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Ask HN: Is Georgia Tech's Online Master in CS Worth It?

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Re: Ask HN: Is Georgia Tech's Online Master in CS Worth It?

#171

Post by jboggan »

isbellHFh wrote: post #136
jboggan wrote: post #124

Earlier quoted context omitted.

As a Yellow Jacket myself I am somewhat amused that they managed to translate the stress and fatigue of the Georgia Tech experience into the online course. In a perverse way I think that means the program is as valuable as it purports to be.

We worked very hard to make that happen. For my third course, I may create online drown proofing.

Thank you sir, that response made my day.

For context, drownproofing was a course once upon a time at Georgia Tech which is now more famously taught in the Navy SEALS. It teaches you not so much how to swim but how to bob just below the surface without drowning or expending too much energy. The "final exam" was having your ankles and wrists bound and being dropped in the pool.

There's a startup metaphor in there somewhere.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Drownproofing

Re: Ask HN: Is Georgia Tech's Online Master in CS Worth It?

#173

Post by nvarsj »

jondubois wrote: post #149

After a bachelor degree, university isn't that useful for CS unless you want to get into serious AI research. I don't think it has much effect on salary or opportunities.

The knowledge I've learned in my brief time there has already resulted in some direct monetary benefits for me. So maybe you're right for newbies, but as an experienced engineer that can find many opportunities, knowledge is power :).

Re: Ask HN: Is Georgia Tech's Online Master in CS Worth It?

#174

Post by nvarsj »

Not to be harsh, but you probably won't get accepted. You'll need to do some CS nanodegrees first, or something equivalent (a full undergrad CS/maths degree is obviously ideal). I know people in similar positions, even one with a physics degree, who could not get in due to lack of academic experience.

Otherwise, I think OMSCS is totally worth it. It is hard though. Really hard. I have a family, significant engineering experience, and I find the workload intense. It puts pressure on my family at the same time because I'm not available as much. So I'm taking it very slow, no more than 2-3 courses a year.

It feels great to be 'back at school' after so many years. I love learning new stuff and the challenges of hacking away at low level things. The kind of thing you rarely get to do professionally unless you're very lucky (or not getting paid much). Almost makes me wish I had done a Ph.D.

I don't know if it will help me get a better job or whatever, but it definitely fulfills my own internal itch.

Re: Ask HN: Is Georgia Tech's Online Master in CS Worth It?

#175

Post by forrestbrazeal »

Yhippa wrote: post #166
forrestbrazeal wrote: post #24

The answer is highly context dependent. If you think the degree will magically open up a lot of job opportunities for you, you might be kidding yourself. However, if you love to learn and don't mind putting in the long hours, it can be rewarding for its own sake. (Source: current OMSCS student, hopefully graduating in December) I made an "informed decision tree" awhile back that goes into much more detail about my th…

> However, if you love to learn and don't mind putting in the long hours, it can be rewarding for its own sake. I love learning. I took one MSCS class when I worked at a university and completed a Udacity Nanodegree. That said the one MSCS class I took was intense (Applied Cryptography) and I had to spend time in study groups on the weekend. What kind of time commitment am I looking at for the OMSCS?

It really depends on the class, and on how many you take at once.

If you take two classes per semester, the time commitment can be easily 20 hours a week.

Re: Ask HN: Is Georgia Tech's Online Master in CS Worth It?

#176

Post by w8rbt »

gatechnoway wrote: post #165

Working pro with 12 years experience. Absolutely not worth it. Most of your classmates will have not coded before. The classes are cheap. The hours are long. In the end your grade depends on teammates who haven't been vetted. Three teammates who can't code? You get a C and don't pass. Course content is extremely dated. UML and SDLC paradigms from the 70's with xerox pdfs distributed to "learn" from. This is a money g…

Of the seven classes I have had, only one (software engineering with Professor Orso) has been a team class. All the other classes were individual work only. I got an A in the team-based class.

Don't get discouraged and do talk to the professor if you have bad teammates. All of them have been readily accessible and outstanding (as have the TAs).

Re: Ask HN: Is Georgia Tech's Online Master in CS Worth It?

#177

Post by ThrustVectoring »

ordinaryperson wrote: post #40
repsilat wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> algorithms and data structures being the most applicable There's really not much off that to be had -- one introductory theory + algorithms course, one course on algorithms and complexity for parallel and distributed programs, and after that just a few domain-specific things -- image processing and machine-learning algorithms. I thought the program was worthwhile because it was cheap and flexible. I could watch lec…

> I wouldn't assume that any programming experience is better than this program. I don't. Just want the OP to not get degree fever, assuming they'll be flooded with job offers b/c they have a CS masters. In developer interviews I've never had anyone even bring up my education once, mostly I think it helps get me past the HR filter at big cos. But I loved my master's program, I'd recommend school to anyone if they can…

IMO, being able to show the degree off to immigration bureaucrats is more valuable. Being able to code doesn't let you get better citizenship options, being able to prove to bureaucrats that you have valuable skills does. A Master's in Computer Science from an accredited American school is a great option for doing that. And the OP is from Brazil.

Re: Ask HN: Is Georgia Tech's Online Master in CS Worth It?

#178

Post by kchoudhu »

SEJeff wrote: post #36
repsilat wrote: post #31

Earlier quoted context omitted.

> algorithms and data structures being the most applicable There's really not much off that to be had -- one introductory theory + algorithms course, one course on algorithms and complexity for parallel and distributed programs, and after that just a few domain-specific things -- image processing and machine-learning algorithms. I thought the program was worthwhile because it was cheap and flexible. I could watch lec…

If you want to learn about Algorithms, you need to buy the entire series on Algorithms from Robert Sedgewick: https://www.amazon.com/Algorithms-Parts-1-4-Fundamentals-Str... https://www.cs.princeton.edu/~rs/ I don't think there is a single better source on algorithms than everything from Robert Sedgewick.

I recommend anything other than Sedgwick for algorithms and data structures.

I damned near didn't touch a computer for two years after being forced to trudge through his books in college.

Re: Ask HN: Is Georgia Tech's Online Master in CS Worth It?

#179

Post by xxSparkleSxx »

trentmb wrote: post #68
xxSparkleSxx wrote: post #64

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I did a masters an Johns Hopkins and completed it all online. It's a similar style program where you can do it all online, on campus, or as a combination. Still cost me slightly over 40k even though Innever stepped foot on campus. It's a total rip-off, but only in the sense that I couldn't get a decent paying job without a masters (work in biotech).

> It's a total rip-off I've always been under the impression that most masters degrees are money mills for the university. They expect your employer to foot the bill.

Mine did for most of it, still a rip-off. But at the same time I got a much better job out of it, just didn't actually need the degree to do the job.

Re: Ask HN: Is Georgia Tech's Online Master in CS Worth It?

#180

Post by mindvirus »

growtofill wrote: post #4
mindvirus wrote: post #2

I graduated from the program in December and I found it incredibly rewarding. There are a lot of great classes, and I learned a ton - in particular, the machine learning and reinforcement learning courses were top notch, as we're the systems programming ones. One thing I'd warn though is that you'll get out of the program what you put into it - so it's really up to you to choose classes that will set up your career t…

Have you been working while studying? Could you share how much hours/week have you been committing?

I worked full time while studying.

With one course, it was challenging but I could fit it into my schedule without too many changes. My schedule was to watch lectures during the week in the mornings before work (45 minutes or so a day), and then do homework in the mornings on Saturday and Sunday. Usually I still had enough time to hang out with family and friends.

With two courses, I had to be really strict about my schedule - basically, I'd go to work, come home, study, sleep, repeat, and usually use an entire day of the weekend to get things done. I got really good at saying no to people.

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