The college/university topic.

[Zeta]

Anyways, here I am at a university in Tennessee with my boyfriend. I'm not quite SURE what I'll major in. I wanted to major in Computer Science to become a programmer, but the CS professors here seem to sneer at programming and prefer to teach/think of software in terms of pure theoretical mathematics. The thing is, I suck at math. I'm good with code, because for some reason I can easily grasp computer commands and concepts like a fish to water. But when it comes to the more mathematical aspects of thinking, I'm bad. Not impossibly bad, more like "C+ student if he really tries" bad. Still, I don't know if I want to major in an area where math is played up as such a vital component.

Aside from computer science, I'm also taking Japanese and loving it. I'm very good at it, but whenever the teacher calls on me I freeze up. It's kind of funny. I'm also having a surprisingly good time in chemical botany.

Finally, I'm in Basic College Algebra. Which is sort of the training wheels I need to understand the basic math courses here. I tried to take calculus on my first day and was totally blown away. Even the biggest idiots in the class knew more than I did.

It was really shocking to see how awful my high school and community college was. I was an above average student, but not spectacular. Generally a "B" kind of guy (except for math which was my achillees heel). The thing is, the required courses at my high school and community college were just awful, apparently. I wasn't required to take chemistry, physics, a foreign language, or anything above pre-Algebra at both my CC and my highschool. Apparently, everyone everywhere else took these things in highschool here. So even though I've got a three year associates degree, most of the time I feel like an old idiot around these tiny little teenagers who took hoardes of AP classes in highschool.

I'm just nervous about not knowing what to do. I come from a ridiculously poor family - I get made fun of for being "trailer trash" around here. My family isn't stupid or lower class. In fact, they were quite wealthy before I was born - but a series of problems (alcoholism and embezzlement) drained my grandparent's small fortune over the last 20 years. So I certainly FEEL middle-class, but I don't really have much in the way of money. I'm paying for this exhorbant tuition with nearly 100K in loans. It's crazy.

I just don't know what I'm capable of or what I would really enjoy doing in a practical sense. But I don't want to waste too much time and money trying to find out.


Anyone else have any advice from past experiences at a university? Anyone going to one right now? Anyone going to one in Tenessee? Share, peoples.

 

[pikapal]

Well I use to go to a university for 1 year until I got kicked out for failing remedial math.:embarass: Now I'm stuck at a Jr. College (which I consider hell):disgust: My dad is mad at me because the school is running a scam and put me in the lowest level of math. I have to take all these classes of stuff I already know. Now I have to make up all the math to go back.

 

[Jeff]

I'm go to the University of Maryland, Baltimore County (not the same University of Maryland you see in all the college sports, they're University of Maryland, College Park).

Anyway, I'm majoring in computer science and here all the other CS majors are computer geeks who are in to programming, where I'm more interested in the mathmatical side, since I've always been good at math. I also took AP calc in high school, it made up for two college calc classes and I've only had to take 1 math class in college, which is good considering how much homework math classes usually give out.

 

[Zhen Lin]

Ah... another uninitiated freshman who thinks CS is about computers and programming. It is not. As Edsger Dijkstra said, Computer science is no more about computers than astronomy is about telescopes.

But rest assured, CS is still infinitely interesting... though the maths might take some getting used to. Just don't expect to be given exams about how to implement quicksort in Java... though you might be asked things like the average and worst case runtimes of quicksort...

And if you really think CS isn't your thing, maybe you should look into IT. (No, don't even think about Computer Networking... that's just an alias for Applied Topography & Graph Theory.)

 

[Argy]

I start Monday at North Idaho College. I wanted to go to a better school, but my family couldn't afford it. I guess it is okay; it's cheap, it's only two years, and the newspaper (I'm going to be on the staff) wins big awards every year. Yesterday I took a self tour to find all my classes, and the campus is easy to get around.

 

[GrnMarvl14]

Zeta, I COMPLETELY understand where you're coming from. I wanted to be a zoology major, but I had to work my ass off to get a "C" in Physics during my first year of college. Now, while I was good enough at the other areas, I just couldn't bring myself to deal with so many labs. And...a number of other issues arose.

But anyway, I switched to history, and I've discovered that there's no great change upon switching from a community college to a university. Just more work. I assume the other liberal arts are like that...but of course, they aren't for everyone. All the liberal arts just seem to be more specified the higher you go in your schooling.

Fun part is that I failed one class in high school: Communications (I've NEVER been able to speak in front of large groups). And, in order to get my degree...I need to take a speech class (it's a general education thing that's tacked onto every degree).

and the newspaper (I'm going to be on the staff) wins big awards every year.

Wish I'd joined the staff at the college I went to after high school. Would have been nice to have experience in that field past high school.

 

[Jukain]

Why must I go to forums with people that are far smarter than me? There was once a time I wanted to do computer stuff, but I was too scared to take Cal, even though I got B's in both of my Pre-Cal classes. Anyway, I never had too many problems in high school. I graduated with a 3.5 GPA. I went to community college because I didn't think I could handle the courses yet, but when I went to Falkner State Community College, I was immediately ready to take college level courses. I only did not do well in Public Speaking, a requirement in my state. I left with a 3.2 GPA and an Associate of Arts degree. Then, I spent one semester in the University of South Alabama. Here, I majored in Biological Science because I thought it would be more interesting to me. At least the first course did not bother me much. The next semester, however, I became overcome with depression and lost my ability to concentrate. I feel like even if I still had my full capacity, I still wouldn't have been able to do it. I had misjudged, as I know a lot of students tend to do anyway. I was essentially kicked out and I remain with no real idea of what it is I want to do. I was found to have a disability that makes me unable to work, although I still want to try. In the meantime, I now seek a place to hang out and live the life that I was denied two years ago.

 

[Zeta]

Ah... another uninitiated freshman who thinks CS is about computers and programming. It is not. As Edsger Dijkstra said, Computer science is no more about computers than astronomy is about telescopes.

Except astronomy isn't called "Telescope Science". Really, I think the term is too broad, and universities should seperate the department into software and theory. The two don't fit together as often as the instructors seem to think. I just don't want to spend years working on math and end up with a Computer Science degree and no knowledge in how to actually program.

And if you really think CS isn't your thing, maybe you should look into IT. (No, don't even think about Computer Networking... that's just an alias for Applied Topography & Graph Theory.)

I wanted to, but as far as I know, here you can only get an IT degree if you already have a degree in some other field. The crazy thing is, it doesn't matter what field it's in. So if you say, had an Agricultural Degree, you could use it to enter the IT program . . .

I spent three years studying computer networking, and it was basically just a degree in how to hook up one computer to another.

 

[Zhen Lin]

But the truth is that more often that not you will come out of Computer Science knowing algorithms and data structures but not programming. You will see that story repeated in virtually every university. Because that isn't what Computer Science is about.

Really, they should have called it Information Science or Computational Science...

 

[The Incarnation ポケモン]

*sigh* Well, I'm not in college yet, but I'm gonna be a senior in high school in about two weeks, and already I'm up to my neck in college apps stuff. I'm really considering double-majoring in linguistics and some branch of biology (probably molecular bio/biochem). It's a pity that linguistics is such a narrow field with only a handful of programs in the entire nation. I looked into what sort of studies it consisted of, and I'm absolutely in love with the subject. But yanno, the career options for that are limited, so bio will be my standby.

So, to all you college folks, what's it like, being a student of higher education? Is it really true that college teaches you how to think vs. lower education merely teaching you information?

 

[Zhen Lin]

Indeed. I too am fascinated with linguistics. I always give these as career options:
* Cryptography (pre-modern anyway, linguistics won't get you far breaking AES)
* Archaeology (gotta know what those hieroglyphs are saying)

But yes, it is narrow. I believe Dogasu is a linguistics major, perhaps you'd like to talk to him.

 

[Jukain]

Well, I don't know about other colleges and universities, but for me, there was only one thing different about higher education, and that is you must learn how to manage your time better. You don't have classes one after the other like in high school. They could be spaced out across the day if you so wish. It is all your choice. I preferred to have them compressed close together so I could have enough time to finish the work and still have time for other things.

 

[evkl]

I'm so glad I've got a year before college decisions even really start. So, so glad.

 

[Zeta]

Great, so now I have no idea what I'm going to do. *sigh* I like a lot of things, but not enough of any one of them to devote 5 years of intense study on one subject.

But the truth is that more often that not you will come out of Computer Science knowing algorithms and data structures but not programming. You will see that story repeated in virtually every university. Because that isn't what Computer Science is about.

Really, they should have called it Information Science or Computational Science...

I guess I should've gone to a technical school instead . . .

 

[TRF-chan]

I'm only going to be a freshman in high school this year; I'm really rather too young to be thinking about college...XD

AND YET.

I really, really, really want to go to the University of the Cambridge. I'm not sure why, but I visited the website a few weeks ago on a random whim and just fell in love.

Part of me thinks it's good that I know I want to go there this early in my high school career - it'll motivate me not to slack off in school, and I also realize that I have to get a job ASAP to help with tuition. Given that I'd be an overseas student, the cost is somewhere around 8,800 pounds, and can only rise in the next few years. And since a pound is nearly equal to two dollars, well...

Of course, I know there's always the chance that I won't even be offered a place when I get old enough to send in my application. But hey, if that's the case, I'll still have really good grades and four years' work worth of money. So I can't lose entirely. Cambridge is definitely my first choice, though. I want to study English at St. Catharine's.

My school had kids (myself among them) who'd done good at standardized testing in elementary school take the ACT test in the winter of our 7th grade year. At that time, my scores were:

Reading: 28
English: 27
Science: 24
Math: 15 (X_x)
Composite: 24

So I suppose I figure that I have a good chance of scoring perfect, or near to it, when I take the test as a junior or senior. I'm sorry if it sounds like bragging, but yeah.

...I'm neurotic. Trying to plan and calculate all of this four years in advance. Gaaah.

Sorry if I rambled (and I'm fairly sure I did); I've just been thinking about this a lot lately, and when I saw 'college/university topic', I was like, "YEEEEEEEESSSS." XD

 

[Argy]

Seventh grade? Wow, that's early. I didn't take the ACT and SAT until my junior (11th) year (29 and 1250 composites, respectively. Math really tanks me.).

 

[TRF-chan]

Yeah...I guess they were just curious as to where we stood upon entry to the school. Or something.

Urgh, math gets me too (which, I guess, is obvious when you look at my scores XD). >< I think it brought my composite down several points.

 

[Zhen Lin]

Aiming for the UK? Hmmm. I wonder if A-levels are required for US applicants.

 

[TRF-chan]

If you are studying examinations other than GCE A level, Scottish examinations or the International Baccalaureate, it is important to get in touch as early as possible to discuss the appropriateness of the qualifications you are taking as a preparation for Cambridge. In the first instance you should contact the Camrbidge Admissions Office enclosing brief details of the courses that you have taken/are taking, together with your achieved/expected grades and indicate clearly the subject that you are intending to study at the University. You will then be advised on course requirements, further information needed, and how you will be assessed, for example whether or not you will be interviewed.

- http://www.cam.ac.uk/admissions/undergraduate/international/requirements.html

Heheh...XD;; Is it kind of sad that I was able to open a window to that exact page in uder a minute?

 

[GrnMarvl14]

=TRF-chanMy school had kids (myself among them) who'd done good at standardized testing in elementary school take the ACT test in the winter of our 7th grade year.

So I'm NOT the only one on this board?

Wish I could remember my scores.