<p>So, I'm currently a sophomore majoring in L&S's CS. This semester I'm taking 61B, 70, and Math 54. I'm doing fine with Math 54, most likely will have an A/A-, is crazy with 61B taught by Hitler (oops I meant Hilfinger :D) and completely lost in CS70 taught by Satish Rao...</p>
<p>Many people I know say that CS70 is like the easiest lower division course in CS compared to the 61 series, and they also claim that if my background in CS70 is weak, I'll die in CS170, which is a class built on concepts taught in CS70. I have absolutely no idea why CS70 is that hard for me to grasp so far. I have an A- in 61A last spring, is currently in the C+/B- zone for Hilfinger's 61B, and considering him a tough professor, I'm happy with that, but I will most likely fail CS70 at this rate.</p>
<p>Let me make this straight first... I don't think it's Rao's fault even though TBQH, he's not a really good CS prof as far as I know. Most of my friends in the class are doing OK, and I have formed study groups with them consistently for the last 2 months, yet the problems in discreet math don't come straightforward to me as it comes to them. I completely got lost in modular arithmetic and all the congruent stuff, and Rao's lecture just couldn't get into my head right now.</p>
<p>This is like an arrow right to my self-esteem because I thought CS is my thing and didn't find the 61 series too bad so far. I'm doing bad in a course people say easy... I really need advice from you guys, at this rate, should I change my major to something, say cognitive science? If not, is there any "trick", "skill", or useful method that you know to succeed in this class? Study groups don't work well for me so far unfortunately. Please advise me, thanks!</p>
<p>I’ve never heard anyone say CS70 was easy… My old roommate was an EECS major, and he thought CS70 was hell. I feel your pain though, I’m currently enrolled in Math 55 which covers most of the same topics, and it’s pretty rough…</p>
<p>^ Wow… that makes me feel better a little bit lol. Friends of mine usually say it was easy and “the concepts come straight to you if you are a natural math student” O_o. I have A’s in Math 1A and 1B (actually AP out 1A) and is still enjoying linear/DE, but for some weird reasons, I just can’t understand all the stuff covering in CS70… </p>
<p>I’m considering bombing the final and then retaking it with Sinclair next semester. Heard that he is an amazing prof. Any advice?</p>
<p>That’s because you don’t do real math until the upper-division courses, and you only touch on real math during MATH 55. The other lower-div math courses are all arithmetic.</p>
<p>Yeah, there’s several people who thought they want to be math majors, but they take MATH110 and it hits them like a wall.</p>
<p>As for CS70 – it really depends on how you think. The topics in that course are very abstract. Just hang in there.</p>
Thanks, I’m trying my best now. It’s too late to drop, so if this situation doesn’t turn around, I guess I will bomb the final and retake it… smh</p>
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O_o That’s weird. I thought the same too. So far my experience are: 61A seems fun, not too bad when I took it with Harvey, 61B seems a pain in terms of workload with Hil, and don’t know much about 61C yet. 70 is ripping me apart :(</p>
<p>The lower div math classes and 185 (depending on the professor) are for the most part arithmetic. Math 55 is a joke because it’s fluffed up by all the non-math majors. I don’t even know what they are but I know that some non-math major requires 55.</p>
<p>CS 70, at the very least, is supposed to be quite a bit hard than math 55.</p>
<p>I’m in CS 70 right now. I just stopped going to lecture and started doing a lot better. I go to Soda to do hw so I get to learn from fellow students as well. </p>
<p>Rao isn’t the best lecturer, so you just have to read the reader and the slides.</p>
<p>Who the hell told you that 70 was easy? They were full of it. With one exception, everyone I have talked to who is taking it with Satish is struggling. That’s a tough class.</p>
<p>^ Sadly almost anyone I know and the kids I’m hanging out with said so :(</p>
<p>Before closing this thread, I just want to ask if anyone has any experience with Alitair Sinclair? His rmf looks good. Oh and I’m just thinking of the worst case scenario of retaking CS70 btw</p>