Hello and thank you very much for your comment! I guess doing TH-cam videos doesn't really count - I'm speaking only to a camera, with the full knowledge that I can edit and tweak everything later on until I'm satisfied!
Derrick Alix Jr i need an advice! I'm really interested on fixing computers, programming and create apps. So do you think computer science is the right degree for me?
This is literally everything I was looking for. The whole math issue has been extremely stress inducing to me. That is literally the only issue that's been holding me back from committing to a CS major. Thank you. It's nice to be reassured that there's still a place for me in the CS world even with my semi awful math skills.
Hello and thank you very much for your comment! Very happy to be of help :) You should certainly not let math hold you back from taking a CS degree! Sure, some parts might be more challenging, but if you have the aptitude to code and develop solutions, having not-as-good skills in core math wouldn't hold you back too much.
I'll be in my first year in college I also took up computer science and I too suck at math lmao i honestly don't know if I'm ever gonna survive even the first year sad:(
Thank you for making this video, it was the best video I've seen on describing and explaining computer science so far. Your Q&A really hit a lot of questions i had.
Great video! I°m 15 and already starting to learn some languages (python,java,c#) and im loving it and my maths isnt to bad . I cant wait to do computer science in uni in a couple of years :) nice video I will watch this again when the time comes
Hello and thank you for your comment! That's great! Passion is the most important thing, and it sounds like you're on the right track to do well. Keep at it =)
Hey man thanks for the video! I'm a current CS student at UMD and was considering to switch majors, but thanks to your inspiration I think I'll stick with CS!
Hello and thank you very much for your comment! Glad to hear you'll be hanging around in CS! It may not always be an easy journey, but don't give up! You gain so much at the end.
Hello and thank you very much for your comment! Very happy to be of help! These "frequently asked questions" came from my own experience, so it's really good to know that it worked for you too!
Thank you very much for sharing this video. All my questions and fears were answered about majoring in computer science. I feel more confident and I’m pretty sure I want to major in computer science. Thanks!
Thank you for this video! I am starting my computer science degree this September and this eased my mind on a lot of questions I had...especially maths haha
+The Vape Escape You're welcome! Very happy to be of help. Definitely pursue Computer Science if it's your passion - Yes there will be a bit of getting used to things at the beginning, but I'm sure that, as long as you can get an intuitive grasp on things, you'll have a good time. All the best for your uni life, and despite the projects and the assignments, don't forget to enjoy the process, it'll be over before you know it!
I'm currently considering a degree in computer science. I have had my doubts but this video was so clear and concise that I feel less intimidated. thank you for providing such great information.
Thank you!!! This video could have come at a better time for me. I will be going back to school this Fall for CS, but I have some/little background and experience in the field. Naturally, this stressed me out and almost made me not want to go back altogether. Your 8 questions were the same questions that were scaring me out of the degree. After watching, I feel a less stressed about the degree and overall more excited to go back. Cant thank you enough pal! Good luck to you and good job finishing with honors! -Ricardo
Fantastic video! Thank you for uploading this, it's very informative. I've got a question I'd like to ask you, if you don't mind taking the time to answer? I'm interested in taking a postgraduate conversion course in Computer Science after I graduate from my undergraduate degree this summer. As a beginner with no prior experience in the field, what would you suggest I do to prepare myself before I undertake this conversion course? I'd like to gain as much experience and knowledge as possible before I start, so I'm not completely out of the loop. Thank you again!
Hello and thank you very much for your comment! While I'll be happy to answer your question, please do understand that I haven't done a postgrad programme myself, so any advice I give you may be limited in helpfulness. One trend I see a lot in postgrad studies is how you need to figure out nearly everything on your own (I mean, it's good practice for the research you're going to have to do!), so you'll expect to have to do a lot more independent learning in comparison to your undergrad days. Also, everything is going to be more theoretical in nature, so a good thing to have would be an intuitive grasp of the underlying concepts. I think the best way to smoothen this transition is to pick up coding early. I expect you'll be put through a crash course on both coding and theory at the beginning of the course, so you can lighten your load during this phase if you already have prior experience with coding. Good generic theories that would be good to figure out early are some of the more fundamental data structures (eg. Stacks, Queues, Linked Lists) and algorithms (eg. Sorting, Searching). This stuff is usually covered in the first year of undergrad life, meaning your postgrad programme will probably jog through them real quick. Having prior understanding helps. I think that's a good starting point. Armed with this knowledge you should be able to further decide what else you want to pursue if there's still time left. All the best with your postgrad programme! =)
Ah brilliant! I'll be sure to look into those concepts you mentioned, in order to develop a theoretical understanding before applying them in practise. I'll learn how to write code in the meantime, too, as best as I can! I also thought of contacting the head of the CS department at my uni, to ask about what's covered in their undergraduate CS curriculum, as well ask about the most relevant and easily accessible literature there is, too. Although I'm not a CS student currently, it can't hurt to ask. I'm still a little intimidated by the prospect of entering a completely new discipline, but I'm determined to see it through. Thank you so much for your help :) I'll definitely check out your other CS videos!
Researching on the curriculum is definitely a great idea, though I feel like you might get one of two not-as-satisfactory answers: 1) Check the website - Head of departments are busy =P 2) It's up to the student - Many programmes give students at least some amount of choice. This has its pros and cons of course. While that means you have a lot to research, it also means that those running postgrad programmes can't easily assume prerequisite knowledge, and that's to your advantage! You'll be surprised how many people switch to a different discipline for their postgrad programmes, so don't worry too much! I've done two postgrad modules in my undergrad days, and more often than not, my classmates in those programmes are from different backgrounds like Engineering, Math and Science.
Thanks for your video. My CS course starts next week at Murdoch Uni in Australia. After watching your video, I am a bit nervous but also excited meantime! Fingers crossed!! Thanks, mate, again! p.s.Subscribed!
Nice video and that helped me lot. I was thinking of doing it not because I like it but because I find it has a lot of opportunities and it’s interesting. I was also scared about the maths issue because I always hated math since I was in high school.
Thanks, it helped a lot. 😍 Im planning to take up Computer Science but since I don't have any idea about programming, I feel scared and I think I would be having a hard time to cope it.
You're welcome! Very happy to be of help =) Don't worry - Things are always going to be hard at the beginning, but you'll have a few years to practice and get better at it!
You're amazing,thank you so much for this! i have a 98/100 in computer and i'd love to pursue a career in computer science .You sure do know how to explain things well. :)
Here is my course schedule, this seems a little more typical computer science course load for most universities. Only listing relevant courses Year 1: Calculus 1 -Intro to programming(java) -Intro to algorithmic design -Computer systems and architecture(assembly language, cpu arch) Year 2: -Calculus 2 -Intermediate programming(java) -Building secure web applications Years 3: -Discrete math -Data structures and analysis -Object oriented and concurrent programming -Compiler theory and design(C/C++) Year 4 -design and analysis of computer algorithms -Operating systems -Computer graphics -Current trends and projects in computer science (apply pretty much everything we’ve learned into 2 huge projects)
Hello and thank you for your comment! If you asked me, this sounds perfect! My uni was a little faster-paced than this, and at that rate people were already struggling, so I think this is good!
Thank you so much for this. I'm entering my senior year in high school and will take a computer programming class to get me on my feet and will be looking forward to the challenge in college. Thanks!!
@13:15 ish I don't see any good reason to avoid thinking/talking in code (to people who also know that language), especially if it's an english-like one (python, ruby, or lua). I would almost never speak in c, java, assembly, or lisp though.
+James Barry Hello and thank you very much for your comment! I can think of several reasons - The biggest of which is to separate concepts from implementation. A lot of the times, in communicating an idea, we want to describe _what_ we want to do as opposed to _how_ we want to do it. In my experience in working with students, the ability to explain an algorithm in a few non-implementation-specific words shows they they truly comprehend what the algorithm is trying to achieve, as opposed to simply regurgitating the steps off a list. Of course, another simpler reason is that a lot of the time, students _don't_ know the language, at least not well enough for them to efficiently communicate ideas using it. The last thing you want to do is to teach a complicated concept to a student in a language they don't fully comprehend yet - They'll have _two_ difficult things on their hands instead of one.
+lcc0612 1) I have a hard time seeing why _separating concepts from implementation_ is a good thing. 2) "to people who also know that language" is an important caveat/qualification. ...Maybe it wasn't clear what I meant. It seems impossible and insane to talk about algorithms _without_ talking about while/for loops and arrays/lists/tables. Why restrict yourself to English when code is more clear? Problems can be stated in english, I have no issues with that, but _talking about manipulating data_ without talking about how it is actually done seems like it would give a very superficial knowledge of the algorithm. The reason I'm disagreeing aloud at all is that my brother and I often drop into lua while talking tree/maze/terrain/city generation algorithms. Maybe not quite what you meant by algorithm?
+James Barry Ah, I see why we have some confusion - Separating concepts from implementation is very important, because it allows you to understand things intuitively. You are absolutely correct that doing so gives superficial knowledge of the algorithm, but that is extremely valuable to have. What I find, in my years of working with friends, students, and on the internet, is that more often than not, people jump straight into the implementation and get themselves thoroughly confused, because they have to grapple with _both_ the how and what, and sometimes _how_ you do something obfuscates the intent. What I propose, is for people to at least understand the algorithm superficially first (ie. They can describe what the algorithm does using just one or two sentences of plain English). If they were to move on from that to the actual implementation, they are already clear about the _what_, and can focus on _how_ the algorithm achieves its objective. I can think of several other reasons for not communicating in code, at least not as a first line of attack. Software engineering is one - When working in a large scale project, one often needs to understand what their counterparts are doing, but only superficially, eg. I need to know that the file upload widget sanitizes the file by discarding all control characters, but I don't need to know _how_ you used foo() and bar() to do it. The ability to communicate in plain English is absolutely valuable in this context. Another reason is adaptability. I have to go back to my own experiences to do this, but I find that a lot of the time, students are tempted to just take the code presented to them in class and swallow that verbatim. So when the assignment comes up, which requires them to do _that thing but a little differently_, they're stuck, because they don't have enough understanding to adapt. If you have the intuitive grasp of the algorithm and can see it as a picture in your head, you can adapt an existing algorithm to new situations, port it to another language, or even re-write it from scratch. All in all I think context is important - A lot of the time, communicating in English is sufficient, but of course there are times when using code is clearer, and needed. It just doesn't crop up much in the context of being a computer science student. And it's great that you've had success communicating in code in the past - It sounds like that's definitely the most suitable way for you to communicate with your brother, but there are times, especially while being a student, that that's not the case.
+Hanf Vader My argument is that, a lot of the time you don't _need_ to know what other people are actually coding. At least that's the case a lot of the time in software engineering applications. The ideal situation is that you understand what your counterparts are doing without having to read their code. I guess there'll always be a "ceiling" to how easy algorithms are to understand, because ultimately, they need to be written in a way for computers to run. The abstractions we can apply as human beings may not always be valid in that context.
It really does matter what concentration you are in the Computer Science major when it comes to math. I am a Computer Science major with a concentration in Computer Science. The difference between someone concentrating in CS versus someone concentrating in Information Systems is that: Information Systems usually is: - Required math: Stats or Calc 1 Computer Science concentration: - required math: Calc 1, Calc 2, Numerical Analysis, Discete Math, Linear Algebra
Hello and thank you very much for your comment and for sharing! While I was speaking in the context of CS itself, yes, there is a lot of difference! Maybe I should make a video soon going into the detail of the kinds of math we have to do.
Currently Studying a Degree in Computer Science. The Math subjects that I had to learn 4 Sems back were "Discrete/Computing Math", "Math Analysis" and "Probability & Statistics". Now, I do not have any more Math related subjects, only 3 and that's it. Computer Science Maths are actually really fun, it focuses more towards "logic" than theoretical math like Calculus in which many of my friends whom are mostly in Pure Engineering (ME, EE etc) are struggling in. Software Engineering is a branch of Computer Science so you don't have to worry about those heavy "Pure Engineering maths". Thank god I didn't take Engineering lol.
Hello and thank you for your comment! That's very interesting, cool that your university is taking what sounds like a more creative approach to discrete math. I personally didn't have a very good time when I took the equivalent in my university.
Wow I'm also a senior in CS with a concentration in "Computer Graphics and Visualization," but you know so much more than me! True, you did say you are not really the type to be around alot of other people and i'm actually really outgoing but still! Do you have computer graphics concepts and videos in here? I took a graphics course and though i passed and learned some GLSL, the course was way over most peoples heads
+Knot2goodAtIt Hello and thank you very much for your comment! To be honest some of what I know didn't come from school, so it's not always easy to compare. It's great loving the subject matter because I find myself learning a lot in my own time - It can even make school a little easier sometimes! I do have a few computer graphics videos here and there. The most popular graphics-related video I have is probably the one related to Bezier Curves. Our school has quite a few different graphics modules. I don't know if it's fair to expect people to learn everything in a single module... GPU programming (and GLSL in general) was an entire module of its own for us. Our fundamental graphics module only used OpenGL, but put quite a bit more emphasis on the theoretical.
oh wow multiple classes on specific topics??? We only have 1 graphics course and an advanced graphics course, no wonder we cant learn as much. We had to learn OpenGL on the fly and it was really hard
+Knot2goodAtIt Yeah, we've got an entire focus area of modules on computer graphics alone, and every one have been very different. Yet I still wish some of the modules covered more or were split into smaller modules... I guess it's impossible for a school curriculum to be complete.
Hello and thank you very much for your comment! A computer science degree is a very good way to achieve that. In fact I don't know of any other way to get qualified for cybersecurity - You'll need to know a lot about computers in the same general way in which a computer science course will prepare you for before you can specialize in cybersecurity and do it well. I would definitely recommend CS education for your case.
You're welcome! Very happy to be of help =) I would say 95% of the math in programming is counting and simple arithmetic. For example, visiting every item in a list usually involves counting the positions up one by one. Another example would be building GUI - You may have to do calculations to find out the position (coordinates) of where something should go onscreen. The complex math comes from your specialization in CS. For example, if you specialize in things like AI, you may need to know and apply statistical methods. If you do 3D graphics, you'll have to deal with matrix manipulation. Even then, the math is usually not the _main_ focus, it's a tool that's there to help you achieve the end result.
you need plenty of math computer science. for example calculus , multi variable calculus, numerical methods, discrete math , linear algebra, deferential equations, graph theory, set theory, statistics. by the time a cs major graduates they know most of this or familiar with all of it.
+epicwhat001 Hello and thank you for your comment! Out of curiosity, which university did you attend, and what specialization were you in? You seem to have covered a large amount of math that aren't really all that central to a computer science major, which is why I want to clarify this in detail so that it won't be misleading for anyone who reads this. You see, in my own experience, I've only scraped the surface of a few of the topics you've mentioned, and skipped some of them entirely. Of your large list of mathematical concepts, I have only really applied Linear Algebra in computer science for computer graphics. I did calculus and barely any multivariable calculus (implicit differentiation) as part of a compulsory math course, the vast majority of which I did not apply anywhere. I only needed calculus once or twice, and the basic middle school calculus was all I needed. Statistics was part of a compulsory math mod that I did horribly at and never had to apply elsewhere. Discrete math was a module of its own. For me, I didn't explicitly apply most of the concepts learnt there to other modules. Graph theory was taught in a distinctly non-math way as part of a data structures course, and isn't really applied elsewhere. In my four years, I completely did not apply: Numerical methods, differential equations, set theory.
lcc0612 I graduated at Cal Poly. I had to learn set theory to gain greater understanding of database systems. I have to learn graphs theory to gain greater understanding of splay tree and other graph structures. I had to take numerical methods as a substitute for another class otherwise i would have to stay another quarter but i had to learn software design patterns on my own. like i said if you didn't take any of the classes i'm sure you would be familiar with them sooner or later. Graph theory was one of the electives in my campus. Interpolation, regression can be a useful tools but not necessary you're correct. I guess you can apply discrete maths in stenography and formal languages and automata.
Hello again! I think I gave off the wrong impression in my previous comment. I'm not saying there are no places to apply math in computer science, I'm saying I didn't _need_ to, and there's a world of difference. And I do think there's a slight issue of semantics here as well. Really a lot of computer science stems from mathematical concepts, but at the same time, they don't _feel_ like math, and you don't think about them the same way you think of math. A lot of people are very afraid of entering CS just because they're worried they have to tussle with complex math. I think it's really important to emphasize that this shouldn't hold back a prospective CS student because that isn't a stumbling block. The key point is that generally, a lot of the math you need to use does not go to significant depth, and can be approached intuitively, and that is why I say that there isn't much math in CS.
I also think that it is very important not to undersell the importance of mathematics in the field of computer science. my advice to prospective students is to recognize the monumental task and be courageous in tackling it. it won't be easy, but its up to the prospective student if they want to splash around the sea of knowledge that is computer science or dive deep head first into the abyss.
Hello again! I see where you're coming from, but I fundamentally disagree. The "underselling" is very deliberate, because I feel it is justified. On the contrary, I feel like calling it a "monumental task requiring courage to tackle" is _overselling_ it. I'm not denying how fundamental math is to computer science, but fundamental and important are two very different things. Think of it this way - You _can_ know how a computer works without understanding the underlying computer architecture, or knowing how anything inside the chassis works. Sure, that information is fundamental and extremely important to how a computer works and knowing it would be highly advantageous. Yet despite that, you can get away with not knowing it, and still be very good at using software and even coding to a certain extent. The same applies to the math. There is a layer of abstraction that "hides" away the math very nicely. Going through a computer science course with little explicit knowledge of the math doesn't hurt that much. You end up picking up what you need implicitly in computer science terms, which is much more intuitive and far more fitting. The task is only "monumental" if you seek out and attempt to understand _all_ the underlying math involved, in their abstract mathematical terms. I would certainly cheer on a student if they were to want to do this, but to the others, it must be made abundantly clear that it's completely optional. While certainly advantageous, it is not at all critical, neither to completing a CS course, nor, in many cases, to a computing-related career.
This was a great video as a freshman going into college. At the moment I'm about to go into Finance but I'm having second thoughts and I love computers and have always thought about doing something with computers and computer science. I haven't taken any classes or any kind of prerequisites but do you know of any ways I can get some kind of practice to get a taste of what computer programming is like?
Hello and thank you for your comment! Glad you liked the video =) It really depends on what you're looking for - If you want something _really_ easy just to get your feet wet with, you might want to look at block-based programming languages like Blockly. They're drag-and-drop, and are extremely easy to get started with (so much so that platforms like this are used to teach programming to kids!). If you want something a little more challenging but a lot more like "real world" programming, consider looking into the basics of web programming. Languages like HTML / JavaScript are easy to learn and don't require you to install anything other than a text editor and web browser, which you already have. Tutorials should be readily available for both the above platforms, and should give you a good taste in what coding is like!
This video was really well done and thank you for it. You really peaked my interest and cleared a lot of things up regarding computer science. My question is if a computer science degree is better than getting certifications? I personally want to get the degree first and then if I want to specialize more I'll get the certifications. But I'd like your take on this.
Hello and thank you very much for your comment! Glad you liked the video =) Unfortunately, my knowledge in this area is rather poor. I don't have any certifications myself, so it's hard to give advice that's based on experience. Therefore, take the following as my _opinion_, do check with other sources as well! Personally, I would say that a CS degree is broader, and will therefore be more easily relevant and accepted. Certifications usually come from very specific courses, which certifies you for in-depth knowledge in a very specific skill. These points can be either pros or cons, and this depends entirely on the work you are looking for - Its requirements will dictate what qualifications you need to have. In a very general sense I would say a CS degree is more useful due to its breadth. Based on my own observations, you are much more likely to find a job that wants a CS degree and no certification than jobs that require one certification or another, but not a relevant degree. So unless you're sure that the work you're looking for only needs certifications, (and would still be available _after_ you've gotten your certifications), I feel like you'll be safer with a CS degree.
Haha yea after a bit more research I quickly found that out myself. I'm excited to start learning how to code and whatnot. I'm awful at math which means I have to work a little harder on my own time to grasp it better. Any advice or tips you could give would be greatly appreciated! Like anything you wish you knew beforehand. Thanks! :)
Don't worry too much about math! As mentioned in the video, you don't need a particularly strong math foundation, and if your uni is anything like mine, you will have to do modules in the fundamentals. You'll find that knowing how to code is a comparatively small part of a CS curriculum. Instead, there will quickly be more focus on concepts and applications. To do well in those areas, try to get an intuitive and pictorial grasp of concepts as early as possible. That's the biggest piece of advice I have. Apart from that, I really don't think you have to worry too much about being prepared beforehand!
Great video! I was surprised to hear that you aren't good at math. Prior to this video I thought you were a math genius lol (not stereotyping, just thought you sounded very articulate and would be good at math for some reason).
+Swiizzey Hello and thank you very much for your comment! Heh, I'm sure my videos don't give a very accurate representation of who I am =P And no, I've never been that great at math, partly because I never really enjoyed it I guess. In fact I used to be horrible at it, but I got a really good math teacher in the later part of my secondary school years, and I learned to take an interest.
Thanks man, i'm a Grade 12 Student and im thinking to get this course next school year.. thank you so much and goodluck to me i hope ill pass. godbless man :)
On most of these questions it depebds. On my part, at college, we're mostly coding in various languages in various conditions, html for websites, c++ for executables, bash for linux scripts etc. The only thing that I can say is that it's actually easy because you simply have to follow thesimple steps your teacher teaches you. The thing here is that it requires a lot of time, but for some reason, the extasy that fills my head when my codes executes itself is unexplanable. Also, I recently started drugging myself with sorting algorithms ;-)
+Amecareth Qc Hello and thank you for your comment! That sounds rather counterintuitive - What year are you in? See, the thing is, over here, generally you don't get the steps to solve a problem, because that defeats the purpose of the exercise. It's very important to be able to come up with that yourself especially since, mirroring the "real world", problems don't have solutions, and it's our job to find them.
+lcc0612 Hi, first of all, I didn't expect you to answer at all, amd as fast as it hapenned? Dammnn.. Back to the topic, sorry if my comment sounded illogical. I've only completed a session (around half a year, doing my second) and I've got much of a bad time trying to explain my toughts. What I wanted to point out is that there isn't a single way to learn computer sciences for a reason: Computer sciences are very complex, so it's basically impossible to learn everything. Just with the incredible number of coding languages that exist. Also, most of these things you learn will eventually become obsolete, but yeah, concepts do not go away because computers still work with bits. I wanted to point out that there are many ways to learn computer sciences. Not to mention that you can learn all of these things without following a computer sciences degree. Again, sorry is my comment looked strange.
+Amecareth Qc Haha, at present moment I don't get toooo many comments, so I answer all of them! And fairly quickly to, as long as I'm at my computer and not busy xD And no worries - Sorry if I came across as aggressive, I was genuinely trying to understand! But I guess it makes sense, since you've only done one semester so far. My uni assumes people have zero background, so hand holding in the first semester isn't too out of the ordinary. Unfortunately, that'll change real soon, so don't bank too hard on that =P I do agree with you - The field is very broad, not just with languages but also with concepts. Though with regard to how there are many ways to learn computer science, honestly I think there are just a small handful of ways that _really_ make sense. These methods start from the basics, ensuring that you learn fast and follow best practises, and then branch out to specializations later on. That's why I think generally the formula wouldn't change toooo much. Oh, and I do agree that there are a lot of things you could learn on your own. But there's always the issue of motivation =P When I was a purely self-taught programmer, there were many higher levels things I just never bothered learning (like Object Oriented Programming for example, which is now something I use and find so valuable). That's why, if one's passion is in this field, going through a CS degree can be really useful - You get forced to do things that are hard to get into, but will eventually be of great benefit.
Hey buddy! I just saw this video on my recommended section and I thought it was very good! I'm 17 years old; gonna graduate this July, and I want to go to college to get in the tech realm. I'm wondering, because I too am bad at math; should I go into IT or CS? And why which one? Thank you!
Hello and thank you for your comment! I just answered a question about "IT" a minute ago, so I hope you don't mind my taking the liberty of copying and pasting that answer, which seems pretty relevant to you: From what I see, "Information Technology" isn't quite as precise a term and can be applied quite broadly. While CS follows a certain structure (eg. Exploring theory and how certain classes of programs are implemented), you may find that IT just teaches you how to _use_ software. But having said that I don't think the name alone is a great indicator. I recommend you delve into the syllabus of the college you're considering. That'll give you a clearer picture of what you're in for. As an add-on in your case, wanting to "get in the tech realm" is awfully vague. What about tech interests you? Try and narrow down on what exactly it is you want to do as early as possible, that way you can customize your learning to fit that. Once you have a clearer picture of that, look into the college syllabus and decide.
Ok. Thank you! Well I've always been into everything tech, but mostly Apple! Apple has always made everything so easy to do, and I love it! I want to work for them and become a Software Engineer. But since I'm not to good at math, I thought IT would be the way to go. Is that correct?
Hmmm well if you became a mathematician, your chances of working with a tech company like Apple is actually much lower than if you became a computer scientist! Picking up software engineering is certainly a great first step towards that dream.
great video wasn't what i was looking for which is trying to determine how much it would teach me like matrices. but i stayed for the whole video you're very good at explaining stuff. i have one question tho when i try to get into learning in classes it kills all my passion. and i am very well motivated outside it and i have one request could you make a video on bad programming practices being self taught i always don't know if my code is good thanks and great video subbed!
Hello and thank you very much for your comment! Yeah unfortunately I can't go into too much detail regarding what you would learn, since that's different from uni to uni, and your choice of modules (wherever applicable) would change this as well. I'm fairly certain nobody ever took the exact same combination of modules as I had, so my learning experience would've been comparatively unique. Losing passion or interest in a classroom context isn't very surprising actually, though there could be a wide variety of reasons. It's certainly possible that the cause is a bad teacher or a bad curriculum. At the same time, some content, which could be very important, is also by nature very dry. For me, I find that a lot of the time, there's still something to gain from sitting through the boring stuff. As for bad programming practices... Well that's hard actually! I'm not aware of any "common" bad programming practices that I can address directly, though I guess I can speak from my own experience. I have a Wednesday video coming (probably next week) where I talk a little bit about my own experiences in CS. I'll mention a few bad habits of my own, though it's probably not going to be particularly comprehensive or useful enough for what you're looking at!
yeah thanks for the response man it seems i know most of it i was watching a video based on a Harvard computer science course and it seems to my knowledge I'm half way through (i didn't check the rest yet)but i did pick up some stuff. as with the practices i thought there would be alot of techniques etc it just turns out it's simple stuff like for(int i = 0, n = string.length; i < n; i++) instead of for(int i = 0; i < string.length; i++) thanks for the video tho man and good luck in the course
That was an awesome video! It really helped answer a lot of my questions!! Thank you very much:) I had another question if you don't mind..I am an International student and I really want to get into NUS because the computer science program it offers is outstanding and studying computer science, a massive passion of mine, there would be a dream come true. However, I have heard that NUS is very competitive and that international students have to be outstanding academically to get in..I am currently studying the IB curriculum...is there a minimum score they look for? Also do they accept ACT scores? Im really sorry if these kind of questions are annoying and I completely understand if you choose not to comment on my question. Thanks again for the video!
Hello and thank you very much for your comment! Very happy to be of help =) NUS is definitely not easy to get into, and NUS Computer Science already wants straight As from A-level students as of the current year, so it's definitely going to be a challenge. Not sure about whether there's any significant difference between foreign and local students though. And as for ICT, I really haven't got a clue - You'll have to check with the school directly. No worries about the questions. If there's anything you need me to help you with, feel free to ask!
liked the video as im starting the path you just finished then clicked on your channel and guess what you gained a subscriber contents itls great pls keep it up and thank you
Hello and thank you very much for your comment and support! Glad you found the video useful, and I look forward to seeing you in the comments section of more videos to come!
Hello and thank you for your comment! This differs from uni to uni. Refer to their respective websites for more information. For your reference, here's the one from mine: www.comp.nus.edu.sg/programmes/ug/focus/
Hello and thank you for your comment! The language you use usually depends on what you are learning! I've used C, Java, C++ (with OpenGL and CUDA), PHP, Javascript, HTML, CSS, several flavors of SQL, MIPS, and Python throughout the course of my CS life. Your specialization depends on your school. For your reference, these were the focus areas my school provided: www.comp.nus.edu.sg/programmes/ug/focus/
Hello, thanks for this informative video. I will be doing a Computer Science degree next year and I was wondering what I should do at a basic level to prepare for it other than learn math. Thanks!
Hello and thank you very much for your comment! Very happy to be of help =) As mentioned, math isn't a huge part of Computer Science. The best way to get prepared is to familiarize yourself with the thought processes required in coding. Pick up some basic programming skills by picking up some hobby projects. Explore and learn at a comfortable pace. That'll go a very long way!
If you can make informed decisions and have general math knowledge, you will be fine :) To understand how to program, it would be beneficial to know algebra as everything is pretty obvious once you know algebra. I'm going to be starting CS next year and I have been programming for 5+ years. Most of my time programming I haven't needed much math, I've done things like connecting databases through code, creating bots, building websites(basic percentage math) and 2D Javascript canvas programming(requires a nice amount of math). Don't be intimidated, we're all here to learn & have fun :D Best of luck man!
not bad good video. Yo dude i did some coding for a try out such as html and css but then somewhat i got bored of it i felt like left out somehow. Would you suggest that i go to cs in a community college surround expert for i can a my self into more? Because i surely felt left out solo
Hello and thank you for your comment! I can't quite comment on community colleges as they are not common in my country (I don't even know if an equivalent exists, actually). I feel like, if what you are seeking is a community, you can look for that at a college, but it's not the only place. Since you're still very new to coding, you may want to consider programming games online (CodeChef is an example that comes to mind). These places have forums where you can have discussions with like minded people. Once you gain some more programming skills, you may even want to consider contributing to an open source project, which will have its own community of coders as well.
ah well in country surely have those field in a community college such as cs info tech. That the only game you know which will be fun right? Because i try code admcy but got bored there. i guess i try code chef see what happen? Other question was school hard in cs field or ?
You can give it a try to see. No game is fun for everyone to be very honest, and unfortunately I think for something like CS it's hard to have something that's all fun and games without also requiring you to learn and move along. Honestly I find that the most fun way to learn programming is to come up with your own idea and build it. Well, university is hard in general. I had a good time, but I can't call it easy. Your mileage may vary depending on your interest level and background knowledge.
ah i see man thank for making thing clear man. I will see along with what i want to do with my life. Still a long road ahead that why im asking about cs and so fourth.. The whole game is changing what you think of AI taking over programing in near future ?
I honestly feel that a lot of reports on AI are quite exaggerated at times. While AI can certainly be writing _some_ amount of code, I don't think it's going to, say, completely eliminate human coders anytime soon. We do a podcast on this channel as well, and I've an hour long episode where I just chat with a friend who works in the AI line regarding AI and the fears surrounding it. If you have time or want something to listen to on a commute, it's a good deep dive into my thoughts, as well as the thoughts of someone actually experienced in the field: th-cam.com/video/KkB16cOsIaM/w-d-xo.html
your video shows the best explanation by far but i am afraid of studying cs because many people are saying coding will all be done by artificial intelligence. what's your point of view
Hello and thank you for your comment! While yes, the ultimate goal of AI is for it to generate more and better code (including patching _itself_ so it can be even better), I don't see it becoming a threat for a long while. So the short answer is: No, that's not going to be a problem. Do your CS degree. Even if this happens, you'll be equipped with the knowledge to move forward.
Hello and thank you for your comment! I do mention at the beginning that everything I mention is based on my own experience and there would certainly be differences depending on what country you're in and what college you go to. At the same time, I'm interested to know what you believe in different! I'll be happy to learn from your experiences as well.
Hi there. I'm planning to go to NUS for compsci as well. How would you rate the overall department over there? I'm also worried I might need to do a lot of learning before I enter uni because as of now I only know the basics of programming. Thanks!
Hello and thank you for your comment! Do bear in mind that the NUS CS of "my era" and the current state is quite different - I applied in 2010 where the 'A'-level cut-off point was something like BBC/C, in contrast to today where straight As are required. So take what I say with a grain of salt. Things may not be the same now that the target learner demographic is different. Simply put, I like it there. NUS CS has a wide variety of courses so you can find something that fits your interests with relative ease. Courses are quite easy to get into even if they have high demand (from your second sem onwards, a programme called MPE will be available to you - Use it!). They're quite flexible in general (I did two postgrad modules and they were okay with converting them so they can meet graduation requirements), so I think all in all you'll have a pretty good experience. EDIT: Forgot to answer the second part of your question: I don't think NUS CS needs you to have any background at all. But if you're planning on matriculation this year, now would be a good time to start reading up because things are going to get a little hectic in your first two semesters. One thing I'm not a huge fan of in NUS is how much emphasis they put on independent learning. Expect to be reading up a lot on your own. The more background you can gather early on, the easier your journey will be. Of course, having said that I don't want that to discourage you too much - I know of people with zero background doing just fine. But the more information you can gather before you start, the less you'll have to worry about going in.
thanks so much for your really detailed reply. Erm. I was wondering how heavy the work load is? Will it be a repeat of A levels where one gets really stressed and studies everyday. I was planning to take up USP in NUS if possible ( to sort of meet my creative thinking/ writing needs. I'm afraid my uni experience will get too science-y and my writing skills/critical thinking will get rusty) but I'm worried I won't be able to manage. Thanks so much you're really helpful :) Btw, have you graduated? How's it going at your first job?
Workload is something that's really hard to quantify. There are just so many factors - Different modules will require different amounts of work, and it also depends on you really. I honestly wasn't all that stressed out over A-levels because I put in consistent work throughout my two JC years. When exam time came, I just sorta "let it be" and came out OK. This same approach actually works for uni as well. I'm strongly opposed to most of the "mugging" or ten-year series stuff that we are put through, and sure, if you take on uni like that, it'll certainly be a pain. I think if you study smart, get an intuitive understanding, you'll have a better time. I can't really say much about USP, I tried to apply for it but didn't get in. You don't _have_ to do USP to get an exposure to crtitical and creative writing, you have a lot of freedom to do elective modules from other faculties so you'll have ample opportunity to exercise those skills. I have graduated, though I'm not really working "in the industry" so to speak. My peers who are are doing quite well though possibly quite stressed, depending on the sector and the nature of their job.
Hello and thank you for your comment! Whether or not it's hard to find a job really depends on your country and how much attention they're giving to computing in general. I'm in Singapore and over here, computer scientists are in pretty high demand, so there are jobs aplenty with pretty decent pay! You'll have to study the market where you're at, but there's more likely than not pretty good chances for careers at the present moment.
Hello and thank you for your comment! "Computer Science Engineering" isn't something I hear of very often, so I'm going to describe Computer Science and compare that against Computer Engineering. I think courses like "Computer Science Engineering" or "Computer Science _and_ Engineering" are normally somewhere in between. Computer Engineers are electrical engineers, really, but they put a strong emphasis on computing-related applications. What you'll end up with is a course with a heavier emphasis towards hardware. Expect to work with microcontrollers and other electronic components, controlling them through programming. Computer Scientists tend to deal with more theory and algorithms, and this means greater emphasis on software, and the clever methods that go into developing solutions to problems that are correct and efficient. Expect to code a lot, including on larger scales (eg. Year long team projects that involve developing a fully fledged application). These two areas tend to overlap - Basic programming skills and understanding of hardware fundamentals are common to both disciplines. Just because "Computer Science" comes first in a name like "Computer Science Engineering", I would expect such a course to be closer to CS than CEG.
Hello again! Well, that one is difficult! Nobody really knows what exactly large, well-established companies like Google or Microsoft are looking for. You just have to be really good at what you do, have the drive and passion, and try your luck!
Hello and thank you for your comment! Whether you need to bring your own device depends heavily on your school. I think most universities will have computer labs and all, so it's not strictly necessary. But more often than not, you'll find that most computing students have their own devices in class. I was able to make do with just an Android tablet (for taking notes), but once again, this depends on your needs.
Thanks for your video! I start CS in September, In your opinion, which topics would be best to get some background knowledge on before starting the course? Also, are there any books you recommend? I'm trying to get to terms with boolean algebra, logic gates, circuits, the java programming language etc.. What I find hard at the moment is thinking in algorithmic terms, if you have any advice its hugely appreciated! Thanks alot !! :)
Hello and thank you for your comment! Unfortunately I don't really have any books to recommend since to be honest, I haven't used any myself! There are more than enough resources on the net, and it's far easier to search for what you need! The best way to get into the groove is to learn a programming language and just start programming. Either find problems to solve out of interest, or look online for coding activities (CodeChef is one place to start). Then just attempt to solve them, and that will help you with your computational thinking. Don't worry too much about the theoretical aspect like boolean algebra and logic gates (though I _do_ have a series on this that may interest you, so here's a shameless self plug: th-cam.com/play/PLJse9iV6Reqj1M8p1jzvv6Zzj0js_gawl.html). But honestly those are not quite as big a deal as getting your basic computational thinking down.
Thanks alot for your detailed reply!!! I'll definitely look at that site as I need to improve alot there, thanks again its hugely appreciated! Wish you well in the future :)
You're welcome! All the best to you as well! Honestly, don't worry toooo much about getting a headstart in your course. Focus instead on building up your interest, and start to self-learn wherever that takes you. That's usually a far more sustainable endeavor.
For someone who said he is a bit of an introvert you speak very well to a public audience.
Hello and thank you very much for your comment! I guess doing TH-cam videos doesn't really count - I'm speaking only to a camera, with the full knowledge that I can edit and tweak everything later on until I'm satisfied!
0612 TV w/ NERDfirst Ye its true you dont know who the real audience is on youtube and might not even really care if they judge you on the internet...
Introvertion and an inability to speak publicly don't skip across rolling hills hand in hand. You can make many shades of purple with red and blue.
hey I have a question is it possible for a blind person to get into this field? I'm very interested in developing apps for the blind since I'm blind
@@Reyolea89 how do you read comments on the internet
Great video man, you explain things very clearly.
Thank you very much! Glad you found the video useful!
Sick profile pic bro...
Great video! *Best on TH-cam* explaining the subject. Thank you very much!
You're welcome! Very happy you enjoyed the video =)
just curious. Do you have any siblings?
No, I don't, actually!
Derrick Alix Jr i need an advice! I'm really interested on fixing computers, programming and create apps. So do you think computer science is the right degree for me?
This is by far the best explanation and questionnaire for CS .
Thanks alot !
You're welcome! Very happy to be of help =)
I'm on my Grade 11 this year. I took up ICT class. Thanks for your vlog I lessen my frustration. Love from the Philippines!💜
Hello and thank you very much for your comment! Very happy to be of help =) All the best for your Computer Science journey!
This is literally everything I was looking for. The whole math issue has been extremely stress inducing to me. That is literally the only issue that's been holding me back from committing to a CS major. Thank you. It's nice to be reassured that there's still a place for me in the CS world even with my semi awful math skills.
Hello and thank you very much for your comment! Very happy to be of help :)
You should certainly not let math hold you back from taking a CS degree! Sure, some parts might be more challenging, but if you have the aptitude to code and develop solutions, having not-as-good skills in core math wouldn't hold you back too much.
MeteoricMarlin 😂😂same here girl
I'll be in my first year in college I also took up computer science and I too suck at math lmao i honestly don't know if I'm ever gonna survive even the first year sad:(
@@randellbragg5013 how is it bro
Thank you, you cleared a lot of things on my future path. Best regards from China!
Hello and thank you very much for your comment! Very happy to have been of help, and all the best for your time in CS :)
This was a great video, answered all of my questions, thank you for posting this!
You're welcome! Really glad to know you've found the video useful =)
I'm glad I came across your video.
Thank you very much for your time and effort putting this video together.
You're welcome! Very happy to be of help =)
Thank you for making this video, it was the best video I've seen on describing and explaining computer science so far. Your Q&A really hit a lot of questions i had.
You're welcome! Very happy to be of help =)
Thank you very much for this video, you are a very good youtuber and seem like a really cool guy.
Hello and thank you very much for your comment! I'm very flattered, thank you. Glad you like my work =)
Thanks a trillion for the direction, very helpful, intelligent and down to earth!
+Joseph Tech Hello and thank you very much for your comment! Very happy to be of help :)
Thanks a lot! You're a life saver!
2023 Edit: I ended up getting both a B.S. and M.S. in CS, I currently work as a Web Developer 🙂
You're welcome! Very happy to be of help =)
Great video! I°m 15 and already starting to learn some languages (python,java,c#) and im loving it and my maths isnt to bad . I cant wait to do computer science in uni in a couple of years :) nice video I will watch this again when the time comes
Hello and thank you for your comment! That's great! Passion is the most important thing, and it sounds like you're on the right track to do well. Keep at it =)
Are you in university now?
THANKS FOR SAVING MY FUTURE! Very informative video
You're welcome! All the best =)
Best video on this subject. Thank you so much! And I must say to communicate perfectly to me.
Hello and thank you very much for your comment! Glad to be of help =)
Hey man thanks for the video!
I'm a current CS student at UMD and was considering to switch majors, but thanks to your inspiration I think I'll stick with CS!
Hello and thank you very much for your comment! Glad to hear you'll be hanging around in CS! It may not always be an easy journey, but don't give up! You gain so much at the end.
I found this video really informative. thank you for the upload. You answered all the questions i actually had. Much appreciated
Hello and thank you very much for your comment! Very happy to be of help! These "frequently asked questions" came from my own experience, so it's really good to know that it worked for you too!
you're awesome!! very good video. I am a current CS student! loving it so far!!
+Maria F Jaramillo Thank you very much! Enjoy your uni experience :)
Thank you very much for sharing this video. All my questions and fears were answered about majoring in computer science. I feel more confident and I’m pretty sure I want to major in computer science. Thanks!
You're welcome! Very happy to be of help, and all the best for your journey in Computer Science =)
This is the best and the most to the point video. 89k views but only 1.8k likes. This guy deserves more likes guys
Hello and thank you very much for your comment! Glad you liked the video :)
Thanks for this video. You do a great job of describing exactly what it's like
You're welcome! Very happy to be of help =)
Thank you for this video! I am starting my computer science degree this September and this eased my mind on a lot of questions I had...especially maths haha
+The Vape Escape You're welcome! Very happy to be of help. Definitely pursue Computer Science if it's your passion - Yes there will be a bit of getting used to things at the beginning, but I'm sure that, as long as you can get an intuitive grasp on things, you'll have a good time. All the best for your uni life, and despite the projects and the assignments, don't forget to enjoy the process, it'll be over before you know it!
I'm currently considering a degree in computer science. I have had my doubts but this video was so clear and concise that I feel less intimidated. thank you for providing such great information.
You're welcome! Very happy to be of help, and here's wishing you all the best for your college journey ahead =)
Thank you very much ! You did really good and explained my questions.
You're welcome! Very happy to be of help =)
thank you very much man
You're welcome! Very happy to be of help =)
This was so much help thank you!
You're welcome! Very happy to be of help =)
Thank you!!! This video could have come at a better time for me. I will be going back to school this Fall for CS, but I have some/little background and experience in the field. Naturally, this stressed me out and almost made me not want to go back altogether. Your 8 questions were the same questions that were scaring me out of the degree. After watching, I feel a less stressed about the degree and overall more excited to go back. Cant thank you enough pal! Good luck to you and good job finishing with honors! -Ricardo
Hello and thank you very much for your comment! Really happy to know I've been of help =) All the best in your CS journey, have fun =)
Thank you for your perspective!
You're welcome! Hope I've been a help!
Awesome video and channel man, thanks a ton!
You're welcome! Very happy to be of help =)
Extremely helpful. Thank you!
+Jesse Paulsen You're welcome! Very happy to be of help :)
Great video! you explained everything i needed to know
thank you...
You're welcome! Very happy to be of help! All the best in your CS journey!
I found your video/answers very helpful. Thank you.
You're welcome! Very happy to be of help =)
Fantastic video! Thank you for uploading this, it's very informative.
I've got a question I'd like to ask you, if you don't mind taking the time to answer? I'm interested in taking a postgraduate conversion course in Computer Science after I graduate from my undergraduate degree this summer. As a beginner with no prior experience in the field, what would you suggest I do to prepare myself before I undertake this conversion course? I'd like to gain as much experience and knowledge as possible before I start, so I'm not completely out of the loop.
Thank you again!
Hello and thank you very much for your comment! While I'll be happy to answer your question, please do understand that I haven't done a postgrad programme myself, so any advice I give you may be limited in helpfulness.
One trend I see a lot in postgrad studies is how you need to figure out nearly everything on your own (I mean, it's good practice for the research you're going to have to do!), so you'll expect to have to do a lot more independent learning in comparison to your undergrad days. Also, everything is going to be more theoretical in nature, so a good thing to have would be an intuitive grasp of the underlying concepts.
I think the best way to smoothen this transition is to pick up coding early. I expect you'll be put through a crash course on both coding and theory at the beginning of the course, so you can lighten your load during this phase if you already have prior experience with coding.
Good generic theories that would be good to figure out early are some of the more fundamental data structures (eg. Stacks, Queues, Linked Lists) and algorithms (eg. Sorting, Searching). This stuff is usually covered in the first year of undergrad life, meaning your postgrad programme will probably jog through them real quick. Having prior understanding helps.
I think that's a good starting point. Armed with this knowledge you should be able to further decide what else you want to pursue if there's still time left. All the best with your postgrad programme! =)
Ah brilliant! I'll be sure to look into those concepts you mentioned, in order to develop a theoretical understanding before applying them in practise. I'll learn how to write code in the meantime, too, as best as I can!
I also thought of contacting the head of the CS department at my uni, to ask about what's covered in their undergraduate CS curriculum, as well ask about the most relevant and easily accessible literature there is, too. Although I'm not a CS student currently, it can't hurt to ask.
I'm still a little intimidated by the prospect of entering a completely new discipline, but I'm determined to see it through. Thank you so much for your help :) I'll definitely check out your other CS videos!
Researching on the curriculum is definitely a great idea, though I feel like you might get one of two not-as-satisfactory answers:
1) Check the website - Head of departments are busy =P
2) It's up to the student - Many programmes give students at least some amount of choice. This has its pros and cons of course. While that means you have a lot to research, it also means that those running postgrad programmes can't easily assume prerequisite knowledge, and that's to your advantage!
You'll be surprised how many people switch to a different discipline for their postgrad programmes, so don't worry too much! I've done two postgrad modules in my undergrad days, and more often than not, my classmates in those programmes are from different backgrounds like Engineering, Math and Science.
Thanks for your video. My CS course starts next week at Murdoch Uni in Australia. After watching your video, I am a bit nervous but also excited meantime! Fingers crossed!! Thanks, mate, again! p.s.Subscribed!
Hello and thank you very much for your comment! All the best for your CS journey =)
This is really helpful! Thank you.
You're welcome! Very happy to be of help =)
Very well spoken, thank you.
Hello and thank you very much for your comment! Very happy to have been of help :)
This video answers pretty much all my questions about CS and has made me 1 million times less nervous about it.Thankyou so much!😊👍
You're welcome! Very happy to be of help =)
Thank you, enjoyed your video, very helpful!
You're welcome! Very happy to be of help =)
this is so helpful! thanks for this vid
You're welcome! Glad to be of help =)
Thank you so much!!
You're welcome! Glad to be of help =)
great explanation, like it, and many thanks you
You're welcome! Very happy to be of help =)
Great video. At the moment I'm still studying in college but I'm wanting to study computer science at uni, this video was very informative thanks.
Hello and thank you for your comment! Very happy to be of help =) All the best for your CS journey!
great advice i feel more comfortable in learning more about CS
Hello and thank you very much for your comment! I'm glad I've been a help! All the best for your CS journey!
Thank you very very muchThis helps so much
You're welcome! Very happy to be of help =)
Thank you..very informative.
Thank you, I has no idea what computer science was until someone suggested me it today!
You're welcome! Hope this has helped clear up some of your doubts!
And you just earned a new subscriber, excellent video!
Hello and thank you very much for your comment and support! Glad you liked the video =)
Nice video and that helped me lot. I was thinking of doing it not because I like it but because I find it has a lot of opportunities and it’s interesting. I was also scared about the maths issue because I always hated math since I was in high school.
Hello and thank you for your comment! What's important is that you like the subject!
You're amazing and wise✊
Hello and thank you very much for your comment! Very happy to be of help =)
00:49 lol did you make the noises in the intro with your mouth???
Hello and thank you for your comment! Yep, the foley in the intro was all layered mouth sounds!
I was high when I said that, great video!
Heh, you weren't wrong! Glad you liked the video =)
Thanks, it helped a lot. 😍 Im planning to take up Computer Science but since I don't have any idea about programming, I feel scared and I think I would be having a hard time to cope it.
You're welcome! Very happy to be of help =) Don't worry - Things are always going to be hard at the beginning, but you'll have a few years to practice and get better at it!
"I prefer to stick around with my devices"
Lol same
Heh yeah, luckily you'll find a lot of like minded folk in CS =P
Appreciate the video man, thumbs up.
You're welcome! Very happy to be of help =)
thanks for sharing this
You're welcome! Very happy to be of help =)
You're amazing,thank you so much for this! i have a 98/100 in computer and i'd love to pursue a career in computer science .You sure do know how to explain things well. :)
subscribed!
Hello and thank you very much for your comment and support! Glad you found the video useful =)
Here is my course schedule, this seems a little more typical computer science course load for most universities. Only listing relevant courses
Year 1:
Calculus 1
-Intro to programming(java)
-Intro to algorithmic design
-Computer systems and architecture(assembly language, cpu arch)
Year 2:
-Calculus 2
-Intermediate programming(java)
-Building secure web applications
Years 3:
-Discrete math
-Data structures and analysis
-Object oriented and concurrent programming
-Compiler theory and design(C/C++)
Year 4
-design and analysis of computer algorithms
-Operating systems
-Computer graphics
-Current trends and projects in computer science (apply pretty much everything we’ve learned into 2 huge projects)
Hello and thank you for your comment! If you asked me, this sounds perfect! My uni was a little faster-paced than this, and at that rate people were already struggling, so I think this is good!
Thank you so much for this. I'm entering my senior year in high school and will take a computer programming class to get me on my feet and will be looking forward to the challenge in college. Thanks!!
You're welcome! All the best - Enjoy your remaining years of study and make it a memorable time =)
Life saved man thanks
You're welcome! Glad to be of help, and all the best for your CS journey =)
0612 TV w/ NERDfirst thank you
Thank you what you told its really my mind question so thank you
You're welcome! Glad you liked the video :)
Good job! You're almost there
+Asianproductions100 Hello and thank you for your comment! Yeah, I'll miss it though!
@13:15 ish
I don't see any good reason to avoid thinking/talking in code (to people who also know that language), especially if it's an english-like one (python, ruby, or lua).
I would almost never speak in c, java, assembly, or lisp though.
+James Barry Hello and thank you very much for your comment!
I can think of several reasons - The biggest of which is to separate concepts from implementation. A lot of the times, in communicating an idea, we want to describe _what_ we want to do as opposed to _how_ we want to do it. In my experience in working with students, the ability to explain an algorithm in a few non-implementation-specific words shows they they truly comprehend what the algorithm is trying to achieve, as opposed to simply regurgitating the steps off a list.
Of course, another simpler reason is that a lot of the time, students _don't_ know the language, at least not well enough for them to efficiently communicate ideas using it. The last thing you want to do is to teach a complicated concept to a student in a language they don't fully comprehend yet - They'll have _two_ difficult things on their hands instead of one.
+lcc0612 1) I have a hard time seeing why _separating concepts from implementation_ is a good thing.
2) "to people who also know that language" is an important caveat/qualification.
...Maybe it wasn't clear what I meant. It seems impossible and insane to talk about algorithms _without_ talking about while/for loops and arrays/lists/tables. Why restrict yourself to English when code is more clear?
Problems can be stated in english, I have no issues with that, but _talking about manipulating data_ without talking about how it is actually done seems like it would give a very superficial knowledge of the algorithm.
The reason I'm disagreeing aloud at all is that my brother and I often drop into lua while talking tree/maze/terrain/city generation algorithms.
Maybe not quite what you meant by algorithm?
+James Barry Ah, I see why we have some confusion - Separating concepts from implementation is very important, because it allows you to understand things intuitively. You are absolutely correct that doing so gives superficial knowledge of the algorithm, but that is extremely valuable to have.
What I find, in my years of working with friends, students, and on the internet, is that more often than not, people jump straight into the implementation and get themselves thoroughly confused, because they have to grapple with _both_ the how and what, and sometimes _how_ you do something obfuscates the intent. What I propose, is for people to at least understand the algorithm superficially first (ie. They can describe what the algorithm does using just one or two sentences of plain English). If they were to move on from that to the actual implementation, they are already clear about the _what_, and can focus on _how_ the algorithm achieves its objective.
I can think of several other reasons for not communicating in code, at least not as a first line of attack. Software engineering is one - When working in a large scale project, one often needs to understand what their counterparts are doing, but only superficially, eg. I need to know that the file upload widget sanitizes the file by discarding all control characters, but I don't need to know _how_ you used foo() and bar() to do it. The ability to communicate in plain English is absolutely valuable in this context.
Another reason is adaptability. I have to go back to my own experiences to do this, but I find that a lot of the time, students are tempted to just take the code presented to them in class and swallow that verbatim. So when the assignment comes up, which requires them to do _that thing but a little differently_, they're stuck, because they don't have enough understanding to adapt. If you have the intuitive grasp of the algorithm and can see it as a picture in your head, you can adapt an existing algorithm to new situations, port it to another language, or even re-write it from scratch.
All in all I think context is important - A lot of the time, communicating in English is sufficient, but of course there are times when using code is clearer, and needed. It just doesn't crop up much in the context of being a computer science student. And it's great that you've had success communicating in code in the past - It sounds like that's definitely the most suitable way for you to communicate with your brother, but there are times, especially while being a student, that that's not the case.
+Hanf Vader My argument is that, a lot of the time you don't _need_ to know what other people are actually coding. At least that's the case a lot of the time in software engineering applications. The ideal situation is that you understand what your counterparts are doing without having to read their code.
I guess there'll always be a "ceiling" to how easy algorithms are to understand, because ultimately, they need to be written in a way for computers to run. The abstractions we can apply as human beings may not always be valid in that context.
Thank you very much Sir :)
You're welcome! Very happy to be of help =)
very hopeful for fresher's..thank u
You're welcome! Happy to be of help =)
It really does matter what concentration you are in the Computer Science major when it comes to math.
I am a Computer Science major with a concentration in Computer Science.
The difference between someone concentrating in CS versus someone concentrating in Information Systems is that:
Information Systems usually is:
- Required math: Stats or Calc 1
Computer Science concentration:
- required math: Calc 1, Calc 2, Numerical Analysis, Discete Math, Linear Algebra
Hello and thank you very much for your comment and for sharing! While I was speaking in the context of CS itself, yes, there is a lot of difference! Maybe I should make a video soon going into the detail of the kinds of math we have to do.
Currently Studying a Degree in Computer Science. The Math subjects that I had to learn 4 Sems back were "Discrete/Computing Math", "Math Analysis" and "Probability & Statistics". Now, I do not have any more Math related subjects, only 3 and that's it. Computer Science Maths are actually really fun, it focuses more towards "logic" than theoretical math like Calculus in which many of my friends whom are mostly in Pure Engineering (ME, EE etc) are struggling in. Software Engineering is a branch of Computer Science so you don't have to worry about those heavy "Pure Engineering maths". Thank god I didn't take Engineering lol.
Comp Sci. Math has a really fun flow that you can understand, it's like solving a sudoku or playing chess. Hence why it's mostly "logic"
Hello and thank you for your comment! That's very interesting, cool that your university is taking what sounds like a more creative approach to discrete math. I personally didn't have a very good time when I took the equivalent in my university.
zarith4fiddy Nice profile pic.
it's milk fyi
loved it
Thank you! Glad to be of help =)
Excellent video man
Thank you! Glad you liked it =)
Wow I'm also a senior in CS with a concentration in "Computer Graphics and Visualization," but you know so much more than me! True, you did say you are not really the type to be around alot of other people and i'm actually really outgoing but still! Do you have computer graphics concepts and videos in here? I took a graphics course and though i passed and learned some GLSL, the course was way over most peoples heads
+Knot2goodAtIt Hello and thank you very much for your comment! To be honest some of what I know didn't come from school, so it's not always easy to compare. It's great loving the subject matter because I find myself learning a lot in my own time - It can even make school a little easier sometimes!
I do have a few computer graphics videos here and there. The most popular graphics-related video I have is probably the one related to Bezier Curves.
Our school has quite a few different graphics modules. I don't know if it's fair to expect people to learn everything in a single module... GPU programming (and GLSL in general) was an entire module of its own for us. Our fundamental graphics module only used OpenGL, but put quite a bit more emphasis on the theoretical.
oh wow multiple classes on specific topics??? We only have 1 graphics course and an advanced graphics course, no wonder we cant learn as much. We had to learn OpenGL on the fly and it was really hard
+Knot2goodAtIt Yeah, we've got an entire focus area of modules on computer graphics alone, and every one have been very different. Yet I still wish some of the modules covered more or were split into smaller modules... I guess it's impossible for a school curriculum to be complete.
thank u man u helped a lot
You're welcome! Happy to be of help =)
This is excellent
Thank you! Glad you liked the video =)
Loved the video ! I want to go into cybersecurity, do you think I should go for a computer science degree or another ?
Hello and thank you very much for your comment! A computer science degree is a very good way to achieve that. In fact I don't know of any other way to get qualified for cybersecurity - You'll need to know a lot about computers in the same general way in which a computer science course will prepare you for before you can specialize in cybersecurity and do it well. I would definitely recommend CS education for your case.
Thankyou!
You're welcome! Glad to be of help :)
Thank you for making this!
What kind of math do you use in programming?
You're welcome! Very happy to be of help =)
I would say 95% of the math in programming is counting and simple arithmetic. For example, visiting every item in a list usually involves counting the positions up one by one. Another example would be building GUI - You may have to do calculations to find out the position (coordinates) of where something should go onscreen.
The complex math comes from your specialization in CS. For example, if you specialize in things like AI, you may need to know and apply statistical methods. If you do 3D graphics, you'll have to deal with matrix manipulation. Even then, the math is usually not the _main_ focus, it's a tool that's there to help you achieve the end result.
you need plenty of math computer science. for example calculus , multi variable calculus, numerical methods, discrete math , linear algebra, deferential equations, graph theory, set theory, statistics. by the time a cs major graduates they know most of this or familiar with all of it.
+epicwhat001 Hello and thank you for your comment! Out of curiosity, which university did you attend, and what specialization were you in? You seem to have covered a large amount of math that aren't really all that central to a computer science major, which is why I want to clarify this in detail so that it won't be misleading for anyone who reads this.
You see, in my own experience, I've only scraped the surface of a few of the topics you've mentioned, and skipped some of them entirely. Of your large list of mathematical concepts, I have only really applied Linear Algebra in computer science for computer graphics.
I did calculus and barely any multivariable calculus (implicit differentiation) as part of a compulsory math course, the vast majority of which I did not apply anywhere. I only needed calculus once or twice, and the basic middle school calculus was all I needed.
Statistics was part of a compulsory math mod that I did horribly at and never had to apply elsewhere.
Discrete math was a module of its own. For me, I didn't explicitly apply most of the concepts learnt there to other modules.
Graph theory was taught in a distinctly non-math way as part of a data structures course, and isn't really applied elsewhere.
In my four years, I completely did not apply: Numerical methods, differential equations, set theory.
lcc0612
I graduated at Cal Poly. I had to learn set theory to gain greater understanding of database systems. I have to learn graphs theory to gain greater understanding of splay tree and other graph structures. I had to take numerical methods as a substitute for another class otherwise i would have to stay another quarter but i had to learn software design patterns on my own.
like i said if you didn't take any of the classes i'm sure you would be familiar with them sooner or later.
Graph theory was one of the electives in my campus.
Interpolation, regression can be a useful tools but not necessary you're correct.
I guess you can apply discrete maths in stenography and formal languages and automata.
Hello again! I think I gave off the wrong impression in my previous comment. I'm not saying there are no places to apply math in computer science, I'm saying I didn't _need_ to, and there's a world of difference.
And I do think there's a slight issue of semantics here as well. Really a lot of computer science stems from mathematical concepts, but at the same time, they don't _feel_ like math, and you don't think about them the same way you think of math.
A lot of people are very afraid of entering CS just because they're worried they have to tussle with complex math. I think it's really important to emphasize that this shouldn't hold back a prospective CS student because that isn't a stumbling block. The key point is that generally, a lot of the math you need to use does not go to significant depth, and can be approached intuitively, and that is why I say that there isn't much math in CS.
I also think that it is very important not to undersell the importance of mathematics in the field of computer science. my advice to prospective students is to recognize the monumental task and be courageous in tackling it. it won't be easy, but its up to the prospective student if they want to splash around the sea of knowledge that is computer science or dive deep head first into the abyss.
Hello again! I see where you're coming from, but I fundamentally disagree. The "underselling" is very deliberate, because I feel it is justified. On the contrary, I feel like calling it a "monumental task requiring courage to tackle" is _overselling_ it.
I'm not denying how fundamental math is to computer science, but fundamental and important are two very different things. Think of it this way - You _can_ know how a computer works without understanding the underlying computer architecture, or knowing how anything inside the chassis works. Sure, that information is fundamental and extremely important to how a computer works and knowing it would be highly advantageous. Yet despite that, you can get away with not knowing it, and still be very good at using software and even coding to a certain extent.
The same applies to the math. There is a layer of abstraction that "hides" away the math very nicely. Going through a computer science course with little explicit knowledge of the math doesn't hurt that much. You end up picking up what you need implicitly in computer science terms, which is much more intuitive and far more fitting.
The task is only "monumental" if you seek out and attempt to understand _all_ the underlying math involved, in their abstract mathematical terms. I would certainly cheer on a student if they were to want to do this, but to the others, it must be made abundantly clear that it's completely optional. While certainly advantageous, it is not at all critical, neither to completing a CS course, nor, in many cases, to a computing-related career.
Great information!
Thank you very much! Glad you found the video useful =)
This was a great video as a freshman going into college. At the moment I'm about to go into Finance but I'm having second thoughts and I love computers and have always thought about doing something with computers and computer science. I haven't taken any classes or any kind of prerequisites but do you know of any ways I can get some kind of practice to get a taste of what computer programming is like?
Hello and thank you for your comment! Glad you liked the video =)
It really depends on what you're looking for - If you want something _really_ easy just to get your feet wet with, you might want to look at block-based programming languages like Blockly. They're drag-and-drop, and are extremely easy to get started with (so much so that platforms like this are used to teach programming to kids!).
If you want something a little more challenging but a lot more like "real world" programming, consider looking into the basics of web programming. Languages like HTML / JavaScript are easy to learn and don't require you to install anything other than a text editor and web browser, which you already have.
Tutorials should be readily available for both the above platforms, and should give you a good taste in what coding is like!
This video was really well done and thank you for it. You really peaked my interest and cleared a lot of things up regarding computer science. My question is if a computer science degree is better than getting certifications? I personally want to get the degree first and then if I want to specialize more I'll get the certifications. But I'd like your take on this.
Hello and thank you very much for your comment! Glad you liked the video =) Unfortunately, my knowledge in this area is rather poor. I don't have any certifications myself, so it's hard to give advice that's based on experience. Therefore, take the following as my _opinion_, do check with other sources as well!
Personally, I would say that a CS degree is broader, and will therefore be more easily relevant and accepted. Certifications usually come from very specific courses, which certifies you for in-depth knowledge in a very specific skill. These points can be either pros or cons, and this depends entirely on the work you are looking for - Its requirements will dictate what qualifications you need to have.
In a very general sense I would say a CS degree is more useful due to its breadth. Based on my own observations, you are much more likely to find a job that wants a CS degree and no certification than jobs that require one certification or another, but not a relevant degree. So unless you're sure that the work you're looking for only needs certifications, (and would still be available _after_ you've gotten your certifications), I feel like you'll be safer with a CS degree.
Haha yea after a bit more research I quickly found that out myself. I'm excited to start learning how to code and whatnot.
I'm awful at math which means I have to work a little harder on my own time to grasp it better.
Any advice or tips you could give would be greatly appreciated! Like anything you wish you knew beforehand. Thanks! :)
Don't worry too much about math! As mentioned in the video, you don't need a particularly strong math foundation, and if your uni is anything like mine, you will have to do modules in the fundamentals.
You'll find that knowing how to code is a comparatively small part of a CS curriculum. Instead, there will quickly be more focus on concepts and applications. To do well in those areas, try to get an intuitive and pictorial grasp of concepts as early as possible. That's the biggest piece of advice I have. Apart from that, I really don't think you have to worry too much about being prepared beforehand!
Great video! I was surprised to hear that you aren't good at math. Prior to this video I thought you were a math genius lol (not stereotyping, just thought you sounded very articulate and would be good at math for some reason).
+Swiizzey Hello and thank you very much for your comment! Heh, I'm sure my videos don't give a very accurate representation of who I am =P And no, I've never been that great at math, partly because I never really enjoyed it I guess. In fact I used to be horrible at it, but I got a really good math teacher in the later part of my secondary school years, and I learned to take an interest.
Good point about discussing programming work in plain language...many progtammers fail at that.
Thanks man, i'm a Grade 12 Student and im thinking to get this course next school year.. thank you so much and goodluck to me i hope ill pass. godbless man :)
You're welcome! All the best for your exams and no matter the outcome, keep the interest going =)
On most of these questions it depebds. On my part, at college, we're mostly coding in various languages in various conditions, html for websites, c++ for executables, bash for linux scripts etc. The only thing that I can say is that it's actually easy because you simply have to follow thesimple steps your teacher teaches you. The thing here is that it requires a lot of time, but for some reason, the extasy that fills my head when my codes executes itself is unexplanable. Also, I recently started drugging myself with sorting algorithms ;-)
+Amecareth Qc Hello and thank you for your comment! That sounds rather counterintuitive - What year are you in? See, the thing is, over here, generally you don't get the steps to solve a problem, because that defeats the purpose of the exercise. It's very important to be able to come up with that yourself especially since, mirroring the "real world", problems don't have solutions, and it's our job to find them.
+lcc0612 Hi, first of all, I didn't expect you to answer at all, amd as fast as it hapenned? Dammnn..
Back to the topic, sorry if my comment sounded illogical. I've only completed a session (around half a year, doing my second) and I've got much of a bad time trying to explain my toughts. What I wanted to point out is that there isn't a single way to learn computer sciences for a reason:
Computer sciences are very complex, so it's basically impossible to learn everything. Just with the incredible number of coding languages that exist. Also, most of these things you learn will eventually become obsolete, but yeah, concepts do not go away because computers still work with bits.
I wanted to point out that there are many ways to learn computer sciences. Not to mention that you can learn all of these things without following a computer sciences degree. Again, sorry is my comment looked strange.
+Amecareth Qc Haha, at present moment I don't get toooo many comments, so I answer all of them! And fairly quickly to, as long as I'm at my computer and not busy xD
And no worries - Sorry if I came across as aggressive, I was genuinely trying to understand! But I guess it makes sense, since you've only done one semester so far. My uni assumes people have zero background, so hand holding in the first semester isn't too out of the ordinary. Unfortunately, that'll change real soon, so don't bank too hard on that =P
I do agree with you - The field is very broad, not just with languages but also with concepts. Though with regard to how there are many ways to learn computer science, honestly I think there are just a small handful of ways that _really_ make sense. These methods start from the basics, ensuring that you learn fast and follow best practises, and then branch out to specializations later on. That's why I think generally the formula wouldn't change toooo much.
Oh, and I do agree that there are a lot of things you could learn on your own. But there's always the issue of motivation =P When I was a purely self-taught programmer, there were many higher levels things I just never bothered learning (like Object Oriented Programming for example, which is now something I use and find so valuable). That's why, if one's passion is in this field, going through a CS degree can be really useful - You get forced to do things that are hard to get into, but will eventually be of great benefit.
Great video best info about CS
Hello and thank you very much for your comment! Glad you liked the video =)
Hey buddy! I just saw this video on my recommended section and I thought it was very good!
I'm 17 years old; gonna graduate this July, and I want to go to college to get in the tech realm. I'm wondering, because I too am bad at math; should I go into IT or CS? And why which one? Thank you!
Hello and thank you for your comment! I just answered a question about "IT" a minute ago, so I hope you don't mind my taking the liberty of copying and pasting that answer, which seems pretty relevant to you:
From what I see, "Information Technology" isn't quite as precise a term and can be applied quite broadly. While CS follows a certain structure (eg. Exploring theory and how certain classes of programs are implemented), you may find that IT just teaches you how to _use_ software. But having said that I don't think the name alone is a great indicator. I recommend you delve into the syllabus of the college you're considering. That'll give you a clearer picture of what you're in for.
As an add-on in your case, wanting to "get in the tech realm" is awfully vague. What about tech interests you? Try and narrow down on what exactly it is you want to do as early as possible, that way you can customize your learning to fit that. Once you have a clearer picture of that, look into the college syllabus and decide.
Ok. Thank you! Well I've always been into everything tech, but mostly Apple! Apple has always made everything so easy to do, and I love it! I want to work for them and become a Software Engineer. But since I'm not to good at math, I thought IT would be the way to go. Is that correct?
Hmmm well if you became a mathematician, your chances of working with a tech company like Apple is actually much lower than if you became a computer scientist! Picking up software engineering is certainly a great first step towards that dream.
great video wasn't what i was looking for which is trying to determine how much it would teach me like matrices. but i stayed for the whole video you're very good at explaining stuff.
i have one question tho when i try to get into learning in classes it kills all my passion. and i am very well motivated outside it
and i have one request could you make a video on bad programming practices being self taught i always don't know if my code is good
thanks and great video subbed!
Hello and thank you very much for your comment! Yeah unfortunately I can't go into too much detail regarding what you would learn, since that's different from uni to uni, and your choice of modules (wherever applicable) would change this as well. I'm fairly certain nobody ever took the exact same combination of modules as I had, so my learning experience would've been comparatively unique.
Losing passion or interest in a classroom context isn't very surprising actually, though there could be a wide variety of reasons. It's certainly possible that the cause is a bad teacher or a bad curriculum. At the same time, some content, which could be very important, is also by nature very dry. For me, I find that a lot of the time, there's still something to gain from sitting through the boring stuff.
As for bad programming practices... Well that's hard actually! I'm not aware of any "common" bad programming practices that I can address directly, though I guess I can speak from my own experience. I have a Wednesday video coming (probably next week) where I talk a little bit about my own experiences in CS. I'll mention a few bad habits of my own, though it's probably not going to be particularly comprehensive or useful enough for what you're looking at!
yeah thanks for the response man it seems i know most of it i was watching a video based on a Harvard computer science course and it seems to my knowledge I'm half way through (i didn't check the rest yet)but i did pick up some stuff.
as with the practices i thought there would be alot of techniques etc it just turns out it's simple stuff like
for(int i = 0, n = string.length; i < n; i++)
instead of
for(int i = 0; i < string.length; i++)
thanks for the video tho man and good luck in the course
That was an awesome video! It really helped answer a lot of my questions!! Thank you very much:)
I had another question if you don't mind..I am an International student and I really want to get into NUS because the computer science program it offers is outstanding and studying computer science, a massive passion of mine, there would be a dream come true.
However, I have heard that NUS is very competitive and that international students have to be outstanding academically to get in..I am currently studying the IB curriculum...is there a minimum score they look for? Also do they accept ACT scores?
Im really sorry if these kind of questions are annoying and I completely understand if you choose not to comment on my question.
Thanks again for the video!
Hello and thank you very much for your comment! Very happy to be of help =)
NUS is definitely not easy to get into, and NUS Computer Science already wants straight As from A-level students as of the current year, so it's definitely going to be a challenge. Not sure about whether there's any significant difference between foreign and local students though. And as for ICT, I really haven't got a clue - You'll have to check with the school directly.
No worries about the questions. If there's anything you need me to help you with, feel free to ask!
liked the video as im starting the path you just finished then clicked on your channel and guess what you gained a subscriber contents itls great pls keep it up and thank you
Hello and thank you very much for your comment and support! Glad you found the video useful, and I look forward to seeing you in the comments section of more videos to come!
What types of specialties are there in Computer Science?
Hello and thank you for your comment! This differs from uni to uni. Refer to their respective websites for more information. For your reference, here's the one from mine: www.comp.nus.edu.sg/programmes/ug/focus/
what programming language do you use in CS??
what degrees can u specialize in??
Hello and thank you for your comment! The language you use usually depends on what you are learning! I've used C, Java, C++ (with OpenGL and CUDA), PHP, Javascript, HTML, CSS, several flavors of SQL, MIPS, and Python throughout the course of my CS life.
Your specialization depends on your school. For your reference, these were the focus areas my school provided: www.comp.nus.edu.sg/programmes/ug/focus/
and what could u specialize in? i know u talked about it in your video, but i didnt quit understand(sorry for bad english)
Hello again! It varies from school to school. Check my previous comment for a link to what my own school offers.
Hello, thanks for this informative video. I will be doing a Computer Science degree next year and I was wondering what I should do at a basic level to prepare for it other than learn math. Thanks!
Hello and thank you very much for your comment! Very happy to be of help =)
As mentioned, math isn't a huge part of Computer Science. The best way to get prepared is to familiarize yourself with the thought processes required in coding. Pick up some basic programming skills by picking up some hobby projects. Explore and learn at a comfortable pace. That'll go a very long way!
If you can make informed decisions and have general math knowledge, you will be fine :)
To understand how to program, it would be beneficial to know algebra as everything is pretty obvious once you know algebra.
I'm going to be starting CS next year and I have been programming for 5+ years.
Most of my time programming I haven't needed much math, I've done things like connecting databases through code, creating bots, building websites(basic percentage math) and 2D Javascript canvas programming(requires a nice amount of math).
Don't be intimidated, we're all here to learn & have fun :D
Best of luck man!
thankyou men
You're welcome! Glad to be of help =)
not bad good video. Yo dude i did some coding for a try out such as html and css but then somewhat i got bored of it i felt like left out somehow. Would you suggest that i go to cs in a community college surround expert for i can a my self into more? Because i surely felt left out solo
Hello and thank you for your comment! I can't quite comment on community colleges as they are not common in my country (I don't even know if an equivalent exists, actually).
I feel like, if what you are seeking is a community, you can look for that at a college, but it's not the only place. Since you're still very new to coding, you may want to consider programming games online (CodeChef is an example that comes to mind). These places have forums where you can have discussions with like minded people. Once you gain some more programming skills, you may even want to consider contributing to an open source project, which will have its own community of coders as well.
ah well in country surely have those field in a community college such as cs info tech. That the only game you know which will be fun right? Because i try code admcy but got bored there. i guess i try code chef see what happen? Other question was school hard in cs field or ?
You can give it a try to see. No game is fun for everyone to be very honest, and unfortunately I think for something like CS it's hard to have something that's all fun and games without also requiring you to learn and move along. Honestly I find that the most fun way to learn programming is to come up with your own idea and build it.
Well, university is hard in general. I had a good time, but I can't call it easy. Your mileage may vary depending on your interest level and background knowledge.
ah i see man thank for making thing clear man. I will see along with what i want to do with my life. Still a long road ahead that why im asking about cs and so fourth.. The whole game is changing what you think of AI taking over programing in near future ?
I honestly feel that a lot of reports on AI are quite exaggerated at times. While AI can certainly be writing _some_ amount of code, I don't think it's going to, say, completely eliminate human coders anytime soon.
We do a podcast on this channel as well, and I've an hour long episode where I just chat with a friend who works in the AI line regarding AI and the fears surrounding it. If you have time or want something to listen to on a commute, it's a good deep dive into my thoughts, as well as the thoughts of someone actually experienced in the field: th-cam.com/video/KkB16cOsIaM/w-d-xo.html
your video shows the best explanation by far but i am afraid of studying cs because many people are saying coding will all be done by artificial intelligence. what's your point of view
Hello and thank you for your comment!
While yes, the ultimate goal of AI is for it to generate more and better code (including patching _itself_ so it can be even better), I don't see it becoming a threat for a long while. So the short answer is: No, that's not going to be a problem. Do your CS degree. Even if this happens, you'll be equipped with the knowledge to move forward.
I think this is for students in Singapore, not really in the US
Hello and thank you for your comment! I do mention at the beginning that everything I mention is based on my own experience and there would certainly be differences depending on what country you're in and what college you go to.
At the same time, I'm interested to know what you believe in different! I'll be happy to learn from your experiences as well.
Hi there. I'm planning to go to NUS for compsci as well. How would you rate the overall department over there? I'm also worried I might need to do a lot of learning before I enter uni because as of now I only know the basics of programming.
Thanks!
Hello and thank you for your comment! Do bear in mind that the NUS CS of "my era" and the current state is quite different - I applied in 2010 where the 'A'-level cut-off point was something like BBC/C, in contrast to today where straight As are required. So take what I say with a grain of salt. Things may not be the same now that the target learner demographic is different.
Simply put, I like it there. NUS CS has a wide variety of courses so you can find something that fits your interests with relative ease. Courses are quite easy to get into even if they have high demand (from your second sem onwards, a programme called MPE will be available to you - Use it!). They're quite flexible in general (I did two postgrad modules and they were okay with converting them so they can meet graduation requirements), so I think all in all you'll have a pretty good experience.
EDIT: Forgot to answer the second part of your question:
I don't think NUS CS needs you to have any background at all. But if you're planning on matriculation this year, now would be a good time to start reading up because things are going to get a little hectic in your first two semesters. One thing I'm not a huge fan of in NUS is how much emphasis they put on independent learning. Expect to be reading up a lot on your own. The more background you can gather early on, the easier your journey will be.
Of course, having said that I don't want that to discourage you too much - I know of people with zero background doing just fine. But the more information you can gather before you start, the less you'll have to worry about going in.
thanks so much for your really detailed reply. Erm. I was wondering how heavy the work load is? Will it be a repeat of A levels where one gets really stressed and studies everyday. I was planning to take up USP in NUS if possible ( to sort of meet my creative thinking/ writing needs. I'm afraid my uni experience will get too science-y and my writing skills/critical thinking will get rusty) but I'm worried I won't be able to manage.
Thanks so much you're really helpful :)
Btw, have you graduated? How's it going at your first job?
Workload is something that's really hard to quantify. There are just so many factors - Different modules will require different amounts of work, and it also depends on you really. I honestly wasn't all that stressed out over A-levels because I put in consistent work throughout my two JC years. When exam time came, I just sorta "let it be" and came out OK.
This same approach actually works for uni as well. I'm strongly opposed to most of the "mugging" or ten-year series stuff that we are put through, and sure, if you take on uni like that, it'll certainly be a pain. I think if you study smart, get an intuitive understanding, you'll have a better time.
I can't really say much about USP, I tried to apply for it but didn't get in. You don't _have_ to do USP to get an exposure to crtitical and creative writing, you have a lot of freedom to do elective modules from other faculties so you'll have ample opportunity to exercise those skills.
I have graduated, though I'm not really working "in the industry" so to speak. My peers who are are doing quite well though possibly quite stressed, depending on the sector and the nature of their job.
alright! thank you so much :)
Is Front end web development is easy to learn like in 1 year
One year is a lot of time, I'm sure it's possible as long as you dedicate even just an hour a day for a year.
Thank you for reply
Hi great video. How hard is it to find a job after getting degree? Did it pay well?
Hello and thank you for your comment! Whether or not it's hard to find a job really depends on your country and how much attention they're giving to computing in general. I'm in Singapore and over here, computer scientists are in pretty high demand, so there are jobs aplenty with pretty decent pay!
You'll have to study the market where you're at, but there's more likely than not pretty good chances for careers at the present moment.
question : whats the difference between Computer Science and Computer Science Engineering???
Hello and thank you for your comment! "Computer Science Engineering" isn't something I hear of very often, so I'm going to describe Computer Science and compare that against Computer Engineering. I think courses like "Computer Science Engineering" or "Computer Science _and_ Engineering" are normally somewhere in between.
Computer Engineers are electrical engineers, really, but they put a strong emphasis on computing-related applications. What you'll end up with is a course with a heavier emphasis towards hardware. Expect to work with microcontrollers and other electronic components, controlling them through programming.
Computer Scientists tend to deal with more theory and algorithms, and this means greater emphasis on software, and the clever methods that go into developing solutions to problems that are correct and efficient. Expect to code a lot, including on larger scales (eg. Year long team projects that involve developing a fully fledged application).
These two areas tend to overlap - Basic programming skills and understanding of hardware fundamentals are common to both disciplines. Just because "Computer Science" comes first in a name like "Computer Science Engineering", I would expect such a course to be closer to CS than CEG.
thanks bro :) :3
can u make a video about how to join in google or microsoft ?^^"
Hello again! Well, that one is difficult! Nobody really knows what exactly large, well-established companies like Google or Microsoft are looking for. You just have to be really good at what you do, have the drive and passion, and try your luck!
do I have to bring my own laptop to class? and what was the first program you learn?
Hello and thank you for your comment! Whether you need to bring your own device depends heavily on your school. I think most universities will have computer labs and all, so it's not strictly necessary. But more often than not, you'll find that most computing students have their own devices in class. I was able to make do with just an Android tablet (for taking notes), but once again, this depends on your needs.
Thanks for your video! I start CS in September, In your opinion, which topics would be best to get some background knowledge on before starting the course? Also, are there any books you recommend?
I'm trying to get to terms with boolean algebra, logic gates, circuits, the java programming language etc..
What I find hard at the moment is thinking in algorithmic terms, if you have any advice its hugely appreciated!
Thanks alot !! :)
Hello and thank you for your comment! Unfortunately I don't really have any books to recommend since to be honest, I haven't used any myself! There are more than enough resources on the net, and it's far easier to search for what you need!
The best way to get into the groove is to learn a programming language and just start programming. Either find problems to solve out of interest, or look online for coding activities (CodeChef is one place to start). Then just attempt to solve them, and that will help you with your computational thinking.
Don't worry too much about the theoretical aspect like boolean algebra and logic gates (though I _do_ have a series on this that may interest you, so here's a shameless self plug: th-cam.com/play/PLJse9iV6Reqj1M8p1jzvv6Zzj0js_gawl.html). But honestly those are not quite as big a deal as getting your basic computational thinking down.
Thanks alot for your detailed reply!!! I'll definitely look at that site as I need to improve alot there, thanks again its hugely appreciated! Wish you well in the future :)
You're welcome! All the best to you as well! Honestly, don't worry toooo much about getting a headstart in your course. Focus instead on building up your interest, and start to self-learn wherever that takes you. That's usually a far more sustainable endeavor.