What are the career options for me as a computer science graduate with lower intelligence and little interest?

[Anonymous]

I am 26 years old. I have below average intelligence and I always been bad at mathematics throughout my school years. My father forced me to study computer science and would not accept any other careers (not even medicine). I eventually graduated with a computer science degree but a low GPA (7 in a 10 point scale). I got a job as a software engineer and worked mostly with Bash scripts. I have very little real interest in computers but I forced myself to do it anyway by maintaining good work ethic and discipline. This way I was able to earn a good salary but I was always very stressed and disappointed with myself.

The subject I really liked was linguistics (the scientific study of human language and speech). No one in my family even knows what linguistics is. The general attitude towards linguistics is that it is "useless" (and so are all other humanities fields).

I borrowed a lot of money from my father and came to the USA to study a master's degree in computational linguistics. Half of the coursework is core linguistics (phonetics, phonology, semantics etc.) while the other half is computer science (AI, ML, NLP). The academic standards here are very high and I have to maintain at least a B- in every subject. I am doing well in the linguistics subjects but badly in the computer science subjects. I might have to leave the course if I score a C in two subjects.

My intention was that this masters degree would be a stepping stone to get into a PhD in linguistics. Otherwise I'd have to start all the way from bachelor's again. If I fail this program I will go back to my country (India) and find another IT job. But I will spend the rest of my life being unhappy and stressed.

Is there any way out of this? I really wanted a career in academia in linguistics but my CS undergraduate degree doesn't help much with that.

[AI Opinion]

It sounds like you're passionate about linguistics, and it's important to align your career with your interests. You might consider speaking with an academic advisor or faculty member in your linguistics program for guidance on improving performance in your computer science subjects. Additionally, explore alternative pathways into linguistics, such as online courses or certifications that might complement your current studies. Consider reaching out to professionals in the computational linguistics field for mentorship or internships, which could provide practical experience and insight. Prioritize your well-being, as career satisfaction is crucial for long-term happiness.

[OfDeath]

Night shift in a data centre.

[Fury_storm]

start over again from bachelors

[katiesmuff]

McDonalds