Preparing for Computer Science
If any of you are as passionate about computers and programming as I am, then you’ll have no problems gathering the motivation to start a little early before heading off to start on your degree. Here are some important and fun ideas to give you a head start.
1. I can almost guarantee that the core language used at your school is either going to be Java of C++. These two languages are leading the industry right now. You may want to find out what your college’s CS curriculum is beforehand. My school has a heavy emphasis on Java with a semester of C++ afterwards. Whichever your school focuses on should be the language you concentrate on. Search Google and YouTube for tutorials. Video tutorials work the best for me, because I can see what’s happening. Starting early will make the first semester or two easier and more familiar.
2. Try making some programming projects to keep your mind fresh and challenged. It’s really rewarding when you finish your own project. When you learn more, try going back and improving older projects.
3. Supplemental reading is great too. There is a lot of good Java and C++ books floating around. Amazon is awesome because of the reviews that people give. For Java, Head First Java and Java: From Control Structures Through Objects are both well-written and offer good practice problems.
Working on the above suggestions in your spare time will give you a noticeable advantage over the rest of the class. Usually if it’s evident you know what you’re doing your professors won’t harass you and your classmates may compliment you or ask for your help.
