UMD Cuts Computer Science Class by 50%

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:That's one way to prop up unpopular majors. You can be a math or physics major and take enough CS classes to be indistinguishable from a CS major

where are you getting this stuff from?

My kid is a dual math/CS major. A math degree + a handful of CS classes <> CS major.

DC laid out all the classes that they need to take for both degrees. There are a lot of CS classes for the CS major, and only like 3 math classes.

It is definitely "distinguishable".

The real issue is most computer science majors can’t handle the math needed for math degrees.

PP here.. I bet the reverse is true, too.. many math majors wouldn't be able to handle some of the CS classes. These majors aren't interchangeable.

And my freshman at UMD is considering double majoring in the two.

PP here.. mine is actually double majoring in math and CS. That doesn't mean that most majors would do fine as a CS major. Not sure why you are "shocked".

PP Shocked was just in reference to the difficulty of the two majors. He didn't get my genes!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:U can still take the core CS classes ..just not graduate as a CS major. Employers care about which classes you took and do you know your stuff

If you want to be a CS major, it is better to go somewhere you can actually major in what you want. Go to UMBC if you need in-state, or find a private college that offers good merit where you can major in CS (no direct admit).

+1 this might up UMBC's desirability, which is a good thing.

Employer perspective:
I would happily hire a new grad with a BSCS from UMBC, especially for cybersecurity work. Rankings are mostly meaningless to me. I probably would prefer MIT or UIUC CMU for a BSCS/MSCS major, over others. However, the difference between VT, GMU, UMD CP, UVa, UNC, NC state, Duke, and UMBC is largely ignorable on the job.

I care a whole lot which specialization a student chose in their upper level CS electives. I don’t happen to need AI/ML, but I do need strong systems background, strong assembly, and thorough understanding of security and networking.

I don't know about you, but in general, employers prefer Duke over UIUC by data

Duke: $159,845
https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/school/?198419-Duke-University&fos_code=1107&fos_credential=3

UIUC: $143,775
https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/school/?145637-University-of-Illinois-Urbana-Champaign&fos_code=1107&fos_credential=3

So are you only looking at salary? Because that needs to be adjusted for COL. I suspect more Duke grads end up on the coasts (expensive areas) and some UIUC may stay in the Midwest (LCOL areas)

Either way, I wouldn't use salary as an indication

[Anonymous]

Salary data is heavily skewed by where recent graduates work (by geographic location more than by company). For the same CS work, to give an obvious example, SFBA pays much more than metro DC, but the cost of living out there is correspondingly sky high. So direct comparisons between schools really are not as meaningful as some might think.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:U can still take the core CS classes ..just not graduate as a CS major. Employers care about which classes you took and do you know your stuff

If you want to be a CS major, it is better to go somewhere you can actually major in what you want. Go to UMBC if you need in-state, or find a private college that offers good merit where you can major in CS (no direct admit).

+1 this might up UMBC's desirability, which is a good thing.

Employer perspective:
I would happily hire a new grad with a BSCS from UMBC, especially for cybersecurity work. Rankings are mostly meaningless to me. I probably would prefer MIT or UIUC CMU for a BSCS/MSCS major, over others. However, the difference between VT, GMU, UMD CP, UVa, UNC, NC state, Duke, and UMBC is largely ignorable on the job.

I care a whole lot which specialization a student chose in their upper level CS electives. I don’t happen to need AI/ML, but I do need strong systems background, strong assembly, and thorough understanding of security and networking.

I don't know about you, but in general, employers prefer Duke over UIUC by data

Duke: $159,845
https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/school/?198419-Duke-University&fos_code=1107&fos_credential=3

UIUC: $143,775
https://collegescorecard.ed.gov/school/?145637-University-of-Illinois-Urbana-Champaign&fos_code=1107&fos_credential=3

So are you only looking at salary? Because that needs to be adjusted for COL. I suspect more Duke grads end up on the coasts (expensive areas) and some UIUC may stay in the Midwest (LCOL areas)

Either way, I wouldn't use salary as an indication

It's about 'Employer perspective', so salary info would be the most significant.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Also looking ahead, other than UMBC, does anyone have any CS school suggestions for a current underclassman that will likely have a 3.8 UW GPA and mid 1400 SAT.

Minnesota

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:Salary data is heavily skewed by where recent graduates work (by geographic location more than by company). For the same CS work, to give an obvious example, SFBA pays much more than metro DC, but the cost of living out there is correspondingly sky high. So direct comparisons between schools really are not as meaningful as some might think.

We can look more closely where UIUC CS grads and Duke CS grads end up, but in general, OP implied UIUC is level up, however it just shows that it's not the case at all by employers' perspectives.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Anonymous wrote:Also looking ahead, other than UMBC, does anyone have any CS school suggestions for a current underclassman that will likely have a 3.8 UW GPA and mid 1400 SAT.

Minnesota

+1. Fortunately my kid was accepted to UMD CS, BUT UMN and Ohio St. both offered merit last year. If you like UMD, Rutgers, Penn St. and Michigan St. are very good options. Stick to the Big 10!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:I don’t get it, don’t we need more CS majors, not fewer? Why would a state not be trying to graduate as many competent cs majors as possible? I get not admitting people who can’t hack it, but shouldn’t anyone with the grades and test scores who wants to try be given a chance? This seems incredibly short-sighted for the economy of the state.

No, we do not.

[Anonymous]

GMU may be the most overlooked high quality option. NOVA kids don’t want to be 15 minutes from their HS. But it was the safety for most top 10-15% grads in our top 1/3 FCPs HS applying to CS— probably as well as VT CS grads, though I haven’t looked at the numbers. I know a number of smart grads who came out and were successful. It has great internships and great outcomes. And a great location, in that it’s a nice suburb, a nice, newer campus and shuttle ride to the Vienna metro. But also a terrible location, because every FCPS grad say: Ugghh.

And no, I don’t have. Kid attending or applying. No stake in the school at all. But I am surprised how many kids overlook it as an option.

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:GMU may be the most overlooked high quality option. NOVA kids don’t want to be 15 minutes from their HS. But it was the safety for most top 10-15% grads in our top 1/3 FCPs HS applying to CS— probably as well as VT CS grads, though I haven’t looked at the numbers. I know a number of smart grads who came out and were successful. It has great internships and great outcomes. And a great location, in that it’s a nice suburb, a nice, newer campus and shuttle ride to the Vienna metro. But also a terrible location, because every FCPS grad say: Ugghh.

And no, I don’t have. Kid attending or applying. No stake in the school at all. But I am surprised how many kids overlook it as an option.

Think you just answered your own question. It's the location. Regardless, I think a fair number of local kids DO attend. Just probably not "vocal".

[Anonymous]

What school is WPI, that someone mentioned earlier?

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:What school is WPI, that someone mentioned earlier?

Doing a Google search I found
https://www.wpi.edu/

[Anonymous]

Also looking ahead, other than UMBC, does anyone have any CS school suggestions for a current underclassman that will likely have a 3.8 UW GPA and mid 1400 SAT.

I have the same question about a high schooler with a very similar situation (4.0 UW GPA so far). He's looking for a school that's not huge - less than 10k students would be great- and within a 12-hour drive of Maryland. Suggestions welcome!

[Anonymous]

Anonymous wrote:

Also looking ahead, other than UMBC, does anyone have any CS school suggestions for a current underclassman that will likely have a 3.8 UW GPA and mid 1400 SAT.

I have the same question about a high schooler with a very similar situation (4.0 UW GPA so far). He's looking for a school that's not huge - less than 10k students would be great- and within a 12-hour drive of Maryland. Suggestions welcome!

Stevens?
Lehigh?
RPI?
CMU is small but an impossible to admit

Looking for other ideas too.

[Anonymous]

GMU CS has great outplacement. The university has strong relationships with several large tech companies. UMBC CS also is a good option - particularly for cybersecurity.