Computer Science Student Story Insights
BrainTrack's Computer Science Scholarships have received many inspiring "student stories" that offered revealing insights in response to the essay questions on the application. While winning stories are selected based on the creativity, focus, accuracy, practical value and overall thoughtfulness of responses to essay questions, our staff concluded that there were many helpful suggestions and thoughtful perspectives contained within the received essays that would be valuable for all prospective and current computer science students. The following is a snapshot of the responses we have received to the questions posed.
What Students Wish They Had Known | Helpful Hints |
Program Likes/Dislikes | How
Students Chose Computer Science
What do you wish you had known about selecting and entering your computer science school that would be helpful to others going into computer science?
In their essays, respondents' recommendations to prospective computer science students were primarily about preparing as early as possible, and being thorough in comparing different programs. Specific recommendations included:
Get started early - Take as many computer science courses as possible before starting school. Many students who begin a program already know how to program in more than one language.
Department visits - Visiting the school's computer science department to meet with the faculty and current students can give a better feel for what it is like to be a student there, and help identify what needs to be done in order to prepare for school. A classroom full of motivated students progresses much faster than a classroom of disinterested students, so be sure to evaluate a department for attitude as well.
Cutting edge - Check out the program's computer labs, and make sure they have plenty of new computers. Find out what core language they are using for their computer science classes. Find out the background of the professors to see if they are up to speed on current technologies, and experienced in real-world problems and solutions.
School size - Attending a small college can mean more interaction with professors, flexible and convenient office hours, individualized instruction, and opportunities to receive critiques of code. These professors are more likely to be available to partner with students doing research in areas of special interest.
School emphasis - Consider how much importance the school places on the computer science program. Is it central to the school, or an afterthought? Good programs partner with local technology companies to provide students with practical experience through internships and projects.
School structure - Computer science degree programs are well-suited for online study. Compare online-only degree programs with campus-based programs that offer online courses. Keep in mind that campus-based programs are more likely to offer internships and career assistance, and having an instructor available to look at work in-person can be invaluable. Make sure any degree program is accredited, especially online programs.
Get creative - Go beyond selecting a major to second majors, minors, customized majors, etc. to mold requirements into a comprehensive learning strategy that supports specific goals.
Computer science competitions - Professional organizations like the Association for Computing Machinery (ACM) hold competitions each year. Schools that consistently earn top honors in these competitions often are top programs.
Foster relationships - Get to know at least two professors during the first semester. These relationships can carry on throughout the student's college career, and create a wealth of opportunities.
Ask for access - While in high school, ask about opportunities to learn programming and meet college-level computer science students. Participate in internship programs in order to gain practical experience, and become involved in research being conducted at local colleges.
Career-building resources - A computer science department should have a well-developed career resource center. The department should share relevant job postings with its students, report how many students got internships in the past couple years, and offer personal career support such as resume critiques and one-on-one consultation about job interviews.
Don't underestimate the difficulty - Some computer science courses can be very difficult to master, and even high-achieving students can struggle. Be sure to know what might be involved by taking a few continuing education courses before starting full time.
Be financially prepared - In addition to tuition and fees, there are costs for software licenses, manuals, and other resource-related costs for which a budget should be set aside.
Helpful Hints from Computer Science Students' Essays
"One of my assignments was to research every required computer science course for my degree and to research the objectives of each class and what programming languages would be used to meet those objectives. As I looked at each course, I was able to see all of the professors that taught the course. Upon further research, I was able to look at some of the papers that the professors had published and at some of the projects that they were working on in their fields. This was very interesting because I was able to see that I was being taught by computer scientists who were studying the latest discoveries in computer science. This is a big thing that would have been very helpful to me when selecting and entering the computer science degree at my school."
"My message to all girls is do not let anyone discourage you or make you think that you are not capable of obtaining a degree in computer science because that is not true."
"I believe that students should not come into these programs expecting to type on a keyboard all day or sit in front of a computer screen. This major involves a lot of problem solving strategies, which will appear in the natural sciences and mathematics. This means that the entrants into this program must also enjoy these other aspects of problem solving."
"Whatever school you choose, be happy with it! No matter what school you choose, your experience will be determined heavily by your attitude. Ultimately, you determine how good or how bad your education will be, so you might as well consciously decide to make it good."
What have you enjoyed most and least during your computer science degree program so far?
Of primary concern for respondents was the number of courses required that did not have direct bearing on their area of interest, or did not include hands-on application. Other concerns included:
Being tasked to complete similar projects in different classes
In early classes, being taught only syntax without the important skills of commenting and code organization, which are essential in the workplace
As females, finding few other females in their programs, and having to work harder to get taken seriously
Students found some of the best parts of their programs were:
Learning how to take on a task with big picture goals and break it down into individual actions
Understanding the theories behind and terms for things they had learned previously
Joining diverse groups of like-minded fellow students
Participating in activities for members of student associations for computer science
Having access to internships at top technology companies
What led you to choose computer science as a career path?
The majority of students said they discovered a fascination with technology when they were young, frequently when introduced to it by a parent or mentor. Some discovered an affinity for computers and programming at a later stage in life. Overall, respondents included the following as reasons for deciding to go into computer science:
Having the power to design programs that are only limited by personal ambition
Using logic to develop quality programs that provide solutions
Being able to see graphical results of programming creations; making projects and websites come alive
Participating in a field that is always changing and introducing new opportunities for learning