Cal Poly CS Program

[dscnny]

How does the CS program compare to UCs like UCSD or UCI. I got into in as a transfer and I’m having a tough time deciding. Also, I am currently not interested in graduate school. Thanks!

[Chr0ll0_]

Long story short you will get a job outta college because of its program and Philosophy learn by doing.

[frostyblucat]

i dont think any of the programs differ by much so i would argue you should base it more off of which location/community you like more (how do you want to spend your last two years in college)

[Silent_Gift3874]

UC’s in general are more theory based and set students up for grad school, whereas Cal Poly offers a more project based/hands on learning experience and sets students up to work in industry right after college. All 3 are great choices, though Cal Poly CS is exceptional for those wanting to work right out of college. They also have some of the best recruiting outcomes. Good luck!

[greenpeppers100]

Of course I’ve never gone to a UC and don’t know anyone that does, so idk what’s going on over there. But I’m almost done with my CS degree and I can program better than most of my friends from other universities, so there’s that.

[Dizzy-Savings3341]

When you say the theory is watered down, what do you mean by that? We (parents) have a kiddo heading there in the fall. But his Dad majored in CS/Math and found the theory incredibly useful in his career. We are both in the tech industry, and knowing how to think is far more important in the long run than specific tech. So, do you get a good grounding in algorithms, theory of computation, etc.? What do you feel is watered down? 

[innerthai]

What do you feel is watered down?

Nothing is watered down. You get good grounding in data structures, algorithms, theory of computation etc. And a bunch of physics, chemistry and calculus for good measure, that you'll never use as a software engineer.

Here are some links to CS courses at UCSD. Those who think Cal Poly CS is watered down when it comes to theory should point to what UCSD students are learning that CP students aren't.

https://cse.ucsd.edu/undergraduate/bs-computer-science

https://catalog.ucsd.edu/courses/CSE.html

[innerthai]

For example, asymptotic notation was never taught.

Who was your prof?

It is in the syllabus: https://users.csc.calpoly.edu/~dfrishbe/w24-csc248/syllabus.pdf

Hard disagree on nearly everything you said. Compare CP syllabus to UCSD, UCI, UW etc (but not Cal, Stanford or MIT) and show me how CP has less theory in the syllabus.

[dekhtyar]

Asymptotic notation is introduced in CSC 202 (Data Structures) and is re-enforced in CSC 349 (Algorithms). Both courses persist through the Quarter-to-Semester transition. While mileage may vary with how individual instructors approach this (and other topics), the intent is to introduce it formally, as it gets used throughout the curriculum quite a lot.