if you hire people with computer science BSes

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:BTW I hire people with HS diplomas that are self taught and I hire people that went to computer learning center type of programs. They generally start as help desk employees and work their way up.

Customer service skills are a key, an engineer that can talk to people is highly marketable (wait tables or work at a bank... learn to deal with irate people)

Also, information technology is a good way to go, a little less science and more business.

Thank you. Luckily, he is an extremely articulate, charming, charismatic kid, so this should help in life, once he gets through school.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:CMU grad here. I studied Information Systems, not CS, and the acceptance rate is better there. I didn't choose it for taht reason, but because I prefer IS over CS (I prefer applied to theoretical).

I was a B student from a good public school in this area. I also had a suspension on my record, but for something that's not illegal (so not fighting or drugs). My GPA was low B's, and my SATs were above average, but not amazing. I did have excellent work experience and recommendations -- I was doing summer internships at real companies helping them with computer stuff.

CMU, at least when I was there, was a pressure cooker school so they would give you a chance, but there's a lot of work so you have to prove yourself. Both my roommates freshman year failed out. One was a straight-A student from smalltown, PA. I guess you get an A just for showing up. He finsihed the first semester with 4 Fs and 1 D.

I was willing to work, and proved myself. I even graduated early!

Not sure if it's still like that, but I encourage him to try if he really has a love for computers. I did, and I think it came through in my application, so they took a chance on me. I guess it paid off for them, as I'm doing well and am a mid-level donor as well.

Thank you for this information. My DS is really really good with computers (I work in a computer intensive research field, so I know). Maybe he does have a chance at CMU. When he enjoys what he is doing, he works very hard. But, if he is not interested, wild horses can not make him do it (he is the opposite of me here... I was always a very "good girl" who does what she is told). Maybe we'll apply just for the heck of it... But it would be a real "Hail Mary" application, and I do need some sensible backup choices.

If he's very articulate as you wrote, he should consider IS at CMU instead of CS. It's nearly as intensive technically as CS (and no one will stop him from signing up for additional CS course.. I did), but also includes the business component making a person much more attractive on the job market.

CMU has a program called Sleeping Bag weekend where he can go to stay with a student on a Sunday night, then attend classes on Monday. That should give him a really good feel about if it's for him or not. Also, it'll help his application as they'll see he's really into CMU. They want a high matriculation rate (% of people accepted who actually enroll). He can also apply early decision if it's his top chioce.

Good luck! If he does an alumni interview (not required, but again helps to show interest), maybe he'll end up with me as his interviewer

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:CMU grad here. I studied Information Systems, not CS, and the acceptance rate is better there. I didn't choose it for taht reason, but because I prefer IS over CS (I prefer applied to theoretical).

I was a B student from a good public school in this area. I also had a suspension on my record, but for something that's not illegal (so not fighting or drugs). My GPA was low B's, and my SATs were above average, but not amazing. I did have excellent work experience and recommendations -- I was doing summer internships at real companies helping them with computer stuff.

CMU, at least when I was there, was a pressure cooker school so they would give you a chance, but there's a lot of work so you have to prove yourself. Both my roommates freshman year failed out. One was a straight-A student from smalltown, PA. I guess you get an A just for showing up. He finsihed the first semester with 4 Fs and 1 D.

I was willing to work, and proved myself. I even graduated early!

Not sure if it's still like that, but I encourage him to try if he really has a love for computers. I did, and I think it came through in my application, so they took a chance on me. I guess it paid off for them, as I'm doing well and am a mid-level donor as well.

Thank you for this information. My DS is really really good with computers (I work in a computer intensive research field, so I know). Maybe he does have a chance at CMU. When he enjoys what he is doing, he works very hard. But, if he is not interested, wild horses can not make him do it (he is the opposite of me here... I was always a very "good girl" who does what she is told). Maybe we'll apply just for the heck of it... But it would be a real "Hail Mary" application, and I do need some sensible backup choices.

If he's very articulate as you wrote, he should consider IS at CMU instead of CS. It's nearly as intensive technically as CS (and no one will stop him from signing up for additional CS course.. I did), but also includes the business component making a person much more attractive on the job market.

CMU has a program called Sleeping Bag weekend where he can go to stay with a student on a Sunday night, then attend classes on Monday. That should give him a really good feel about if it's for him or not. Also, it'll help his application as they'll see he's really into CMU. They want a high matriculation rate (% of people accepted who actually enroll). He can also apply early decision if it's his top chioce.

Good luck! If he does an alumni interview (not required, but again helps to show interest), maybe he'll end up with me as his interviewer

'

Thank you for this useful information!

[Anonymous]

Rose-Hulman

[Anonymous]

Check out Drexel.

If he's willing to go further away, I bet Santa Clara and San Jose State would both love to have him and they are in the heart of Silicon Valley so have a ton of connections with the big companies out thrtr

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Check out Drexel.

If he's willing to go further away, I bet Santa Clara and San Jose State would both love to have him and they are in the heart of Silicon Valley so have a ton of connections with the big companies out thrtr

Microsoft is a huge recruiter of San Jose State grads.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:My godson is a student perhaps like your son, B student, but with excellent math but not verbal SATs. He ended up at Rochester Institute of TEchnology (RIT) and has loved it, done great, and already has had wonderful internships (paid!) at good companies, and a job offer for post graduation already (he is now a senior).

This. Or RPI. Or Drexel.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Check out Drexel.

If he's willing to go further away, I bet Santa Clara and San Jose State would both love to have him and they are in the heart of Silicon Valley so have a ton of connections with the big companies out thrtr

Microsoft is a huge recruiter of San Jose State grads.

So is apple, and a host of other high tech companies. I'm originally from that area. It's not a 6 hr drive, and it would be expensive with airfare, but OP might give it some thought.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Check out Drexel.

If he's willing to go further away, I bet Santa Clara and San Jose State would both love to have him and they are in the heart of Silicon Valley so have a ton of connections with the big companies out thrtr

Microsoft is a huge recruiter of San Jose State grads.

So is apple, and a host of other high tech companies. I'm originally from that area. It's not a 6 hr drive, and it would be expensive with airfare, but OP might give it some thought.

Thank you for this information. I don't see my DS working at Microsoft, which is a huge company. Maybe I see him more at one of the local beltway bandits writing software on contract for the military or other government agencies. But I am sure this information is very valuable for many on this forum whose children are thinking about computer science.

[Anonymous]

OP, I work at NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center in Greenbelt. We have a LOT of students who graduated CS from UMBC who hired on. I've hired several over the years and they are well trained there. I would definitely consider (again) a candidate with a background from UMBC.

[Anonymous]

School is not important especially when u have H1Bs taking u jobs. Go UDC and save u money. There's a girl on my last contract making $150k a year that graduated a few years ago from UDC with zero debt.

[Anonymous]

UMBC or UMD. He'll be extremely employable with a CS degree from those places. If his grades aren't good enough to get in, have him go to a community college for the first year or two and then reapply. The community colleges actually have some very good computer science programs as well so he shouldn't have a problem transitioning to Maryland.

The best thing I ever did was fall into the computer science program at UMBC. It was 20 years ago and I did not expect to go into that field but it is such a fascinating field. UMBC was also great at placing me in summer internships as well as placing me after graduation. Great place!

[Anonymous]

16.48 here.. DD starts at UMBC in the fall and I have over 30 years experience graduating from a state school a 100 years ago.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:CMU grad here. I studied Information Systems, not CS, and the acceptance rate is better there. I didn't choose it for taht reason, but because I prefer IS over CS (I prefer applied to theoretical).

I was a B student from a good public school in this area. I also had a suspension on my record, but for something that's not illegal (so not fighting or drugs). My GPA was low B's, and my SATs were above average, but not amazing. I did have excellent work experience and recommendations -- I was doing summer internships at real companies helping them with computer stuff.

CMU, at least when I was there, was a pressure cooker school so they would give you a chance, but there's a lot of work so you have to prove yourself. Both my roommates freshman year failed out. One was a straight-A student from smalltown, PA. I guess you get an A just for showing up. He finsihed the first semester with 4 Fs and 1 D.

I was willing to work, and proved myself. I even graduated early!

Not sure if it's still like that, but I encourage him to try if he really has a love for computers. I did, and I think it came through in my application, so they took a chance on me. I guess it paid off for them, as I'm doing well and am a mid-level donor as well.

Thank you for this information. My DS is really really good with computers (I work in a computer intensive research field, so I know). Maybe he does have a chance at CMU. When he enjoys what he is doing, he works very hard. But, if he is not interested, wild horses can not make him do it (he is the opposite of me here... I was always a very "good girl" who does what she is told). Maybe we'll apply just for the heck of it... But it would be a real "Hail Mary" application, and I do need some sensible backup choices.

This is me to a T, personality-wise -- did well on tests and could write my way out of anything, but never did homework. As a result, I was a C- student in HS; not because I was dumb, but because I was bored and unmotivated. I went to West Virginia (not for computers or other sciences) and graduated cum laude in an area I thrived in. It really is about finding the right fit where it's enough to push him to excel but not necessarily a pressure cooker if that's not an environment he will excel in. I don't know about WVU's computer science program specifically, but it is part of their engineering school, which is very good. Much better than many people who aren't familiar might think. If he can handle the, um, celebratory atmosphere (that is, apply himself and have some self-discipline and put down the beer when necessary), it could be a good fit.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:CMU grad here. I studied Information Systems, not CS, and the acceptance rate is better there. I didn't choose it for taht reason, but because I prefer IS over CS (I prefer applied to theoretical).

I was a B student from a good public school in this area. I also had a suspension on my record, but for something that's not illegal (so not fighting or drugs). My GPA was low B's, and my SATs were above average, but not amazing. I did have excellent work experience and recommendations -- I was doing summer internships at real companies helping them with computer stuff.

CMU, at least when I was there, was a pressure cooker school so they would give you a chance, but there's a lot of work so you have to prove yourself. Both my roommates freshman year failed out. One was a straight-A student from smalltown, PA. I guess you get an A just for showing up. He finsihed the first semester with 4 Fs and 1 D.

I was willing to work, and proved myself. I even graduated early!

Not sure if it's still like that, but I encourage him to try if he really has a love for computers. I did, and I think it came through in my application, so they took a chance on me. I guess it paid off for them, as I'm doing well and am a mid-level donor as well.

Thank you for this information. My DS is really really good with computers (I work in a computer intensive research field, so I know). Maybe he does have a chance at CMU. When he enjoys what he is doing, he works very hard. But, if he is not interested, wild horses can not make him do it (he is the opposite of me here... I was always a very "good girl" who does what she is told). Maybe we'll apply just for the heck of it... But it would be a real "Hail Mary" application, and I do need some sensible backup choices.

This is me to a T, personality-wise -- did well on tests and could write my way out of anything, but never did homework. As a result, I was a C- student in HS; not because I was dumb, but because I was bored and unmotivated. I went to West Virginia (not for computers or other sciences) and graduated cum laude in an area I thrived in. It really is about finding the right fit where it's enough to push him to excel but not necessarily a pressure cooker if that's not an environment he will excel in. I don't know about WVU's computer science program specifically, but it is part of their engineering school, which is very good. Much better than many people who aren't familiar might think. If he can handle the, um, celebratory atmosphere (that is, apply himself and have some self-discipline and put down the beer when necessary), it could be a good fit.

You do sound like my DS! West Virginia is indeed on our list; I had heard that it is a good place for somebody who has potential but is maybe maturing late. And he is not at all a party kid. He has a group of about 10 friends that he plays D&D with for recreation, so maybe that will be fine.