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> "if you know you want a technical major but you're not sure which, choose Computer Science." I disagree. If you know you want a technical major but you're n
by aneesh 17y ago
> "if you know you want a technical major but you're not sure which, choose Computer Science."
I disagree. If you know you want a technical major but you're not sure which, choose Math. It is the common factor that all other technical fields share, and it will give you the most options. Major in math, then go to grad school in CS, Physics, Economics, or even Law. But majoring in either CS or Economics makes it difficult to go to grad school in the other one.
And most of the "benefits" of majoring in CS that he mentions don't actually require you to major in CS. You merely have to have an interest in programming, which is easier to pick up on the side. On the other hand, try teaching yourself abstract algebra.
Further, the analytical thinking skills that university-level math gives you serve you well in many fields, including computer science. But all that said, if you know what you want to do, definitely do that!
- marcusbooster 17y agoI agree with you in that Math is more universal and probably a better place to go if you're on the fence. But it depends on the Computer Science program. I think of CS as more of a theoretical approach to computing, but it seems a lot of schools are placing emphasis on the more practical aspects of development (like actually working? who'd of thought). I've heard complaints that universities have just been turned into Java mills.
- jimbokun 17y agoI have a degree closely related to CS, and lately I have been trying to learn as much math as I possibly can (specifically, all of the math needed to understand the ideas behind machine learning).