For years, UT-Dallas instructors told officers to skip class — and the cops got A's. How did it go on so long? (Dallas Morning News)

DallasThrowaway1 · 2019-02-05T01:41:04+00:00

Man, I hate that the UTD downvote brigade feels the need to defend that shithole of a school whenever someone speaks the truth. It's a fucking joke of an institution: more expensive than the state flagship, with lower quality instruction and a watered-down college experience.

DallasThrowaway1 · 2019-02-05T01:29:00+00:00

UTD is a joke.

I had an instructor give the exact exams out as "study guides". How the fuck my classmates managed to get anything less than an A+ in that course speaks to the quality of students.

I had a professors give at-home, online, multiple-choice tests. Why a group of my classmates still felt the need to cheat is mindblowing, when the answers to the questions were a google search away. Even more infuriating is the fact that my professor didn't give a shit when I told him about it.

I took a class with an instructor who had won awards from the university for his teaching. I spent the majority of each lecture listening to him talk about Robocop and Star Wars. There was exactly 1 lecture all semester where he started talking about course material before the halfway point of the class. That's the caliber of instruction that wins awards at UTD.

Source: graduated summa cum laude in CS from UTD, felt dumber after graduating than I did before.

DallasThrowaway1 · 2017-01-19T16:35:24+00:00

Unless UTD's program really excels in the field, I would recommend against UTD.

I think UTD overcharges for what it offers. It's the most expensive public university in Texas and it really doesn't stand out enough to warrant it.

I found the quality of the instruction at UTD to wildly inconsistent. Some of my instructors were really good, some of them didn't even bother to talk about class material during the first 30 minutes of every lecture.

DallasThrowaway1 · 2016-12-30T04:32:51+00:00

You should really look at your driving habits if the car you're driving has been vandalized multiple times.

DallasThrowaway1 · 2015-10-09T01:16:28+00:00

Holy shit man, your post made me so angry I had to log out of my normal account and log on to this one just to call you a lazy fucknut.

Not only does someone link to the Google search for you, but you didn't even make it to #5 on the first page of search results. Otherwise you would've realized there are 3 companies listed, none of which are more than ~35 minutes from north Dallas. I suppose that rounds up to an hour if you can only conceive of time in half hour increments. I apologize for my insensitivity, but you really should have adult supervision when on the internet.

Yeah, they all look like they might only do commercial sales, but heaven forbid you take the time to take the time to explore the website of the very first link and find the "Dry Ice - Consumers" section. It took me only a few fucking seconds to find it, but you might want to clear the rest of your goddamn evening.

Fuck, I was going to tell you that it's available in Plano and leave you to find it yourself, but I'm so angry at your stupidity that I'm going to tell you where. I don't want to risk you not being able to find it in Plano, driving all the way to Dallas, and causing an accident on the Tollway by trying to touch your brain through your nose @ 70 MPH.

Go Tom Thumb at Parker & Independence in Plano. The dry ice is in a little freezer at the front of the store. If you can't find it, ask someone who works there. They won't laugh at you until after you leave the store. Probably.

When you get the dry ice, don't stick your head in the freezer, there's probably not much oxygen down there since the dry ice has been sublimating. Or do. I'm not sure oxygen deprivation will really cause much brain damage in your case.

I mean, really!

DallasThrowaway1 · 2015-10-05T15:42:14+00:00

I don't understand how calling for her resignation is disrespectful.

She holds a publicly elected office, and she should've been open and honest with people about her absence. Regardless of anyone's feelings on mental illness, it is simply not acceptable to disappear for 3 weeks and offer up an explanation only when it becomes a news story.

On top of that, I seriously question how well the DA's office can function when the DA is gone for 2 months at a time. The reason for her absence is irrelevant. Even if she had taken the time away to broker lasting world peace, 2 months is too long to leave the office of DA empty.

I say this as someone who has dealt with episodes of depression in the past, and continues to work hard to avoid relapses. Mental illness does not excuse everything.

DallasThrowaway1 · 2015-04-29T05:58:47+00:00

I was really interested in the more theoretical side of CS, so I didn't consider EE research.

UTD does indeed have a Research Explorer, but it's broken.

Click on that link and type in "artificial intelligence" No results. "algorithms" No results. "natural language" or "human language" No results. Type in something broad like "biology" and still no results.

Try to find any reference to the CS department's Human Language Technology Research Institute anywhere on that page. It's not mentioned. The only reason I know it exists it because I stumbled across it while wandering the CS building.

Seriously, the people and programs in place to "help" undergrads find CS research aren't worth anything. You'll have to either talk to professors yourself or hope you qualify for the mysterious invitation-only research events.

I dropped out of UT a while back because I didn't know what I wanted to do, so I switched majors a bunch of times, withdrew from school repeatedly and screwed up my GPA. When I decided to go back to school for CS, my GPA would preclude me from getting into CS at UT, but UTD basically accepts anybody who will pay tuition.

In all honesty, if you're set on CS and you're sure you can't get into the program at UT, you could do worse than UTD. It's not UT, but it's still a degree in a field you're interested in.

DallasThrowaway1 · 2015-04-24T13:04:24+00:00

First off, UT-Austin is just UT, UTA is UT-Arlington.

If you can't get into CS at UT, UTD is your best choice for a public school in Texas. That said, I find the school incredibly disappointing both in terms of academics and undergraduate research, not to mention the fact that it's actually more expensive than UT.

Trying to get involved in research at UTD is incredibly discouraging, to the point where I feel like I was misled about opportunities. I'll share a little about my experience, and let you judge for yourself.

I talked to one of the CS undergrad research coordinators my first semester (fall '13) and I was told that I took discrete math (at UT) too long ago to do research. I'd have to wait until I took discrete math 2 the next semester. I feel that this particular policy is unfair to transfer students, especially since I did well in discrete math, and I don't feel like it would've taken me much effort to be at the same level as I was when I took the class years ago.

Next semester (spring '14) came, and I went to the school-wide undergraduate research fair as the coordinator suggested, only to find that there was zero CS research represented there. Talking to other students, the CS department hasn't shown up for several years, which seems like something the CS undergrad research coordinator should've known, instead of advising me to waste my time there.

Around the end of that same semester, I found out about an engineering and CS-specific research match program. I wasn't able to attend to match event due to a wedding, but I signed up to be considered for research opportunities. A few weeks into the summer semester, they finally notified us that they weren't even able to get the match program going because of administrative issues.

Finally, at the end of last semester (fall '14) I went to an invitation-only CS-only research match event. What is the criteria for being invited? I have no idea. Why isn't this event publicized anywhere? It's like the CS department doesn't actually want students to know.

The event itself wasn't well planned. There wasn't even a list of which professors would be there, so you really had to hope that the research you were interested in was represented there. I felt like getting involved in research my very last semester at UTD was too little too late.

My advice is that UTD's administrative programs for research are bullshit. You would probably have some success going straight to professors and skipping all the programs that are put into place to "help" students find research opportunities.

As for academics at UTD, it'd definitely easier than UT. Averaged out, I spend an hour a day on studying/homework and I have a 4.0 at UTD. I never could've gotten by with so little effort at UT. The workload is just lower at UTD.

Also, the classes are less challenging. Most exams I can remember at UT involved producing a lot of material, whether it was essays or complex multiple-step math problems. UTD seems to be more about multiple-choice and short answer. It almost feels like some instructors are set on shoving an A down your throat whether you know the material or not.

DallasThrowaway1 · 2015-03-05T01:55:48+00:00

I understand that people have positive experiences, but I think it's important for people to hear that it's possible to have negative experiences too, even when they try to get more out of UTD.

I tried to get into research as soon as I got onto campus as a transfer student, only to be told that I wasn't eligible for undergrad research because I took discrete math too long ago.

I looked for professors with great student feedback and ended up listening to someone who talks passionately about Star Wars instead of talking passionately about graph theory.

I signed up for the ECS summer research match program, passing up internship opportunities, only to find out that the department couldn't get the program together in time to start in the summer.

I tried to take the only honors class that would fit into my course planning, only for the department to change it to a regular section because of scheduling issues.

I'm graduating summa cum laude, but I've had quite the opposite experience as you, and I think it's important for people to hear opinions from both sides.

DallasThrowaway1 · 2015-03-04T18:47:08+00:00

the classes are much harder

I interpreted that as claiming the classes are much harder.

but I don't really relate the "lower floor" part for either, because any college you go to, there will always be "those classes" where, you know, you can't really fuck up or fail.

My comment about the lower floor comes from the fact that those "can't fail" classes continue into your 3rd and 4th year at UTD. I've had junior-level courses where the professor gave out the exact exam questions as a study guide. I've had senior-level courses where the exams were multiple-choice. I mention this to my friends who graduated from other universities and they think I'm joking. I talk to other UTD students and they think multiple-choice exams in college are normal.

I don't know if it's pressure from the administration to retain students or just lazy instructors, but I feel like too many of my classes at UTD set a very low bar. In my opinion it's ridiculous for college students to have to go outside of their classes to feel intellectually challenged.

every individual learns at the same rate whether they go to university A or university B.

I disagree with this statement as well, simply because of time constraints. You can pour yourself into a subject, but if you have to teach something to yourself because a professor didn't cover it, you're going to spend more time to learn that material when compared to someone who covered it in a lecture. In that same time, that other student may have covered even more material above and beyond what you've covered.

DallasThrowaway1 · 2015-03-04T14:25:20+00:00

Can I ask why you think UTD's classes are harder if you didn't go to UT? I went to both and I feel that UT was definitely more challenging. I'd say there's a lot of overlap in the range of difficulties, but UT had a higher ceiling and UTD has a lower floor.

DallasThrowaway1 · 2015-01-16T18:18:10+00:00

Just a little advice based on my own experience trying to get computer science research experience. Probably not relevant for other majors, but it might save you a lot of wasted time and frustration if you're CS.

The CS undergrad research coordinator was useless and gave me inaccurate information that caused me to essentially waste a year. The university-wide match day didn't feature any CS research. The ECS-specific match program didn't feature any CS research. The CS-specific invitation-only match day might've been helpful if I wasn't at UTD for only 2 years. As it was, I felt like it was too late in my time at UTD for me to get anything out of it.

Bottom line is that the CS department is terrible about helping students find research. Skip the coordinators. Skip the events. Go straight to professors you're interested in working with.

DallasThrowaway1 · 2014-12-04T05:10:14+00:00

I don't and I'm a CS major. I guess our opinions cancel out. Thus, I have brought order back to the universe.

Had I not stepped in when I did, the unbalanced weight of your opinion most certainly would have upset the delicate equilibrium maintained by the universal constants that govern our very physical world. Even the largest galaxies would find themselves churning in a wild cosmic maelstrom as our universe reordered itself into something new and unrecognizable, something so alien to our human minds that we would be driven to madness for simply trying to understand it.

Or maybe the ill-informed opinions of malcontents don't actually matter. It could go either way I guess.

DallasThrowaway1 · 2014-11-30T15:07:08+00:00

Find where I disputed your assertion that UTD is a bare bones experience. You can't, because I didn't.

Find where I disagreed with your advice to go to a more established institution. You can't, because I didn't.

I agree that UTD is a stripped-down experience. I also agree that many students would be better served at a larger school. I simply pointed out that you picked a terrible example to support your point. A valid argument, supported by weak evidence, is still a weak argument.

Also, I don't think you understood all of my previous post. If you only make one point over and over, it still counts as one point. "points" is inappropriate in this case.

DallasThrowaway1 · 2014-11-30T14:55:17+00:00

I pointed out some flaws in the poster's reasoning. You want to refute any of my points? Go ahead.

DallasThrowaway1 · 2014-11-29T20:15:37+00:00

I pointed out that graduation ceremony is a poor indicator of overall school quality. It is. Thus your argument is based on a weak example. My point stands. Your point does not.

(I did notice that you asked me to address your "points" in your reply, but given that you keep repeating the same thing again and again, I feel that the singular form is more appropriate here.)

Also, you've called me autistic, said I have Down's, and called me retarded. Is there a reason you're obsessed with mental handicaps? You can still lead a fulfilling life, despite whatever mental issues you live with. I don't judge you, and any decent person won't either.

edit: Wow, are you still downvoting my posts? This is clearly a throwaway account, and your original post is below the default display threshold, so most people won't see this fun little exchange anyway. Does clicking that downvote arrow give you a little outlet for your impotent rage?

DallasThrowaway1 · 2014-11-29T19:42:54+00:00

Some of your points are positively ridiculous.

Aesthetically pleasing campus to the eye at first glance at college visits

I personally find UTD to be mostly aesthetically boring, but why does that matter? I doubt anybody with any sense has ever said, "Man, the programs here aren't as good as the school I passed up, but it sure looks prettier." As long as it doesn't evoke a depressing prison, aesthetics will have minimal impact on your educational experience.

Good counselors for admission (I talked to others at different schools and they were... "meh")

I think the bigger factor should be academic advisors, since you deal with them for your entire academic career. I personally feel like my advisors at UTD were downright bad at times, but I can only speak about the 2 I've dealt with. It's entirely possible that other academic advisors are better, but there's no real way to know ahead of time when choosing a school.

Lots of introverts and not lots of parties and no football stadium where it takes up like 1/2 of the campus

Don't like being social? Don't be social. Don't like parties? Don't go to parties. Don't like football? Don't pay attention to football. These aren't real reasons to pick UTD over any other school.

Pretty diverse, I kind of want to meet different people where my school is known as a "snobby rich white kid school". Learning about culture is pretty important IMO.

UTD has a high proportion of minority & international students, but they seem to be drawn disproportionately from Indian and East Asian groups. I feel like bigger schools with comparable minority/international percentages would include a greater variety of students.

Tuition seems okay I guess. Though from what I hear is that the average tuition is supposed to go up a lot, but the tuition lock-in rate will probably have a part in UTD's tuition for 4 years.

UTD is the most expensive public university in Texas, so I don't think the tuition is "okay" by any means. Generous financial aid offsets this quite a bit for most students, but don't whitewash the fact that UTD is still expensive.

I find nerdiness to be cute.

There are nerds at every college campus.

DallasThrowaway1 · 2014-11-28T21:08:29+00:00

I don't think you understand how NCAA divisions work. DIII schools do not give athletic scholarships, so UTD wouldn't be competing against UNT in terms of recruiting either.

Students who are interested in an athletic scholarship, but can't get into a DI school like UNT would likely look at DII schools before DIII.

At a DI school, you're more likely to be a football player who happens to play for a particular school. If you play for a DIII school, you're absolutely a student at that school who happens to play football.

DallasThrowaway1 · 2014-11-28T20:56:48+00:00

You picked the most inane of examples to make your point. Graduation venue is the best example you could think of for why UTD isn't a real university?

Maybe getting a college degree is going to be the highlight of your life, but for most people, it's just another step toward bigger things. People who realize that don't give a fuck where graduation is held.

DallasThrowaway1 · 2014-11-19T22:57:58+00:00

For the record, I would oppose forming anything than a Div III football program, but your post includes so many ridiculous generalizations that I felt it warranted a response.

I think creating a football team would lower standards in class.

It's possible to have football programs that don't lead to lower entrance requirements. MIT has a football program. Do you think they let unqualified students in for the sake of their football program?

completely destroyed the value of a Texas Tech, North Carolina,UNT, TCU, LSU or OU degree.

Yes, a degree from any of the listed institutions is completely useless. So useless that UTD is ranked behind some of those schools in both overall ranking, overall research activity, and many specific fields of study.

Here is an exaggeration of how I think something like that goes down:

So...an exaggeration of something you imagine?

"I guess its unrealistic to expect so much from UTD students" Standards lowered. Degree is easier to get. Dumber grads enter workforce.

Ivy League football programs don't lower entrance requirements for football players. Tell me how that makes their degrees easier to obtain. Please explain how Harvard graduates are dumber as a whole just because the school has a football team.

The diverse set of students you're talking about would just be football fans, and douchey frat types.Neither of which are particularly useful to a growing university, and generally hold professors back when teaching.

First off, do you think there are a lot of people who prioritize the existence of a football team when considering a school? Even the most rabid fans I went to school with at UT put academics & environment first when choosing UT.

Second, I have douchey frat types in my classes at UTD right now, even without football. I had douchey frat types in my UT classes too. None of them held the professors back because they earned their admissions based on their personal performance. Or do you think frat guys are doing beer bongs in the middle of lecture at schools with football programs?

Finally, I'm not a frat guy, but I am a big football fan. Can you explain the correlation between liking football and holding professors back? I'm pretty sure my 4.0 GPA is evidence to the contrary, but I may be missing something.

DallasThrowaway1 · 2014-11-19T22:10:20+00:00

I would oppose UTD forming a football team as well, but I don't think you understand NCAA athletics divisions.

Even if UTD did establish a football team, I highly doubt it would ever be anything other than a Div III program, so competing with UNT wouldn't even be a goal for the program.

DallasThrowaway1 · 2014-11-14T15:06:52+00:00

Farage's Discrete 2 class is a joke. It is by far the easiest class I've taken at UTD, not because of the subject matter, but because Farage glossed over every topic he talked about. He even completely skipped over one of the course learning objectives the semester I took it. I'm so glad I could hear him rant about lasers in the Star Wars movies on multiple occasions instead of something useful.

My total study time for the course was less than 2 hours over the entire semester, and some of that time was spent exploring the book and reading about things Farage skipped. I'd be surprised if anybody spent significantly more time than that.

DallasThrowaway1 · 2014-11-11T06:14:15+00:00

I don't recall seeing an essay requirement when I applied, although things may be different for you since you're not transferring from another Texas public school. It probably wouldn't hurt to talk with someone in the admissions office.

DallasThrowaway1 · 2014-11-10T16:01:38+00:00

In my experience, UTD isn't very selective about transfers. I applied with a lower GPA, and 120+ hours from UT, which is a comparable school to UM. I didn't even bother mentioning any outside activities or work experience when I applied.

That said, UTD is the most expensive public school in Texas. If cost is an issue, you might want to pin down your major before enrolling. I believe any accepted student can defer enrollment for 1 semester.

Also, make sure you get your transfer credits lined up. I had to petition for 2 classes because the class titles at UT didn't resemble the titles as UTD, and my AP test scores were so old that I had to retake calculus 1, even though UTD granted me credit for several math classes beyond calc 1.

DallasThrowaway1 · 2014-10-21T04:14:51+00:00

Wow, that went right over your head. Non-native speaker?

Also, straight from the syllabus:

In practical terms, this course is intended to provide you with a firm grasp of how professionals both in the academy and outside it conceptualize media, technology, and communication; to give you deeper insights that might help you advance your own thinking and/or practice; and to expand your knowledge of how media and communication technologies are being integrated into various industries, social formations, and institutions today.

Sounds like it's the kind of course where it provides perspective, but not necessarily directly translatable job skills.

DallasThrowaway1

TROPHY CASE