Reply to Why is math required for a computer science degree?

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous]OP back again, the exchanges here are interesting. I appreciate the insights! 
To the poster wondering if I was suggesting DC not pursue a STEM degree because Calculus took effort you misunderstood my question, or it was poorly asked. A PP suggested that the ‘poor professors be spared’ having a kid who is not “gifted” in math courses being in their CS (or maybe any STEM degree) courses. I wondered if that is a legit concern. Then a different PP chimed in and mentioned another current thread about CS degrees from LACs and noted those professors may be more supportive of a kid who doesn’t immediately get it. I am not entirely clear if folks who gain CS degrees (or physics, math, etc) do struggle in those courses or whether they just “get it”. I suppose it is a silly question, of course all growth is uncomfortable and challenging. I guess I worry about the “weed out” theory.[/quote]

OP, former adviser in engineering from big state school here. You DC sounds awesome in that they know how to struggle through material. It means they will know how to study which is huge for anyone taking Calc through Diff Eq. The best advice I can give you is make sure DC starts the math sequence from Calc 1 where ever they go, especially if it is a big state school. [/quote]

Just wanted to comment on the struggle vs "gifted" aspect.  
I'm an engineer, and I absolutely struggled through high level math.  I was fine in high school calculus, but I was never one of those "math kids" that just inherently get everything.  And I struggled a lot in college.  But I'm not a happily practicing engineer and very good at my job.  Yes, the high level math classes are week out classes, but the weeding isn't generally "only keep the kids who get everything easily the first time"  Instead the weeding is for "only keep the kids who really want this and are willing to put in the effort to learn the material"
To be an engineer or computer science major you don't need to be hands-down-all-out geniuses.  You just need to be reasonably smart and willing to work hard to solve problems.  (Which is, in the end, why math is important for CS.  It teaches you to think and helps you structure critical problem solving.)

Also... going out on a limb here... you keep referring to DC instead of DS or DD.  If, in fact, your child is a girl, I'd encourage you to be especially wary of any input that she's not a "mathy" person or that she's not smart/technical/whatever enough to do CS.  Study after study show that people underestimate a girl's math ability compared to a boy's, and that given the *exact* same profile, teachers/parents/professors are less likely to encourage a girl in STEM.[/quote]

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