<p>I was reading the requirements for a cs major when I found out that I couldn't just pop in without completing the Pre-CS courses which might take up to 3 semesters or more.</p>
<p>I was shocked. Considering that I lack a solid programming background or supernatural calculus skills, I would have to go through Pre-CS.</p>
<p>Now the questions is... How hard is it for someone new in the field?
Any international student has gone through it successfully?</p>
<p>Pre-CS is just a way of classifying people in the introductory CS classes... if you complete the required coursework, you will be accepted to regular CS and still be able to graduate in 4 years.</p>
<p>But, I read that you need up to 3 semesters provided that you have no good background. Isn't that approximately 1.5 school years? Please prove me wrong.</p>
<p>You need to complete cs 307, cs 313k in pre cs. While you are doing cs315 you apply for the cs major. i actually did cs 305j too which is a precursor to cs 307. i am going to my second year now and im enrolled in cs315h, and i plan to finish in 4 years. Since you do not have a solid programming background, i suggest you start with cs 305j. CS is not easy, there is quite a bit of work during the week but i guess that goes for most other majors too.</p>
<p>714nD1</p>
<p>Ideally you should have enough programming experience that’s similar to CS305j. If you don’t, then you will have a delay of actually just 1 semester in order to take CS305j. (You could make this up in a half summer semester.)</p>
<p>The pre-CS major was designed to control enrollment during the technology bubble, and it will stay there in case there’s ever another one. There use to be far more CS majors than could be accommodated, and you use to have to have a 2.5 or 2.8 GPA in the first few CS courses in order to continue with the major. Right now enrollment is extremely low, so basically anyone with a 2.0 GPA will be accepted into the CS major.</p>
<p>Back in 2001 there were over 2,200 computer science majors (of course well over 50% flunked out.) Now there’s only around 600 majors and 200 pre-majors.</p>