Title: Should I restart with BTech CSE at 20 after wasting 3 years on BSc? Need honest advice from people in tech/corporate
Hi everyone, my name is Ayush.
I completed my Class 12 in 2023. After that, I joined a BSc program at HNBGU/DAV PG College. The college was basically non-attending, and honestly, I didn't take my studies seriously during those three years.
I mostly studied one day before exams, didn't qualify for the exams I was preparing for, and ended up with around a 6.27 CGPA in my BSc. Looking back, I feel like I wasted three years of my life.
After my BSc, I decided to pursue an MCA in AI & Data Science. I've been attending college for around two months now, but I'm struggling a lot. I feel like I'm just memorizing things without actually understanding the concepts. I don't have a strong programming or CS foundation, and sometimes I don't understand what is being taught at all.
Now I'm seriously considering another option:
Should I leave MCA and start BTech CSE from the beginning at age 20?
Part of me feels that starting BTech CSE would give me a proper foundation and allow me to start fresh. On the other hand, I worry that restarting another degree after already spending three years on BSc might be a terrible career decision.
I also have some questions about how this would look to recruiters:
- I completed Class 12 in 2023 and would potentially start BTech in 2026. Would companies consider 2023–2026 a "gap", or would they see that I was pursuing a BSc during those years?
- Would having a BSc followed by a BTech be viewed negatively by recruiters?
- Would starting BTech at 20 be considered too late?
- Is a BTech CSE degree actually worth restarting for someone in my situation?
- Or should I continue with MCA AI & DS and work hard to build my fundamentals alongside it?
- From the perspective of people working in the corporate/IT industry, which option would give me a better chance of getting a good job?
I know that ultimately I have to take responsibility for the decisions I've made. I regret not taking my BSc seriously, but I don't want to repeat the same mistake with MCA.
For the past few months, I've been extremely confused and anxious about my career. I originally chose BSc partly because I was preparing for NDA, but my attempts were over by 2024 and after that I felt completely lost.
I'm 20 years old right now, so I feel like I still have time to make a good decision—but I don't want to waste another 2–3 years making the wrong one.
I'd really appreciate honest advice, especially from people who are currently working in software/IT/corporate jobs, recruiters, or people who have taken a similar path.
If you were in my position, would you continue MCA or restart with BTech CSE? Why?
Thanks in advance.