Computer Science in University

[258456]

Hey guys, I will be studying Computer Science at a university which is in the top 1% of schools in the US, any advice or experiences?

[[MPGH]Hero]

Math for Computer Science (from what I've heard) is the hardest math in university. Study hard. If there is a question you don't understand, then figure out how to solve it. Look through your lecture notes daily. Practice everyday so you keep on top of stuff.

[258456]

Ya, they say it's a lot more logic based than just knowing a formula to use. I will keep this in mind, thanks Hero. But as for me, do you think that it will be like super hard? I am a senior in high school right now and i am going to be finished with Calc II in a month.

[[MPGH]Hero]

Ya, they say it's a lot more logic based than just knowing a formula to use. I will keep this in mind, thanks Hero. But as for me, do you think that it will be like super hard? I am a senior in high school right now and i am going to be finished with Calc II in a month.

Well from what I was told it will be hard, but if you study you should be good. I'm not sure how big the transition is from grade 12 math to year 1 computer science university math, so I can't really give you a perfect scale. Hopefully someone here might be able to give you better insight than what I am giving you.
@Jason might have an idea.

[Jason]

A lot of Universities teach CS differently. I'm in my final year of CS at Uni at the moment and we haven't really had to do too much math outside of basic math you'd pick up with programming anyway. There is one unit, Discrete Structures, that I have yet to complete but it looks hard as fuck and is math based (proofs, etc). Don't worry though, they won't drop you too far into the deep end in your first semester (at least they didn't at the Uni I'm at).

[258456]

A lot of Universities teach CS differently. I'm in my final year of CS at Uni at the moment and we haven't really had to do too much math outside of basic math you'd pick up with programming anyway. There is one unit, Discrete Structures, that I have yet to complete but it looks hard as fuck and is math based (proofs, etc). Don't worry though, they won't drop you too far into the deep end in your first semester (at least they didn't at the Uni I'm at).

Okay that's really good to know, I am not too worried about the math though. What i am really worried about is me going and wasting time there by not doing things outside of uni to look good for employers. Good grades are good, but I keep reading that there is a lot more than good grades at uni especially in computer science.

[ɑrtemis]

　◉︵◉　I won't be going to a university for another 2 years #High school lyfe

[Jason]

Okay that's really good to know, I am not too worried about the math though. What i am really worried about is me going and wasting time there by not doing things outside of uni to look good for employers. Good grades are good, but I keep reading that there is a lot more than good grades at uni especially in computer science.

In my opinion Uni has been a pretty big waste of time, I've learned some things undoubtedly but the amount learned vs time and money spent hasn't been really worth it. However (in Australia at least), having the piece of paper which says "I have a Bachelor of Computer Science" is worth a lot when applying for an IT-related position. You might be a programming prodigy, but a lot of the time potential employers are dealing with a large volume of applicants and not having proof of a tertiary-level education can drop you to the bottom of the list. Experience counts, but tangible credentials like a Bachelor's Degree are worth a lot to prospective employers.

You'll have time to work on your own stuff anyway; I program way more outside of University than I do in my course and learn a buttload while doing it. Grades are important, but getting as much experience to put yourself ahead of the pack is as important. Look at it this way: completing a University-level IT course is rarely going to put you behind other people. Uni doesn't teach you everything you need to know so you'll need to go out there and get some real-world experience for yourself. In my experience so far with Uni, the stuff we've learned is often just theory and stuff you may not need directly in the real world but will cement your fundamentals at the least.

[258456]

In my opinion Uni has been a pretty big waste of time, I've learned some things undoubtedly but the amount learned vs time and money spent hasn't been really worth it. However (in Australia at least), having the piece of paper which says "I have a Bachelor of Computer Science" is worth a lot when applying for an IT-related position. You might be a programming prodigy, but a lot of the time potential employers are dealing with a large volume of applicants and not having proof of a tertiary-level education can drop you to the bottom of the list. Experience counts, but tangible credentials like a Bachelor's Degree are worth a lot to prospective employers.

You'll have time to work on your own stuff anyway; I program way more outside of University than I do in my course and learn a buttload while doing it. Grades are important, but getting as much experience to put yourself ahead of the pack is as important. Look at it this way: completing a University-level IT course is rarely going to put you behind other people. Uni doesn't teach you everything you need to know so you'll need to go out there and get some real-world experience for yourself. In my experience so far with Uni, the stuff we've learned is often just theory and stuff you may not need directly in the real world but will cement your fundamentals at the least.

Thanks for that, ya I heard that about cs too. Hopefully I can find some cool stuff to work on. I just can't wait to finally get out of high school lol.

---------- Post added at 10:13 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:12 PM ----------

　◉︵◉　I won't be going to a university for another 2 years #High school lyfe

Ya hang in there buddy, high school is pretty boring, but trust me if you get good grades until first semester senior year is over then you will be happy with the results. Just get good grades and don't forget to have fun and get involved in the community so colleges will see you as awesome.

[why06]

CS does not require much math depending on what you want to do, but it is like math in that you must practice, practice, practice. Unlike other classes where you can learn the concepts and know how to apply them, for computer science as with math you learn the concepts by doing the work. Take every oppurtunity to code. Take every opportunity to try something new. Experiment and try to go beyond the lesson to the next one. And never stop learning. CS is a field that changes so fast, that to survive within it you have to be very acceptable to change. The trick is to relate it to what you already know how to do, then you will see all the different languages do pretty much the same thing, program a computer.

[258456]

CS does not require much math depending on what you want to do, but it is like math in that you must practice, practice, practice. Unlike other classes where you can learn the concepts and know how to apply them, for computer science as with math you learn the concepts by doing the work. Take every oppurtunity to code. Take every opportunity to try something new. Experiment and try to go beyond the lesson to the next one. And never stop learning. CS is a field that changes so fast, that to survive within it you have to be very acceptable to change. The trick is to relate it to what you already know how to do, then you will see all the different languages do pretty much the same thing, program a computer.

Wow, I am so happy to actually see you around again. It's been years man. I can't wait to start applying new things to programming. I have been programming for the past four years, but I feel like there is so many things that you just can't learn except by a very thorough study at a university. I am so excited to actually expand my logic and do new things I have never done before in a field that is so vast!

Grades are the biggest deal for me. It says on the university website that the average gpa for cs is 3.2. That is super low......

[why06]

Wow, I am so happy to actually see you around again. It's been years man. I can't wait to start applying new things to programming. I have been programming for the past four years, but I feel like there is so many things that you just can't learn except by a very thorough study at a university. I am so excited to actually expand my logic and do new things I have never done before in a field that is so vast!

Grades are the biggest deal for me. It says on the university website that the average gpa for cs is 3.2. That is super low......

Haha, I don't post much, but I do lurk every so often if I see something interesting.

That's true you can learn a lot. A lot of it is boring stuff you would never bother to learn on your own, but its super-useful once u learn it. At the average, well that's the average. Average is supposed to be a C so that its pretty normal for an average. gl getting good grades, its harder then it looks to stay focused in a big univ. And gratz on getting accpeted, I'm curious what school it is.

[Jason]

Wow, I am so happy to actually see you around again. It's been years man. I can't wait to start applying new things to programming. I have been programming for the past four years, but I feel like there is so many things that you just can't learn except by a very thorough study at a university. I am so excited to actually expand my logic and do new things I have never done before in a field that is so vast!

Grades are the biggest deal for me. It says on the university website that the average gpa for cs is 3.2. That is super low......

In my experience, entry requirements for University courses are not based purely on the difficulty of the course itself. Most of the time the requirements are based on the popularity and relative demand for graduates. For example, my University has the highest TER (Tertiary Entrance Rank, similar to a GPA I think) entry requirement for Engineering of any University in the state, yet it's still only 80 (so you need to be in the top 20% of students in the state). On the other hand, physiotherapy has a TER requirement of something around 90+ (top 10%+) because it's so popular and the demand for quality physios is pretty low in relation to the number of applicants they get, so they can afford to be picky with their acceptance.

IT is one of, if not the, fastest growing industries in the world so the demand for qualified IT professionals is increasing all the time. This is probably why the GPA requirement is throttled back so far.

[258456]

Haha, I don't post much, but I do lurk every so often if I see something interesting.

That's true you can learn a lot. A lot of it is boring stuff you would never bother to learn on your own, but its super-useful once u learn it. At the average, well that's the average. Average is supposed to be a C so that its pretty normal for an average. gl getting good grades, its harder then it looks to stay focused in a big univ. And gratz on getting accpeted, I'm curious what school it is.

Well, I am honored to have a legend, such as yourself, find my thread interesting. I am going to UC Irvine (University of California Irvine). It's in the top 1% of universities in the United States for computer science. Thanks for the wishes, I will try to heed your advice and attempt to exercise more self-discipline and consistency in my studies.

---------- Post added at 10:37 PM ---------- Previous post was at 10:35 PM ----------

In my experience, entry requirements for University courses are not based purely on the difficulty of the course itself. Most of the time the requirements are based on the popularity and relative demand for graduates. For example, my University has the highest TER (Tertiary Entrance Rank, similar to a GPA I think) entry requirement for Engineering of any University in the state, yet it's still only 80 (so you need to be in the top 20% of students in the state). On the other hand, physiotherapy has a TER requirement of something around 90+ (top 10%+) because it's so popular and the demand for quality physios is pretty low in relation to the number of applicants they get, so they can afford to be picky with their acceptance.

IT is one of, if not the, fastest growing industries in the world so the demand for qualified IT professionals is increasing all the time. This is probably why the GPA requirement is throttled back so far.

Ya I guess you're right. Averages are just averages, and there are a lot of dumb people in uni I hear so I don't think I am as worried as I was before. It's just that when you hear most people talk about uni classes they make it seem like professors are just there to screw you over.... I guess you will only find the truth by going through it yourself lol

[Jason]

Ya I guess you're right. Averages are just averages, and there are a lot of dumb people in uni I hear so I don't think I am as worried as I was before. It's just that when you hear most people talk about uni classes they make it seem like professors are just there to screw you over.... I guess you will only find the truth by going through it yourself lol

I don't really know what the American University experience is like, but in AU it's pretty chilled out.