
code that I just couldn't understand why it wasn't working.
College is not going to be programming little programs to do neat
things in Basic and beginning C. You will use C++ or Java, and you
will be using large, complex constructs which will force you to either
use organization, or do what I did and just bungle your way through by
coding for hours and hours on end fixing dumb mistakes.
Math skills are good, but I think overrated for what most computer
science majors end up doing with their degree (i.e. systems
administration, business coding, project management). However, if you
are like me, you realize that the business world sucks, and that you
will forever be an Office Space style automaton if you surrender your
soul to the Corporation. So, again, if you are like me, you will
realize that you want to go to graduate school, in which case it is
essential that you go above and beyond your requirements for
mathematics. I even picked it up as a second major to give myself
another year in undergraduate to do some good work.
In every class you should be striving for a level of mastery or
understanding that will allow you to cruise through the core classes
and spend a lot of your time on extracurricular activities. And when I
say extracurricular, I don't mean Frats and intramural sports. I was
an athlete for a year and I have been an officer in several clubs, but
what I really mean by extracurricular is research activity, either with
a professor as a paid activity, or by yourself. This is what the top
grad schools are looking for.
But then I am getting way to complicated for someone who is either in
high school or the first year of college. If you have more questions,
do ask.
Jason
Post by J***@gmail.comHi
What are the best parts of having a computer science major? what do you
like about stuying the subject?
What skills do you think you need other than programing math etc?
what is the biggest disadvantge to the subject?
thanks