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Hard Part of Computer Science? Getting into Class

nytimes.com

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Re: Hard Part of Computer Science? Getting into Class

#301

Post by Eridrus »

geebee wrote: post #299
Eridrus wrote: post #294

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Research groups at FAANG are pretty competitive too.

Competitive, yes, certainly. But is it competitive in the same way? I’m other words, do “cracking the coding interview” style questions play as big a role? EDIT: I figured, why not do a quick web search. I found this link: http://matt-welsh.blogspot.com/2014/01/getting-job-at-google... Just one POV, but it does confirm that PhD graduates do have to go through the same kind of coding exercises (at google) as anyone el…

There is some difference in research scientist hiring, both in the method & the criteria. But as I said, these roles are very competitive, and most PhD holders in FAANG companies will be in SWE roles.

Re: Hard Part of Computer Science? Getting into Class

#302

Post by woolvalley »

ck425 wrote: post #295
woolvalley wrote: post #256

Earlier quoted context omitted.

If you don't have regular access to a computer & the internet, then American CS college is miles away by cost comparison. Like seriously, a $200 chromebook that you earn by working a local minimum wage job, a household that feeds and clothes you and your local public library wifi is what you would mostly need. The requirements for college far exceeds that by a mile.

The poster was walking widely about the industry as a whole not just college. And there are lots of scholarship students who had to work to help put food on the table, who couldn't afford a chromebook and the time to go tinker.

In many colleges, the cost of one or two textbooks outdoes the cost of a chromebook. If you have to work to put food on the table in college, you can work to put a chromebook on the table too and spend your college time on self study vs college itself

Re: Hard Part of Computer Science? Getting into Class

#303

Post by pl1234 »

black-tea wrote: post #209
cs-holder wrote: post #174

Since when is being a software engineer a "high-status" job, as mentioned in the first paragraph? Most people would consider a non-washed out doctor or lawyer (which is expensive and difficult to achieve) as having higher status than pretty much anyone working with a CS degree, unless they are a successful founder or went into investments. Besides medicine/law, young people with some degree of privilege and ambition…

Yeah. Women aren't impressed by programmers.

Women aren't impressed by programmers, yet at the same time they believe they are being unfairly excluded from the field. There isn't much social prestige associated with being a programmer but there is a lot of capital in the field now. Women want all the money while doing almost none of the actual work. Unfortunately companies reward them for their propaganda. I've met multiple senior female PMs and engineers, especially at places like FAANG, who can barely write fizzbuzz. The best "female" engineers are often insane men dressed up as women.

Re: Hard Part of Computer Science? Getting into Class

#304

Post by 83183662 »

Jtsummers wrote: post #265
83183662 wrote: post #262

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I'd be curious to know whether there's a good way to avoid this. As someone who's currently in high school and looking to major in CS, this really worries me - am I actually going to be able to find a job a few years from now? Should I be planning to study something else instead?

Personal opinion, the general guidance I give to teenaged kids of friends: The best way is to choose to do it because it actually interests you, not just because you want the money. You can get a job with the degree despite the glut of graduates. Just accept that you may not always be getting the $150k/year starting salaries you sometimes hear about. But if CS is only of passing interest and you have other majors you…

Thanks, that's a good point! I definitely am interested in the subject itself, and I think I would want to do it even if the money won't be as good as it is now, but it's hard to deny that's a factor as well. Mostly, I'm worried that there will be enough oversupply that there will barely be any jobs available at all, but it's reassuring to hear that may not necessarily be true.

I almost wonder if it would make more sense to major in CS and minor in something else, which would hopefully make it easier to specialize in a particular field rather than competing against a lot of generalists. I'm not entirely sure what else I'd want to do though, which goes back to the lack-of-interest problem that you mentioned. It's definitely something to think about!

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