CS master's program / second bachelor's

Test Preparation
1

<p>Sorry if this is the wrong forum, but I couldn't find anywhere else to put this. Let me know if I should post it somewhere else.</p>

<p>I went to Stanford and majored in physics, but dealt with a major depressive episode and burnout and graduated with a 2.75 GPA (I know, age-old story). I don't want to leave it at that, though. I really enjoy CS and think it's my real forte, so I want to try my best to get a master's degree in it. I only took 3 programming courses in college, so I'm thinking about going to a local college to get a second bachelor's degree. I would then do my best to get a 4.0 and do all the things necessary to get into the best Master's program possible. So, I'm wondering:</p>

<p>a) Do you think that's the best route to take? I heard say there are master's programs that don't have CS prerequisites, but I haven't been able to find any.
b) If I do get a second BS, should I do it at the decent-but-not-great local school or the very good private school in my city? (That is, assuming I have the choice!) I could save money if I avoided the private school, but of course there are benefits in going there.
c) I only have one decent recommendation from college. Seriously. In all my other classes, I was a mediocre to below-average student who didn't really get to know the professor. I have near-perfect and perfect standardized test scores from high school, though. Would it be possible to get into the private school?</p>

<p>By the way, I just graduated and I'm living with my parents. I'd commute into school.</p>

2

<p>Most schools won’t let you get a second bachelors degree. You may be able to enroll as a non-degree student and just take CS courses to acquire the basic background. Masters degree programs in CS aren’t funded, and so tend to be easier to get into than PhD programs, as long as you set your sights on a middle-of-the-road MS program. So, your best option is probably to commute from your parents’ home to the least expensive local school to acquire the necessary CS background, and then apply to less selective CS programs for which you can afford to pay.</p>

3

<p>There is absolutely no benefit to getting a second bachelor’s degree in your case. Check with both local colleges to see what CS courses they offer, and ask if you can take classes there as a non-degree (sometimes called “continuing education” or “post-baccalaureate”) student. That way you can choose the specific courses that will help you prepare for the graduate programs you want without having to take a lot of unnecessary extra classes. (It will also be cheaper for you.) In my experience,schools tend to be more lenient on admitting students who do not want an actual degree from that institution.</p>

<p>Then take those courses and do your very best in them. Invest some time in getting to know your new professors well. Ask them for advice about graduate school programs. (They likely will be flattered that you asked for their opinion.)</p>

<p>Good luck to you!</p>