Is Computer Science Hard For Someone With No Experience?

Surely, you’ll agree with me that Computer Science is one of the most popular study programs across the globe. Also, you might have already heard or read somewhere that IT jobs are some of the most lucrative careers out there. 

Since you’re reading this post, it means you’re passionate about studying Computer Science, but not so sure if the course is really for you. Well, you need not worry too much about this.

One of the questions that most people looking to get a bachelor’s degree in the field often ask is; is Computer Science hard for someone without experience? If you’re also interested in getting answers to this question, here it is:

Generally speaking, Computer Science is a hard discipline to study. While that is true, you need to understand that the course does not require you to have prior experience as you’ll be taught from scratch. All that you need is to have a high school diploma or equivalent with high grades in relevant subjects.

It’s worth knowing that Computer Science is a broad field. It encompasses several different fields, such as computer programming, algorithms and complexity, architecture and organization, graphics and visual interaction, and many more. While you might not be needing prior knowledge to start studying any of the fields, you sure need to be talented in some subjects.

That said, read on to find out everything you need to know about studying computer science without experience.

What is Computer Science and What Do You Need to Start Studying?

As earlier stated, computer science is one of the most complex fields you can ever study. Primarily, it is the study of computers and computing. However, the field also includes the study of theoretical & algorithmic foundations, hardware & software as well as their uses for processing information.

Here are some of what the study of computer science includes:

• Design & creation of large software systems
• Development of various algorithmic solutions for high-performance computing,
• Creation of software controlling robots and building of automated systems, such as Artificial Intelligence (AI),
• Processing and displaying images, automated storage, maintenance, and analyzing large volumes of data

Is Computer Science Hard for Someone With No Experience?

Let’s go back to the burning question; is computer science hard to learn for someone without any experience? The answer remains “no“, you don’t necessarily need to have prior experience to start studying computer science. Why that is true, you need to understand that having prior experience can give you an edge and make things a lot simpler for you.

The Experience Will Come as Soon as You Start Studying

To study Computer Science, some of the topics you’ll be taught include coding, programming languages, computer hardware and software, networking, database management, information technology, mathematics, statistics, and electronics. Interestingly, before going in-depth into all the topics earlier listed, you’ll be taught the introduction to computer science (CS101 or CS50 depending on your institution).

CS101 is a course that will introduce you to the field of computer science as well as the fundamentals of computer programming.

Since you don’t have prior knowledge of computer programming, CS101/CS50 will welcome you to the field. In most institutions, the introduction to computer science will expose you to Java, a high-level object-oriented programming language by Oracle.

The CS101 class often starts with a brief history of software development and how it relates to computer science. After that, you’ll learn how to use Java to perform several functions. Of course, at the end of this course, you would have gained the much-needed experience. By that time, studying computer science would become less challenging compared to when you gained admission.

For example, if you gain admission into Harvard to study computer science and you have prior knowledge, you’ll be asked to take CS50 – the introduction to computer science). This course will get you exposed and introduce you to the foundation of computer science and programming. 

Here are some of what you’ll learn below, according to the university’s website:

First, you’ll get a wide and robust understanding of computer science and programming. Also, the course will expose you to how to think algorithmically and provide efficient solutions to any programming issues. Furthermore, the CS50 course will make you understand the various concepts, such as abstraction, algorithms, data structures, security, software engineering, encapsulation, resource management, and web development. That’s not all; the course will also get you familiar with several programming languages, such as Java, C, PHP, and JavaScript. 

The bottom line is, even if you don’t have prior knowledge of computer science and programming, you’ll still get the necessary experience when you start taking the course. So, you need not worry about experience, all you need is to go and start the course with confidence and determination.

Make Computer Science Easy to Study Using These Tips

As previously stated, Computer Science is broad and hard to study. However, you need to understand that you can make things pretty much easy for you to handle. So, check out the following tips:

• Take your mathematics seriously

I’m sure you must have heard or read somewhere that mathematics and computer science are closely related. In case you’re just learning about it, it’s time to start taking the subject seriously – if you’re pretty serious about studying computer science.

Depending on the field of computer science you’re interested in, you should try and take these topics seriously – discrete math, automata theory, statistics, probability.

• Avoid procrastinating and study from time to time.

• Don’t cram! Instead, study and study until you understand every concept.

• Read with people, avoid studying alone at all times.

• Use the right materials and resources.

• Learn how to code as soon as you can.