The wrong reason to do computer science

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2024-11-14 21:30:10

In a recent post on Reddit I saw a post from a student titled “Computer science is really tough“. They go on to say “I’m a first year student who frankly just isn’t cut out for computer science.” That’s fine, I mean computer science isn’t for everyone. Further down in the discussion that mention that “The only reason I took it as a major was because I saw they made the most money.“.

Nobody should ever do a degree primarily because of future potential income. I know, a lot of people do – some are successful, some aren’t. There is no guarantee that a CS degree will result in a high-paid salary. If someone just squeaks through a CS degree, then there is every likelihood that they will end up in a mid-to-low tier job (which isn’t necessarily bad, it just may not match your expectations). People who get well-paid jobs in CS have likely done well from a grades perspective, have a good amount of relevant experience, or perhaps have an incredible portfolio of work – something that helps them stand out.

From experience I think you definitely have to have the right mindset in CS, otherwise you won’t be successful. This can mean anything from not having the problem solving abilities to not enjoying the process of programming. You have to have some interest in computing, because otherwise you will be lost. You also have to be somewhat innovative. Not everyone has the intrinsic skills to survive a CS degree, and not everyone has the ability to learn those skills. Some people hate programming, and those people will struggle through a CS degree. Sometimes it’s better to learn that sooner rather than later.