CS61B (HILFINGER) + Math 110 + CS 70 too much?

<p>Hi all,</p>

<p>I definitely need to take CS61B and CS70 ASAP (I finished up 61A and I'm finishing 61C right now) because I want to take 170s as soon as possible. However, I heard Hilfinger is a killer of a teacher who assigns insane projects. I'm confident in my time-management skills and skills as a programmer (I have/am doing well in the other two courses), but I'm still sure it will eat up at my time. I've also heard that CS70 is the hardest lower-division CS course, and that Vazirani is about average in his generosity with the curve.</p>

<p>Here's my problem: I really want to take Math 110 as soon as possible, as I'm really interested in the class (I might read the book in advance just for kicks) , and I'm considering a minor or double major in pure/applied math. But with CS61B/70, the work load seems far too great to do well in all of the classes. The other factor is that I'm considering taking H110 because I'm a little iffy about a new teacher for regular 110, but I'm almost sure taking H110 with the other two classes would be practically impossible.</p>

<p>My other option instead of taking 110 would be to take my R1B (film studies) and P/NP humanities course. This seems boring, but would definitely free up a lot of my workload and allow me to do other things on the side as well...</p>

<p>Any recommendations on what I should do here? Is it very unlikely that I would be able to succeed if I take these 3 technicals (with a decal or something) and that's it?</p>

<p>Thanks for the advice!</p>

<p>CS 70 is like a math course. If you are good enough in math to be considering taking Math H110 (which has a much smaller class size than regular Math 110), you should not fear CS 70. The home page of CS 70 with Papadimitriou and Vazirani in fall 2006 is here: [CS</a> 70, Fall 2006](<a href=“http://www-inst.eecs.berkeley.edu/~cs70/fa06/]CS”>CS 70, Fall 2006)</p>

<p>As far as CS 61B with Hilfinger goes, he taught it in fall 2011. Here is the course home page for that semester: [CS61B</a>, Fall 2011](<a href=“http://www-inst.eecs.berkeley.edu/~cs61b/fa11/]CS61B”>CS61B, Fall 2011)</p>

<p>Here are more course home pages if you want to preview the courses:
<a href=“http://www-inst.eecs.berkeley.edu/classes-eecs.html[/url]”>http://www-inst.eecs.berkeley.edu/classes-eecs.html&lt;/a&gt;&lt;/p&gt;

<p>Thank you for the advice! (Sorry if I’m bringing up a dead thread by the way) Unfortunately, I am no math prodigy. I like the subject and I’m more than willing to put the time into if I have it… I ended up wait-listing H110 (normal 110 wait-list and class filled up before I could ever have a say in it).</p>

<p>Can any CC’ers who have taken H110 weigh in on it? As I said before, I’m not a genius. I got A’s in 53 and 54, but I don’t think that’s really saying much when considering honors math course. I’m somewhat familiar with proofs (induction, contradiction, contrapositive, construction) , but I’ve never really been put in a situation where I had to do a formal one under any scrutiny. I’ll probably study a lot in advance for it, so does anyone believe that I can come out alive (especially in conjunction with 61B and 70 and some BS decal)? I’m really interested in the material (I’m hope it does), and I believe I have the motivation to slave over it.</p>

<p>I think it’s definitely doable if you don’t take a 4th class. Yes, CS61B will Hilfinger may not be extremely difficult, but it will eat a lot of you time if he hasn’t changed his projects since I took it. </p>

<p>As for CS70, I found the class to be very easy, much easier than 53 and 54. However, I have always been good at Linear Algebra, logic and proofs, but rather bad at Calculus-based math. What I am saying it really depends on the person’s strengths, what is difficult for one may be straightforward for someone else.</p>

<p>Why don’t you just take it and drop it if it doesn’t work out well?</p>

<p>Thanks for the advice! Interesting about CS70… who did you take it with? That actually makes me feel a lot less anxious about it :)</p>

<p>And that is my plan currently, but if I drop it, I don’t really have a plan B. The lab for my R1B (film) I was signed up for conflicts with my CS70 lecture (hopefully that does not matter too much) and every other humanities course that I am interested in taking have VERY full waitlists (150+ people usually).</p>

<p>I had a similar problem, though maybe only 70% as difficult (I know I have bad time management).</p>

<p>I ended up not getting into one of my classes, and without any backup planned, I just took a decal for 14 total units. It turned out to be way too easy and I had so much spare time I got into a habit of consistently saving homework for the weekends.</p>

<p>That said, no one on CC will be able to tell you if that’ll happen to you, though I highly doubt it with that combination 61b and 110. I suggest you go for it and drop 110 and take a Decal if you feel your limits being pushed before the drop deadline.</p>

<p>Math 110 can wait unless you’re more interested in math than CS.</p>

<p>Thanks for the advice! I think I might do that then. I’ll try and see if I can survive the first few weeks of H110. If I feel pushed but not overwhelmed before the drop deadline, then I’ll stick with it. If I feel completely overwhelmed by CS61B/CS70/H110 all in one semester, I’ll just drop H110 and see if I can get into anything else (possibly normal 110 or just some decals).</p>

<p>Does anyone who has taken H110 have any information on its level of difficulty?</p>