computer science at UVA
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Anonymous
| CS is offered as a BA and BS program (within the college of engineering). Any thoughts on the relative merits of one over the other, ideally from parents who have had kids make one or the other choice? Looking to understand the differences in experience as well as recruiting outcomes... DS is a TJ senior (with CS coursework during all 4 years while at TJ). Thanks! |
Anonymous
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There's a section about the differences between the BA and BS here: https://engineering.virginia.edu/departments/computer-science/cs-undergraduate-programs#accordion396964
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Anonymous
| CS in Arts & Sciences is interdisciplinary. Plus, they get the chance to be Echols Scholars |
Anonymous
If I could do it over again would do it as a BA!!! As a BS - you have to take all the hardcore engineering classes - thermodynamics, electrical science, material science. Some was interesting, some was boring and some was just hard. Especially if your brain didn't go that way. I did great once I got into my major - I'm a programmer but not a true engineer even though math and science were my favorite classes in high school. I also had no time for any "fun" classes like English or Psychology. Every class I took outside of the E-School was one I knew I could get an A in so I could raise my GPA. I took a lot of math based econ 
I just read the requirements - hasn't changed much since I was there. Another critical factor - no thesis if you are BA. Unless you want to go into academia/research - thesis was a lot of work that wasn't useful. For me. Would have rather been focused on coding. |
Anonymous
Engineering had Rodman. I don't think that's a deciding factor. |
Anonymous
| Why would TJ grad attend UVA for CS? |
Anonymous
Most TJ grads can't get into UVA. |
Anonymous
Not true. Lots of TJ kids go to tech and uva |
Anonymous
But not “most.” Less than half the class gets into UVa. |
Anonymous
What’s wrong with doing that? |
Anonymous
| Same reason 1/2 of Blair Stem magnet kids go to UMD...strong program/fabulous value. |
Anonymous
| I believe the BA is 5k less each year. |
Anonymous
UVA CS sucks. |
Anonymous
For an undergrad its fine. You can’t beat the in-state cost. As long as it has strong recruiting, which I am sure it will |
Anonymous
Very mature comment above. It might not be Carnegie-Mellon/MIT/Cal/Stanford quality but personally I don't think a good CS degree is even a needed ingredient to be a good programmer. Some of my best coders have been self taught. I got a CS degree at UVa and have been coding for 30 years. I did get an minor in MIS at the Comm School which I think was just as useful when it came to real world jobs. Plus, they have the new Data Science school. |