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So, this is gonna be a discussion about schooling in general I guess. Talk about what problems you have and other stuff like that.

Mostly this is gonna be for some quick internet advice, so here goes my problem. Right now I am stuck in that aimless area where I have no idea what I am doing or why. The major problem is that I am University, so screwing around while being unsure is a great way to waste money. This means I have to at least buckle down and choose what to do. I feel like I have two choices, and they are kind of opposites, they are as follows:

1. I choose to pursue a Bachelor Of Science, most likely in computer programming. This is what will get me a job in the future and is largely guaranteed to make sure I will be doing stuff later on in life. The problem with this is that talking the various science/math courses will be the equivalent of pulling teeth, a long drawn out experience no one wants to go through, even if you have to. I have the damnedest time focusing on these courses and I feel resigned that I will do poorly.

2. Get a Bachelor of Arts, most likely in history. This term I am taking a bunch of the art courses, mostly as place holders as I switch to my new, undecided, program. I have found that they are by far the most interesting thing I have taken in a long time. I am simply amazed at how much fun taking these courses is. The problem is that a Degree in History isn't gonna take you far unless you are willing to put a lot of money and even more time into it. Essentially this means that I would have a great time in Uni. and still get that Bachelor but that it won't mean nearly as much when looking for work and won't have nearly as much career prospects later on.

This is the gist of what I am going through right now, and I would love to hear what you guys think of it. I might not even be looking for advice, I really don't know...

Well any response will be appreciated, thank you.

If you think science/math is a long drawn out experience no one wants to go through, maybe the field isn't really for you? Do you consider computer science also something like this, meaning something you won't want to go through? If so, I'd say the Bachelor of Arts would be better for you, even if the career prospects aren't as great.

Personally I'm comfortable pursuing a Bachelor of Science in Systems Engineering / Computer science because I really like science and math and don't really have an interest for anything else except maybe music and art, which I see more as a hobby anyway, and I feel like I could take independent lessons to improve that if I wanted to, although of course it wouldn't be as great as taking an Arts Degree or something.

So, I'd say go with your interests. It seems you really dislike science and math, so maybe that isn't for you even if you see a better career prospect, and seeing that you really see the Bachelor of Arts as interesting and fun it would be something you could put effort into if needed to pursue a career even if it's not as easy to do.

This post has been edited by Itu: 16 January 2012 - 05:10 PM

I agree with Itu. If you're going to get a Bachelor of Science degree, then you should like doing math or science. And if you don't particularly like doing those things in university, then why would you enjoy the same things in your future career? How would that make your life more fulfilling?

I say you should do what you enjoy and are interested in learning about. Besides, for many non-technical careers, it doesn't matter what specific degree you have. What matters is that you've shown that you can put the work in, and you're willing to take on future challenges with enthusiasm.

Thanks for the words guys.

And one other, smaller aspect. For the computer programming stuff I have to take a bunch of math courses and some programming courses. The thing is I really like the programming, just the math is the equivalent of shooting me in the foot. So if I did go into the programming I wouldn't be hating it completely, just hating the math part of it haha.

If you're not going to do any graphics chances are you won't have to do all that much math. Still, it's essentially the basis of programming.

I'm the guy who took four calculus classes when I only needed two, so I may be the wrong person to talk to, haha. Admittedly, I've forgotten all that stuff about differential equations and Laplace transforms, since I've never had any reason to use those in my current job.

The fact of the matter is that regardless of what you major in, you will probably be required to take a few courses that don't interest you as much. So if you don't like math, try spreading out those math courses and take one per semester so you don't get overloaded. If you're having trouble with certain concepts, attend the math lab if there's one, or visit the professor during his office hours, or get help from a math tutor. Maybe even take a math class as a spring or summer class so you can spend more time tackling just that one subject without having to worry about other classes. (I guess this is assuming you don't have a summer job.)

As a computer science major, I understand. I love programming, but I hate calculus and physics (I enjoy chemistry though). I've been slacking off so much over the years, and I'm finally about to get my associate's next year while my other friends have gotten their bachelor's degrees (but remain jobless).

You just have to practice a lot of problems for math and science. It's hard in the sense that you have to study a lot, but if you put a bunch of time and effort in it, you'll be okay. You'll find yourself asking a lot of questions too, so seriously try to ask your professor and use the tutorial center (assuming you have one at your school) as much as you need (most people who fail never even went to the tutorial center, hint hint).

While it's true that you can get a position as a software developer without a degree, you get paid substantially less. So if you really want to become a programmer, you should AT LEAST get a bachelor's degree.

If you want a degree that you can actually use in the real world, go with the first one.

If you want a degree that you can eat when you're starving to death, go with the second.

Yeah as someone who did MA Economic History, don't do a pointless degree, anything that is not a BSc or MSc is not worth the paper its written on, there's a reason why engineers are the highest average earning graduates.

This post has been edited by Gryphonn: 16 January 2012 - 08:51 PM

Alright, thanks for the input guys. It is really appreciated.

Wish I could give some advice, but I would admittedly have no idea what I was talking about...
Most of the above advice seems pretty solid though, good luck picking a path.

I figure this is the best place to post this.

What would be good fields to look into for future education (university), considering the following courses that I took/ am taking.


(Some blur and burn, and I had to distort part of a course name as it have the school name in it)

You will notice some of the courses are rather odd choices, but they have to suit IB requirements as well as OSSD (Ontario Secondary School Diploma). Because of the IB program, I didn't really have much of a choice in what I picked, so this is what i have and now I'm wondering what I can do with it. I'm in grade 11, but everything up until the end of high school is set in stone. Any advice on future careers/ degrees?

Well, think about where you want to go first, set up some kind of track for scholarship applications, see what requirements if any you can count as already completed during high school and just get the rest of the basics out of the way during your freshman year while you put some serious thought into what you want to do.

Why not look into a community college, get the core classes out of the way and go to University when you have settled on a major? Maybe I am not understanding things though due to fact I actually go to a 3 year college and failed community college.