Choosing Computer Science as a major.

ysk1 · 11-01-2006, 03:08 PM

Hello.
I'm a freshman whose major is yet to be decided. One of the majors I'm considering is Computer Science. I don't know whether this is my best-fit major. I know the general saying that you need to be good at math, physics, and chemistry, but I want to know much more specifically than this. What characteristics, abilities, talents, learning style, etc. should you possess if you were to be successful in this field?
Thank you.

pencilpusher · 11-01-2006, 03:31 PM

I'll just take a stab at answering this. I, myself am not a comp sci person. However, my DD is very interested in it and has done well in comp sci classes in HS. She says it's all about logic. You need to know math, but mainly you need to be able to be logical (according to her.) She also likes it because it she feels it take a lot of creativity. Go figure. Seems like being detail oriented also helpful. She has put in incredible hours sometimes fixing up this or that bug on programs she's done.
Comp sci seems to be a very broad field. I'm sure that many different types of personality would do well in it - - - depends on what kind of comp sci you do.

pearlygate · 11-01-2006, 06:51 PM

you dont need to be good at chemistry or physics. you just need to be REALLY good at math and logic. that's it.

Mr Payne · 11-01-2006, 07:27 PM

You need to be really good at math? Could have fooled me. It's more about logic than math skills.

Tiberius · 11-01-2006, 09:22 PM

Yeah, you only really need discrete mathematics for computer science.

wrprice · 11-01-2006, 10:56 PM

Creativity, logic, attention to detail... a knack for dissecting a problem into smaller, solvable subparts. That's the core of CS. You'll need some math for some of your coursework, but I'm by no means a math whiz and I'm a CS grad out in the professional world.

Chemistry? Wasn't even required for me, and I only had to do 2 units of Physics.

pearlygate · 11-01-2006, 11:13 PM

well I think some fields of CS needs heavy math like for example: cryptography, discrete math (like you said), computational analysis and such. Well, I guess it depends on what kind of work do you want to do after you graduate.

Mr Payne · 11-02-2006, 03:26 AM

Quote:

well I think some fields of CS needs heavy math like for example: cryptography, discrete math (like you said), computational analysis and such. Well, I guess it depends on what kind of work do you want to do after you graduate.

Those jobs maybe account for 5% of CS jobs?