i considered CS but went with IT for a less math-heavy focus, i am absolutely shit and way below average at math
It’s tricky. Depending on what direction you take, CS can be very math heavy or not. If you get into algorithmic stuff, deep learning, data analysis, etc., that has a lot of math. But if you focus on, for example, front end development, there’s not that much.
I won’t lie and say CS has no math. At my university, you were able to avoid higher level calculus by doing a bachelor’s of arts instead of a bachelor’s of science. Calculus 2 is usually the highest level you have to take, which focuses primarily on integration. I was kinda in your boat of being hesitant to do CS because of the math, but I ended up minoring in it. The CS-focused math is mostly logic stuff and discrete math, which I feel is way easier than calculus. And honestly, calculus isn’t nearly as bad as its reputation would have you think (until Vector Calculus, that almost broke me).
Look into it, but I’ll say that while the math is there, it’s not as bad as you’re probably thinking. And if you know you’re not going into heavy algorithmic stuff, see if there’s a path that avoids most of it. And once you’re out of school, you’ll never touch calculus again (unless you do a lot of physics, maybe? Game dev, perhaps?)
Heh, I relate to this a lot. Went for CS a decade ago and bombed out because I couldn’t grok calculous. Now I’m working as a systems administrator and making 6 figures a year at an MSP. One thing I will absolutely recommend is if you go into IT, is to make sure you know how to use native platform scripting (bash/powershell) and work on keeping up with it as well. It will open all sorts of doors for you.
Knowing powershell as well as I do 1) is a decent part of how I got the job (pitched myself as being able to automate parts of their build processes) and 2) quickly made me indispensable for my team and within a year of starting I was already promoted to a senior administrator.
i wanted to do CS too, but the program didn’t interest me at all, i just like coding, the course was all theory and physics, plus yea the fucking math lol. i am enrolling in school Monday in a Computer Networking Tech program, hopefully to get an Associate of Applied Science degree in 2 years, then go into IT right after. i have dabbled in powershell a teeeennny tiny bit, like 10 lines of script max lol, it seems fun! your reply has inspired me to really start learning Powershell. its in the CNT program as well, so i will be extra prepared.
anything else i should know? i am kinda worried about 1. being a woman (a WOC at that) and not getting hired due to that and 2. being too dumb/feeling like an imposter. do you think being a woman in IT will affect my chances of getting hired and rising the ranks?
Honestly, any place that won’t hire you for being a WOC is a place that you wouldn’t want to work for anyway. As for being a woman in IT, don’t think about the people who would look down on you for your gender and focus on being the best tech you can be. I’ve worked with numerous POC and women, and outside of noting race/gender at the beginning of an interaction, people worth their salt don’t give a shit about that as long as you can pull your weight and get the job done.
Regarding powershell, look into the book “learn powershell in a month of lunches” or something like that. Will give you a good base to build off of. Then from there, find excuses to shoehorn it into stuff you’re doing at home, as that’s the best way imo to really learn a language. For example, one of the big projects I wrote was a massive powershell script to scan my media intake folders and automatically convert files to the standard settings I use for my library.
For your last point, I can’t really give you any meaningful advice because even after my time in the industry and the praise I get from my management and peers I still struggle with feeling like I’m too dumb to figure something out or I’m just pretending to be good at my job. Imposter syndrome is just something you get used to after a while.
its been 3 months since you left this reply, and im nearly done with my first sem in computer networking tech! im in college because of your replies, how crazy is that? anyway, i have a lot of career related questions, i’m feeling both doubt and excitement and worry and everything you can imagine about continuing on with this program. your replies were so impactful for me that i am back here 3 months later rereading them to get a better sense of direction.
feel free to say no this of course if uninterested, but would you be willing to chat on discord? you’re very insightful and intelligent and i could use some of that from someone who knows what theyre talking about lol