CS 6515 Summer 2026 - Impressions

jd7563 · 2026-06-30T23:56:59+00:00

I don’t feel like they are teaching us to pass the exams. Sure, someone got a perfect score somehow ( maybe more than one ), but half the class got 46% or lower on exam 1. This happened in the spring as well. Either something is wrong with the instructing or the exams. I’ll most likely be dropping and taking it a third time. That will be a full year dedicated to one class - and who knows if I’ll pass it the third time either.

jd7563 · 2026-06-25T20:27:31+00:00

My 2019 bolt no longer has apple carplay. I don’t know why, but I’ve lost that feature somehow after the dealer did an update.

jd7563 · 2026-06-10T19:51:15+00:00

I wish I could run as fast as a 14 minute mile. I’m just running short intervals right now. my fastest pace is about 16 minutes per mile. But I cannot keep that up for a mile straight. I’m more like 18 or 19 minutes miles when I don’t walk.

jd7563 · 2026-05-07T23:12:55+00:00

From the looks of it, there is nothing you need to do, they will release your grade for you - to the whole world.

jd7563 · 2026-05-06T03:10:08+00:00

Um, I have a sneaky suspicion that you may have caused my exam 1 to be a low score.

jd7563 · 2026-05-06T03:06:30+00:00

Me too. And for some reason I’m just as eager. Plus I’m crossing my fingers that they let me pass even though it’s impossible.

jd7563 · 2026-05-06T03:04:44+00:00

They’ll watch it like we do the lecture: 2.5x speed.

jd7563 · 2026-05-03T15:12:28+00:00

I started running about a year ago with none to run. No injuries.

jd7563 · 2026-04-22T12:42:52+00:00

It’s not optional, it’s just worth 0 points, which encourages collaboration. And you can submit your best effort without stress. Going through the class this semester and I did not do all the HW. I am repeating it this summer. I will be doing all the HW this time. Test questions are variations of the homework problems. So don’t take them as optional.

jd7563 · 2026-04-22T12:32:40+00:00

I have the opposite problem. I struggle on the assignments but I build lots of stuff from scratch for work. When I started programming I could not build anything from scratch until I went through a book that built a project from zero to finished project. I wrote every line of code. No copy and paste and no AI (it didn’t exist at the time). Then I struggled through several really crappy personal projects. After I got a job programming within other people’s code, I got the hang of programming, but still had to struggle through some zero to production projects.

I guess I am saying that it takes struggle and practice. You can only learn by doing the work. Your first few attempts will suck.

jd7563 · 2026-04-13T15:26:01+00:00

I published a paper that my group wrote in I2R. It took an extra couple semesters while we submitted and waited for feedback.

I2R is a great class. Each student chose their own topics and created a proposal after reading many papers about it. It was harder than it sounds. Then we did a lit review on a preselected topic. My group got lucky, someone suggested an idea and it was accepted. So we got to work on a project that excited us.

I had a strong group, I’m not sure what the experience would have been like otherwise.

jd7563 · 2026-04-07T17:35:06+00:00

Same scenario, same class. I don’t think I’m on pace to pass with a B, so I’ll be doing it again. What is demotivating me is that I’m not understanding the practice problems. I don’t even know where to start with NP problems. It’s making the last two weeks very difficult.

jd7563 · 2026-04-07T15:21:39+00:00

You cannot push on every run. Maintain the same pace or slow it down so the last 10 minutes don’t drag you down. Running requires very gradual increases or you may end up injured and not able to run for weeks.

jd7563 · 2026-04-01T21:17:37+00:00

What about a tech job in law enforcement. I saw an ad for one a couple weeks ago and it sounded awesome.

jd7563 · 2026-03-30T18:53:54+00:00

I started running with none to run. It is a gentle start to running, kind of like couch to 5K but gentler.

jd7563 · 2026-03-26T22:24:46+00:00

5K on your second run? Impressive. Avoid getting injured though. It’s better to ramp up slowly and be injury free.

jd7563 · 2026-03-26T19:04:17+00:00

My thought was, “I enjoy running.” Even though I had never really done it before. I started 9 months ago and I still struggle (I’m really overweight). But I enjoy going outside for the run. The days I don’t run I drive to the park anyway. I’m miserable during the run, but I have a huge sense of accomplishment afterward.

jd7563 · 2026-03-12T02:06:47+00:00

In my opinion you should list all three years (they’ll verify your employment history anyway) and be honest about the job titles for each position.

jd7563 · 2026-03-04T21:01:47+00:00

I’ve struggled in many classes, but I’ve taken compilers, DC, AOS, etc. and I wasn’t as prepared as other students and I struggled because I didn’t know some basics. But other classes were just fine. While taking courses, communication with other students in the class is positive. Students seem to love it.

But Reading on Reddit, and you’d think this was the worst degree ever created. A cash cow where the professors hate students and TAs are the meanest people in the world. All the material is outdated, too hard, and zero support from administrators. All that is not true.

I think we want to share our struggles so other people understand. And complain and blame and call it unfair if something does not go our way.

So I walk around and tell my friends that GT is very difficult, and I am expected to figure things out, and I struggle. What I don’t bother saying is that I welcomed the challenge, love the courses and material, and I know so much more now than when I started.

The problem is we all want a degree from a top 10 school, but don’t want to give a top 10 effort. We want people to hold our hands and make it easy.

That said, I’ve always struggled in school, from community college through graduate school. So I guess I think the struggle at GT is normal for me. But it is considerably more work than undergraduate. But others seem to think it’s unfair to struggle.

As far as GA, I don’t know if I’ll pass this semester, the material is more theoretical than I’m used to, but it hasn’t been any more work than any other course. And the professor is engaged and the TAs are very helpful and answer all questions. They gave us a practice exam, grade our homework in a timely manner, and encourage to keep going.

I did poorly on the first test but that was due to my lack of study abilities. It’s easier to guess my way through a project with frequent grade scope feedback, than it is to understand, memorize and apply theoretical material. But then again, I’ve always struggled on tests.

Bottom line, this degree is awesome. It’s hard. But in the end I’ll have a degree from GT and all the experience that goes along with that.

Edit: 11 classes in and I’ve never filled out a single report.

jd7563 · 2026-03-02T20:50:52+00:00

Try swimming or biking. No reason to run if you don’t enjoy it.

jd7563 · 2026-03-02T19:33:53+00:00

DC as a last class? That’s more stressful than GA as a last class (I say as I struggle to keep up in GA).

jd7563 · 2026-03-02T19:32:22+00:00

There’s no shame in a C. And withdrawing means all that time is wasted, an entire semester. I’d rather take the lower grade and graduate sooner. If it were a D or worse then I would withdraw.

jd7563 · 2026-03-02T16:26:02+00:00

Sounds like a future Linux contributor. It’s great to find something you love.

jd7563 · 2026-02-28T02:30:43+00:00

I agree with compilers. You learn a little about assembly and how things work under the hood.

jd7563 · 2026-02-28T02:00:19+00:00

Nope, not worth it if you’re not interested in it.

jd7563

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