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1) Learn a major object-oriented language, and learn it well. Java is obviously a big one, but C++ or C# are also good alternatives. Remember that at early stages *concepts* are more important than specific techniques.
For Comp Sci, specifically, you're probably going to want to choose C++ over Java or C#. C++ is much more widely desirable.
OP - You feel bad about what you've gone through so there is nothing served by any of us beating you up. You probably worked hard and would like to see it payoff.
Interestingly enough, some of the best paid animators are not programmers per se. They are creative types involved in the design. At Texas A&M, a degree in "Visualization" is one of the most sought after today. "Viz" as they call it is taught in the college of architecture because it was based on their early work with 3D animation and modeling. They spent a huge amount of time on design vs. programming. Many of their graduates work for Pixar. My son almost chose visualization but stayed with architecture instead. And he is doing advanced "algorithm based design" using software like Maya and others "above" Maya. I had to buy him a new computer because his first one was too slow.
For CS jobs in general proven skills trump certifications in most cases. There are so many software related areas today - lots of them involve programming and management of "data." Databases, cloud management, virtualization, etc. Find something interesting and chart yourself a course. Try to work for vendors, not in a corporate "IT" department.
Value of any degree/major/GPA is largely that determined by one's first employer who uses such stuff to screen new workers and determines pay in prevailing mkt for such cohorts of workers
For any worker, skills are largely self-taught (value of any college/prof is rather dubious beyond brand effects) and continually improved by competing against smart co-workers or competitors throughout one's career (whether HS or college or in workforce)....thus, pay beyond one's first 6-12mos in workforce is largely determined by own productivity, not prestige of diploma/GPA nor alleged wealth of one's employer (doubt any hot start-up hands out much equity to any unproven engineer, nor does any shrewd engineer choose to work for a risky start-up w/o compensation reflecting an acceptable risk/reward balance of cash/equity vs own skills and risk preferences)
Similarly, any employer which cannot generate profits and pay up for smartest, most productive engineers will ultimately die/decay....much like any engineer (or other worker) who doesn't continually upgrade own skills and prove value of own productivity to market (whether employer or whichever end-customer even if run own shop).....life is a continual two-way dynamic on many levels....self-selection and natural selection prevail far beyond semantics of diplomas or glamour of corporate brands no matter mkt caps or coolness of moment
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