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Having no experience in comp sci courses in high school, would a comp sci minor be doable?

I am considering taking AP Calculus AB for my senior year, the other option is to take AP Statistics. Based on my future major and minor I would like to decide which math to take.

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Wayne’s Answer

Hello Meghana! Indeed, I didn't study computer science or information systems during high school, but I chose information systems as my major in college and now I enjoy a thriving career in cybersecurity.

You might face a learning curve, but with unwavering determination and a willingness to invest additional effort, you can absolutely achieve success and excel in this field.

Best of luck!
Thank you comment icon That's great to hear, thank you for the motivation! Meghana
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Rich’s Answer

Math is a major part of a computer science degree, it's not just programming. That was my biggest misconception majoring in computer science. Either of those AP courses would be good but if I was forced to choose I would say statistics is more broadly usable in the context of computer science.

One thing to give you a leg up entering college would be to take an online course in a language like python.
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Coby’s Answer

Hello Meghana! A comp sci minor is absolutely doable! I didn't take any computer science classes in high school, and now I'm a college student who is majoring in it! The fun thing about college is that you can try new things and learn essentially whatever you choose! If you work at it, you can learn just about anything!
Thank you comment icon This was super helpful, thank you! Meghana
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Michael’s Answer

Hi Meghana -- Yes! Computer Science is basically a math degree, so if you enjoy math then I think this would be a great choice. In my opinion, taking a high-level math course is going to be much more helpful than taking AP CS as you will likely have to take some courses in combinatorics / discrete mathematics for a CS minor. Both calc and statistics will be a big help to being successful in those courses, but I think I would lean more toward calc to prepare you for those courses.

Michael recommends the following next steps:

Study hard
Do all the homework! :)
Limit distractions / create dedicated "phone-free" time
Thank you comment icon Thank you so much for the advice! I am also leaning towards Calc :) Meghana
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Dr. Drew’s Answer

An introductory class into programming is enough to get you going in Computer Science, but Computer Science is much more than programming. With a strong math background, especially statistics, you may want to use your knowledge to go into cybersecurity or AI. You can do various aspects of cybersecurity without the math background, but dealing with encryption can require a strong math background if you want to actually get the the "hands-on" part of working with encryption design. Math/Computer Science cross in many areas. You could even use your background to focus on certain industries that would benefit from knowing both.

You may even decide you want to focus on another engineering area and get a more substantial background in computer science to help you down the road. Many engineers need a computer science background to program/simulate projects. For example, a person in aerospace that can program their own, math-intensive simulation can rise well above their colleagues in their position simply because they can work with the data at hand more quickly and efficiently. You could also focus on finance or insurance industries as both industries can benefit from a math background and rely heavily on computers.
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Kyle’s Answer

Similar to others here, I had zero high school exposure to computer science, but decided to major in it anyways. I'm so happy that I did. Not only is the pay great, but it's an incredibly rewarding career, especially if you find the right company to put your skills to use for good.
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James’s Answer

Hi, I studied Computer Science in college and took introductory classes in high school. For me, a strong Math foundation was the most helpful. High school Computer Science courses were useful, but not having them wouldn't have put me at a disadvantage. Since Computer Science is a part of Math, there's a good amount of overlap, so you don't need to stress about declaring a minor right away.
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Emma’s Answer

While having no prior experience in computer science courses in high school can make a computer science minor more challenging, it's certainly doable with dedication and effort. You may need to start with introductory courses to build a foundational understanding of programming, algorithms, and data structures. Be prepared to invest extra time in studying, practice, and seeking help when needed. It can also be beneficial to take advantage of tutoring, online resources, or coding bootcamps to catch up and reinforce your knowledge. Ultimately, your success in a computer science minor will depend on your commitment to learning and your ability to adapt to the coursework, so stay motivated and persistent as you work toward your goal.
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