<p>Hey everyone. Im trying to minor in computer science and next semester is my final chance to get into two upper div courses to complete my minor. Which classes am I most likely to get into? Ideally I'd like to take cs170 and cs162 to have a good foundation but seeing as those are the only two upper divs required by all cs majors, I imagine those are the hardest to get into. </p>
<p>So what classes do you recommend I take my chances in phase I with? (FYI I'm currently in cs188)</p>
<p>Hmmm, last fall’s schedule indicates that CS 188 was one of the most full upper division CS courses (after all of the churn of adding, dropping, and waitlist processing was finished), in comparison to most other ones, including CS 170 and CS 162:</p>
<p>[UCB</a> Online Schedule of Classes: Search Results](<a href=“http://osoc.berkeley.edu/OSOC/osoc?y=11&p_term=FL&p_deptname=--+Choose+a+Department+Name+--&p_classif=U&p_presuf=--+Choose+a+Course+Prefix%2FSuffix+--&p_dept=cs&x=60]UCB”>http://osoc.berkeley.edu/OSOC/osoc?y=11&p_term=FL&p_deptname=--+Choose+a+Department+Name+--&p_classif=U&p_presuf=--+Choose+a+Course+Prefix%2FSuffix+--&p_dept=cs&x=60)</p>
<p>But CS 188 this spring seems to be the one with no waitlist and available space:</p>
<p><a href=“http://osoc.berkeley.edu/OSOC/osoc?y=10&p_term=SP&p_deptname=--+Choose+a+Department+Name+--&p_classif=U&p_presuf=--+Choose+a+Course+Prefix%2FSuffix+--&p_dept=cs&x=42[/url]”>http://osoc.berkeley.edu/OSOC/osoc?y=10&p_term=SP&p_deptname=--+Choose+a+Department+Name+--&p_classif=U&p_presuf=--+Choose+a+Course+Prefix%2FSuffix+--&p_dept=cs&x=42</a></p>
<p>Wait for the schedule to be out! Nowadays it’s rarely about the course content that people sign up for. CS188 with Dan Klein teaching has a humongous waitlist compare to when Abbeel’s teaching, even though both are really good, but Dan is just on another level. Similarly, for CS161, people would pick Wagner/Paxson over Song, or 170 Papad/Wagner over Rao. That explains a lot about the crazy waitlist this semester for 170 or 161. </p>
<p>If you are a minor, your chance of getting into the class with a good professor is minimal. FYI, I’m a CS major who signed up for 170 during phase1 and I’m still on the waitlist for this semester, and the length of the waitlist itself is still over 100 last time I checked. I think CS162 is usually taught by Stoica during the Fall, and people usually pick Joseph over him, so you have a good shot of getting into the class. Similarly, Papad only teaches 170 in the Spring. Also, check out the 172-174, 150-152 classes if you are interested in the material. 164 with Hilfinger in the Fall is usually not crowded, if you think you are an awesome hacker and ready to spend all your time for his class =)</p>
<p>I’d predict that 188 and 186 will be SUPER crowded next semester. 188 because of the recent 700-grads from 61A who will have 61A, 61B, and 70 satisfied by then. 186 because it is not offered this semester, and Database is always a useful class to take. The rest you could probably phase 1 for and get in.</p>
<p>^What a detailed response!</p>
<p>I think something like CS 150 is always available even after phase 2</p>
<p>Thanks so much for the replies! I’m currently taking cs188 so I won’t have to worry about trying to get into that class next semester. </p>
<p>From what I gather, people in the cs department really prioritize classes by teacher? I thought people would just take whatever class they wanted regardless of the teacher. </p>
<p>Sorry I have to ask again just for my own paranoia:
Assuming Rao and Stoica are teaching cs170 and cs162 next semester, do you think my chances of getting into cs170 and cs162 next fall are high enough for me to risk my last chance of completing my minor on them? Basically whatever two classes I add in phase I are the two classes I have to get into for my minor. I don’t imagine getting into any upper div cs courses in phase II with only minor priority. </p>
<p>If you don’t think I’ll be able to get into 170 or 162, what two classes am I most likely to get into? From what you guys said it sounds like the answer is 164 and 150. Unfortunately I didn’t have time to take eecs42 or math54 since its not required for the minor and I decided on minoring rather late so I’ve been just trying to get through the 61 series while completing my major. That unfortunately lessens the class’s I can take too. I’m no hacker by any means but I guess if I’m most likely to get Into 164 I may have to add it. (Side question: how is language and compilers related to hacking?) I took 61B with hilfinger last semester and it was butt loads of work. </p>
<p>I’m actually staying for the fall semester just in HOPES of completing my minor. Otherwise I could be graduating after this spring. So I want to add two classes that I’m sure ill get into and I guess I have to deprioritize my interests. I’m not really interested in something like languages and compilers but ill take it if I must to get my minor. </p>
<p>Do you really think I can get into any class other than 188 and 186?</p>
<p>Thanks again for the replies, especially sparkyboy.</p>
<p>Oh also another side question I had that I always wonder:</p>
<p>Since I’m only a minor in CS, who am I actually beating in the wait lists or who am I at an equal level with? All levels of CS majors have higher priority than me and I know for some classes Math majors and Cog Sci majors have higher priority than me. So who am I really fighting for spots with? Is it Math majors who don’t have priority for the course? Hot shots who haven’t completed the requirements to get into the major yet but want to get ahead? Or are there really that many other people minoring in CS? Especially for classes that require 61C (most of the major courses) I wonder who do I have priority over.</p>
<p>I just looked at the size of the classes last fall and noticed that many classes have open seats! Although this could be due to drops too, this is very reassuring! Do you think I’m better off with 162 or 169? 162 seems good for general knowledge in the field, but many people get software engineering jobs so 169 seems like it would be really helpful.</p>
<p>So I will try to address your posts as much as I can…</p>
<ul>
<li><p>Regarding priority: You have higher priority than non-majors and undeclared (that’s for sure), unless the class explicitly set aside seats for other majors (CS170 for Applied Math, CS188 for CogSci). Basically, EECS > CS > CS Minor > Undeclared > Other Majors. Then for each of those category, take into account registration level (Senior > Junior > Freshmen > Sophomore)</p></li>
<li><p>Last year’s registration: don’t be happy yet 
do note that this year’s enrollment in 61A increased by 1.5, from 550ish last year to 750ish this year, with around 700 passed. Those kids may or may not cause some chaos in CS classes enrollment, so I wouldn’t bet on last year’s statistics</p></li>
<li><p>Which classes to take? 169 is obviously a good choice, but the material is pretty much unnecessary if you have had an internship before. You probably do want to learn Ruby and Agile development though, it’s pretty helpful in the real world today. Fox and Patterson probably will teach the class again this Fall, and it’s gonna be super popular, so I would phase 1 it and cross my fingers</p></li>
</ul>
<p>162: If Stoica teaches it, you probably will get in. A lot of people just take this class as a CS graduation requirements, and those kids who took 61A will not have the prerequisites to take this class by then</p>
<p>164: If you already took Hilfinger’s 61B, you should know that his 164 version is ten times the workload. Or even more so I’ve heard. Good chance to get in</p>
<p>161: From what I gather, Doug Tygar will teach this class. Security is always a good class to take, and Tygar has a pretty solid rating just like Paxson/Wagner. Probably not too impacted since lots of people take this semester’s iteration of 161 already. Another choice to keep in mind</p>
<p>15x series: always easy to get in. But don’t do if you are not a hardware guy</p>
<p>170: If Rao teaches it, you will get in. </p>
<p>186/188/184: Database, AI, and Graphics will probably be super impacted. You can try and bet on 186/184, but I wouldn’t do it if I were you.</p>
<p>=> I guess the chance of getting into those CS classes will be (sorted descendingly): 162 -> 161 -> 170 -> 15x -> 169 -> 18x</p>
<p>Don’t quote me of find me in Soda and murder me if you can’t get into any of those classes lol. Resources are becoming scarce, but there are just too many students…</p>
<p>^Thanks so much for all the advice! Don’t worry, I won’t hold you to anything haha What you say makes a lot of sense in comparison with what I’ve heard from the counselors too. I’ll probably talk to the counselors once the schedules are released to see what they recommend as well. </p>
<p>Considering what you’ve said and that I’m not a hardware guy, I think for me it will come down to two of the following: 162, 161, or 170. I haven’t had an internship before and would like to take 169, but if Fox and Patterson teach it again, I think I rather not risk my minor on getting into that class.</p>
<p>Is 162 not that useful to know for the real world? I definitely want to take 170 as I heard 61B and 170 are the most relevant courses for interviews. Also learning to write better algorithms is definitely helpful. 161 really interests me so I may choose that over 162 if 162 won’t be that helpful to me. Is Doug Tygar a less frequent teacher and not expected to be that popular initially?</p>
<p>How come you rated 162 as easier to get into than 170? Is it just because of the 61C requirement (because of the wave of 61A students this year will only get up to 61B)?</p>
<p>Any of these classes you think I can phase II and actually get in? 164 perhaps? haha Ten times the workload of 61B sounds pretty intense though…Each of the 61B projects took me roughly 25-35 ish hours. </p>
<p>Are there a lot of undeclared majors and other majors (that are also non cs minors) that actually add the upper division CS courses? I imagine if someone has the prereqs to take an upper div CS course (61B and especially 61C) that they would be a major or at least a minor in the field. So I feel like I’m not really beating anyone out. Or is it that many CS majors may have completed the 61 series but not necessarily Math54, EECS42, and CS70 yet so they are still undeclared? This question is more for my own paranoia. I just feel like I basically have the lowest priority in getting into these classes because I don’t imagine any undeclared or non majors even adding these classes.</p>
<p>Thanks again for all the advice</p>
<p>Oh wait so do cs minors with a class level of senior have higher priority than cs majors with class levels of juniors and below? Probably not right? It’s probably all levels of cs major > cs minors.</p>
<p>Oh yea. Not sure if you were aware or not of the restriction of 61B this semester. 61B was restricted to only sophomores. So it’s possibly
That registration next fall will still be normal.</p>
<p>If you only stay an extra semester for just that minor, I’d suggest registering for all of 162, 170, 169, and 161, in case you don’t get in to one, or two of them. </p>
<p>162 is useful, but the new 162 serves as a bridge between the 61 series and the upper div classes. Basically, it’s all over the place. Half OS, half everything else. It will be easier to get into 162 than 170 because nobody understands what Stoica is saying xD. The 61C requirement basically blocks most of the class of 2016 from taking it at the same time with you, so also take that into consideration.</p>
<p>You can probably phase2-ing 162 and get in. Same deal with 164. I’d recommend phase1-ing 170, it’s almost always a must regardless of instructors. </p>
<p>All levels of CS majors have higher priority than CS minors AFAIK. As for 61B, sophomore class levels only apply to non-majors and Undeclared I think. That means, you either need to be EECS, or in L&S but took a lot of AP classes that will push your Telebears registration level to sophomore.</p>
<p>Ah I see. So in short would you say:</p>
<p>Phase I 170 and 161 or 170 and 169 for best chances of getting into both class I phase I?</p>
<p>And basically phase II every other class I don’t phase I haha I’m surprised I can phase II 162</p>
<p>Yes. If Stoica teaches 162 then proceed like that. I’d talk with Chris Hunn once the schedule is out to make sure everything is OK.</p>
<p>Thanks! One last question. In your opinion, which is more useful for the real world considering I haven’t had an internship before, 162 or 169? Also, which do you think will be easier to get into in the fall or is either one a good bet?</p>
<p>You could go through the old course home pages for each course to see if one or the other is easier for you to learn on your own. If there is a significant difference, take as a course the one that is harder for you to learn on your own – the easier one you can more easily learn on your own on the job later.</p>
<p>I would put 162 as being somewhat more important than 169, though. 169 may also be better taken after some of the other upper division courses, since knowing the other courses’ concepts may help you in choosing and doing the project of your choice for 169.</p>