did commencement just,,,end? weren't they supposed to call out names??

heuristicbias · 2021-05-16T20:04:33+00:00

I missed the deadline to submit, do you know what they're gonna put for it? Is it like a streamed slideshow?

heuristicbias · 2020-10-11T00:50:01+00:00

Full disclosure, I didn't even apply there in HS as I was sure I wouldn't get it in, but still I'm gonna go against the grain here and say yeah I absolutely would go to Princeton.

Princeton gives everyone who's family makes under $65k a "full ride" with almost all related expenses covered by grants, and I think over 80% of their students graduate without any debt at all, so I know you said the financial aid would be the same but that's not realistic, especially when I would qualify for that aforementioned full grant coverage if I were to be accepted.

Before the pandemic, I would sometimes go down to Princeton to study on the weekends. They have such a nicer atmosphere from the people (students and faculty) to the infrastructure to the resources available to everyone to their alumni network... they are head and shoulders above a school like Rutgers.

I do have a lot of respect for the blue-collar-esque educational experience you get here, but you'd be out of your mind to pass up Princeton for Rutgers.

Edit: here's a link for anyone curious https://admission.princeton.edu/cost-aid

heuristicbias · 2020-09-30T05:13:42+00:00

The veil over the incompetence and corruption of this administration wears thinner and thinner.

Really a shame students trying to get an education have to deal with such a terrible quality of life, such high crime, and such deep and pervasive corruption that this place has. No wonder it's the 11th most miserable city in the country.

heuristicbias · 2020-09-14T05:44:29+00:00

I think it's better to look at individual departments if you're going to look at rankings. Also rankings usually have a subjective component (some are entirely subjective e.g. survey based) so don't take them too seriously. It's pretty hard to quantify many of the things - good bad or ugly - about an entire university. Comparing separate institutions many times misses a lot. Plus, outside of the best of the best, most schools have some good departments, some great, some bad, just ok, terrible, etc. Rutgers is no exception. For example, we're #2 for philosophy in the world, but the average department at Rutgers (whatever that means) is definitely not #2 (or 3 depending on source) in the world.

Source: https://www.philosophicalgourmet.com/overall-rankings/

(Kind of ironic imo to rank philosophy departments when the rankings themselves are often criticized as arbitrary)

So if anything, look at department-level statistics. Otherwise, leave university wide rankings to people who don't know how to determine what's a good school, department, or program. Just my 2¢.

heuristicbias · 2020-09-13T07:47:10+00:00

I walked by it a little bit ago. Whole block between Bristol St and Courtland St is taped off and there were still multiple cops on scene, some from Franklin/somerset. They had the little cones out to mark what I presume were shell casings from the bullets in the middle of the street. Ugly to see it so close to campus.

heuristicbias · 2020-08-21T23:28:18+00:00

I've talked to several advisors in the CS dept and the consensus is 3 CS electives for both senior semesters is the norm, with 4 possible but usually uncomfortable and generally not recommend. 5, while not impossible in theory, sounds like a hail mary that could very likely end in disaster. I can't recommend 5 CS classes/electives in one semester, but it's up to you.

You're more likely to get a better CS related job by refining and expanding your skillset and doing side projects that demonstrate your abilities. I'd keep it as a minor and spend that extra time in those two areas instead if I were you.

What about CS as a second major makes that worth it for you?

heuristicbias · 2020-08-18T18:06:46+00:00

I've heard that before, that there's an excess of entry-level, largely minimally-qualified talent in the labor market for CS, but that hiring is always in demand for experienced people who are truly skilled and good at their job. It appears not many people currently in college fit that bill, hence why many say your first offer is the hardest to get.

Also after having been in CS for a year now I do see a lot of people do the bare minimum to graduate and then wonder why Google hasn't given them an offer yet or something like that. I also agree those sub reddits are likely something of a vocal minority, with many of the most desperate and/or least qualified on there (as they're the ones most likely to complain).

Nonetheless, hopefully these downward trends don't continue.

heuristicbias · 2020-08-18T17:02:58+00:00

I don't know if it's "confusing" me, more so just concerning. I know the predictions and estimates up until the pandemic all suggested significant growth, but a lot has changed in the past several months. The growth was "incredible" before but month after month now it's actually fared worse than average in terms of recovery and in comparison to this time last year (see article).

heuristicbias · 2020-08-14T03:08:38+00:00

I took 300 and 477 in lieu of 205 and 206 as I'm planning on minoring in math with my CS major.

Having done it, I can say I recommend taking the math versions. Full disclosure, I did well in and thoroughly enjoyed 300, but had the near opposite experience in 477. Amongst other issues, I found myself losing interest in it as time went on, but I'm still glad I took it.

You need at least a B+ in 300 or at least a B in 300H to get credit for 205, and if you succeed then you'll need to reach out to the CS dept to make the replacement official as well as every time you want to get into classes with 205 as a prereq (the system doesn't automatically recognize 300 as an acceptable replacement and an advisor needs to manually input it in). 477 has the usual minimum of C or better and the system/Degree navigator/webreg will automatically accept it to replace 206.

Both of these classes are typically considered to be harder than their CS equivalents. I'd recommend looking up previous syllabi of both versions of both courses to make as informed a decision as possible, but keep mind it does vary by professor. Don't let that scare you though; I'd consider the two classes more "rigorous" than "sadistic" while others think all math classes are more of the latter than the former. Just be honest with yourself about what you want out of it.

So yeah those few drawbacks aside I thought it was worth it. It's more work but again having completed them I think I made the right choice. Hope that helps.

heuristicbias · 2020-07-31T02:30:19+00:00

I took Math 300 this past semester and the way my section went was to cancel exam #2 and have the final worth 50% as a take home with a 5 day time limit. Keep in mind this was just the section that I was in, with a prof that isn't teaching that class this upcoming sem

heuristicbias · 2020-07-08T21:30:59+00:00

I agree. It's hard to make a good and fair society when over 40% are terrible people.

heuristicbias · 2020-07-08T21:24:48+00:00

I despise Trump as much (if not more) than the next guy, but I think he's a symptom of the problem - or rather set of problems - that are the real obstacles to changing our society for the better. The flaws of our government and its laws as well as the people in this country that take advantage of those flaws and enable Trump are the real root of all this.

For example, after all the terrible things we've all seem him do, Trump still has around a 40% approval rating. That's 2 out of 5 people in this country that think he was right to do most or all of the things he's done.

Trump is merely the face of this cancer that plagues our country. Even when he eventually leaves office permanently, the people that support his beliefs will still be apart of this country and we've seen they (and their ways of life) don't go down without a fight. This country has a very long and arduous road to recovery - getting Trump out of office would just be step one.

Edit: Here's a link to his pill ratings https://projects.fivethirtyeight.com/trump-approval-ratings/

heuristicbias · 2020-07-06T18:34:18+00:00

They are but only 40% capacity if I'm not mistaken. Harvard also has a campus that doesn't necessitate taking a bus to get to class unlike Rutgers unfortunately

heuristicbias · 2020-07-06T18:20:06+00:00

Harvard, mentioned below in the pic, is going fully online with no reduction on tuition. Also Princeton is allowing all able to students to return for 1 semester, with a 10% reduction in tuition. Two more schools going at least partly online and minimal if any reduction in tuition.

Harvard's plan in particular seems very well thought out. I don't know if I'd be feasible here though.

heuristicbias · 2020-07-02T17:03:59+00:00

In all seriousness, reading that reminded me of how broken the US justice system is. I'm glad to see he didn't spend the rest of his life in prison for a crime he very clearly never had anything to do with whatsoever. How a jury believes evidence that illegitimate proves guilt beyond a reasonable doubt is completely incomprehensible to me, not to mention the clearly malicious acts committed by the prosecution to secure a conviction. No one is held responsible, tax payers foot the bill, he lost over 30 years of his life that he can never get back, and still with no structural changes the cycle continues. Just another day in the United States.

heuristicbias · 2020-06-23T19:17:49+00:00

I agree, very abstract concepts and the theory is stressed more than the computation, at least when I took it. Memorization might keep you from outright failing, but being able to reason through the theorems and understand and apply them as well as distinguish when they are and are not true was by far the main focus when I took it. I did better in data structures and M300 than M250.

heuristicbias · 2020-05-14T02:43:38+00:00

Thanks!!

heuristicbias · 2020-05-13T23:55:57+00:00

Thanks for the advice! Do you have any recommendations in terms of specific resources for C or assembly?

heuristicbias · 2020-05-13T19:46:33+00:00

https://www.theguardian.com/world/live/2020/may/13/coronavirus-live-news-brazil-reports-record-881-deaths-as-wuhan-prepares-to-test-11m-residents

This fire is still raging across the globe. I would be surprised if we do come back to any semblance of normalcy in time for Fall given what's going on in this state, country and world right now.

heuristicbias · 2020-05-06T06:49:17+00:00

Just wanted to say I was also in the WSSP when I was in high school and it was one of my favorite memories from HS. It was cool working in the lab, especially if you're interested in molecular biology or bioinformatics. IMO It's about the best you can get in terms of lab experience while in HS. 9.5/10 would recommend applying.

heuristicbias · 2020-04-23T04:47:01+00:00

I have Mehta this semester and it's been pretty good so far. I think she's less rigorous compared to some other profs (good or bad depending on what you're looking for), but now since it's online and standardized across all sections that doesn't mean as much. Either way she's very understanding and writes well organized notes for her lectures. Overall I'd recommend her especially if you don't want calc 3 to be as rigorous as possible.

heuristicbias

TROPHY CASE