<p>Is it difficult to do well in the CS program at UCSD? I want to (hopefully) go for the 5 year BS/MS program.
Also, do companies specifically look at your GPA from the place you got your MS from? like for ex. if i get a 3.5 at SD and an MS for CS, will a degree from an average college (ranked lower than SD) with a 4.0 and an MS for CS be seen better? </p>
<p>What do companies basically look at when they look to hire you??</p>
<p>I’m thinking about CS at UCSD too! 
Getting into that MS program would be a dream for me. It seems that everyone keeps on telling me such bad rumors about it (or just the CS major) in general. Like they say “CS is ultra-hard, especially in a prestigious school like UCSD” or “your only classmates at CS classes are generally die-hard nerds.” </p>
<p>I know these are merely rumors and might not be all true, but they still make me pretty nervous nonetheless…</p>
<p>Don’t be scared. It really depends on how smart you are and how hard you work. For some people, it’s not that hard and even fun. For others, it’s quite hard and still maybe fun.</p>
<p>I heard companies have these things called “interviews” where they ask you these things called “technical questions”… </p>
<p>But to answer your question: Companies mainly look at internships, projects you’ve worked on (either in school or on your own), and coursework. Depending on the field you want to get into, a MS and high gpa might serve you well… but in most cases it’s the internships and projects that’ll land you a job after grad.</p>
<p>Also, getting a MS in CS just because you think it would make you a better candidate for jobs is a bad reason.</p>
<p>CS and any other tech industry major are great for getting jobs with a Bachelor’s Degree. If you’re a promising enough candidate, many firms will contract you and put you through a Master’s on their dime.</p>
<p>It’s almost a self-selection phenomenon going on–those who can get into top MS/M.Eng programs end up going into the workforce first to get schooled for free, and those who can’t end up getting inconsequential degrees that don’t increase human capital/earnings potential.</p>