5 answers
Shaina
Student
Bacolod, Western Visayas, Philippines
26
Questions
Asked
516 views
Should I disregard my first degree?
My degree, in Info Systems is getting demolished at my school since I am the only student with that degree. Most students only knew about Computer Science and Information Technology. There is ONLY one school that offers an Information Systems course but the chances of me getting into that school are low :( I also have financial issues so I can't get out of the city and must remain here. Programming is tough for me, so I don't want to pursue an IT/CS degree. I have no other degree choices. What should I do?? :(
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5 answers
Ramesh Narayanaswamy
Computer Scientist
47
Answers
Palo Alto, California
Updated
Ramesh’s Answer
Hi Shaina,
You have good advice from Jonathan's and David's answer. I will offer of a contrarian suggestion. You say Coding is tough for you; you might consider revisiting the Coding concerns from first principles. Maybe you can conquer it. Give it a try, if it works go in that direction. If not there are other options suggested by Jonathan/David.
This article has some suggestions on the topic of fear of coding - https://medium.com/@Slasherwick/how-to-overcome-the-fear-of-coding-and-what-you-can-do-to-succeed-fcf9c84c8408.
This intro course provides gentle introduction and support for learners - https://joyofcoding.eecs.umich.edu/ . They offer need based financial aid, so the $125 fee may not be a limiting factor.
Khan Academy's programming course is another option to try - https://www.khanacademy.org/computing/computer-programming
You have good advice from Jonathan's and David's answer. I will offer of a contrarian suggestion. You say Coding is tough for you; you might consider revisiting the Coding concerns from first principles. Maybe you can conquer it. Give it a try, if it works go in that direction. If not there are other options suggested by Jonathan/David.
This article has some suggestions on the topic of fear of coding - https://medium.com/@Slasherwick/how-to-overcome-the-fear-of-coding-and-what-you-can-do-to-succeed-fcf9c84c8408.
This intro course provides gentle introduction and support for learners - https://joyofcoding.eecs.umich.edu/ . They offer need based financial aid, so the $125 fee may not be a limiting factor.
Khan Academy's programming course is another option to try - https://www.khanacademy.org/computing/computer-programming
Elliot Jordan
Web Developer
66
Answers
Indianapolis, Indiana
Updated
Elliot’s Answer
Do not disregard a degree you earned and shows your hard work - instead, BUILD upon what you've done with specific skills in areas you enjoy and are interested in. Maybe its programming/coding (hard but learnable), or maybe something else - Business? Art? Whatever interests you.
Degrees are certainly important but an emerging trend is emphasis on specific SKILLS.
Try to explore and find out what specifically you really like and might want to do for work. Good luck!
Degrees are certainly important but an emerging trend is emphasis on specific SKILLS.
Try to explore and find out what specifically you really like and might want to do for work. Good luck!
Adrian Santos
Marine Security Guard
151
Answers
Lome, Maritime Region, Togo
Updated
Adrian’s Answer
Whether or not to disregard your first degree depends on your personal circumstances and career goals. In some cases, obtaining a second degree in a different field may be a good choice if you want to pursue a different career path or if you are not satisfied with your current job prospects. However, if your first degree is in a field that is relevant to your career goals, it may be more beneficial to build upon your existing education and experience rather than starting over completely.
Before making any decisions about disregarding your first degree, it's important to carefully consider your options, speak with a career counselor or academic advisor, and research the job market in your field of interest. Ultimately, the decision to disregard your first degree should be based on your individual circumstances and goals.
Before making any decisions about disregarding your first degree, it's important to carefully consider your options, speak with a career counselor or academic advisor, and research the job market in your field of interest. Ultimately, the decision to disregard your first degree should be based on your individual circumstances and goals.
Jonathan Bohlmann
Managed Services Director, Sr. Program Manager
4
Answers
Russiaville, Indiana
Updated
Jonathan’s Answer
As David said above, first talk to your advisors and find out what you like to do (art, english, math, other engineering). I changed degrees 2x before I found what I liked. Second there are all sorts of other degrees in the IT field if this is where you want to stay. For example Cyber Security (look at SPLUNK), Business Analyst (what I do), UI/UX specialist, technical writer, Project Manager, App Testing, Digital Marketing...field is wide open. I would suggest, as David said, take some programming degrees as it will help you communicate with others on your team, even if you are not the one programming (think Business Analyst). Hope this helps.
david kirk
Retired Computing Manager
472
Answers
Syracuse, New York
Updated
david’s Answer
Hi, Shaina,
Such an unfortunate situation. Although we plan, we cannot control all aspects of our plan; reality is sometimes a hard wall we cannot climb over. First, you have a strong, positive attitude on the situation. That is important, as you're at a point where you need to make hard decisions. From your words, I infer there are no other colleges available. That suggests your plan needs to focus on the college that you have. Investigate what other areas interest you, and how your accumulated credits might be applied to your advantage. Do talk with your professors, as they can give good advice on some alternate directions for you. Also, taking a course in programming doesn't mean that you will be a programmer, but it can help firm your info systems background as part of your curriculum. There are no easy answers, and I'm sure you felt that, even as you wrote your question. All the best to you.
Such an unfortunate situation. Although we plan, we cannot control all aspects of our plan; reality is sometimes a hard wall we cannot climb over. First, you have a strong, positive attitude on the situation. That is important, as you're at a point where you need to make hard decisions. From your words, I infer there are no other colleges available. That suggests your plan needs to focus on the college that you have. Investigate what other areas interest you, and how your accumulated credits might be applied to your advantage. Do talk with your professors, as they can give good advice on some alternate directions for you. Also, taking a course in programming doesn't mean that you will be a programmer, but it can help firm your info systems background as part of your curriculum. There are no easy answers, and I'm sure you felt that, even as you wrote your question. All the best to you.