I graduated high school in 2006. I started college at a local community college that fall. My major was and still is Computer Science.

I took the major basically out of some notion that it would be a "respectable" major, one that would make people take me seriously, as to be honest they rarely do for some odd reason. I was also told it pays very well.

So this is the beginning of my second year on this major. I've taken some neat classes, but as of late my motivation has been zip. At first I thought it might just me environmental, however, I've begun to think maybe I just don't LIKE the direction my studies are taking me.

That being said, I do like programming things, it's really neat the things you can make but as I'm sitting here looking at my micro controller board I've begun to realize that I had no motivation in the beginning of the semester to learn some of the things I'm making myself learn now, and while it's neat stuff to know, I don't think I'm going to use it at all.

Looking further into "computer science", it seems that really the field as a profession lies in creating new ways to screw with data, for the lack of a more articulate expression. It strikes me as a more cold and abstracted science, (augments about it being a science aside, please) and I wonder if that's "for me".

The whole basis of CS is in math. Math and I have been like mice and dogs. We don't care for each other. While it's nice to know all of this trig and calc stuff, talking to actual programmers leaves me with the distinct feeling it's filler for those of us who want to do actual coding projects.

My school has a 62 credit program for AS:CS, and a 60 credit program for AS:CP, and it looks to be like I've taken 25 credits for CS that could cross over to CP. Couple that with one class I'm currently taking for four credits that applies and I've already come nearly half way for that degree. In terms of time needed to complete, I could do 30 credits in this spring and next fall, and get what I need done, done. It would take me roughly the same amount of time to finish my CS degree because I scored so lowly on the (possibly rigged) math placement exam.

So long story short, in the infinite wisdom of the board, what should I do? What is taken more "seriously"? The nation still has a cold-war style attitude from what I understand, and any non "high-end" career is often mocked. Basically, what field gets more respect and which is more "useful" in the future? Who has the more "solid" job outlook? On the whole I think I'm too young to really "predict the future" well enough to make a good call here. I do have a fledgling interest in robotics, which is a fairly recent thing for me, more-so the making them "do" over the making them "be".

M.