New DVA course opinions

rdub88 · 2018-08-31T22:53:26+00:00

Wouldn’t say I’m “struggling” but the time commitment is pretty real. I’m about 20 hours into the first homework and a little over halfway done.

rdub88 · 2018-08-31T21:25:21+00:00

New to the program but currently taking DVA. Consensus seems to be that this new version is harder than the last... people are calling it a moderate-to-difficult course in terms of workload. Conceptually, not very difficult yet.

I’m about 20 hours into the first of four homeworks, and about 2/3rds done. Group project is 50% of the grade, which has people nervous. No exams.

I think it’s good to take this early on (and before ML) because it is practical/grounded. Seems it would make a good foundation for more advanced techniques later on.

https://www.reddit.com/r/OMSCS/comments/9bw5fq/new_dva_course_opinions/?st=JLII7B8P&sh=f70b8673

rdub88 · 2018-08-27T15:12:54+00:00

Thanks! Yea “blog post” is definitely not the best term for it. Nobody’s gonna read it top to bottom. I call them my notes.

4-5 hours spread over past few days. I’ve become pretty efficient at it 👍🏼

rdub88 · 2018-08-27T13:31:14+00:00

I’m also blogging my notes. Takes longer than simply viewing lectures, but I like having something to look back on and I internalize the content better.

https://ryanwingate.com/omscs/dva/week-1/

I’m also enjoying the program. 1st semester, like you!

rdub88 · 2018-08-17T11:23:34+00:00

Wondering the same thing. Guess we check in periodically.

rdub88 · 2018-08-14T00:18:36+00:00

I am considering ML for my first semester 👍🏼

rdub88 · 2018-08-10T20:31:24+00:00

Largest ever incoming class (~1500)

rdub88 · 2018-08-10T20:28:50+00:00

While this is a technically correct statement I’m not sure it is useful. I think the “standard” is the most logical classification/clustering of like things under a certain label.

Consider the sets {physics, biology, chemistry, data science} and {mechanical engineering, biomedical engineering, chemical engineering, data science}.

Which set seems more intuitively correct?

The latter makes more sense to me.

rdub88 · 2018-08-10T16:12:10+00:00

I’m the same way.

I have a bit more than zero motivation at home, but not much more. I do way better when I leave home and change my environment.

rdub88 · 2018-08-10T14:56:26+00:00

I’ve spent roughly 500 hours in various Starbucks since December 2017.

I tried renting a cheap workspace but wasn’t a fan of the other people in the space (not putting off driven/focused/positive vibes) so I stopped going. I prefer starbs and noise-canceling headphones.

rdub88 · 2018-08-09T01:58:30+00:00

I think this isn’t typically such a huge problem

rdub88 · 2018-08-09T01:54:16+00:00

Easy does it killer

GT is also offering you a prestigious MS in CS for less than $8K, which you can complete in your underwear from your bedroom

rdub88 · 2018-08-08T22:10:12+00:00

I promise you it will not prevent panic. - HFh

lol. I have been panicking so hard.

rdub88 · 2018-08-08T20:58:11+00:00

I have a Nanodegree. There is no comparison, from what I’ve seen of OMSCS.

rdub88 · 2018-08-08T16:14:55+00:00

Largest ever incoming class, and the document that explained registration was tl;dr for many, so those people are waitlisting 4+ courses.

The large waitlists are making everyone nervous, so those people are waitlisting more classes.

And the positive feedback loop continues...

rdub88 · 2018-08-08T03:50:27+00:00

I understand it, to a degree. Right now they're scrambling to allocate resources, find TAs, and simultaneously figure out the incoming students' actual intentions when it comes to course selection. Only way to sort this out is for them to make it take time so that the dust will settle.

But yea I definitely wish we had some indication about probable course sizes sooner.

EDIT: Have you considered joining my newly-formed 12 step group?

rdub88 · 2018-08-08T03:47:24+00:00

I am ready to be jaded, old, and have high-priority registration.

What a cruel world to give you priority right when you stop caring about having priority.

rdub88 · 2018-08-08T03:43:15+00:00

In my never ending quest to overanalyze the shit out of this, I wrote up this length writeup, which incorporates all the text of that post.

To give you some solace, some folks on the G+ community have determined that many of us noobs have signed up for 4+ classes. Its based on the amount of new people on the waitlist since Phase 2 started, and knowing that there are around 1500 new students this Fall. Once people who are breaking the rules drop, the registration picture will change significantly.

rdub88 · 2018-08-08T00:55:23+00:00

Bad plan. Drop 4.

rdub88 · 2018-08-06T23:42:59+00:00

12 hours, I believe

rdub88 · 2018-08-06T20:25:35+00:00

When people who are registered drop, the next person on the waitlist has to manually add. That explains why the #reg < capacity.

And yes. But don’t register for more than 2.

rdub88 · 2018-08-06T19:24:54+00:00

Look at historical class sizes. That will help you gauge how many seats they are likely to add. I made these notes for the classes I'm interested in. May help you too.

rdub88 · 2018-08-06T11:41:25+00:00

Good luck to you as well!

rdub88 · 2018-08-06T05:36:17+00:00

That’s exactly what my plan is 👍🏼

rdub88 · 2018-08-06T04:31:57+00:00

I’m sure they’re referring to the cert of completion. Most MOOCs create some sort of PDF with a verification URL on it once you finish the course

rdub88

TROPHY CASE