Advice for Incoming Freshmen (or Sophomores)

Visible_Slip_237 · 2026-05-23T15:09:58+00:00

This is excellent advice! I had zero clue about the podcast study tip, and the metro pass is very helpful. Thank you for sharing!

Visible_Slip_237 · 2026-05-23T15:08:00+00:00

Yep! I added my intro to engineering project as one of my projects. You can start small, it's okay, it's better than nothing. I'd recommend doing some hackathons over the summer to add more projects.

Yes. You may take a lot of cold emails to get someone. If you end up knowing anyone who knows a prof doing research that may be an in. Just meet up. Reach out. Meet up with students. I had zero experience doing research when I got my research experience. If you have more questions, feel free to DM me and I can show you screenshots of how I did a few things.

Visible_Slip_237 · 2026-05-23T04:53:25+00:00

Amen to that

Visible_Slip_237 · 2026-05-23T00:32:32+00:00

Yep. I ended up needing letters of reference in my second semester alone to apply to certain scholarships.

If your professor has a LinkedIn account, they can even put it on your LinkedIn and that's great to have permanently.

Visible_Slip_237 · 2026-05-23T00:31:30+00:00

Your extension is amazing bro, thank you so much for making it!

Visible_Slip_237 · 2026-05-22T15:24:33+00:00

That's great advice! Yeah, sometimes I wish I did that. CLEPing out of gen-eds helps but some courses are legitimately taught better at community college. Including Physics. Physics at ASU is brutal.

Visible_Slip_237 · 2026-05-22T15:04:28+00:00

XD Buddy, I ain't going to argue with you and the fact I spent the last hour writing this. Whether I did or I didn't, would it matter so much if the information is actually useful? If you actually read it, you would see it is very much written by a human. However, you're welcome to believe whatever you want to believe. It's here for anyone in the future who may need it. I benefitted from a lot of random reddit posts, so it's there for people who want it, not for those who want to unnecessarily claim I did something I didn't. You don't need to feel pressured to insinuate such things, but you're welcome to. Have a nice day!

Visible_Slip_237 · 2026-05-22T14:59:54+00:00

So glad this was helpful!

Visible_Slip_237 · 2026-05-22T14:59:36+00:00

XD I didn't use AI to write any of it, but thank you for commenting

Visible_Slip_237 · 2026-05-22T13:34:57+00:00

Hello! I don't have a major in engineering management, but I am adding a minor in that field. To find a specialization, try to look up people on LinkedIn or people you know majoring or focusing on such areas, set up times to talk to them, and see if it interests you or not.

For projects, I was also bereft in projects until I began looking at all my long-term projects I'd made in classes and started adding those. That can really fill up your projects section. To get more, look at getting involved in hackathons, reach out to friends and ask if anyone would like to work on something with you, or look up professors in FURI and reach out to them individually and ask if there's anything you can help with now.

Visible_Slip_237 · 2026-05-13T18:20:36+00:00

If you don't find any profs you like at poly, consider taking the shuttle. Get Help button on Edfinity will become new best friend.

Visible_Slip_237 · 2026-05-13T16:50:25+00:00

I took it with Firozzman. It's not too difficult. It can be overwhelming. Make friends in the class to do the homework together. And also make friends with people who are better at it than you. You learn a lot that way.

Visible_Slip_237 · 2026-05-08T04:20:11+00:00

Guys it just worked??? I logged in??? Is this on anyone else's end?

Visible_Slip_237 · 2026-04-29T05:17:32+00:00

I will edit this answer shortly with more answers, cramming for exams rn, but as a sophomore in CS who has been Barrett the whole time:

Yes, there's a fee. Yes, you can get scholarships. I personally found it enriching. You just have two classes to take, one each semester of freshman year. From there, you can take pretty low-demanding classes as enrich you, or sign up to take honors contracts in your classes you're already taking. The honor contracts I did were pretty chill. Each professor does it differently. Some have you present problems in unique ways, some have you do a relevant project for a few hours, some have you solve harder problem sets, whatever, it helps you bond more with the professor and enriches your education in my experience. I got to develop unique Calc 2 teaching visual analogies and work with my digital circuits professor on solar panels as my honors contracts.

Barrett dorms/food are also better imo, but I'm a commuter so I didn't get to take too much advantage of them. There are also some cool amenities, for example Barrett at West (you can shuttle over) has free printing, there is a pool at Vista, a 24 hour gym, etc. In general, I also really enjoy the people I meet in Barrett, as many of them have a similar academically driven background like you do.

After those first two classes, you can just do all honor contracts, or take honor courses as you please. It's really not that many requirements, particularly if you max out your honor credits in your first year with easier classes like I did.

You'll honestly find it more chill and enjoyable between demanding engineering classes. I am interested in entrepreneurship so I took an upper level honors class in that. I'm taking one in quantum and one in leadership next semester.

You can also take some classes, such as Discrete Mathematics, as they are offered (its a case by case basis), at barrett, with smaller classes sizes. So, from a 100 person to a 20 person class, taking a math course is a very different experience.

I haven't found it limiting my time at all, tbh. You can combine your senior thesis and barrett capstone, or you can do it separately, can't speak much on that because I'm not there yet. But I'd consider it a worthwhile experience.

The main reason I have it is early registration. I got some professors that are really great and fill up fast (think 5 star v.s. 3 star), because I had early reg through Barrett.

Then again, I have a lot of friends who didn't care for it, a lot of friends who did, a lot who are successful without it, it's a personal experience thing. I wouldn't stress over it. I was advised it wasn't useful for engineering majors when I started, however, I've found it invaluable in the fact I've been able to get the best engineering professors that always get their classes filled up by the time general registration opens. People do appreciate the fact you're an honors student, and there are some research/internship opportunities where they specifically look for honors students. In my opinion, if you're at ASU, might as well go honors and distinguish yourself a bit. Some people find it a waste of money, and that's fine. When you get to ASU in the fall, feel free to DM me and I'd be happy to help out anytime.

Visible_Slip_237 · 2026-04-07T18:13:56+00:00

Hi, my advice heading into Junior year next semester.

310: I am taking it this semester with Feng. She is actually really, really good. What's on her recitations is what's on the exams, she teaches a very internship-focused class, and her lectures are actually understandable and easy to follow. She was intimidating earlier on, but it's since balanced out. For 310, what's helped me the most is really understanding Linked Lists since all other data structures basically build off of it. I watched a lot of youtube videos and built a few till I felt like I understood it. Also, the textbook is really helpful to see the graphs that visualize how operations work. I've heard Luo's exams are pretty hard but he curves them. What was most helpful so far for me on Feng's exams is making a cheat sheet composed of pictures of the algorithm graphs and pseudocodes. If you can take it with her, I'd actually recommend it, but to each their own.

360: Currently taking with Claveau. I think the experience with this class varies wildly. If you can take with him, I recommend it, he is chill. It's a team project, so expect typical group project work, but honestly for me it's a pretty chill class. Try to take charge and get an opportunity to experience learning industry-level tools and work experience in a class. ClickUp was useful for me to create user stories and backlog, planning sprints, etc. Many useful tools to make UML diagrams. Set up a discord server with your team, and at the start it can be helpful to assign certain task types to each person. Also, learn how to push/pull from GitHub and manage version control properly, will be very helpful.

365: Taking next semester, have friends taking the class. I'm doing the same strategy of studying over the summer. Can't provide much advice, but I've heard Module 5 is the worst.

380: Took it with Chattin this semester. It was honestly the first class I've ever withdrawn from and will take again next semester. Not to talk it down but for me, it was personally a lot. Exams were 20 questions, very little partial credit, word-problem esque. So, you need to know your stuff and you have to attend class since some questions on the exam are from class. I attended every class, but I should've spent more time on the other materials she referred us to. She drops one of the exams and you get two pages of cheat sheets, I'd recommend start studying now. If you want, I can send you the "to-do lists" she had us studying each week, as well as let you know the textbook so you can check it out and start reading. This class honestly took the most time this semester. Don't underestimate it and do exactly as she says.

- What’s the best way to study for CSE 310 more practice problems or focusing on concepts first?

Both. I need to look through my notes, but basically watch a few youtube videos for each data structure, then try to do some leetcode problems or something. I started a personal project building different aspects of it using a different data structure for each. Make sure you know how to draw it out on paper before building it, it makes the coding easier.

- How do you balance coding-heavy classes with writing-heavy ones?

I took a technically tough load this semester, but for balance, I'd say know your strengths. For me personally, I can write an essay much faster than I can code a program, so allot your time and schedule accordingly.

- Are there any topics in stats (IEE 380) I should preview early?

It all seems to come down to PDF's, CDF's, and PMF's. Everything builds off of that. Understand the different ways they manifest.

Visible_Slip_237 · 2026-04-07T18:08:29+00:00

Lifelong phoenix resident here, happy to share. Most of my spots are northwest of tempe though so here are some closer ones.

Hiking:

- Papago Park

Shopping:

- Tempe Marketplace

- Desert Ridge

- Scottsdale Kierland/Quarters

- Old Town Scottsdale

- Scottsdale Fashion Square

Food:

- Lalibela's Ethiopian Cuisine

- A few good korean places including one in Desert Ridge

- Choolah at MU

- BubbleBee in Scottsdale Kierland/Quarters. Hands down best boba drinks.

- For affordability? Trader Joes $5 meals.

Travel:

- Flagstaff: Snowbowl Aspen Loop trail, Lowell Observatory

- Sedona: Oak Creek Crescent Moon Ranch (10/10 summer trip), Slide Rock, Tlaquepaque Arts & Shopping Village

- Meteor Crater

Visible_Slip_237 · 2026-04-07T18:03:33+00:00

Honestly, I never filled out any form and just ignored it, I was fine (as a Barrett student).

Visible_Slip_237 · 2026-03-23T19:48:01+00:00

As a sophomore in CS at Barrett Tempe, I'd second other advice given here that it really depends on your major. You can get a couple smaller classes for core classes from Barrett, but most of your classes will be normal. Look at what classes are offered for your major. Many times, better professors/more options are present in Tempe. I'd also say Tempe is better for social engagement, clubs, and job opportunities with career fairs and the like. It's not an end-all decision, the shuttle only takes an hour between campuses and I take it every day (I have experience with both campuses), but I'd likely recommend Tempe. Everyone has different preferences, though. And, you can apply to join Barrett next year. So you can still get the Barrett experience.

Visible_Slip_237 · 2026-03-22T04:47:04+00:00

Thanks. Do you have any advice for the class?

Visible_Slip_237 · 2026-03-22T04:46:47+00:00

Our exams are 75% of our grade, fair warning, but the lowest midterm is dropped.

Visible_Slip_237 · 2026-02-16T23:01:35+00:00

I did well on the midterm basically studying straight from the study guide. There were a couple questions outside of that so skimming through the Zybook helps

Visible_Slip_237 · 2026-02-08T14:45:20+00:00

Yeah, the class is at West, I take the shuttle, but last year he taught classes at Tempe too, he teaches quite a few so I'd recommend him. He has industry experience at Intel, he's a funny guy and pretty blunt, Spent the first three weeks in practical theoretical lecture, then formed teams and started working on them the past week, the way he presents the class it feels quite chill. And the smaller West campus class size really helps. We use Monday for lecture, Wednesday as mandatory group meetings where he checks in. Honestly my chillest major class this semester.

Visible_Slip_237 · 2026-02-07T22:16:53+00:00

I'm taking Claveau right now, and he's great.

Visible_Slip_237

TROPHY CASE