how difficult is this path to take in college? i just got accepted to UCI and i'm in their ICS school so does anyone have any advice they can give me or a heads up or what not?

 

I'm in a CIS program at devry. If you like fiddling with the computer and want to deal with mainly software you might enjoy it. Otherwise turn tail and run, not something you can just sail through. You have to pay attention sometimes.

 

I was a CS major... I didn't like it. Not that it was hard, just tedious and wasn't me.

About 80% of my graduating class WAS CS, but changed to something else, hence, the demand is pretty high for good programmers

 

i kind of want to be a programmer some day..i mean the ability to read code and write it so i can create my own programs interests me a lot.. i'm not really one to let others do it for me and so yeah i'm definitely going to be a cs major...if i fall out i could always backup as a cop or a emt

 

i was an computer engineering student at uci for my first two yrs. kno/knew a lot of ics students tho, .. didnt seem too rough, jus gotta keep up w/the work and pass ur classes. its a quarter system so if u mess up on a class, you're likely to be behind a yr

 

comp sci is different than comp info sys
youll have to take calculus -> linear algebra -> data structures & algorithms
assembly language
i think physics

axemansean would be able to give more input

 

Yes, Grifter is right, well, depending on which college... Comp Sci usually requires 2 Calc's...and lots of more logi-oriented thinking classes. I can go into details, but it might be different for your school.

 

two calcs? i had to take five calc classes and three physics classes.

i'm about to graduate with a comp sci BS degree (UCSB), and lemme tell ya, it's a PAIN IN THE ASS. the fourth year is the hardest by far, too. the first two years of comp sci are easy. many people may not think they are when they're taking them, but once you get to the last two years, oh man.. you'll be wanting to relive that freshman year.. i actually had free time then!!

also, comp sci isn't for everyone. at least in my opinion, it really requires a certain kind of person to stick through all four years. i can say with confidence that it is one of the hardest majors in most schools right now. in fact it makes most non-engineering majors look like pussies.

this quarter alone, these are some of the things i had to write:

FTP client. web server - including a web-based document annotation system which made use of authentication using SSL, and cookies. mobile code agent - reads an XML file with an embedded Tcl script that migrates to another server to process data. a java compiler and an oracle SQL database backend with a java GUI interface to go along with it. last quarter i had to write an operating system. :shocked:

 

i took 5 calc classes, 4 physics+lab, chem, ... as a engr major + core classes

 

for math classes, it depends on your math background/placement. here, you have to pass the top calc class, which can take anywhere from 2 to 6 semesters, differential equations, and a whole bunch of digital logic courses, like grifter said.. cs majors around here dont have to take physics tho..