<p>As a father of a CBHP student in next years freshman class I am wondering how to best to prepare my daughter this summer. I myself am a software engineer and understand that the computer languages used are C++ and Fortran.</p>
<p>What development environments are used? </p>
<p>What computer platform is recommended? Windows/Mac/Linux? </p>
<p>Is the emphasis on algorithm implementation and crunching data rather than the particulars of web applications, web services, ms windows programming, or cloud programming particulars? </p>
<p>How much emphasis is placed on computer theory? </p>
<p>tniner, my D just finished her freshman year. I am a technical consultant and “grew up” as a programmer in my early career after college as my degree was CS.</p>
<p>I think there is a lot of theory & discussion in the beginning of the 1st semester and virtually no programming of any large measure until the end of the semester in Fortran. They work through telnet sessions to the Linux servers and us the VI editor to edit their programs. They all are learning it together, but if your newly minted CBH can stomach it, you could introduce them to those concepts.</p>
<p>As for the projects themselves, they are NOT web-based or anything like that. They are controlling the input and output through Input and Print statements and the data is coming from flat files. They compile and run their programs directly & locally inside their telnet sessions and using their personal directories. While they are learning a bit about databases and SQL, they are not doing that in their programs. They will be learning the basics of navigating (commands, etc.) in the Linux environment.</p>
<p>Obviously the curriculum and projects could change from year to year … i would imagine slightly … but this was the experience my D had.</p>
<p>I hope that that helps. Don’t worry about it though … From my perspective, they seem to have their process down, and obviously these kids are not the kind of students that struggle too much, and when they do, they have a very close knit community to assist them.</p>
<p>I remember asking the same questions and was told that “it is better to prepare by waiting to take the class” this way all the students learn the programming theory and concepts the way that CBH teaches them. Having a lot of programming experience seems to be a disadvantage for some kids. The kids all start at the same level (beginner) and learn as they go. Of course, it is easier for some kids, just like any other class but there is plenty of help available with older students and lab managers assisting freshmen.</p>
<p>FWIW, our son had zero programming experience, but that didn’t seem to be a problem for him, so I tend to agree with the “it is better to prepare by waiting to take the class” suggestion. I think the main challenge for many of the students is the end of semester project and finding the time to do a good job on the project while preparing for and taking all of their other final exams. From what I understand, this last semester, the students didn’t really have all the info they needed for the project until about a week before it was due. Made for a real time crunch at the end of the year, at least for our son.</p>
<p>Dad2ILD is very correct that CBHP prefers that students have little to no experience programming as it is easier to teach students who are all at the same level.</p>
<p>I’d like to repeat tniner’s question about which type of personal computer should we get? I was planning on getting a mac unless anyone thinks I REALLY shouldn’t.</p>
<p>DS thinks you REALLY shouldn’t, and he is a die-hard Mac fan. He claims it would be a very big hassle to make it work for what he thinks you need. He has a beloved Mac, but has sadly informed us he will require a new PC for Bama. Poor lad. The sacrifices he makes are an inspiration to us all.</p>