The recent grads are picking CS due to its employ-ability.
I was rather shocked at the increases of students in Intro CS classes. For instance, Harvard’s number one most students is now not economics but Intro CS.
That said, I guess I cant say I’m not part of this.
If CS was never hot, I’m sure I would have majored in pure math (and most likely take just enough CS classes to minor in it). Who knows?
It seems for those who are more mathematically inclined, CS comes far more naturally than even those who are passionate about CS (unfortunate but hey, life ain’t fair bro)
So to claim that CS majors/programmers who do the field without passion are not going to do well, I find it hard to believe.
Many students capable enough to attend the more selective schools already have the drive to succeed in most college majors despite the need for passion.
And btw, CS theories aren’t that hard in undergrad. Those who are more academically inclined (many users in College Confidential) are more than capable to pass through those classes.
That said, when did university become a vocational school? I feel like universities are now glorified trade schools.
Universities, once made with an intention to teach subjects you will otherwise never have time to learn… is now a place for jobs.
Seeing my parents and relatives, it seems once you leave college and into the workforce, you are almost never going to have time to study your passions and curiosity. If you guys are to major in CS and are ditching a greater passion like me, then just know that you might never have the time to study that field again.
Fortunately, as for me, in just my first year and summer, I have studied enough for a bachelor’s degree for math (finished up to Modern Algebra I and Analysis I -will probably start Modern Algebra II and Analysis II sometime my winter break-) so I don’t have as much to regret since I self-studied my passions ^^