EPT
raawwwr i dont want to switch majors
| Blogs > eMbrace |
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eMbrace
United States1300 Posts
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Roffles
Pitcairn19291 Posts
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eMbrace
United States1300 Posts
On November 09 2009 08:54 Roffles wrote: Don't give up just yet. One class isn't all there is. Keep at it, if it's a field you really enjoy, then why give up just now? a C doesn't look good when you're looking for a job =/ | ||
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meeple
Canada10211 Posts
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meeple
Canada10211 Posts
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d3_crescentia
United States4054 Posts
make friends with people who think it's easy and work with them/ask them for help | ||
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mahnini
United States6862 Posts
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category
United States85 Posts
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CTStalker
Canada9720 Posts
in addition, you shouldn't worry too much about having trouble with c++, as it's a notoriously difficult and obtuse language. even if your assignments don't involve them, things like multiple inheritance, templates, and lack of a gc make high-level c++ dev frustrating. | ||
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SanguineToss
Canada815 Posts
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CTStalker
Canada9720 Posts
On November 09 2009 08:55 eMbrace wrote: a C doesn't look good when you're looking for a job =/ just to add some more anecdotal experience here: i hardly boast a pristine transcript, and i've had lots of jobs in the cs industry. the best employers are looking for the ability to learn quickly, enthusiasm, interest in programming outside of work. if you can code well they don't care too much about grades. | ||
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illu
Canada2531 Posts
Remember the most difficult, yet also the most interesting courses in computer science are data structures, algorithms, numerical methods, and computational complexity. As far as I know none of those above requires you to write computer programs. I sat in computational complexity last summer and it was extremely interesting (I am a mathematician so I might be biased). Also, looking at your text, I think you are a good student and you should be able to avoid a C. Even if you did get a C, for argument's sake, I believe you will still be OK. Most graduate schools are generous enough to forgive one C, especially if it occured in lower years... unless you want to do medicine, law, or dentistry, but I don't think that's what you want to do. | ||
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PH
United States6173 Posts
What I can say, however, is that computer science takes a LOT of independent work. I know/know of fairly many people who are majors like you, graduated with computer science degrees. It seems to be that way not just for the classes, but for the major as a whole. You really have to have a vested personal interest in the topic in order to keep up...you'll fall behind if you're not willing to keep up on your own outside of class as well. In other words, you really have to be a CS nerd in order to manage the major. :X | ||
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Judicator
United States7270 Posts
On November 09 2009 09:11 CTStalker wrote: don't get discouraged because of a minor snag like a few hard assignments. engineering and comp sci degrees are pretty tough - not many students make it through without a C or D here and there. some of the best programmers i've worked with have Fs on their transcripts. and these are the kinds of guys who write their own rss readers in perl and tk -- so don't let it get you too down. in addition, you shouldn't worry too much about having trouble with c++, as it's a notoriously difficult and obtuse language. even if your assignments don't involve them, things like multiple inheritance, templates, and lack of a gc make high-level c++ dev frustrating. Also, by your second job, your prospective employer will give diddly squat about your grades in college. So don't stress about a bad grade, it happens to everyone. | ||
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dasanivan
United States532 Posts
I don't know, maybe you have a more thorough understanding of your own situation. It's up to you to decide. | ||
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eMbrace
United States1300 Posts
i just feel at a disadvantage because i'm behind other students at such an early stage. i don't understand these recent programs and as I said, they build off one another -- and our next exam is going to be about what we did in them as well. so a B can tank down to a C fairly quickly in that case, I'll figure out something though -- and i'll probably take more courses next semester. | ||
Heyoka
Katowice25012 Posts
I was told specifically by one of the CS advisers that no one leaves with good record but I have no idea if that is specific to our school or the whatever. | ||
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illu
Canada2531 Posts
On November 09 2009 09:50 eMbrace wrote: thanks for all the input guys i just feel at a disadvantage because i'm behind other students at such an early stage. i don't understand these recent programs and as I said, they build off one another -- and our next exam is going to be about what we did in them as well. so a B can tank down to a C fairly quickly in that case, I'll figure out something though -- and i'll probably take more courses next semester. To be honest, I hated first and second year math courses. They were very all very computational courses with little theory in it, which I really hate - and hatred translated into mediocore grades. It wasn't until third year that I started getting straight A+s. | ||
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Equaoh
Canada427 Posts
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swat
Australia142 Posts
In all seriousness though these people saying that one C or something on your transcript isn't bad... well it isn't, it is just that you want to have a strong understanding of the basics of c++ so that the more complex stuff isn't as difficult. So getting some C's here and there isn't bad as long as at the end of the day if you don't understand something but still passed, go back do some more work / research and try to grasp these things. | ||
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onmach
United States1241 Posts
First off, the myth that you need a good transcript to get a job is a myth. For a lawyer or a doctor or a researcher, that is the case. But for a programmer no one will ever give a crap about your transcript. It is a field where there's very little bullshitting going on. It is obvious to everyone who is good and who is not. I've worked with high school students that were awesome and an ivy leaguer who was fired on the first day. I had about the lowest grades it was possible to have and still graduate due to my general apathy. My advisor shook his head in disbelief looking at my grades, but here I got a job after a single resume/interview while most of my contemporaries ended up waiting tables. Now, as for your problem. It sounds to me, and I could be wrong, but it sounds to me as if you are attending lectures and talking to TA's but you aren't reading the book or experimenting on your own. This isn't the same as say a history course, where there's a big book that the teacher will summarize the points you need to know, and you can use the book sparingly. You have to know everything that is going on in that book until it reaches the point where you are in this class. If you don't understand the basic concepts of C++, it is like trying to play soccer without a ball. But more than that you need to have an editor open with code samples from the book you are reading that you can compile and tweak, and really SEE what is happening. I also agree with one of the above comments, that you should rely a little on google. Every CS student has asked the questions you are asking and the answers are all there for you to find. Also it could be the case that your book sucks, and there are better tutorials online. But seriously, if you think you'll only end up with just a C, that isn't a big deal. In my first C++ class 3/4 of the class dropped out by finals and then half of those failed out of the course. That means a C puts you around the 92nd percentile of people who started the class. | ||
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Kwidowmaker
Canada978 Posts
@illu God I can't agree more with you on computational courses. I don't know how Chemistry, Biology and Physics could possibly have boring courses, but somehow it always happens :S How can you make exothermic reactions boring? Teach it. How can you make elastic collisions boring? Teach it. How can you make evolution boring? Teach it. How can you make dichotomous key boring? well, bad example. | ||
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illu
Canada2531 Posts
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OpticalShot
Canada6330 Posts
Trust me, professors WANT more students helping their research and such. Volunteer = they don't have to be committed to a financial output while having someone that can potentially help them. Of course, for you, you get experience that you need and you can proudly list the things you did/with the professor on your resume - and now you've got a valid, practical experience! If you have a cumulative GPA of over 3, that's pretty much all you need. 3.99 and 4.00 may get you paying research positions with profs, but when you're out in the industry, it's experience over marks. | ||
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Catch]22
Sweden2683 Posts
Also, the entire topic header is about you NOT wanting to switch, so dont switch. If you want to feel bad about getting one bad grade, do that instead of going emo about 0mg MY LIFE IS DOWN THE TOILET. | ||
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Catch]22
Sweden2683 Posts
On November 09 2009 10:25 illu wrote: However, do know that programming is a HORRIBLE job. It's mental labour, really, and you cannot possibly be doing it for more than 20 years because you will grow old and retarded. Therefore, unless you want to live the second half of your life in poverty and misery, it is important that you maintain your GPA, get in graduate school, and get a high-end job. Seeing how you boasted your straight As so far, I am sure you can do it. Masters ain't a bad idea. | ||
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Drowsy
United States4876 Posts
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tossinYoSalad
United States215 Posts
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Ry-Masta-T
United States478 Posts
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kaizenmx
United States110 Posts
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searcher
277 Posts
On November 09 2009 12:12 kaizenmx wrote: I envy most of you. I can't handle most of math classes, let alone, a fucking C++ class... I sense faulty logic in this sentence. | ||
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illu
Canada2531 Posts
I agree. C++ is way easier than math. | ||
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Dezzimal
United States148 Posts
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Kwidowmaker
Canada978 Posts
I disagree. Computer science blows my top. I'm majoring in math and have little experience in CS though, so that might be it. | ||
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illu
Canada2531 Posts
On November 09 2009 14:00 Kwidowmaker wrote: I disagree. Computer science blows my top. I'm majoring in math and have little experience in CS though, so that might be it. I learned C++ when I was 13 (I had no friends and I was bored... so yea). I couldn't do university level math at 13, though. | ||
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Pengu1n
United States552 Posts
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Mortality
United States4790 Posts
On November 09 2009 08:56 meeple wrote: I wouldn't go into econ. No offense to econ majors here, but my experience has been very dissapointing. I've found that the courses aren't really that challenging, and the job prospects are less than optimal. There are of course exceptions to this, but my friend just graduated with an econ degree and is currently in the military because he couldn't find a job. I'm sure there are people who land great jobs with an econ degree, but I haven't seen it. I would probably stick it out. A degree like computer science is definitely worth keeping, even if you're not getting straight A's.. These days econ is only worth it if you're very specialized in one of two other areas: law (stepping from a BA in econ to a law degree) or applied math (quantitative economics is hot -- but you need to know a lot! Modern models are all controlled stochastic differential equations, which requires heavy duty knowledge!). | ||
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Kwidowmaker
Canada978 Posts
On November 09 2009 14:02 illu wrote: I learned C++ when I was 13 (I had no friends and I was bored... so yea). I couldn't do university level math at 13, though. Fair enough, I suppose I didn't quite reply to what you were saying. It's not difficult to be able to use C++, but CS isn't quite fiddling with code  Of course it doesn't help that I've missed half of my classes.I really couldn't say which is harder. I'm just offering my experience here v0v (As an aside, I think the average 13 year old would be able to do university math if all of his teachers up till now hadn't stopped at grade 11) | ||
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ProbeSaturation
Canada292 Posts
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illu
Canada2531 Posts
On November 09 2009 14:23 Kwidowmaker wrote: Fair enough, I suppose I didn't quite reply to what you were saying. It's not difficult to be able to use C++, but CS isn't quite fiddling with code Of course it doesn't help that I've missed half of my classes.I really couldn't say which is harder. I'm just offering my experience here v0v (As an aside, I think the average 13 year old would be able to do university math if all of his teachers up till now hadn't stopped at grade 11) I think he is having pure programming issues, not theoretical computer science issues. Like I mentioned before, I sat in some computational complexity classes and they are easy + fun  You should try it sometimes! It's all about mathematics in that class... on proving theorems, finding "inequalities", etc. | ||
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illu
Canada2531 Posts
On November 09 2009 14:20 Mortality wrote: These days econ is only worth it if you're very specialized in one of two other areas: law (stepping from a BA in econ to a law degree) or applied math (quantitative economics is hot -- but you need to know a lot! Modern models are all controlled stochastic differential equations, which requires heavy duty knowledge!). If you are talking about stochastic differential equations you seriously need to major math and pretty much nothing but math. | ||
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