I think it's inevitable that you will need software if you're going to use science/tech. Software did change the world and is continuously doing that. The jump

I think it's inevitable that you will need software if you're going to use science/tech. Software did change the world and is continuously doing that. The jump from even 30 years ago is spectacular. This trend will continue in the foreseeable future. But notice that there's a slight difference between 'changing' the world and 'making the world better'. The first means doing thing differently, which doesn't necessarily mean that it is in everyone's best interest. Change can also be a bad thing. The second means giving humanity tools which they can use themselves to solve some of their existential problems. When you solve one of these problems you can either: profit immensely from it by being a monopoly (change the world) or share your solution with the world and contribute to everyone (make the world better). Then there's you very personal desire to 'make an actual impact'. You have to very carefully examine why you want it to be you and not someone else. If you're looking to get rich, you can do it in a lot of other ways. If you want a place in history, you can also do it by going into politics or science or art. If you want to improve the condition of the human race, then ask yourself - are you willing to still do it even if you get no reward or recognition for it ? I guess that's more than you asked for, but I think it's important to consider these things early as they will haunt you for the rest of your journey. Good luck.