I Dropped Computer Science at CMU: Here's Why

[Anonymous]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ykC3vb9K8a8

My DS went through the same thing as this young man in the video. He studied CS @CMU for 1 1/2 years before dropping out and transferring to University of Florida. He was miserable @CMU and very happy at UF where he partied a lot and dated a lot of women. He graduated in 4 1/2 years (took a semester) and is now making the same amount of money as his cousin who graduated from CMU SCS. YMMV.

[Anonymous]

It's important to find a good fit. Not everyone is passionate about CS, and not everyone is passionate about partying and dating a lot of women/men.

[Anonymous]

So what?
People fail all the time, that's not helpful info.

[Anonymous]

What a gross post, OP. "Partied a lot and dated a lot of women"? You think this is appealing? Your circle must very small.

[Anonymous]

Did not watch but have seen 2 or 3 of the videos describing the absolute grind of CS programs at places like CMU, a Canadian college - forget the name, a few others. The problem is you have no idea how the kid on the video stacks up to your own kid in terms of intellect, persistence, motivation/drive, tolerance for rigor vs. the "need" to party, etc.

[Anonymous]

DD (TJ grad) was waitlisted at CMU CS. Now she studies CS at a T20 college and although considers herself the best CS student in her college class, she knows how far ahead CS-wise her ex-classmates got by studying at CMU and MIT. Their CS classes are much harder than hers, and she has to self-educate in her spare time.

OP, what amount of money are they making?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Did not watch but have seen 2 or 3 of the videos describing the absolute grind of CS programs at places like CMU, a Canadian college - forget the name, a few others. The problem is you have no idea how the kid on the video stacks up to your own kid in terms of intellect, persistence, motivation/drive, tolerance for rigor vs. the "need" to party, etc.

Might be Waterloo (Canadian university). At Waterloo at least...CS is out of the Math department not the engineering department. I think any CS coming out of the Math department tends to be way more theoretical and difficult.

My kid met several CMU kids when evaluating colleges and they were miserable. That said, their comment was if you want to be the next Linus Torvald (creator of Linux) then CMU is the kind of place you want to be.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD (TJ grad) was waitlisted at CMU CS. Now she studies CS at a T20 college and although considers herself the best CS student in her college class, she knows how far ahead CS-wise her ex-classmates got by studying at CMU and MIT. Their CS classes are much harder than hers, and she has to self-educate in her spare time.

OP, what amount of money are they making?

It is possible that MIT manages the stress in a better way. CMU has very hard grading on a curve...so it is difficult to get an A or a B. At the same time, Stanford CS (as example) basically says everyone will get an A or a B. Having the threat of a C (or lower) hanging over your head can cause massive anxiety vs. knowing that as long as you are trying, you won't get less than a B (and most will get As).

[Anonymous]

My DD's friend also transferred from CMU CS to our regional state school. She had some anxiety and depression issues so couldn't adjust well.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD (TJ grad) was waitlisted at CMU CS. Now she studies CS at a T20 college and although considers herself the best CS student in her college class, she knows how far ahead CS-wise her ex-classmates got by studying at CMU and MIT. Their CS classes are much harder than hers, and she has to self-educate in her spare time.

OP, what amount of money are they making?

It is possible that MIT manages the stress in a better way. CMU has very hard grading on a curve...so it is difficult to get an A or a B. At the same time, Stanford CS (as example) basically says everyone will get an A or a B. Having the threat of a C (or lower) hanging over your head can cause massive anxiety vs. knowing that as long as you are trying, you won't get less than a B (and most will get As).

+100
Most of the kids in a program like CMU SCS have never gotten a grade below an A on any high school assignment. The transition into an environment where C's (and below) or 50% & below are handed out freely, and following what the kids believe is "intense" studying (relative to their history), can be soul crushing for them.

[Anonymous]

Just because someone can be a salutatorian at their local school, doesn't mean they can compete at a school with a bunch of high stat competitive students. Also many students are managed by parents and they can't thrive on their own so as soon as low grades come in, parents want them to improve or come home to local college. If you let them fall and learn to struggle for getting up, they'll be fine but they need a semester or two and may need to change to a major they enjoy more.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD (TJ grad) was waitlisted at CMU CS. Now she studies CS at a T20 college and although considers herself the best CS student in her college class, she knows how far ahead CS-wise her ex-classmates got by studying at CMU and MIT. Their CS classes are much harder than hers, and she has to self-educate in her spare time.

OP, what amount of money are they making?

It is possible that MIT manages the stress in a better way. CMU has very hard grading on a curve...so it is difficult to get an A or a B. At the same time, Stanford CS (as example) basically says everyone will get an A or a B. Having the threat of a C (or lower) hanging over your head can cause massive anxiety vs. knowing that as long as you are trying, you won't get less than a B (and most will get As).

Not just for CS majors. Stanford does this for other majors, too. Happened to someone I know who was not a CS major.

I told my CS major DC that I didn't think CMU would be a good fit for them. They applied anyways, but didn't get in. They are at a T20 for CS major and is very happy. DC is wicked smart, but very laid back and likes to go out and socialize but also works hard.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What a gross post, OP. "Partied a lot and dated a lot of women"? You think this is appealing? Your circle must very small.

DP.
The number of people who enjoy dating women is not small.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:DD (TJ grad) was waitlisted at CMU CS. Now she studies CS at a T20 college and although considers herself the best CS student in her college class, she knows how far ahead CS-wise her ex-classmates got by studying at CMU and MIT. Their CS classes are much harder than hers, and she has to self-educate in her spare time.

OP, what amount of money are they making?

Self educating isn't worse than being to forced to learn the arbitrary school curriculum, and the school curriculum is uncorrelated to making money.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:DD (TJ grad) was waitlisted at CMU CS. Now she studies CS at a T20 college and although considers herself the best CS student in her college class, she knows how far ahead CS-wise her ex-classmates got by studying at CMU and MIT. Their CS classes are much harder than hers, and she has to self-educate in her spare time.

OP, what amount of money are they making?

It is possible that MIT manages the stress in a better way. CMU has very hard grading on a curve...so it is difficult to get an A or a B. At the same time, Stanford CS (as example) basically says everyone will get an A or a B. Having the threat of a C (or lower) hanging over your head can cause massive anxiety vs. knowing that as long as you are trying, you won't get less than a B (and most will get As).

It takes 5 minutes to accept that a C at CMU is a good grade, and then move on.