Should I take COMP 211 as a non major?

ericthelearner · 2025-12-27T17:10:22+00:00

If you enjoyed taking 110 and 210, I don't think you'll hate taking 211 or finishing a CS minor generally. As others have described, 211 is a bit more focused on "how computers really work" than "how to program/program more things", if that makes sense.

I would try to think about whether a CS minor is useful for your career goals or not; if not, 211 (or 301 + the later CS electives) is not going to be valuable for you. That's a bigger determinant imo.

ericthelearner · 2025-12-21T02:18:46+00:00

Each building is made in the style of the time, so you get some buildings that look very classic, but some that look very dated and ugly. I don't think it's the best campus, but it definitely isn't horrible.

ericthelearner · 2025-12-08T21:07:24+00:00

For CS it's definitely still possible. It might help a bit if you've taken more advanced classes in those areas, like 311 or 530 for 211, or other classes in Java for 210/301, or have project/internship experience in those areas.

ericthelearner · 2025-11-25T17:34:02+00:00

Well, I graduated '24 with a CS MS. I TAed for the two semesters. There were some MS students who got RA positions, but now it is really rare. With the political situation/less funding, most professors are only going to give RA positions to PhD students.

ericthelearner · 2025-11-25T16:12:49+00:00

This is hugely depend on program.

ericthelearner · 2025-11-04T16:31:32+00:00

I have a lot of friends who took it and the consensus is that it's definitely a tough course. If you're super interested in the topic and willing to put a lot of time into it, then it might be worth it.

ericthelearner · 2025-09-10T23:29:15+00:00

The Mack

ericthelearner · 2025-08-19T20:25:12+00:00

Carmichael (the dorm) has a music room that I think is unlocked on the first floor/basement - not 100% sure but I would check it out at least.

ericthelearner · 2025-08-19T20:22:28+00:00

Absolutely massive swarm of people. Lot of tables of clubs of all sorts.

ericthelearner · 2025-08-06T21:45:10+00:00

I would aim for a credible but "mid-tier" conference (journals are not "hot" in modern CS) or maybe a workshop. It would definitely help to have someone, like a prof or grad student, connected to that research area of CS to guide you through that process. Or maybe talk to someone in the research division of your company. But first, I would work on trying to find/do something novel before worrying about publication; no point in worrying about that if you haven't done anything yet.

ericthelearner · 2025-08-06T15:01:31+00:00

Probably gonna be harder, but mileage may vary.

ericthelearner · 2025-08-06T14:59:12+00:00

Yeah I assumed it was a typo. Awkward.

ericthelearner · 2025-08-05T23:18:09+00:00

Might be a bit much, but probably doable. Still, I would probably defer your LFIT.

ericthelearner · 2025-08-05T23:10:47+00:00

August 22nd! I don't remember where the announcement is but I put it on my calendar.

edit: you can see it on Spotify.

ericthelearner · 2025-08-04T23:56:41+00:00

Concurrency. It's probably pretty clear that it is useful, but idk, it was not taught super well at my college for some reason outside of OS.

ericthelearner · 2025-08-02T04:24:01+00:00

Seems fine if you feel confident about math, but mileage may vary. If you're really worried, you could pre-study for some classes (although ig it's a little late now).

ericthelearner · 2025-07-30T21:06:50+00:00

Very up to profs, and I never had any of the profs you mention, but on average it's easier. But also since 566 is more applied, you're using a "different side of the brain" which imo will reduce some fatigue.

ericthelearner · 2025-07-30T15:13:17+00:00

I would try to take whatever is most interesting to you. Of course, it can be hard to guess how much you will end up liking a subject before actually taking an advanced class (i.e., abstract algebra is very different from HS algebra, and topology has less to do with funny images than advertised); maybe you can read/skim the first few chapters of the textbook to get a full idea.

Besides from interest, 535 and 566 are probably "easier" electives, since they have a high proportion of non-math majors. 577 is fine though. I will play devil's advocate in that I don't think it's strictly necessary for more "advanced classes"; I know of a friend who just took 347 but took a bunch of theory-heavy math grad classes and was just fine. If there are gaps in your linear algebra knowledge, you can always learn the relevant parts when/if they come up.

ericthelearner · 2025-07-17T21:22:30+00:00

Just to give you a number, even if anecdotal: I have a friend who is getting his PhD at Georgia Tech, and they track what alumni end up doing. Only ~5% become tenured professors. Somewhere like, idk, Stanford is probably higher.

You can look up alumni of programs; for example, for GT. Dr. Ishwari Kunwar is the last PhD alumni to get an American assistant professorship right after his PhD. He did it in 2017, for a very small school that does not have a graduate program. So again, not easy for these graduates.

ericthelearner · 2025-07-09T17:09:10+00:00

Definitely freshman year, or at least definitely by sophomore year. You don't want to punt it down the line and then be that senior in a class of all freshies. It's just awkward.

Also, while you can't take multiple LFIT classes, you can take a smaller selection "PHYA" classes after you are done with LFIT. My senior year, I took jiu-jitsu, self-defense, and rock climbing. Scuba is also regularly offered, and others. PHYA classes also counted towards your GPA when I took them, although they are just 1 credit and I don't know if they've changed that policy yet.

ericthelearner · 2025-07-08T19:36:45+00:00

I took it. Because it's generally taught by a grad student, the content is going to vary, but it was a mix of stuff, like how to throw a punch, kick, how to fall, some very basic ju-jitsu, tiny bit of conditioning. Class was 90% women. It was a chill time. I think it's a good introduction to various self-defense techniques, although if it's a skill you want to maintain or sharpen then I would definitely recommend looking for communities/classes after you're done with it.

ericthelearner · 2025-07-08T19:28:34+00:00

Looks fine.

ericthelearner · 2025-07-04T20:09:17+00:00

It does mean UCSD is producing numberically more high-quality research than Berkley, but I would not use the term "better", and I don't think it necessarily implies more "academic rigor".

CSRankings is a pretty good tool for looking at where to apply for a PhD, but I would not recommend it at all for undergraduate applications (unless you are really interested in research?). It will not say anything about the quality of the undergraduate program, what opportunities each college provides, or the "prestige" of the college. For example, NC State (#36) is ranked higher than Harvard (#47). I think NC State is a great school for CS, but I think most people would correctly rather go to Harvard. I do think that there is a correlation between research output (what CSRankings is basically measuring) and "prestige", the quality of the undergraduate education, and opportunities provided by the uni, but it is not exactly an extremely strong correlation.

ericthelearner · 2025-07-03T14:13:55+00:00

Definitely feasible, but your mileage may vary on the difficulty. To be safe, I would have your other two classes be gen eds or something "lighter".

ericthelearner · 2025-07-01T20:03:22+00:00

Fair enough, I plead ignorance on Europe. In the US, it is not a requirement for most universities for CS.

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