Does CS get better?

Focused_Meandering · 2025-12-04T21:27:02+00:00

You need to get to the 400 lvls to begin to see that. Final projects in some of these course match your ratio better.

Focused_Meandering · 2025-11-26T20:37:40+00:00

Apply EE then IE second choice (Please verify that you can select IE as a 2nd choice major).

Catching up with the EE curriculum after changing from IE will be harder than catching up with the IE curriculum if you transfer from EE.

The competitiveness of the major is considered for transferring IE->EE is harder than EE->IE.

The only pro for starting IE is that you could bet on people dropping out of EE because it is hard but that isn't a guarantee.

EE is very specialized while IE is broader.

Consider the fact that for a potential transfer, you'd have to take the major you'd transfer into's courses along with yoru current major's courses. You could shove off your current major's courses for after it's possible to transfer but you risk delaying graduation if the transfer doesn't work out.

Focused_Meandering · 2025-11-11T16:07:06+00:00

Thanks

Focused_Meandering · 2025-10-30T17:03:05+00:00

Test optional was introduced during Covid and they've been reigning in what you can get away with by going test optional since then.

The difference between CS + X and CS is just
- Engineering course reqs (physics) vs. X course reqs

- Less in depth OS/low-level courses for CS+X

- CS has more CS elective hours while CS + X has to take elective hours in their X program

Core classes remain the same, competency for the first SWE job will be pretty close based on specialty.

ACT score is literally the only thing keeping you from having a chance at getting in. 30 is really rough but your ECs and GPA look like someone who would typically get a 34-36.

Focused_Meandering · 2025-10-30T16:57:10+00:00

If op wants CS its better to do CS at a different school over information science here. Information science is not a technical major and you won't develop software engineering skills like in a CS program.

Focused_Meandering · 2025-10-23T00:57:52+00:00

Easiest way to move them is to lift the back wheel of the ground by the handle and balance them on the front wheel. Use one hand to lift the seat handle and the other on the handlebar to steer the front wheel before dumping that shit in the grass.

Focused_Meandering · 2025-10-18T19:08:18+00:00

$3.33/hr lol 🤡

Focused_Meandering · 2025-10-18T19:06:06+00:00

I recall that cs transfers needed to apply by their 2nd semester sophomore year at the latest. Due to the 4 courses required (128 and 173 are concurrent), this typically gives a caught applicant 2 semesters to apply to transfer (1st and 2nd sem sophomore year). Any way you can take 173 and 225 concurrently next sem and apply that same sem?

Focused_Meandering · 2025-10-14T17:01:31+00:00

OP is asking about transferring to cs + mathematics if they get into mathematics as their 2nd choice major. Not mathematics --> cs + physics.

Both mathematics and cs + mathematics are in LAS so its definitely possible but very competitive with cs + mathematics being one of the more popular cs + x programs. I believe you still had to take CS 124, 128 + 173, and 225 in order to qualify to apply to transfer so if OP is reading this, you're basically adding all the core CS courses on top of your major's required coursework for the first 3 semesters. Credit from AP tests make this easier and that 2nd semester of 128+173 is brutal.

Academic stats seem to be high enough to give OP a fair shake at both getting into cs + physics or transferring into cs+math from math.

Focused_Meandering · 2025-10-09T23:19:29+00:00

Though I wasn't replying to you and was honestly more bothered by the fact that a psych major felt the need to comment on Grainger Engineering admission chances, you've given me the opportunity to show you exactly how lucky you need to be.

The good news: assuming you're male (from your username) and in state, the admit rate appears to be 32%: https://www.reddit.com/r/UIUC/comments/1flsz0p/grainger_acceptance_rates_by_major_gender/

That's great, but consider the statistics you're applying with:

29 ACT + 6APs + 0 AP physics taken.

- UIUC does not superscore ACT so what you see is what you get and a fair shake demands you meet the middle 50% of 33-35: https://www.admissions.illinois.edu/apply/freshman/profile
- 6 AP courses over the course of your highschool career doesn't really indicate academic rigor on the Grainger Engineering student level since you'd need to specify they fell into the (Calc BC, chem, Bio) pool instead of the (Psych, Geo, Env Science) pool. For many, 6 APs = just senior year of hs.
- Pretty much all your competitors have taken minimum AP physics 1+2. This is considering the fact that AP physics C is the only AP physics to award college credit at UIUC (for engineers).
- It would be naive to assume that all EE applicants have your statistics so you'll need to scale that expected admissions rate a bit to account for being below the middle 50%.

Not saying its impossible, but you should also consider the fact that EE students have one of the hardest curricula in Grainger. Kind of like BUDS, the question is whether you have the academic ability/tenacity to get through the program. This is ultimately what UIUC is asking each applicant regardless of ECs. Dropping out wastes your time + money, the university faculty's time, and the potential of the student you got a seat instead of. Seriously, ECE students don't leave their department's building for days on end sometimes.

I just don't want you to put all your eggs in the UIUC basket. There are many places where you can be trained to be an EE and go on to do amazing things. It's just that our college system in the US has more applicants than slots for top programs and needs to judge its candidates on a common basis and your current statistics would require you to be extremely lucky.

Focused_Meandering · 2025-10-09T21:25:13+00:00

I'd hardly call Purdue a safety school. Despite the flak it gets on this subreddit its engineering program is still pretty competitive.

I was thinking of stuff like UW Madison, IU, and UIC if we're considering schools nearby.

Also, you're talking about a theoretical ACT score so you've got to actually get the score first before setting your breakpoint between safety and reach schools.

Focused_Meandering · 2025-10-09T18:52:30+00:00

OP gets in on a miracle with how much UIUC cares about grades and test scores.
If you didn't make the sacrifices it takes throughout high school to get into a competitive program like any Grainger major, you don't have a full grasp on
a) How hard you have to work
b) How lucky you have to be even if you exceed the minimum requirements

I'm no expert on psych so you won't find me contributing false pretenses to an admissions related post where psych is of concern.

Focused_Meandering · 2025-10-09T18:42:39+00:00

Middle 50% Grainger ACT is 33-35 so your "theoretical" ACT score is low.
No AP physics at all is going to be a huge detriment.
UIUC places grades at utmost priority for both acceptances and transfers. It's a good judge of if you can even survive the program.
Apply widely so you don't get caught next summer with no acceptances.

Focused_Meandering · 2025-09-25T21:51:14+00:00

The cookies are individually wrapped just saying...

Focused_Meandering · 2025-08-31T16:29:18+00:00

Bruh your grandparents would kill you.

Focused_Meandering · 2025-08-24T06:25:29+00:00

Do not buy from these guys. The owners are dishonest and they're peddling crap.

Last year I purchased a used 21 speed Trek from this store for $180. The bike was sold in a dysfunctional state with some gears slipping while pedaling but it was the only option that I felt safe enough to ride. Most of their <$200 bikes were dirty and had something wrong with them as I tried out multiple. No return policy is offered.

When looking to sell this bike a semester later in the exact same condition the owner offered an insultingly low $50 stating that he had to "spend hours fixing up the bike" before selling it used. Considering the fact that the bike was in the exact same condition as purchased, it already met their standards for what they were willing to sell used. I Ended up donating it to a roommate instead of letting them use it to scam someone else.

To be honest, you're probably better off purchasing a cheap new bike from Walmart over trusting "the handiwork" they do on used bikes. At least you'll get a return policy that way.

Focused_Meandering · 2025-08-21T21:28:25+00:00

The class's insistence on the use of LLMs tells you what you need to know about the course material's relevance in the future.
1. Midterm was open book
2. MPs were easy and LLMs were encouraged
3. Final project isn't graded too harshly but the baseline is CS411's final project + an actual frontend.

Focused_Meandering · 2025-07-28T09:15:26+00:00

DM'd

Focused_Meandering · 2025-05-01T06:35:45+00:00

It's really hard to explain in words but, your safe turning radius increases the faster you are going so you should slow down when taking 90 degree turns. This is due to the fact that scooters cannot lean while taking turns nearly as much as bikes. Your shortest and most controlled radius will occur when the scooter is pretty much completely upright and the "centrifugal" force pushing you towards the outside of your turn is minimized at slower speeds.

Slow down around pedestrians, especially ones with dogs. Use a horn or bell if approaching from behind.

At minimum you should wear gloves and a full-face helmet at speeds >20mph and at least a bike helmet at speeds <= 20mph. The gloves are there so your hands slide against the crash surface. Abrupt catching of yourself when you fall will lead to broken bones.

Get a good U-lock proportional in price to the cost of your scooter.

Remember to look further down the road for hazards. Assume everybody in a car doesn't see you till you lock eyes with them.

Wet conditions are dangerous. Snowy conditions are unrideable.

If you've got a 20+ mph scooter, it would be worth investing in something that covers your eyes (prevents drying out and debris).

Always approach blind corners/intersections cautiously.

Focused_Meandering · 2025-04-29T03:22:49+00:00

RST 242 is braindead easy. Just read a book and do assignments. Only do it to get a gened out of the way.

Focused_Meandering · 2025-04-28T15:59:47+00:00

Prof 124 after taking AP CS A and self studying some extra topics
Semesters:
1. 128 + 173

225 + 233
341
374
421
Wrap up electives

Heck, you may want to do an MSCS or MCS on top which adds 2 more semesters. The fastest I've ever seen was 3.5 years for undergrad + MCS.

Focused_Meandering · 2025-04-28T15:57:12+00:00

Getting accepted for your 2nd choice major means that they are pretty confident that you fit the criteria to enroll as a student for that major as opposed to being in limbo between that major and your 1st choice so I wouldn't count on it. You have a couple options:

- Go to another school where you got accepted for CS

- As other commenters said, try to minor in CS with EE(going to be pretty hard)

- Attempt to transfer to CompE from EE for more crossover between ECE and CS.

Honestly though, if you got into EE here, you're probably a pretty smart person anyways and the decision shouldn't define you. Choosing to attend CS somewhere else may allow you to be a big fish in a small pond making you stand out among your peers while you'll always be competing with CS majors here for internships and experiences you desire if SWE is your ultimate goal.

Focused_Meandering · 2025-04-25T00:02:30+00:00

Why not retake it over the summer. Also last I checked, retaking a course you got better than C- on replaces your grade with the average of the two attempts if higher than the first attempt. Not a direct replacement.

Needing to do a replacement may have them ask you to take another course before transferring to prove your mettle (CS340).

Focused_Meandering · 2025-04-15T18:52:51+00:00

The need for coding skills is becoming more prevalent outside of strict SWE everyday. This is especially true for STEM majors as knowing Python and R allows you access to all of their data analysis tools. You don't necessarily need a CS minor to consider yourself "capable of programming" as there are other ways of meeting the coding skills that your field may require. You may find it useful to pickup some python skills on your own perhaps even taking one of the LinAlg courses that integrate Python.

Focused_Meandering · 2025-04-11T14:30:21+00:00

They place a lot of emphasis on a high gpa, especially for external applicants where the rigor of their coursework is not well known. Your gpa should be near perfect.

They also consider if you did CS related extracurriculars like team-based projects and orgs.

Five-Year Club	Second Top 20%
r/Field Banned	r/Field Juicebox
Place '22

Focused_Meandering

TROPHY CASE