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CS intro class

I thank all the people who have given me the advice I can use. Would it be recommended to take an intro to the computer science class to see if I would like to major in Computer Science?

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John’s Answer

Abigail,

There are a lot of different computer related careers, if you are specifically interested in computer science this generally focusing on software development/coding. Since you are already in school, taking a CS class to gauge your interest in the field would be a great idea. On a personal note, I took a CS class in High School (enjoyed it a ton) and decided to major in Computer Science in college.

In addition to classes there are a lot of great and free online sites to learn how to code. Start by finding a language that you are interesting in learning and try to learn it. As a beginner I would suggest a modern programing language like Java, node.js, python, etc.. If this is something you enjoy getting a degree in CS might be something you may want to pursue.

Learn to code sites (there are more out there):
https://www.khanacademy.org/computing/computer-programming
https://www.codecademy.com/catalog

Once you gain the basics and have a good foundation try coding challenges. There are a lot of sites out there that give a problem that you need to code the solution for. As a bonus several companies use sites like this as part of the technical interview process.

Coding Challenges (one of several out there):
https://www.hackerrank.com/
Thank you comment icon Thank you, John. I would definitely take this into consideration. Abigail
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Fred’s Answer

The simple answer is "yes". That is exactly what intro classes are for.
Thank you comment icon Thank you, Fred. I will take this into consideration. I see that you are a data analyst. It's something that I was thinking about when I had an interest in computer science/tech. Would you mind telling me what exactly you do, what things you like about being a data analyst, and what things you dislike? Abigail
Thank you comment icon Data analyst seems to be a catch-all term for stuff. I don't really like the term, but it seemed to fit what I did. Basically, you pull a subset of data out of system and look for patterns, trends, or oddities. You may be trying to figure out how a specific area might grow, or why it's dying, or what might be happening to make things look "not quite right". It can be fun, and it can be boring. Fred Rosenberger
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Rebecca’s Answer

Thank you for your question. I am glad that you have interest on Computer Science.
If you are not sure interest, below is my suggestions:
1. You can explore more information on Computer Science online to determine whether you have interest.
2. You can attend some short course indeed
3. Speak to someone who are working in the industry
4. Seek advice from your mentor, career counsellor, your parents, etc
5. Attend information session held by the college. Speak to the professor & alumni
Hope this helps! Good Luck!
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Josh’s Answer

Yes definitely! This is exactly what an intro class is for and computer science is a great field to get into so if you think you'll enjoy it you should definitely try it out.
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Srinivas’s Answer

It is very broad subject like Mathematics or Science. Within that try to find out, what are the offerings in that subject in your college. Once you get a taste of the subject, start gaining more and more knowledge in interesting subjects.
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Olga’s Answer

Hi Abi,
CS50 by Harvard is highly recommended. The course does not only show how to code, but also introduces some very important fundamental concepts that a lot of other courses does not cover.
Hands-on coding experience will be provided as well. The course is well-maintained, and they upgrade the content almost every year.

https://cs50.harvard.edu/x/2022/
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Lanting’s Answer

Hi!

I think some classes in data structure, programming language, basic cs theory can be helpful, I would also suggest taking some math classes, especially stats one, a large part of my job is on data analysis.
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Faiyaz’s Answer

I think taking a CS class is great idea to start gaining exposure to the field. The classes are usually designed to build from the bottom up so dont have to be worried about not having prior knowledge. It is important to note that sometimes in these classes there are other students who have had multiple years of experience but do not let their success deviate from your plans. It is important to look only at your journey and also take a holistic approach. I am current at Software Developer Intern at Cisco and I had not taking any programming or CS classes till my 2nd year in college so in that perspective if you start in high school you would already be ahead of most college students already
Thank you comment icon Thank you, Faiyaz! Abigail
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Steve’s Answer

Absolutely! Computer Science is a very broad category and you might find a specific area of interest that could start a brand new career! I think it is just as important to take the class and find out what you don't like as well before you go into this field. I originally jumped straight into programming in college and later found out that I definitely enjoyed the analysis part far more. However, the programming background I received in my computer science classes helped me find my first job and pursue a different career path in computer science.
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