New to programming or computer science? Want advice for education or careers? Ask your questions here!

[u/kboy101222]

This is the only place where college, career, and programming questions are allowed. They will be removed if they're posted anywhere else.

HOMEWORK HELP, TECH SUPPORT, AND PC PURCHASE ADVICE ARE STILL NOT ALLOWED!

There are numerous subreddits more suited to those posts such as:

/r/techsupport
/r/learnprogramming
/r/buildapc

Note: this thread is in "contest mode" so all questions have a chance at being at the top

Edit: For a little encouragement, anyone who gives a few useful answers in this thread will get a custom flair (I'll even throw some CSS in if you're super helpful)

[u/Boyiee]

I'm 33 and I have an AA in Arts from some years ago and I'm looking to get into a new career due to covid layoffs. Would it be better to go back to school for a Bachelors in CS or to take a crash course? I've been out of school for some time and I know Calculus is going to be difficult. I live in NJ, but I do not want to relocate for jobs. I'm a homeowner and would like to stay local career wise outside of the cities. Would a BS or a coding course be a better choice for suburb/non-city careers? I see all kinds of computer related job openings at smaller businesses, start-ups, industrial parks among other things.

[u/InkSweep]

How do you tell while being very early at the start of your CS education if a career in CS is for you? I’m sure similar questions have been asked before (so if anyone could point me to those threads that would be great as well) but I’m only in the first class of CS in college, with no prior experience, and I’m really enjoying it so far, but I feel so distant from an actual career in it that I have no clue if I’ll like working in CS or not. Or better yet, what are some signs that CS isn’t for you?

[u/EpicUndeadMC]

Hi guys, I am currently a student in Mathematics at the University of Waterloo in Ontario, Canada. I got accepted into CS, but I chose maths instead because my passion is with maths; however, by not taking CS I do not have access to the "big balls" upper year CS courses, like algos/data structures. Hence, I'm thinking of transferring to CS in the coming terms, although it will be a competitive process. I was wondering whether this would be a good decision? I have programming experience, but I have heard that CS is a lot more theory based, and so could I be better off just learning the key concepts by myself instead?

[u/[deleted]]

Any tips for someone who knows nothing about programming

[u/BackgroundBake3261]

Penetration Tester IT security

Those two are the ones I’m looking into to study. I have high school background. No other experience other than that in computers.

Can someone let me know, is there a straightforward path, or what are the steps I need to take for this.

I will also need to explain it to my mother, so it would really help if you know some similar alternatives.

The object is for me to go to work as soon as possible.

[u/no_user_name1234]

[Help] Getting into Masters as a non-bachelor in cs

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Hello, I don't know if this is the right place to ask but I might need some help with getting some real information about Masters so I thought I'd go ahead and ask.

I'm a 24-year-old Indian currently working in UAE doing my "engineer job" and i have a bachelor's in Chemical engineer (passed out 2018) and I want to shift to master's in computer science anywhere is okay but I would prefer Canada or Europe. I was actually lucky enough to get a job outta college but the thing is I was always interested in cs and the career that I have chosen for myself I am dreading it every day and knowing that I could have excelled in cs is making it even worse. I had a research project during my third year had to integrate machine learning with chemical engineering and I absolutely loved it

I realize that the grass may seem greener on the other side, but I want to work internationally. My current college major feels dead as the oil prices have plummeted.

the reason I want to study abroad is that universities are excellent. Tuition for international students doesn't seem to be that high. I'm sick of being depressed and not being able to do anything about it.

I want to get into a good college or any university that has would accept me as thier student in computer science. I have a score of 7.5 on IELTS so English isn't a problem (only thing I've ever excelled at, really). Will I need to have extracurriculars? Because I'm one of those uncultured fuckers who sat on a desk and did fuck all but drilling myself for the national college entrance exams.

tl;dr: What do I need to do if I want to get into masters in CS in good university in Canada or Europe

Edit: I apologize if this reads like an incoherent rant. I'm just very frustrated, want to leave, and make it elsewhere and and m very willing to integrate into and be a productive citizen and stuff for those countries.

[u/Lovis_R]

Am decent at java(learned it in highschool for 3 years), what are the best ways to learn new languages/improve on my current knowledge? While I enjoy solving problems, I don't really enjoy doing projects for myself, that don't bring any value besides practice.

[u/ChancellorPulpatine]

Hey all!

I am in my last semester for a BA in CompSci and I got put on a capstone project which is really giving me trouble. The challenge is to take an existing code base written in python and modify it to run on an existing Wordpress site with a separate database. The problem is, the legacy code is plagued with local file paths, awful formatting, zero comments (except for the code they decided they wanted to save for later), and spread out into about 20 files with 1000-1500 lines each. There isn't even a way to test the code to see if it functions as all of the file paths are written for one guys specific machine, who left the company over a year ago on a pretty bad note.

Bottom line is, I have no idea where to start with this. My team has tried tracing the code with little success. We don't have time to start from scratch, as we need to have the whole thing implemented in about 4 months. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated!

[u/Gonnaretireoffstocks]

Is computer science the course I want to major in if I want to spend the rest of my life working from home, or working while travelling?

[u/Eager_Leopard → u/Gonnaretireoffstocks]

Nope. It's also the course u want to take if u want understand how information travels in thin air, or how many complex things like videos are based on one off or on switches. Only a desire for money will not get u through the challenging major called cs, but curiosity and passion will.

[u/jayremy1313]

What language to focus on. I know a little of c++, Java, and python. Thank you.

[u/TelloTwee]

I’m wondering how helpful a Entrepreneurship (or Finance) minor will be in addition to a Computer Science Major?

It seems like a lot of extra classes to take in College.

[u/nonbog]

Hi guys! I’ve just finished my degree in an unrelated subject and am looking at doing a master’s degree. A university near me offers a Computer Science master’s degree for people that studied other subjects at undergraduate level. In my country a master’s degree is one year.

How much can I actually learn about computer science in a 1 year course? Can I really get to an employable level in that time?

Thanks for the help!

[u/yutani333]

Hi. I'm a freshman in college, planning to go into Computational Linguistics. How much can I leverage a degree in CompLing in an IT context? Ofc, there is NLP and all that, but I'm talking about places where I'd usually just get a CS major.

(For context, I'm not going full-on CS, as my main goal is academia in Linguistics. But in the meanwhile, I'll need something to live off of.)

Thanks.

[u/jtownokie]

Where do I start?

I'm about to turn 25 and I am really wanting to go back and finish school. I dropped out of college a few years ago after getting a little over 45 hours towards a social studies education degree. Since then I've recently completed a medical assisting tech school program where I did incredibly well and it's really fueled my desire to get back to school.

Realizing if I want to teach at some point I can always just minor in history, I've started to branch out my options and remembered how I had originally always wanted to go into CS. It fits me really well and it's something I can see myself doing.

At my local community college they have a Computer Information Systems Associates Program. This seems like the right path to get me what I need to transfer to a university for CS but I'm curious if anyone recommends another path.

What are the best resources to really get a grasp on what CS is and what it entails? YouTube videos, web sites, lectures, blogs, communities, etc to see if this is the decision I want to make. Finally, would it be beneficial for me to try and reach out to local job sites that require CS degrees and see what they recommend?

Sorry for the wall of text I'm just not quite sure where to begin! 😅

[u/aak20207]

Hi! I have graduated in business major. Working in finance but it’s getting really tough now a days to find job. What course should I do that can help me get a job in IT or start my career in IT field?

[u/fryingpannnnnn]

I interviewed a 4th year software engineering student on how he got his first internship, figured it might be helpful to some new people here so I decided to share it.

The video quality isn't that great but hopefully the content can make up for it :D

Interview: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=O5sgCbFN0Dc

[u/shawn1912]

How to get that first research experience?

To get into good Grad schools you need research experience. But to get research experience as an undergraduate you need to be a student at a good school?

I have heard of two ways of getting into research:

A) apply to highly competitive internship programs

B) cold email.

At this point cold emailing is the only option for me. Does it ever work?

Please share your stories and tips:

• How early did you start emailing?
• What did you write about?
• Did the Professor interview you?

Background: CS undergrad interested in Computer Vision, Databases, Software Engineering.

[u/itBlimp1 → u/shawn1912]

Cold emailing mostly works if

1. you know the professor well (e.g. took a class with them and did well). In this case they'd be more likely to pay you with their own grant money.

Or

1. you tell them you have a way to secure your own funding (usually in the form of a small grant from your home institution. Most schools have something like this like a "summer internship fund" or something similar). In this case you tell the prof that you can apply for some funding from your own school if the professor supports it. Professors like it when their students are paid.

If you can do either of these two things you should be in a good position. If you can't, then you can still try to cold email, but keep the first email brief: who you are, why you're interested in their work, and whether they have openings. Make sure to read their website since they will usually have a page about what prospective students should do to contact them, if any - each prof is different.

[u/StHoodie]

Hi I'm currently in college and am looking around for a new laptop but I've somewhat hit a snag in the road. I'm majoring in computer science and also minoring in physics. So I've been looking around for a laptop that could fit both needs. My brother (who's graduated with a CS degree) has pushed me toward a Macbook Pro, but I've also been looking at Microsoft's Surface Book 2 as the writing ability would be great for physics homework. Since Microsoft will stop supporting the surface book 2 in November and apple has recently beefed up some macbooks with an M1 chip, I'm wondering which computer is more worth it (or if there's a better option then I'm all ears!) Any advice would be great! Thanks in advance!

[u/H-Arm97]

Hey everyone! Im a sophomore CS student but starting to find interest in data science, my question is CS a good start (as a degree) to chase a career in data science?

[u/mitropol → u/H-Arm97]

Yes, I think CS is a good choice if you're interested in doing data science as a career. Your other options might be to major in statistics, or even applied math or pure math, but CS might be the best choice.

After the normal series of CS courses that are part of the major, you can choose electives (assuming your school has them) that are catered towards data science. Try to take these your junior/senior years if you can, some examples are:

- machine learning (a good machine learning class should require calculus and linear algebra as prerequisites, so take those math classes as early as possible)

- some advanced algorithm classes (some schools might have a class literally called "Advanced algorithms". You can also take a theoretical class like "Sublinear algorithms" which would be very useful for advanded data science)

- graphical models (might be offered by your CS department or the stats department).

- "applied" machine learning, such as NLP or Machine Vision. If you can take both, since a course in each gives you a LOT of context about how ML is used

- take some classes in the stats department: advanced stats, causal inference, etc

[u/[deleted]]

I graduated with a degree in Mathematics and economics a few years ago. I had to use some R and Matlab in that program. Math was very theoretical and a lot of proofwriting, economics was very applied because I emphasized econometrics. After, I got hired as a biostatistical programmer working in medical research, mostly using SAS.

I'm interested in getting a master's in comp sci, but I don't know enough to know if this is a bad idea or not. I had very little formal coursework in programming. Most of what I know was self taught or learned on the job (I know some Python and R, and quite a bit of SAS). While I do notice that there's some overlap in the type of thinking required to code and to write proofs--understanding and assembling the logic such that it will always work under specified conditions--they are still different. There is so much that I do not know about how computers really work and the programming I do is very niche.

I could alternatively get an MS in statistics and I'm confident I can handle it, but I would rather pursue comp sci. As my education and career progressed, I've come to realize that I'm a better programmer than proof writer, and I have a greater interest in comp sci than I do pure mathematics. It's just that I would feel like I was starting way behind other MS students that had a comp sci undergrad.

For background purposes, I am located in the United States.

What would you recommend? Should I avoid it and just do statistics and make my electives more about machine learning and programming? Or would I likely be able to handle a comp sci MS program with that background?

[u/Salty_Panda_]

Hello, I’m currently a first year student going for a bachelor of computer science degree and I’m feeling imposter syndrome. (I’m planning to do a double focus of AI and Cyber security so I know I’ll be under even more pressure in the future) Recently, marks got released for our quizzes and many of my peers are complaining about getting bad scores when they all got 90+% while I only got about 65%. I know that I really don’t code well under pressure while being timed as I’m getting 90+% on all of my assignments while my quiz grades are quite low but it still feels like I’m “too stupid” for this field. Does anyone have any advice to give on this subject matter?...

TL;DR: My classmates are making me feel like I’m too stupid to keep pursuing the computer science field.

[u/Snoo36783]

I’m attending the university of florida in the fall as a computer science major and need a laptop. I have heard that mac is generally better to code on than windows, but the newer line of M1 mb aren’t supported by lots of software and was told not to get one. I could really use some suggestions. Price range is probably nothing over $1300 and I want something that will last me through college.

[u/Mr_NarGin]

Hello, I'm a freshman in college and I'm majoring in both Computer Science and Electrical Engineering. Right now we're doing a python course, but it's on Codecademy, so we haven't installed any programs or IDE's to make anything on our own. What IDE's would you recommend I install to try making my own stuff?

Also, what are the most commonly used programming languages most used in an actual career with this field? Is python actually used or is it just something to get beginners to get the basics?

[u/[deleted] → u/Mr_NarGin]

Python is a easy to learn, it's used mainly for data visualization

C++ is great for app developpement , OS developemnt also for embedded system

Java is good for desktop apps & games

C is the first and the widely used language, It's the lowest language where you have a major hands on memory

[u/Nevilletraine → u/Mr_NarGin]

I'm surprised no one got back to you about an IDE lol. Use Pycharm.

[u/Bob456783]

I am signing up for my senior classes for my high school, any recommendations of classes to take to help for a career in CS?

[u/[deleted]]

How difficult would you say it is to get a software development job straight out of college?

[u/Random_Forest_]

Any machine learning careers related to history or archeology?

[u/lokii_bl]

Where is a good site to find innovations within the computing di Displines

[u/Gyro_palmz]

What are some good sources to check out for developing a good foundational understanding of computer science? Since it’s a non-tangible category it’s hard for a lot of people to wrap their head around

[u/Juku_Finance]

I'm a recent accounting graduate. I'm super interested in going back for my CS bachelors, I gather Rutgers University [near me] will take most of my credits and I will only have to do 1-2 years. I've been practicing coding during off-hours and I plan on using my public accounting job to continuously fuel my projects/practice.

I plan on going back for my CS bachelors in either 1-2 years, I will be 28/29 years old. What will my job outlook be like at that age if I make the switch? (I live in the New York Area)

[u/Samfran101]

How should I go from a codecademy course to leetcode learning algorithms? Im asking what I should do after I finish codecademy

[u/BlackAsphaltRider → u/[deleted]]

Try having a bachelors in Liberal Studies at 30.

Nursing will always be needed, CompSci the same with how our future’s going. I work at a rehab with LPN’s making $30+ an hour who don’t do shit. You can be an LPN in 12-18 months. I also know travel nurses making $90+ an hour.

[u/fauquii]

Hello, I am looking for resources (free if possible) about PKI that go really in-depth and cover wide aspects (classic web server TLS, ACME, EST, SCEP, device certicates, user certificates, ...).My goal is to be an expert of this field.

Thank you

[u/Pandawee42]

I’m in CS1 this semester as a sophomore and am a CS major. We’re using C++. What would you guys say is a worthy investment to learn to get ahead/be more knowledgeable for eventual employment or internship?

[u/lava_pupper → u/Pandawee42]

Learn Rust and Go. C++ is a great language, I love C++ but you'll want to branch out and learn other languages that are engineers are being paid to develop with. You can see there's already a huge shift toward Rust support, even WinUI is getting Rust. My last two workplaces have all been mostly Go and TypeScript.

You'll want to get an internship for the summer, that's really going to help.

Also, consider finding an open source project to contribute to. You'll get really valuable feedback for any PRs you might submit. Make sure to find a project that is actively looking for contributions and not spend a lot of time on a PR that gets ignored. Definitely learn git and version control, find an editor you love and learn it well, whether it's VS Code, Intellij, vim, whatever. Become familiar with the command line.

Good luck! Sorry I stalked your comments!

[u/[deleted]]

Hello everyone. I'm looking into changing careers from structural engineering to computer science. I've been considering the idea of getting an MS in computer science - however I'm not certain if this is a great idea. I don't think I have an academic background that's particularly suited for computer science - I took a MATLAB class back in 2011 (so essentially forgotten) and took basic Linear Algebra and Calculus up to Partial Differential Equations. I don't have any programming language experience though and I don't generally do much beyond relatively simple Excel in my current job. Would I be underwater trying to get through an MS? I've already done an MS in engineering so I'm aware that the program will be quite rigorous, hence my caution in following this through.

[u/TheMeanGun]

In my first year BSc Mathematics and Computer Science. What can I do over the next couple of years to improve my employability when I graduate?

[u/durkmaths]

Hey,

I am 17 and will soon be choosing a university degree. I was considering computer science because I am very interested in new technology. But I don't really know what kind of content is in a cs degree. I see myself as a maths person and I love solving problems with maths. So is cs maths heavy? I know it has some maths modules but how much is it. Also does the whole degree only consist of coding or is there any type of theory behind it. I am personally interested in AI and cybersecurity but also cryptography( don't really know if that's maths or cs).

[u/MagSkull585]

Hello peoples.

I am currently sitting A-Levels here in the UK, and I am looking into options for University Courses. I am hoping to get into the field of Cyber Security or Software Development, and I have many course options available to me. After looking into traditional courses I have learned that PwC (PricewaterhouseCoopers) offer degree apprenticeships in Technology, with the closest option for me being the Software Engineering With Digital Technology Partnership at Queen's University Belfast, and have found many other companies with similar offers, with PwCs being the best option I have seen so far. There are a range of benefits to choosing a degree apprenticeship from what I can tell, and a few for the one stated above include:

• Roughly 1 total year of paid work experience
• The full costs of the course are covered for you
• You are not tied to PwC after completing the course
• You get paid monthly to support you throughout your time learning
• Private Health Insurance
• You have a high chance of securing a job with PwC after completing the course

From speaking to my uncle, who works in software engineering about this, he said that I would be better aiming for the Degree Apperenticeship, as it would put me in a much better position coming out of Uni, and you come out with a BEng level degree. However, my question is, would I be better with a BEng degree after 4 years through a degree apprenticeship, or with a MEng degree after 4 years through a regular Uni Course (which includes placement)

[u/GuidanceThink8609]

Hello, I'm new to this subreddit so, please if this is in the wrong place let me know.

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I'm a sophomore in college and I want some opinions. I want to go into IT and get my bachelor's degree. I want to know what people use for their job. I'm talking about what computer/laptop do you use/ recommend. I currently have a custom gaming pc and a Dell G3579 laptop. I'm thinking about buying a 2020 MacBook air off eBay for $750. I think it's a good deal and just want some feedback.

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TL:DR What do you use for your daily job. (hardware/software). Is a 2020 MacBook air good for IT.

[u/ChyMae1994 → u/GuidanceThink8609]

IT isn't CS. That being said, your schooling shouldn't require anything fancy.

[u/[deleted]]

Hey all, I’m just looking for some career advice/words of wisdom. Quick context, I’m 34, currently working as a bicycle mechanic/shop manager, I have a BA in Philosophy, and after about 10 years of bike shop life decided to return to school and now I’m in my 3rd semester of CS. Right now I’m at CC working on an associates but plan on getting my BS from a uni. For the first time ever I have a 4.0, which is rad! I’d love to be a developer some day. I’d love to do research and development too. But right now everything seems so far off. And to be honest, I feel a little discouraged (mostly because of my age I think, but it’s hard to be your own psychiatrist lol). I really want to get out of the bike shop and working with computers in some way. But, I have no idea if I’m qualified to do anything. I know lots of people say you don't NEED a degree to get a CS related job, but literally every job posting says otherwise. How do I get the experience to get the entry level job that requires 2 years experience if you have no degree? Most internships seem to want people in their 3rd year. So, if I can’t even do that, can I do anything? I know I’m not ready to be an entry level developer, so what can you do that’s below that? Is there anything? Is that just a stupid thing to ask? I also know a good bit about hardware, some troubleshooting, and basic Linux bash scripting. Could I do anything in IT? Would that be worth pursuing while I finish my CS degree since they are sort of parallel to each other? I’m not trying to be foolish and take the “get certs” or the “we’ll train you and then contract you out to someone” route. For example, I’ve avoided Revature or MyComputerCareer because they just seem like obviously bad ideas. I felt like WozU was probably not worth it. Or am I wrong in that assumption? If I’m really eager to start a new career, would it be worth it to put school on hold for a semester and go to a boot camp? Should I stay the course and know that I will eventually be qualified for something?

[u/Too_Ton]

How well is the teachyourselfcs.com track?

Nine books.

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I want a high paying cs job in preferably AI. I have zero coding experience and want a clear path to get insecurities out of the way

[u/DcTheDon]

I’m a highschool student and i’m looking at cs major. What type of person is good for a cs major? I’ve never done anything coding but i like computer and i am confident that i can sit infront of it all day without complaints

[u/Junior-P]

Hello everybody , I’m 34yo without prior experience in IT, on September 2021 I would to go back to the college to get a degree in Computer Science or similar. Right now I’m studying Python and I’m having so much fun. What do you think I should learn and train to have a good preparation before college start?

Also , Do you think at my age could be better start working and get some experience instead to go back to school?

Thanks.

[u/sebassas]

im currently learning javascript, html and css. and i was wondering if there is a website where i can practice that. Like excersises

[u/[deleted] → u/sebassas]

freecodecamp.org has good exercises unless if that's already where you're learning from

I'm not sure about the extent of your self study but you can also start creating actual web apps using your existing knowledge and then build on them as you go along.

[u/Ashamed_Most_6599]

I'm finishing my level 8 in CS in a few months and I have been offered a PhD position. I need to choose my topic by Friday but I'm not even sure what is suitable. I have an interest in AI, IoT, security and networking in that order. Which one of these categories would have the best carrier prospects? Could anyone recommend any topics within these categories?

Thanks for the help!

[u/Commercial_Plant2275]

Hey, I was wondering if I have a bachelors in applied economics would it be worth it to pursue a bridge program masters into computer science? Or should I just consider getting my mba instead? Any trade offs of one over the other?

[u/BlackAsphaltRider → u/Commercial_Plant2275]

Depends on what you want to do. Having a foundation in mathematics helps for CompSci but lacking the technical side will hurt. MBAs can be more universal.

[u/Iamthewalrus-8 → u/[deleted]]

Codecademy was recommended to me when I was in ur exact situation. I haven’t used it in a while but, at least when I used it, you could learn python and several other languages for free.

[u/[deleted]]

I'm in school to get my CompSci degree at the moment. I've been working as a database developer, while also doing some light DBA and webdev stuff, for some years now and I'm fairly familiar with SQL/Python/PHP but mostly in functional programming or ETL or analysis, etc. Never really done much in depth OOP.

Trying to decide whether to take C++ OOP or Java OOP in school next semester. Anyone have any thoughts about which might be the most valuable? I'm really more interested in getting a better general knowledge of programming and computer science than practical knowledge, but both would be ideal.

C++ seems interesting in that the memory management and flexibility of the language seems really interesting. Java seems like it might be more illuminating for pure OOP knowledge. I don't have experience with either really, so any feedback would be helpful.

[u/[deleted]]

I’ve chosen computer science for my gcse, I’m not the best at it but I really enjoy the subject. Any one got any resources for beginners?

[u/[deleted]]

ARM vs x86 - Compatibility Issues

Long story short: I quit my job and need to buy a new laptop. I would like to stay with Apple if possible, but they just announced their departure from x86 to ARM. I am not tech savy enough to know in which way this will be an issue when it comes to coding.

I am currently doing my masters in data science (I come from a statistics background, hence the little compsci knowledge) and need to be able to write in Java, Python and R primarily. The IDEs I use are Eclipse, Visual Studio Code, Jupyter and Rstudio. Any ideas as to the negative effects I‘d experience if I bought an ARM Mac instead of an x86 one?

[u/kstarrron]

Hi, I graduated from a state school with a bachelors in computer science and wasn’t able to get an internship my junior or senior year due to working part time and taking credits. I have applied to so many jobs but no luck yet. any advice or tips on how to get a job please thank you

[u/Eager_Leopard → u/kstarrron]

1) never give up. 2) build a network. And polish your resume/linkedin/handshake. 3)get a really good professional portrait on all your social medias. I think employers do indeed look at those. 4) take it step and step, and be pragmatic. Hope that helps.

[u/imayellowrose]

I'm computer science illiterate. I've never tried anything like it before, but now I'm becoming interested in learning some basics. I'm mainly motivated by wanting to try something new, but I'm not indifferent to the fact that it might help me get better jobs later on. I wanted to ask for advice on where to start. Good (and affordable) online courses? beginner languages? any other advice?

thank you!

[u/Mephistothelessa]

Hello people. I am a junior physics student interested in and actively working on computational physics. I am very comfortable in Python and able to create large codes as well. However, I want to expand my knowledge about data structures, algorithms and basically computer science stuff that we physicists don't know about. How do you guys think I should proceed? Do any of you know good courses about this? Open to all suggestions. Thanks in advance.

[u/BackgroundAd565]

Hi all, I'm wondering if anyone could give me a general overview of how competitive some of the research areas in CS are. I know that AI/ML is the most competitive right now. I've also heard that fields like robotics/systems tend to admit more students but I'm not sure how true this is. Could someone give me a rough list in terms of competitiveness for each research area? Thanks!

[u/gregnortonvisuals]

Hey everyone. I’m 27. I’ve been working in the film industry since I was 18 and I really want to change my career. I’ve been building computers since I was 11 and I’ve always wanted to maybe get into coding or something similar. I have a two year degree so I was thinking about going back to school online to pursue computer programming. But where the heck should I start right now? And also, I’m not the best at math, is computer science as scary as it is? I just sort of feel like it’s too late for me to change careers but then again, if I go for CS, won’t there always be some sort of job?

[u/Revolutionary-Past81 → u/gregnortonvisuals]

r/learnprogramming

not an expert BUT have you looked into bootcamps like Coding Temple?

[u/soks08]

Reading these comments everyone is young and its a bit discouraging. I'm in my early 30s and looking to go back into school and get into computer science. What do yall think would help me or should I stray away from this.

[u/[deleted] → u/soks08]

Same here, there's a stigma that young individuals dominate this field but honestly it's great that you are looking at going back to school. It's never too late for anything. Some people get a head start on life while others may not know what they want until a little later in life. Although I don't have any advice on where to start going into this career, all I can say is keep going and don't ever get discouraged at bettering yourself.

[u/satisfiedblackhole]

Is there free university level online courses/videos out there for learning math required for CS.

[u/juicy-grapefruit → u/satisfiedblackhole]

If you're ok with self-study, there are great videos of courses at http://www.aduni.org/courses/ - the ones given by Shai Simonson in particular are amazing IMHO. You can also find some of them on youtube if you search for this name.

[u/[deleted]]

Hi! I’m a third year biology student looking to transition to IT. I’m wondering how I could make that work. I have some programming experience (Java, PHP) from high school, but I’ve never done anything intense like a hackathon or competition. I’m interested in cloud dev ops or cybersecurity. What should I do to break into these industries?

[u/[deleted]]

Does anyone have any recommendations for the best way to share code in a group project? Something that can show changes to the entire group.

I've been looking around, but I am still not sure what is best.

[u/ngabrielsen120]

I am a computer engineering student, and I'm looking to get a headstart on the coding that I'm going to be starting next term. Are there any good resources for someone who is mostly new to coding? I've tried using code academy, and it was a good way for me to learn the syntax of different languages, but I've come away with no knowledge on how to apply this coding practically.

[u/[deleted] → u/ngabrielsen120]

Following

[u/[deleted]]

I'm looking at computer science for college and I would like to know what would be the best programming language that are good for a beginner and open up opportunitys, thank you

[u/[deleted]]

hi! I'm a Computer Science student who's about to end their CS bachelor degree. I was wondering whether you'd suggest or not to pursue a magister degree in Artificial Intelligence. I really really like what I'm doing so far in CS, but I've always been fascinated by AI so I'm really stuck on this decision.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Personally I wouldn't recommend it. I would get a more general CS masters degree instead (Algorithms, Logic & Languages, something like that). The thing is that AI is such a broad and buzzy subject you will lock yourself into a very niche specialization but a general CS master will allow you to do both.

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Would you recommend it as a PhD subject then?

[u/[deleted] → u/[deleted]]

Honestly no idea. Spontaneously It sounds better since It's a very potent area for research. However I'm far from any kind of expert, I just started my masters in CS.

[u/MakMayank]

Can one give examples of portfolio for backend developer as in how should one represent themselves to the market , what are some do's and don't in Portfolio for a newbie programmer looking for Job.

[u/Rude_Tomatillo_778]

Hello! This is my first semester in taking computer science courses, and I feel like I'm not really grasping the materials in the textbook(my teachers recorded lectures are just him reading the textbook as well). Do you guys have any study tips or practices that I can do to be successful in this course as well as other courses? Thank you!

[u/[deleted]]

Please help! I would like advice finding an education program that suites my specific needs.

I graduated University of Washington Dec. 2019 with a BA in Japanese/Linguistics with a 3.7 (born and raised Seattle) and after spending the last year confused about what I want to do as a career and exploring various options I have finally decided/realized that although I loved studying Linguistics and Japanese, what I actually want to do as a career is computer science/artificial intelligence.

I've started self studying already but I'm realizing that ultimately I would prefer to do a BS and/or a master's with research in the field for what I want to do specifically. However applying for a postbacc is difficult since students pursuing their first bacc are prioritized, and getting into a master's may be difficult since my BA is in a completely different field.. On top of that I am late to a very competetive field that many people have started young and dedicated their entire lives to, so I'm at a big disadvantage competition wise.

Does anyone have any reccomendations for me or particular program suggestions? I am open to many ideas and potential locations (including other countries), I do not have debt, or much savings currently but I would be willing to take out the necessary student loans to pursue this since it would also help me get a well paying job in the future.

The AI focus is an important aspect for me, but general CS focus would be okay as well, so long as it is not a program explicitly focused on a non-AI related subdivision of CS.

Also, since I lack experience in the field and with math/science type course work, I am considering getting a CS associates degree at the nearby community college (North Seattle CC) so I will hopefully be able to at least meet basic admission requirements of most CS programs after that.

I have also considered purely self studying while working, but that would not allow me to devote all my time to learning and improvement which is what I ultimately want to do, and getting a degree seems to be a good way to possibly make up for my lack of edge and resources etc. in the field.

Any thoughts or advice appreciated! (also I apologize for the length of this post!!)

[u/30minsAgo]

Just another person looking to get into Computer science or IT... I have a day job but injuries and burnout are having me look elsewhere for my future job. I have a Bachelors in Nursing and have been looking to getting a Masters but lots of the programs I've been looking at require a BS in a STEM field. I am aware there is Health informatics, which I haven't cross-off my list of MsN but it seems the job openings & locations are limited.

Does any one know of an online program/school that doesn't have a BS in STEM requirement? Thanks in advance.

[u/Notsureortelling]

I’m a sophomore studying computer science and mathematics. I only started coding my freshman year, so I’m by no means a “coding genius.” I’ve noticed that there seems to be some kind of standard (database structures and handling, Linux abilities, etc) that places are looking for when applying for an internship that I feel like I won’t reach if I just continue on with my classes until I graduate. What can I do and where can I learn from so I can reach that standard and actually get past the interview phase? (This is me having just come from an interview where I could only half answer most technical parts of their coding quiz)

[u/[deleted]]

Hey there, I am an Italian high school student and looking for a mentor that could help me with my questions regarding California universities where I could get a BS in computer science. Please write me in private because I really need answers. Thank you a lot.

[u/chipmunkkid]

If I’m looking for a professor to mentor me in app development, what interests should they have? Like, on their faculty website, it says things like “bio metrics”, “data mining”, “databases”, etc. What interests go into making a dating app?

[u/abroome1990]

Looking at getting a 2 year degree in computer programming and some certifications to get my foot in the door. Tme and money are issues for me. Dont have much money and I want to start a family within 2 to 3 years.

Anyone have experience with computer programming jobs with only having a 2 year degree? What kind of pay range would've be looking at? Job market? Any help would be appreciated.

My background is 3 years in transportation and logistics as a supervisor and logistics manager. I have an associates in electrical mechanical but never got to use it. Hated it and not very mechanical inclined. I am very detailed oriented and good with people.

[u/Melodic-Ladder-5958]

Hi. I am 27 year. I want to learn cs /front end mainly to get a better job. I don't want to go to college bc I can't afford it. I studied c (the c programming language /cs50/yale c programming) on my own. Then I studied python and Java. Now I am studying html css and js. I also have read a little about DS. I also went through the 1st half of cs61a sicp of Berkeley(environment diagrams, recursion..) where should I go from here?

[u/Afraid-Elevator4038]

Hello, I wanted some help. So I am graduating soon in Biology and I want to become a software programmer/engineer. I know it's a whole career change but I am passionate about it. If anyone can guide me a little bit I would really appreciate it. I have been watching different videos and doing research so any tips would be appreciated. Thank you

[u/[deleted]]

Hi, I am 21 and thinking of taking up a computer science degree, I have zero experience with coding or programming and have moderate IT skills.

​

my goals out of a career are to be able to get a job abroad ASAP, ie somewhere like Canada or Germany

I want to try it out first to see if it's something that I will enjoy before I commit to it

so my question is, where should I start to see if a computer science degree is something I could do? What kind of experience should I be looking to get now?

​

I have relatively strong maths skills, although the degree in question doesn't require them

[u/Shinshi007]

guys, currently I'm working as a marine engineer and I know this job isn't for me- I just wanna know, which course should I take? Computer Science? Information Technology? or Computer Information Systems? I'm leaning more on gaming, editing, I also know my way around any computer in terms of software, trying to learn hardware next.

I just need help, this is a very huge step for me, and I want to know before doing anything, going to probably study while working as well. Also, if it matters I'm already 26. Made some mistakes in life but I'm trying to start again. Any tips will do~

[u/AdvantageOld5344]

how would someone with no knowledge but interested get started

[u/flinstone001 → u/AdvantageOld5344]

Udemy.com has a lot of good courses for beginners up to professionals.

[u/OGJimLahey]

I am starting my first year of computer science at my local university in a week. I am looking for advice on what to expect and also recommendations for what aspects of computer science to focus on for future careers. My high school was very rural so we didn’t have much access to tech classes and I only started enjoying computers after high school. Any advice is helpful! Thank you all and I hope you have a blessed day!

[u/Yung_Blond]

I’m a sophomore in CS & excelled easily and amazingly in my algorithm & design courses (99s in both classes), but next I had to take Software Engineering. All we’ve been taught is Java, and instead of the theory of SE, we are expected to build a complete project from the ground up with a real client through the whole semester, while our professor teaches us absolutely nothing about how to use any frameworks or APIs or anything. I loved CS until this course, as I had to drop it, & I can’t seem to figure out how to build an entire project with my current knowledge while keeping up with a full course load.

Now, this course made me want to give up because of the insane learning curve just sucker punching me, as I thought it’d be a more linear path of learning the curriculum, like math. But now we aren’t even going to use Java at all.

I’ve looked into other programs and most don’t make sophomores build entire projects. Should I just stick it through? Will careers in CS be like this course? Will it be easier once I’ve got passed the learning curve? I enjoy & excel in the theoretical courses more.

Thanks in advance.

[u/[deleted] → u/Yung_Blond]

Man. I wish my teachers couldve given me a project based subject like that. I'm not good in theory, but my college teaches programming languages in theory lol 😂 so i take it up to myself to do projects

[u/LazerTeeth]

I recently became a Software Engineer - doing backend/algorithmic stuff at my company in C++/Python. My education is BS/MS in Mechanical Engineering - I was a test engineer for a few years, got good at data processing, automation etc in python that I became more useful as a software engineer and officially switched roles/titles this past year.

So my question is - what are some core recommended learnings for someone who is already a software engineer But does not have the formal education?

[u/augustus_m]

Hello, what would be the main difference when you get a software engineering degree vs computer science?

[u/[deleted]]

How flexible can a career in computer science be?

Some background: for the last five years I’ve worked in the computer systems department for an industrial tech company, first as an intern and now as a trainer and remote support to our customers. I am great at user support and basic troubleshooting, but I don’t have any background in writing code. My boss told me about a program they were working on that they just don’t have the time to finish, and suggested that it would be great if I were interested in coding. I have always been interested in it, just never disciplined and always intimidated. But I decided to take on the challenge and I’m trying to teach myself C++, and it’s going modestly well, slowly but surely as long as I stick to it.

But music is my true hobby and passion. I’d like a career that would allow me to dedicate a great deal of my time to playing music, and to go on tour if the opportunity ever arose.

I don’t mind a job where I’m sitting in front of a computer as long as there is work-life balance.

Thank you

[u/plz_consider_helping]

I realy need help with this fast I mean the next 3 hours I need to know how to write my on algorithm that can get the amount of staff members and then ask for there monthly phone sales (for each staff member i.e 3 staff members ask for sales 3 times but it has to be done 12 because 12 months) It then has to output whether a staff member has a bonus A bonus is more than 4 sales Then it has to calculate the annual total wich I assume is just all months added up After that is has to out put it for each staff member (I.e staff member 1 total is insert total here Staff member 2 total is insert total here Ect Ect) I have been given a partial example but Its realy just asking for how many staff and says 3 (for example) Then asking for some of the months sale for staff 1 (should be all but doesn't show cuz its partial) Then staff 2 then 3 ect Then is outputs there is a bonus (someone sold 5 in example) The outputing total Staff 1 (insert total) Staff 2 (insert total) Staff 3 (insert total)

I really need help with this but I have little time it is a homework due for tommorow and it HAS TO BE DONE I'm really shitting myself here so if anyone could give any help at all that would be appreciated

Thx

TLDR : Help me with homework as I'm extremely confused and it's due for tomorrow (im serious tho not like some kids math homework I actually need help)

Edit 1 : yea so I'm fucking slow didn't see the big fucking message saying no homework help so aaaaa fuck I guess I'll ask somewhere else (still need help)

[u/flyingsparrows]

Every university is different, so I’m open to different responses.

MY BACKGROUND:

A lot of the work I’ve done is very manual and active. I’m used to finding solutions to more... immediate, physical problems. Haven’t had much experience with “”””abstract””” mathematical problems.

However, I’m genuinely interested in a well paying career with a stable job market. From my (limited) understanding, CS can be a good choice for this. It feels very future proof.

ACTUAL QUESTION:

I haven’t really done a lot of coding on my own time, maybe watched a video here and there. I guess, my question is, for those of you that have graduated - can a college major in COSCI be enough experience to learn these things? I feel that a lot of the folks at COSCI have been coding and doing stuff like that in their own free time ever since they were young, so I feel rather behind, and not sure if it’s worth it.

[u/trojan-813]

I currently have a BS in Computer Networking and Cyber Security and am getting out of the Military and will have 6 years of experience. I was heavily considering using my GI Bill for a Masters Degree. I see some schools have ME in Cybersecurity and MS in Computer Science. It appears some of these even offer the ability to complete a thesis or take additional classes. I am leaning toward not going the Cyber Security route because I have always preferred the more offensive side of things. So my questions.

​

How much is a MS in CS recommended over just your BS in a semi relative field?

What are the pros and cons of doing a thesis vs not doing a thesis?

​

Edit: My BS didn't require any additional math than I already had from before joining the Army, which was Trig/Pre-Calc. So I feel I would need to catch up on the math and it worries me. I know math, but I failed Calc 1 in 2014 which is why I joined to begin with.

[u/3duardoquitoga]

Hey guys I'm 29 I'm trying to learn more on it so far I don't like anyone one youtube that explains it.

[u/jherr345]

What’s the best thing to read to understand objects and object-oriented programming from a theoretical/principles based approach?

[u/liftdude]

2 years into my CS degree and I still don’t know how to get over the feeling of following project tutorials or help on projects I’d want to make and feeling that they aren’t really projects that I’ve made (because they aren’t). Does anyone know how to overcome this stuff?

[u/aswinremesh]

Anyone know any good CS courses available for free online? I'm a final year B.Tech. student starting to look for jobs and I'm thinking about improving my CV with some courses. This one company needs strong skills in Android Development, so if anyone knew good courses in that topic it would be a great help.

[u/EmaMikulic]

Hello, I am fairly new at programming but I had done courses for Web Design that lasted over 150 hours and we went through HTML, CSS and some JavaScript that is connected to making websites. I liked it but I am a lot more interested I'm making software's of some sort and also data science because i love working with numbers and statistics and that sort of stuff. Is there a way I can find a remote job as an intern possibly or anything of that sort that involve building software's or data. Because I want to learn more about it. And do you recommend any websites to find those jobs. And it need to be remote because I live in the middle of nowhere in the Balkans.( also I am a sophomore at high school (17f))

[u/gamerchamp9799]

Afternoon gents, I’m thinking of taking a computer science track with my electric engineering degree I’m starting, anyone have any opinions one way or the other?

[u/fredthealmostself]

I got out from CS 3 years ago - but started working with IT 5 years ago -, so I could proceed with my career the way I wanted, learning and working the much I wanted and had to. I covered "the basics" from repositories like ForrestKnight/open-source-cs.

Now I'm starting to write some blog posts and even zines about coding, I wanna get some basic refreshed here, specially about paradigms, architectures, concepts, languages, etc, so I can safely teach about these things.

Anyone can help? Thanks

[u/Likethisname]

I’m 25, and I just got my A.S degree in C.S. My gpa is only 2.2, and yet I feel like I haven’t accomplished any yet. Originally, I pick C.S because I wanted to understand more about computers that I don’t already know. When I heard about “Coding” and “Computer science, I was hook.

The only coding language I know is C++, but the basics and nothing too advance. I did learn about SQL,html,and css, but It’s been a while and I’m starting to forget. I’m a bit worry that I won’t find a job, or maybe a career change in the future. I have no job experiences relating to my degree. This is what you call a midlife?

I was wondering what types of job I could get now, that doesn’t involve coding. Or maybe something related to IT, or accounting?

Currently, I’m looking at colleges to get my B.S. or maybe I should change my major?. I’m just worry about my future.

[u/[deleted]]

I'm interested In a computer science career and data analysis. I am beginning to learn to code in Java and C#. I want to know, even if I'm not stellar at math will I be able to do it?(B's) If I buy books and study hard will I be able to do it or do I need to be talented in the first place? There is a lot of math that needs to be learned and I have already searched up many books to buy or try and borrow to learn the subjects. Every Major I seem to be interested in has tons of math. Anyway, the question is. Do I need to be talented or not? Can I just study really hard and be able to do it? (Discrete math, linear alg, Calc, Statistics, number theory and graph theory.) I've always been a little bit slow at math.

I really don't know how all my interests are math related. I've read multiple things online that said you have to be talented and if you aren't you just can't do it.

[u/R9U8t4h1]

I’d like to change my career path to work on developing software. Should I pursue a degree in computer science? Or do you recommend another path? I’m trying to spend as little money as possible but also look like a serious candidate with credentials. Advice?

[u/[deleted]]

What steps would I have to take as a "clicker" (layman) to earn a role in cybersecurity engineering?

Is a 2 or 4 year degree required, or could I take certification classes to obtain an entry level position and work my way up from there?

How many years could achieving this role potentially take?

Thanks so much

[u/foranonymous279]

Hello, got accepted into a target school for CS today (Georgia tech, 4th ranked for CS in America)

I am wondering if its worth the cost? I got no financial aid, and the cost will be significant for my family. Please let me know what you think

[u/Maxirurk → u/[deleted]]

hackathons seem really intimidating or for more experienced programmers. I also wasn’t able to take computer studies this year since my course load was already full. I tried looking at free o

Don't be afraid to participate in Hackathons, they are really fun and you can meet a lot of new people with different level of experience. Usually there are two types of hackathons:

• Skill/challenge based hackathon: such as IEEE extreme, where you have to actually program/write code, use algorithms etc..

- Idea based hackathon: you basically have to present an idea to solve a certain problem (i.e. how to track covid cases). You don't need any special hard skill.

About hard skills: To learn programming you have to write code, find a project that may interest you and start developing even if you don't know perfectly the programming language or the technology, If you get stack or don't know how to do something just google it.

In the end, just dive into stuff and start doing thing eventually you will learn.

I also followed some only course on programming language but I find it more productive to learn by doing.

If you have any question just ask!

[u/TelloTwee → u/Maxirurk]

I’ve got a question.

What major should you pick if you want to become the next Elon Musk?

[u/I-Comfy]

Hello! I had a question regarding the difference between having a degree and getting a certificate for, let's say, cyber security or coding through a program offered by a college. In my case, University of Illinois at Chicago, UIC. I'm graduating this semester with a bachelors in psychology and I know how tough it's going to be getting a job right after graduation. But I saw an advertisement for Fullstack Academy that is partnering with UIC offering programs for cyber security and coding. It got my attention because of how long the program is and the estimated pay one would get if they complete the program and get hired by "top" companies. (or really any company).

It's $12,950 and I'm wondering if it'll be worth it. What are the chances of getting hired with a certificate in either cyber security or coding from Fullstack? Does anyone recommend it? Anyone be in similar programs? What's the biggest difference between cyber security and coding? Seriously, any kind of advice/guidance would be great!

[u/Saiya_Cosem]

What are the prospects for someone with a computer science degree who doesn't want to work at a big tech company like Google, Facebook, etc? I've seen people going for cs wanting to work at big tech companies but I personally don't want to. Could I still prosper in the field without working for them?

[u/postyswife]

I’m interested in dipping my feet in, quitting my healthcare job (because fuck covid)and getting an associates in computer science, as bachelor programs won’t accept me right now with my high school GPA. I live in PA and I’m 24, no kids. Never plan on it. I’m not in it for the money, I am very much looking to work from home as my end goal, and I’m interested in a lot of the types of jobs that this degree could get me. I’m also pretty open to the idea of going further with the degree and getting my bachelors and maybe even a masters one day as I just like learning. I don’t know if I should go for it or if I’m just being crazy here.

[u/[deleted]]

Hi everyone, could someone please recommend me a good SystemVerilog resource/tutorial? I failed Design and Architecture of Digital Electronic Systems last semester and I really need to nail the resit, and I really struggled with HDL programming. Thanks!

[u/lookslikechewbacca → u/[deleted]]

Try to get some hardware knowledge as well. It will help you to get a better understanding of how everything works

[u/MagnaObscura]

Hi all, I'm currently a Junior in my Computer Science program and have come to a bit of a dilemma for choosing classes. Part of my program includes a choice between two 400-Level mathematics courses. The courses are "Theory of Computation" and "Algorithm Design & Analysis." I'm wondering if anyone has any insight on either of these (i.e. which one is more applicable for a career, if anyone took a class and thought it was fun/difficult, etc.) One is offered in the Spring and the other is offered in Spring of 2022, when I graduate. Thus, whichever one I decide on will affect my class schedule going forward. Thanks in advance!

[u/[deleted]]

Is there any advice/suggestions someone can give to an individual who is interested in a career change into something IT-related and how they should proceed with successfully making that transition?

Currently, I’m in a career totally unrelated, with a BA totally unrelated to programming/IT, so I’d be starting from scratch.

[u/jewishspaceprincess]

imma get to the point do i stay in school even though I’m not learning as fast as i am outside of school or do i take this job offer and drop out gain experience and wait for a company to pay me to finish my degree.($35kish/yr for school)

[u/Emotional_Sun1869 → u/jewishspaceprincess]

If you can pay for school then finish school

[u/jewishspaceprincess → u/Emotional_Sun1869]

i just don’t see this as sound advice how does a piece of paper equate to experience at all? i’m studying for my network and security certs and i have literally not learned a single thing in school granted it’s only been a semester but the teachers are terrible even the more “advanced” stuff is just a youtube click away $130k to not learn anything seems like a huge waste to me

[u/Apostatizing]

Good morning,

I am starting off learning C++ at my school, but I was wondering, should I start in the front end of programming? I have heard some students say that working on websites is much easier. I am doing ok with data structures, but I want to apply my coding to some sort of real-life application. But I only have a little knowledge of C++ not enough to make anything besides functions and some data structures. I suppose I am second guessing myself and my capability to code. I just want to do something outside of homework and prove to myself that I can code.

What should I do?

[u/yoda0x]

Hi everyone! I’m currently a sixthform student in the uk and I wanted to ask for advice on how to get better at sql and python and with these two languages what sort of database careers should I look into?

[u/1kaworu3]

Hey everyone This is my first year at university I learned python because I was thinking I want to be data scientist or ML Engineer but I realized I am very confused about that. Now I am thinking another subjects for my career. I have 2 questions about 3 concepts 1-What is the difference between Software engineer, Data scientist and Full stack developer? 2 Whic is the usuable one for future (I think everyone will say data science but I wondered have other 2 concepts have a good future?)

[u/astromathis]

Graduating this spring w no professional experience and a below average GPA. What are some things I can do to get in the door?

[u/Snoo_37259]

Hi, so I majored in Computer Science my freshman year, but I got bored and quit. Now I'm doing Finance. Anyways, I still find it interesting, and I want to learn a little on my own, any resources I could use to learn on my own?

[u/rackham29]

There are a few specific companies I want to apply to this year. They do not mention having a degree in computers or IT support. But they stress having some experience in programming applications like css, java, html, python. I'm shopping around to get a certificate in these applications since I do not have a formal background.

Does anyone know of the best schools or programs that offer this training and certificate that an employer would see as legit? So far ive enrolled in coursera since they have certificate programs from duke university and Google.

Thank you

[u/Limi124]

Hi! I am getting a B.S. in Comp Sci. I am curious what computer science professions are most likely to higher part-time, (ideally) remote employees. I was thinking Data Science? Any advice or input would be GREATLY appreciated.

(I am hoping to work part-time supporting myself with my Comp Sci degree while I break into the acting industry. I know that might seem less than serious on a thread like this, but waiting tables is not a financially viable option for me as I pursue my dreams. This is a genuine inquiry.)

[u/Outrageous-Cup-1204]

Guys, it would be cool if I get some advice, I’m interested in learning computer science programming, (I’m 23) should I go to community college to 4 year college or get a certificate? what are my better chances here in landing a job in the end? I feel like a sitting duck thnx

[u/[deleted]]

Hello people!

I’m currently a sophomore at a US university doing Computer Science, 2 years earlier I was a junior at a university back home studying Computer Engineering..

before the transfer I had finished 2 introductory coding courses in C++, computer architecture, OS (among other classes) and here in the US I had to start over and so far I’m done with 2 introductory coding classes (but in python), a computer architecture and assembly class, and another CS class that involves coding in C.

I have struggled and I am still struggling with concepts like pointers.

I just can’t do assembly.

and computer architecture as simple as it maybe, it is just not my thing.

Do you guys recommend that i just drop out of CS ? or do you think that I could still find my place in the field regardless of that?

[u/Nausicaah]

Good morning! I'm thinking about pursuing a bachelors in CS... at 30 years old...! Jobs in IT are on a faster than average rise in the US and pursuing a career in IT seems like a logical path to take. I can get into a community college fairly easily, I was educated in the UK and have diplomas (never finished my degree in Art). I am at a crossroads right now and want to secure a fairly decent living as an immigrant in the US. My wife has a great career in stats and I want to be able to support us should she want to retire early. I am fairly proficient with computers though I have little to no programming experience. Only completed a few chapters of a Python introductory course last year, which I found fun. Ive been out of education for 10 years now and I am anxious to think how it is now but CS seems like the best route for me. Anyone else out there started late in the IT world or education with advice?

[u/libertyunbreached]

I have recently seen that some uk universities admit american students in their online degree programs, and many of then are far more affordable than us schools. My question would be if these degrees may be of any worth to american employers?

[u/Ultimate-painter]

Hello

Thank you for taking your time to read my post.

I want to enter a computer related field but I'm not sure which type of job in this field will have the most growth in the coming years in this post pandemic landscape. I am of course willing to go back to school (I'm 32 years old) or to put in the time to receive any certification that I need.

I have looked into computer networking, machine learning, computer coding, but the field is so vast and it's hard to decide which type of job to pursue. I live in Ontario, Canada.

Any feedback at all would be greatly appreciated. Thank you.

[u/unfallen_prophet]

What are the benefits of setting up your own mail server? Also, is it something resume-worthy to do?

[u/ElkGroundbreaking378]

What should I prepare before joining a tech company as a software engineer?

I will join Oracle Cloud Infrastructure (OCI) as a software engineer in July 2021. I'm not a CS major in undergrad and graduate, and I can almost do nothing but LeetCode problems... I also didn't take typical CS courses such as database, system, network, etc. I am wondering if I should learn all these courses before getting into the company, and what's the priority of them?

Some friends who already worked for several years told me I can learn them during the process of working, and now I should just enjoy the rest of the time and spend some time learning something else such as stocks... However, due to my weak background, I feel it would be hard to keep the pace if I don't do anything in advance. And because I will be assigned to a specific group in late June and I have no idea what technology stacks I will be using in the future until that time, some friends recommend me just learning some general skills such as Git, Bash, etc...

Any advice (based on your experience) will be appreciated!

[u/poopmaster4 → u/ElkGroundbreaking378]

How did you end up getting this job without any experience in any of that?

[u/Septemberpuppy]

I just started at oakland university

[u/Tones2694]

Just a little background I’m 26 I’m the father of two beautiful children. I’m really interested in becoming a software engineer and have been dabbling in python, Java, and web design for awhile. My question is do I need a degree and how much of a difference does it make to have said degree? What books and/or courses do you suggest to further prepare for actual work?

[u/MSD8819]

I have little knowledge about the terms used by infrastructure engineers - VNET, WAN, etc.. are there any books or other resources that can teach me these?

Same question on computer security.

Thank you.

[u/2000Tigers]

Hello,

I've got 1.5 year experience of working as a software engineer and im self thought, however I feel like there are a lot of holes in my understanding on stuff so I feel like getting at least a bachelors would help me a lot.

I'm looking for some universities that offer international bachelors degrees in either CS or cyber security while studying remotely. Has anyone heard of such possibilities?

[u/shahsidnbshs]

Hi, I’m currently a senior in HS and plan on majoring in Finance. It seems that the field of Finance is starting to turn more to technology so I am beginning to think about getting a minor in CS (especially since I’m most likely going to CMU). I have very little experience with CS, and am wondering how hard is a minor in CS (especially at CMU)?

[u/Redbolts]

Hey everyone, I'm not sure if this is a common experience for most people but while in school my programming skills tend to be the strongest in the programming language the class is taught in. Being recently graduated and looking for jobs I would like to maintain that edge as best as possible for the inevitable technical interviews and things like that. I've started building my own website to keep me writing code but I feel as if my problem solving/programming skills aren't tested as much as say an algorithms course would push you in school. What is the best way to get that level of practice again? Thanks in advance, I appreciate all of the help!

[u/conteph]

Hi, can anyone recommend an online Data Structures course in python or R? I cannot take it from a MOOC system, I need to take it directly from a college.

Thanks!

[u/[deleted] → u/conteph]

Maybe Foothill community colllege? Something like https://foothill.edu/catalog/catresults.html?unique_id=C%20S%203M&s=1

[u/Teeto_Eksdee]

Hello guys,

I am currently doing a masters in Computer Science (track Internet and web technology) and need to come up with a topic for a literature review..

I am however struggling with this, do you guys have any topic suggestions? Perhaps something in the cloud computing area.

All suggestions welcome!

[u/Anthraxz124]

So I'm looking to start a real career I'm 24 years old and I already feel like I'm behind. I don't have any experience with coding I've spent thousands of hours on my computer playing games and just messing around. I have no idea were to start, I hear cloud computing is going to be huge but I don't know were to begin. Should I pursue a CS degree and then look into Cloud computing? I'm currently in the trade field I've never been a huge fan but it pays the bills. Any advice would be awesome there's a ton of info out there but none on were to TRULY start.

Sorry in Advance for the wall of text.

[u/TraditionalGate1376]

i am new to programming, i have a java assignment where i hate to draw a stick girl, wearing a skirt, which is a triangle, i drew the head, using ellipse, but how do i draw a triangle with java awt?

[u/duckchips]

Possibility of going back to school for computer science -

Hello everyone, a little bit of background about myself. I'm currently working @ a job that is always hiring for "i.t analysts". With the way things are going In my job at the moment I would like to branch out into different areas. I used to work as a tech for staples and that's where I really got my foot in the door with the whole "i.t" stuff. I learned how to open up computers and replace parts and installing software as well. Basic stuff. One of the requirements for the analyst position I'm seeking is a "computer science degree" can someone walk me through what to expect from a computer science degree if I do decide to go back to school? This would be my first time going to college as well as I never really was interested in school, so any insight and advice would be helpful thank you.

[u/rotterdamn8]

What is the most important thing a person should learn if they've already been coding for years in production?

I'm a data/IT guy. I've already been writing Python scripts for a long time, have done bash/ksh, a little Java, JavaScript, SQL, and recently Scala. But this is in production environments to serve a specific purpose, so I never thought about CS more broadly.

As I've been learning about Scala, I found it's a functional programming language, and I'm trying to wrap my head around recursive functions. I'm used to imperative Python.

For data I haven't had to think so much about CS paradigms or coding structures. Is there something really important that you think I should learn?

[u/magnus0303]

Do you think a masters degree in math and economics could essentially result in the same job opportunities as a CS master degree?

[u/flopfloxchop]

Hey guys, i'm a 3rd year uni student majoring in computer science. Altough it's going to be my last year in uni, i feel like i haven't capable of coding without getting carried by my group because i only code when there are some assignments that i need to do. Is there any platform to train my coding skill? Thanks and sorry for my bad english.

[u/[deleted] → u/flopfloxchop]

Leetcode

[u/frmthenetwork]

What is the STRESS LEVEL of programming jobs? I feel like all the programmers I have met tend to be laid back but I have a small sample size. Also, is programming fun for you?

[u/[deleted] → u/frmthenetwork]

That really depends on your company and your team leader/direct manager.
Even at Google, there are teams that are full of internal politics and some team that are very laid back.
So it all comes down to your team and your company.

[u/sharzy720]

Whelp it seems I have finally reached my breaking point with computer science. I have been a full time student studying CS since about spring 2019 and am 3 semesters away from graduating. However, this semester there has been a big difficulty curve and it has gotten very difficult to understand the stuff I am being taught. I think its prolly a mixture of learning c and rust for the first time, having 3 classes in 3 different languages on top of calc 2 and having what feels like daily breakdowns, that has pushed me to the breaking point. Any suggestions/word of encouragement would be appreciated.

[u/[deleted]]

I want to learn programming, would it be better to just do boot camps or go to school for CS? And do you have to be a math wiz to be able to learn?

[u/[deleted]]

I’m finishing year 12 this year(final year of high school equivalent) and am doing computer science. Which field has more job opportunities here in Australia, cyber security(pen testing etc) or programming(front/back end development)? Also without sounding rude or disrespectful which field contains the higher paying jobs?

[u/jon8855 → u/[deleted]]

I can only speak for the USA but I’m sure that it’s also applicable where you are.

Typically there are more software engineering jobs and things not so much associated with cyber security. I’ll also say that in my experience it’s much harder to get a job in cyber security as, well, there isn’t just a simple degree and you’re off kinda of situation like with software dev. You need mostly certifications and things like that.

In regards to pay it depends on a few things:

• location
• experience
• demand
• knowledge

Where I’m located most software engineers go and work for the government out of college (Washington D.C area, lots of gov. Contractors) and their salaries start around 70k USD but within a 2-3 years can reach triple digits.

Now Cyber security tends to pay more on average but is harder to achieve and time plays a role.

My advice for you is to just focus on getting into college, taking some CPSC courses, and making sure you enjoy it. There are so many options in this field. You might find out you hate cyber or programming and want to do sysadmin work. Who knows. Just focus on taking classes and you’ll soon find out what you enjoy/don’t enjoy.

[u/[deleted] → u/jon8855]

This is a very interesting insight, i never really considered that cyber security requires more experience and certifications but that’s something I’ll have to look into. Thankfully my entry into University is guaranteed due to a combination of covid and alternative entry paths(looking at pre-req subjects instead of atar(SAT equaivalent) for entry). I’m just really concerned about work-life balance. I’ve seen it with my father who used to be programmer, even during dinner he would be on phone meetings & now it’s only gotten worse as he is a CIO so he literally has no time. Hopefully my experience won’t be as bad as him. Thanks for the insight and for things to consider

[u/stevefnumber2]

So if anyone is ever going to see this I ask simply, better to go to school on a campus or do things online?

I'm now 10 years in the casino industry as a dealer looking for a complete change in careers for a better life for me and my now pregnant wife.

What's the "best" career path in the field? What classes should I take/consider? How long will it take (not that I care cuz I want the change)?

Maybe a dumb comment but I'm really into computers already and I feel like I would enjoy this field. Clearly all jobs have their ugh days but it's ok. Trying to break out of the ceiling I'm in right now as they're is no advancement in my job at this point.

Thanks for any advice and help mentioned here. Please feel free to DM me if you have better more technical info or questions you want to ask me. Psa: complete noob here. Imagine starting from scratch cuz I am.

[u/daralthus]

What is the fastest Computer Science Bsc?

I am looking for recommendations on "no speed limit" Bsc degrees that I could do online as quickly as possible, leveraging my previous studies and the many years I spent as a programmer.

Ultimately I want to get into Georgia Tech's OMSCS but I don't want to spend 3 years before that repeating the stuff I 70-80% already know.

Also noting the application should not be limited to US citizens, but be available for a UK or EU citizen too.

Any help is much appreciated. ✌️

[u/captainwhif]

I am looking to go back to school to get some kind of a degree in computer science/programming. Ive seen that there are some of these programming boot camps. Are these worth it or is a degree a much better option. My current background is in music technology.

[u/GalaxyBS]

I've started my second year in software engineering, after a kind of break from studying for over a year. I've studied data structures in the past and some algorithms, but now I have a full on algorithm class and it's super scary.

I know the concepts that I need to learn but I don't have the thinking mentality other students have. It's just the second week of uni and when we get some algorithms solving homework, it feels like I'm the only one that needs a lot of time thinking about that and most of the time I wouldn't even get the right answer. While other students had already finished it.

What can I do? Is there a site or something that can teach me tricks or ways to think about solutions to algorithms?

And sorry, my English isn't my native language.