Is CS a pointless career to go after? (And life advice)

I'm a 19 y/o with an 18 y/o girlfriend and a 7 mo old daughter. I'm currently employed in fast-food, live with my mom in Nor-california, and attending community college.

I try really hard to not mooch off my parents. I pay my and my girlfriend's phone bill, I make car payments, I recently purchased a credit card and I have never asked for money from my parents since I've been employed (about 3 years), but I've never been required to pay rent. I was brought up very privileged but learned to turn down a lot of goods and gain independence after I had a fight with my dad and moved out. I try my best to support my self and my family soley on my income.

I'm trying to move out by the end of the year, at most very early next year. Believe it or not, I make decent pay for a fast food business, about $1200-$1300/month. I gain finicial aid for being a full time student as well ($1300 grant per semester). Im also aware of services like WIC and food stamps.

I've been pursuing a Computer Science certificate from my CC. It requires a lot of math (I am horrible at it). I've also heard the field is insanely competitive. I'm seriously afriad I'm making a bad choice here. The only reason I chose this field is because I was trying to get the easiest branch of tech: Web Development. CS was my only option for the college. My best skill is tech in general. Relatively speaking I know a lot (but for Jow Forums I'm kind of a fucking idiot.)

Should I go for something else? I plan on scheduling a meeting with my councillor very soon. I'm two semesters in to it right now. I want whatever career will be the best path for me and my family even if it's not tech related. Also, any tips for someone trying to get their own place (pre/post)?

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aren't you a bit young for that

I was in a similar situation but went the opposite direction. I decided college was too long of a process and it did not necessarily guarantee success. I opted to stay in my fast food job, drop out, and pursue internal promotion. I went from $1200-1400/mo to $2150/mo salary in a year.

If you can secure an internship and land the job afterward while you're in school, IT and CS can take you higher and probably get you less bodily strain overall. My life did not allow it because time was short.

Hell people born in 2000 are already deep in shit with work, kids and all that... Wow...

I would wager that OP never planned to be a dad before he's 20.

>I'm a 19 y/o with an 18 y/o girlfriend and a 7 mo old daughter
WEW

My dad is huge in CS and he isnt in a single job for more than 2 years and its been that way for his 20 years of experience in the field. Its cutthroat competitve, and there is constant outsourcing to Indians who will do the job at a fraction of a price. It isnt worthwhile anymore. At least for huge firms.

A trade would be better. I’d also leave California. It’s an unaffordable shithole.

Really helpful thanks. Do IT and CS go hand-in-hand? I'm seriously brain dead when it comes to what degrees do what and get me where, college credits, units. I don't know what any of it means. I wasn't even going to go to college until I found out my GF was pregnant.

Learned this just recently. Wouldn't know where else to go. Oregon or Nevada are on the list but it wouldn't be until quite some time down the road.

What state?

Software engineer here, ask away.

CS is great if you are good at "engineering". We don't need code monkeys.

What's software engineering really, don't you just take the customers requirements and translate it into a program. I don't see much engineering between those steps.

What do you mean by this?

Read your intro. I'd advise you get a bachelors in IT over CS (CS is very math heavy).

Find yourself a fortune 500 company and apply to be a helpdesk person (i.e. fixing people's computers and answering general tech questions).

60k easy.

And move out of California to Texas, Colorado, or the east coast.

You'd probably work in an "agile engineering" environment, which means:
- Working on a team of 5/6
- Getting specs from customers
- Working with Business Analysts to form "Acceptance Criteria"
- Working with testers to form test plans
- Actually writing the code
- Going to lots of fucking meetings.

"Engineering" is just the culmination of all these things. Writing the code is the easy part.

Damnit i want your job, but the only uni offering (not op)
Had a you need to be able to solve bridge engineer tier mathematics to get it requirement

My dad is such a shit programmer that he can be replaced by spaghetti code writing pajeets: the post.

hey not op but im in community college and will finish next semester. I was thinking of finding a job right after i finish instead of transferring because i dont have time to finish a bachelors. WilI be able to find a well paying job?

Man, if you were in the South, I would've suggested looking into working for Publix. It's an amazing place to work, with longstanding benefits. Great for getting into a customer service job too.

Not with an associate's unless you have lots of certs.

Haha very good I like the idea of Colorado. And IT is probably more suitable for myself. Thanks.

This clears that up more thank you.

Dude, just get some math out of the way, up to college level algebra and learn Java. It's faster, easier, and you'll make good money after you build a portfolio.

I had kids young as well, I got my degree after busting my ass in insurance and saving up, then I was able to finish it after my wife left me (I had a lot more free time). I would aim smart, not big. Learning coding is a great step and still leaves you open to go back to school later after you make some money.

I'm in my 30's and in deep shit from divorce, student loans, and child support. Oh well, back to Jow Forums.

What kind of certs?

CS is one of the best fields for jobs. I’ve done a little web development, and yes it is easy from the standpoint there is very little math involved, but it can get tricky with libraries/ frameworks like React and Redux.

I personally love web development and if your only hold up is your distaste for math, I would say try to push though it.

I’m getting a degree in IT right now and will likely be doing web development after I graduate. I really like the degree, but am concerned about getting into a good Masters school program because of it.

>18 y/o girlfriend and a 7 mo old daughter
Is it too late for an abortion? I'm not sure what the rules are for that now.

A sixth trimester abortion might be pushing it

>Distaste
Actually don't hate it too much in fact recently I've been interested in a point of trying to improve and learning some stuff on my own time. I'm just not very good at it because of previous schooling. I didn't really pay any attention in highschool.

Good point

Not who you're replying to, but I think you should give it a try, especially with how you say you don't hate math, just didn't pay a lot of attention in the past. Just pay more attention and get interested in math this time around, and put some effort in, and I think it will work out for you. You might find it naturally more interesting now too when the math subjects are directly connected to your studied degree, rather than being "just some math"

Are you the Java post? Do you mean specifically only take math classes at the college? And also, I heard Java is a dying language which concerns me a bit. But essentially take math classes and learn Java on my own time, and build a portfolio over time? Another worry I have Is being a programer and not being very good at it because my problem solving skills are trash.