Suck at higher level math, should I stick with computer engineering?

[gopunk]

Originally posted by: ANY5546
At my school the CS majors (me included) have to take a hullva lot more math than CE majors. In fact, CS majors end up with a minor in Mathmatics because we have to take so many crappy math classes. I am starting my second freshman semester and I have to take Calc 2 and Discreet Mathmatics at the same time :frown::disgust::| Your school must just have very different curriculums than mine!

i think that is the way it is at most schools.... but i'm not sure if that says more about the amount of math CS majors have to take, or the amount of math (or lack thereof) it takes to get a math minor. in general though, i think CS majors take more discrete mathematics and CE majors take more calculus. makes sense.

but if you're in CS, you should want to take math classes anyways. basically all of computer science is rooted in mathematics after all. unless you're one of those "hands-on" type of guys that doesn't really care about theory

 

[m0ti]

It's like this:

Probability is a very important class, more so for CS than EE.
Your abilities in calc/diff eq's have nothing to do with how you do at probability. More like how's your logic and combinatorics.

Partial diff equations etc is much, much, MUCH more important for EE than CS.

So is your comp eng degree more EE oriented (circuits and stuff) or CS oriented?

 

[Rainsford]

Originally posted by: m0ti
It's like this:

Probability is a very important class, more so for CS than EE.
Your abilities in calc/diff eq's have nothing to do with how you do at probability. More like how's your logic and combinatorics.

Partial diff equations etc is much, much, MUCH more important for EE than CS.

So is your comp eng degree more EE oriented (circuits and stuff) or CS oriented?

I'm leaning more towards CS than EE at the moment, but mostly lower level stuff. But that could change of course.

 

[SgtStedenko]

I will be attending Iowa State next fall and I plan to major in Computer Engineering. ISU sent me a letter stating

"Because you do not currently rank in the upper half of your graduating class((I am ranked 50/98 in my class with a 3.3 GPA.)), we are not able to admit you directly into the College of Engineering as you requested on your application for admission. You will, however, be able to ransfer into the College of Engineering at a later date after you have completed the following courses at Iowa State with at least a 2.0(C) average: English 104 and 105(3 credits each), Mathematics 165 and 166(4 credits each) or Mathematics 175 and 176(5 credits each), Physics 221(4 credits), Chemistry 167(4 credits) or Chemistry 177(4 credits), and Library 160(.5 credits). A specific advisor will be assigned to monitor your progress from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences to the College of Engineering."

Ok, so does this mean I will have to go to school even longer? Don't you have to complete these courses listed above in the College of Engineering anyway? I also have some other questions. Is the homework load quite stressful? Do you have time for a job? What classes did you have your freshmen year? Any help is appreciated.

 

[vtqanh]

Differential Equation sucks, period. Even though I got an A on that course two semesters ago, i still feel like there was something there that i couldn't quite "capture". Not like Calculus I, II, III, where i can feel comfortable teaching others, too!!! . I dared not take Partial Diff Equations (which is Different Equations 2). i have just done with probability and statistic. it's tough, but it's good. Who ever said that it had little to do with calculus wasn't quite right. The central limit theorem (one of the two fundamental theorems of Statistic) was proved by calculus. If you want to prove any distribution using moment generating methods, you're talking about super Calculus!
Calculus rules!

 

[Rainsford]

Originally posted by: SgtStedenko
I will be attending Iowa State next fall and I plan to major in Computer Engineering. ISU sent me a letter stating

"Because you do not currently rank in the upper half of your graduating class((I am ranked 50/98 in my class with a 3.3 GPA.)), we are not able to admit you directly into the College of Engineering as you requested on your application for admission. You will, however, be able to ransfer into the College of Engineering at a later date after you have completed the following courses at Iowa State with at least a 2.0(C) average: English 104 and 105(3 credits each), Mathematics 165 and 166(4 credits each) or Mathematics 175 and 176(5 credits each), Physics 221(4 credits), Chemistry 167(4 credits) or Chemistry 177(4 credits), and Library 160(.5 credits). A specific advisor will be assigned to monitor your progress from the College of Liberal Arts and Sciences to the College of Engineering."

Ok, so does this mean I will have to go to school even longer? Don't you have to complete these courses listed above in the College of Engineering anyway? I also have some other questions. Is the homework load quite stressful? Do you have time for a job? What classes did you have your freshmen year? Any help is appreciated.

You have to take all those classes, for the most part, during freshman year. I did 105 (got out of 104 because of my ACT score), Math 165, 166, Library 160, Physics 221 and Chem 167. You are talking about 11.5 credits per semester, and you could also take some General Education requirements that you need for the engineering college eventually. So you won't just be wasting time, but unfortunitly for many majors (computer engineering included), you need to almost start out taking program courses (like computer science and general engineering classes) right away to keep from getting behind. I only took a couple freshman year, but they are required for the other classes. But, and I'm 100% serious about this, go talk to an engineering advisor or send them an email. They have dealt with your situation lots of times, and they are going to be able to help you out. They aren't like my bozo high school "advisors", they are pretty good. So talk to them, they'll know way more than I do about what you can do so you're not in school too much longer. And I wouldn't worry in any case, few engineers here get out in 4 years. It's possible, and that's what I'm shooting for. But things happen, and it's not that uncommon for it to take 5 years to get out.

 

[StormRider]

Stick with it. I think you're pretty much done with the math part and I don't really remember needing those type of math in my upper level computer enginneering type courses. Actually, when I was an undergrad at Maryland, it didn't have a computer engineering program -- I was an EE major with a concentration in computers. Now Maryland has a computer engineering program. But I'm pretty sure you are basically done with the math part.

 

[SgtStedenko]

Hey rainsford how did you do in high school gradewise? GPA? Math classes? ACT score?

 

[SCSIfreek]

It gets easier as you go higher!!!

Cal I <--- Easy
Cal II <--- Easier
Cal III<--- Easiest
Cal IV<--- Hard Mofo if you dont like proofs
Probability <----You'll be screw but this aint Math

I never used any of my math skills ever since i graduated from the University. How useful are they? No idea!!


--Scsi

 

[Rainsford]

Originally posted by: SgtStedenko
Hey rainsford how did you do in high school gradewise? GPA? Math classes? ACT score?

GPA was something like 3.9, Math scores were always A or A-, ACT was 33 overall, 34 in math. I would think I should be better at this stuff.