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Sarah Mauricio, a Computer Science (CS) major at UCLA, initially struggled to decide which career path to take. Born in San Diego, she was first introduced to CS during her senior year of high school but admittedly didn't like it. She eventually got accepted into UCLA and thought she had chosen civil engineering as her major, but had accidentally enrolled in CS.
"I hadn't even realized that I had picked computer science until after I decided to go to UCLA, Sarah said. "I was under the impression I was a civil engineering major, which shocked me because, after my senior year, I just didn't think I could spend four years doing computer science, but I think keeping computer science was the best decision I made."
Her journey then took a meaningful turn when she enrolled in CodePath's Android course and took advantage of observer access to the Technical Interview Prep course, which gave her the skills and confidence needed to secure numerous internships and, ultimately, a full-time job at Disney.
Read how Sarah Mauricio describes her experience with CodePath and CS below.
Honestly, it was probably the CodePath Android Mobile Development course.
It clicked for me, and I realized that this was actually something I could see myself doing. Before that, I had no good hands-on experience of what I could expect from an internship or a full-time job because I was trying to learn the ins and outs of computer science. I didn't know what a [software engineering] job looked like.
How did you discover CodePath, and what prompted you to enroll in the Android Mobile Development course and Technical Interview Prep?
One of my friends had brought it up to me, and I applied because of her. Truthfully, I only got a good grasp of coding once I got into CodePath's Android Mobile Development course.
"...I only got a good grasp of coding in CodePath's Android Mobile Development course."
It was an eye-opening experience to see what I could do full-time.
Can you share your most memorable experiences with CodePath that shaped your perspective on computer science and software engineering?
Some of the big takeaways I got were from the workshops they hosted with professionals who came in and talked about their work in the tech industry. They talked about the differences between someone on the Android and iOS side, and that talk helped show me the day-to-day tasks that an engineer might have and allowed me to see what exactly I could be working on in the future.
How did CodePath's courses contribute to your success in securing internships and eventually landing a full-time job?
I had observer access to the Advanced Technical Interview Prep course the summer after my first year to get an internship for my sophomore year and could apply all the skills I learned to all the interviews I took.
"I got an internship at Meta because I was well-prepared for these different topics, all of which I had learned with CodePath."
You got rejected from a CodePath course but got access as an observer. Which course did you observe? What was that experience like?
I observed the Advanced Technical Interview Prep Course, and I knew I didn't have time to do the course, so I wasn't surprised that I got rejected, but that wouldn't stop me from trying to utilize the rest of the resources that CodePath offered me. So I just took advantage of everything they had. Their websites were really easy to use, so I found everything I needed to work on the questions I struggled with.
What advice would you give to other CS students who are finding their CS pathways or seeking additional learning opportunities?
I'd advise my peers to find the area they're most interested in because it's such a large field. A lot of people think they want to go to AI or something like that, but remember to pivot as much as you want until you find something you're passionate about.
"...remember to pivot as much as you want until you find something you're passionate about.”
Check out CodePath's courses and career services to find what's right for you.