This essay is based on a conversation with Mackenzie McAllister, a 22-year-old graduate of the University of Missouri. Her identity was confirmed by Business Insider. This story has been edited for length and clarity.
When I went to college, computer science just seemed like the right choice.
Four years ago, a lot of people were talking about computer science and how, “If you just get this four-year degree, you’re going to make a lot of money right out of the degree. You’re going to have a job security. It’s going to be really easy to get a job.”
I didn’t have much experience in programming when I was in school, but my father and grandfather were both software developers. So I was always into coding and programming.
This familiarity and the knowledge that I would have a secure job made me want to get involved.
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AI became a crutch
ChatGPT came out in 2022, which was my first year of college. In the first few years of school we were not allowed to use AI. In my first year of college, the tools weren’t that good and professors were still hesitant to let students use them for homework.
However, over the last two years, and especially in my senior year, more and more professors have been open to students using AI tools. During my last semester, all but one of my professors allowed us to use AI for homework and projects.
McAllister said that during her final semester, all but one of her professors allowed students to use AI.
Chase Castor for BI
Students, including me, started using it as a crutch for homework, and those core computer science concepts left my brain a little bit. I have a good technical background, but I feel like I’m out of practice because I haven’t programmed without AI in a long time.
I’m looking for jobs in data analysis
I realized that software engineering was no longer what I thought was best for me for several reasons.
I explored other areas of computer science careers. I completed an internship as a systems analyst that focused primarily on databases. I still did SQL coding, but it is different from traditional software engineering work.
I graduated in May and 90% of the applications I send out are for data analyst positions. I’m still applying to a few software engineering jobs that come up, but I applied to a lot of software engineering jobs last year and the year before and did a few technical interviews. But I felt defeated afterwards. I didn’t feel like the work I did was good enough.
AI has changed the industry
One of the reasons I switched is definitely because of AI – not necessarily the tools themselves, but the way it has impacted the field. I feel underprepared for technical interviews and perhaps even for the job. I’m confident I can get myself back up to speed and regain the skills I acquired in my first and second years of college, but that would take a lot of time.
Careers in computer science and software development are really demanding It is not enough to have attended classes and completed a few projects from school. You need to practice a lot to feel confident for LeetCode reviews, interviews and ultimately the job.
I had no time for work, school or social life. It’s difficult to balance all three while also spending time improving these skills. So that turned me away.
I also struggle with imposter syndrome. I struggled with this throughout my training. There aren’t many women in my major, and I want to pursue a career path with more women.
It also seems like AI has changed the possibilities for young professionals. Even if I took the time to prepare for an entry-level role, I think the reward would be low because there are so few jobs in this field.
https://www.businessinsider.com/college-grad-pivots-from-software-engineering-to-data-analytics-2026-7
