Hello everyone,
Next fall, I will be an undergrad freshman student at UC Berkeley. I am planning a Computer Science and Mathematics double major. I’m willing to pursue an academic career, so I will apply to PhD programs for Theoretical Computer Science. I have two question about taking my courses in my undergrad experience in order to maximize my chances to get in to a top-notch PhD program:
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How balanced should my courses inside my field be? Can I exclusively take courses that I’m interested in to work in the future? To be more specific: I am planning to have one AI/Machine Learning (Intro to AI), three software (Operating Systems, Programming Languages, and Compilers) course and a lot of CS Theory courses (computability, optimizing algorithms, discrete probability etc…). My university specifically categorizes courses like AI/Machine Learning: 18, software: 16, theory: 17. So the admission committee will see that the ratio of 16 : 17* : 18* is something like 3 : 6 : 1 Is this preferable, or should I avoid this? If I should I avoid this, I will balance CS and take a lot of CS-Theory-like math courses (logic, computability, decidability, discrete mathematics, cryptography etc…)
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I learned that I should take hard courses and take some grad level courses. Since I have some AP credits I can actually take a lot of grad classes (I can make all my senior year CS and Math courses grad levels) So in case I don’t not fail any of these and will be confident to be successful in these classes, should I take as many grad classes as I can, or vice versa? What will admission committee think if I finished all CS theory undergrad courses AND take some grad CS theory courses?
Thank you for helping me
The first thing I would advise is to make sure that your plans do not force you to take 5 years to complete your degrees. If it means only taking one major, then do so because the second major won’t really do you that much good.
Take courses that interest you and that point you in the direction that you plan to go for graduate school. I am sure that the basic requirements of the CS degree from UCB will prepare you for a graduate program so the electives should be in areas that most interest you because that is likely where you will be able to get better grades.
Taking the most challenging courses is a great idea and if you are up to it taking graduate courses can be valuable in preparing you for what you will see in graduate school. Make sure, however, that you realize that a full load for a graduate student is 3, maybe 4 courses so don’t add a graduate course to an already packed schedule without careful consideration.
Grad school is about depth, not breadth, which you don’t seem to understand. If you’re researching new algorithms for elliptic curve cryptography, no one cares how much you know about TCP. Just take your life one year at a time. You’re in high school, you don’t know what taking 4 or 5 upper level CS (or math) classes per semester feels like.
Keep the n mind that 1 grad course= 2undergrad courses. So you should plan to have a maximum of 1grad course and 2undergrad courses in cs plus one “fun” class if you can. Check out what foreign languages you’re supposed to know in grad school and integrate those into your preparation throughout the 4years, keeping in mind that the foreign language pace in college is brutal.
Hi, SatherGate
I am also probably going to be a Freshman at UC Berkeley this fall. Almost exact situation as you. I have more than a dozen AP tests under my belt, and multiple upper level college courses through dual enrollment. I too am a prospective Math + CS major, with interests in Theoretical CS and Quantum Computing.
And I have some advice.
Don’t do what you’re planning on doing.
@mathandcs is completely correct.
I am currently taking dual enrollment courses at my local university. I am taking 5 upper level courses (2 in Math (Analysis and Differential Equations), 1 in CS (Numerical Analysis of Algorithms), and 2 in Physical Chemistry(Quantum and Thermo)), and the workload is terrifyingly brutal. I would not recommend anyone do it. Even experienced college students hell-bent on getting a double or triple major should stay away from the overkill that results from multiple graduate level courses as an undergraduate.
Take courses that you want to take. If you really REALLY love learning, then go ahead and take 1 or 2 graduate level classes per year. It’ll be a good challenge, but it won’t destroy you.
However, don’t overdo it. I’ve seen even the best of students get consumed by the workload while attempting to do what you plan to. Heck, it is currently happening to me.
tl;dr
do what you want to. But don’t go overkill.
I think it is premature to plan it all out in detail, so go with the flow a bit and learn as you go. At some point you will gt to talk to the upper division people and see what is working for them. You have a core program for your broad base so if you want to specialize in your electives fine. Don’t miss out on something that interests you though. I don’t think the grad school will care at al how these are sorted on your transcripts.either. Taking math classes is good too. my cs-math dd took math-cs combined major and then went to grad school in theoretical cs. She did a whole semester in math at Budapest Semesters abroad. And she took at least 2 grad classes as Sr and audited one as a jr. Don’t be so overcommitted in that way that you can be participating in research. The research is the core of your application, effecting your CV, your letters of recommendation and informing your statement of purpose. Now don’t get too ahead of yourself because a lot of things will become apparent after you are at college for a bit and get to know your profs and uppers and see what is going on with those who have related goals.
Thanks everyone for their responses! I guess I’m getting ahead of myself; I should better focus on my first semester so I don’t fail before it even starts… It’s just the excitement of going to college and consideration of the vast amount of options and fun courses… 
Thank you a lot, hopefully this was the last thread I opened in “Grad Schools” section for a couple years! Cheers!