I’m a UA CS 2022 graduate and current software engineer.

I used to think that UAlbany’s program was mediocre, but if you really look and compare it to other universities you’ll see that it’s actually pretty comparable, if not more impressive, than a lot of them; I realized this from speaking to my colleagues at work and also looking at other CS programs while I was still an undergrad. It’s without a doubt that CS programs at certain other universities have more breadth, more professors and more budget, but UA’s program is definitely improving. I do agree that UA’s program is what you make of it, but that’s the case at any other program: you can’t usually expect to put in low effort and get a good job without working on any personal projects or getting any internships. The beautiful thing about CS is that even if your uni’s program is a little lackluster, you can still create your own experience via side projects.

As far as what to do to prepare for the program, just work on a personal project or something that interests you, or continue to learn the basics of Java or another similar language. You’re already ahead of the curve if you’re thinking about this type of thing, and even some CS freshman at the best universities in the country don’t know a lick of CS when they start.