CS vs. IST

[Deeko]

I just got back from my orientation at Drexel. As of right now, I'm a CS major. I was talking to some of the potential IST majors....supposedly its worlds easier, and you can get just as good a job. CS seems to have more to do with the hardware itself though, which I like...but I don't like the fact that I have to take Calc I-IV, linear algebra, discrete mathematics, and 2 calculus-based prob and stat courses(7 more math credits gets me a minor in math)....and advantages of sticking with CS?

 

[gopunk]

i'm guessing ist is info science tech or something like that?

if so, stick with cs... cs majors can get any job it majors can get... but not the other way around.

 

[KingNothing]

Originally posted by: Deeko
I just got back from my orientation at Drexel. As of right now, I'm a CS major. I was talking to some of the potential IST majors....supposedly its worlds easier, and you can get just as good a job. CS seems to have more to do with the hardware itself though, which I like...but I don't like the fact that I have to take Calc I-IV, linear algebra, discrete mathematics, and 2 calculus-based prob and stat courses(7 more math credits gets me a minor in math)....and advantages of sticking with CS?

That sounds more like a computer engineering major than a computer science major...as they say, what you get out of college depends on what you put into it. Easier majors probably won't get you as good a job after college, but I suppose it depends on what you want to do.

Around here, Electrical Engineering majors look down on Computer Engineering majors. CE majors scoff at CS majors. CS majors (that would be me) make fun of MIS majors. MIS majors show IST majors their tax returns for laughs. IST majors make whatever major is around (previous list excluded) carry their books.

 

[Ameesh]

Many companies dont hire IS majors, Microsoft usually doesnt.

IS majors are just glorfied tech support, if you like that stuff do it, you'll save yourself a lot of grief in college.

if your looking to have an easy time in college maybe you should be an art major

 

[Deeko]

yea, IST is Information Science and Technology....is it more like 'tech-schoolish'? As in, you are trained to do a very limited selection of jobs? If so....I'm out lol I like a more broad education...they give you more room for advancement

 

[Ameesh]

Originally posted by: KingNothing

Originally posted by: Deeko
I just got back from my orientation at Drexel. As of right now, I'm a CS major. I was talking to some of the potential IST majors....supposedly its worlds easier, and you can get just as good a job. CS seems to have more to do with the hardware itself though, which I like...but I don't like the fact that I have to take Calc I-IV, linear algebra, discrete mathematics, and 2 calculus-based prob and stat courses(7 more math credits gets me a minor in math)....and advantages of sticking with CS?

That sounds more like a computer engineering major than a computer science major...as they say, what you get out of college depends on what you put into it. Easier majors probably won't get you as good a job after college, but I suppose it depends on what you want to do.

Around here, Electrical Engineering majors look down on Computer Engineering majors. CE majors scoff at CS majors. CS majors (that would be me) make fun of MIS majors. MIS majors show IST majors their tax returns for laughs. IST majors make whatever major is around (previous list excluded) carry their books.

OUr CS program at UCSD required more math then that and a bunch of physics courses.

 

[Deeko]

lol I'm not looking for an easy time...but if I could get better with easier, hey why not lol...but it doesn't seem that is the case.

 

[BlueHeelers]

I graduated from Texas A&M Univeristy with a degree in INFO (MIS degree) and have been happy with it (now going back for MBA). The MIS degree is under the college of business, and I had to take some accountings, managements, marketings, etc. I am mostly self-taught when it comes to computers and breezed through the computer classes. I had to work a little more at the business classes, but I greatly benefitted from them.

Good Luck

REL

 

[xirtam]

CS: Counterstrike.

IST: The German word for "is"

Which is more valuable to you?

On a more valuable side, I'm thinking that the computer science degree will be more worth your time. College is all about seeing how many hoops you can jump through anyway. The more hoops you jump through (theoretically) the better the job you'll get. Does anyone use Calc IV? Heck, no.

Happy jumping.

 

[gopunk]

Originally posted by: Deeko
yea, IST is Information Science and Technology....is it more like 'tech-schoolish'? As in, you are trained to do a very limited selection of jobs? If so....I'm out lol I like a more broad education...they give you more room for advancement

what ameesh said.

i'm trying to get into cs here... i'm going to transfer if i don't get in. i went to the new student orientation for informatics (ist here) and they were talking about how selective it was, blah blah blah, sounded like a big scam to me i have some friends that are doing it, but i dunno. i think it's better to get a cs major from a slightly lesser school, than get an informatics major from a slightly better school.

 

[Deeko]

Ok...correct me if I'm wrong here.

CE: actually designing the hardware and circuits and whatnot
CS: lots of programming and software stuff, a little bit with the hardware but not too in depth
IST: all you do with hardware is set up systems, mostly software/business

 

[gopunk]

Originally posted by: Deeko
Ok...correct me if I'm wrong here.

CE: actually designing the hardware and circuits and whatnot
CS: lots of programming and software stuff, a little bit with the hardware but not too in depth
IST: all you do with hardware is set up systems, mostly software/business

cs is not actually that much programming (at least here). it's certainly a tool, but there's a lot of data structure and algorithm, and theory stuff. harder than programming, imo

 

[Deeko]

ahh ic ic....if my freakin 56K connection hurries up and downloads acrobat I will be able to see the requirements for Drexel lol....8MB takes far too long on here lol

 

[Ameesh]

Originally posted by: Deeko
Ok...correct me if I'm wrong here.

CE: actually designing the hardware and circuits and whatnot
CS: lots of programming and software stuff, a little bit with the hardware but not too in depth
IST: all you do with hardware is set up systems, mostly software/business

We had like 6 hardware classes both analog and digital, we made a whole single cycle 8 bit microprocesser from scratch. (gate level)

 

[CKDragon]

Well, I'm a sophomore at Drexel University and a Computer Science major that is considering switching to Information Systems after this semester. Does that qualify me to participate in this thread?

Deeko, What someone said earlier about the CS requirements looking a lot like an engineering course isn't far off. CS at Drexel are soon going to be considered engineers. There was a BIG issue here recently that the tuition for CS majors would be raised to reflect that of an engineer (a/k/a just another BS way of raising tuition again). Most freshmen who come in here that are looking for a career in computers come in as a CompSci and quickly change over to IS. Last year, my freshmen year, 70% of the entering CS majors dropped by the 3rd quarter to go to another major, mostly to ISYS.

The transition from CS to IS is very easy, requiring only a GPA of 2.75 and almost all the class credits transfer so you don't have to take additional IS-only classes to catch up. The transfer from IS to CS is very hard, however, as you will have to almost start from scratch to catch up in core classes.

My recommendation is to do exactly what I'm doing. I took a year and a half of CS courses and now I'm not entirely sure if this is where I want to be or not. I have the option to switch, if I was an IS major considering switching to CS, I would not have that option unless I wanted to put myself way behind my 5-year plan.

Hope this helped,

CK

 

[Deeko]

CKDragon, yea they told us about the switch. In fact, its already happened, CS is now a part of the CoE not the CoAS. They said its the same courses and tuition though, just different advisors. May I ask why you may switch to IST? And kind of OT....did you stay in the dorms freshman year? If so, which did you stay in?

 

[Deeko]

We had like 6 hardware classes both analog and digital, we made a whole single cycle 8 bit microprocesser from scratch. (gate level)

geez...what college do you attend again? Seems pretty challenging.

 

[Ameesh]

Originally posted by: Deeko

We had like 6 hardware classes both analog and digital, we made a whole single cycle 8 bit microprocesser from scratch. (gate level)

geez...what college do you attend again? Seems pretty challenging.

UC San Diego

 

[CKDragon]

Originally posted by: Deeko
CKDragon, yea they told us about the switch. In fact, its already happened, CS is now a part of the CoE not the CoAS. They said its the same courses and tuition though, just different advisors. May I ask why you may switch to IST? And kind of OT....did you stay in the dorms freshman year? If so, which did you stay in?

If someone told you that the tuition wouldn't be effected, someone LIED.

To be perfectly honest, I'm switching because CompSci is very challenging. I don't have any real problems with the coding, but the incredible amount of math we have to do... I would never make it. I don't buy into the IS idea that they will make more money/get more for less work, but they certainly won't be just 'glorified tech support'.

I stayed in the dorms freshmen year and I'm still in the dorms currently. I was in Calhoun all of last year and even though the facilities weren't the best we all loved it. Calhoun and Kelly are the two best dorms for social interaction due to the layout of the building. All the doors empty out into one hallway so everyone sees each other all the time. Towers is for honors, and the way it is built, you could go the entire year and barely interact with your neighbors. I would've hated that. Myers is similar to Towers, however it's the most broken down dorm on campus (With the exception of Kelly's AC problem last semester). I'd try to avoid it.

My floor on Calhoun was great last year, there's nothing like freshmen year, enjoy it.

CK

 

[FatAlbo]

i went to the new student orientation for informatics (ist here) and they were talking about how selective it was, blah blah blah, sounded like a big scam to me

It is a scam, at least at UW. They need to get their sh!t together, especially after spending quite a bit to get the current chair of the department.

Hey gopunk, have the CSE guys given you a date for when letters will be mailed out?

 

[Deeko]

Thanks for the info...I didn't know Towers was honors, I thought MacAllister was. Ah well...Calhoun looks pretty cool, at least from the outside. My future roommate checked them all out, inside too, he liked Myers....dunno. What problems did it have?

 

[gopunk]

Originally posted by: FatAlbo

i went to the new student orientation for informatics (ist here) and they were talking about how selective it was, blah blah blah, sounded like a big scam to me

It is a scam, at least at UW. They need to get their sh!t together, especially after spending quite a bit to get the current chair of the department.

Hey gopunk, have the CSE guys given you a date for when letters will be mailed out?

august 1, so i should get it on friday or saturday. hmpf, i'm nervous. i really don't feel like leaving behind all my friends and stuff, so i hope i don't have to transfer. i applied for cs and ce (that early admission thing )

oh i applied for ucla and ucsd today.

 

[Ameesh]

Originally posted by: gopunk

Originally posted by: FatAlbo

i went to the new student orientation for informatics (ist here) and they were talking about how selective it was, blah blah blah, sounded like a big scam to me

It is a scam, at least at UW. They need to get their sh!t together, especially after spending quite a bit to get the current chair of the department.

Hey gopunk, have the CSE guys given you a date for when letters will be mailed out?

august 1, so i should get it on friday or saturday. hmpf, i'm nervous. i really don't feel like leaving behind all my friends and stuff, so i hope i don't have to transfer. i applied for cs and ce (that early admission thing )

oh i applied for ucla and ucsd today.

ucsd ownz ucla! good luck gopunk

 

[gopunk]

Originally posted by: Ameesh

Originally posted by: gopunk

Originally posted by: FatAlbo

i went to the new student orientation for informatics (ist here) and they were talking about how selective it was, blah blah blah, sounded like a big scam to me

It is a scam, at least at UW. They need to get their sh!t together, especially after spending quite a bit to get the current chair of the department.

Hey gopunk, have the CSE guys given you a date for when letters will be mailed out?

august 1, so i should get it on friday or saturday. hmpf, i'm nervous. i really don't feel like leaving behind all my friends and stuff, so i hope i don't have to transfer. i applied for cs and ce (that early admission thing )

oh i applied for ucla and ucsd today.

ucsd ownz ucla! good luck gopunk

thanks i'll be happy to get into either. well hopefully i won't need to transfer though

one note about informatics.... um... the chicks in it are WAY hotter than the cs chicks.

 

[Ameesh]

Originally posted by: gopunk

Originally posted by: Ameesh

Originally posted by: gopunk

Originally posted by: FatAlbo

i went to the new student orientation for informatics (ist here) and they were talking about how selective it was, blah blah blah, sounded like a big scam to me

It is a scam, at least at UW. They need to get their sh!t together, especially after spending quite a bit to get the current chair of the department.

Hey gopunk, have the CSE guys given you a date for when letters will be mailed out?

august 1, so i should get it on friday or saturday. hmpf, i'm nervous. i really don't feel like leaving behind all my friends and stuff, so i hope i don't have to transfer. i applied for cs and ce (that early admission thing )

oh i applied for ucla and ucsd today.

ucsd ownz ucla! good luck gopunk

thanks i'll be happy to get into either. well hopefully i won't need to transfer though

one note about informatics.... um... the chicks in it are WAY hotter than the cs chicks.

<flame> duhh, cause its a lot easier </flame>