<p>Hi all I am new here but i have a lot of questions. I am currently a senior and trying to figure out where to go to college. I am interested to get a CS Degree.
Questions
1. Does the degree have to be accredited by the ABET? One of the colleges i am looking at is Richard Stockton. From what i have read they are not accredited by the ABET. Does this matter?</p>
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<li><p>Should I look for a school where i can get my masters degree in 5 years? I realize this sounds like a dumb question but I am in Algebra 2 due to my dad putting me in Alg 1 part 1 freshmen year even though I aced it in middle school. I am also taking physics this year. It is a little difficult but i understand most of it and currently have a 88 average. </p></li>
<li><p>If you guys tell me to find a school where I get my masters in 5, do i have to select my major freshmen year? Id rather just get my regular classes down first and declare my major by the end of sophmore year.</p></li>
<li><p>If i go to Richard Stockton which only has a Bachelors in CS, will it be easy to get into graduate school to get my masters since it doesnt seem to be accredited?</p></li>
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<p>I cant think of any more questions at the moment but I would appreciate if anyone would answer these for me! Thanks!</p>
<p>You should probably focus on high school for now and wait until you take some harder classes. In the meantime, if you’re interested in CS, pick up some programming if you really care about it. Basic logic skills are required.</p>
<p>Well I am a senior and I need to start applying to colleges. I have good grades and I am in accelerated classes. My current weighted GPA is 3.3 and I am ranked in the top 20 percent of my class. Our guidance counselor wants our applications to be done by thanksgiving.</p>
<p>If you are only in Algebra 2, you will likely run into problems when you are taking calculus later than everyone else, which is a prerequisite to a lot of things. I would be surprised if you could finish a BS/MS in 5 years with that in mind.</p>
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<p>Honestly, it is laughable that you are even thinking of graduate school yet before you even know what you want to study. You have to crawl before you can walk. Figure out what you want to do. Worry about grad school later.</p>
<p>Ok I understand what your saying on the bs/ms in 5. Can you answer my first question?</p>
<ol>
<li>Does the degree have to be accredited by the ABET? One of the colleges i am looking at is Richard Stockton. From what i have read they are not accredited by the ABET. Does this matter?</li>
</ol>
<p>As was pointed out earlier, keep taking those math courses. If you are at Algebra II now, you should be taking Trigonometry next semester. That would put you at Analytic Geometry/Pre-Calculus as a Fall Semester Freshman. You could still get a CS major within 4 years since many schools have dropped Differential Equations (and is some cases Calculus III…which I disagree with).</p>
<p>Still, that will be only at certain schools. Other CS programs…you are looking at 5 years for a CS degree.</p>
<p>ABET probably matters the LEAST to a CS degree, since many CS programs are part of Math departments.</p>
<p>Again…concentrate on acing Algebra II, Trig in high-school, then Pre-Calculus, Calculus I & II…and then think about grad schools and the such.</p>
<p>He will be late for two semesters only, which means he has to use at least one summer to kill off some classes.
It also depends on the school. Some schools runs quarterer systems, which is even crazier =_= hate that kind of school IMO.</p>
<p>Well there are two types of quarters. At my school, there are 4 seven week terms in an academic year and two 5 week summer terms. At my brother’s school (which uses the more common quarter system - used at UChicago and UCal’s), there are 3 quarters in the academic term and one summer session so each quarter roughly corresponds to one season.</p>
<p>The quarter system for math is very clear to me. I am not sure how the CS works under quarter system. Maybe you want to elaborate on that, ndianPwnerDude?</p>
<p>Well for college i doubt it would be under the quarter system. However since im in algebra 2 this year will it take me 5 years to get a bachelors in CS because of the math i am in?</p>
<p>@jwxie Quarter system is basically 7 week terms that meet twice as often as in “normal” schools for 50 minutes. 7 classes a semester. One class at my school (WPI) corresponds to slightly less than 1 course at another school. CS courses are very similar to other schools; basically the difference is fewer courses at a time, less time per course.</p>
<p>Cool. The reason I asked is because when one calculate the amount of fall-behind, one has to fully understand how the system works.
My school is a semester-based school, so I claim OP is only two semesters late at the most for certain courses (a science class - depending on which one he takes, and maybe intro to computing - also depends on the pre-requisites). I believe for discrete mathematics - calculus 1 must be a pre-req in most program, correct me if I am wrong.</p>
<p>But he can definitely graduate on time (in 4 years) as a CS major. It would be very difficult for a computer engineering student, however. It’s still doable, using at least 2 summer sessions.</p>
<p>Nobounds - some colleges are definitely quarter system. :)</p>
<p>I think I just went too far. I believe all of your questions have been answered well by others.</p>
<p>Not necessarily. I don’t see why it should take 5 years. Try doubling up in math one semester or taking math at the community college over a summer so you can get exposure to Calculus in high school. </p>
<p>Even if you don’t do calculus, as long as you do pre-calc, you should be able to graduate in 4 years. Even if you don’t do pre-calc, you will take a semester doing basic math and your math requirements will be delayed by one semester. And there are not that many “required” math courses for CS majors except CALC 1-3, Physics (which requires some Calc), Discrete Math, Linear Algebra, and perhaps a few Math/CS theory courses. If you are so worried, you can take classes over the summer at the community college while you’re at college.</p>
<p>In some CS programs, it will take you 5 years without summers because you are not starting of with Calculus I in college BUT in many other programs, your math situation will not harm you.</p>
<p>Over the last 10 years, many CS programs have removed Differential Equations (taken after Calculus III) and even Calculus III from the CS program. When you really look at the typical CS program, you will only need Calculus I & II to take the Physics I, Physics II and the Linear Algebra courses. Since there aren’t really any advanced REQUIRED CS courses that require Physics I & II, you could actually delay taking your Physics courses until after you complete your Calculus courses and still graduate with a degree in CS in 4 years.</p>
<p>Now what type of CS programs will probably have you stay 5 years (without summers)??..Depends on the level of the required Analysis of Algorithms and Discrete Math courses. Some Discrete Math courses are “sophomore level” and some others (usually broken up into separate Combinatorics and Graph Theory courses) will require Calculus II and/or Linear Algebra.</p>
<p>Thanks guys I appreciate all the help. I am taking physics this year to help me for college so hopefully i wont be too far behind. Ill have to consider taking a math class in community college. I might be back with more questions at some other point! lol. Its good to know that you dont need to go to a school with abet accreditation.</p>