My son asked me with help regarding a major

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nursing. It will be in great demand! Particularly male nurses.

You really don't have to attend a top school for nursing. Just apply to any nursing school, attend any one that accepts him.

I'd recommend this too. I come from a family of nurses who love what they do.

Nursing school is brutal and you need to be good at math and pass organic chemistry

Orgo not needed and you don't have to be "good" at math. And it's not "brutal" but other than that, you are correct.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:LOL at the people suggesting cybersecurity. This is a kid with no motivation, no interest, and no math skills. So no way.

Lots of cybersecurity jobs have a large rote component, so as long as DC can learn how to “turn the crank” metaphorically, there are lots of job options. These pay well enough that DC will be able to support himself. Not all entry level cybersecurity jobs even require a degree, but people who have a 4-year degree will have visibly more promotion potential than those without a degree. Most places will want DC to have/obtain a CISSP certificate (or an equivalent) but those are not particularly difficult tests (and test prep guides abound; public libraries likely have one that could be reserved for check out).

If they later become more motivated, there also are other cybersecurity jobs (which will pay more) that are much less rote, where one needs more advanced analytic skills. Few cybersecurity jobs require math; cryptographic design/analysis is usually the work of specialized degreed mathematicians rather than cybersecurity people.

I mean yeah sure, there’s a huge difference between cryptography and just installing firewalls. OP said her kid is insisting on real college though, which is not needed for the latter.

The college degree means that the person will not hit a glass ceiling as early as the non-degreed person likely will.

At entry level, both might well be configuring firewalls. At 15 years in, one might still be configuring devices, while the degreed person might be designing the whole zero-trust deployment. Neither would be doing cryptography even at 15 years in. And from the original post, it seems like an IT degree that includes cybersecurity would be a good fit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nursing. It will be in great demand! Particularly male nurses.

You really don't have to attend a top school for nursing. Just apply to any nursing school, attend any one that accepts him.

I'd recommend this too. I come from a family of nurses who love what they do.

Nursing school is brutal and you need to be good at math and pass organic chemistry

Can't you go to junior college and become a nurse? They do not have to take pre-med level organic chemistry.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:LOL at the people suggesting cybersecurity. This is a kid with no motivation, no interest, and no math skills. So no way.

Lots of cybersecurity jobs have a large rote component, so as long as DC can learn how to “turn the crank” metaphorically, there are lots of job options. These pay well enough that DC will be able to support himself. Not all entry level cybersecurity jobs even require a degree, but people who have a 4-year degree will have visibly more promotion potential than those without a degree. Most places will want DC to have/obtain a CISSP certificate (or an equivalent) but those are not particularly difficult tests (and test prep guides abound; public libraries likely have one that could be reserved for check out).

If they later become more motivated, there also are other cybersecurity jobs (which will pay more) that are much less rote, where one needs more advanced analytic skills. Few cybersecurity jobs require math; cryptographic design/analysis is usually the work of specialized degreed mathematicians rather than cybersecurity people.

I mean yeah sure, there’s a huge difference between cryptography and just installing firewalls. OP said her kid is insisting on real college though, which is not needed for the latter.

The college degree means that the person will not hit a glass ceiling as early as the non-degreed person likely will.

At entry level, both might well be configuring firewalls. At 15 years in, one might still be configuring devices, while the degreed person might be designing the whole zero-trust deployment. Neither would be doing cryptography even at 15 years in. And from the original post, it seems like an IT degree that includes cybersecurity would be a good fit.

Yeah going to college for fun is fine if that type of thing is fun for the person. OP’s kid couldn’t even get average scores in HIGH SCHOOL. He’s not going to find college fun. Not if he wants to pass, anyway.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Nursing. It will be in great demand! Particularly male nurses.

You really don't have to attend a top school for nursing. Just apply to any nursing school, attend any one that accepts him.

I'd recommend this too. I come from a family of nurses who love what they do.

Nursing school is brutal and you need to be good at math and pass organic chemistry

People in low-level HS math classes became nurses. They didn't take a high level math or "organic chemistry." Stop spreading misinformation.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Your kid is the exact type that should not be going to college.

You are the exact type that should not be responding to this thread.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I am willing to give more information, I just do not know what to give. To answer the questions that I see so far, he enjoyed Astronomy and learning about space. He was interested in computer science but the Math part of it scared him off. He has handy with fixing things when it comes to computers. Is that what Information technology would be?

look at IT, Management Information Systems, and cyber security. None use much math.

Best advice so far. There are a variety of things to specialize in with IT. And if there is challenging math, tutors can help demystify it.

[Anonymous]

The OP has stated that her child has average grades and low drive. His ambition is to make money. I would encourage him toward a major with an actual job at graduation. For example, nursing or teaching. Some of these broad majors (business, for example) is too open ended once you receive the diploma. If this is a student who hasn’t hustled to secure an internship, they will have a hard time imagining what jobs they are qualified for.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I am willing to give more information, I just do not know what to give. To answer the questions that I see so far, he enjoyed Astronomy and learning about space. He was interested in computer science but the Math part of it scared him off. He has handy with fixing things when it comes to computers. Is that what Information technology would be?

look at IT, Management Information Systems, and cyber security. None use much math.

Best advice so far. There are a variety of things to specialize in with IT. And if there is challenging math, tutors can help demystify it.

Cybsecurity is part of a CS degree, at least at UMD, and you need high level math in that degree program.

Even their Cyber-Physical Systems Engineering program requires Cal 1 to 3, and Linear Algebra. This program would actually be good for OP's DS as there is a hardware track, but it does require several advanced math classes.

https://academiccatalog.umd.edu/undergraduate/colleges-schools/engineering/electrical-and-computer/cyber-physical-systems-engineering-major/#requirementstext

[Anonymous]

Finance - it doesn't require more than Business Cal 1, and stats.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I am willing to give more information, I just do not know what to give. To answer the questions that I see so far, he enjoyed Astronomy and learning about space. He was interested in computer science but the Math part of it scared him off. He has handy with fixing things when it comes to computers. Is that what Information technology would be?

look at IT, Management Information Systems, and cyber security. None use much math.

Best advice so far. There are a variety of things to specialize in with IT. And if there is challenging math, tutors can help demystify it.

Cybsecurity is part of a CS degree, at least at UMD, and you need high level math in that degree program.

Even their Cyber-Physical Systems Engineering program requires Cal 1 to 3, and Linear Algebra. This program would actually be good for OP's DS as there is a hardware track, but it does require several advanced math classes.

https://academiccatalog.umd.edu/undergraduate/colleges-schools/engineering/electrical-and-computer/cyber-physical-systems-engineering-major/#requirementstext

Helpful. The math requirement varies widely from college to college. Often SLACs do not require so much math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I am willing to give more information, I just do not know what to give. To answer the questions that I see so far, he enjoyed Astronomy and learning about space. He was interested in computer science but the Math part of it scared him off. He has handy with fixing things when it comes to computers. Is that what Information technology would be?

look at IT, Management Information Systems, and cyber security. None use much math.

Best advice so far. There are a variety of things to specialize in with IT. And if there is challenging math, tutors can help demystify it.

Cybsecurity is part of a CS degree, at least at UMD, and you need high level math in that degree program.

Even their Cyber-Physical Systems Engineering program requires Cal 1 to 3, and Linear Algebra. This program would actually be good for OP's DS as there is a hardware track, but it does require several advanced math classes.

https://academiccatalog.umd.edu/undergraduate/colleges-schools/engineering/electrical-and-computer/cyber-physical-systems-engineering-major/#requirementstext

Helpful. The math requirement varies widely from college to college. Often SLACs do not require so much math.

Could be why SLACs aren't considered top CS programs.

CS requires a lot of math.

DC is a dual cs/math major, and they use advanced math in their courses, and even at their PT/internship job.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I am willing to give more information, I just do not know what to give. To answer the questions that I see so far, he enjoyed Astronomy and learning about space. He was interested in computer science but the Math part of it scared him off. He has handy with fixing things when it comes to computers. Is that what Information technology would be?

look at IT, Management Information Systems, and cyber security. None use much math.

Best advice so far. There are a variety of things to specialize in with IT. And if there is challenging math, tutors can help demystify it.

Cybsecurity is part of a CS degree, at least at UMD, and you need high level math in that degree program.

Even their Cyber-Physical Systems Engineering program requires Cal 1 to 3, and Linear Algebra. This program would actually be good for OP's DS as there is a hardware track, but it does require several advanced math classes.

https://academiccatalog.umd.edu/undergraduate/colleges-schools/engineering/electrical-and-computer/cyber-physical-systems-engineering-major/#requirementstext

Helpful. The math requirement varies widely from college to college. Often SLACs do not require so much math.

Could be why SLACs aren't considered top CS programs.

CS requires a lot of math.

DC is a dual cs/math major, and they use advanced math in their courses, and even at their PT/internship job.

No…that’s certainly not why. It’s just that universities tend to have schools of engineering, so they can offer a lot more diverse CS offerings and opportunities. In terms of per capita cs admission to grad schools, lacs do great and many lac grads are in industry. There’s just so many Berkeley grads in comparison- it probably would compromises the same as 30+ lac grads. Also LACs are great for math.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:OP here. I am willing to give more information, I just do not know what to give. To answer the questions that I see so far, he enjoyed Astronomy and learning about space. He was interested in computer science but the Math part of it scared him off. He has handy with fixing things when it comes to computers. Is that what Information technology would be?

look at IT, Management Information Systems, and cyber security. None use much math.

Best advice so far. There are a variety of things to specialize in with IT. And if there is challenging math, tutors can help demystify it.

Cybsecurity is part of a CS degree, at least at UMD, and you need high level math in that degree program.

Even their Cyber-Physical Systems Engineering program requires Cal 1 to 3, and Linear Algebra. This program would actually be good for OP's DS as there is a hardware track, but it does require several advanced math classes.

https://academiccatalog.umd.edu/undergraduate/colleges-schools/engineering/electrical-and-computer/cyber-physical-systems-engineering-major/#requirementstext

None of those requirements are advanced math classes. DiffEq is just the beginning for intermediate math, if even.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:The OP has stated that her child has average grades and low drive. His ambition is to make money. I would encourage him toward a major with an actual job at graduation. For example, nursing or teaching. Some of these broad majors (business, for example) is too open ended once you receive the diploma. If this is a student who hasn’t hustled to secure an internship, they will have a hard time imagining what jobs they are qualified for.

No, go toward IT , cyber security, project management, business administration type majors. Nursing and teaching are exhausting, on your feet all day and have to be on all the time.