Should I Transfer to UC Santa Barbara with a Physics AS or CS AS?

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Discussion Overview

The discussion revolves around the decision of a student at Sierra College regarding whether to pursue an Associate of Science (AS) degree in Physics or Computer Science (CS) before transferring to UC Santa Barbara. The conversation touches on academic requirements, personal interests, and potential career outcomes related to both fields.

Discussion Character

  • Exploratory
  • Debate/contested
  • Conceptual clarification

Main Points Raised

  • The original poster (OP) questions whether it would be advisable to pursue a CS degree given their completed coursework and the requirements for transferring.
  • Some participants suggest that the choice of AS degree may not be as critical if the OP plans to obtain a Bachelor of Science (BS) degree later.
  • One participant notes that CS may lead to higher-paying career opportunities, while another emphasizes the importance of personal interest in the subject matter.
  • The OP expresses a preference for physics, citing its interest and challenge, and questions whether having degrees in both physics and CS would be beneficial for unique job opportunities.
  • Another participant agrees that being knowledgeable in both fields could be advantageous to employers.

Areas of Agreement / Disagreement

Participants express differing views on the importance of the AS degree versus personal interest in the subject. While some prioritize career prospects associated with CS, others advocate for pursuing physics based on interest. The discussion does not reach a consensus on which path is definitively better.

Contextual Notes

The discussion includes various assumptions about career outcomes and personal fulfillment, which may depend on individual circumstances and job markets. The OP's uncertainty about the number of additional classes required for a BS degree remains unresolved.

Jakeula
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I am a current student at Sierra College in California. I have been working hard to achieve my AS in physics, however looking at the courses I have already taken I have a few questions.

I plan on transferring to UC Santa Barbara, so after visiting Assist.org I have started taking the courses needed for the transfer. However, I have already taken far more Computer Science courses than physics due to the fact that when I started there were no prerequisites to take these courses and I was too lazy to take my Assessments opening up my Math courses which in turn opened up my Physics courses. Now having done that, my school requires 18+ credits in your major to qualify for an AA/AS. I have already completed more than that in CS courses. So here are my questions:

1) would it be more advisable to go with CS, or anything else for that matter, to achieve my AA/AS in then work on transferring and change my major later?

2) Generally speaking, how many more classes would one have to take after completing the courses from Assist.org's transfer required courses before qualifying for a BS/BA? I don't expect an exact answer as I expect all programs are different in requirements, but a rough estimation will help if possible.

Assist: http://web1.assist.org/web-assist/report.do?agreement=aa&reportPath=REPORT_2&reportScript=Rep2.pl&event=19&dir=1&sia=SIERRA&ria=UCSB&ia=SIERRA&oia=UCSB&aay=10-11&ay=11-12&dora=PHYS


I appreciate any and all advice and support on this matter.
 
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who cares about an AS if u have a BS. Just do which one you like more
 
Woopy said:
who cares about an AS if u have a BS. Just do which one you like more

why thank you. that pretty much summed everything up nicely.
 
just putting it into perspective for you
 
Woopy said:
just putting it into perspective for you

And you did. It makes me feel a lot better about my choices. Thank you :)
 
just a heads up, CS probably has higher paying career opportunities. But if you aren't in this for the money, do physics which you seem to like
 
I don't really care about the money, physics is far more interesting and challenging than CS, I'm just not sure if I should waste my time with it. Will both degrees together work well together if I decide to do that? Like will a physics BS + CS BS help me get unique jobs?
 
well it definitely can't hurt you to be well versed in both, employers would definitely find those useful. just the fact that you have either one of those degrees shows an employer that you aren't a drooling monkey
 
well thank you for all of the help Woopy, it is very much appreciated. :D
 

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