My son is a freshman in HS. He is currently enrolled in fundamentals of C++ in a local community college, and doing extremely well and scored an A. What would be a worthy course to take next. He wants to maximize his chances of getting into a good UC and major in CS.
He has some options:
Computer science principles or Computer science A (Java) via UC scout-No place in his HS schedule to take it via his school.
Data structures in C++ -Community college
Fundamentals of Machine learning-Community college
On another note-Does UC looks at AP and community college course the same-is one preferred over the other. He frankly loves the semester long and asynchronous format of community college courses.
Does community for credit courses add to his GPA the same way the AP courses do?
Is anyone familiar with any AI based courses offered in community college?-He ia particularly interested in AI/Machine learning. He has been teaching himself and trying out creating models himself
Thank you all
@Gumbymom can likely tell you what to do in terms of numbers of courses, etc at CCs in CA.
But answer this…was this a duel enrollment course your son took that is fulfilling part of his high school graduation requirement…also…what is fundamentals of “C++”
I cannot comment on which course he should take next but I can give you some information regarding the UC’s and CC classes. My only advice about CC classes is to make sure he gets a good grade (A preferably) since any college course taken will be on his permanent college transcript.
If the CC class is UC transferable and taken the summer after 9th to the summer prior to 12th, the grade will be calculated into his UC GPA. Also the class will get 1 extra Honors point in the UC GPA calculation. The UC’s consider AP and CC classes comparable in terms of the extra Honors points and rigor.
Since he took the class in 9th grade, it will not be calculated into the UC GPA but it will be considered during the UC application review for course rigor.
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Yes-this was dual enrollment, C++ is a programming language
Thanks- Yes we knew that going in that it will not be rolled into his UC GPA cause he took this as a freshman. He was just interested in learning the language. I think if they are viewed the same, he would prefer to do community college, outside of UCs will private colleges also look at CC sources favorably?
Thank you. I’m not a CS person…so I had no idea!
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Private colleges policy regarding CC classes and transferability will vary so that would be something to research. Many will accept AP classes but not CC classes.
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The organization of introductory CS courses does vary considerably across colleges (UCs, CSUs, community colleges, non-California public colleges, and private colleges).
However, community colleges are more likely to offer courses similar to those of a nearby UC or CSU when it comes to transferable CS courses. You may want to check https://www.assist.org to see how the courses at the local community college transfer to various UCs and CSUs. Note that a course can be UC transferable, but not give specific course subject credit at a particular UC (i.e. will only count as credit units if transferred there). Lower division CS courses for CS majors will typically include programming and data structures course(s) and a computer organization / machine structures course. A discrete math course (which may be in the math or CS department) as well as calculus and linear algebra are also typical requirements. Engineering-based CS majors will typically have additional math and non-CS science requirements.
AP CS principles = general introduction to CS suitable for non-majors and those who want to get an overview of CS before deciding whether to major in CS.
AP CS A = programming and data structures in Java.
AP CS AB (discontinued) = programming and data structures in Java with additional more advanced material.
A transferable college course, like an AP course, will be counted as an honors course for UC recalculation of high school GPA. UC counts a one semester college course as one course and grade, but CSU counts a one semester college course as two courses and two grades.
This is very helpful- So i looked up Assist, and fundamentals of machine learning is not considered transferrable, so if my son takes that course in a community college and does well, UCs will not count that towards his GPA?
GPA requirement | UC Admissions says that UC-transferable college courses count. University of California A-G Course List contains information on which California high school and California community college courses can count for which a-g categories.
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I’m not sure it matters much at this point. By the time he finishes high school and graduates from a 4 year university, the software he learned will be old and obsolete.