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Completing a part-time Master's in computer science while working

alexanderell.is

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Re: Completing a part-time Master's in computer science while working

#31

Post by KingMachiavelli »

rpunkfu wrote: post #24
joeframbach wrote: post #18

I couldn't do it. From 2008 to 2011, I was 3 credits and half a thesis paper short, had to quit for my health. I had lost too much weight, down to 150 lbs at 6'3", I was falling asleep at work and not meeting expectations. It was horrendous. Props to anyone who can make it work. And to those who were bailed out by the Bank of Mom and Dad, a big fuck you.

Wouldn't you as a parent want to help your children avoid things you experienced? I think you always want your children to go through less hassle than yourself? I personally believe that guiding children through struggles we experienced is not a good idea of parenting. Disclaimer: I didn't finish college as well, for same reasons as you. Edit: I've realized my comment might've sounded like a critique of your parentin…

Agreed, my parents adopted the financial policy of providing just enough support that college was as difficult as possible but technically affordable. In hind sight, just a bit more help would have made a world of difference.

That said there is a huge expectation in the US. 90% of the time professors or admins mentioned paying for college they assumed people were getting parental assistance or financial aid. For better or worse paying for your adult child's higher education is not really a parental strategy but rather a societal norm all but written into law.

Re: Completing a part-time Master's in computer science while working

#32

Post by 2457013579 »

For those debating starting a master’s program, the institution makes a big difference about 2 main factors. Required cost (which has been spoken about by multiple people so far), and required effort (which no one has touched on yet, and the reason I’m writing this).

While effort isn’t best depicted as a single value, some attributes of effort that I found making the act of getting a MS particularly easier and more enjoyable involves how professors bend to the life of students, rather than students to professors.

For homework this looks something like how common and easier it is to get an extension, extra help, adjustment of assignment/test, and so on. For schoolwork this looks something like whether class attendance is required, class sessions and professor office hours are time/location specific, and so on.

The original article talks about someone that made the decision to do school in person and then about how there were issues when it became remote. I opted to take an online program offered at a standard institution in hopes of increased flexibility and the same piece of paper at the end.

All my classes were pre-recorded lessons I could watch at my convenience. We would complete assignments and talk about them in a comment thread (usually required to do one OP and 2 comments per week), and also have larger projects etc. in groups. On about half of my classes I asked for and was always given extensions of anywhere between 30 days to complete and assignment to 3 extra months to finish 80% of the class I haven’t even touched yet due to increased demand at work.

As a side comment I’ll say you miss 100% of the extensions you don’t ask for, so if you ever feel stressed for time give it a shot and ask for an extension before the official due date or even on the day it’s due. Especially in higher education, I’ve never heard of a professor not working with a student. At the end of they day they have a financial incentive to keep you in the program.

Re: Completing a part-time Master's in computer science while working

#33

Post by warner25 »

seibelj wrote: post #6

I did this at Boston University (night school at MET) over 4 years. 10 total classes, they do 3 semesters a year, and I took 2 semesters off. Overall I liked it, solid program, assisted me later when the credential helped validate me to hiring managers and then later to investors. It also forced me to study deeper and become much more serious about the foundational knowledge. The most hilarious part to me was that I…

It sounds like our undergraduate years in the BU CS department overlapped. I, too, have been stunned by the growth of the CS department since those days; going from the basement of 111 Cummington, as you described, to what will be one of the most iconic buildings in the city.

I heard good things from a friend about the MET CS master's program too. He said that his Theory of Computation class in that program made a lot more sense than the required undergraduate Theory of Computation class with Leonid Levin, haha.

But about the size of the graduating class: When we declared CS as our major in the mid-2000s, that was a historic low point for CS enrollment at all American universities, not just at BU. It's my understanding that CS departments boomed in the late 1990s, but then conventional wisdom after the Dot Com crash was that majoring in CS was a bad idea, so enrollment plummeted. I suspect that the market and compensation for software developers might still reflect this period of over-correction today. Basically, there are relatively few folks in their mid/late 30s today with a CS degree.

Re: Completing a part-time Master's in computer science while working

#34

Post by [deleted] »

danrocks wrote: post #27
notreallyserio wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've been thinking about doing this, too. Would you say it is interesting and a lot of work or just a lot of work?

Some courses are trash: Computer Networks, Knowledge Based AI, Databases, System Design. Others are amazing: Big Data for Health, AI, Compilers, Deep Learning, Operating Systems, Computer Architecture. All in all, for the price (and the right classes) it's a steal. Another thing to note is that courses are mostly run by TAs - professor availability/involvement is rare.

[deleted]

Re: Completing a part-time Master's in computer science while working

#35

Post by jcims »

I dropped out of college in 1993. I’ve been in industry since and empty nesting has me thinking about going back to school. Are there programs that will give me any credit for time served? Not a full degree obviously but maybe fast forward a couple years in the process.

I’m thinking a 30 year old transcript with a ~2.0 GPA isn’t going to move the needle much.

Re: Completing a part-time Master's in computer science while working

#36

Post by warner25 »

dls2016 wrote: post #10
seibelj wrote: post #6

I did this at Boston University (night school at MET) over 4 years. 10 total classes, they do 3 semesters a year, and I took 2 semesters off. Overall I liked it, solid program, assisted me later when the credential helped validate me to hiring managers and then later to investors. It also forced me to study deeper and become much more serious about the foundational knowledge. The most hilarious part to me was that I…

That lazy river is wild!

Honestly, the lazy river sounds a lot more opulent than it really is. I remember all the hype and jokes about it when the university announced its construction, and then the letdown upon seeing it in person. It was much smaller than I imagined, and it's tucked away in a back room with almost no natural light. It's next to a small pool (separate from the big competition pool) which I used a bit, and I hardly ever saw anyone using the lazy river while there.

Re: Completing a part-time Master's in computer science while working

#37

Post by [deleted] »

flinginggoat wrote: post #11
notreallyserio wrote: post #7

Earlier quoted context omitted.

I've been thinking about doing this, too. Would you say it is interesting and a lot of work or just a lot of work?

Not the person you asked, but I’m starting my 6th/7th courses in the OMSCS program this semester. It can definitely be interesting, but like any program, it depends on the course and professor. I’ve had some great courses (like the intro AI course I took last Fall) and I’ve had a terrible course (decent relational database course, but the only TA who responded to questions was absolutely terrible to students). I enro…

[deleted]

Re: Completing a part-time Master's in computer science while working

#38

Post by andi999 »

jcims wrote: post #35

I dropped out of college in 1993. I’ve been in industry since and empty nesting has me thinking about going back to school. Are there programs that will give me any credit for time served? Not a full degree obviously but maybe fast forward a couple years in the process. I’m thinking a 30 year old transcript with a ~2.0 GPA isn’t going to move the needle much.

Do you really want that? You would skip useful knowledge, wouldnt you?

Re: Completing a part-time Master's in computer science while working

#39

Post by vector_spaces »

jcims wrote: post #35

I dropped out of college in 1993. I’ve been in industry since and empty nesting has me thinking about going back to school. Are there programs that will give me any credit for time served? Not a full degree obviously but maybe fast forward a couple years in the process. I’m thinking a 30 year old transcript with a ~2.0 GPA isn’t going to move the needle much.

My school provides a way to "test out" of a given course by exam. Basically you contact an instructor for the course and make arrangements with them for what the test will look like, and submit some paperwork.

The big downside at my school is the fee for this approach is the regular cost of taking the course, paid before you take the test, and nonrefundable in the event you don't pass. But not passing doesn't appear on your transcripts, so it only dings you financially

Also, you're only allowed to test out of a handful of requirements for your major. It was explained to me this is so no one can effectively "buy a degree" over only a semester or two.

But I've found most instructors willing to let someone in their classes who doesn't have formal prereqs who has relevant work experience

I'm in a similar boat in that I'm in my 30s now back in school. when I was 18 I dicked around for a couple semesters and dropped out. Thankfully my old community college has a system for expunging bad grades that are more than 7 years old, and I don't think that's very uncommon

Re: Completing a part-time Master's in computer science while working

#40

Post by vector_spaces »

2457013579 wrote: post #32

For those debating starting a master’s program, the institution makes a big difference about 2 main factors. Required cost (which has been spoken about by multiple people so far), and required effort (which no one has touched on yet, and the reason I’m writing this). While effort isn’t best depicted as a single value, some attributes of effort that I found making the act of getting a MS particularly easier and more e…

Absolutely. And don't be ashamed to speak with your disabled students accomodations office about getting the accommodations you need. If you test slowly, request extended time. If depression or something else keeps you from getting stuff done during the week, ask for flexible deadline extensions. People are hesitant to request accommodations they genuinely need and it boggles my mind.

It's especially important for math and science STEM fields -- I wouldn't be making any progress on my math degree if I didn't request accommodations and left it up to individual instructors whether to approve or deny my requests for extensions

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