<p>Can anyone provide insight into the quality of the computer science major or even computer classes at Tufts.</p>
<p>Hi there,</p>
<p>I’m in the Intro to Comp Sci course (COMP11) and the program here is phenomenal.</p>
<p>One of the best things about the CS major at Tufts is that you can pursue it through the School of Arts and Sciences or the School of Engineering (the difference is more in the distribution/foundation requirements for each school (in arts and sciences, you do culture credits and various other requirements like natural science, social science, etc…but in engineering, you do math/science courses nearly all the time)…the CS programs are the same regardless of which school you do it through, though, so it really depends on whether you want to focus on math/science, or you want to do another liberal arts major (community health, anthro, etc….)</p>
<p>But anyways, you asked about quality. Well, let me tell you this- before taking COMP11, I had heard rumors that the CS department routinely converts students from many different majors to computer science. I did not believe it at the time, but this is completely true. First of all, the curriculum is really well-planned and always innovative (We’re doing a project on digital digit recognition right now!). Second, there are about 300 people in COMP11, but it never feels big because our lab sections are capped at 20 people, and each lab section has 3 extremely experienced TAs…they literally have a small army dedicated to CS and they are all people who genuinely love CS and love teaching it. 3rd and perhaps most importantly, the program is extremely well-positioned due to its professors (they are so welcoming) as well as its proximity to Boston- there are a TON of CS internships and jobs available if that’s what you’re interested in.</p>
<p>I came in to Tufts thinking that I wanted to major in Biology but now I am switching to Computer Science.</p>
<p>Also, check out this link for a brief snapshot of the program:
<a href=“Prospective Students | Department of Computer Science”>Prospective Students | Department of Computer Science;
<p>If you have any more questions, feel free to shoot me a message.</p>
<p>I’m a parent with a CS major student, and I’ll second what Guitarher0o7 wrote. D1 was one of those students who entered Tufts intending to major in International Relations. Apparently, the CS department prides itself on the number of IR majors it converts to CS. (-: </p>
<p>Based on what I hear from D1 (who is on the arts and letters side) the program is rigorous. When she talks to friends at other CS powerhouse schools and compares courses, she’s getting the same education. There are certainly CS students at Tufts who are brilliant coding superstars; as the “cool facts about cs at tufts” link mentions students get internships and offers from big name companies. That said, the hardcore CS-focused high school student is going to want MIT or CMU or Cal or Stanford to name a few of the usual suspects. OTOH the CS student who also wants a little variety on the focus of their education would do very well at Tufts. </p>
<p>How challenging are the classes? My premed son all of a sudden said that he wants to minor in computer science. But his course load is so challenging right now and so science heavy I’m wondering if it’s even possible </p>
<p>momworried, my son is in comp11 class now. So far he likes it. I just asked him about the class after saw your post. He wrote:</p>
<p>The class has a decent amount of work, but it’s very manageable. The homework assignments (1 each week for 5 weeks) took a few hours each. The great thing about the homeworks and the labs is that they make it so I don’t really have to study for the test – I already know how to do everything. </p>
<p>He said he just turned in the 1st project which is due tomorrow.</p>
<p>My son was planning to do CS minor with bio/biochem major. Not sure if he switches the major to CS after this class. I actually want him to do CS major. </p>
<p>If your son is interested, I think he can start with this comp11 next semester to get the feet wet. He might like or not like programming after taking this class. Then decides if minor.</p>
<p>momworried, for the major itself (and possibly for the minor? not sure) there are two CS classes that are regarded with a certain amount of apprehension (or even an enormous pile of apprehension!) because of the workload. I’m sure there are other premed students who are in the CS department–talking to the other students might be a good thing to suggest to your son if he hasn’t already done that.</p>
<p>@SlitheyTove, which classes are those? Also, how are the physics and math classes required for CS majors?</p>
<p>I don’t know if physics classes are the same as for premed, but so far both classes that my son took physics 11?and physics 2 were terrible. </p>
<p>@momworried<br>
terrible = really hard or terrible = really poorly taught.</p>
<p>Really poorly taught</p>
<p>CS 40 is the big tough course. CS 104? 105? used to be but is now only just as hard as other upper division courses in the department. No physics is required for CS majors (at least for those on the liberal arts side). Math seems fine, but this is a mathy kid that I’m hearing from. </p>
<p>FWIW, an interviewer for a summer internship looked at D1’s resume/cv and said that she’s already had enough coursework/programming experience to be considered employable for full-time work. </p>
<p>Son registered COMP15 for 2014 Fall (he will be Sophomore next year). But he was on the waiting list!</p>
<p>This year, two sections with 3rd section is for lower priority students list only. Each section is only 50 seats, and each section reserved 10 seats for the Freshmen, so only 40 seats available. In the current 2014 Spring, two section, each one is 150 seats! Many son’s current COMP11 classmates were on the waiting list. So email to prof does not help, too many. </p>
<p>I don’t understand is why with more and more students taking CS courses, but CS dept actually decreases the class size? COMP15 is the step stone for all upper CS courses. If the student could not get in this course, he could not continue any courses. Why makes the class size smaller?!</p>
<p>If Dan reads this post, can you give us an insight?</p>
<p>Did this happen to upper grade students? How much chance can you get in if you were on the waiting list?</p>
<p>Well the thread is still useful, but I was the OP and my son didn’t get into Tufts (he is attending Northwestern in the fall, so no sadness here 
). I sort of wondered if the reason he didn’t get in had to do with the flood of engineering applicants and their inability to respond to it – his stats were quite solid for Tufts and his ECs were good. I read somewhere that all the increase in Tufts applicants in 2017 were due to engineering applicants, and if this year was the same, they may be overwhelmed trying to respond. This may be just one more example.</p>
<p>Don’t know about this specific class - however, my DDs have both been wait listed for classes many semesters at Tufts and always got in in the end. I think there are a significant number of kids who sign up for 5 classes and then decide which one to drop. So places open up. I understand there are some classes that underclassmen do get shut out of - not sure if this is one.</p>
<p>Okay since you are talking CompSci, I have to tell my “typical Tufts” story here! My sophomore daughter took Comp11 last semester and she spent way too many hours struggling to get her programs to work. Definitely won’t be switching from IR to CompSci! Anyway, one late night during mid terms as she was working on a program in her dorm with her door open and groaning loudly about her frustration, there is a knock at her door. “Can I help?” asks a guy she has never seen before who happened to be walking down her hall on his way somewhere else and heard her. Turns out he is a senior CompSci major! He sat with her and helped her fix her program. Typical Tufts!</p>
<p>tolstoy2, that’s a great story!</p>
<p>Daddio3, congrats to your son. Indeed, no sadness!</p>