Reply to Help DC decide for CS

Forum Index » College and University Discussion

Reply to "Help DC decide for CS"

Subject:

Emoticons





More smilies

Text Color: Font: Close Marks

[quote=Anonymous]OP,

Congrats having all those outstanding choices.

My DC is also attending CS this fall, at a much more moderate school that fits his current abilities, he knows coding in Java and Python, and has done well in Calculus, but the advanced math and kernel level programming is not him, not yet (read more below).
 
You need to decide based on your child's ability to cope up with a top program like CMU or GT. Both programs are very tough, especially CMU goes very deep into Math theory and computing theories. Be prepared to do a lot a work in hard topics such as discreet math, combinatorics, compilers, functional programming, so on... none of these are easy topics. Coding at CMU is like a boot camp, students who love programming will like it. At GT, I've heard 10 hours of work is needed during off days to keep up with work load for CS. They have a solid program with the concept of threads as they call it that focuses on different themes in CS. 
 
Obviously, the schools have determined your DC has the ability based on stats, but that is one thing, next thing is being able to do it. Let's just say even if they do it, being at the bottom of CMU graduating class will place them at a disadvantage compared to top of UW-Madison, where they may end up at the top. UM may be a middle ground, and an excellent school with solid engineering rigor.  
The programs are absolutely phenomenal, designed to create the best CS graduates, if they can keep up in the top 50% of graduating class. But to do that they need to be highly motivated and hard working, not just highly intelligent. Many high IQ individuals do not want to work so hard or are motivated. Only you and your child can decide.

If your DC is into coding already on the free time, know multiple languages including Java, Python, and C, study low level systems programming including internals of O/S, Assembly language, and is highly interested in advanced math, then CMU or GT is the right place. Otherwise UM or UW is best. Good luck to you and your DC.

P.S: I've been coding for 30 years, and have never broken through kernel level coding or taken discreet math courses, that is the stuff of dreams for a computer scientist. People who can do that create the next programming language or OS. [/quote]

Options

	Disable HTML in this message
	Disable BB Code in this message
	Disable smilies in this message

Review message

Search Recent Topics Hottest Topics