this is gonna be short and sweet.
so i am going to enter college from september 2015.
my parents just told me i can major in anything i want *except that* unless i major in what they want, they won't pay towards my tuition and i will have massive student loans / debt.
so it's not really my free choice after all, just an illusion of choice.

Chairman Ray

United States11903 Posts

May 05 2015 03:05 GMT

what majors do you parents want, and what major do you want?

fluffy_pylon

United States79 Posts

May 05 2015 03:07 GMT

what majors do you parents want,

computer science

and what major do you want?

something else

Cauld

United States350 Posts

May 05 2015 03:10 GMT

tell them you're majoring in computer science and take all your gen eds... then switch later

Chairman Ray

United States11903 Posts

May 05 2015 03:18 GMT

Just computer science? Usually parents also include engineering, law, med, business, etc. Have you considered what major you want to be in? If it's something else that's good, I'm sure your parents will support you as well.

DarkPlasmaBall

United States44290 Posts

May 05 2015 03:20 GMT

Have you considered asking them if you can minor in comp sci and major in your passion? It'll also be much easier to argue if you know what major you truly want to take, other than "Not what my parents want".

On May 05 2015 12:10 Cauld wrote:
tell them you're majoring in computer science and take all your gen eds... then switch later

Obviously, his parents can still pull funding for the remaining 3+ years of school. Also, most majors have classes that are prerequisites for other classes, and so often times you'll need to take at least one relevant class your freshman year to get the ball rolling on your major (rather than all general education requirement classes).

fluffy_pylon

United States79 Posts

May 05 2015 03:25 GMT

my dad is a programmer and he spends all day at his computer writing programs and he even spends all his free time at home thinking about programming.
he also criticizes me because i'm not *as good* at math as he was when he was in high school and college, and he constantly compares me to himself and tells me how much of a failure i am every day.
so according to his logic, i will suck at engineering because i suck at math, medicine is not okay because apparently everyone who studies medicine should be a doctor or else they're a coward and he took the MCATs once and didn't do well (which was when he switched to computer science) so he has even lower expectations for me, and business and law are "liberal arts" subjects.
therefore at least if i study programming he will "save me" from failing my ass.

micronesia

United States24676 Posts

May 05 2015 03:33 GMT

If he thinks you should avoid engineering because you are bad at math but should be a programmer, then I question his programming... I mean, it's very mathematical in nature...

Anyway, letting them force you to take a major you don't want is going to be a big waste of everyone's time and money. As others have said, try to make a case for another quality major that you actually want. If that doesn't work, in my opinion, you are better off becoming independent than letting your parents pay for a major you don't want.

And compsci really isn't something you take unless you like it.

Jerubaal

United States7684 Posts

May 05 2015 03:40 GMT

Programming doesn't seem like a field that you just do 9-5. Seems like something that if you don't like to tinker with all the time, you won't be very good at it.

fluffy_pylon

United States79 Posts

May 05 2015 03:45 GMT

#10

On May 05 2015 12:33 micronesia wrote:
If he thinks you should avoid engineering because you are bad at math but should be a programmer, then I question his programming... I mean, it's very mathematical in nature....

the way he says it is that engineering is more math oriented while computer science is more logic oriented,, as in something like calculus isn't actually used in programming but is used in engineering.

Deathstar

9150 Posts

May 05 2015 03:49 GMT

#11

Yeah go with CS. Your dad is a programmer so he'll prob help you get a job if it comes to it.

fluffy_pylon

United States79 Posts

May 05 2015 03:55 GMT

#12

On May 05 2015 12:49 Deathstar wrote:
Yeah go with CS. Your dad is a programmer so he'll prob help you get a job if it comes to it.

i don't think he'll actually help me get a job.
for example he's been working at the same company for 13 years and they offered him a management position and he declined, saying that he would rather do pure programming compared to having to manage other people.
this is his perfect opportunity to keep criticizing me and constantly reminding me that i will never reach his level of obsession with his work.
he just wants to watch me suffer.

icydergosu

528 Posts

May 05 2015 04:20 GMT

#13

I am pretty biased but in my opinion unless you are passionate about the other subject you should go with CS since that will most likely offer you better job opportunities as well as the unique ability to create stuff without pretty much any investments.

Although i don't know how much math your other subject might require i think your father is partially correct and speaks from experience, generally you don't need much math, after you got your degree that is, apart from counting up and down unless you want to create earth shattering algorithms.

If there is an even more hands on degree like Software Engineering and Business or something like that i would opt for that since the biggest challenge, at least for me, are in fact the math lectures but that will heavily depend on your current skill level and the university you opt for i guess.

Having a father with a CS degree who is willing to help you will make things much much easier. Have you already programmed something? What did you not like? Perhaps it should be said as well that during your education programming will only play a rather minor part. So who knows, you might like it more than you think and rise to be a great Software Engineer.

Jerubaal

United States7684 Posts

May 05 2015 04:23 GMT

#14

What school are you going to? What level of help were your parents going to provide? My parents took on a little bit of debt for me and my siblings, but we still got the lion's share of the loans under our name. Do you have any other relatives that would be willing to cosign a student loan? Would your parents be willing to give you a bit of living expenses even if you don't major in CS? Otherwise, you can "pretend" to major in CS until you can get a part time job.

JimmyJRaynor

Canada16699 Posts

May 05 2015 04:25 GMT

#15

On May 05 2015 12:01 fluffy_pylon wrote:
this is gonna be short and sweet.
so i am going to enter college from september 2015.
my parents just told me i can major in anything i want *except that* unless i major in what they want, they won't pay towards my tuition and i will have massive student loans / debt.
so it's not really my free choice after all, just an illusion of choice.

find a co-op school if u can.
take whatever u want.. and pay ur own way.

the school i went to ..i only had to save for 8 full months of school 1 time..
every other time i only had to save for 4 months of school time.

i was free of parental bullshit a month after i turned 19.
it was tough at first.. but it was the best thing for all involved.

Cambium

United States16368 Posts

May 05 2015 04:45 GMT

#16

just pay tuition yourself?

PhoenixVoid

Canada32740 Posts

May 05 2015 06:06 GMT

#17

By "anything else" what are you aiming for? Is it a liberal arts/social science or a business field? If computer science isn't something you want to do strongly argue for what you want to major in uni, you may as well try. As for your dad he doesn't have a great mindset or attitude to supporting your academic goals if he puts you down like that. It seems strange to pigeonhole you so hard to just computer science and then say you don't have the skills to enter engineering or a science field because the skills do overlap. As someone not doing a STEM or field that gets well paying jobs I can sympathize with how he is trying to help you find a good future but forcing your child into one field that they seem reluctant to do is a mistake to me. Talk it over with your parents and get them to see your viewpoint, computer science isn't the exclusive path to success. Hope things go well.

FlaShFTW

United States10154 Posts

May 05 2015 06:35 GMT

#18

just take the money. better off taking no debt in college and do soemthing you might end up actually enjoying than getting like 200k debt on something you might not even have passion about later on. if you really have like, 100% commitment and passion for the major you want, then just go with CS. CS doesn't really require such a high gpa anyways and is more about your work experience when you enter the work force and look for a job. maybe during your time on campus, find a programming job of some sort which might get you more interested in the subject.

ninazerg

United States7291 Posts

May 05 2015 07:31 GMT

#19

You should follow your dream of becoming a gynecologist.

domane

Canada1606 Posts

May 05 2015 07:51 GMT

#20

Is there a shorter option that can build into a bachelor's degree in comp science? Certificate(s) or diploma?

It could provide a good halfway point (you can decide what to do afterwards) + show your parents your effort.

It could lead to a entry-level position that could help pay tuition for a different area of study.

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