Surprised no one quoted this yet: "I avoided computer science because I heard it’s too theoretical and non-practical." OP then enrolled in pre-med, the epitomy of theoretical and non-practical (cramming all the anatomy and cellular biology that make the basis of our medical knowledge, but don't actually help you cure a patient).
I totally agree that CS is theoretical and non-practical, but why is that so shunned? Seems like if someone wants an edge in the technology sector, they had better understand the foundation of computation. From writing formal grammars and understanding Turing machines all the way up to coding a compiler and learning about security are all things I've studied and mostly forgotten, but they help me understand the new problems I'm faced with every day.
A person who practices medicine without doing the course work, internship, and getting the degree is a quack or charlatan or new-age healer. I'm worried a lot of the startup scene is about making a fast buck, not making a solid product. I don't think the tech sector is life-and-death, and it certainly doesn't need PhDs or a licensing board. But you'd think people who want to excel in the field would study it.
I totally agree that CS is theoretical and non-practical, but why is that so shunned? Seems like if someone wants an edge in the technology sector, they had better understand the foundation of computation. From writing formal grammars and understanding Turing machines all the way up to coding a compiler and learning about security are all things I've studied and mostly forgotten, but they help me understand the new problems I'm faced with every day.
A person who practices medicine without doing the course work, internship, and getting the degree is a quack or charlatan or new-age healer. I'm worried a lot of the startup scene is about making a fast buck, not making a solid product. I don't think the tech sector is life-and-death, and it certainly doesn't need PhDs or a licensing board. But you'd think people who want to excel in the field would study it.