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ISloop

Who grades the homework assignments?
So did your curriculum involve a decent amount of liberal arts classes mixed with CS classes? Do you think your understanding of computer science is as solid as the people who did the B.S. program?
Thanks. Unfortunately admissions are extremely competitive, and I hear only the people with high GPA + all finished pre-reqs get in. I figure if I get accepted somewhere, I'd rather focus on the CS/programming material than finishing classes that are irrelevant to my major.
Thanks for the feedback. Although I'm not experienced enough in programming to be valuable anywhere, I will definitely look into your startup when I significantly improve my skills.

I have another question. I see you're located in Mountain View. I'm assuming you receive a lot of applications from top tier universities such as Stanford and Berkeley. Is the degree still not that important?

Assuming you get two applicants of equal ability, one is from a top tier college and the other from...let's say a CSU college. Would you be biased towards the more elite applicant?

Sorry if these questions are silly. I'm really interested in the recruiter's perspective though.

Ask HN: Do employers care whether my Computer Science degree is a B.A. or B.S?

Yes, it's a serious question. I'm a community college student who is applying this fall to transfer into a University of California. Although most universities offer CS as a B.S. degree, some offer it in BOTH B.S. and B.A. The B.S. degree would require me to stay an extra year to finish a math class and the physics series, however I've been in CC for too long and would like to transfer as soon...

( Read More... | 20 comments | 8 points | on HN )
Re:Poll: How long have you been programming? on Monday April 02, 2012 @05:08AM (#3787076)
Truthfully, I never had the interest to learn programming as a kid despite being offered lessons by family and friends. My first year of college I took a ton of random classes, but Intro to Programming was the only class that captured my attention. Thanks to the professor and really interesting assignments I gained an appreciation for programming, and I've been working towards a CS degree from then on. I started when I was 19.
Re:Ability to learn is affected by the timing of sleep on Sunday March 25, 2012 @09:24PM (#3754516)
That makes a lot of sense. I've often found myself dreaming about a problem I struggled with before going to bed, then magically "realizing" the solution immediately after waking up in the morning.
Re:Poll: What's Your Most Disliked Programming Language? on Saturday March 24, 2012 @04:32PM (#3750620)
Why is there so much dislike for C++?
The software claims to replicate the physiological effects of running. If a person combined a consistent exercise regime with this software training, will he/she turn into a genius?
Re:Why College Students Leave the Engineering Track on Saturday January 21, 2012 @03:01AM (#3492955)
True. One of the calculus courses at my college is a weeder class. I have met so many people who gave up on their dreams of being scientists and engineers because they couldn't handle the intensity of the course. I was among the majority that didn't pass the class. I admit I'm not the brightest math student, but I truly enjoy learning about Computer Science so I'm gonna power through those classes for as long as it takes. I'll be retaking the class again this upcoming semester.

The article has a point, the quantity of homework assigned in technical classes is insane. People burn out. Some people put in the hours, yet pull off mediocre grades at best. Its highly discouraging and destroys peoples egos. My friends attending Top 5 engineering universities are simply broken on the inside. Doing homework for 10+ hours a day, every day, as long as you can handle it, just to earn a shitty GPA barely above 3.0. Luckily they're all stubborn enough to continue pursuing their goals.

This is awesome. GEB has been sitting on my bookshelf for about a year but I never got around to reading it. I'll give it a shot, and it's great to know there's a community out there available for help.
Re:Facebook keeps you alive on Sunday December 25, 2011 @05:09AM (#3390806)
I may sound asocial saying this, but I couldn't care less if other people acknowledge my cyber existence. What does it matter if someone commented on my new photos or wrote on my Wall? It doesn't add any value to my life, and fortunately I don't need people's validation to feel good about myself. I'll log in once every few days to see if I need to reply to someone, but other than that it's just another website. It kinda scares me how Facebook is now such a central aspect of people's lives. I know a lot of people who obsess over not having enough "likes" on their profile or whatever and they start questioning their personalities, friendships, etc. It just seems silly to me.

Does the reputation of your college matter in getting a job?

I'm currently a community college student planning to transfer into a 4 year university as a Computer Science major. Although I'm applying next year, I need to start thinking about where exactly I want to go.I live in CA, so my primary school selections are UC's or CSU's. The cheapest option for me would be to go to a local state school, since I could save a lot of money by staying at home and...

( Read More... | 10 comments | 3 points | on HN )
Re:Why Do So Many Gifted Kids Think They Don't like Math? on Monday December 05, 2011 @04:43PM (#3316629)
I completely agree. In my Calculus 2 class (integrals and series), the most difficult thing to work with is the algebra and trigonometry. The class is conceptually easy, but our brains get annihilated when we have to grind through a hundred steps of computation. I though my algebra/trig was fine when I went through it in high school, but apparently it didn't prepare me at all for college math.
Re:Nobody's Going to Help You, and That's Awesome on Sunday November 27, 2011 @01:42AM (#3281887)
Its not that self-help books are bullshit, its that most people don't have the willpower to actually change their lifestyles. They're afraid of stepping outside of their comfort zone, because they're afraid of failing, being criticized, working hard, etc. The excuses vary. Self-help books possess a lot of great knowledge, but if people actually followed the advice they read, every self-help writer would be out of a job. I once read through a few books but never took initiative to change anything in my life. Then I stumbled upon "Think and Grow Rich" by Napoleon Hill, and it was so effective at changing my attitude that I've never bothered to read any more self-help books or blogs afterwards.
Re:How to be interesting (2006) on Saturday November 26, 2011 @09:35PM (#3281438)
That catchphrase is stupid. This isn't reddit.
Re:How to be interesting (2006) on Saturday November 26, 2011 @03:12AM (#3279394)
A friend did something similar. For every programming puzzle he solved, he would try to find 5 alternative solutions.