Computer Science grad, how to increase my knowledge?

Question

Ok. I just graduated from Computer Science and have realized that the program was just for me. I wouldn't call it a waste of money since a degree is always valuable. But it was a torture. The first years were good, but my junior and senior year were horrible.

I had programmed in C++, Java with everything set up to just programming. But then when I got into senior year classes, the assignments were painful. Some asked to program in C and turn in assignments in one week. I had never programmed in C, it took me days to finally get compilers and IDEs installed, so complicated when in a rush. When I finally had time to start programming I had a lot of bugs due to my no-experience with the language. I ended up not turning in any of the assignments. Although I was a good test taker, and i managed to pass classes. And like I do understand programming, I did programming questions on tests but I just couldn't handle the technicalities of compilers and so on. I managed to graduate.

Answer 1

First of all, C can be a right pain in the a**. Some people love working on relatively low-level stuff like that. Hell, some people love writing assembly code. But a lot of great software developers hate it. There are a lot of different approaches to software development and a lot of different programming languages.



Secondly, your senior year in any good CS program is gonna be hard. They're testing you. There were points in my senior year that were more stressful than anything I've encountered in the real world, even when I've been working 80 hours a week at a startup. And pretty much everyone graduates feeling like they don't know anything. In fact, employers expect that you'll be pretty clueless for the first year. Most CS programs expose you to fundamental concepts (which is good, and necessary), but give you very little practical knowledge that you can immediately apply at a job.



In terms of getting practical experience in something that you might find interesting, I suggest you try looking at open source projects. Find one or two you like, learn everything about it you can, and then start submitting patches. If you really get into it, you might become a committer (someone with privileges to commit source code changes to the central version control repository), which can look really good on your resume.



As for particular open source projects you might look at, that's totally up to you. There are thousands of them out there. Look at SourceForge for some ideas. Personally, I've been working with Ruby on Rails for the past year, and found it to be really fun. If that interests you at all, look at RubyForge instead.

Answer 2

Chill. I literally studied Computer Science as a meditation exercise while going for a Fine Arts Degree. I'm sure I could do more with the degree if I tried harder, but I'm 52 and that has mitigated against it.



It's good to know the languages and they can be helpful, but what you really need to know most are algorithms. Go for as many programming job interviews as you can and take the tests. I've had made up programming languages I've turned in programs for. Look on the web for programming tests like that, and get used to it. Once you get a job, then people will expect you to know the programming language, but what they are really looking for in entry-level positions is the equivalent of people who know how to think critically.



If you have decided you didn't learn anything in college, you are about where you should be. As you get older you will learn otherwise -- they just weren't teaching you what you thought they were teaching you. The best way to advance right now would be to try for an internship or other entry-level position and concentrate on those algorithms.

Answer 3

Do they still have trash cans in the computer lab? I got some of my best ideas from there.



Here is your answer, it kinda simple, be ready.....



Find what you enjoy, and do it.



If you really like programming, start with open source projects and write mods and hacks, join their team, do what you want.



I had a girl start crying in the middle of my Critical Thinking class, and still have bad dreams about not really graduating(20 years ago).



Still trying to break the 300k $ mark. Might go to 2million instead, the internet is still the wild wild west.





Mark



P.S. I have a lot of bad ideas too



http://zoolander.us

Answer 4

read up... practice makes perfect. i too graduated in an IT course.. upon graduation i knew the terms and stuff likethat but it was different when you are tasked to do a program. in my experience i learned a lot doing the tasks rather than reading up on them. reading helps you understand but the actual coding is what really matters and makes you truly grasp the language.

Answer 5

Make your everyday life as continuous learning process, through research and experimenting related to your career, do not look to your successes, concentrate to your mistakes in order for you to make it right...spread your self learning process related to your course.. i hope you got your own PC, that will be your basic tools to speed up gathering knowledge...

Enjoy your career,, otherwise divert yourself to what you like to do..



good luck!!!

Answer 6

Sorry to say you are asking the wrong people, you should have asked the "one interviewer". You can spend more money on education and gain nothing, the companies want people with experience so they don't have to train them.

Answer 7

you must learn how to study