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Ask HN: Is this a bad time to be majoring in Computer Science

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Re: Ask HN: Is this a bad time to be majoring in Computer Science

#11

Post by joey_green »

amathew wrote: post #10
joey_green wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree with this question. If you're in it for the money than you should probably look into something else. The fact that you're questioning going into CS probably means it possibly may not be for you. If technology/programming is something that you love to do, then there is no question to go into CS if you're wanting a formal education.

I definently enjoy programming. From GUI development to data science, I love sitting at a computer and thinking through problems. However, I think it's only natural to be worried about job market realities. Let's say I loved art. What use is studying art history if I can't get a job and would be living paycheck to paycheck.

Well, lets say you love art and get a business degree. How happy would you be making a good living but at the same time listening to mindless suits who love to hear themselves talk in boring ass meetings 9 HOURS A DAY.

Doing what truly interests you and being poor isn't a bad place to be IMO and this being the worse case scenario since CS folks usually do well financially.

If you enjoy technology/programming, you most likely will never be homeless if you get a CS degree. The "Good" employers see passion in potential employees and usually want these type of people.

Re: Ask HN: Is this a bad time to be majoring in Computer Science

#12

Post by _delirium »

Enrollments are somewhat up compared to the past few years, but still not particularly high, especially relative to the growth of the tech industry over the past decade. So I wouldn't worry about enrollment increases unless they get much larger.

Here's a graph, showing how much below the early-2000s enrollment peak we still are, even in raw numbers not adjusted for percentage of the population, or percentage of the degree-holding population: http://www.cra.org/govaffairs/blog/wp-content/uploads/2011/0... I think some of the perception is due to how changes are reported as percent-increases and percent-decreases: to reverse the 50% decline in enrollments that took place between 2004 and 2009, we'd need an 100% increase in enrollments currently, which we aren't anywhere near.

Plus, if you're good, it seems to be near universal consensus around here that it's very hard to hire good computer scientists, whether you're hiring for a startup or a larger company, so the supply/demand still seems to be very much in the supply's favor.

Re: Ask HN: Is this a bad time to be majoring in Computer Science

#13

Post by PragmaticZach »

amathew wrote: post #10
joey_green wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree with this question. If you're in it for the money than you should probably look into something else. The fact that you're questioning going into CS probably means it possibly may not be for you. If technology/programming is something that you love to do, then there is no question to go into CS if you're wanting a formal education.

I definently enjoy programming. From GUI development to data science, I love sitting at a computer and thinking through problems. However, I think it's only natural to be worried about job market realities. Let's say I loved art. What use is studying art history if I can't get a job and would be living paycheck to paycheck.

This is a great concern to have - and I agree with you. You should major in something you like that also has good job potential. If the thing you absolutely love (like art history) doesn't have good job potential, settle for something that you like that does. You can always study art history as a hobby.

The education industry has fooled a lot of people into thinking you should pay a University gobs of money to study "something you love." You're only in college about 4 years. The rest of your life will hopefully be much longer than that. You're paying the university for a degree that is supposed to help you get a job, nothing more. If philosophy or art history is your passion, buy some books and study it on your own time - that's free. You don't need to pay a university to pursue your passions.

All of that being said, I think it's still a great time to pursue a CS degree. More people are going into it, but there's also been an explosion of tech startups, and tech companies in general will continue to grow.

Re: Ask HN: Is this a bad time to be majoring in Computer Science

#17

Post by Lewisham »

amathew wrote: post #10
joey_green wrote: post #8

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I agree with this question. If you're in it for the money than you should probably look into something else. The fact that you're questioning going into CS probably means it possibly may not be for you. If technology/programming is something that you love to do, then there is no question to go into CS if you're wanting a formal education.

I definently enjoy programming. From GUI development to data science, I love sitting at a computer and thinking through problems. However, I think it's only natural to be worried about job market realities. Let's say I loved art. What use is studying art history if I can't get a job and would be living paycheck to paycheck.

Don't worry about the job market. The only concern about the market you could have is jobs disappearing dot-com bust style, and I don't think that's likely.

It seems you are worried about undergrads flooding the market when they graduate. I wouldn't be worried. Assuming that the higher enrollments are people that smell money, its very easy for interviewers to filter that chaff. You can ask a simple question like "What's your favorite programming language and why?" and expect a reasonable response. Bandwagoners without a passion for the subject won't have a good answer. If you aren't sure, you can follow it up with "What's your favorite programming language that you weren't taught in class?"

Bandwagoners are amazingly easy to spot. I used to work in a company full of them. I resigned.

Re: Ask HN: Is this a bad time to be majoring in Computer Science

#19

Post by robotresearcher »

It's a good time, since the average quality of your colleagues will be increased compared to the low-enrolment periods. This means more engaged classes, happier professors, better team projects, more ambition, more achievement. You're more likely to meet a great founder. You'll have a better educational experience and thus get better value for your time and money.

(I'm a CS prof)

Re: Ask HN: Is this a bad time to be majoring in Computer Science

#20

Post by inaequitas »

Numbers are only important if you're not looking to stand out. There are plenty of doctors, lawyers, writers and economists coming out of Universities at any given time. You don't hear about most, because they don't do anything worth hearing about. Many went down a path dictated by economic incentives or family obligations.

If you are doing this because you want it, you're sure to succeed.

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