Reply to I Dropped Computer Science at CMU: Here's Why

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[quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=Anonymous][quote=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?[/quote]

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).[/quote]

+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.   [/quote]

It makes you wonder about the kids who are crushing it in these high level classes vs this kid, who seems intelligent enough, but obviously was in a program not suited for his interests. What did these other kids experience in HS that this kid did not?
[/quote]

The kids who are crushing it are not smarter, they are just working harder. The kid who quit very likely never had to work very hard at something in HS, never had to reach out for help, and always had plenty of time for games, reading, and watching videos. When in Florida, the kid had plenty of time for games, reading, and watching videos, as well as partying and women. Meanwhile the kids at CMU were having no fun at all, just grinding away.

Being in a tech program very often means committing to that being your whole life for four years. Not everyone is sufficiently motivated for that.[/quote]

I would put it another way: if four years of CS is not fun, you should not be majoring in it. Because you are looking at 40+ years of CS if you want to go into that field.

There are a lot of kids, and DCUMs, that see the $$$ for CS majors and say, "that's for me." But picking a major you hate for the money is why so many kids drop out of "hard" majors.[/quote]

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