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My advice: if you major in physics and keep getting A’s, you can still easily get a programming job, and probably in areas that are more AI-proof than webdev. T

by yunwal 4y ago

My advice: if you major in physics and keep getting A’s, you can still easily get a programming job, and probably in areas that are more AI-proof than webdev. The opposite is not true. IMO, taking programming classes in college is a waste. It’s nearly all the type of thing you can learn on the job or in an online course. The real reason to take CS is if you’re interested in applied math, because most math departments lead you into pure theory, but this depends heavily on the school.

q845712 4y ago
I agree there's many courses in a college where you can learn almost as much on your own or through some other mechanism, but I'm not sure that qualifies as a "waste." there's been other threads on this site where people talk alot about how much they learned in either or both their compilers or operating systems course. This rings true for me -- the value of my first few semesters of CS was that it prepared me fully to tackle a short list of really helpful courses. Honestly finishing the major wasn't all that much more helpful (in terms of what I learned), but the degree itself has worked out fine. One last thing, but for me there was a sort of retrospective signal -- I did have a second major and other areas of study, but eventually I realized that I had always saved my computer science homework for last because i found it the most fun, and gosh, maybe that was a hint of where to build my career. So to make it more general, the other "use" of a bunch of mediocre CS coursework is that you can gauge your own interest level. We're all built differently, but honestly taking a wide variety of courses to learn what you're interested in while in your late teens / early 20s isn't such a terrible thing (if you can do it without too much debt).
twelve40 4y ago
> taking programming classes in college is a waste my algorithms class definitely helped me pass interviews like Microsoft. I know many people learn this stuff on their own, and many people don't, but i can't call it a waste by any stretch of my imagination.
ShouldIPivot 4y ago
> My advice: if you major in physics and keep getting A’s, you can still easily get a programming job, and probably in areas that are more AI-proof than webdev. The opposite is not true. Thanks, I'll consider this. > IMO, taking programming classes in college is a waste. It’s nearly all the type of thing you can learn on the job or in an online course. The real reason to take CS is if you’re interested in applied math, because most math departments lead you into pure theory, but this depends heavily on the school. Yeah, I'm near to a few good unis that run what seem to be high quality courses with lots of optional courses on ML/maths/etc. I would avoid doing CS at an average uni due to its reputation. I'm alright at maths, but I really have to work at it - it doesn't come as naturally as physics and compsci. I'm not sure I could succeed in a pure maths degree.

by yunwal 4y ago

q845712 4y ago

I agree there's many courses in a college where you can learn almost as much on your own or through some other mechanism, but I'm not sure that qualifies as a "waste." there's been other threads on this site where people talk alot about how much they learned in either or both their compilers or operating systems course. This rings true for me -- the value of my first few semesters of CS was that it prepared me fully to tackle a short list of really helpful courses. Honestly finishing the major wasn't all that much more helpful (in terms of what I learned), but the degree itself has worked out fine. One last thing, but for me there was a sort of retrospective signal -- I did have a second major and other areas of study, but eventually I realized that I had always saved my computer science homework for last because i found it the most fun, and gosh, maybe that was a hint of where to build my career. So to make it more general, the other "use" of a bunch of mediocre CS coursework is that you can gauge your own interest level. We're all built differently, but honestly taking a wide variety of courses to learn what you're interested in while in your late teens / early 20s isn't such a terrible thing (if you can do it without too much debt).

twelve40 4y ago

> taking programming classes in college is a waste my algorithms class definitely helped me pass interviews like Microsoft. I know many people learn this stuff on their own, and many people don't, but i can't call it a waste by any stretch of my imagination.

ShouldIPivot 4y ago

> My advice: if you major in physics and keep getting A’s, you can still easily get a programming job, and probably in areas that are more AI-proof than webdev. The opposite is not true. Thanks, I'll consider this. > IMO, taking programming classes in college is a waste. It’s nearly all the type of thing you can learn on the job or in an online course. The real reason to take CS is if you’re interested in applied math, because most math departments lead you into pure theory, but this depends heavily on the school. Yeah, I'm near to a few good unis that run what seem to be high quality courses with lots of optional courses on ML/maths/etc. I would avoid doing CS at an average uni due to its reputation. I'm alright at maths, but I really have to work at it - it doesn't come as naturally as physics and compsci. I'm not sure I could succeed in a pure maths degree.