<p>So, first off, can I just say how much EASIER it is to apply to Carnegie than Berkeley. I'm currently caught up in/confused with Berkeley's system involving CS.. I think I might've applied to the wrong program/school inside of Berkeley.</p>
<p>Second, I just want to say how much I absolutely love computer science and programming. But I have to admit, I'm not amazing at it. I'm good compared to the people around me, but to be honest, no one in my town really is hardcore about it.. I went to a program over the summer and was blown away by how good the other people were.</p>
<p>So, I have a few questions if there are any students / informed people who would be willing to answer me. Like, exactly HOW hardcore is the SCS, and do you have to be amazing from the beginning? I've pretty much been sure of wanting to major in CS since 10th grade, but I'm not sure of my skill level. Would it be better to go to Berkeley (where I have to test out my skills -apply 3rd year for the CS major and possibly be forced to choose an alternate major cuz only 50% of those originally wanting CS get it-) or would I turn out a good programmer no matter what from SCS as long as I worked hard. I mean, it's highly possible the admissions office made a mistake in accepting me... I don't know.</p>
<p>Any comments on Comp Sci @ CMU or Berkeley, or on my situation, would be greatly appreciated.</p>
<p>Some background information - freshmen CS majors are placed into the programming courses 15-100, 15-200, or 15-211 depending on their skill level. 15-100 is entry level, 15-200 basically requires an understanding of topics in AP CS A or significant past programming experience, and 15-211 requires a 5 on AP CS AB or advanced programming experience (in java) plus a decent background in discrete math. Roughly 25% of SCS freshmen take 15-100, 50% take 15-200, 20% take 15-211, and the rest (who got 5 in AP CS AB but didn't pass the discrete math placement test) take 15-113 or no programming course first semester.</p>
<p>As you can see, plenty of people who come to SCS have little programming experience (around 25%). Admission isn't based on how much programming experience you have, so it's unlikely that they made a mistake in admitting you ^^;. Anyway, the people I know who took 15-100 seem to be doing fine. You'll be a semester behind the majority of people if you take 15-100, but you'll be with other people at your level. You'll still take the same theory courses with everyone else (21-127 and 15-251), so you won't be behind in that respect as long as you're good at math and work hard. You'll be more or less caught up with everyone after the first or second semester of sophomore year.</p>
<p>I wouldn't worry too much about not having much programming experience. You should choose based on other aspects of the schools, such as which one is better. I'm obviously biased, but yeah, SCS is better :-). And yeah, SCS is definitely hardcore once you get into the tougher courses.</p>
<p>I got rejected from SCS but I plan on attending as a math major through mcs. I think I'll try to double major in CS or transfer to SCS. Anyways, I've got a few questions:
Is it possible to test out of 15-200 in order to take 15-211 during the fall semester? I only got a 4 on AP CS AB, however I do know the material cold and I've already taken concepts of math via precollege. I'd really like to take 15-211 as opposed to 15-200, which I think would not be very beneficial.
Also, what does one need to do in order to take Analysis as opposed to the Calc 3d/diffeq sequence? I noticed analysis being offered on the cmu math dept website, and it seems very appealing, though the website doesn't mention much in terms of prereqs.</p>
<p>I know of one guy in SCS who was allowed to take 15-211 in the fall with a 4 on the AP CS AB, but he had to convince our advisor to allow him to do it. I think it would be feasible for you to get into 15-211 if you push for it (and you should).</p>
<p>one of my high school friends did not know how to program at all, started in 15-100 and this was her first programming course, and now is doing fine in 15-212 and the other CS courses. I think if it's something you truely enjoy then don't be afraid to start off and see how you do. Generally concepts (21-127) is a co-req for 211, so a lot of people take it spring semester freshman year</p>
<p>21-127 is actually a prerequisite for 15-211. CS freshmen who don't place out of 21-127 through the discrete math placement test have to take it in the fall.</p>
<p>Yeah, you'll take a 20 question discrete math placement test over the summer. This year you needed 15/20 to place out of 127/into 211. They don't tell you how important the placement test is until after you've submitted it...</p>
<p>^ They do tell you and even if you totally fail, you can call up the office and ask to retake it IF you have shown you can handle the math. They know there is cheating on the exam (it is taken online with no time limit between sections and the q's never change). However, don't take a hard math class you can't handle; especially with summer approaching (you might forget stuff).</p>
<p>CMU's schedule is fixed so that you can drop classes (not taking full load) and not really worry about it. It would be MUCH MUCH MUCH better to get an easy A in an easy math class than to take a harder math class and get a B or even drop it. </p>
<p>After you take your general requirements, most students clamor for credits and start double majoring or minoring or taking electives. Having taken EASY math classes will really help you out then as you realize "Oh hey I got 9-12 units already from taking that". </p>
<p>I know friends who have dropped out of 122 just to re-start it while others have gotten A's in 120 and are now in the same boat as the 122 people except their GPA's are higher and they have 9 units in the bank.</p>
<p>
[quote]
^ They do tell you and even if you totally fail, you can call up the office and ask to retake it IF you have shown you can handle the math. They know there is cheating on the exam (it is taken online with no time limit between sections and the q's never change).
[/quote]
I think you're referring to the calc placement exam. I'm actually talking about the discrete math placement exam that CS majors are sent to take on paper over the summer. </p>
<p>CS majors also have to take a programming placement test on paper that involves writing a simple class. This and your performance on CS AP exams determines your placement in 100, 200, or 211.</p>
<p>A note on the calc placement test - CS majors had to score something like 35/40 (or was it no more than 1 wrong per section?) to completely place out of calc, even with a 5 on the calc BC exam. So make sure you take it seriously and try to score do as well as possible if you think you're ready for the next level of math courses (usually calc in 3D, matrix algebra, and differential equations for CS/engineering students).</p>
<p>If you haven't ever done discrete math before, especially writing lots of proofs, don't try to self-teach and place out of 21-127. It can be an annoying class at times, but it really helps in later courses (i.e. 15-251, which many people have trouble in, and at the very least, is time consuming). Anyways, if the schedule that accidentally ended up on the website a few days ago and was then taken down is true, the 21-127 prof is good for next semester (Mackey).</p>
<p>I've kind of done a 180. I was holding CMU over Berkeley because it's intense academics, but I don't want to be studying ALL the time. I mean, would I be able to have like an average of..3 nights and 2 days free? And still manage to do my work? And..find things to do to fill those 3 nights and 2 days on campus/in Pittsburgh?</p>
<p>And it doesn't rain ALL THE TIME, does it? Like, if you were to say how much it rains in a percentage, what would it be? Or, if it's easier, how often is it sunny (in a percentage)?</p>
<p>There is in-between weather. Right now it's overcast but not raining. It'd say 15% rain, 45% overcast, 40% sunny. Anywhere inland will have the same kind of weather patterns. It does NOT rain all the time, that's mostly just due to people who aren't used to continental climates whining about the weather not being the same as it is at home.</p>
<p>Oh puh leez. Talk to Walden or even me. He is ECE primary and I am Tepper with a prospective CS double. We have posted in other threads our free time and it seems neither of us usually study for more than 3 hours straight and he has a 4.0? and I have a 3.8. </p>
<p>Rains in %? I would guess 10-20%. You can check the weather site for this. As for sunny, it is usually "sunny" in the sense that there IS SUN and you can SEE IT but there is wind. </p>
<p>I guess it is kinda like NYU in that sense...I mean you can find all this climate information on Google.</p>
<p>yea, I live in New Jersey, so I'm pretty used to this weather.
*in fact, it's snowing right now...in april.</p>
<p>I have visited both campuses, although CMU was three years ago and Berkeley was this past summer.</p>
<p>I think I'm going to end up with CMU... it seems like all the adults are telling me to go to CMU and all the teens are telling me to go to Berkeley. I love Computer Science, and I'm sure I'll find more people like that at CMU than Berkeley.</p>