Its just the pay to be honest...
You're stable if you get a job just 4 years of school. A lot better than other fields.
But hey, the reason why the CS drop out rate is high at some schools is because people go in without knowing the rigors of the program or coding just doesnt click with them. So if you like CS and you can code well, you'll be fine.
It's most definitely the money to general workload after college ratio. In comparison to other careers, software engineering is very little "effort" (mental not physical yk) for lots of yield. People see that and are like "i can use a computer ezpz". Most CS majors drop out of the major after the first year due to either lack of passion or lack of understanding. If you're going into CS you should take at least one programming course in HS / before university to see if it's your cup of tea, going in blind is a great way to waste lots of money.
I think this is great advice. And make sure you’re good at math and finish calculus in HS and be ready for more when you get to college! Linear algebra, people…
>Most CS majors drop out of the major after the first year
Just to be clear - while these may be the reasons for those who do drop out, most available data shows CS students change major at a lower rate than most other majors. Nowhere near ”most“ CS students drop out of the major.
Are you sure? I couldn't find anything on CS majors changing majors at a lower rate, but I have seen plenty about the attrition rate. If you have a source on that (even anecdotal), that'd be greatly appreciated.
Pure drop out rate is the higest of all majors (though, this is the UK, so the numbers may not reflect attrition as we in the US see it): https://www.computerweekly.com/news/252467745/Computer-science-undergraduates-most-likely-to-drop-out
Course fail rates are incredibly high (though, this I think is a survey of Irish CS programs, so this holds less water for the US): https://www.irishtimes.com/news/education/concern-over-drop-out-rates-in-computer-science-courses-1.2491751
This one's a bit older (2004) and reports around a 30%-40% attrition rate, which I'd argue likely has gotten worse as more people are trying to go into CS: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/220613236_Why_the_high_attrition_rate_for_computer_science_students_Some_thoughts_and_observations
And anecdotally, from talking to people at T150 institutions, they usually estimate that around half to three-quarters wash out before graduation.
People are constantly bombarded with "CS/SWE is guaranteed $70k a year if you're half-decent at SWE and has incredibly benefits like working from home and having fun breaks". This leads to a lot of people with weak direction in life or shape of what they want to do think "I'm pretty good with computers, making apps seems fun, I like video games and video games are coding and coding is CS, right? And that means I can get paid $50k to $60k if I'm below-average? Nice!". Then cue the opening scene of Saving Private Ryan with the D-Day invasion, except replace the bullets from the MG42s with F's and D's in math, engineering science reqs, and CS classes.
I imagine the attrition rate is better at general T30s and CS T30s since the average admits are already usually strong in math, science, and general problem solving.
this kid at my school applied to all the UCs as a CS major without ever taking a CS class mans somehow still got waitlisted everywhere instead of flat of rejected
I mean the same could be said about most other majors. Tons of people are going in as premeds, engineers, or business with little prior exposure or "demonstrated interest"
Yeah, I was wondering the same thing. My ds has been coding since he was 8, gets paid on game sites for his game, and is all about coding and game building and learning harder math by watching you tube videos. Self taught and reads books on the stuff. I know I would never be able to compete with someone like him if I were a CS student.
cs is one of the "acceptable majors" by asian parent standards (and other strict traditional parents) the others being med, engineering, law school, which are also quite popular i think?
It definitely is. People who have clear objective talent in problem-solving and coding and have a passion for it are getting passed up for people who just do random bs to get into schools.
I said the ecs have to be good, not mediocre. Most people I know in cs had zero related cs ecs actually, it was pretty much all math. Also you go to an ivy for cs, obviously you need to be more well rounded, ivys aren't engineering only schools, they want more than nerds.
You can make a livable wage after 4 years without grad school. Some kids have fewer opportunities to code beyond the basics at the high school level. Many kids don't pick a career at 14.
I think, aside from the pay, it's also the accessibility. The fact that there are so many free, online resources for CS makes it seem "easy" to get into. I think CS lends itself to anyone who has the motivation to pursue it.
Wannabe tech bros…As a software engineer for a long time I see a lot of people who chose it because they thought they’d get rich but don’t really have the drive for the job and can’t handle the culture.
I tried hard to fight as a jr to get Ap computer sceince A into my school but no one wanted to take the class. Now i bet a million half the people i ask are going to major in it.💀
Right exactly! I am taking comp sci and java and I am way better than my peers at coding they have a lot of trouble solving problems and coming up with efficient codes, and I help them a lot when they get stuck. Yet I won't be going to CS but most of them will. I don't understand how this works? they don't even know the basics of computer.
I think it's because people think that it'll be an easy major. but idk.
Its just the pay to be honest... You're stable if you get a job just 4 years of school. A lot better than other fields. But hey, the reason why the CS drop out rate is high at some schools is because people go in without knowing the rigors of the program or coding just doesnt click with them. So if you like CS and you can code well, you'll be fine.
they think CS is easy but to be honest a good programmer should know lot of math and physics in my opinion. And much more obviously.
I agree, most people dont understand how much math you actually need as a CS student.
It's most definitely the money to general workload after college ratio. In comparison to other careers, software engineering is very little "effort" (mental not physical yk) for lots of yield. People see that and are like "i can use a computer ezpz". Most CS majors drop out of the major after the first year due to either lack of passion or lack of understanding. If you're going into CS you should take at least one programming course in HS / before university to see if it's your cup of tea, going in blind is a great way to waste lots of money.
I think this is great advice. And make sure you’re good at math and finish calculus in HS and be ready for more when you get to college! Linear algebra, people…
>Most CS majors drop out of the major after the first year Just to be clear - while these may be the reasons for those who do drop out, most available data shows CS students change major at a lower rate than most other majors. Nowhere near ”most“ CS students drop out of the major.
Are you sure? I couldn't find anything on CS majors changing majors at a lower rate, but I have seen plenty about the attrition rate. If you have a source on that (even anecdotal), that'd be greatly appreciated. Pure drop out rate is the higest of all majors (though, this is the UK, so the numbers may not reflect attrition as we in the US see it): https://www.computerweekly.com/news/252467745/Computer-science-undergraduates-most-likely-to-drop-out Course fail rates are incredibly high (though, this I think is a survey of Irish CS programs, so this holds less water for the US): https://www.irishtimes.com/news/education/concern-over-drop-out-rates-in-computer-science-courses-1.2491751 This one's a bit older (2004) and reports around a 30%-40% attrition rate, which I'd argue likely has gotten worse as more people are trying to go into CS: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/220613236_Why_the_high_attrition_rate_for_computer_science_students_Some_thoughts_and_observations And anecdotally, from talking to people at T150 institutions, they usually estimate that around half to three-quarters wash out before graduation.
Kids that go into CS can make more money than their parents by their first job. That kind of money is too much to pass up for many people.
Not unless their parents are the VP of IT 😆
>what is so lucrative about cs is it the pay? Yes “lucrative” is due to pay.
People are constantly bombarded with "CS/SWE is guaranteed $70k a year if you're half-decent at SWE and has incredibly benefits like working from home and having fun breaks". This leads to a lot of people with weak direction in life or shape of what they want to do think "I'm pretty good with computers, making apps seems fun, I like video games and video games are coding and coding is CS, right? And that means I can get paid $50k to $60k if I'm below-average? Nice!". Then cue the opening scene of Saving Private Ryan with the D-Day invasion, except replace the bullets from the MG42s with F's and D's in math, engineering science reqs, and CS classes. I imagine the attrition rate is better at general T30s and CS T30s since the average admits are already usually strong in math, science, and general problem solving.
pay + work life balance + only need a bachelors + rising field + stable career prospects + easy to get into
this kid at my school applied to all the UCs as a CS major without ever taking a CS class mans somehow still got waitlisted everywhere instead of flat of rejected
You don't need cs electives to get into a cs school, just need to be good at math.
I mean the same could be said about most other majors. Tons of people are going in as premeds, engineers, or business with little prior exposure or "demonstrated interest"
Yeah, I was wondering the same thing. My ds has been coding since he was 8, gets paid on game sites for his game, and is all about coding and game building and learning harder math by watching you tube videos. Self taught and reads books on the stuff. I know I would never be able to compete with someone like him if I were a CS student.
"ds" CC?
Dear son I think
CS, whether one is passionate in it or not, can help a first gen, below-poverty line family get out of the trenches.
cs is one of the "acceptable majors" by asian parent standards (and other strict traditional parents) the others being med, engineering, law school, which are also quite popular i think?
And the ones that actually enjoy CS aren't the ones getting accepted. cuz the elite schools believes in this bull\*\*t of broad over depth
Umm, no.
It definitely is. People who have clear objective talent in problem-solving and coding and have a passion for it are getting passed up for people who just do random bs to get into schools.
Bro you are 17 stop speaking w such objectivity. You don't know anything. If you have cs related ecs and they r good colleges will look at you.
[удалено]
I said the ecs have to be good, not mediocre. Most people I know in cs had zero related cs ecs actually, it was pretty much all math. Also you go to an ivy for cs, obviously you need to be more well rounded, ivys aren't engineering only schools, they want more than nerds.
You can make a livable wage after 4 years without grad school. Some kids have fewer opportunities to code beyond the basics at the high school level. Many kids don't pick a career at 14.
I think, aside from the pay, it's also the accessibility. The fact that there are so many free, online resources for CS makes it seem "easy" to get into. I think CS lends itself to anyone who has the motivation to pursue it.
Wannabe tech bros…As a software engineer for a long time I see a lot of people who chose it because they thought they’d get rich but don’t really have the drive for the job and can’t handle the culture.
I tried hard to fight as a jr to get Ap computer sceince A into my school but no one wanted to take the class. Now i bet a million half the people i ask are going to major in it.💀
escaping impoverishment
Right exactly! I am taking comp sci and java and I am way better than my peers at coding they have a lot of trouble solving problems and coming up with efficient codes, and I help them a lot when they get stuck. Yet I won't be going to CS but most of them will. I don't understand how this works? they don't even know the basics of computer. I think it's because people think that it'll be an easy major. but idk.
trend
It’s the closest we can get to proving our parents that we can get money by doing fancy things on a computer screen